public safety

Hazmat Transport Needs Boosts, PHMSA Says

July 21, 2021 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

In an effort to improve hazardous material transportation methods, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration is looking for insight regarding innovative research and advancement techniques.

Because new standards on transportation for things like aerosols and explosives (in small quantities) as well as for non-bulk and bulk packaging are highly needed, the Administration is specifically requesting new ideas on the research of safer shipment methods. Additionally, the agency is calling for further research into dissolved gases in liquids and their hazards, along with the regulation of particular quantities and types of hazardous materials that comprise these kinds of shipments.

“PHMSA is soliciting research ideas from the public for hazardous materials transportation safety,” announced the agency in a recent tweet. “All submissions should relate to one of the five research topics…the best proposals may be awarded federal funding.”

PHMSA will award this funding through “Broad Agency Announcement,” grants that will range anywhere from $250,000 to $2 million for this research. “White papers” consisting of this new testing and data analysis must be sent to PHMSA by the end of the day on August 24th, according to the agency’s announcement.

PHMSA works to create regulatory standards for the handling, packaging, and even classifying of hazardous material shipments and their transportation throughout the country; these shipments make up more than 1 million of the United States’ daily total shipments. Now, the agency is cracking down on reducing the number of potential risks brought about by this kind of transportation by making a major effort in boosting their research and technical contracts.

PHMSA has been searching for innovative classification and research projects for many years, and has recently been looking into projects regarding bulk hazardous material liquid transportation spill incidents as well as biologically-derived fuel transportation classification and standards.

Now, the agency’s top five research subjects include deregulation, explosives, aerosols, gases, and bulk and non-bulk packaging.

For deregulation, the agency explained that current data depicts some non-bulk quantities of hazardous materials making up most transport-related incidents, although the transportation of these materials doesn’t often account for any transportation interruptions or injuries. Therefore, PHMSA infers that non-bulk hazardous materials in small quantities may be presently over-regulated, and will make an effort to ascertain whether or not there are any ways to relax hazardous material transportation regulations in regards to non-bulk quantities while maintaining overall safety standards.

For explosives, current Class 1 material transportation calls for classification approval by the Department of Transportation, and PHMSA believes there may be ways to test some explosive mixtures that could be classified outside of Class 1. Therefore, the industry could see flexibility in regulation and time constraints regarding these materials.

Because aerosols are comprised of a variety of substances such as foams, powders, liquids, gases, or pastes and are still dispensed as gases or liquids, the agency is calling for research into the potential risks that could come with certain kinds of aerosols and their flammability. Additionally, the agency would find it ideal if someone may be able to properly conduct testing and analysis of aerosol flammability in certain measurements, rather than just testing which aerosols are indeed flammable.

Gases, of course, pose many risks of their own, and there are currently no criteria for determining what amount of dissolved gas in liquid can specify the material as being a distinct gas. Additionally, there are a variety of hazards that come with certain combinations of gases and liquids, like when both substances are flammable, or one is flammable and one is non-flammable. Because of this, PHMSA is looking for someone to research these criteria and find what may need to be regulated in specific manners.

Finally, with bulk and non-bulk packaging, the agency believes there needs to be a highly-researched definition, classification, performance standard, service life standard, and testing criteria in regards to how non-bulk packages are regulated. To research this, PHMSA believes researchers should analyze standards for improving criteria in certain non-bulk packages, such as cylinders.

AV Makers Must Report All Crashes, NHTSA Mandates

July 17, 2021 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

Automakers must report all crashes that involve either partially automated driver-assist systems or fully autonomous vehicles, as recently ordered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The American government’s highway safety agency has made it clear it will be cracking down in regards to overall automated vehicle safety–more than it has in the past. Until recently, the agency had still not issued any automated tech-related regulations due to hesitancy about interfering with the adoption of these innovative safety systems.

The mandate, which was released at the end of June, will require that companies operating vehicles equipped with driver-assist systems or operating completely autonomous vehicles, as well as the vehicle and equipment manufacturers themselves, must immediately report autonomous vehicle-involved crashes that occur on public roads. If a driver-assist system was being utilized immediately before or during a crash on a public road, that crash must also be reported.

“By mandating crash reporting, the agency will have access to critical data that will help quickly identify safety issues that could emerge in these automated systems,” said Steven Cliff, Acting Administrator for NHTSA.

