By Oliver B. Patton, Washington Editor
A congressional hearing yesterday on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s CSA safety enforcement program gave critics a chance to vent, but the committee appears content for the time being to let the agency and its constituents work things out.
The House Subcommittee on Highways and Transit has no immediate plans for legislation addressing CSA, although it will keep an eye on the issue, said spokesman Justin Harclerode.
Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., the ranking minority member of the panel, said legislation would be premature at this point.
DeFazio said he will wait to see what the agency does in its pending safety fitness rulemaking. This rule, which the agency is expected to propose early next year, will formally incorporate the CSA data and rating system into a standard for determining if a carrier is fit to operate.
“The critical thing will be the rulemaking that they will propose and, as they go through the rulemaking, how this data will be utilized and what the final scoring system is going to be,” DeFazio said.
He said he believes that FMCSA Administrator Anne Ferro is “getting the message” about CSA problems.
Shortcomings Undermine Effectiveness
Indeed, the concerns of carriers, shippers, brokers and the enforcement community have been the subject of public debate ever since the CSA program kicked off in 2010.
American Trucking Associations says that shortcomings in CSA data and methodologies undermine the system’s effectiveness.
“While ATA takes issue with certain specific elements of the CSA methodology, there is an overarching theme: CSA scores must reflect future crash risk,” Scott Mugno, vice president of safety for FedEx Ground, told the committee.
The first thing the agency must do to fix the problem is admit that CSA does not accurately and reliably identify unsafe carriers, Mugno said.
“In other words, CSA scores are not a reliable predictor of future crash risk,” he said.
In addition, the agency must focus on the least-safe carriers, not just those that have compliance problems, he said. And the agency must implement changes that correct shortcomings in the data and methodology.
“Only then will CSA reach its fullest potential as a tool to improve highway safety.”
Another witness, Ruby McBride, vice president of Colonial Freight Systems in Knoxville, Tenn., said that in a recent encounter with CSA, the system did not live up to its billing.
The company had a high ranking in its Fatigued Driving BASIC as a consequence of form-and-manner violations of the hours of service rule, she said. This should have triggered a warning letter, but instead the agency sent in investigators for a nine-day audit that in the end preserved the company’s satisfactory rating.
“To add insult to injury, the misleading and inaccurate percentile rankings that triggered the audit remain unchanged and we are still branded as a high-risk carrier in the BASIC,” she told the committee. This leads to lost business opportunities because shippers are leery of carriers with such rankings.
Compliance vs. Safety?
Colonial’s high ranking illustrates one of the continuing issues with CSA. While carriers are frustrated, for obvious reasons, by form-and-manner violations skewing their scores, both FMCSA and the enforcement community say these violations are not frivolous and deserve the attention the system gives them.
“Compliance with regulations is also a critical factor in terms of (commercial motor vehicle) safety,” said David Palmer, assistant chief of the Texas Department of Public Safety and a spokesman for the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance.
He took issue with the contention that CSA should go directly and only to crash risk.
Factors that have a high correlation to risk obviously are important, but from the perspective of the inspecting officer, compliance also needs to be considered, he said.
“Some may say that hours of service records that do not include items like location changes of duty status or list miles driven are simply ‘paperwork’ violations. However, to an inspector, these violations are indicators that a driver could be concealing major violations,” he said.
CVSA, which represents the enforcement community, believes that CSA is working much more effectively than the agency’s previous system, Palmer told the panel.
“Quite frankly, CSA has brought commercial vehicle safety to the forefront of industry and enforcement like no other program in my time before it,” he said.
Broker Use
Bruce Johnson, director of carrier services for the transportation brokerage company C.H. Robinson, told the committee that FMCSA needs to make several changes in the CSA program.
It should add each carrier’s safety rating to screenshots that show its CSA data, and it should remove language on its website that encourages shippers to use CSA data for their own purposes, he said.
He also said that when the agency proposes its safety fitness rule, it should include a rating system that rates all unsafe carriers as unfit to operate.
And Johnson called for legislation to abolish vicarious liability for brokers and shippers due to negligent behavior on the part of the carriers they use.
Crash Data
Another major concern about CSA has to do with the lack of accountability in the crash data. The agency does not include fault in its accounting for crashes. Instead, it assumes a certain degree of fault, and uses that assumption as a predictor of future crash risk.
Carriers object to this approach, and the agency has begun a year-long study of how to correct the problem. The safety advocacy community warns, however, that the agency must proceed with caution.
Steve Owings, president and founder of Road Safe America, gave the committee a life-and-death reason for why the agency should be cautious about relying on police accident reports to determine fault in crashes.
In 2002, Owings’ son, Cullum, was killed when a speeding truck ran into the back of his car as it was stopped in traffic.
The investigating officer was able to interview only the truck driver, who lied about the circumstances of the crash, Owings told the committee. Cullum’s brother, Pierce, who was in the car but survived the crash, gave the true account, which later was corroborated by a private investigator hired by Owings.
