Trucking Industry Leaders Support Call to Fight Human Trafficking

April 27, 2020 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

WASHINGTON — Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao is calling for 100 pledges to work towards combating human trafficking.

Chao was joined by Congress, state government, and transportation industry leaders earlier this year in response to her call to action.

“The U.S. Department of Transportation is committed to working with our public and private partners to fight human trafficking on America’s transportation system,” Chao said.

Chao is committing $5.4 million in grant selections to the Federal Transit Administration’s Human Trafficking Awareness and Public Safety Initiative. The program will bring together 24 organizations from across the United States, each of which will receive project funding dedicated to preventing human trafficking on public transportation.

The Transportation Leaders Against Human Trafficking Pledge asks participants to educate their employees on recognizing the signs of human trafficking and aims to raise overall awareness of this modern-day slavery through outreach campaigns and by sharing data.

Human trafficking, which involves forceful labor or commercial sex acts, affects millions of adults and children throughout the country and worldwide, of all ages, races, genders and backgrounds. Many are trafficked within their communities and others are transported to other locations.

Chao requested that the transportation industry commits to 100 pledges within 100 days, and as of late February, the Department of Transportation stated the agency has exceeded that goal and received 100 pledges within a month.

“America’s transportation system is being used to facilitate this modern form of slavery,” explained Chao. “The department commends these employers for their commitment to train their employees to help detect and save victims of human trafficking.”

To boost these counter-trafficking efforts, Chao has also established an annual Combating Human Trafficking in Transportation Impact Award of $50,000 to motivate non-governmental organizations, research institutions, industry associations, and government organizations to develop new ways of combating human trafficking throughout the industry. The Department will then review submissions and choose which group will best utilize these funds to create a viable solution.

“The funding announced today will empower transit agencies and other organizations to develop local solutions to address human trafficking on buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation,” said K. Jane Williams, FTA Acting Administrator. “Our goal is to build awareness among all transit operators and the traveling public to enable them to recognize and report potential instances of human trafficking.”

Some of the selected projects working within the scope of the $5.4 million grant include:

-The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, which is receiving $350,000 to launch an awareness campaign centering on rider education around detecting human trafficking. It will also increase employee training on the issue, as Santa Clara is particularly vulnerable to human trafficking and other related crimes due to its location near international travel hubs.

-Georgia’s Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners, which is receiving $352,000 to implement communications equipment on buses connected to dispatchers in a transit maintenance center, which will bring live monitoring of the driver and his or her surroundings. Gwinnett County Transit transports around 1.5 million riders each year.

-The Community Transportation Association of America, which is receiving $242,677 to develop and improve educational materials on human trafficking, public safety, and operator assault for transit agencies. CTAA includes public, private, and nonprofit transportation and mobility management providers.

Since Chao first announced the call to action in late January, over 250 pledges have been signed–including by city government agencies, state transportation departments, trucking companies, airline groups, port and and airport authorities, transit groups, and nongovernmental organizations.

FTA’s Human Trafficking Awareness and Public Safety Initiative supports USDOT’s Transportation Leaders Against Human Trafficking, which was formed in 2012 as a group of transport and travel industry representatives working with other institutions to increase training and public awareness resources.

A few days after Chao initially called on transportation leaders for support, President Donald Trump signed the “Executive Order on Combating Human Trafficking and Online Child Exploitation in the United States,” which dedicates a White House position on finding solutions to these particular crimes full-time.

“We are not letting up!” Elaine Chao stated in a Tweet. “Multiple initiatives are underway to increase awareness of human trafficking and equip transportation industry employees and the public with strategies to fight it.”

FMCSA Plans to Study Crimes Against Female and Minority Truckers

April 23, 2020 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

Due to recent evidence showing “a serious pattern of harassment- and assault-related crimes against female and minority male truckers,” the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will study the “prevalence, seriousness, and nature of the problem of harassment and assaults” that have been committed.

The agency is submitting, once again, an information collection request to the White House’s Office of Management and Budget. The request will ask for approval to conduct a “Crime Prevention for Truckers” study–similar to the agency’s request from last July.

“FMCSA has accumulated evidence, both documentary and anecdotal” for these kinds of harassment, said the agency in its pre-publication announcement late last month.

“For example,” it said, “Security Journal, in a [2005] article titled ‘Workplace Violence against Female Long-haul Truckers,’ reported that 42% of female long-haul truckers reported experiencing one or more types of workplace violence.”

