Policy, Market Drive Technology

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — U.S. Xpress Enterprises of Chattanooga, Tenn., has used some of the most promising safety technologies in its trucks to cut preventable accidents by 75%, according to Max Fuller, the company’s chief operating officer.

The carrier’s fleet is armed with collision warning systems, automated transmission and traction control. Their use led to millions of dollars in savings last year alone, Fuller told the National Transportation Safety Board at a hearing last week.

But political and regulatory issues could count as much as market forces in determining whether and how advanced technologies are placed on tomorrow’s trucks, judging by testimony at the hearing, Aug. 31 to Sept 2.

Black boxes, collision warning systems and electronic brakes were hot topics as the NTSB grappled with whether technologies may actually improve safety and how they can be used, given political and market obstacles.

The safety board convened the sessions to gather information on ways to use technology to cut the number of crashes involving trucks and buses. Congress has directed the independent agency to make recommendations to the Department of Transportation to improve commercial vehicle safety.

NTSB chairman Jim Hall, a proponent of technological solutions to transportation safety problems, said, “You would think the government would encourage proactive companies to install safety features in their vehicles. That’s not the case. Currently, there are no mechanisms that allow the expeditious introduction of new safety features.

“There are few incentives for carriers to adopt unmandated technologies, and existing rules frequently hamper the use of new technologies.”

For the full story, see the Sept. 6 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.