“If we were limited only to the version of the crash recorded in the (Police Accident Report), and Pierce had not survived, or if Susan (Owings’ wife) and I lacked the means to pay for an additional investigation, the truth would not have been discovered or proven,” Owings said.
Anne Ferro explained to the committee that as part of its analysis of crash accountability it is reviewing the uniformity and consistency of police accident reports, as well as the process for making crash determinations and getting public comment.
Ferro also said the agency is undertaking regular, scheduled revisions to CSA to address concerns about the program, and recently formed an advisory committee to make sure that industry has a voice in the development of the program.
Printer Friendly Version
Email This Story
RSS
Government: Related News
9/14/2012 – Ryder $1 Million Settlement to CARB to Help Pay for Education, Natural Gas Service
The California Air Resources Board announced that Ryder System paid $1 million for failure to conduct testing and maintain complete records of required annual opacity tests on heavy-duty vehicles in its California fleet in 2008 and 2009….
More
9/14/2012 – House Committee Hears CSA Complaints
A congressional hearing yesterday on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s CSA safety enforcement program gave critics a chance to vent, but the committee appears content for the time being to let the agency and its constituents work things out….
More
9/13/2012 – CSA Issues to be Aired on Hill Today
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s flagship CSA safety enforcement program will face congressional scrutiny today as a House subcommittee airs questions about the program’s effectiveness….
More
9/12/2012 – NTSB’s Strategic Plan Available For Comment
A draft of the National Transportation Safety Boards’ strategic plan for 2013 through 2016 is available to the public for comment….
More
9/12/2012 – Alliance for Driver Safety Security Expands Agenda Beyond EOBRs
The Alliance for Driver Safety Security, a Washington, D.C. coalition of transportation companies that promoted recent federal legislation to require electronic on-board recording devices (EOBRs) in all commercial trucks, has named Callie Hoyt its manager of governmental affairs and is expanding its focus to other trucking safety issues….
More
9/11/2012 – Audit Finds Familiar Shortcoming in Cross-Border Trucking Program
It is hard to measure the safety performance of cross-border Mexican trucks because too few of them participate in the trade, says the Inspector General of the Department of Transportation. This is one of several findings in the most recent review of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration border program….
More
9/10/2012 – Virginia Scales Back I-95 Toll Plans
The Virginia Department of Transportation has reduced the number of toll points requested in its application to the U.S. Department of Transportation to toll I-95. Originally, the application named two separate toll locations along I-95, but the VDOT decreased the scope of the tolling project to simply one….
More
9/7/2012 – Small Brokers Take Issue with New $75,000 Bond Requirement
The ink on the new highway bill is hardly dry, yet one transportation group already is pushing for an amendment.
The Association of Independent Property Brokers Agents is lobbying to repeal the $75,000 bond requirement for brokers and freight forwarders that’s in the law Congress passed in June….
More
9/7/2012 – DOT Inspector General to Audit Cross-Border Program
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s cross-border trucking program with Mexico is up for a scheduled review by the Inspector General of the Department of Transportation….
More
9/5/2012 – Aftermarket Groups Say Adding Heavy-Duty Could Have Derailed Mass. Right to Repair
Just because the new Massachusetts Right to Repair law only covers light-duty vehicles (up to 10,000 pounds) doesn’t mean that independent heavy-duty repair interests aren’t continuing the fight to extend accessibility of repair information to the heavier vehicles….
More
9/4/2012 – DOT Orders Shutdown of Reincarnated Tennessee Carrier
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration ordered Tennessee-based trucking company Terri’s Farm to immediately cease all interstate transportation services, based on evidence that it was a chameleon operation for an unsafe company previously shut down by the agency….
More
8/31/2012 – Navistar Gets to Pay Penalties for Emissions Noncompliance, EPA Rules
The Environmental Protection Agency will allow Navistar International to pay penalties on engines that do not meet clean air standards. The rule, which has not yet been published, sets a maximum penalty of about $3,800 per engine, the agency said last night….
More
8/30/2012 – California Reaches $100 million Milestone in Loan Assistance to Truckers
The California Air Resources Board and the California Pollution Control Financing Authority, part of the State Treasurer’s Office, hit the $100 million mark in financial assistance to small-business truckers so they can buy cleaner-burning vehicles….
More
8/29/2012 – New Highway Law a Big Work Order for FMCSA
The new highway law sets an ambitious agenda for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration over the next couple of years.
Most of the requirements in MAP-21 came from the agency’s strategic plan, said administrator Anne Ferro as she introduced a presentation Monday on the agency’s plans to implement the law….
More
8/28/2012 – New Advisory Panel Broadens Access to CSA Planning
The trucking industry and other interest groups are getting more say in how the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration shapes its signature CSA safety enforcement program.
At the first meeting of a new CSA advisory panel yesterday, the agency spelled out the help it needs, calling for ideas and suggestions on how to solve such long-standing issues as public access to data, improvements in the data correction system and whether or not carriers should get credit for safety technology….
