Trucking Industry Safety News
Transportation businesses face a host of dynamic risk issues that can significantly impact their financial and operational health. The news in this category focuses on the latest safety and security initiatives, resources and regulations and addresses topics that include fleet safety, claims administration, driver hiring and retention, risk management and compliance.
FHWA Issues Emergency Relief Funding to Louisiana
Louisiana transportation officials have been issued $5 million in federal emergency relief funding to aid recovery efforts in the wake of Hurricane Ida.
Biden Issues Vaccine Mandate for Private Companies
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Sept. 9 announced sweeping new federal vaccine requirements affecting as many as 100 million Americans in an effort to increase COVID-19 vaccinations and curb the surging delta variant.
Carriers Stepping Up Outreach to Recruit Driver Candidates
Motor carriers are expanding the scope of their recruiting efforts amid an ongoing driver shortage that’s been exacerbated by post-pandemic demand, hiring experts said.
The Crooked World of Staged Accidents
Program Aired: September 9, 2021. Staged accidents aren't new, but in recent years, perpetrators have begun more actively targeting commercial trucks because they tend to have larger dollar signs associated with them. This issue not only affects the targeted carriers, but is raising insurance rates industry wide and encouraging new criminals to enter the market.
September 9, 2021Distraction, Fatigue Continue to Challenge Drivers, Study Says
A new study has concluded that talking and singing in the cab are not distracting for truck drivers, but other common activities such as adjusting the seat belt, reaching for food or drink, and adjusting the instrument panel or mirrors showed significant risk of a crash or near-crash.
Traffic Deaths Rise in Q1 Despite Decline in Miles Traveled
Risky driving behaviors that have become more prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic were the primary contributor to a 10.5% increase in total fatalities during the first quarter of 2021, despite fewer vehicle miles traveled, according to an “early estimates” report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
NTSB’s Homendy Expected to Be a Tesla Watchdog
Federal regulators last month officially opened an investigation into crashes involving Tesla Inc.’s Autopilot system. Jennifer Homendy, the new leader of the government’s transportation safety watchdog, hopes that’s just the beginning.
Biden Pushes Infrastructure Plan With New York Flood as Backdrop
President Joe Biden redoubled his push for a $1 trillion infrastructure bill on Sept. 7, using flood-stricken areas of New York and New Jersey as a backdrop to underscore the threat climate change poses to critical services.
BYD Introduces Two New Electric Truck Models
LONG BEACH, Calif. — BYD North America announced two battery-electric heavy-duty trucks, the Gen3 8TT and 6F, featuring cabs styled by Wolfgang Josef Egger, the renowned former Audi chief designer.
Lawmakers Say Ida Damage Shows Need for Infrastructure Upgrades
WASHINGTON — Shaken by haunting images of surging rivers, flooded roads and subways and other damage caused by the remnants of Hurricane Ida, lawmakers from both parties are vowing to upgrade the nation’s aging infrastructure network.