Through these reports, NHTSA will be able to identify safety defects and issue a defect investigation or even deploy a crash investigation team when needed. The agency has already dispatched investigation teams to analyze 31 crashes that involved partially automated driver-assist systems over the last six years. Out of those crashes, 25 in particular were using Tesla’s autopilot system and reported 10 deaths, according to the agency’s data.

These kinds of driver-assist systems are meant to help keep a vehicle at a safe distance from any vehicles in front of it as well as keep the vehicle centered in its designated lane. Still, though, most manufacturers, and Tesla itself, make sure drivers know that although the system may be operating on autopilot, they must still be alert and ready at all times to intervene when necessary. In fact, there have been instances of Teslas using the company’s autopilot system and hitting a roadway barrier, crashing into semi trucks crossing in front of them, and getting in the way of emergency vehicles.

The National Transportation Safety Board has been investigating these crashes and has recommended that Tesla, along with the NHTSA, only allow Tesla’s autopilot system to be operated in the areas where it is known to be able to safely do so. NHTSA should also mandate that Tesla develop an improved system that ensures drivers must be paying attention, the NTSB recommended. As of now, there have been no changes made by NHTSA.

These agencies are also looking into a myriad of non-fatal partially automated system-involved crashes in vehicles like a Volvo XC-90, a Lexus RX450H, and two Cadillac CT6s. Some investigative teams have also been deployed to look into a crash involving an Uber-operated Volvo XC-90 (during which a pedestrian was struck and killed), as well as a crash involving an automated Navya Arma low-speed shuttle bus.

“Collecting crash data, and hopefully data from crashes which were avoided, can help serve a variety of purposes from enforcing current laws to ensuring the safety of customers, as well as paving the way for reasonable regulations to encourage the deployment of safe advanced vehicle technology,” explained executive director for the Center for Auto Safety, Jason Levin. The Center for Auto Safety is an advocacy group and nonprofit and has been urging the NHTSA for years to implement strict oversight onto automated vehicle usage.

According to this order, companies will need to report all crashes involving partially automated vehicles or fully autonomous vehicles within one day, as long as they were serious enough to require a tow-away or involve a death, air bag deployment, hospital-treated injury, or any pedestrians or bicyclists.

Additionally, the requirement will not apply to consumers owning autonomous or partially autonomous vehicles or to the auto dealers selling these vehicles. All other crashes involving these kinds of vehicles that involve property damage or injury must be reported once a month.

Trucking Companies’ COVID-Related Safety Procedures May Continue Post-Pandemic

July 13, 2021 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

Fleets across the United States have had to implement a variety of new safety protocols in the midst of the coronavirus era, and many are deciding to keep such practices intact post-pandemic.

Drivers at Hub Group Trucking, for instance, began thoroughly disinfecting their trucks at the beginning and end of their work shifts, and continue to do so today, explained Hub Group’s executive vice president, Luke Simendinger.

“I think those are just going to be standard operating procedures for us going forward,” he explained. “We do quite a bit of slip-seating, so it was ensuring that all PPE was provided. Any individual that’s going in and out of truck had the disinfectant to do that themselves.”

Additionally, many trucking companies that gave out personal protective equipment to their employees have had workers continue to utilize the gear. Hub Group issued masks, gloves, paper towels and disinfectants to its 3,400 drivers, and both FedEx Corp. and UPS Inc. have employees loyally wearing their masks to this day.

Vehicle transportation service provider United Road also made company-branded fabric masks for its truckers to use–which, of course, they still do.

Professional driver wellness company, Rolling Strong, has noted that it expects its employees to maintain the safety measures that were put in place at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, because they help stop the spread of a variety of viruses and bacteria. Additionally, the company’s president, Stephen Kane, explained that many workers have made regular habits of these practices.

Still, vehicle maintenance has continued to be a major obstacle for fleets during the pandemic, said Hill Brothers Transportation manager of recruiting and fleet services, Scott Hill. Hill Brothers, which specializes in dry van and refrigerated shipments, is based in Omaha.

For example, technicians must wear gloves and masks, on top of thoroughly disinfecting all surfaces, when a driver brings a truck to the company’s terminal shop. They also must be careful to clean all buttons inside the cab as well as the steering wheel, which can be tedious.