More
8/27/2012 – FMCSA Adds HazMat Basic, Makes Other Changes to CSA Program
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Friday announced several changes to its Compliance, Safety, Accountability enforcement program, including going ahead with a new HazMat BASIC that has prompted a lot of criticism from the industry….
More
8/24/2012 – DOT Creates Freight Policy Council
The Department of Transportation yesterday officially launched the Freight Policy Council, the first step in creating the first national freight policy as mandated in the recent highway bill. The council will focus on improving the condition and performance of the national freight network to better ensure the ability of the United States to compete in today’s global economy….
More
8/23/2012 – DOT: States to Get $17.5 Million to Fight Distracted Driving
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced a new grant program that will provide approximately $17.5 million to states that have laws banning distracted driving in fiscal year 2013….
More
8/20/2012 – FMCSA Launches Facebook Page
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has launched a Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/FMCSA…
More
8/20/2012 – Obama Administration Frees up Unspent Earmark Funds for Infrastructure Projects
The Obama administration announced that it won’t allow infrastructure funds to sit idle as a result of stalled earmark projects. It’s making more than $470 million in unspent earmarks immediately available to states for projects that will create jobs and help improve transportation….
More
8/17/2012 – FMCSA Puts Clock on New Entrant Applications
New entrants to trucking will face a shorter deadline for correcting problems in their applications, under a new policy by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration….
More
8/16/2012 – FMCSA Shifts Gears on Oilfield Hauler HOS Guidance
Reacting to strong protests against its proposed new hours of service guidance for oilfield haulers, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has extended the deadline for comments and scheduled several public listening sessions….
More
8/15/2012 – FMCSA Spells Out Policy on Applications
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration spelled out its policy on evaluating applications for authority, listing a half-dozen performance factors that it evaluates….
More
8/15/2012 – A Bid to Have Obama, Romney Debate Infrastructure Investment
President Obama just signed a new highway law, but the program runs for only two years, so either Obama or Mitt Romney is going to have to sign another one.
What should that law accomplish?
A trio of political leaders is asking the Commission on Presidential Debates to make infrastructure one of the six topics covered in the Obama-Romney debate in Denver on October 3….
More
8/13/2012 – Industry Research Favors Roll Stability over Electronic Stability Controls
New research by the trucking industry finds that for some carriers, roll stability control technology may be more effective than electronic stability control….
More
8/10/2012 – EPA’s Navistar Proposal Up for Final Review
The Environmental Protection Agency is close to releasing a revised proposal on whether or not Navistar International can pay penalties on engines that don’t meet clean air standards.
The proposed rule, which still is under wraps, is awaiting final review at the White House Office of Management and Budget….
More
8/9/2012 – CSA Changes Draw Strong Commentary
When the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration asked for comments on changes in its CSA safety enforcement program, it got an earful.
Almost everyone supports the concept of the overall CSA program, but the details do not get much love….
More
8/7/2012 – ATA Seeks Nominations for “Good Stuff” Trucking Image Award
The American Trucking Associations is seeking nominations for the sixth annual Mike Russell “Good Stuff” Trucking Image Award….
More
8/6/2012 – Kentucky Gets Digital Driver Licenses
Kentucky has begun a transition to a new driver’s license that contains security features for greater protection of privacy and resistance to tampering….
More
8/6/2012 – CARB Steps Up Diesel Truck Enforcement in August
The California Air Resources Board has designated August “Gear Up for Clean Truck Month,” to remind diesel users that the rules are in effect and being vigorously enforced….
More
8/1/2012 – Carb to Focus on Compliance in August
The California Air Resources Board has designated August as “Gear Up for Clean Truck Month.” …
More
8/1/2012 – Trucking Allies File Amicus Brief on HOS
The National Retail Federation joined a coalition of manufacturers, shippers and transportation providers to file an amicus brief before the U.S. Court of Appeals opposing new hours-of-service rules….
More
8/1/2012 – ATA to FMCSA: New CSA Revision Process a Start, but Serious Flaws Remain
In comments filed July 30, American Trucking Associations told the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration that while it supports the agency’s new process for improving its carrier oversight program Compliance, Safety, Accountability, the system still has serious deficiencies that must be corrected. …
More
7/31/2012 – Kansas Adds Online IFTA Filing
Submitting International Fuel Tax Agreement Quarterly Tax Returns just got easier for Kansas-based motor carriers, thanks to the Kansas Department of Revenue’s Kansas IFTA Quarterly Filings application.…
More
7/31/2012 – Indiana Police Targeting ‘Hot Trucks’
Indiana State Police have stepped up enforcement of what are being called “hot trucks” — refrigerated trucks found to be delivering food that’s not being kept at the proper temperature.
On July 1, a new state law went into effect that gave the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division of the Indiana State Police the authority to stop suspected “hot” trucks,…
More
7/31/2012 – Safety Groups Challenge Hours Rule
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration erred when it preserved the 34-hour restart and 11-hour driving limit in driver work rules, truck safety advocates told a federal appeals court….
