News

Just one week before the U.S. electronic logging device (ELD) mandate is set to kick in, nearly half of trucking professionals who responded to a recent survey said they’ve yet to select an ELD.

The survey was conducted between Nov. 30 and Dec. 5, by HELP Inc., the provider of the PrePass weight station bypass service. The survey was taken by 1,620 trucking professionals, 49% of whom said they haven’t yet selected an ELD.

Only 33% of respondents said they have selected and installed an ELD, while 18% said they have made a selection but have yet to install them.

More than half the respondents who identified themselves as fleet managers reported having ELD devices installed and operational, while just under 28% of drivers and owner-operators claimed to be ready.

Of those who have not installed an ELD, 68% don’t plan to do so before the deadline, the survey found. They cited reasons including not being convinced the ELD mandate will take effect. Some 31% of drivers said they don’t plan to install an ELD at all.

“It is surprising to see that such a large share of both owner-operators and drivers as well as fleet professionals see no need or rush to comply with the upcoming ELD mandate,” said HELP CEO Karen Rasmussen. “Whether they are in favor of ELD or not, there is every indication that the FMCSA intends to follow through with its plans to require the devices without delay.”

The poll also found 24% of respondents said they have not selected an ELD due to the costs.

“I believe there is a misconception among some fleets and owner-operators/drivers that ELDs are expensive and difficult to install, but that’s not the case,” said Rasmussen. “PrePass and a few other providers offer ELD solutions that literally take just a few seconds to install when paired up with a smartphone or tablet, and the apps cost no more than a dollar per day to use.”

Webinar: Online Resources for the Hazardous Materials Inspector

Description Learn how to access the new CVSA online learning management system and take advantage of new training opportunities. We’ll show you where to find hazardous materials regulations, special permits and interpretations on the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) website, and modal hazardous materials regulations and interpretations on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) website. Audience CVSA-certified roadside inspectors, Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) managers, hazardous materials program managers and motor carrier safety managers/directors Date and Time Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2017, from 1-2 p.m. (EST) Presenter CVSA Director of COHMED Program Bill Reese Registration Registration is required to attend this webinar. Click here to register. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. If you have not previously joined a webinar with CVSA, you may be prompted to download and install a GoToWebinar program (this is required to view the webinar). Please download well in advance of the start time to ensure everything is in working order prior to the start of the webinar. Connecting A telephone number and access code will be included in your registration confirmation email. Your telephone audio pin will be shown on the webinar control panel on screen after you connect to the webinar via computer. Audio To hear the audio, you may be able to use your computer's speakers (VoIP) but a landline telephone is preferred if you want to verbally ask questions. After connecting by computer, dial the phone number sent with your registration confirmation and (important) enter the audio pin shown after you connect via computer. If you’re using a telephone, we recommend you use a landline, if possible, rather than a cell phone, and participate on the call from a noise-controlled location. We recommend using either the audio from your computer or your telephone; not both. Using both results in audio feedback. Webinar Archives If you're unable to attend the webinar or are interested in viewing the recording of this webinar at a later time, CVSA members can view webinar archives through their CVSA member portal. Once logged in, click on the "My Video & Webinar Library" tab at the top of the page to view a listing of all past webinars. This webinar will be added to the archives approximately one week after the webinar concludes. Contact Information If you have any questions, contact CVSA Director of COHMED Program Bill Reese. Thank you and we look forward to having you join us for this informative webinar.

The Driver Compensation Survey deadline has been extended to December31! But we encourage you not to wait – take 25 minutes today and complete the survey!   Avoid spending a lot of money on key industry data by participating in our survey and receive this crucial report to your operations and driver recruitment and retention at up to 70% off.

•  ATA Members participants will receive the published report for $150, 70% off the $500 price for non-participants.   • Non-members participants will receive the published report for $300, 67% off the $900 price for non-participants.

Valid, up-to-date industry-specific compensation information provides a clear competitive advantage. Armed with current market data, you don’t pay more or less than you need to remain competitive. Take the survey now!

TAKE THE SURVEY

We really appreciate you taking the time to help gain insights that will contribute to the industry grow.   Please note that all data collected will be held in strict confidence.   If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to email or call Ryan Platner at rplatner@trucking.org, 703-838-1935.