These technicians do “whatever they can do to make sure we’re getting at least another shot at getting some of that bacteria out of the truck,” said Hill. “It’s definitely been tough, but our drivers are the backbone of what we do and we wouldn’t be there without them.”

Another area of change brought to the industry by the pandemic includes that of technology upgrades, which occurred as many fleets boosted their operation capabilities.

In an effort to easily share government health alerts in relation to the pandemic, XPO Logistics implemented an alert service on its XPO Connect platform’s digital dashboard, explained the company’s chief human resources officer, Josephine Berisha. This technology platform is used across the globe by carriers and customers alike.

For United Road, technology played an even bigger role during the pandemic as the company communicated with employees via technology when workers were the most stressed about the virus. In fact, the company implemented a specific email address for COVID-related concerns and held regular virtual town halls to answer employee questions and address worries.

Additionally, United Road set up a smartphone app to help with its electronic logging devices, and used that resource to implement a COVID-19 questionnaire for truckers to finish once every pre-trip inspection was completed.

“We keep a finger on the pulse of the drivers as well,” said Eric Madison, United Roads’ senior vice president of people and safety. “We get a heads-up if there’s ever any need for concern.”

Many companies throughout the industry also began using contactless delivery methods to help reduce bacteria spreading. UPS ceased any required signatures for packages, and Hub Group implemented paperless customer services–which was particularly helpful within handoff-heavy intermodal business.

United Road also switched to contactless deliveries, with drivers using electronic paperwork instead of collecting digital signatures.

“Quite a few of the customers we’ve worked with have physical paperwork that they have to hand to the driver,” said Hill Brother’s Scott Hill. “A lot of that has changed now to where that [paperwork] is emailed or it’s already sent to the end user. If any benefit comes from this, it’s [that] people are trying to figure out how to make things better due to this pandemic. It’s [those] things that are going to continue on even after the pandemic’s over, whenever that may be.”

Railroad Cost-Cutting May Mean Lower Safety Levels

June 16, 2021 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

Businesses are seeing decreased employment numbers even as the nation’s railroads run often particularly long freight trains. Because of this, industry experts are concerned that the actions intended to boost earnings may in fact lower safety capabilities–even bringing about potential catastrophes.

Many railroad roles at companies like CSZ, Norfolk Southern Corp., and Union Pacific Corp were removed over the last few years following the railroading-scheduling system put in place by CSZ–a cost-reducing program referred to as ‘Precision,’ which was so successful that it caused many other railroads throughout the country to utilize similar systems. Even railroads that haven’t implemented such a program, like BNSF, have nevertheless reduced employee numbers in an effort to enhance system performance and continue to be competitive in the industry.

The Federal Railroad Administration has explained that it is currently monitoring such modifications and that, up to now, records do not depict any unsafe operation methods. Still, unions have explained that a new program can be dangerous with such large implications if a train should derail.

Railroads still assert that their changes meant to lower overall costs and lengthen trains have not boosted any potential risks.

“Every time the wheels come off the rail, it’s kind of like buying a lottery ticket to the big disaster,” explained Transportation Communications Union’s carmen division official, Jason Cox.

A majority of railroads utilize a more strategic schedule with fewer less-profitable–or shorter–routes but with fewer overall stops. With Precision, longer trains with a variety of cargo have been able to lower the number of locomotives and employees required to ship the nation’s goods. Railroads have also been able to lower their numbers of trips and engines needing maintenance, as well as the number of workers, when train lengths are extended–some reaching more than 2 miles long.

Because Union Pacific began implementing the new program in 2018, its railroad can utilize longer trains and expanded track sidings, which now allows its longest trains to reach lengths of 9,250 feet–30% more than before the model’s upgrade.

Overall railroad safety has seen improvements over the last few years, with the most predominant railroads releasing statements depicting network investments and safety records. These railroads also explain that they follow federal guidelines in regards to regular inspections–which are often aided by innovative technology programs to scan for defects more easily and efficiently.

“Across the board, I do not see evidence of our workforce at Union Pacific being rushed, overworked, or put in harm’s way,” noted railroad company CEO, Lance Fritz.

Still, though, the current safety research isn’t necessarily reliable, explained University of Tennessee’s Center for Transportation Research director, David Clarke.

