Motor Carrier Safety The Highway Safety Problem Safety in the Motor Carrier Industry Causes of Accidents Government Solutions Hours of Service Rules Drug

Motor Carrier Safety

The Highway Safety Problem Safety in the Motor Carrier IndustryCauses of AccidentsGovernment Solutions

Hours of Service RulesDrug TestingCommercial Drivers LicenseSafety AuditsRoadside InspectionsFederal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

Technology


The Safety Problem

More truck traffic

More problems with large trucks on the highways

Deaths associated with large vehicle accidents

Motor Carrier SafetyMotor Vehicle Traffic Crashes

2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994Fatal 38,588 39,252 38,444 38,477 38,491 37,862 37,526 37,140 37,107 37,324 37,494 37,241 36,254Crashes

Traffic Crash Fatalities (Vehicle Occupants and Motorcycle Riders)

Drivers 27,323 27,491 26,871 26,779 26,659 25,869 25,567 25,257 24,743 24,667 24,534 24,390 23,691Passengers 9,473 10,069 10,355 10,458 10,604 10,469 10,695 10,521 10,530 10,944 11,058 10,782 10,518Unknown 106 86 78 104 112 102 86 97 109 114 103 119 109Sub Total 36,902 37,646 37,304 37,341 37,375 36,440 36,348 35,875 35,382 35,725 35,695 35,291 34,318

Non-Motorists

Pedestrians 4,784 4,892 4,675 4,774 4,851 4,901 4,763 4,939 5,228 5,321 5,449 5,584 5,489Pedalcyclists 773 786 727 629 665 732 693 754 760 814 765 833 802Other/Unknown 183 186 130 140 114 123 141 149 131 153 154 109 107Sub Total 5,740 5,864 5,532 5,543 5,630 5,756 5,597 5,842 6,119 6,288 6,368 6,526 6,398Total 42,642 43,510 42,836 42,884 43,005 42,196 41,945 41,717 41,501 42,013 42,065 41,817 40,716

Large Truck Fatal Crashes 5,018 5,212 5,235

Source: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, “Large Truck Crash Facts 2005,” (Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Transportation, 2005).


Highway Deaths: 1994-2006


Human Error

FHWA Study - 95% of all preventable accidents due to human error

Office of Technology Assessment Study - 60% of all commercial motor vehicle accidents caused by human error


Sources of Human Error in Truck Accidents

Fatigue

Drug/alcohol abuse

Lack of skills


1. Brake problems

2. Traffic flow interruption (congestion, previous crash)

3. Prescription drug use

4. Traveling too fast for conditions

5. Unfamiliarity with roadway

6. Roadway problems

7. Required to stop before crash (traffic control device, crosswalk)

8. Over-the-counter drug use

9. Inadequate surveillance

10. Fatigue

Top 10 Factors Related to Large Truck AccidentsThe Large Truck Crash Causation Study-2005


Other Factors Relating to Motor Carrier Accidents Length of time a driver is with a firmCondition of equipmentAge of equipmentRate of defective equipmentProfitabilityLarger specialized carriers tend to have more accidentsAutomobile DriversCell Phones?




Government Solutions

Hours of Service RulesDrug TestingCommercial Drivers LicenseSafety AuditsRoadside InspectionsFederal Motor Carrier Safety AdministrationBlack Boxes


Traditional Hours of Service Rules

• 10-hour driving limit during a 15 hour on-duty period• 8-hour daily off-duty period to restart the driving time clock• Sleeper berth exception, permitting the off-duty period to be

accumulated in two periods of at least two hours each• Weekly cumulative on-duty limit of 60 hours over past 7 days

Driver Fatigue


New HOS Rules

• An 11-hour daily driving limit • On-duty limit from 15 hours to 14 hours• Off-duty period from eight to 10 hours• Kept the old sleeper berth exception (Controversial)• 60-hour week limit; and• A 34-hour restart provision, theoretically adding 17 hours

to the work week (Controversial)

Driver Fatigue


Implementation Issues

August 25, 2005: FMCSA published a final HOS rule

July 24, 2007: DC Circuit Court vacated * 11-hour rule and * 34-hour restart

December 17, 2007: FMCSA Interim Final Rule (IFR) * Reinstated the two provisions vacated by the Court * Sought further comments on those provisions.

