driver safety

Safe Truck Parking Becomes Priority in Newly Proposed Legislation

June 4, 2021 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

Solving challenges surrounding truck parking availability has been a top priority for the industry for quite some time now, and new legislation prioritizing boosted parking access for commercial motor vehicles has finally been brought to the U.S. House of Representatives in the form of the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act.

This bill will work to alleviate the issue of open parking spot scarcity across the country and comes after many years of transportation lawmakers working to bring awareness to this major issue that has been a headache–and safety problem–for truck drivers everywhere.

“I grew up in a family trucking business and spent years driving over the road,” said sponsor of the bill and Transportation Infrastructure Committee member, Representative Mike Bost. “Since then, we’ve seen the need for more trucks and drivers increase significantly, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic when trucking helped to keep our economy going. However, the number of truck parking spaces hasn’t kept pace.”

Because the lack of parking spaces continues on, many truckers have had to put themselves and other drivers in unsafe situations.

“Creating sufficient parking options for long-haul truckers will not only help keep truckers safe during their rest breaks, but will also mean safer roads for everyone,” Bost added.

Bost originally pushed forth a version of this bill earlier on in Congress, but the legislation did not make it to the president’s desk. Now, the bill is co-sponsored by Representatives John Garamendi of California, Angie Craig and Pete Stauber of Minnesota, Dusty Johnson of South Dakota, and Susan Wild of Pennsylvania.

“Without adequate parking, truck drivers are forced to pull to the side of the road or continue driving–both of which are risky,” said Craig.

This updated legislation is now expected to be discussed during a debate about multiyear measures for highway policy by the House transportation panel–this measure would come as an update to an expiring national highway law first implemented in 2015.

Additionally, funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation would be allocated by this truck parking legislation to boost areas currently providing truck parking or that would be willing to provide such parking in the future. Specifically, 2022 would see $225 million dedicated to these sites with additional funding coming throughout 2026.

Federal and state officials would also both need to submit reports to Congress in regards to how the bill has affected the freight industry overall during that time.

Transportation committee chairman, Representative Peter DeFazio of Oregon, has expressed his dedication for finding the best ways to boost truck parking across the country and told industry members in February that he would “meaningfully address that issue.” Many stakeholders have also long-supported resolutions to the truck parking space shortage and are in full support of this new legislation.

Stakeholders have also explained their stance that improving the accessibility of parking for truck drivers would not only boost overall driver safety, but would also enhance freight movement throughout the United States.

“The severe shortage of safe parking presents truckers with an untenable dilemma: Either keep driving when they are fatigued and possibly in violation of their federal hours-of-service requirement,” said Chris Spear, American Trucking Associations President, “or park in unsafe, sometimes illegal locations, such as a roadside shoulder.”

Independent truck drivers, who don’t always have the support and resources that fleet truckers might, have also explained their relief that policymakers are finally giving these issues the attention they deserve.

“Truckers often wonder if anyone in Washington is listening,” said Todd Spencer, President of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association. “The introduction of the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act shows that not only are some members of Congress listening, but lawmakers from across the political spectrum are willing to step up and address one of the greatest concerns for professional drivers: the national shortage of safe truck parking.”

ATA’s Spear has assured industry members that driver safety and supply chain efficiency are a top priority and that these both rely on safe truck parking options.

“The health and well-being of our drivers, the safety of the motoring public, and the sustainability of our supply chain all depend on Congress addressing this issue with adequate funding in a surface transportation [policy] bill,” he said.

New Bill Aims to Finally End Distracted Driving for All

June 4, 2021 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

Distracted driving is an issue for everyone who shares the road, and cellphone use while operating a commercial motor vehicle or while driving near a truck can lead to fatal accidents.

Because of this, American Trucking Associations has formally expressed its support for a federal bill that would work to end the usage of cellphones while driving for all drivers–passenger vehicle drivers and truckers alike.

In February of this year, the Safe to Drive Act–a bipartisan bill–was introduced to the House and the Senate. The legislation would allocate up to a quarter of the U.S Department of Transportation’s funds within national priority safety program grants to states that can show they have set forth a statute regarding distracted driving that: can be used for drivers of any age, bans any handheld cellphone use or handheld use of any personal communication device while driving, and ensures that the violation of said statute is a primary offense.

“The trucking industry knows all too well the dangers of distracted driving and the threat it poses to all motorists, not just our professional truck drivers whose workplace is our nation’s roadways,” said Dan Horvath, Vice President of ATA’s Safety Policy, in a recent letter to transportation leaders in both the House and the Senate. “Ensuring all drivers are educated about the dangers of distracted driving, and effective enforcement of common-sense highway safety laws, will greatly aid our shared goal of zero highway fatalities.”

