Truck driver safety

Viewpoint: DOT ignoring key test to stop drug-impaired truckers

Hair testing for drugs

Lane Kidd is managing director of The Trucking Alliance, a bipartisan coalition of freight and logistics companies dedicated to improving the safety and security of their commercial truck drivers and motorists. The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of FreightWaves or its affiliates. 

By Lane Kidd

On June 25, 2015, a truck driver with methamphetamines in his system was traveling north on Interstate 75, near Chattanooga, Tennessee....

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/viewpoint-dot-ignoring-key-test-to-stop-drug-impaired-truckers

Foreign truckers allege US job offers turned into human-trafficking scheme

Foreign drivers claim human-trafficking scheme after arriving in the U.S.

Lured by the promise of better pay and the American dream, some truck drivers from Eastern European countries claim they were sold a bill of goods after arriving in the U.S.

Drivers told FreightWaves that recruiters said they could earn more money in a month hauling cars in America than they could make in an entire year in their home countries.

The average yearly pay for a truck driver in Russia is roughly equivalent to $4,700, according to Salary Explorer. Truck drivers earn even less in Ukraine...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/foreign-truckers-allege-us-job-offers-turned-into-human-trafficking-scheme

Spring cleaning: Time to tidy up your truck

Let’s face it, your truck probably needs a deep clean. 

Perhaps it was one of your New Year’s resolutions, but after a long and relentless winter, a truck caked in grimy layers of salt and dirt may not be the only mess on your hands. A victim of cabin fever, you’ve come to the realization that your cab needs some tidying, too.

Spring has sprung, which means it’s about time to shed the hefty winter jacket, gloves and boots. In this season of transition, take the time to adopt some simple spring...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/spring-cleaning-time-to-tidy-up-your-truck

Don’t slip up on these safety basics

If drivers were to break down their day by individual events, in how many instances would they think they’re at risk of injury?

Behind-the-wheel safety is important, as it’s where the majority of headline injuries occur, but what about the less conspicuous aspects of a trucker’s job? Tasks that require lifting, climbing and pulling can also imperil the health of truckers, especially those advanced in age.

According to a Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) survey of nonfatal occupational injuries and...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/dont-slip-up-on-these-safety-basics

FMCSA names 25 truck drivers to new safety panel

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has unveiled the names of 25 drivers who will participate on a new panel to give the agency an on-the-road perspective on a variety of safety issues.

Drivers on the panel, which the FMCSA announced in September, are from all sectors of the industry. They will provide feedback to FMCSA’s Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee (MCSAC) on issues such as hours-of-service regulations, training, parking and driver experience, according to FMCSA.

“...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/fmcsa-names-25-truck-drivers-to-new-safety-panel

FMCSA proposes eliminating vision exemptions for drivers

Federal regulators want to amend driver qualifications to allow those with vision loss in one eye to be deemed qualified to drive a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) without having to apply for an exemption.

In a notice of proposed rulemaking scheduled to be published on Tuesday, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is seeking an alternate vision standard that would replace the current exemption program as a basis for establishing vision qualifications.

“It is well recognized in...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/fmcsa-proposes-eliminating-vision-exemptions-for-drivers

The FreightWaves Top 10: Bankruptcies, capacity concerns, protests and Trevor Milton’s departure

2020 saw many significant news stories in the freight industries that extended beyond COVID. In fact, among FreightWaves’ Top 10 stories of the year, COVID-related articles barely appear — showing up just once.

To fill the FreightWaves Top 10, we didn’t choose the stories we liked the best — we let you, the reader, decide. These are the Top 10 stories on freightwaves.com based on page views, from No. 10 to No. 1.

(Photo: Pilot)
10. A company by another name

Once simply a chain of fueling stations,...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/the-freightwaves-top-10-bankruptcies-capacity-concerns-protests-and-trevor-miltons-departure

Netradyne’s dashcam gets five-year federal waiver

Federal regulators have exempted Netradyne from safety rules to allow the fleet management software company to mount its dashcams lower on truck windshields.

Without the exemption, Netradyne said customers would not be able to install the cameras in an optimal location on the windshield to maximize their effectiveness.

“The Agency has determined that lower placement of the Driveri Dash Cam would not have an adverse impact on safety and that adherence to the terms and conditions of the exemption...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/netradynes-dashcam-gets-five-year-federal-waiver

How to chain your tires

’Tis the season for snow and ice. Winter is a lovely time of year to admire tranquil snowfalls and to cozy up next to the fireplace. For truckers, however, this time of year is far from magical.

Whiteout conditions bring about white-knuckled driving for those darting across the nation’s frigid roadways. To safely trek in winter weather, truckers regularly depend on tire chains to gain better traction and to prevent wipeouts on icy roads.

While many truckers have had their fair share of...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/how-to-chain-your-tires

FMCSA to abolish driver requirement to list traffic violations

Trucking regulators want to eliminate a requirement that drivers provide their employers a list each year of their traffic violations, asserting that it overlaps with provisions that require carriers to obtain the same information.

In a proposed rule scheduled to be published in the Federal Register on Monday, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) stated it does not expect the change to affect safety because the carriers’ annual motor vehicle record (MVR) requirement “would...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/news-alert-fmcsa-to-abolish-driver-requirement-to-list-traffic-violations

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