Driver Fatigue


Drug/Alcohol Abuse

Mandatory drug testing

Counseling

Substance abuse hotline – i.e., Bridgestone Tires


Lack of Skills

Specialized skills required

Often drivers have little or no training

Federal Commercial Drivers License (CDL)

Nation-wide computer system


Motor Carrier Safety Audits

U.S. DOT evaluates and assigns safety ratings to more than 200,000 motor carriers

Performed by field specialists from the DOT's Office of Motor Carrier Safety (now FMCSA)


Documents Required for Typical Carrier

Driver qualification filesDriver logs or daily time sheetsInsurance certification (MCS-90)Accident report forms (MCS-50)A written hiring policyA written drug and alcohol policyAnnual inspection reports for vehiclesMaintenance files for each vehicleA copy of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations


Documents Required for HazMat Carrier

A copy of Hazardous Materials Regulations Hazardous materials placards and labels Hazardous materials waste manifests Cargo tank certificate Cargo tank inspection reports DOT Form F5800 Receipts for documents Driver's manual for handling hazardous materials


Factors on Which the Rating is Based

Adequate Safety Management Controls Managerial responsibility for safety, insurance, and accident informationDriver QualificationsDriving and Service HoursVehicle MaintenanceHazardous Materials


Categories of Ratings Which May Result

Satisfactory - Everything is in orderConditional - When any one factor is not adequate,

carrier is required to correct the problem(s) prior to the field specialist returning for a Safety Audit

Unsatisfactory - If more than one factor is failed. May result in the carrier being shutdown


North East, “Who the hell does he think he is?”

Black Box Research

Installed in SUVs

Most Frequent Comments Before Crashes:

Southwest, “Hold my beer, this is going to be close.”


FMCSA publishes HOS comment period extension (02-22-08) FMCSA announces HOS comment period extension (02-18-08) D.C. court denies petition to review rule (01-25-08) Train drivers and dispatchers on using the "bad weather" exception (01-21-08) Senate Committee hears HOS arguments, concerns (12-19-07) Safety groups challenge re-adoption of HOS rules (12-19-07) FMCSA publishes hours of service interim final rule (12-17-07) HOS IFR makes it to OMB (11-28-07) CTA: Minister should address lack of harmonization of HOS rules (11-09-07) California amends intrastate hours-of-service regulations (11-05-07) FMCSA Comments lead to withdrawal of supporting documents SNPRM (10-29-07) Court stays HOS regulations until December 27 (10-02-07) FMCSA, SCT announce real-time tracking for cross-border project (10-02-07) FMCSA memorandum to the Court requests HOS stay (09-24-07) FMCSA: EOBR rule could be expanded, cover more companies (09-21-07) ATA HOS petition receives strong support from organizations, companies (09-21-07)


Motion to Stay Hours-of-Service Ruling Filed ATA petitions to retain HOS regulations (09-05-07) Appeals Court tosses DOT’s 11-hour rule and 34-hour restart FMCSA grants HOS fireworks exemption (07-02-07) CVSA advocates universal adoption of EOBRs (06-18-07) EOBR proposal published in Federal Register (01-18-07) HOS supporting documents rule put on hold (01-12-07) FMCSA releases Electronic On-Board Recorder proposal (01-11-07) U.S. Court of appeals to hear arguments on HOS (11-28-06) Analysis addresses EOBRs for hours-of-service monitoring (10-09-06) Final rule on supporting documents for hours of service expected soon (09-29-06) Court issues procedural orders to deal with HOS cases (05-22-06)