Share the Road Safety Program Releases Instructional Video Ahead of Holidays

Today, American Trucking Associations and ATA’s Share the Road highway safety program provide tips for safe driving ahead of Thanksgiving weekend.  “The high volume of travelers for Thanksgiving amplifies the importance of taking safe driving measures to ensure everyone can make it to the dinner table,” said Share the Road professional truck driver Tim Taylor, of FedEx Freight. “As a family man and a professional truck driver, I am one of the last drivers on the road, delivering all the trimmings necessary for Thanksgiving. I hope my fellow motorists will consider safety as they travel to their Thanksgiving destinations.”  AAA projects more than 51 million Americans will travel more than 50 miles this Thanksgiving weekend, making this year the highest travel volume in over a dozen years. High traffic volume can contribute to congestion and a reduction in speeds. Share the Road’s  Instructional Video spreads truck safety messages to the millions of motorists who will be driving alongside large trucks this week. The video, featuring professional truck drivers, gives an eight-minute recap of critical safe-driving habits and has already been viewed by hundreds of thousands of motorists, including truck drivers and the general motoring public.  “The professional truck drivers in the Share the Road Instructional Video are highly-trained drivers who have accrued millions of accident-free miles. Just taking a few minutes to review some of these important safety messages can make all the difference on the road,” said ATA COO and Executive Vice President of Industry Affairs Elisabeth Barna.    Thanksgiving offers several other driving challenges beyond traffic congestion. Winter driving presents unique problems for motorists, including high wind and blowing snow, which contribute to reduced visibility in many regions throughout North America. Similarly, freezing temperatures can have a profound impact on vehicles and the roadways. A thorough pre-trip inspection and understanding of driving conditions can play a significant role in driving success this holiday season.   “As a veteran driver and a truck driver from Minnesota, I have been trained to deal with wintery conditions on the road,” said Share the Road professional truck driver Bill Krouse, of YRC Freight. “It’s important to make sure your vehicle is prepared for extended trips. Check your wiper fluids, antifreeze, and pack a few extra blankets before you pull out of the driveway in case of emergency.”  Share the Road professional drivers recommend these safety tips to drivers and would like to remind motorists about some key elements of safe driving, including how to operate small passenger vehicles near large tractor-trailers: Buckle Up: A seat belt will not prevent a collision, but it will save a life. Remove ice and snow from your vehicle:  Clear your windows and roof of snow to ensure you have maximum visibility and avoid creating a hazard for the vehicle behind you. Don’t allow ice and snow to create additional blind spots on your vehicle. Slow Down: Chances of a crash nearly triples when driving faster than surrounding traffic.  Do not drive impaired: Driving is a great responsibility and your fellow travelers are relying on safe, attentive drivers to respectfully share the road and make good decisions. Be aware of truck blind spots: Trucks deliver your favorite Thanksgiving traditions – turkeys, cranberries, mashed potatoes and all kinds of tasty pies – so make it easy on them by staying out of blind spots. Pass on the left where the truck’s blind spot is much smaller. Keep your eyes on the road: Distracted driving is a major cause of traffic accidents and one of the leading causes of death amongst teenagers. Even just two seconds of distraction time doubles the chances of an accident. Use your cell phone when stopped and never text while driving. Do not cut in front of large trucks: Remember trucks are heavier and take longer to make a complete stop, so avoid cutting quickly in front of them. Fully loaded tractor-trailers can take the length of a football field plus both end zones to make a complete stop. Ask your favorite quarterback how far that is. Hint: it’s far.  Prepare your vehicle for long distance travel: Before you head out to your aunts, uncles and cousins, check your wipers and fluids and have your radiator and cooling system serviced. Simple maintenance before you leave your home can prevent many of the problems that strand motorists on the side of the road.  Prepare yourself for long distance travel: The vehicle needs maintenance and the driver needs plenty of rest and hydration to function at his or her best. If the turkey is making you feel drowsy, pull over and wait until you are more alert.  Leave early and avoid risks: Leave early to reduce anxiety about arriving late. Road conditions may change due to inclement weather or traffic congestion. Be aware of the vehicle in front of you: Leave extra room between you and the vehicle ahead.

September 2017 Freight Transportation Services Index (TSI) 

On Sept. 7, 2017, enforcement personnel throughout Canada and the United States conducted 7,698 inspections on commercial motor vehicles as part of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) Brake Safety Day. Fourteen percent of the vehicles inspected were placed out of service specifically for brake-related violations.

The goal of Brake Safety Day is to conduct roadside inspections, and identify and remove vehicles with critical brake violations from our roadways in an effort to reduce the number of crashes caused by or made more severe by brake system deficiencies on commercial motor vehicles.