While many may assume that accidents involving a passenger vehicle and at least one truck due to distracted driving may be the fault of a trucker, Horvath noted that typically, these incidents are caused by dangerous behavior demonstrated by passenger vehicle drivers.

“Although 70 percent of fatal crashes involving a large truck and passenger vehicle are initiated by the actions of, or are the fault of, a passenger vehicle–there is now federal law preventing passenger vehicle drivers from using handheld mobile devices while driving,” he said. “Our nation’s professional truck drivers see distracted drivers all the time, and, unfortunately, no level of defensive driving can prevent all accidents from occurring.”

Current federal mandates restrict truck drivers from operating vehicles while using any handheld devices at any time–even while stopped at a traffic light.

“Given data showing the majority of car-truck collisions are the result of passenger driver behavior, extending those bans to all drivers and not just truck drivers will have a positive impact on safety,” Horvath added.

According to ATA, the Safe to Drive Act will be a “tremendous opportunity” for the country and the transportation industry to focus upon and allocate helpful resources to all accidents that are so often caused by distracted drivers–the kinds of accidents that can be hard for a truck driver to avoid.

“In commercial trucking, we require drivers to keep their eyes on the road ahead at all times–and we should expect the same vigilance of every motorist on the road,” said Horvath. “Sadly, convenient access to social media and streaming services has only increased the number of potential road hazards, leading to increases in the quantity and severity of distracted driving incidents.”

In fact, many truck drivers are incredibly surprised–and horrified–to learn about how often distracted driving really occurs on the road and how tricky it can be to anticipate the accidents that may accompany those distractions.

“I have seen everything from texting, to putting makeup on, to even reading a newspaper while driving,” said YRC Freight truck driver, Steve Fields. “Taking your eyes off of the road for just two seconds compromises highway safety. Anything we can do to reduce distraction is a good thing.”

This legislation’s co-sponsors hope that this kind of bill will help bring an end to these easily avoidable dangers once and for all.

“When drivers take their eyes off of the road, they endanger themselves, other drivers, and pedestrians,” said Senator Amy Klobuchar. “This legislation will help ensure states have the resources to create safer roads for all and ultimately, save lives.”

The number of deaths in accidents that involved distracted drivers made up 8.7 percent of all roadway deaths in 2019–a total of 3,142 fatalities at the hands of cellphone use or other distractions while operating a motor vehicle.

“This represents an increase of 284 fatalities than the previous year–an increase of 9.9 percent,” Horvath explained. “This trend is unacceptable for highway safety. Although numerous factors contribute to highway crashes, driver distraction as a result of mobile devices is not accidental. Moreover, it is completely preventable.”

ATA Launches Panel to Help Law Enforcement and Truck Drivers Work Together

June 3, 2021 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

American Trucking Associations has been looking for ways to “grow and strengthen” truck industry employees’ relationships and perceptions of law enforcement organizations across the country, and ATA’s federation is bringing aboard a new panel of advisors to help with this effort.

ATA announced its intentions for this panel recently and explained that both retired and currently active law enforcement officials who have been working to boost collaboration efforts with truck drivers, as well as ATA members who have worked in law enforcement at the local, state, and federal levels, will comprise the panel.

“No two groups have a stronger and more consistent presence on our nation’s highways than law enforcement officers and American truckers,” said Chris Spear, President of ATA.

Collaboration within the panel will involve more than two dozen law enforcement agencies–including state organizations like Washington State Patrol and California Highway Patrol, local police departments like Madison County, Florida’s Sheriff’s Department and Jackson, Tennessee’s local police department, and even U.S. Secret Service and FBI members.

Because law enforcement agencies and trucking companies consist of workers who are most commonly on America’s roadways and are both working to keep the nation moving forward efficiently and safely, Spear explained that boosting the partnerships between them is vital for the economy and for public safety.

“Therein lies a strategic opportunity for greater collaboration, increased communication, and new bonds,” Spear continued. “The incredible depth and breadth of experience represented on this board will be an invaluable asset for our industry, the law enforcement community, and the safety of the motoring public alike.”

The Law Enforcement Advisory Board held its first official meeting in March and plans to meet at least every other month to determine the most important challenges and potential opportunities for improvement its members wish to address. In its inaugural meeting, the board found the particular subjects it intends to prioritize over the next few months.

