Innovative technology has disrupted the trucking industry for the last several years. While trucking companies can expect that momentum to keep on rolling, there are several insights from 2019 worth revisiting. ELDs highlighting HOS troubles. Whether being lauded or reviled, the electronic logging device (ELD) mandate stirred up a lot of discussion within the trucking [...]
Driver safety is always at the forefront of a fleet manager’s mind, and high-tech innovations have led to an explosion of new safety features for trucks. With millions of commercial vehicles hauling cargo at a rate of 2000-3000 miles per week, the industry can’t afford to overlook opportunities to improve safety. Basic safety features such [...]
Commercial transportation safety is a multifaceted issue. It’s not just the responsibility of drivers or fleet managers. Implementing a culture of safety is a team effort that involves every employee in a trucking company. From 2015 to 2016, fatal accidents involving trucks increased by 3%. In almost three-fourths or those incidents, some form of encroachment [...]
Fleet managers know GPS tracking can improve their business as well as support their driver safety efforts, but many worry about how their drivers will react. Some drivers view the technology as invasive and a sign their employer does not trust them behind the wheel. This kind of thinking can breed contempt, which is why [...]
The legalization of marijuana for medical and recreational use is spreading rapidly across the United States and neighboring countries. With 31 states legalizing medical marijuana use in the US, 10 states and D.C. permitting recreational use, Canada allowing recreational use, and Mexico conceding to medical use, there is a very real possibility that truck drivers [...]
An ATRI study has determined how trucking violations impact the likelihood that a driver will be involved in a future crash. Some of the highest results predictably include reckless driving violations (114% increased chance to be involved in a future crash), involvement in a past crash (74%), and speeding violations at 45%. But one figure [...]
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has been going through previous rulings at the behest of numerous industry insiders. The rise of electronic logging devices (ELDs) helped shore up arguments about making changes to hours of service (HOS) regulations as well as overhauling the Compliance, Safety, Accountability initiative. While FMCSA is considering changes to [...]
Every driver knows that pre-trip inspections are important. However, the driver shortage, tight deadlines, and hours of service (HOS) regulations can make many drivers feel compelled to rush through the process in favor of getting on the road faster. Unfortunately, while completing more trips in less time will yield more money, it can also cause [...]
As current law stands, truck drivers possessing a commercial driver’s license (CDL) under the age of 21 are only allowed to transport cargo within their state. This hinders the likelihood of young drivers joining the industry, as more money is available to interstate truck drivers. Now, the Developing Responsible Individuals for a Vibrant Economy (DRIVE-Safe) [...]
Truck drivers from mountainous states often have more experience navigating steep grades. Drivers from California, Colorado, Montana, and West Virginia have a significant edge over those from flat states. Unfortunately for Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, a Texas-based truck driver, his experience navigating the steep grade on the stretch of highway between the Eisenhower Tunnel and Lakewood, Colorado [...]