U.S. plans pilot program with military drivers

IRTA publishes food rule compliance guides

The International Refrigerated Transportation Association (IRTA), a partner of the Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA), has released three resources to help support industry compliance with the Sanitary Transportation of Food Regulation.

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FMCSA Proposes Younger Driver Pilot Program for Former Military

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is proposing a pilot program allowing a limited number of drivers between the ages of 18 and 21 to operate commercial motor vehicles in interstate commerce if they received specified heavy-vehicle driver training while in military service and are sponsored by a participating motor carrier.

The program is required by the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act.
During the three-year pilot program, the safety records of these younger drivers (the study group) would be compared to the records of a control group of comparable size, made up of drivers who are 21 years of age or older and who have comparable training and experience in driving vehicles requiring a commercial driver's license. The control group would consist of volunteer drivers who meet specified criteria and are employed by a participating carrier. The comparison of the two groups' performance would help to determine whether age is a critical safety factor.

FMCSA is also proposing criteria for a working group to consult with the Agency in conducting, monitoring, and evaluating the pilot program.

The agency notes that while there has been opposition to previous proposals to allow younger drivers to driver in interstate operations, many intrastate commercial vehicle drivers are already in this age group. But FMCSA is not aware of any studies or published reports comparing their safety performance with that of drivers over 21, either interstate or intrastate. This pilot program would provide much-needed data on the issue.

To have a statistically valid sample of drivers under the age of 21, approximately 200 study group participants are desired. When these individuals reach the age of 21, they would no longer participate in the pilot program and would be replaced by new study group members meeting the eligibility requirements.

Participating carriers that meet the qualifications would sponsor study group members and perform other duties related to the pilot, such as filing certain reports and recruiting existing drivers to participate as control group members. Carriers would be required to install and operate electronic logging devices (ELDs) on all vehicles operated by study and control group drivers. Data from these devices, such as vehicle miles traveled, is essential to analyze driving safety records, the agency notes.

The agency seeks public input during the next 30 days on the pilot program as well as outlined procedural steps and a data collection plan. Comments and data received from the public will be used to further develop the program.

Click here to read the Federal Register notice and provide comments.

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The importance of credit checks

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Commentary: Don’t Blame the Driver, Blame the Watermelon

Rolf Lockwood

Every once in a while, I get talking to a civilian who asks about trucking. Depending on their intellectual wattage, the questions dribble away pretty fast. I do chat with brighter lights, of course, but almost nobody on the four-wheel side of the street seems to have a clue.

Not long ago I found myself in the midst of one such chat with a guy who understood zip about our game, but he was curious. He asked me about truck safety and driver fatigue and such. I've been through this a zillion times, enough to know that things can go one of two ways, depending largely on the kind of car the other person drives.

Seriously.

In this case, I happened to know that his wheels were dull — a green Toyota sedan, a very bad sign in the present context. Ownership of any such car implies that the road is no source of excitement. Had it been an old Z28, no sweat. You get the picture.

I assumed he had likely swallowed a lot of crap about trucking in the mainstream press. He was a smart guy, though, so I employed a little flair. I went through all the usual statistical stuff that shows how safe we really are per mile traveled, how more commuters fall asleep at the wheel than truck drivers do. And then I attacked.

I said, “If there's a problem on the highways, it's your fault.”

“My fault?”

“Yeah, yours.”

It all comes down to watermelons, I told him.

He cocked his head to the side and narrowed his eyes, looking a little taken aback. Toyota drivers don't smoke, bless their clean souls, but it was the kind of moment where people like me light up a cigarette and hunker down a little.

“Watermelons,” he said. Not a question.

“Yep,” I retorted. “You want your watermelons fresh, right?”

“Of course,” he said.

“And you want 'em cheap, right?”

“Well, yes,” he replied.

“So it's to your advantage that the trucker who drags those watermelons from Arkansas or Mississippi should do it fast and cheap, right? And the guy who does it fastest and cheapest will sell his load first and head south for more before the next guy, right?”

“Well, sure,” he said, “but I don't want anyone breaking his neck on my behalf.”

“Ah, yes,” I countered, “but do you have any idea about what has to happen to bring those melons to your table? Do you really even care? Your only priorities are already established here — fresh and cheap, end of story.”

The conversation went on at some length, and of course I switched watermelons to cars and lumber and all the other things that he might buy as an ordinary consumer. In an era when the customer is king, the solitary truck driver is always the one at the end of the line. The one forced to perform, regardless, because Joe Consumer wants it now and wants it cheap.

I wasn't whining on your behalf. I was just telling him the way it is. The way it's been for ages. And all the while I was thinking of those suits in charge who aim to change the regulations that govern your lives without talking to drivers and dispatchers and other folks in the trenches.

Without understanding watermelons.

Related: Commentary: Autonomous by Retrofit

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