To gain momentum toward validating the problems at hand, FMCSA has decided to work with Battelle in executing a primary exploratory survey of female and minority truckers. Analysis of the survey’s results will “begin to formulate an approach to reducing,” the agency explained.

FMCSA’s intended study will include a maximum of 440 female truckers and 440 male minority truckers, with data being collected from both online surveys and in-person interviews. For a driver to be eligible, he or she will need to confirm that they are either a female or a minority male who has worked professionally as a truck driver within the past two years. If chosen, they will receive a $25 incentive upon completing the interview or survey.

If a significant issues are found, FMCSA plans to develop outreach and training methods and materials to help truckers protect themselves from harassment and crime.

“First, there seems to be a perception among these subpopulations of truckers that they are more vulnerable than others,” said the agency of its reasoning. “Second, there is a critical shortage of truckers, and helping these subpopulations of truckers protect themselves from crimes could draw more truckers from these subpopulations, while stemming turnover, to alleviate the shortage.”

However, the study will not be used explicitly for rulemaking. FMCSA said those interested in participating in the survey may submit their written comments on the proposed information collection to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget. These comments will be taken until the end of March.

The reasoning for the lack of action, FMCSA said, is that it does not yet have a full grasp of the scope of the problem. Until then, no effective solutions for preventing crimes against minority truckers can be put in place.

“Currently, there is insufficient data,” the agency said. “[With] the frequency and number of harassment- and assault-related crimes occurring, the portion that are unreported, and reasons for underreporting, are unknown.”

As of now, FMCSA does not provide any training to truckers on how to protect themselves from being harassed, robbed, stalked, or assaulted.

The agency’s exploratory survey will aim to be an analysis of data–however limited the scope of data may be–that will aid the FMCSA in understanding “the nature and extent of the problem and begin to formulate an approach to reducing it.”

The survey will ask drivers whether or not they have experienced race- or gender-related harassment or crimes while working. If they have, follow-up questions will ask them where and when these instances took place, what they respondent knows about the perpetrator, and whether or not the respondent reported the incident.

The questions will be anonymous, and none will ask for any kind of information that could possibly identify the respondent or the perpetrators involved in any incident.

Findings from the data analysis will be compiled into a comprehensive report available on FMCSA’s website for interested public and stakeholders to read.

Desiree Wood, president of Real Women in Trucking Inc., welcomed the survey and said her group has received distress calls related to sexual misconduct in entry-level driver training fleets for at least 10 years.

FMCSA is asking the public to comment in any regard to this proposal, including on: 1) Whether the collection is necessary for the agency to properly perform its functions; 2) the accuracy of the burden estimated; 3) how FMCSA can enhance the quality and usefulness of the collected information; and 4) ways to minimize the burden without reducing the quality of the collected information.

Comments should reference Federal Docket Management System Docket Number FMCSA-2018-0278. Information on how to submit comments can be found here.

Airman Introduces Automated Landing Gear System

April 20, 2020 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

At the recent 2020 American Trucking Associations Technology and Maintenance Council Annual Meeting in Atlanta, Airman Products unveiled its new Automated Landing Gear Deployment and Retraction Technology.

The company’s patent-pending device allows drivers to limit their exposure to potential injuries–such as knee and back damage–by eliminating manual cranking needs for raising and lowering the landing gear of a truck, and replacing it with the flip of a switch.

“What we’re bringing to the fleets is a faster solution that requires significantly less effort out of the driver,” said vice president of Airman sales, Jim Babbitt.

The electrically-driven unit can be OEM-installed in under an hour, works easily with all existing landing gear makes and models, and only weighs 15 pounds. A driver can deploy and retract landing gear much more quickly with the new technology than he or she could manually.

When drivers work with the manual system and sustain injuries, they often end up missing work for months–which can even cost them their jobs.

“You do this tens of thousands of times over a lifetime of being a truck driver, and that’s going to cause problems,” said Shane LaHousse, Airman vice president of engineering. “Automation is the way to eliminate this problem”

Repetitive cranking motion can also because heavy wear on muscles and joints, especially in aging drivers, which is a growing issue as the median truck driver age continues to rise.

“Depending on the equipment and circumstances, it can take between 50 to 60 crank arm rotations to get the legs on a trailer’s landing gear at the ground, and this task can keep some otherwise great drivers from working or coming back to work,” LaHousse explained. “Operating the crank arm can be awkward and physically taxing, even if the driver is young and uses the proper technique for landing gear operation, so we’ve taken this task out of the driver equation by automating it.”

Babbitt assures that this is a major solution.

