Category: Transportation

House committee advances truck parking act and other bills

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

Original article published by Safety+Health

Photo: Missouri Department of Transportation

Washington — The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act, along with 16 other bills, during a May 23 markup.

Introduced by Rep. Mike Bost (R-IL), the act (H.R. 2367) would empower the transportation secretary to issue grants for projects that create truck parking. It also would allow for expanded parking at current truck parking areas and prohibit charging drivers for any parking spaces created under the act.

“I grew up in a family trucking business,” Bost said in a committee press release. “I understand how difficult, and oftentimes dangerous, it can be when America’s truckers are forced to park in an unsafe location. By expanding access to parking options for truckers, we are making our roads safer for all commuters and ensuring goods and supplies are shipped to market in the most efficient way possible. This is a matter of public safety, and I’m proud to have led on this important legislation.”

Among the other bills approved:

  • The Licensing Individual Commercial Exam-takers Now Safely and Efficiently (LICENSE) Act of 2023 (H.R. 3013), which would direct the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to revise federal regulations on state or third-party administration of commercial driver’s license knowledge tests. In addition, states or third parties would be allowed to administer driving tests regardless of which state an applicant lives in or where they received driver training.
  • The Motor Carrier Safety Selection Standard Act (H.R. 915), which would direct FMCSA “to develop a new safety fitness determination process to change the way a motor carrier is rated.”
  • H.R. 3372, which would establish voluntary 10-year pilot programs for states to increase truck weights on federal interstates to 91,000 pounds on six axles.

The committee postponed its consideration of the Developing Responsible Individuals for a Vibrant Economy (DRIVE) Safe Integrity Act (H.R. 3408) – a bill concerning a pilot program for 18- to 20-year-old interstate truck and bus drivers. The status of the bill is undetermined for future markups.

All 17 of the bills passed by the committee now go before the full House.

McCraren Compliance can help you understand and comply with FMCSA, USDOT and ADOT and ensure your drivers and your vehicles operate safely and efficiently.

Call us Today at 888-758-4757 or email us at info@mccrarencompliance.com to schedule your free FMCSA Compliance Assessment.

Arizona Trucking Association Applauds the Passage of HB2288 to Improve Safety on Arizona’s Roundabouts

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Original article published by ATA

Photo: ATA

Phoenix, AZ – The Arizona Trucking Association (ATA) applauds the passage of House Bill 2288 (roundabouts; right-of-way; large vehicles), which Governor Katie Hobbs recently signed into law.

Roundabouts are becoming increasingly popular in Arizona due to their ability to improve traffic flow and reduce the number of severe crashes at intersections. However, they can also pose a challenge for truck drivers due to the larger turning radius required by their vehicles. Because the truck must make a wide turn, passenger vehicles often try to squeeze around the truck causing side-swipe accidents.

HB2288 does the following:

  • Recognizes that a large truck cannot drive through a roundabout in a single lane. Therefore, HB2288 gives the operator of a vehicle or combination that is at least 40 feet long or 10 wide (large truck) the ability to use more than one lane to the extent necessary to drive through the roundabout.
  • • Requires drivers to yield the right-of-way to the operator of a large truck that is operating in the roundabout.
  • • If two large trucks are approaching or driving through a roundabout at the same time or so close in time to present an immediate hazard, HB2288 requires the driver on the right to yield to the driver on the left.
  • • Requires signs be installed before a roundabout informing the public that large trucks have the right of way in the roundabout.

“HB2288 will make Arizona’s roundabout safer for all drivers by establishing clear rules of the road and by giving large trucks more room to navigate in a roundabout,” stated ATA President Tony Bradley.

ATA is grateful to the bill’s sponsor, Representative David Cook (R- District 7), for sponsoring this important piece of legislation.

McCraren Compliance can help you understand and comply with FMCSA, USDOT and ADOT and ensure your drivers and your vehicles operate safely and efficiently.

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ATRI Releases New Research Priorities for 2023

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Original article published by ATRI

Photo: truckingresearch.org

Washington, DC – At its mid-year meeting in Florida, the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) Board of Directors approved the 2023 Top Research Priorities, as identified by ATRI’s Research Advisory Committee (RAC). ATRI’s RAC identified and prioritized the list of recommended research topics at its annual RAC meeting held in Atlanta March 14-15.  The ATRI Board, led by ATRI Chair Derek Leathers of Werner Enterprises, reviewed and approved the research topics on May 5.

ATRI’s RAC selected a diverse set of research priorities designed to address some of the industry’s most critical issues.

The 2023 ATRI top research priorities are:

Expanding Truck Parking at Public Rest Areas.  The lack of available truck parking is perennially ranked by drivers as their top concern.  This research will identify and map truck driver needs to rest stop attributes, develop best practice case studies and utilize truck driver data to identify strategies for expanding truck parking capacity available at public rest areas.

