Courtesy MTA
Continuing a downward trend, cars and trucks collided less often in Minnesota during the past year than any year in the last decade.
According to statistics reported in the latest edition of Minnesota Motor Vehicle Crash Facts, published by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, the number of truck-related fatalities has trended downward from 94 in 1999 to 58 in 2009 showing a 38.2% decrease. This is the lowest number in 10 years.
The safety report for the last year shows the trend continues with a 26.5% decrease of fatal crashes from 2008 to 2009.
"Preventing crashes is the number one priority of every professional truck driver," said John Hausladen, president of the Minnesota Trucking Association. "This data is welcome news and a real encouragement to our on-going safety efforts. Most people don't realize that the safest drivers on the road are truck drivers."
The Minnesota Trucking Association (MTA) has advanced a number of safety initiatives in recent years, including the recent "Keep Both Hands on the Wheel" safety campaign encouraging drivers to put down the cell phones and focus on driving. The MTA has been a key partner in the state's Towards Zero Deaths initiative and actively lobbied to pass the state's primary seatbelt law in 2009. In the past, the organization has also called for a national maximum 65 mile per hour speed limit for all vehicles.
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Thursday, July 29, 2010
15 Tips to Reduce Distracted Driving Injuries
Georgia became the 26th state to ban texting while driving On July 1, 2010.
Various other states are considering similar laws). Safe driving laws – like NO texting while driving – are designed to protect the public, but an important side effect of safe driving laws is a reduction in the number of workers'
compensation injuries, deaths and claims. Automobile and truck accidents are the leading cause of workplace deaths, with 1,300 work-related traffic fatalities each year. So, while this may sound like common sense, it bears repeating….
There are strong reasons states ban texting while driving. According to a study by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, a truck driver texting while driving is 23.2 times more likely to be involved in a traffic accident than a truck driver who is not distracted and paying full attention to driving. In fact, texting while driving is 6 times more likely to result in a traffic accident than driving while intoxicated. Other facts from their study include:
1. A truck driver dialing a cell phone is 5.9 times more likely to crash
than a non-distracted driver.
2. A car driver dialing a cell phone is 2.8 times more likely to crash
than a non-distracted driver.
3. A truck driver reaching for a cell phone is 6.7 times more likely to
crash than a non-distracted driver.
4. A car driver reaching for a cell phone is 1.4 times more likely to
crash than a non-distracted driver.
5. A car driver talking on a cell phone is 1.3 times more likely to crash
than a non-distracted driver.
6. For every 6 seconds a driver spends texting, 4.6 of those seconds
are with their eyes off the road, which makes texting the most dangerous cell phone activity.
Employers who haven't already instituted a “no texting or cell phone use while driving” policy should do so. Not only is your company more exposed to workers compensation claims from your distracted drivers, your company is also more exposed to liability claims and lawsuits arising out of the traffic accidents.
Texting and talking on a cell phone are not the only ways employees end up in work-related traffic accidents. If your company does not already have a safe driving program, it should institute one to address the various causes of accidents. The program does not have to be complex. It should use common sense and easy to understand principles of safety. For instance, you could include in your safe driving program rules such as:
1. Always wear a seatbelt and shoulder harness.
2. Never drive under the influence of medications, alcohol or illicit drugs.
3. Always obey all speed limits.
4. Always pay attention and be alert.
5. Slow down in bad weather – fog, rain & snow.
6. Leave early with plenty of time to make your destination on time.
7. Remain calm, chill out and avoid any type of road confrontation.
8. Select the safest route.
9. Never drive while tired or sleepy.
10. Keep a safe distance from vehicles in front of you and behind you.
11. Drive defensively at all times.
Many vehicle safety programs can be found on the internet, both for sale and for free. If you do not already have a safe driving policy as part of your safety program, it is strongly recommend you create one. Every delivery truck driver, every traveling salesman, any employee with a company car or any employee operating a personal car on company business should be included in your safe driver program.
From a liability standpoint, your safe driving programs should include:
1. A traffic violations record check on every person operating a vehicle
on company business.
