Safety

Safety is contagious — it benefits everyone. By sponsoring the national championships, American Trucking Associations gives thousands of drivers the opportunity to show the nation how safe truck drivers can be on the road.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s new proposed hours-of-service rule, which would impose complex restrictions on commercial drivers’ work schedules, was panned by officials on all sides of the issue.

The global economy and transportation funding challenges will be among the main focus areas during the Transportation Research Board’s 90th annual meeting, scheduled for Jan. 23-27 in Washington, D.C.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has proposed fines up to $2,750 for truckers who use a handheld cell phone while driving, as well as the possible suspension or revocation of a commercial license for repeated offenses.

After several years of anticipation throughout the trucking industry, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and National Highway Transportation Safety Administration finally in October released their joint proposed rule to regulate greenhouse gases for the commercial transportation sector.

Government and law-enforcement agencies at the state and local levels are continuing to be fiscally challenged with respect to resources being made available for highway safety activities.

The speed limit for cars and trucks on the Ohio Turnpike will go from 65 to 70 miles an hour starting April 1, a change that the state’s trucking industry opposes.

Alert to safety issues surrounding driver fatigue and sleep apnea, trucking associations across the country are partnering with, endorsing or seeking vendors to provide their member fleets with testing, training and treatment programs on sleep apnea.

Ryder System said it will acquire The Scully Companies, a California-based provider of contract carriage and related services.