Inspection data from Brake Safety Day featured the following notable results:

• In all, 7,698 inspections were conducted as part of Brake Safety Day.
• The United States conducted 6,361 commercial motor vehicle inspections; Canada conducted 1,337.
• 14 percent (1,064) of all inspections conducted resulted in a vehicle being placed out of service for brake-related violations.
• 22 percent (1,680) of vehicles inspected were placed out of service for vehicle violations of any kind.
• 78 percent of the vehicles inspected did not have any out-of-service conditions.
• A total of 40 jurisdictions participated – 31 U.S. states and nine Canadian provinces/territories.

Brake Safety Day also captures data on how well antilock braking systems (ABS) are maintained in accordance with federal regulations. ABS help the driver to stop in the shortest possible distance under many conditions and to maintain steering control in situations when tires start to slip. Many participating jurisdictions surveyed ABS compliance. ABS violations were counted when the malfunction lamp did not work or the malfunction lamp stayed on, indicating a fault of some kind. The findings are as follows:

• 5,456 air-braked power units required ABS; 11 percent (610) had ABS violations.
• 3,749 trailers required ABS; 14 percent (540) had ABS violations.
• 821 hydraulic-braked trucks required ABS; 5 percent (45) had ABS violations.
• 49 buses required ABS; 10 percent (five) had ABS violations.

"Brake-related violations are the largest percentage of all out-of-service violations cited during roadside inspections. CVSA’s Brake Safety Day provides an opportunity enhance brake safety," said CVSA President Capt. Christopher Turner with the Kansas Highway Patrol. "Our goal is to reduce the number of crashes caused by faulty braking systems, by conducting roadside inspections, educating drivers, mechanics, owner-operators and others on the importance of proper brake inspection and maintenance."

Properly functioning brake systems are crucial to safe commercial motor vehicle operation. Improperly installed or poorly maintained brake systems can reduce braking efficiency and increase the stopping distance of large trucks and buses, posing serious risks to driver and public safety. ABS, combined with the brake system, provide a platform for stability control and for other safety-enhancing systems to function.

Brake Safety Day is part of CVSA’s Operation Airbrake Program in partnership with the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators (CCMTA) and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). More than 3.4 million brakes have been inspected since the program’s inception in 1998.

The New York City Department of Transportation and MTA Bridges and Tunnels advise that the Annual New York City Marathon will take place on Sunday, November 5th from 9 a.m.  to 5 p.m. Motorist should expect local street closures and delays throughout the 5 boroughs of New York City during these times. The entire Verrazano-Narrows Bridge will be closed from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.  Over height vehicles and vehicles carrying hazardous materials will be banned from the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge in both directions from 11 p.m., Saturday, November 4th through 3 p.m.,  Sunday, November 5th.  The Pulaski Bridge, Queensboro Bridge, Willis Avenue Bridge, and Madison Avenue Bridge will also be closed during the marathon. Motorists should allow for extra travel time to reach their destination or consider using mass transit.

Law enforcement agencies throughout North America will engage in heightened traffic safety enforcement and educational outreach as part of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) Operation Safe Driver Week, Oct. 15-21, 2017. Throughout the week, enforcement personnel will identify and issue warnings and/or citations to commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers and passenger-vehicle drivers exhibiting unsafe driving behaviors on our roadways.

Unsafe driver behaviors by CMV drivers and passenger-vehicle drivers continue to be the leading cause of crashes. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) “Large Truck Crash Causation Study” cites driver behavior as the critical reason for more than 88 percent of large truck crashes and 93 percent of passenger-vehicle crashes.

CVSA’s Operation Safe Driver Program was created to help to reduce the number of crashes, deaths and injuries involving large trucks, buses and passenger vehicles due to unsafe driving behaviors. During Operation Safe Driver Week, there will be increased CMV and passenger-vehicle traffic enforcement.

Examples of dangerous driver behaviors that enforcement personnel will be tracking throughout Operation Safe Driver Week are speeding, distracted driving, texting, failure to use a seatbelt while operating a CMV or in a passenger vehicle, traveling too closely, improper lane change, failure to obey traffic control devices, etc.

Operation Safe Driver Week is sponsored by CVSA, in partnership with FMCSA and with support from industry and transportation safety organizations, and aims to help improve the behavior of all drivers operating in an unsafe manner – either in or around a CMV – through educational and traffic enforcement strategies to address individuals exhibiting high-risk driving behaviors.

The Department of Environmental Protection's Division of

Fish and Wildlife is reminding motorists to be alert for white-tailed deer

as days get shorter and deer become more active with mating season under

way.