2. A policy of not allowing anyone with a DUI conviction to operate a
company vehicle or a privately owned vehicle on company business.
3. A policy of not allowing anyone with a set number of points (your
company decides how many) to operate a company vehicle or a privately owned vehicle on company business.
4. Road testing the driver's ability if the primary job function is
operating a vehicle.
Drivers are not the only ones who can be involved in traffic accidents. Road construction and road maintenance workers are exposed to injuries from traffic. Police, emergency responders and tow truck drivers can also be injured due to traffic. If you have any employees in these categories they definitely need to be included in your safety program.
Often a company's safety program is designed to mitigate and minimize on premise accidents. However, failure to consider driver safety can result in an increase in your workers compensation exposure. A good safe driving program is an important part of a complete safety program.
Author Rebecca Shafer, President, Amaxx Risks Solutions, Inc. has worked successfully for 20 years with many industries to reduce Workers’ Compensation costs, including airlines, healthcare, printing/publishing, pharmaceuticals, retail, hospitality and manufacturing.
This message was sent by: Truck Writers, Inc., 8970 West 35W Service Drive NE Suite200, Minneapolis, MN 55449-6744
Various other states are considering similar laws). Safe driving laws – like NO texting while driving – are designed to protect the public, but an important side effect of safe driving laws is a reduction in the number of workers'
compensation injuries, deaths and claims. Automobile and truck accidents are the leading cause of workplace deaths, with 1,300 work-related traffic fatalities each year. So, while this may sound like common sense, it bears repeating….
There are strong reasons states ban texting while driving. According to a study by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, a truck driver texting while driving is 23.2 times more likely to be involved in a traffic accident than a truck driver who is not distracted and paying full attention to driving. In fact, texting while driving is 6 times more likely to result in a traffic accident than driving while intoxicated. Other facts from their study include:
1. A truck driver dialing a cell phone is 5.9 times more likely to crash
than a non-distracted driver.
2. A car driver dialing a cell phone is 2.8 times more likely to crash
than a non-distracted driver.
3. A truck driver reaching for a cell phone is 6.7 times more likely to
crash than a non-distracted driver.
4. A car driver reaching for a cell phone is 1.4 times more likely to
crash than a non-distracted driver.
5. A car driver talking on a cell phone is 1.3 times more likely to crash
than a non-distracted driver.
6. For every 6 seconds a driver spends texting, 4.6 of those seconds
are with their eyes off the road, which makes texting the most dangerous cell phone activity.
Employers who haven't already instituted a “no texting or cell phone use while driving” policy should do so. Not only is your company more exposed to workers compensation claims from your distracted drivers, your company is also more exposed to liability claims and lawsuits arising out of the traffic accidents.
Texting and talking on a cell phone are not the only ways employees end up in work-related traffic accidents. If your company does not already have a safe driving program, it should institute one to address the various causes of accidents. The program does not have to be complex. It should use common sense and easy to understand principles of safety. For instance, you could include in your safe driving program rules such as:
1. Always wear a seatbelt and shoulder harness.
2. Never drive under the influence of medications, alcohol or illicit drugs.
3. Always obey all speed limits.
4. Always pay attention and be alert.
5. Slow down in bad weather – fog, rain & snow.
6. Leave early with plenty of time to make your destination on time.
7. Remain calm, chill out and avoid any type of road confrontation.
8. Select the safest route.
9. Never drive while tired or sleepy.
10. Keep a safe distance from vehicles in front of you and behind you.
11. Drive defensively at all times.
Many vehicle safety programs can be found on the internet, both for sale and for free. If you do not already have a safe driving policy as part of your safety program, it is strongly recommend you create one. Every delivery truck driver, every traveling salesman, any employee with a company car or any employee operating a personal car on company business should be included in your safe driver program.
From a liability standpoint, your safe driving programs should include:
1. A traffic violations record check on every person operating a vehicle
on company business.
2. A policy of not allowing anyone with a DUI conviction to operate a
company vehicle or a privately owned vehicle on company business.
