Letters to the Editor

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.”

Please keep step-van drivers in the National Truck Driving Championships. I attended my first truck-driving rodeo two years ago because the step-van category was added, and I had a blast. Now, I’m hooked on NTDC.

The prediction by some people is that the new CSA rules will take 5% or more over-the-road drivers off our highways. To some folks that may be a good thing.

In response to “Opinion” by James Hardman, I would agree with everything he has said, and I understand how he has come to his conclusion, based on reading articles on CSA rules and regulations.

Fortunately, some companies are slowly waking to the fact that untreated sleep apnea presents higher risks for their organization, and they are creating proactive programs to address the issue.

David Dwinell is right and, respectfully, Jeffrey Tucker is wrong: There no longer is such a thing as a contract carrier, so the FAQs [frequently asked questions] Tucker relies upon have been overtaken by events.

The July 12 issue of Transport Topics reported on the recently passed resolution of the Western Governors’ Association that calls on Congress to allow for longer combination vehicle pilot programs: “Western Governors Back New Pilot Programs to Study Effects of Longer Trailer Combinations.”

Are carriers generally immune from exercising sound business practices? It’s really not that difficult to gather solid credit history and information on a broker, whereas getting accurate relevant information on a shipper is much more difficult.

What does every intermodal shipment need that no one wants to really talk about? The answer — and the elephant in the room — is an intermodal chassis.

Safety advocate groups once again are pursuing their never-ending effort to reduce the driving time allowed commercial motor vehicle operators.