More
7/26/2012 – ATA Fires Opening Salvo in Hours of Service Suit
American Trucking Associations and its allies have asked a federal appeals court to strike four provisions of the hours-of-service rule that is scheduled to take effect next July.
The trucking interests told the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration erred when it limited the 34-hour restart to once a week and required each restart to include two rest periods between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. …
More
7/25/2012 – NHTSA’s Stability Control Proposal Gets First Public Airing
Trucking interests, including manufacturers and carriers, support the idea of a federal mandate for stability control systems in new tractors, but have concerns about details in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s proposed rule….
More
7/24/2012 – Ferro Announces Crash Accountability Research Plans
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is going to take on three central questions in its analysis of the hot-button issue of crash accountability.
Are police accident reports reliable enough to determine accountability? Are the benefits of determining accountability worth the costs – as much as $3 million a year? And how should the agency manage the process, giving the public a chance to participate?…
More
7/23/2012 – Small Carriers, Brokers Launch Legal Challenge to CSA
A group of small carriers and brokers asked a federal appeals court to review a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration explanation of its CSA safety enforcement program….
More
7/23/2012 – Government Investigating NE Toll Agencies
The federal Government Accountability Office is looking into recent toll increases imposed by bi-state agencies on bridges in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania, according to published reports….
More
7/20/2012 – FMCSA Plans Changes in Pre-Employment Screening Data
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is planning to make some changes in its handling of data in the Pre-Employment Screening Program….
More
7/19/2012 – NHTSA to Hold Hearing on Electronic Stability Control Proposal
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will host a public hearing in Washington, D.C., next week to get reaction to its proposed mandate for electronic stability control systems on heavy-duty trucks and buses….
More
7/19/2012 – Maryland Helps Truckers Go Paperless, Offers E-Hauling Permits
The Maryland State Highway Administration is now providing truckers a way to carry paperless permits, allowing drivers to display them in electronic format during inspections, replacing traditional paper-issued permits and attachments….
More
7/18/2012 – OOIDA Sues FMCSA over Pre-Employment Screening Program
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s pre-employment screening program violates drivers’ rights, claims the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association in a lawsuit. OOIDA told the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia that under the program, drivers can be in effect found guilty of safety violations before they get due process in court. …
More
7/13/2012 – FMCSA Posts EOBR FAQ, Says it is Revisiting Cost-Benefit Analysis
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration indicates it will re-examine the costs-vs-benefits of mandatory electronic onboard recorders in a new list of frequently asked questions it posted this week on its website….
More
7/12/2012 – Concerns about CSA Aired at House Hearing
Opponents of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s CSA enforcement program took their case to Congress yesterday, charging in a hearing that the program is being misused and harms small carriers….
More
7/11/2012 – FMCSA Schedule for Crash Accountability Research Due This Month
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is edging closer to action on weighing carrier fault in the CSA safety enforcement database. This month, the agency should announce a research schedule for figuring out how to separate at-fault crashes from not-at-fault crashes when it looks at a carrier’s safety performance….
More
7/9/2012 – EOBR Cut-Off Faces Opposition in Senate
A bid by owner-operators to cut off funding for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s electronic onboard recorder rule appears unlikely to pass. Close followers of the issue note that while it is not wise to say “never” in Washington, the cutoff faces stiff opposition in the Senate….
More
7/6/2012 – Right to Repair Submits Final Signatures for Ballot Initiative
The Right to Repair Coalition today submitted 16,000 signatures to the Massachusetts secretary of state to secure the initiative’s place on the November ballot….
More
7/5/2012 – CARB Extends Reporting Deadline for Greenhouse Gas Regulation
The California Air Resources Board has extended the reporting deadline to September 1, 2012, for its greenhouse gas tractor-trailer regulation so that small fleets can take advantage of flexibility options….
More
7/3/2012 – NHTSA Announces Public Hearing on Proposed Stability Control Systems Rule
The Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced a public hearing on the proposed rule for heavy vehicle electronic stability control systems….
More
7/2/2012 – Congress Passes Highway Bill; House Bill Would Block EOBR Mandate
The House and Senate passed the highway reauthorization bill Friday afternoon. The bill easily cleared both chambers: The House vote was 373-52, and the Senate vote was 74-19. It now goes to President Obama, who is expected to sign it….
More
6/29/2012 – Agreement Sets New Course for Highway Program
It turns out that Congress can compromise after all.
At the last moment, House and Senate negotiators wheeled and dealed their way to a highway agreement in which no one gets everything and everyone gets something….
More
6/29/2012 – Congress Passes Highway Bill
The House and Senate passed the highway reauthorization bill this afternoon. The bill easily cleared both chambers: The House vote was 373-52, and the Senate vote was 74-19. It now goes to President Obama, who is expected to sign it….
More
6/28/2012 – Congress Signals Agreement on Highway Bill
CORRECTED — Congress appears close to agreement on reauthorization of the federal highway program.