3. A policy of not allowing anyone with a set number of points (your
company decides how many) to operate a company vehicle or a privately owned vehicle on company business.
4. Road testing the driver's ability if the primary job function is
operating a vehicle.
Drivers are not the only ones who can be involved in traffic accidents. Road construction and road maintenance workers are exposed to injuries from traffic. Police, emergency responders and tow truck drivers can also be injured due to traffic. If you have any employees in these categories they definitely need to be included in your safety program.
Often a company's safety program is designed to mitigate and minimize on premise accidents. However, failure to consider driver safety can result in an increase in your workers compensation exposure. A good safe driving program is an important part of a complete safety program.
Author Rebecca Shafer, President, Amaxx Risks Solutions, Inc. has worked successfully for 20 years with many industries to reduce Workers’ Compensation costs, including airlines, healthcare, printing/publishing, pharmaceuticals, retail, hospitality and manufacturing.
This message was sent by: Truck Writers, Inc., 8970 West 35W Service Drive NE Suite200, Minneapolis, MN 55449-6744
FMCSA Proposed to Extend HOS Waiver for Anhydrous Ammonia
Courtesy MTA
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has announced that it is proposing a two-year, limited exemption from the federal hours-of-service (HOS) regulations for the transportation of anhydrous ammonia from any distribution point to a local farm retailer or to the ultimate consumer, and from a local farm retailer to the ultimate consumer, as long as the transportation takes place within a 100 air-mile radius of the retail or wholesale distribution point. This move would extend the 90 day waiver, which was announced on March 22, for motor carriers engaged in the distribution of anhydrous ammonia during the 2010 spring planting season. This proposal is open for a 30-day comment period before it can be finalized.
This proposed two-year period is a significant development and the agency used very positive language in the announcement, stating that it believes the proposed exemption would likely achieve a level of safety that is equivalent to, or greater than, the level that would be achieved absent such an exemption, based on the terms and conditions imposed.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has announced that it is proposing a two-year, limited exemption from the federal hours-of-service (HOS) regulations for the transportation of anhydrous ammonia from any distribution point to a local farm retailer or to the ultimate consumer, and from a local farm retailer to the ultimate consumer, as long as the transportation takes place within a 100 air-mile radius of the retail or wholesale distribution point. This move would extend the 90 day waiver, which was announced on March 22, for motor carriers engaged in the distribution of anhydrous ammonia during the 2010 spring planting season. This proposal is open for a 30-day comment period before it can be finalized.
This proposed two-year period is a significant development and the agency used very positive language in the announcement, stating that it believes the proposed exemption would likely achieve a level of safety that is equivalent to, or greater than, the level that would be achieved absent such an exemption, based on the terms and conditions imposed.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Update on Cell Phone Usage Bans
Source: Minnesota Trucking Association July 20, 2010
Eight states, eight of the ten Canadian provinces, and the District of Columbia now have laws that prohibit making calls on a cell-phone while driving, unless the phone is in a hands-free mode. The laws of Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, D.C., California, Oregon, and Washington State are in effect; the one in Maryland is effective in October, and Delaware's in January 2011. In Canada, all the provinces but Alberta in the west and New Brunswick in the east have such prohibitions, and these last two provinces are said to be considering one too. In Washington State, using a cell-phone became a primary offense last month. The state police there say it's their impression that compliance is somewhat better because of it, although they still issued some 670 tickets during the first three weeks after the change.