“The fleets we’ve surveyed tell us that shoulder, back, and rotator cuff injuries are at the top of their list for workers’ comp claims, and that cranking landing gear up and down can cause or exacerbate these injuries,” said Babbitt. “Truck driving is already a physically demanding profession, so our automated system focuses on one primary stressor–making trailer drops and hookup operations safer and faster, while improving the truck driver experience and, as a result, driver retention.”

According to LaHouse, the Automated Landing Gear Deployment and Retraction system also increases lot utilization by allowing trailers to park closer together. This is made possible because the controller is mounted directly under the trailer apron and there is no longer a need to be able to reach a crank arm.

Babbitt said installing the system is simple–it arrives in kit form with all mounting hardware included. It only needs two bolts on the landing gear crossbar removed, the Airman landing gear actuator attached, and then the crossbar reinstalled.

The interface also only needs a 12-volt power supply, and the unit’s control box mounts easily under the trailer. Its two-way toggle switch sits on the side of the trailer frame rail and is easily accessible.

There is no maintenance required once installed, besides periodic battery replacement as needed. The company’s landing gear actuator is self-contained and does not need any lubrication.

“Some landing gear manufacturers offer automated systems now, but they are expensive, upgrading requires discarding an existing drive leg, and if the landing gear is damaged, may require complete replacement,” said Babbitt. “Not only is the Airman system about half the cost of other systems, it also works universally with all existing landing gear makes and models, and doesn’t have to be replaced if the landing gear is damaged.”

Airman also asserts that fleets with multiple trailer brands using various types of landing gear are now able to use one piece of equipment and one single source overall. Thus, whether a fleet orders the Airman Automated Landing Gear Deployment and Retraction Technology on new trailers, retrofits older trailers, or utilizes both options, it can still increase its parts inventory by just one SKU.

As of now, implementing the new automated landing gear system–which is expected to enter production in the third quarter–will only cost fleets about $700 per unit.

Additionally, it will come with a standard five-year warranty, or a seven-year warranty with a fleet agreement.

ATA Brings HudsonCyber Services Onboard

April 16, 2020 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

ATLANTA — Late last month, HudsonCyber, along with American Trucking Associations, announced a program set to allow all ATA-member motor carriers access to HudsonCyber’s cybersecurity cloud.

Until now, the Camden, New Jersey company focused on giving marine industry supply chains cybersecurity services. But, with the rise of hacking risks among trucking companies–caused mainly by the influx of technology advancements in the industry–HudsonCyber is aiming to now bring support to the fleets working to minimize their potential for cyberthreats.

“The trucking industry, as part of the global transportation sector, is very similar to the maritime sector–where some of the terms, challenges, and concepts are very similar,” said Max Bobys, HudsonCyber Vice President, at ATA’s annual Technology and Maintenance Council meeting. ”About a year ago, we started a conversation with ATA about how we might be able to adapt and deliver a similar solution to the trucking industry.”

According to ATA’s director of Technology and Engineering Policy, Ross Froat, “cybersecurity is always a hot-button item.” He explained that modern trucks can have upwards of a dozen computers onboard, as companies use them to improve safety and track drivers and their shipments.

“There is a lot of communication going on onboard the truck at all times,” he said. “How fleets have been adapting to that has been very beneficial to uptime, more freight deliveries, and assurance to shippers and customers.”

With Controller Area Network systems, trucks can easily send data back to companies and their offices, and some technological components can make communication between drivers and their companies incredibly simple. However, more interconnected systems always come with higher risk.

“Every step that the industry takes in advancing technologies, there’s a parallel step in terms of vulnerabilities and security, and the scariest things that could happen–like terrorist attacks with truck ramming, and things like that,” said Froat.

To help combat these issues, HudsonCyber has developed a platform to target the needs of each individual trucking operation implementing it, Bobys said.

“This is going to be something tailored to–and inclusive of–the actual end users and challenges within the trucking sector,” he explained. “We are going to set up a separate platform that will be able to deliver cybersecurity self-assessment [and] decision-support capabilities to all ATA members at a very low price point going forward.”

ATA Chief Commercial Officer, Kevin Traver, said this initiative–the second affinity program launched by ATA–wants to solve members’ issues with low-cost solutions.

“It has to benefit our members, and it has to be affordable for our members,” he said. “We’re not trying to create programs that will cost our members hundreds of millions of dollars. We’re trying to give them solutions that make sense in their budgetary process.”

Options like these are especially important for fleets carrying particular kinds of cargo, said Clem Driscoll, founder of C.j. Driscoll & Associations, a marketing and research firm.