Identifying Barriers to Entry for Female Truck Drivers.  Female truck drivers represent less than 10 percent of the truck driver workforce, yet ATRI research documents that female drivers are safer than their male counterparts.  This research will identify gender issues and proactive steps that the industry can take to make truck driving careers more appealing to women.

Complete Streets Impact on Freight Mobility.  Complete Streets is a U.S. DOT program designed to make transportation accessible for all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists and transit riders.  However, planning decisions to deploy complete streets often negatively impact freight transportation and those who rely on truck-delivered goods.  This study will quantify these impacts and recommend approaches for transportation planners to better facilitate freight movement.

Examining the Diesel Technician Shortage.  The industry’s challenges in recruiting and retaining technicians is often cited as being as critical as the driver shortage.  This research will work with government and industry to identify the factors underlying the shortage, including mapping career attributes to workforce needs, and assessing high school-level vocational training availability, industry recruitment practices and competing career opportunities.

The Cost of Driver Detention.  Truck drivers and motor carriers consistently rank driver detention at customer facilities as a top industry concern.  This research, supported by shipper groups, will include quantitative data collection to identify detention impacts, costs, and strategies for minimizing detention.

McCraren Compliance can help you understand and comply with FMCSA, USDOT and ADOT and ensure your drivers and your vehicles operate safely and efficiently.

Call us Today at 888-758-4757 or email us at info@mccrarencompliance.com to schedule your free FMCSA Compliance Assessment.

Organization aims for global standards for fleet safety technologies

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

Original article published by Safety+Health

Photo: FMCSA

New York — The drive is on to unify fleet safety standards worldwide.

Nongovernmental organization Together for Safer Roads recently launched its Fleet Trucking Global Safety Standards initiative, an endeavor that seeks to “establish industry standards for fundamental safety instruments” and technologies – “directly contributing to safer roads for all.”

Those instruments and technologies include telematics, automatic braking, airbags, side-curtain airbags, side-view mirrors and seat belts.

“Fleet safety experts report that despite the ubiquity of these safety instruments, fleet operators lack a unifying standard to inform the purchase of the ‘right’ vehicle safety instrument for both new vehicles and the retrofitting of existing ones,” TSR says. “Those standards that do exist are either often inaccessible or not useful to guide purchasing and operations decisions.”

TSR, which views the initiative as “a transformative opportunity to promote change,” unveiled it ahead of the seventh annual United Nations Global Road Safety Week. A project of the UN in collaboration with partners including the World Health Organization, the event is set for May 15-21 and is part of a goal to reduce road traffic deaths and injuries by half by 2030.

“The new Fleet Trucking Global Safety Standards Initiative aligns directly with the UN’s Vision Zero goals and should be supported by fleet truck operators around the world,” TSR board member Richard Kent said in a May 8 press release. “We invite businesses, governments and organizations around the world to join us in this important work.”

McCraren Compliance can help you understand and comply with FMCSA, USDOT and ADOT and ensure your drivers and your vehicles operate safely and efficiently.

Call us Today at 888-758-4757 or email us at info@mccrarencompliance.com to schedule your free FMCSA Compliance Assessment.

It’s not just semitruck drivers who need safety training, researchers say

Posted on by McCraren Compliance
Original article published by Safety+Health
sh.web.042323.vans.jpg

Lexington, KY — Drivers of utility vans, tow trucks, and other light and medium-weight trucks could use safety training, according to a team from the Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center.

The researchers analyzed incident and injury data from state workers’ compensation first report of injury claims, as well as injury narratives from drivers.

They found that drivers of light trucks (those weighing 10,000 pounds or less) and medium-weight trucks (10,000 to 26,000 pounds) had higher FROI rates than drivers of trucks weighing more than 26,000 pounds.

Unlike drivers of heavy trucks, drivers of light and medium-weight trucks aren’t required to complete federally mandated training. They also tend to be younger. Younger drivers of light and medium-weight trucks had higher FROI rates compared with counterparts who operate heavy trucks.

Crashes involving light/medium-weight trucks most commonly involved being rear-ended, running red lights and turning in front of other vehicles.

“Because of this, the researchers recommend that employers of light and medium drivers provide targeted trainings to drivers with previous crashes that address distracted driving and emphasize rear-end crash prevention,” a KIPRC press release states.

Terry Bunn, principal investigator and director of KIPRC, suggests that “national regulations can be developed and implemented” for the growing number of drivers of light and medium-weight trucks.

The study was published online in the National Safety Council’s Journal of Safety Research.

McCraren Compliance can help you understand and comply with FMCSA, USDOT and ADOT and ensure your drivers and your vehicles operate safely and efficiently.