Reports from various sources last evening indicated congressional leaders had a tentative agreement on a two-year bill. It appears that the bill will not include a controversial provision requiring approval of the Keystone XL pipeline….
More
6/27/2012 – Rep. Issa Challenges EPA on Heavy Truck Fuel Economy Standard
The House Oversight Committee is claiming that the California Air Resources Board was too influential in the drafting of federal truck fuel efficiency standards.
Committee Chairman Darrell Issa, R-Calif., said in a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency that CARB appears to have been “heavily invested and highly involved” in development of the standards for heavy-duty trucks….
More
6/26/2012 – Iowa Waives CDL Drive Skills Test for Military Personnel
A new law in Iowa makes it easier for former military personnel to make the switch to a commercial driving career….
More
6/22/2012 – DOT, Veterans Affairs Offering Help for Veterans Who Want Transportation Jobs
U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and U.S. Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki today unveiled a new portal on their departments’ websites designed to help military veterans find jobs in the transportation industry….
More
6/20/2012 – New EPA Emission Proposal Seen Having Little Impact on Trucking
The Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed new standard for fine particle pollution is not likely to have much impact on highway trucking, although it could lead to retrofit requirements and anti-idling regulations in a few places….
More
6/19/2012 – HOS Court Battle Starts Next Month
The court battle over the hours-of-service rule gets under way in July, according to a schedule posted last week by the appeals court.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has consolidated lawsuits by a number of trucking groups that believe the rule is too restrictive, and by several safety advocacy groups that believe the rule is too liberal….
More
6/18/2012 – FMCSA to Post CSA Study in Response to ATA Request
In response to prodding by American Trucking Associations, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration said it will release a study of the links between violations and crash risk that it uses in the CSA safety enforcement system….
More
6/14/2012 – Survey: CSA Continued Concern for Carriers and Shippers
Carriers are concerned about CSA 2010 regulations, but they have found some of their shippers to be concerned about CSA scores as well, according to Transport Capital Partners’ Second Quarter 2012 Business Expectations Survey. …
More
6/14/2012 – OOIDA Says New Out-of-Service Criteria Unconstitutional
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association has filed an Order to Show Cause in federal court against the Minnesota State Patrol and the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance for the recently amended out-of-service criteria for fatigue….
More
6/14/2012 – Michigan Passes Bill to Dedicate Portion of Fuel Tax to Roads
Michigan has passed a bill to dedicate part of its 4-cent sales tax on motor fuel to road improvements, reports The Detroit News….
More
6/14/2012 – FMCSA Lightens Paperwork Load for Intermodal Drivers
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has lightened the regulatory load for intermodal drivers and equipment providers.
In a final rule this week, the agency said it is no longer necessary for drivers to submit a vehicle inspection report if the intermodal chassis has no defects. Chassis providers will not have to keep those reports, either….
More
6/14/2012 – EPA Outlines SmartWay Verification Program for Retreaded Tires
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has established a verification program for retreaded tires used on Class 8 line-haul trucks. Once a retreaded tire receives EPA certification, fleets using those tires will be compliant with CARB regulations for low-rolling-resistance tires….
More
6/13/2012 – ATA Demands FMCSA Release Study Used to Develop CSA Scoring System
American Trucking Associations is calling on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to release a study of the links between violations and crash risk used to develop its methodology for assigning carriers’ scores in its monitoring and measurement system: Compliance, Safety, Accountability….
More
6/13/2012 – Court Rules for Navistar Competitors in Clean Air Case
In a victory for Navistar’s competitors, a federal court said that the Environmental Protection Agency should not have allowed Navistar to pay penalties on engines that don’t meet clean air standards….
More
6/12/2012 – Court Throws Out EPA Rule Allowing Navistar to Keep Making Engines
A federal appeals court has ruled that Navistar’s business plight was not a good enough reason for the Environmental Protection Agency to allow Navistar continue selling engines that don’t meet EPA’s 2010 emissions rules simply by paying fines….
More
6/6/2012 – DOT: Trucks Hauling Sand, Water for Fracking Not Exempt from HOS Rules
Truck drivers hauling water and sand to U.S. oil and natural gas shale drilling sites don’t qualify for a special oil-field service equipment exemption to extend their daily driving hours. …
More
6/6/2012 – Massachusetts Right to Repair Surpasses Ballot Petition Goal
The Massachusetts Right to Repair Coalition achieved its final goal of attaining 20,000 voter signatures in its ballot campaign, well above the 11,000 required. The final batch of certified signatures will be delivered to the state Secretary of State’s office ahead of the early-July deadline….
More
6/6/2012 – FMCSA Extends Comment Period for SMS Preview
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is giving carriers more time to comment on the proposed changes to its Safety Measurement System. …
More
6/5/2012 – ATA Pushes for FMCSA Response on Crash Accountability
The American Trucking Associations continues to prod the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to change its approach to measuring crash accountability in its CSA safety enforcement program. Yesterday, the association challenged the agency to release a study it has done on the feasibility of using police reports to gauge crash accountability….