“If they’re carrying any type of sensitive cargo, they should probably be more concerned,” he explained. “Those that feel vulnerable because of what they are carrying or because their customers express concern should be doing something about it. But that’s not every trucking fleet.”

Many trucking companies, he said, have not begun to pay nearly enough attention to the actual risk at hand of cyberattacks and how detrimental they can be.

“Some companies are prepared to handle that, to some extent, while others have not been concerned about it and haven’t done anything,” Driscoll said. “The level of concern is moderate at most, especially among smaller fleets.”

Additionally, Bobys said cyber-risk assessment through programs like that of HudsonCyber, is vital for trucking companies without cyber safety experts already onboard.

“One of the general challenges in the global market regarding cybersecurity is actually the shortage of cybersecurity experts globally,” he said. “That is a chronic situation that continues to persist. And it affects literally every industry.”

However, Froat asserts that before fleets add any software or external access to their systems, they must consider all of The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s cybersecurity guidelines.

“Be proactive in the decision to add whatever to [your] network,” he said. “Because once one of those systems is hacked, your system is hacked.”

How Commercial Vehicle Companies Can Prepare for COVID-19 Challenges

April 7, 2020 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

During the coronavirus outbreak, when businesses are shut down and employees are working from home, how do commercial vehicle manufacturers stay afloat?

Suppliers are currently working to make sure their equipment and services are available to the fleets that are working overtime to deliver necessary goods–including food and medicines–during this pandemic, while also doing their best to keep their employees safe and healthy.

“We play a critical role in our national infrastructure; without our trucks, our communities will not thrive,” said Andrea Corso of Daimler Trucks North America. “We will continue to support our customers at this crucial time while protecting the health and well-being of our employees.”

DTNA has followed all mandates and suspended business travel in order to follow the preventative measures given by health officials.

Pressure Systems International CEO, Tim Musgrave, said the automatic tire-inflation system manufacturer is completely changing its customer interaction methods, and will continue to work on the efficiency of that communication “over the next several weeks, and perhaps months.” The company supplies these systems for commercial trucks across 45 different countries.

“We are doing everything we can to be responsive to the ever-changing business environment as governments, businesses, schools, and (the) medical industry react to the pandemic and prevent the spread of the virus,” explained Musgrave.

To ensure the safety of all employees and customers, PSI has its employees taking daily temperature screenings, while management discusses healthy habits each day that they can implement into their lives for the sake of themselves, the company, and their families. PSI has also cancelled all nonessential office visits.

On the other hand, Scott Blevins, Chief Operating Officer of Worldwide Equipment Inc.–a Kentucky-based dealer supplying trucks and trailers across six states in 16 dealerships and 15 leasing locations–says the company is still offering its regular services and is offering flexible working arrangements to its employees. The company is thoroughly cleaning door knobs and keyboards and is urging employees to wash their hands frequently and use hand sanitizer. Cashiers and service workers must also wear nitrile gloves. Nonessential travel for the company is restricted.

“All of our locations remain open to service and support our customers in these stressful times. Our technicians are working to keep your trucks and trailers on the road as you require,” said Blevins. “Our delivery vehicles are working daily to provide parts to your door or locations.”

While these dealers and manufacturers are working as hard as possible to keep operations moving along, the effects the outbreak will have on their businesses are yet to be determined.

“The full impact of coronavirus on supply chains might not become obvious until sometime in the next few months and beyond,” said Gartner Senior Director Analyst, Koray Kose. “The risks always exist and are augmented with further globalization and integration of supply chains. It is not a matter of if it will happen, but to change the focus to be prepared when it happens. That is a shift of mindset in risk management and business continuity.”

According to Gartner, labor and material shortages, travel restrictions, and logistical challenges will increase the impact during the COVID-19 pandemic much further than it did with the 2003 SARS outbreak.

“Supply chain leaders should take initial steps now to monitor and prepare for the impact on their value chain,” said Kose.

What to expect:

Material shortages from logistical hubs
White- and blue-collar labor that are unable to work due to illness or quarantine guidelines
Sourcing challenges as travel becomes more restricted
Logistics limitations in supply networks as availability decreases and finding new routes becomes more difficult
Consumers becoming more cautious in their purchases due to fears around the virus

What to do now:

Develop monitoring and response programs regarding business in the areas impacted by the virus and for supply chain exposure from tier 1 and below. Prioritize discovery if a lower tier transparency is missing and assess how customer spending may be affected.