Eight states, eight of the ten Canadian provinces, and the District of Columbia now have laws that prohibit making calls on a cell-phone while driving, unless the phone is in a hands-free mode. The laws of Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, D.C., California, Oregon, and Washington State are in effect; the one in Maryland is effective in October, and Delaware's in January 2011. In Canada, all the provinces but Alberta in the west and New Brunswick in the east have such prohibitions, and these last two provinces are said to be considering one too. In Washington State, using a cell-phone became a primary offense last month. The state police there say it's their impression that compliance is somewhat better because of it, although they still issued some 670 tickets during the first three weeks after the change.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
COMMERCIAL VEHICLES, DRIVERS MAINTAINING CLOSE TO RECORD LOW OUT-OF-SERVICE RATES
Roadcheck Message Resonates That Maintaining Safe Vehicles and Drivers Is Worth the Effort
WASHINGTON, DC (JULY 13, 2010) –Results from the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) Roadcheck 2010 reveal that the commercial motor vehicle (CMV) industry is hovering close to the record low out-of-service (OOS) rates set during 2009. Additionally, while overall inspection totals are down from the previous year’s records, more inspectors participated at more locations in this year’s event. This seems to indicate during 2010 that there was a shift to an increasing focus on mobile roadside inspections. In 2010 roadside inspectors focused on the North American Standard (NAS) Level I inspection, safety belt enforcement, and motorcoach inspections. More than 9,856 CVSA -certified inspectors at 2,482 locations across North America performed 65,327 truck and bus inspections. Of that total, there were 48,970 NAS Level I inspections, the most comprehensive roadside inspection. The total inspection output is a 10.2 percent decrease over the previous record total, and the NAS Level I output is a 14.1 percent decrease over the previous record, both of which occurred in 2009.
“The number of CMV inspections is an indicator that, even in these continued tough economic times, state, provincial, local and federal agencies are committed to enforcing truck and bus safety standards,” said CVSA’s Interim Executive Director Stephen A. Keppler. “Roadside enforcement remains committed to this critically important role in saving lives on North America’s highways and helping to provide all travelers a safe and secure place to travel.”
This year during Roadcheck approximately 15 trucks or buses were inspected, on average, every minute. During the 72-hour inspection blitz, which took place from Canada to Mexico from June 8-10, 2010, drivers were pulled over, asked to show their commercial driver’s license, medical examiner’s certificate, and record of duty status. Brakes, tires, lights, and every major component of the truck or bus were also examined during Roadcheck. While Roadcheck has taken place every year since 1988, it is important to note that roadside inspections occur every day across North America, to the tune of more than 3.8 million in 2009. CVSA sponsors Roadcheck each year with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators (CCMTA), Transport Canada, and the Secretariat of Communications and Transportation (Mexico).
“Roadcheck has once again successfully reinforced the critical importance of safety, compliance, and crash prevention – lives depend on both safe and well maintained trucks and safe and well trained drivers,” said FMCSA Administrator Anne S. Ferro.
Data from 2010 show the overall vehicle compliance rate at 80.0 percent (80.4 percent in 2009), with an overall driver compliance rate of 95.6 percent (unchanged from last year). For NAS Level I inspections, the compliance rates were 76.7 percent for vehicles (77.8 percent in 2009) and 96.3 percent for drivers (96.1 percent in 2009). In addition, there were 189 more safety belt violations in 2010 than there were last year (1,159 vs. 970), a 19.5 percent increase. Inspections of passenger-carrying vehicles resulted in an increased vehicle compliance rate (91.0 percent in 2010 vs. 88.5 percent in 2009) and a driver compliance rate in 2010 that was unchanged from last year (96.4 percent). Hazardous materials inspections resulted in a vehicle compliance rate of 83.7 percent (83.0 percent in 2009) and driver compliance rate of 97.5 percent (97.0 percent). There were 26,605 CVSA decals issued to vehicles that passed the inspection, which was down from the number issued in 2009 (29,972).
“Brake-related defects continue to account for half of all out-of-service violations,” said CVSA Region V (Canada) President Steve Callahan. “As such, we strongly encourage governments, industry associations, owner-operators, motor carriers and drivers alike to take an active part in the upcoming 2010 Brake Safety Week, September 12-18. We need all industry players to continue working together to achieve a further sustained drop in the OOS rate in the years ahead.”
“Every time an inspector checks the brakes, tires, tiedowns, a driver or other items while conducting an inspection, what’s in the back of their minds is this — what I’m doing will save a life. The people who we read about in the news are “our” family members and we are here to protect them,” said CVSA’s President Buzzy France. “There is no one person, agency or organization that feels we can achieve zero fatalities alone. We need partners to solve this complex problem. All of us have an important role to play.”
