Check out the latest issue of the Acuity Trucker Focus newsletter for timely transportation news and information. Meet the winners of our National Truck Driver Appreciation Week Contest. Acuity’s Trucking Consultant, Cliff Johnson, provides tips on how your customers can select the right camera system for their vehicles. In addition, Cliff explains how the FMCSA’s proposed hours-of-service changes will affect drivers. If you find the flagpole hidden in this issue, you could win $100!
There is no doubt that distracted driving causes vehicle accidents and deaths. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that 3,166 traffic fatalities, or 8.5% of traffic deaths, in the United States in 2017 were linked to driver distraction. However, there is some disagreement on how much distracted driving can be attributed to cell phone use. Click here to read more.
Ways to Manage Stress as a Trucker
This article is courtesy of Acuity Insurance.
From the days of buckboard wagons to the modern trucks operating today, the trucking industry has continued to play a vital role in our nation’s economy. However, the job can be stressful and wear on drivers over time. According to Trucking Research, a few of the reasons drivers face stress include discourteous drivers, road construction, and being away from home. Though stress is not often discussed as a key reason for the driver shortage, it may be part of the issue. Stress can cause a calm person to become impatient and frustrated with their situation and can also affect a person’s health. Click here to continue reading.
Real Life Lessons From Truck Drivers Injured at Work: Every Which Way but Loose
This article is courtesy of Midwestern Insurance Alliance.
Years ago there was a popular country song with that title and the singer was describing how his girlfriend turned him every which way but loose. Then they made a movie with that theme song and Clint Eastwood starred in it, along with a chimpanzee. Clint probably made a lot of money for his performance and the chimp probably made some “chump” change. However, and once again, that has little to do with this Real Life Lesson other than being a lead in for a discussion regarding muscle strains and truck drivers.
There are several ways a truck driver can strain/pull a muscle. Examples include raising/lowering the hood of the truck, opening/closing the trailer doors, handling freight, tarping and securing loads, and even getting in/out of the truck cab. In addition to the exposure to these hazards, drivers also deal with another issue that can contribute to muscle strains – static posture (sitting in the cab of a truck for extended periods of time). Add these together and the result is several injuries due to muscle strains. Click here for more.
After 18 months of evaluating the preventability of 8 categories of crashes through submissions of Requests for Data Review, FMCSA proposes to modify the Safety Measurement System (SMS) to remove crashes found to be not preventable from the prioritization algorithm and noting the not preventable determinations in the Pre-Employment Screening Program. Click here to read more.
Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse- Mandatory Compliance Date Jan 6th
Effective January 4, 2017, the FMCSA established requirements for the Commercial Driver’s License Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse (Clearinghouse), a database under the Agency’s administration that will contain information about violations of FMCSA’s drug and alcohol testing program for the holders of commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs). This rule is mandated by the Agency’s MAP Act.
Beginning January 6, 2020, the Clearinghouse rule requires FMCSA-regulated employers, Medical Review Officers, Substance Abuse Professionals, consortia/third party administrators (C/TPAs), and other service agents to report to the Clearinghouse information related to violations of the drug and alcohol regulations. Click here to read more on the implementation of the Clearinghouse.
Violation of the Cooperation Clause in Your Policy Only Hurts You
Late reporting of accidents is a growing problem that can reduce your claims handlers’ ability to reduce your exposure and/or clear you of any liability and wrong-doing. In a growing number of cases, we have been receiving notices of claims from the claimants months after the incident without any prior notice from our insureds. Click here for more on the Cooperation Clause.
Country Wide RV Transport (CWRV), the nation’s second largest RV and motor-home transportation provider, is shutting down for good, according to information received late Friday by FreightWaves.
The 540 drivers that currently work for the recreational vehicle transport company will be out of work effective November 1st. The news was first reported on the blog Freight Broker Live., which included a screen shot of an email sent to the company’s employees.
With so many apps available to the trucking industry, it can be confusing to pick the right ones. Apps can help truckers enhance three important areas: their time, their safety, and their bottom line. If you have a trucking customer looking for help with this topic, here are some free apps that may be helpful to their operation. Click here to read more.
Virginia Passes Two New Driving Laws: Regarding Cell Phone Use and Passing Emergency Vehicles
The attached article is courtesy of: Setliff Law, P.C. 4940 Dominion Boulevard Glen Allen, VA 23060; Phone:(804)377-1276;Email: pschurig@setlifflaw.com
Two new Virginia laws impacting drivers went into effect this summer on July 1, 2019. First, Virginia amended its cell phone laws to forbid any hand-held cell phone use in work zones, and, second, Virginia increased the penalty for failure to move over when passing a stationary emergency vehicle to an automatic “reckless driving” conviction. Both laws have substantial ramifications for truck drivers and other Commercial Driver’s License (“CDL”) holders. Click here to learn more.
With so many apps available to the trucking industry, it can be confusing to pick the right ones. Apps can help truckers enhance three important areas: their time, their safety, and their bottom line. If you have a trucking customer looking for help with this topic, here are some free apps that may be helpful to their operation.