“Right now, I just haven’t seen anything to demonstrate that it’s definitely having a negative impact on safety,” he said.

Maintenance work times have been significantly reduced, though, many unions have said. The signalmen overseeing railroad crossing safety signals have noted their areas growing by at least 150%, with less time for repair following completed tests.

“As maintenance gets neglected, then obvious the failures go up,” added Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen vice president, Tim Tarrant.

Additionally, the carmen inspecting a train’s cars have lamented that the time they have to inspect has been cut in half, and with fewer employees, inspections are often conducted by staff with less experience or training.

“From the conductor’s side, we’re basically finding things that are just obvious,” said SMART-TD union national legislative director, Greg Hynes.

For unions, the work now is to make efforts in boosting employment opportunities, but many have noted that the bigger reason for increased staffing is to help ease the potential accidents that could occur because of fewer and less-trained staff maintaining this kind of safety.

“I was hoping to stay a lot longer, but if it means my safety, it’s not going to do me any good staying another day if that means I’m not going to come home,” said Kasondra Bird, a former CSX employee who explained that her worries over safety caused her to resign in December after more than two decades working on the railroad. “Safety and the well-being of employees have definitely taken a backseat to production.”

Latest Safety Concern List Adopted by NTSB, GAO Calls for Deeper Look

June 6, 2021 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

A wide range of safety improvements and updates need to be implemented across all modes of transportation, according to the latest Most Wanted List of safety concerns, recently released by the National Transportation Safety Board.

The list for the year 2021-2022 still mentions some of the recommendations made in 2019, such as the need for an industry-wide mandate in regards to how to install collision-avoidance technology into commercial motor vehicles. The latest list also included the need for an efficient strategy related to methods of speeding-related collision elimination, distracted driving prevention, and the eradication of drug- and alcohol-impaired driving.

“The Most Wanted List defines the focus of the NTSB’s advocacy work,” said Chairman of NTSB, Robert Sumwalt. “It directs our limited advocacy resources toward improvements with the greatest potential to make the greatest impact on saving lives, reducing injuries, and preventing accidents and crashes.”

NTSB, an agency that works independently and aims to identify the factors feeding into roadway accidents and the best ways to implement safety solutions, unanimously adopted this most recent “Most Wanted List,” a decision which came after more than four hours of discussion, question-and-answer sessions, and staff presentations.

Every single member of NTSB’s board–currently only five people in total–must be confirmed by the Senate following their nomination by the president.

The final approval of this Most Wanted List by the board, and the recommendations that accompanied these major concerns, were “driven by data,” according to Sumwalt, who also added that all of these problems are currently “ripe for action.” Everything included in the Most Wanted List incorporated aspects of NTSB’s own research and investigations, he noted–especially data collected in regards to roadway incidents which involved impaired driving or speeding.

NTSB’s Office of Highway Safety director, Robert Molloy, noted that these are the crash causes that typically lead to the nation’s fatal accidents.

“Studies have shown that as many as 80% of crashes could have benefited from sensor-based collision-avoidance technologies, such as automatic emergency braking and forward-collision warning,” Molloy explained. “All vehicles should have these systems available as a standard feature.”

NTSB’s most recent meeting, which involved presentations on investigations into previous accidents, came as a response to the issues regarding transparency that were brought to light by the Government Accountability Office. In 2020, GAO urged NTSB to thoroughly document all evaluations for every single concern mentioned on its Most Wanted List, and added that all criteria utilized for determining any issue as being “ripe for action” should be efficiently explained and communicated to the public.

If these efforts are not executed properly, the concerns on the list could fail to receive any sufficient solution-oriented efforts, according to GAO.

“If advocacy groups, industry associations, and others don’t know why NTSB is advocating for these particular safety issues and recommendations, that could affect their attention to and support for tackling the issues on the list,” GAO explained.

Additionally, to truly bring to light the problems on these lists that have been nationwide concerns for far too long, full explanation and communication with the public and industry members is key.

“Greater transparency in how issues are evaluated and selected could enhance users’ understanding of the list and help ensure the list continues to rally the support and resources needed to tackle difficult and long-standing transportation safety challenges.”

