road safety

Trucking Companies in Illinois are Celebrating the State’s Gasoline Tax Increase

June 14, 2019 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

As reported last week, the Illinois General Assembly recently passed a capital bill that raised the Illinois fuel tax from 19 cents per gallon to 38 cents. Additionally, trucking companies were expected to be hit the hardest with the tax on diesel fuel increasing to 52 cents per gallon. Although the trucking industry was expected to see this as a hurdle to overcome, it appears that many in the industry are actually willing to pay the additional tax as it will hopefully result in a long-term increase in road safety; ensuring quicker deliveries for truck drivers.

Illinois has long had trouble maintaining its infrastructure due to a lack of available funding that could span multiple years-worth of projects; however, a recent report released by TRIP, a nonprofit research group that analyzes economic and technical data regarding transportation issues throughout the United States, has shed more light on why those in the trucking industry are actually willing to pay more for their fuel. For starters, TRIP’s report has found that due to the state’s crumbling roads and congested traffic, Illinois drivers are losing $18.3 billion in total, amounting to roughly $2,559 per driver. This number considers the “vehicle operating costs (VOC) as a result of driving on roads in need of repair, lost time and fuel due to congestion – related delays, and the costs of traffic crashes in which roadway features likely were a contributing factor.” As expected, the largest portion of the costs came from traffic congestion, resulting in a total of $8.5 billion, and had Chicago residents paying the highest amount with $1.5 billion in congestion costs. While the report proves what many Illinois residents have known for a long time, it does provide more insight into how rebuilding the state’s infrastructure will not only help with congestion on the roads, but it will also help limit crashes resulting from poor road safety.

Based on TRIP’s findings, 5,100 people were killed between 2013 and 2017 in Illinois crashes, resulting in a traffic fatality rate of 1.02 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles of travel (vmt), falling below the national average of 1.16; however, this number drastically increases to 2.09 when accounting for rural non-interstate highways. Taking a quick look at these numbers and makes it clear that the State faces a critical issue that must be addressed before these statistics balloon and pose more of a threat to drivers on the road. This isn’t to say that all those in the industry are proponents of the new plan, but it has been made clear that if the roads are safer and less congested, truck drivers are then able to transport freight at a much quicker pace, ultimately saving on the overhead costs of fuel. Further alleviating the tax increase, is the new plan’s decision to get rid of the commercial distribution fee, which brought the state $56 million in 2018, yet did not pay for rebuilding the state’s poor infrastructure. All of these changes point to what many see as an expensive, yet necessary plan to ensure road safety.

Rural Roadways Face Greater Challenges

The ability to move freight to and from rural communities will also be a great benefit for truck drivers in the state. Based on TRIP’s findings from a similar study released in May of 2019, which reviewed transportation throughout “America’s Heartland,” rural communities throughout the United States have faced a much larger fatality rate due to the quality of roads. As mentioned, Illinois’ overall traffic fatality of rural non-Interstate routes was 2.09 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. Several factors were acknowledged by TRIP as being responsible for the sharp increase, such as two-lane route roads, narrow lanes, and overall inconsistent design features.

Drivers in Illinois should expect to see infrastructure projects within the next few years that address driver safety in areas such as these which are in critical condition. For example, 2017 marked the introduction of “smart roads,” via the Jane Adams Tollway, which had the sole purpose of increasing driver safety through implementing electronic signs every half mile to properly inform drivers of upcoming accidents and other road safety messages. With the state on the brink of receiving such a large influx of funding towards these projects, it is no wonder that the trucking industry is excited about the changes to come. Safer roads lead to less crashes and traffic congestion, allowing for quicker deliveries, and what should result in a decrease in the number of fatalities the State experiences. We can hope that Illinois follows through with this plan and makes the roads a much safer place for all drivers.

In the News this Week – June 7th 2019

June 7, 2019 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

Ride-sharing No Longer Delivering on its Promise

On June 7^th, 2019, the Chicago Tribune reported on the impact that both Uber and Lyft have had on Chicago, specifically both companies’ initial promise to alleviate traffic congestion and provide another form of public transportation. The Tribune reviewed the trips taken in March of 2019 and found that “more than four of every 10 passenger pickups happened in five of the city’s community areas – the Loop, the Near North Side, the Near West Side, Lakeview and West Town.” In addition to the rides being concentrated within specific parts of the city, all within relatively close proximity to one another, those who have reviewed the data have also found that people are beginning to steer away from public transportation entirely and instead using rideshare services.

In March of 2015, there was a total of 15,078 drivers making 4 or more trips a month; however, this number has increased to 66,562 drivers in March of 2019. It’s easy to imagine how this increase in only a matter of years will continue to effect traffic congestion in the city, specifically its impact on the amount of crashes within Chicago and overall road safety. As of right now, the city does not place a cap on the number of ride-share drivers allowed within city limits, yet they have limited the amount of taxi drivers to 6,999. As the effects of ride-sharing companies become clearer, it will be interesting to see how the city responds to ensure traffic congestion is minimized and the roads remain safe.