More
6/4/2012 – FMCSA Proposes HOS Guidance for Oilfield Haulers
Oil and gas drilling is booming these days, and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is proposing to revisit its hours-of-service guidance for carriers that serve the business….
More
6/1/2012 – ATA Tells Congress Security Efforts Must Be Risk Based
While testifying on the Transportation Security Administration’s Surface Transportation Inspection Program, Phil Byrd, president of Bulldog Hiway Express, Charleston, S.C., and vice chairman of American Trucking Associations, told the congressional subcommittee that efforts to secure the nation’s transportation system should be deployed based on specific and credible intelligence….
More
6/1/2012 – FMCSA Safety Crackdown Closes 26 Bus Operations
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration shut down 26 bus operations running passenger service on I-95 between New York City and Florida, the latest in a series of enforcement crackdowns on truck and bus companies….
More
5/30/2012 – FMCSA Extends Time for Comments on Proposed Safety Measurement System
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced a 60-day extension of the time that motor carriers have to comment on proposed improvements to the agency’s proposed Safety Measurement System. The comment period now runs through July 30….
More
5/24/2012 – Associations Lobby Highway Bill Conferees to Address Trucking’s Needs
Leaders of American Trucking Associations asked members of the conference committee currently negotiating on the highway bill to address several critical issues for the trucking industry — one of them calling for electronic onboard recorders, which the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association and a coalition of other groups are lobbying against. …
More
5/24/2012 – FMCSA Offers Consumers Moving Company Checklist
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced the launch of a new “Consumer Checklist” to assist consumers in choosing a responsible interstate moving company and protecting themselves from fraudulent or dishonest household goods movers….
More
5/24/2012 – Major Trucking Players React Positively to NHTSA’s Stability Control Proposal
The American Trucking Associations issued a statement praising the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s proposed requirement for electronic stability control on large trucks….
More
5/23/2012 – U.S. and Mexican Officials to Identify Needed Border-Crossing Projects
U.S. and Mexican officials are meeting today as a first effort to decide where new border crossings and connecting roads may be necessary,…
More
5/22/2012 – Mass. Right to Repair Bill Jumps First Hurdle
A little more than a month after consumers and neighborhood repairers packed a Massachusetts State House hearing room to urge passage of the Right to Repair legislation, the State Senate late Thursday evening strongly approved the measure….
More
5/21/2012 – Three more Mexican carriers in line for cross-border service
Three additional Mexican carriers have cleared a pre-authorization safety audit for long-distance service across the border and are waiting for authority to join the three carriers already operating….
More
5/17/2012 – NHTSA Proposes Stability Control Mandate
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration proposed a first-ever federal motor vehicle safety standard to require electronic stability control (ESC) systems on large commercial trucks and buses….
More
5/16/2012 – ND DOT Adopts Federal Guidelines for Former Military Drivers
The North Dakota Department of Transportation is now allowing members of the military to apply commercial driving experience obtained while in the military to acquire a North Dakota CDL….
More
5/16/2012 – FMCSA Posts 2012-2016 Strategic Plan
The core of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s strategic plan for the next five years is to press ahead with rules and reforms it already has under way….
More
5/15/2012 – Virginia DMV “Troops to Trucks” Program Puts Veterans to Work
Through the new Troops to Trucks program, the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles is joining forces with the military and transportation-related businesses to put former servicemen and women and National Guard and Reserves members to work in the transportation industry….
More
5/14/2012 – Highway Bill Conferees Face Daunting Schedule
House and Senate conferees last week began work on the highway bill under considerable pressure of time and necessity.
Counting today, the conferees have 19 working days left before the current extension expires June 30. Their staffs, who do much of the detail work in the conference process, probably will be working close to 24-7….
More
5/11/2012 – CARB Urges Tractor-Trailer Owners to Register Early for Flexibility
The California Air Resources Board is encouraging small fleet owners of 2010 and older model year 53-foot or longer box-type trailers that operate on California highways to report vehicle information now to gain additional time to comply with the Tractor-Trailer Greenhouse Gas regulation….
More
5/11/2012 – DOT Simplifies Stop Sign Regs
The Obama Administration is eliminating 46 regulations on traffic signs to provide more flexibility for state and local governments, including allowing communities to replace traffic signs when they are worn out rather than requiring signs to be replaced by a specific date….
More
5/11/2012 – Carriers Can Preview Proposed CSA Safety Measurement System Changes
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has updated the CSA Safety Measurement System website and the SMS Preview website. Carriers can log in to to CSA’s Safety Measurement System site to preview the first package of proposed changes through two websites:…
More
5/9/2012 – Teamsters Endorse Obama in 2012
Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa announced the union’s endorsement of President Barack Obama for re-election in 2012. Hoffa made the official announcement to more than 1,500 Teamster members attending the union’s annual conference in Las Vegas this week….
More
5/9/2012 – ATA’s Graves Not Optimistic about Highway Bill
The country has a lot on the line in the current negotiations over the highway bill, but Bill Graves, president and CEO of American Trucking Associations, is not optimistic that Congress will do what needs to be done….