These pressing issues include efforts to increase rest stop safety for truck drivers, boosted truck parking capabilities and availability, the improvement overall commercial motor vehicle security, increased company safety employee and truck driver training accessibility, and ways to help in the fight to end human trafficking.

Some solutions the board discussed in regards to improving communication and strengthening relationships between local police officers and truckers included: meet-and-greet events during which participants could focus on building friendships and rapport, and ride-alongs for truckers and police to gain a better understanding in regards to the daily duties of one another, noted Dana Moore, advisory board member and Texas Trucking Association’s director of policy and government relations.

Moore also explained that at TTA, members have already been working toward forging relationships with members of their local law enforcement, and he believes that many other agencies should be able to easily begin similar efforts to make communication and cooperation as efficient as possible.

“One of the things we do is bring a food truck in and we buy officers lunch,” said Moore of TTA. “We have fellowship, [we] don’t do business [during those times].”

Moore, who has also served as a commercial vehicle enforcement officer with the Texas Department of Public Safety, also noted that because trucker safety at rest stops has been such a prevalent issue, the board believes law enforcement should help by offering their services at parking areas and rest stops whenever they can.

“It’s all about integrity and trust,” he added, explaining that police officers and truck drivers in his state of Texas have been already begun working together in efforts to combat human trafficking over the Mexico border.

Trucking companies from which members of ATA’s advisory panel come include: Yellow Corp., HNTB Corp., FedEx Freight, ABF Freight System, Zonar Systems Inc., Old Dominion Freight Line, UPS Freight, Werner Enterprises, and Roehl Transport. The board also includes employees from Walmart Inc., the Nebraska Trucking Association, The Texas Trucking Association, the South Dakota Trucking Association, the National High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Assistance Center, McAnally Wilkins Insurance, and DeVere Public Affairs and Consulting.

Finally, employees from Midlothian, Texas’ Police Department and the City of La Porte Police Department have also joined the advisory board.

Trucking Companies Making Major Efforts to Get Employees Vaccinated

June 2, 2021 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

The coronavirus pandemic has continued on, and the nation’s truck drivers have remained on the frontlines to ensure individuals, medical institutions, and grocery stores are always able to receive the deliveries they need on time.

Luckily, trucking companies across the country are working hard to make sure truck drivers and other employees are able to receive the COVID-19 vaccine as quickly as possible in order to keep the number of potential illnesses down and to ensure the industry is able to keep up with its duties efficiently.

Now, fleets are helping their employees to utilize paid time off, giving them access to on-site clinics, and creating online platforms to help them stay healthy and get their vaccines right away. For example, UPS Inc. workers have been given additional paid time off, vaccination appointments, and other medical benefits through COVID-19 compensation packages, according to Matthew O’Connor, a spokesman for the company.

Cargo Transporters has also been making efforts to ensure all of its drivers are vaccinated and has worked in collaboration with North Carolina’s Catawba Valley Health System in order to do so.

“The drivers will call into human resources,” said the company’s vice president of human resources, Kristy Hedrick. “Human resources then gets them an appointment.”

Cargo Transporters will also make sure its employees’ second vaccination appointments are scheduled within about four weeks after the first vaccination. According to Hedrick, the company makes sure all second appointments take place at the same location as the first, and drivers have ongoing communication with company leaders in order to make sure this process goes as smoothly as possible.

To help all employees get the vaccine quickly, Ryder System Inc. is providing six hours of paid time off to all of the company’s workers. Since the end of March, nearly 700 Ryder employees have used this opportunity to get vaccinated.

“Our employees have been very receptive to it,” explained Ryder System’s chief human resources officer, Frank Lopez. “I think they welcomed it and they appreciated that we were doing what we can do to ensure that they have the ability to take the vaccine.”

Melton Truck Lines has also been making getting vaccinations as easy as possible by implementing an on-site vaccination clinic, and by helping employees get their vaccinations at other locations if needed.

“We partner with CareATC and have a clinic on-site at our main terminal in Tulsa,” noted Melton’s vice president of human resources and safety, Lisa Mason.

In areas where resources are easily accessible and employees are eligible, Yellow Corp. has been making similar efforts, and is working in collaboration with pharmacy providers to offer on-site vaccinations, as well.

“Yellow is providing all employees with essential services documentation to assist them with getting prioritization of the vaccination,” said Heather Nauert, spokeswoman for Yellow Corp.

Many trucking companies are also doing what they can to keep their truck drivers–and all employees–well-informed in regards to all aspects involved with receiving the vaccine. These efforts include providing workers with information about the best locations for them to get vaccinated and what they need to know about their eligibility in their respective states.