Chicago Department of Transportation Offering Free Bicycle Classes

The Chicago Department of Transportation and Divvy have added more than 100 additional spots to the City’s free bicycle riding classes for adults this summer. As a way to get more vehicles off the streets of Chicago and encourage more residents to begin biking, these classes will be taught by CDOT Bicycling Ambassadors and help those who have never ridden a bike understand how to do so and how to navigate the roads of Chicago safely during the summer months.

Beginning June 10^th and running through August 31^st, the classes will be held at three locations. See more information for dates and locations below:

Mondays 6pm-8pm – Kennedy King College, 710 W. 65^th St.
- Dates: June 10, 17, 24; July 1, 8, 15, 22, 29; August 5, 12, 19, 26
Thursdays 6pm-8pm – Seward Park, 375 W. Elm St.
- Dates: June 13, 20, 27; July 11, 18, 25; August 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
Saturdays 10am-12pm and 1pm-3pm – Chicago Center for Green Technology, 445 N. Sacramento Ave.
- Dates: June 15, 29; July 6, 13, 20, 27; August 3, 10, 17, 24, 31

Trucking Companies Expecting Major Tax Hikes – Looking Forward to Safer Roads

In light of the Illinois General Assembly passing a landmark $45 billion capital plan, Illinois Trucking companies have found themselves celebrating what appears to actually be a tax hike on the product their industry is most dependent on; fuel. As part of the new plan, which will help rebuild the state’s roads, bridges, and transit systems, a new gasoline tax has been passed which will raise the current tax rate from 19 cents to 38 cents per gallon. In addition, those who drive vehicles using diesel fuel will also experience a tax hike, increasing the rate to 45.5 cents per gallon. Although this new tax increase more than doubles the previous tax imposed upon commercial drivers, there are a variety of benefits that have many in the industry believing the upfront costs will be well worth it.

The tax increase will go into effect on July 1^st just in time for summer travel plans, so be prepared to see prices go up at the pump but anticipate major increases to road safety in the coming years as a benefit of the new taxes.

Traffic deaths in cars? U.S. is No. 1

October 20, 2015 by Ken Levinson Leave a Comment

The World Health Organization released numbers on Monday morning as part of its “Global Status Report on Road Safety 2015,” prompting the Wall Street Journal to promote a headline on social media titled “11 Deadliest Places to Drive.” I came across the article as I was scrolling through my news feed and noticed that the United States ranks sixth on WSJ’s Deadliest list with more than 34,000 traffic deaths per year, trailing densely populated countries like China and India. Also tucked in the report: The U.S. ranks first in the percentage of traffic deaths in cars. More on that in a sec.

You can click here for a comprehensive look at the WHO report, but here are some highlights in the meantime:

105 countries have good seat-belt laws that apply to all occupants;
47 countries have good speed laws defining a national urban maximum speed limit of 50 Km/h and empowering local authorities to further reduce speed limits;
34 countries have a good drink–driving law with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit of less than or equal to 0.05 g/dl as well as lower limits of less than or equal to 0.02 g/dl for young and novice drivers;
44 countries have helmet laws that apply to all drivers, passengers, roads and engine types; require the helmet to be fastened and refer to a particular helmet standard;
53 countries have a child restraint law for occupants of vehicles based on age, height or weight, and apply an age or height restriction on children sitting in the front seat.

The stats seemingly provide positive news given how many cars/drivers there are on the road. In fact, this year’s total traffic-related deaths (1.25 million around the world) are slightly down from last year’s total.

The bad news, however, is that the numbers are still way too high, and the U.S. is No. 1 when it comes to the percentage of traffic deaths in cars at 64 percent; meaning 64 percent of most traffic deaths took place in cars, as opposed to a pedestrian who may have been struck by a vehicle while walking. That’s higher than Russia, Iran, Brazil and China, the next five respective leaders, one of which has a gross population that’s more than triple the number of people living in the U.S.

Screen Shot 2015-10-19 at 3.15.07 PM — Source: World Health Organization

What does the WHO report mean as it relates to drivers in the U.S.? On the surface, it could mean that many of us are simply bad drivers. More likely, it means that driving laws in the U.S.—whether it involves seat belt enforcement, hours-of-service laws, or speed limit restrictions—need to be re-evaluated. The WHO noted in its report that countries that have the most success reducing the number of road traffic deaths have done so through legislation and an emphasis on enforcement.

If you’re like us, that means taking a closer look at lax trucking legislation that could spell problems down the road. Earlier this month, Jay wrote about semi-trucks getting heavier by the ton, and we’ve been keeping watch on a law that may eventually allow 18-year-olds to get behind the wheel of a 40-ton tractor-trailer. Insurance policies are capped at a level that often proves meager for truck crash victims, forcing many of them to battle it out in court for an equitable sum. Here in Illinois, for example, the state increased the maximum speed limit at the beginning of the 2015 for trucks in certain rural parts of the state—from 55mph to 60mph. The question safety advocates were asking: was it really necessary?

The bottom line with regard to all of this is that, yet again, the driving laws in the U.S. need to be looked at with a more critical eye. As mentioned, traffic-related deaths have decreased in comparison to years past: that’s a shred of progress, but it’s still happening too slow. It’s time to start moving a little faster.