CVSA is an international not-for-profit organization comprised of local, state, provincial, territorial, and federal motor carrier safety officials and industry representatives from the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Our mission is to promote commercial motor vehicle safety and security by providing leadership to enforcement, industry and policy makers. The Alliance actively monitors, evaluates, and identifies solutions to potentially unsafe transportation processes and procedures related to driver and vehicle safety requirements most often associated with commercial motor vehicle crashes. In addition, CVSA has several hundred associate members who are committed to helping the Alliance achieve its goals; uniformity, compatibility and reciprocity of commercial vehicle inspections, and enforcement activities throughout North America by individuals dedicated to highway safety and security. For more on CVSA, visit www.cvsa.org.
WASHINGTON, DC (JULY 13, 2010) –Results from the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) Roadcheck 2010 reveal that the commercial motor vehicle (CMV) industry is hovering close to the record low out-of-service (OOS) rates set during 2009. Additionally, while overall inspection totals are down from the previous year’s records, more inspectors participated at more locations in this year’s event. This seems to indicate during 2010 that there was a shift to an increasing focus on mobile roadside inspections. In 2010 roadside inspectors focused on the North American Standard (NAS) Level I inspection, safety belt enforcement, and motorcoach inspections. More than 9,856 CVSA -certified inspectors at 2,482 locations across North America performed 65,327 truck and bus inspections. Of that total, there were 48,970 NAS Level I inspections, the most comprehensive roadside inspection. The total inspection output is a 10.2 percent decrease over the previous record total, and the NAS Level I output is a 14.1 percent decrease over the previous record, both of which occurred in 2009.
“The number of CMV inspections is an indicator that, even in these continued tough economic times, state, provincial, local and federal agencies are committed to enforcing truck and bus safety standards,” said CVSA’s Interim Executive Director Stephen A. Keppler. “Roadside enforcement remains committed to this critically important role in saving lives on North America’s highways and helping to provide all travelers a safe and secure place to travel.”
This year during Roadcheck approximately 15 trucks or buses were inspected, on average, every minute. During the 72-hour inspection blitz, which took place from Canada to Mexico from June 8-10, 2010, drivers were pulled over, asked to show their commercial driver’s license, medical examiner’s certificate, and record of duty status. Brakes, tires, lights, and every major component of the truck or bus were also examined during Roadcheck. While Roadcheck has taken place every year since 1988, it is important to note that roadside inspections occur every day across North America, to the tune of more than 3.8 million in 2009. CVSA sponsors Roadcheck each year with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators (CCMTA), Transport Canada, and the Secretariat of Communications and Transportation (Mexico).
“Roadcheck has once again successfully reinforced the critical importance of safety, compliance, and crash prevention – lives depend on both safe and well maintained trucks and safe and well trained drivers,” said FMCSA Administrator Anne S. Ferro.
Data from 2010 show the overall vehicle compliance rate at 80.0 percent (80.4 percent in 2009), with an overall driver compliance rate of 95.6 percent (unchanged from last year). For NAS Level I inspections, the compliance rates were 76.7 percent for vehicles (77.8 percent in 2009) and 96.3 percent for drivers (96.1 percent in 2009). In addition, there were 189 more safety belt violations in 2010 than there were last year (1,159 vs. 970), a 19.5 percent increase. Inspections of passenger-carrying vehicles resulted in an increased vehicle compliance rate (91.0 percent in 2010 vs. 88.5 percent in 2009) and a driver compliance rate in 2010 that was unchanged from last year (96.4 percent). Hazardous materials inspections resulted in a vehicle compliance rate of 83.7 percent (83.0 percent in 2009) and driver compliance rate of 97.5 percent (97.0 percent). There were 26,605 CVSA decals issued to vehicles that passed the inspection, which was down from the number issued in 2009 (29,972).