More
5/8/2012 – Motor Carriers Asked to Weigh in on CSA
This week, the American Transportation Research Institute launched its second annual motor carrier survey to identify CSA impacts on trucking operations, as well as carrier perceptions and attitudes toward FMCSA’s maturing regulatory program….
More
5/8/2012 – Stability Control Proposal Nearing Publication
A proposal to require stability control systems on heavy-duty tractors is nearing publication. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration proposal has been cleared by the White House Office of Management and Budget, the last step in the review process….
More
5/8/2012 – Industry and Safety Groups Press for Recorder Mandate
Trucking and safety interests are pressing congressional negotiators to include an electronic onboard recorder mandate in the highway bill they are drafting. In a letter to leaders of the House-Senate conference committee, industry interest groups strongly urged that the mandate be kept in the bill….
More
5/5/2012 – CSA Data May Indicate Move by Drivers to Independent Owner-Operators
Federal safety data indicate that carrier registrations have jumped by 7.5% over the past 14 months, possibly reflecting a move by drivers to go into business for themselves, according to an analysis by QualifiedCarriers, a risk management services provider to shippers….
More
5/4/2012 – Fuel Economy Standards Could Reduce Transportation Funds by $57 Billion
Proposed fuel economy standards could result in a $57 billion drop in tax revenue that goes to federal transportation funds, says the Congressional Budget Office.
New CAFE standards (or corporate average fuel economy standards), proposed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency in 2011, would tighten fuel economy standards for light-duty vehicles manufactured from 2017 to 2025….
More
4/30/2012 – New Jersey Congressmen Call for Suspension in Toll Hikes
Several New Jersey Congressmen asked the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to delay a second round of toll hikes scheduled for December until the agency can prove it has its finances in order, reports New Jersey’s Star-Ledger.
“The planned toll hikes should be suspended until an external audit determines that the audit recommendations have been addressed,” wrote U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg in a letter…
More
4/30/2012 – FMCSA Cracks Down on Reincarnated Carriers
A new rule from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration makes it tougher for carriers that have been sanctioned to reincarnate themselves under a new identity.
The agency last week posted a final rule that changes its procedures in several areas affecting truck lines, intermodal equipment providers, brokers, freight forwards and hazmat proceedings….
More
4/27/2012 – Highway Bill Conferees Face Tough Funding Issues but Share Some Common Ground on Policy
The House and Senate have chosen their conferees for negotiations on the highway bill. They have until June 30 to work out a deal or pass another extension.
The conferees’ toughest challenge will be to agree on the duration and funding of the bill, but their portfolio includes numerous important policy issues, including truck safety and program reforms at the Department of Transportation….
More
4/26/2012 – ATA, OOIDA Square Off on EOBR Debate
In advance of the upcoming conference committee meetings on the surface transportation bill, the American Trucking Associations and the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association are urging passage or rejection (respectively) of the Senate’s EOBR requirement….
More
4/25/2012 – Transport Experts Say Public Must Push Congress to Act on Highways
Congress can’t do its job on the highway bill, so the public is going to have to take the lead, says a group of infrastructure experts including five former secretaries of transportation.
The federal highway program is now running on its ninth temporary extension because Congress will not compromise on how to pay for it, said the 60 experts brought together by the University Virginia’s Miller Center….
More
4/23/2012 – FMCSA Withdraws Sleep Apnea Proposal
FMCSA apparently jumped the gun with its Friday announcement that it proposed to adopt the recommendations of two advisory panels for tougher sleep apnea guidelines….
More
4/20/2012 – No Clear Answers on Highway Bill
House passage of another 90-day extension of the highway program sets the stage for another nail-biter.
Including today, there are 31 working days left before the current extension expires. The extension the House passed on Wednesday would give the House and Senate until the end of the fiscal year in September to negotiate the details of a highway bill that lasts longer than 90 days….
More
4/20/2012 – FMCSA Proposes Guidance for Sleep Apnea
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is proposing tougher standards for sleep apnea evaluation. The agency is adopting the recommendations of two advisory panels, one from the medical community and one representing industry, enforcement, labor and safety advocacy interests, for how medical examiners should evaluate the condition….
More
4/20/2012 – Employee Misclassification Report No Good, Says New York State Motor Truck Association
A new report published by the Drum Major Institute claims to illustrate widespread abuse through the misclassification of employees in the truck transportation industry. The New York Motor Truck Association, however, says this report is just a tool the Teamsters Union is using…
More
4/19/2012 – N.J. Trucking Executive Warns Senate on the True Cost of Tolls
In testimony before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, NFI Chief Financial Officer Steve Grabell warned that rapidly increasing toll rates, as well as the spread of tolls across the country, are a threat to consumers and to the trucking industry….
More
4/19/2012 – New Rule Will Create Registry of Certified Medical Examiners
Truck safety regulators are about to post a new, long-awaited rule aimed at shoring up driver medical standards.
