FMCSA Seeks Comment on Medical Review Report Filed for Proposed Diabetes Rule

Another step has been completed in a proposed rulemaking that would allow CDL drivers with controlled insulin-treated diabetes mellitus (ITDM) to operate commercial motor vehicles in interstate commerce without first obtaining an individual exemption for that medical condition from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

Sixteen months ago, the agency proposed that the rules be changed to simplify the obtaining of exemptions by drivers who treat their diabetes with insulin.

The proposed rule would let drivers with ITDM obtain a Medical Examiner's Certificate (MEC) at least annually to operate in interstate commerce if the treating clinician— the healthcare professional responsible for prescribing insulin for the driver's diabetes— provides documentation to the Medical Examiner that the condition is “stable and well-controlled.”

FMCSA said in its notice of proposed rulemaking that it believes this new procedure would “adequately ensure that drivers with ITDM manage the condition so that it is stable and well-controlled, and that such a regulatory provision creates a clearer, equally effective and more consistent framework than a program based entirely on exemptions.”

The agency added that its own evidence reports as well as ADA studies and other data “indicate that drivers with ITDM are as safe as other drivers when their condition is well-controlled.”

The public comment period on the NPRM closed back on July 6, 2015. That same month, FMCSA requested that its Medical Review Board (MRB) review and analyzie the over 1,250 comments received and provide recommendations the agency “should consider when making a decision about the next steps in the diabetes rulemaking.”

Now, FMCSA has announced the MRB report is available and that it is seeking public comment on the board's recommendations.

In its notice published in the Federal Register for Sept. 9, the agency said it “believes that public comment on the [MRB] recommendations will assist it ...Read the rest of this story

Bendix Offers Comprehensive Brake Safety Week Upkeep Tips

In support of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance's annual Brake Safety Week, Bendix is offering upkeep tips for drivers and fleets.

Part of CVSA's Operation Airbrake, Brake Safety Week is an annual outreach and enforcement campaign aimed at improving commercial vehicle brake safety. This year's event takes place from Sept. 11-17 and will include thousands of inspection on large trucks and buses conducted by local, state, provincial, territorial and federal safety officials in the U.S. and Canada.

“The road to safer vehicles may begin with new technologies and improved braking components, but it also requires supporting them through proper maintenance and ongoing, proactive training and technical knowledge,” said Fred Andersky, Bendix director of government and industry affairs. “The best-equipped vehicle out there is not running at its safest without the right upkeep and know-how both in the garage and on the road.”

Friction selection, air system care, and upkeep of components affecting brake stroke all contribute to brake performance– which means they have a role to play in preparation for Brake Safety Week.

Whether a vehicle uses foundation drum or air disc brakes, it's important to know when new friction is needed. Check friction regularly for cracks or missing pieces, ensure adequate thickness, and examine drums and rotors for signs of dragging brakes or overheating linings. For reference, the American Trucking Associations' Technology and Maintenance Council's Recommended Practice 627A aligns directly with CVSA inspection guidelines and provides visual illustrations for acceptable and out-of-service conditions.

When relining brakes on vehicles affected by federal Reduced Stopping Distance (RSD) regulations, ask suppliers for evidence of compliance. Not all replacement friction marketed as acceptable under RSD will actually perform to the standard.

Because an effective and safe air braking system is dependent on maintaining clean air, Bendix recommends monthly checks for moisture in the system, supported with the use ...Read the rest of this story

VW, Navistar: What's the Deal?

What's “professional”?

GM Recalls Multiple Models for Air Bags

The Chevrolet Silverado 1500 is among the recalled models. Photo courtesy of GM.

General Motors is recalling approximately 3.64 million 2014- to 2017-model-year vehicles in the U.S. because a software defect in their sensing and diagnostic modules may result in air bag malfunction, the automaker said.

The recall includes certain:

The sensing and diagnostic module controls air bag and pretensioners deployment. The software defect may prevent the deployment of frontal air bags and pretensioners in “certain rare circumstances when a crash is preceded by a specific event impacting vehicle dynamics,” GM said in a released statement.

Dealers will update the software, free of charge, to resolve the problem. To learn whether any of your vehicles are involved, fleet managers can click here to search by VIN.

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ArcBest Corporation to Appear at the Morgan Stanley 4th Annual Laguna Conference

Doonan Offers Specialized Option for Heavy-Haul Coil Transport

Doonan Specialized Trailer has designed and manufactured a new Series 2 V-channel trough flatbed coil haul trailer for special loading applications where coils cannot be transferred into and from a recessed trailer well, but still require safe securement on the flatbed.

The 44-foot x 96-inch, 110,000-pound GVWR, all-steel, tri-axle trailer with bulkhead, cradles 3- to 7-foot diameter steel coils shotgun style inside a V-shaped, rubber-lined steel trough on the center surface of the flatbed. The channel cribbing cushions the coils and allows for efficient loading and removal from the trailer.

“The new ‘Series 2' V-channel coil haul trailer is a niche' market trailer that we designed to address a need in the marketplace,” said Kelly Zecha, national dealer manager and application specialist at Doonan.

A walkway on both sides of the channel allows for easy inspection of the load. Tie-downs can be applied by a driver from alongside the trailer to further support the securement of the coils through a sliding winch track on both sides.

Designed for strength and reliability in heavy-haul coil transport, the trailer features components like the two custom main beams, ABS system, and Hendrickson HT. A sliding tarp system is also added to eliminate the driver having to tarp the load

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