Call us Today at 888-758-4757 or email us at info@mccrarencompliance.com to schedule your free FMCSA Compliance Assessment.

‘Turn around don’t drown’ in floodwaters

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

Original article published by Safety+Health

Flooding can happen anywhere in the country, and it’s a year-round hazard that happens in all 50 states. As little as 6 inches of floodwater can cause vehicles to lose control and stall, the National Weather Service warns.

NWS’ “Turn Around Don’t Drown” campaign tells us that 12 inches of fast-moving floodwater is enough to carry away most cars, while 24 inches can displace a majority of trucks and SUVs.

So, if you’re driving and come across a flooded road, don’t cross it. It’s not safe.

Other tips from NWS:

  • Don’t assume floodwaters aren’t deep. Accurately gauging the depth of the water and condition of the submerged road is difficult. The road may have collapsed – partially or completely.
  • Familiarize yourself with alternate routes in case you come to a flooded road.
  • Prepare an emergency kit with food, water and blankets, and make sure your cellphone is fully charged or you have a spare.
  • In the event that alternate routes are also impassable and severe weather remains in the area, search for higher ground and notify emergency officials immediately.

Check out the “Turn Around Don’t Drown” public service announcement, and learn more about the NWS campaign, at weather.gov/safety/flood-turn-around-dont-drow

McCraren Compliance can help you understand and comply with FMCSA, USDOT and ADOT and ensure your drivers and your vehicles operate safely and efficiently.

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FMCSA Expands List on Crash Preventability Program

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Original article published by Transport Topics
DOT Headquarters

Department of Transportation

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has announced it is adding four types of crashes to its program that omits carrier fault for certain types of crashes when calculating the carrier’s safety measurement profile.

“Based on the agency’s experiences with the crash types and its reviews of crash eligibility, FMCSA proposes modifying existing crash types to broaden eligibility, removing the distinction between direct and indirect strikes, and differentiating some types for improved reporting and use of the data to identify ways to reduce crashes involving nonmotorists,” the agency said in an April 12 notice.

The changes also will be in alignment with the Department of Transportation’s National Roadway Safety Strategy, the agency said.

The program, known as the Crash Preventability Demonstration Program, was first implemented in 2020.

Under the program, carriers with eligible crashes may submit a Request for Data Review with the required police accident report and other supporting documents, photos or videos through the agency’s DataQs website.

The four new crash types:

  • Commercial motor vehicle was struck on the side by a motorist operating in the same direction. Currently, the crash type is limited to side strikes at the very rear of the vehicle.
  • CMV was struck because another motorist was entering the roadway from a private driveway or parking lot.
  • CMV was struck because another motorist lost control of their vehicle.
  • Any other type of crash involving a CMV in which a video demonstrates the sequence of events of the crash.

FMCSA is seeking comments on the proposed changes for 60 days.

Since its implementation in 2010, FMCSA’s Compliance Safety Accountability Safety Measurement System has used safety performance information in the seven Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories, or BASICs, in addition to recordable crashes involving commercial motor vehicles, to prioritize carriers for safety interventions.

The Crash Indicator BASIC uses crashes from the previous 24 months to calculate percentiles for motor carriers. In addition, the public SMS website lists motor carriers’ recordable crashes.

Other Crash Types

A list of the 17 crash types previously identified by FMCSA. The CMV was:

  • Struck in the rear by a motorist.
  • Struck on the side at the rear by a motorist.
  • Struck while legally stopped at a traffic control device or parked, including while the vehicle was unattended.
  • Struck because another motorist was driving in the wrong direction.
  • Struck because another motorist was making a U-turn or illegal turn.
  • Struck because another motorist did not stop or slow in traffic.
  • Struck because another motorist failed to stop at a traffic control device.
  • Struck because another individual was under the influence (or related violation, such as operating while intoxicated), according to the legal standard of the jurisdiction where the crash occurred.
  • Struck because another motorist experienced a medical issue which contributed to the crash.
  • Struck because another motorist fell asleep.
  • Struck because another motorist was distracted (e.g., cellphone, GPS, passengers, other).
  • Struck by cargo or equipment from another vehicle, or debris (e.g., fallen rock, fallen trees, unidentifiable items in the road).
  • Involved in a crash as a result of an infrastructure failure.
  • Struck an animal.
  • Involved in a crash  because of an Individual committing or attempting to commit suicide.
  • Involved in a crash with a nonmotorist.
  • Involved in a crash type that seldom occurs and does not meet another eligible crash type (e.g., being struck by an airplane or skydiver or being struck by a deceased driver in another vehicle).

McCraren Compliance can help you understand and comply with FMCSA, USDOT and ADOT and ensure your drivers and your vehicles operate safely and efficiently.

Call us Today at 888-758-4757 or email us at info@mccrarencompliance.com to schedule your free FMCSA Compliance Assessment.