Letters: Truck Deaths Down, Broker’s Bond, CVSA & Zero Fatalities, Another Step-Van Fan
These Letters to the Editor appear in the Oct. 4 print edition of Transport Topics. Click here to subscribe today.
Truck Deaths Down
I just read the great news in your well-written article in Transport Topics, headlined “Truck Deaths Plunge 20%; NHTSA Says 2009 Was Safest Year on Record” (9-13, p. 1; click here for story). Credit was given to many law-enforcement and government agencies. Certainly all their efforts played a significant role in this dramatic reduction in truck-related deaths.
I was a bit disappointed, however, that no mention was made of the new safety technologies original equipment manufacturers are installing on Class 8 trucks.
We believe full-electronic stability systems also are a major contributor to this dramatic reduction. As you are aware, most Class 8 driver deaths occur during rollovers, and this is exactly what stability systems are designed to prevent.
As I believe you also are aware, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is so impressed with this technology that we are anticipating in early 2011 a rule that will mandate full-stability systems on commercial vehicles.
Perhaps when the forthcoming NHTSA rule is passed, your readers would appreciate an article explaining these systems and the tremendous benefits derived from them.
Jerry Warmkessel
Marketing Product Manager
Highway Products
Mack Trucks Inc.
Allentown, Pa.
Broker’s Bond
This proposed increase in the property brokerage bond is going to hurt the little mom-and-pop brokers.
I think $25,000 would be feasible for the bond amount.
Meyosha Sims
President and General Manager
ME, T&C Freight LLC
Denton, Texas
Editor’s Note: The “Motor Carrier Protection Act of 2010” was introduced in the U.S. Senate June 11. It contained a passage requiring a minimum $100,000 bond for freight forwarders and brokers. It was referred to committee, where it remains to date.
CVSA, Zero Fatalities
I just read the article about the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance trying to get to zero accident fatalities (“CVSA Says Transportation Bill Needed to Continue Lowering Fatalities Rate,” TTNews.com, 9-13).
I am all for nobody being killed on our highways, but there are many reasons for highway fatalities — not only trucks.
Most of these accidents happen because automobile drivers do not realize — or don’t think about — their actions around larger trucks. The fact is that most such accidents are caused by automobile drivers’ bad driving habits. There are also issues of poor highway and bridge maintenance, faulty designs and bad weather.
Before all the blame is laid on the trucks, let us address the auto issues, including inadequate car insurance, poor police inspection training and inadequate road marking.
Please do not lump all carriers together. There are many that operate safely and have very low accident rates. It is too easy for bureaucrats to point the finger at trucking companies. To really fix the problems and have zero fatalities, there are many other things that need to be looked at as well.
John Schoon
President
JCSchoon Inc.
Kouts, Ind.
Another Step-Van Fan
“Safety: The condition of being safe; freedom from danger, risk, or injury.”
That definition applies just as much to step vans as tractor-trailers and, in 2009, the Step Van Class was first introduced to the National Truck Driving Championships.
That also was the first year I attended the Florida Truck Driving Championships in Tampa. I enjoyed every moment. The camaraderie among the drivers was the best.
The competition strengthened my focus on safety and, in return, increased my passion to share safety practices and techniques with my peers. I’m now a member of the Safety Continuous Improvement Team at FedEx.
Because I attended the Florida championships, I was asked by my senior manager, Warren Lenfont, to create a course for our first ORLA Station Truck Rodeo — ORLA being our FedEx station identifier. The course, which included a truck staged with defects, was for all drivers to compete and help promote safety.
Several months later, we used the same course, with an added problem and a pre-trip test, for our first Orlando Market Truck Rodeo. Drivers who were accident-free competed on the course at our FedEx station on a Saturday, and other FedEx stations in our district sent couriers to participate.
The Orlando rodeo was held to promote the Florida Truck Driving Championships, and the top three winners attended the state event in Tampa.
The course created in our FedEx Orlando station also was used for the first Tampa Market Rodeo and Jacksonville Market Rodeo, with those FedEx stations also sending their top three winners to the state competition.
The state and national championships are great incentives and a powerful tool for promoting safety for all professional drivers. Keeping the Step Van Class as part of them is a great “step” in a positive direction for safety. I’m a prime example: Last year I placed 10th in the Step Van Class for the state championships and this year I won third place — the only woman to place in any class.
I can’t wait for next year!
Mary Bedillion
FedEx Courier
FedEx Express
Orlando, Fla.