Next, ensure inventory is within reach and outside of impacted areas. Leaders should also work with legal and HR departments to understand the possibilities around being unable to deliver.

What to do this quarter:

Balance supply and demand and build buffer stock. Diversify the supplier ecosystem as much as possible, create an overall risk management approach, work with internal stakeholders and implement an appropriate approach to prepare for shortages.

What to do this year:

Develop alternative sources and diversify value chains, create alternative sources, routes, and inventory reserves for high-value supplies, and prepare for how the competition may create new opportunities for the next disruption.

Lyft’s New Driver Center Points to Chicago’s Future Challenges

April 1, 2020 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

In January of 2020 Chicago’s rideshare tax on companies such as Uber and Lyft officially went into effect. After Mayor Lightfoot announced the highest tax in the nation on such companies, many believed Uber and Lyft would largely focus on other metropolitan areas for the time being. With an added $3 fee for trips that start or end in downtown, riders in the Loop are now finding themselves with much more expensive trips. All of this, of course, was to provide incentive for riders to take public transportation and to curb downtown traffic; however, many see this merely as an attempt for the City to make more money, which it has already stated will generate roughly $40 million annually, $2 million of which the Chicago Transit Authority will receive to improve bus lanes throughout the city.

While it is evident that Chicago needed to make adjustments to curb downtown traffic, it appears that this drastic increase in taxes could very well have the opposite effect on traffic. For instance, at the time of the announcement of the rideshare tax, Curbed Chicago stated “Uber pushed hard against them, arguing the tax is solely a revenue play and won’t alleviate congestion . . . it’s in favor of comprehensive congestion pricing that would tax delivery vehicles, trucks, and taxi cabs in addition to ride-hailing services.” This type of plan would follow closely with what New York City passed in 2018, in charging a tax for Manhattan rideshare vehicles and cabs putting both transit options on equal footing. The issue here is that while traffic has largely gotten far worse due to the adoption of rideshare services, the future of taxi use in cities is looking more and more bleak. This is obvious, though. The more our society adopts advancing technology and understands how to streamline well-established businesses, the likelier it becomes that older business models become obsolete. This is the issue that many see with Chicago’s new tax. In addition to passing the tax, Lightfoot lowered the license renewal fee for taxi drivers, clearly showing who she believed is to blame for the congestion issues. She’s not wrong either; however, we are now beginning to see that residents of Chicago may very well value paying extra for their own ride own, rather than cramming into a packed train each day.

This is no way serves as an endorsement for Uber or Lyft or ridesharing altogether. In fact, we have written many times regarding the issue that companies such as these bring when it comes to who is liable in an accident. Further, Lightfoot and the city of Chicago are right to provide options that attempt to decrease traffic and get more people using public transportation. Not only would this provide safer roads for all parties, but it would allow many to entirely ignore the dangers and issues that arise from severe traffic congestion altogether. Instead, we must acknowledge that while Lightfoot’s tax is progressive and surely appeared well-intentioned, rideshare companies are massive corporations that are not only well-connected, but well-funded and such measures by the City will only be met with attempted “solutions” by the companies that such a tax greatly effects.

“Driver Centers” May be the First Sign of More to Come from Rideshare Companies

In late February, Lyft officially opened its Chicago Driver Center, which marked the 6^th location in the United States. The Driver Center, a hub for drivers to visit to receive discounted auto maintenance as well as be assisted with any Lyft-related questions regarding the business, is located at 1020 N. Elston Ave. According to Block Club Chicago, the new Driver Center is 22,500 sq. ft. and has roughly 30 employees at the location. The new center speaks volumes to the hold that rideshare companies now hold within not only the economy, but our everyday culture. Like it or not, Uber and Lyft are capable of ensuring that no matter what types of legislation is brought against them, they have the money and power to continue expanding their resources.

Unfortunately, while cities must enact legislation to curb issues plaguing high density areas, we are likely going to see Lyft and Uber remain in the Loop for good. True, people are likely less willing to pay a $3 additional charge to take a Lyft from work downtown to their destination; however, Chicago presents the unique aspect of having weather that plays a significant factor. Those with the means to already take a Lyft or an Uber as their daily mode of transportation likely are going to continue doing so. What’s more, the tax is not going to curb the amount of rideshare drivers in the city. Sure, there may be fewer people looking to take a Lyft, but Chicago is a massive city with a very complex infrastructure. While we should be happy Lightfoot and the City decided to take progressive steps to curb an issue that will only get worse, it looks like Lyft and Uber are only going to work even harder to now expand and ensure a presence in Chicago.