Werner Enterprises, in particular, has been focusing on spreading as much helpful information as possible by launching a website just for its employees to find the state-by-state information they need in regards to becoming vaccinated.

“The company is seeking out opportunities where we can provide easy access to vaccine clinics, whether it be on-site or close to one of our network locations,” explained Werner’s vice president of human resources, Stefanie Christensen.

FedEx Corp has also been helping employees find the most efficient ways to utilize their eligibility in their own states.

“We strongly encourage all team members to take advantage of vaccination opportunities as they become available, and are actively working to ensure team members are aware of opportunities,” said a spokesperson for the company.

Companies like U.S. Xpress Enterprises are taking their informative efforts a step further by bringing in resources like licensed physicians who can help answer vaccination-related questions and address any employee concerns.

“We’re using regular touch-points like town halls, newsletters, and even social media content to communicate key information,” explained the company’s chief people officer, Amanda Thompson.

Pre-Planning Efforts by Carriers in Place to Help Truck Parking Crisis

May 30, 2021 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

“With parking being as big a factor as it is, a successful driver can no longer simply leave out on a trip and decide last-minute [that] they are going to just pull in and park at a given location,” said Cargo Transporters vice president of safety, Shawn Brown.

Right now, the issue of parking availability for truck drivers is a continuous battle, and there have been no widespread solutions–including those in regards to infrastructure updates–to combat this frequent issue.

Because of this, trucking companies are having to go above and beyond what they should have to do to ensure their drivers can find places to park when it’s time for a driver to rest during a long-haul shipment. These methods include securing paid reservations for parking spots or even booking hotel rooms for a driver to be able to take a break, as well as utilizing real-time parking availability information within various technologies and implementing in-depth strategic planning that is mapped out far in advance of a driver’s trip.

”Careful planning needs to occur along with taking into account factors such as time of day, weather, traffic days, et cetera…that all in some way affect how a trip will play out, and therefore how satisfied a driver is,” Brown added.

2020 saw parking challenges increase as stay-at-home orders caused many states to shut down their public rest areas. According to the American Transportation Research Institute, parking for truck drivers became either “somewhat harder” or “much harder” once the pandemic was in full swing for 44% of respondents.

Now, truck parking is the number one overall concern for truckers across the nation.

“I think this peak in ranking is reflective of the continued frustration on the part of drivers who struggle to find a safe place to rest each day,” said Rebecca Brewster, President of ATRI.

This is an especially prevalent issue in some areas that are heavily populated–particularly during rush hour.

“We also see the I-95 corridor from the Virginia-North Carolina line all the way south to nearly the South Carolina line before you come to adequate truck parking,” said Cargo transporters’ Brown. “Many times, drivers will have ample drive time left on their clock, but due to this issue will have to take the opportunity to get parked early in the driving shift so as not to get stuck without parking when the driving hours are almost expired.”

Because of this, Cargo Transporters has found that it needs to plan ahead of time to contact customers and find out if parking is open on their property around the time the driver will be loading or unloading, and will stay in contact with drivers to make the best real-time decisions for their trips.

Luckily, truckers have been outsmarting parking shortage issues with the help of live parking data within certain kinds of technology. The Park My Truck app, developed by the Truck Parking Leadership Initiative, allows rest areas, truck stops, and other establishments to report the number of parking spots open on their properties in real time. The initiative was a collaborative effort by NATSO–a group representing operators of truck stops–along with ATRI and American Trucking Associations.

“Drivers can update [apps like these] to say spots are limited or there are a few spots left,” said Tim Chelette, a truck driver for Big G Express. “It saves you time.”

This is especially true on certain apps that update the platform with real-time parking updates from the public, like Trucker Path. This app has a network of 600,000 truckers adding live, updated parking information throughout the day in regards to 8,000 different locations so that truckers can easily find available parking.

Still, though, some parking reservations are only able to be held for a fee, but trucking companies will typically reimburse drivers for these costs.

“If a driver has to pay for parking, that’s just the way it is,” said Garth Pitzel, director of safety and driver development for Bison Transport. “Ultimately, first and foremost is ensuring the safety of our employees and contractors.”

One parking information app, TruckPark Inc., allows fleets and drivers to pay either on-demand or in advance for up to a 12-hour hold on a parking spot, which the platform reserves in collaboration with certain private businesses. Drivers can also pay for on-demand delivery of fuel for any location other than a designated truck stop.

“You could park at a hotel, rest stop, or shipper and we’re going to dispatch a truck to you,” said TruckPark’s CEO, Anthony Petitte.