“Brake-related defects continue to account for half of all out-of-service violations,” said CVSA Region V (Canada) President Steve Callahan. “As such, we strongly encourage governments, industry associations, owner-operators, motor carriers and drivers alike to take an active part in the upcoming 2010 Brake Safety Week, September 12-18. We need all industry players to continue working together to achieve a further sustained drop in the OOS rate in the years ahead.”
“Every time an inspector checks the brakes, tires, tiedowns, a driver or other items while conducting an inspection, what’s in the back of their minds is this — what I’m doing will save a life. The people who we read about in the news are “our” family members and we are here to protect them,” said CVSA’s President Buzzy France. “There is no one person, agency or organization that feels we can achieve zero fatalities alone. We need partners to solve this complex problem. All of us have an important role to play.”
CVSA is an international not-for-profit organization comprised of local, state, provincial, territorial, and federal motor carrier safety officials and industry representatives from the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Our mission is to promote commercial motor vehicle safety and security by providing leadership to enforcement, industry and policy makers. The Alliance actively monitors, evaluates, and identifies solutions to potentially unsafe transportation processes and procedures related to driver and vehicle safety requirements most often associated with commercial motor vehicle crashes. In addition, CVSA has several hundred associate members who are committed to helping the Alliance achieve its goals; uniformity, compatibility and reciprocity of commercial vehicle inspections, and enforcement activities throughout North America by individuals dedicated to highway safety and security. For more on CVSA, visit www.cvsa.org.
Friday, July 9, 2010
CVSA ENCOURAGES UCR ENFORCEMENT BEGINNING JULY 15
Revenue Generated from UCR Ensures Commercial Vehicle Safety, Enforcement
WASHINGTON, DC (JULY 1, 2010) – The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) is encouraging all jurisdictions throughout North America to begin enforcement of the Unified Carrier Registration (UCR) for the 2010 registration year to begin effective July 15, 2010. All motor carriers (for-hire, private and exempt) – as well as brokers, freight forwarders, and leasing companies operating in interstate or international commerce are subject to the UCR. Entities based in Canada and Mexico that are involved in interstate or international commerce in the United States also are subject to UCR. Forty-one states are participating in UCR for the 2010 calendar/registration year and will serve as UCR base states.
“Revenue generated from UCR helps fund safety and enforcement programs which in turn goes a long way to ensuring safer roads and saving lives,” said Stephen A. Keppler, CVSA’s interim executive director.
For more information on the states participating, or questions about the program, please visit the Unified Carrier Registration Center’s web site at www.ucr.in.gov.
CVSA is an international not-for-profit organization comprised of local, state, provincial, territorial, and federal motor carrier safety officials and industry representatives from the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Our mission is to promote commercial motor vehicle safety and security by providing leadership to enforcement, industry and policy makers. The Alliance actively monitors, evaluates, and identifies solutions to potentially unsafe transportation processes and procedures related to driver and vehicle safety requirements most often associated with commercial motor vehicle crashes. In addition, CVSA has several hundred associate members who are committed to helping the Alliance achieve its goals; uniformity, compatibility and reciprocity of commercial vehicle inspections, and enforcement activities throughout North America by individuals dedicated to highway safety and security. For more on CVSA, visit www.cvsa.org.
For more information contact:
Laura Zabriskie, Director, Communications & Marketing
lauraz@cvsa.org
301-830-6152
WASHINGTON, DC (JULY 1, 2010) – The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) is encouraging all jurisdictions throughout North America to begin enforcement of the Unified Carrier Registration (UCR) for the 2010 registration year to begin effective July 15, 2010. All motor carriers (for-hire, private and exempt) – as well as brokers, freight forwarders, and leasing companies operating in interstate or international commerce are subject to the UCR. Entities based in Canada and Mexico that are involved in interstate or international commerce in the United States also are subject to UCR. Forty-one states are participating in UCR for the 2010 calendar/registration year and will serve as UCR base states.
“Revenue generated from UCR helps fund safety and enforcement programs which in turn goes a long way to ensuring safer roads and saving lives,” said Stephen A. Keppler, CVSA’s interim executive director.