The discussions like these that take place during these board meetings, Sumwalt noted, always aim to lead to extensive and productive deliberation and problem-solving. He hopes that anyone who observed this most recent meeting–or any meeting of the board–can see that these discussions are indeed meant to be as productive as possible.

“If anybody thinks these board meetings are scripted, then you hopefully have seen the board actually [active] in our deliberations.” he said. “Nothing is pre-decisional. What you saw was our deliberations.”

Also on 2020-2021’s list of most-wanted improvements are: “vulnerable road user” protection efforts–especially for motorcyclists, cyclists, and pedestrians; pipeline leak detection and mitigation improvements; rail worker safety upgrades; and passenger and fishing vessel safety improvements. Also needing major boosts, as mentioned by the list, are safety management technology installation on passenger-carrying flights, crash-resistant recorders, and programs regarding flight-data monitoring.

IDOT Works to Avoid Bridge Strikes Throughout the State

June 5, 2021 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

When truckers move under a bearing too low for the height of their big-rigs, bridge strikes happen.

Because it has been a prevalent issue in the state of Illinois, the Illinois Department of Transportation is pushing forward two potential pilot initiatives–both of which would aim to lower the number of large truck bridge strikes.

“Hit the road, not a bridge!” said IDOT recently in a tweet. “The average bridge strike costs $400,000 to fix? They also can cause backups, detours, and all sorts of safety issues. Truckers, please measure freight sizes, get your permits, and stay on the correct route.”

Because many drivers will watch navigation information on their cellphones or on printed route directions, IDOT is proposing a program dubbed “audible turn-by-turn navigation.” This initiative would allow IDOT to offer route information electronically through a cloud-based application for drivers to audibly hear all their navigation details without having to look at a document or a mobile device.

The GIS data providers that are working on this technology have said it is nearly ready for release. Presently, they are working on some platform format problems and will soon allow IDOT to test the system. If it is found to be acceptable, a select number of fleets will be able to test the technology and compare it to other methods of navigation. The system will be fully adopted by the industry if IDOT finds no problems with its implementation.

The second pilot program is the HawkScan oversize vehicle measurement system, an initiative that will use sensors and cameras to digitally measure freight loads off of Interstate 70 at the westbound Maryville weigh station. The data collected from these scans can measure and classify trucks during normal traffic congestion conditions and can also verify a truck’s permit information.

This particular weigh station in southwest Illinois has processed more than 48,100 trucks in Illinois so far in 2021, and expects to process around 200,000 by the end of the year. The oversize vehicle measurement system has already been set up temporarily at this location.

“If all is accurate on the permit with the information gathered, the driver will be allowed to continue on without stopping,” said Geno Koehler, IDOT Permit Unit Chief. “Both projects are very exciting, and many people in the [oversize and overweight] industry are looking forward to their success.”

Because many agricultural shipments are hauled through Illinois, some truck drivers may not be aware that they are driving on a route including a bridge with a lower clearance than they might expect, explained Matt Hart, Executive Director for the Illinois Trucking Association. This is a major issue because agricultural equipment hauling is vital to the state of Illinois (and because the state’s top exports include animal feed and cereal grains, according to IDOT’s Illinois State Freight Plan).

Because these drivers are often not aware of low-clearance bridges, IDOT’s District 5 has had nine bridge strikes in the last year and a half, with each hit costing between $25,000 and $3 million to repair. On average, oversize load bridge strikes–either by farm equipment or large trucks–cost around $400,000 on average in repairs. When these accidents occur, they often lead to closures, road safety problems, detours, and traffic congestion.

Additionally, especially in the Chicago metro area, Hart noted that towing companies are especially costly for a truck that gets itself stuck under a bridge–with these bills coming out to around $100,000 per incident.

“It’s pretty disheartening when you have a truck that hits one of these bridges and [the driver is] already upset enough, but then you have tow companies that are taking advantage of that situation and are strapping these trucking companies with tens of thousands of dollars in towing fees just to get the vehicle out of that low-clearance bridge,” said Hart. “They know that out-of-state trucks are likely to hit those bridges because they’re not familiar with the area. After safety, this also becomes an economic issue.”

IDOT has released recommendations regarding how to prevent these accidents, with detailed steps including the need to stay on authorized routes, obtain proper permits, and measure freight loads well in advance. Drivers of permitted loads should also remember to only take the routes IDOT recommends.