Additionally, eight midwestern state Departments of Transportation–Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, And Wisconsin–are working together with the Mid America Association of State Transportation Officials within the Truck Parking Information and Management System initiative. This effort is the country’s first regional truck parking information system that allows users to access and share data in regards to common freight corridors.

43 sites across these states will begin collecting and releasing camera, video, and wireless puck data to detect the number of open parking spots multiple times a day. With a $25 million dollar grant in hand, this initiative will require all states involved to utilize the system until 2022, which will likely be extended.

“Now, [truckers] can know what is ahead of them and make better decisions on how much further they can drive before getting to a suitable parking location.” explained transportation planner for the Iowa Department of Transportation, Phil Mescher.

New Large-Truck Crash Causal Factor Study Underway

May 29, 2021 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

Law enforcement officers work at the scene of a deadly crash in Holtville, Calif., on Tuesday, March 2, 2021. Authorities say a semi-truck crashed into an SUV carrying multiple people on a Southern California highway, killing at least 13 people and injuring others. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

A new Large Truck Crash Causal Factors study is about to be underway as federal regulators move forward with plans to find updated data regarding large truck-related crashes throughout the United States.

According to a recent presentation given by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, this updated study will allow researchers to gather information replacing the data collected in a similar study nearly two decades ago. The $30 million updated study will help researchers find all factors that may play into a dangerous crash–including everything from driver behavior and roadway design to technology innovations and overall vehicle safety.

The study will aim to bring about “an evolutionary focus moving from crashworthiness to crash avoidance,” explained FMCSA statistician, Jenny Guarino. According to Guarino, who explained the intentions of this research in a recent virtual presentation hosted by FMCSA, noted that although the study is in its early developmental stages, it will work to find ways of boosting overall crash avoidance and that it has the potential to save lives across the country.

The main goal of these research efforts will be to present important data regarding the driver behaviors and technology issues that contribute to a crash–data that could help researchers determine and create solutions to such pre-crash factors that may be at play in order to bring an end to large-truck crashes making our nation’s roads a dangerous place.

Additionally, the information found in this study could aid in the development of innovative trucking tech and automation, as well as influence future rule-making for the industry as a whole. There is also a hope that the data will be applicable to crash causal factors research regarding passenger vehicles, as well.

“The data will greatly increase our knowledge about causation and related factors sufficient to create countermeasures through legislation, regulation, enforcement, and education,” Guarino explained, adding that updated analysis into these causal factors is vital right now as the industry undergoes so many changes and upgrades in regards to vehicle safety and technology, roadway designs, and driver behavior. Large truck-related fatal crashes have been on an incline since 2009, and all of these continuous innovations and changes directly affect their severity. Therefore, this kind of vitally important data must always stay up-to-date.

In fact, FMCSA has been working to conduct research of this kind since January of 2020, when it first requested input regarding the potential design for a study of this kind. The agency received 167 comments responding to its information request from stakeholders, academics, and industry experts, the majority of which made clear their support for a new method of study design that would adequately and accurately represent the country as a whole.

Additionally, FMCSA sought after information in regards to how best to implement comprehensive data sources, ranges of crash types and severity, cost efficiency concerns, and the intention to obtain a widely-representative sample.

One particular concern, brought to light last year by National Transportation Safety Board project manager, Ryan Smith, is the challenges that may arise while attempting to collect and understand substantial data in regards to drivers using marijuana and drivers that are otherwise impaired. This worry comes from well-known difficulties surrounding usage and overall understanding of the federal Fatality Analysis Reporting System’s data.

The crash causation study that was released more than 17 years ago focused on detailed large-truck crashes that took place between April of 2001 and December of 2003, and aimed to find a fully-representative sample within that timeframe. In this study sample, each crash analyzed included either a fatality or injury and at least one large truck.

This study collected data from a sample of 963 crashes involving 959 non-large-truck vehicles (which showed 249 fatalities and 1,654 injuries) and involving 1,123 large-truck vehicles (77 percent of which were tractors pulling one semi-trailer, and another 5 percent were trucks carrying hazardous materials). Out of all 963 crashes, 73 percent involved at least one large truck hitting at least one other vehicle.

In this updated study, FMCSA is planning to conduct research over four separate phases. It is currently in its first phase, and the second will involve clearance from the Office of Management and Budget, development of information technology, and overall planning for the rest of the study.

In its third phase, the study will collect its data regarding 2,000 crashes analyzed within 32 different sites across the country–this phase is likely to begin in January 2022 and take another two years. In the final phase, the agency will conduct thorough data analysis, write its final report, and release it to the public.