Opinion: Newer Trucks Improve Safety, Bottom Line

This Opinion piece appears in the Aug. 31 print edition of Transport Topics. Click here to subscribe today.

By Sandy Rosenfeld

Safety & Operations Manager

Fleet Advantage

Because safety is the top priority for motor carriers, running a safe freight transportation operation requires thorough knowledge and understanding of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s regulations.

In addition to educating drivers on these regulations, there are specific company safety policies and procedures for fleets that must be reviewed, such as the completion of roadside inspection paperwork to ensure that both the fleet and drivers comply with all FMCSA regulations, as well as continual driver training on how to operate the equipment and its added safety specifications in the proper manner.

Ultimately, though, equipment may have the most profound effect on driver safety, as trucking companies equip their fleets with the latest technologies that dramatically reduce highway violations and accidents.

In 2010, FMCSA launched its Compliance, Safety, Accountability program, which established a nationwide system for motor carrier road safety directed at both the vehicle operator and public that incorporated a new measurement system for monitoring and scoring motor carriers and truck drivers.

The goal of the CSA program is to target safety threats of both motor carriers and their drivers to reduce crashes and fatalities involving commercial motor vehicles. The success of the program depends on the motor carriers, drivers, FMCSA, law enforcement partners and other stakeholders, including the insurance industry.

Original equipment manufacturers are actively involved in improving highway safety by continuously improving vehicle safety additions in the design and engineering of new equipment.

Following are five ways new equipment significantly improves safety for drivers and fleets.

• Better safety features: Manufacturers are equipping vehicles with state-of-the-art safety features including ABS brakes, air bags, onboard computers, tire pressure monitoring, collision avoidance, roll stability, inside and outside camera technology, and lane-departure warning systems. Realizing the dramatic public-safety benefits of incorporating newer fleet and equipment technology, motor carriers are sparing no expense and are including these features in their new equipment specifications.

In addition to the new active safety technologies, electronic logging devices have proved to be strong safety enhancements for motor carriers and drivers for scheduling and monitoring drivers’ hours in accordance with federal regulations. This technology also has become beneficial during roadside in-spections as officers are able to review driver logs electronically, rather than paper logs that are cumbersome and not always current.

• Increased driver recruitment: Fleets are saving time and money on driver recruiting and training as drivers opt to sign with fleets that have newer-model equipment. Newer trucks equipped with upgraded safety features help reduce the chances of accidents and CSA violations, resulting in better CSA scores. This is in contrast to operating old equipment that does not have the new safety technology, requires constant repair and maintenance and typically does not look as good as the new equipment.

• Enhanced driver behavior: Drivers tend to take better care of vehicles that are newer, including those that have newer components, features and technology. They take pride in operating this newer equipment because they know that its safety technology will help them avoid accidents. With older vehicles, drivers have a perception that they could receive more violations as a result of frequent crashes or inspection violations due to driving older vehicles that don’t have the new features and safety technology.

• Lower cost of acquisition: Certain fleet companies may hesitate to replace older vehicles with newer units that have enhanced safety features, primarily because of equipment acquisition costs. However, fleets need to keep in mind

that the newer equipment will result in fewer safety viola-tions and accidents, lowering the overall operational costs — not to mention the added savings in better mpg and reduced emissions.

• Better corporate reputation: Fleets with lower incident and accident rates enjoy a better overall corporate image. Fewer incidents and a better image can lead to increased client service levels and customer acquisition because clients prefer to do business with motor carriers that boast better safety records.

It is important that motor carriers foster a culture of safety and compliance within their company by learning and understanding FMCSA regulations, disposing of older, maintenance-intensive equipment and specifying new equipment with the latest technologies and safety features, as well as training drivers to use the equipment properly and rewarding those with impeccable safety records. Doing so will improve driver retention and satisfaction and overall highway safety — saving lives, time and money. It’s a win-win for everyone!

Rosenfeld has more than 25 years of experience in private fleet management. She is a certified transportation professional and an expert on Department of Transportation regulations and Compliance, Safety, Accountability compliance.