"Deer are involved in thousands of collisions with motor vehicles in New

Jersey each year, with the highest number occurring during the fall mating

season," said Division of Fish and Wildlife Director Larry Herrighty. "We

strongly urge all motorists to be particularly alert to the possibility of

deer suddenly darting onto roadways and to be aware of some steps they can

take to reduce the risk of serious injury to themselves or their

passengers."

Deer are apt to suddenly sprint onto roadways as bucks actively pursue does.

This activity, known as the fall rut, is most pronounced in the very early

morning and around sunset, when visibility can be difficult. Using caution

becomes even more important when Daylight Saving Time ends November 5,

causing commutes to align with periods when deer are most active and

lighting conditions can be most difficult for motorists.

For motorists, low levels of light and sun glare can make it very difficult

to see deer that are about to cross the road. In addition, multiple deer may

cross the road at any given moment, usually in a single file.

The following tips can help motorists stay safe during deer mating season:

*    If you see a deer, slow down and pay attention to possible sudden

movement. If the deer is in the road and doesn't move, don't go around it.

Wait for the deer to pass and the road is clear.

*    Pay attention to "Deer Crossing" signs. Slow down when traveling

through areas known to have a high concentration of deer so you will have

ample time to stop if necessary.

*    If you are traveling after dark, use high beams when there is no

oncoming traffic or vehicles ahead. High beams will be reflected by the eyes

of deer on or near roads. If you see one deer, be on guard: others may be in

the area. Deer typically move in family groups at this time of year and

cross roads single-file.

*    Don't tailgate. Remember: the driver in front of you might have to

stop suddenly to avoid hitting a deer.

*    Always wear a seatbelt, as required by law. Drive at a safe and

sensible speed, accounting for weather, available lighting, traffic, curves

and other road conditions.

*    If a collision appears inevitable, do not swerve to avoid impact.

The deer may counter-maneuver suddenly. Brake appropriately, but stay in

your lane. Collisions are more likely to become fatal when a driver swerves

to avoid a deer and instead collides with oncoming traffic or a fixed

structure along the road.

*    Report any deer-vehicle collision to a local law enforcement agency

immediately.

*    Obey the state's hands-free device law or, better yet, avoid any

distractions by refraining from using cellular devices while driving.

Motorists are encouraged to inform the Department of Transportation of dead

deer they find along the state highway system, and can share information at:

www.nj.gov/transportation/commuter/potholeform.shtm

Municipal and county governments are responsible for removal of dead deer

from roads they maintain.

Peak rutting season for deer in New Jersey runs from late October,

throughout November, and into mid-December in all areas of the state,

beginning earliest in northern regions.

As a result of New Jersey's proactive deer management policies, the

estimated population of deer in New Jersey, derived from a formula based on

deer harvested in hunting seasons, is about 100,000, down from 204,000 in

1995. 

This does not factor in high densities of deer inhabiting areas where

hunting is not permitted. The DEP's Community-Based Deer Management Permit

program is available to help municipalities control deer in areas where

sport hunting is not a viable management tool.

For more information about white-tailed deer in New Jersey, visit:

www.njfishandwildlife.com/deer.htm

For more information on the Community-Based Deer Management Program, visit:

www.njfishandwildlife.com/cbdmp.htm

ANNOUNCEMENT:  Register for the Hours of Service: How Familiar are You Question and Answer session

We invite you to attend a live Hours of Service (HOS) Question and Answer session with Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) subject matter expert Tom Yager, Chief of the Driver and Carrier Operations Division, and Peter Chandler, Lead Transportation Specialist in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Passenger Carrier Division. 

The Hours of Service regulations address the number of hours that a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) driver may be on the road and the number of hours a CMV driver may be on duty before a required period of rest.  In addition, the regulations address permitted driving time based upon a driver’s on-duty hours in a “work week.”

This hour-long session will allow participants the opportunity to submit HOS related questions and have them answered by FMCSA’s HOS Subject Matter Experts.  Participants may email their questions in advance of the live question and answer session to NTCHost@dot.gov or submit their questions during the session.

Registration Details:

There are two different participation options for each session. Choose the option that works best for you and register to receive the participation information.

Thursday, October 19, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM EST

Online Webinar: To register in Adobe Connect, please click here.

Conference Line: To register in Adobe Connect, please click here.

Tuesday, October 24, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM EST

Online Webinar: To register in Adobe Connect, please click here.

Conference Line: To register in Adobe Connect, please click here.

        

Closed Captioning will be provided.

Point of Contact: If you have any questions regarding these sessions please contact NTCHost@dot.gov.