For more information on the states participating, or questions about the program, please visit the Unified Carrier Registration Center’s web site at www.ucr.in.gov.
CVSA is an international not-for-profit organization comprised of local, state, provincial, territorial, and federal motor carrier safety officials and industry representatives from the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Our mission is to promote commercial motor vehicle safety and security by providing leadership to enforcement, industry and policy makers. The Alliance actively monitors, evaluates, and identifies solutions to potentially unsafe transportation processes and procedures related to driver and vehicle safety requirements most often associated with commercial motor vehicle crashes. In addition, CVSA has several hundred associate members who are committed to helping the Alliance achieve its goals; uniformity, compatibility and reciprocity of commercial vehicle inspections, and enforcement activities throughout North America by individuals dedicated to highway safety and security. For more on CVSA, visit www.cvsa.org.
For more information contact:
Laura Zabriskie, Director, Communications & Marketing
lauraz@cvsa.org
301-830-6152
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Roadability Mandates Starting Out on Rough Road
From the AZ Trucking Association’s Industry Insider on 7-6-2010…
If you handle intermodal containers, you probably already know that implementing the roadability mandates on June 30 is not going nearly as smoothly as hoped.
According to Intermodal Carriers Conference Executive Director Curtis Whalen, many Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports (DVIRs) are not going through or being accepted in the filing systems set up for this purpose. The problem is complicated by the fact that terminal/gate operators are not universally informed on the processes that are being set up to receive DVIRs and remove defective chassis for repair, etc. It is important to note that the motor carrier/driver obligation under Roadability is to report (as directed by the Intermodal Equipment Provider or its terminal operator/agent) on the condition of the equipment being returned/terminated. If the IEP has not met the law’s requirement to fully deploy a working documentation system to receive the required DVIR, the IEP is in violation of the regulations, not the driver/motor carrier.
Mr. Whalen recommends that carriers take several steps to protect their rights under the regulations:
1) Register with at least one of the major IEP documentation systems - OCEMA (http://www.chassis.com)or IANA (https://dvir.intermodal.org/dvir/).
2) Advise your drivers to (attempt to) file the required DVIR under the processes/procedures made available under the IEP’s electronic system that you have chosen to use.
3) Advise drivers to continue to note on the driver’s end-of-day report the condition of the equipment and the fact that they tried to file a DVIR. The Intermodal Conference continues to work with FMCSA and the intermodal associations to resolve the reporting issues. For more, contact Curtis at cwhalen@trucking.org or 703.838.1867.
If you handle intermodal containers, you probably already know that implementing the roadability mandates on June 30 is not going nearly as smoothly as hoped.
According to Intermodal Carriers Conference Executive Director Curtis Whalen, many Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports (DVIRs) are not going through or being accepted in the filing systems set up for this purpose. The problem is complicated by the fact that terminal/gate operators are not universally informed on the processes that are being set up to receive DVIRs and remove defective chassis for repair, etc. It is important to note that the motor carrier/driver obligation under Roadability is to report (as directed by the Intermodal Equipment Provider or its terminal operator/agent) on the condition of the equipment being returned/terminated. If the IEP has not met the law’s requirement to fully deploy a working documentation system to receive the required DVIR, the IEP is in violation of the regulations, not the driver/motor carrier.
Mr. Whalen recommends that carriers take several steps to protect their rights under the regulations:
1) Register with at least one of the major IEP documentation systems - OCEMA (http://www.chassis.com)or IANA (https://dvir.intermodal.org/dvir/).
2) Advise your drivers to (attempt to) file the required DVIR under the processes/procedures made available under the IEP’s electronic system that you have chosen to use.
3) Advise drivers to continue to note on the driver’s end-of-day report the condition of the equipment and the fact that they tried to file a DVIR. The Intermodal Conference continues to work with FMCSA and the intermodal associations to resolve the reporting issues. For more, contact Curtis at cwhalen@trucking.org or 703.838.1867.
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