Women in Trucking – Guarding Against a Hostile Work Environment
The attached article is courtesy of: Setliff Law, P.C. 4940 Dominion Boulevard Glen Allen, VA 23060; Phone:(804)377-1276;Email: pschurig@setlifflaw.com
Statistically, long-haul trucking is largely the province of men. Sex notwithstanding, when you contemplate the prototypical trucker, you likely imagine a rugged individual capable of a solo existence living the storied “trucker lifestyle.” For men, life behind the wheel can be hard; for women, it’s even tougher. According to the American Trucking Association, in 2017, women made up 6.2% of all long-haul truck drivers, a number that was up from just 4.9% in 2008. Often traveling thousands of miles from home for weeks at a time, female drivers must contend with participating in the trucking industry as a vast minority, where sexism, harassment, privacy and personal safety are genuine concerns. Indeed, the fact that women make up such a small percentage of the long-haul work force creates challenges not only for the drivers themselves, but for the trucking companies as well. With the industry constantly seeking to expand its work force, including hiring more female drivers, how trucking companies develop and implement policies to ensure women are provided a safe and productive work environment is critical to long term success. Click here to continue reading.
Nansemond Insurance Announces Representation of a New Motor Truck Cargo Market That Offers Extremely Broad Protection
Check out the latest issue of the Acuity Trucker Focus newsletter for timely transportation news and information. Trucking Consultant Cliff Johnson talks about how carriers should always be prepared for changes in the market. In addition, Cliff talks about the Internet of Things and its impact on trucking. If you find the flagpole hidden in this issue, you could win $100!
Currently, modern commercial ships run on fossil fuels which have a high content of sulfur (3.5%) – known to be harmful to humans and the environment. Beginning January 1, 2020 low-sulfur fuel (0.5%) is required for those ships that are not equipped with air scrubbers. The added cost of the new fuel could have serious implications for all modes of delivery around the world. Here in the U.S., the East Coast vs West Coast battle for business is about to heat up. Click here to read more.
Battle at the Port: Efficiency Through Automation Seen as a Threat to Jobs
Automation and cleaner air were met with protest as angry shouting by hundreds of ILWU members could be heard outside a hearing by the Los Angeles (LA) Board of Harbor Commissioners. The Board voted 3 to 2 to approve a permit for Maersk’s plan to introduce driverless electric cargo handlers inside its 484-acre facility at Pier 400 in LA. In an action prompted by local Councilman Joe Buscaino who overseas the district area in and around the port, LA city council members voted to overrule the Board of Harbor Commissioners and halted the permit. After injecting rhetoric and labor protest, the decision was sent back to the Board for a revote. Click here to continue reading.
A bill (H.R.3781) has been introduced in the House which seeks to increase the minimum levels of financial responsibility by 556% for transporting property, and would index future increases to changes in inflation relating to medical care. At a press conference in Washington D.C., Representative Jesus Garcia (D-Ill) proclaimed “we’ve seen how victims, their families, hospitals, and our strained social safety net are forced to foot the bill for irresponsible driving.” Garcia was joined by members of the Truck Safety Coalition and accident victims to announce the bill and to introduce the Safe Roads Act. The legislation would require Automatic Emergency Braking technology as standard features on commercial vehicles. Click here to learn more.
FMCSA Imposes Lifetime Ban for Felony Human Trafficking Offenses
FMCSA published a final rule that adds human trafficking to the list of offenses that permanently disqualify individuals from operating a commercial motor vehicle (CMV). This final rule mandates that states come into substantial compliance with 49 U.S.C. 31311(a) as soon as practicable, but not later than three years from the effective date of this final rule. Click here to read how smuggling rings have targeted truckers.
July 31 New Target for Proposed Rule to Amend Trucker Hours-of-Service Regs, DOT Says
This article is provided courtesy of Safety+Health, the official magazine of the NSC Congress & Expo. You can visit their website at https://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/ to sign up for their newsletters.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is now eyeing July 31 as the publication date for a proposed rule the agency says would add flexibility to hours-of-service regulations for commercial truck drivers, according to a Department of Transportation regulatory update released in June.
Previously, DOT indicated June 7 as the target publication date for the proposed rule, which FMCSA submitted to the White House Office of Management and Budget on March 28. An FMCSA spokesperson confirmed in an email to Safety+Health that the proposed rule remains under OMB review, and FMCSA head Raymond Martinez reiterated that stance during a June 19 hearing before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee.
“I really do believe that we are in the very final stages of that process, and I’m hopeful that it will be in short order,” Martinez said in response to a question from Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE).
The agency received more than 5,200 comments on an advance notice of proposed rulemaking published in the Aug. 23 Federal Register. Possible changes to HOS regulations include:
Expanding the current 100-air mile short haul exemption to 14 hours on duty from 12 hours on duty, to be consistent with rules for long-haul truck drivers.
Extending the current 14-hour on-duty limitation by up to two hours when a truck driver encounters adverse driving conditions.
Revising the current mandatory 30-minute break for truck drivers after eight hours of continuous driving.
Reinstating the option for splitting up the required 10-hour off-duty rest break for drivers operating trucks equipped with sleeper berth compartments.