The rule will require those who perform medical exams for drivers to be trained, tested and certified to a national standard. It also will create a national online registry of examiners who have met the certification requirement….
More
4/19/2012 – House Passes Another Highway Bill Extension, Heads to Conference Committee
Once again, the U.S. House of Representatives has kicked the can down the road on highway funding. Despite a presidential veto threat, the Republican legislation extended transportation funding through September — the 10th such extension — and mandates construction of the controversial Keystone XL pipeline….
More
4/17/2012 – Canada Aligns GHG Emissions Regs with U.S.
Canadian Environment Minister Peter Kent announced Canada’s alignment with the U.S. regulations for heavy-duty vehicle and engine greenhouse gas emissions for 2014 and later….
More
4/17/2012 – N.J. Owner-Operators Need IRS Determination for Non-Employee Status
UPDATED — A number of New Jersey fleets have discovered the hard way — with fines to the tune of $800,000 — that the New Jersey Department of Labor now requires owner-operators to first prove that the Internal Revenue Service already deemed them independent contractors before the state will allow an employee exemption….
More
4/16/2012 – California Court Says Employers Must Offer 30-Minute Meal Breaks
California trucking companies will be required to give drivers a 30-minute meal period within the first five hours of driving, according to the California Supreme Court’s decision in the case of Brinker v. Superior Court. …
More
4/13/2012 – Truck Dealer of the Year Nominee Educates Nebraska Rep. on Natural Gas
U.S. Rep. Lee Terry, R-Neb., visited Omaha Truck Centers, owned by dealer Trey Mytty, to learn more about natural gas in the commercial vehicle industry….
More
4/13/2012 – FMCSA Wants to Study Overweight Trucks’ Connection to Safety
The DOT wants to better understand the safety performance of overweight vehicles — both permitted and illegally overloaded — so it is looking for state agencies to work with in a study of the issue….
More
4/13/2012 – Study Finds Few Effects from Diesel Exhaust from EPA-07 Engines
The first results of what is said to be the most comprehensive study ever undertaken of the health effects of exposure to new technology diesel engines has found no evidence of gene-damaging effects in the animals studied, and only a few mild effects on the lungs, according to a report issued by the Health Effects Institute….
More
4/10/2012 – FMCSA Shuts Down JA Transportation
The U.S. DOT’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration declared New Jersey-based JA Transportation Inc. an imminent hazard to public safety, and ordered the trucking company to shut down its operations….
More
4/9/2012 – New Rule for Medical Examiners Nearing Publication
A final rule to establish a National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners is close to publication.
The rule was cleared last week by the White House Office of Management and Budget, the last stage before publication in the Federal Register….
More
4/5/2012 – Three Oregon Ports of Entry to Switch to Phone-based Services
The Oregon Motor Carrier Transportation Division is closing its registration offices at three ports of entry and replacing over-the-counter services with phones and fax machines truck drivers can use for registration and over-dimension permit services….
More
3/30/2012 – No Highway Bill, So Congress Extends Program for 90 Days
Congress yesterday passed a 90-day extension of the federal highway program, the ninth extension since the program formally expired in October 2009….
More
3/30/2012 – Nasstrac Joins HOS Legal Battle
Nasstrac, the National Shippers Strategic Transportation Council, has joined in the legal efforts to challenge a lawsuit regarding reduced daily driving hours for truckers, reports the Journal of Commerce….
More
3/28/2012 – CSA Changes Available for Review
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is previewing a half-dozen important changes it plans to make in the CSA safety enforcement system.
In the announcement in yesterday’s Federal Register, the agency also discussed a controversial decision it recently made to back away from plans to clarify crash accountability data in CSA….
More
3/27/2012 – FMCSA Urged to Step Up Effort Against Reincarnated Carriers
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration could step up its effort to catch reincarnated carriers by making better use of the data it has, according to the Government Accountability Office….
More
3/26/2012 – FMCSA Officials Get Input on EOBRs at Mid-America Trucking Show
LOUISVILLE, KY — Officials with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration got an earful Friday about a number of issues relating to hours of service, electronic onboard recorders, and how trucking companies use EOBRs and other in-cab technologies to harass drivers….
More
3/22/2012 – House Will Push Highway Extension
The House, unable to resolve internal differences regarding its five-year, $260 billion highway bill and opposed to the Senate’s two-year, $109 billion measure, is going to push for a three-month extension of the current program….
More
3/22/2012 – Cummins to Have 2014-compliant Engines in Service by 2013
LOUISVILLE, KY — Cummins Inc. says it will be ready to ship its full line-up 2014-compliant heavy-duty diesel and natural gas engines a full year ahead of deadline, and they’ll feature improved reliability and fuel economy….
More
3/21/2012 – ATA: Common Sense Must Govern CSA Crash Accountability Decisions
American Trucking Associations‘ leaders expressed serious concern over the recent decision by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to continue to count every truck-involved crash in CSA scores, including those the truck driver could not have prevented….
More