As we approach the end of the 2012 calendar year, naturally, our attention turns to the normal December activities. Holiday planning, ho-ho-ho’ing, family and friend get-together’ing, ugly sweatering, caroling, egg nogging, Fiscal Cliff’ing and, of course, CSA’ing. Who among us doesn’t enjoy tracking a few “end of the year” changes to our two-year old safety program?
The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) revealed CSA as the #1 critical issue facing the North American trucking industry in its annual survey of more than 4,000 trucking industry executives. Obviously, CSA has our industry’s attention…as do the most recent changes announced last week by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). From a big-picture standpoint, collectively, we agree it’s a good thing CSA continues to evolve. As our industry continues to openly share thoughts, experiences and recommendations about the safety program, the evolution of CSA slowly moves toward becoming more equitable and fair product and measurement system for the majority of the nation’s carrier participants. We hope it gets better and better over time.
Last week’s news is the FMCSA has implemented a number of changes to the CSA Safety Management System under which carriers are evaluated and prioritized for regulatory enforcement. The SMS changes are intended to provide the FMCSA more precise information to assess a company’s on-the-road safety performance. The revisions, which go into effect immediately, include:
- Changing the Cargo-Related BASIC (Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Category) to the Hazardous Materials (HM) Compliance BASIC to better identify HM-related safety and compliance problems. Motor carriers and law enforcement can view this new BASIC score effective immediately, but the scores will not be made public for the foreseeable future.
- Revising the Vehicle Maintenance BASIC by including cargo and load securement violations that were previously in the Cargo-Related BASIC.
- Counting intermodal equipment violations found during drivers’ pre-trip inspections.
- Aligning speeding violations to be consistent with current speedometer regulations that require speedometers to be accurate within 5 mph. The change applies to the prior 24 months of data used by the SMS and all SMS data moving forward.
- Changing the name of the Fatigued Driving BASIC to the Hours-of-Service (HOS) Compliance BASIC to more accurately reflect violations contained within the BASIC.
- Aligning the severity weight of paper and electronic logbook violations equally on the SMS for consistency purposes.
Motor carriers are encouraged to check their safety data at http://ai.fmcsa.dot.gov/sms/ to see how the SMS changes may have affected their SMS results. The FMCSA has also published a factsheet on the SMS revisions at the Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) web site at http://csa.fmcsa.dot.gov/
Happy holidays…happy egg noggin…happy fiscal cliff results…and a sincere Happy New Year!!
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Driving Ambition is a premier CDL truck driver staffing company serving Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, and Tennessee. Since 2001, we have specialized in matching safe, experienced CDL drivers for our customers and great job opportunities for our professional truck drivers.
Our commitment to safety and building solid working relationships with both customers and CDL drivers has allowed us to earn an unparalleled reputation with our Proven Drivers and Exceptional Service.
Trucking 2012: Year in Review – CSA, Recruiting & Retention, Safety Tips, & More!
We hope you enjoy Driving Ambition's annual Year in Review as we highlight some of the most widely read trucking topics of 2012.
We'll start off with Distracted Driving since it's an important topic and contains our first article written in 2012.
Distracted Driving
Final Rule Bans Cell Phone Use for CDL Truck Drivers (1/5/2012)
FMCSA Updates Interpretation on Cell Phone Ban for CDL Drivers (2/14/2012)
Trucking Companies: Update Your Cell Phone Policy (2/15/2012)
Distracted Driving during National Safety Month (6/7/12)
Unsafe Drivers Targeted During Operation Safe Driver (10/9/2012)
Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA)
FMCSA Makes Changes to CSA Methodology (4/12/2012)
Truck Crash Accountability in a CSA World (6/16/2012)
ATRI Reveals the Top 10 Trucking Industry Issues for 2012 (10/18/2012)
Recruiting & Retention
Truck Driver Recruiting: Hiring Veterans (1/16/2012)
Truck Driver Recruitment & Retention Presentation (3/11/12)
Diesel $4+/gallon, CDL Driver $15-20/hr, Honesty & Respect…Priceless (3/29/2012)
Driving Ambition Supports Military CDL Drivers Transitioning to Civilian Life (4/12/2012)
NEED CDL TRUCK DRIVERS? HIRE A VETERAN (5/4/2012)
CDL Driver Retention (8/3/2012)
Driving Ambition supports Obama's signing of Military CDL Act (10/17/2012)
Truck Drivers and Carriers Benefit from Temp-to-Hire Jobs (11/19/2012)
Sleep Apnea
Joint Committee Addresses Sleep Apnea among CDL Drivers (3/4/2012)
Sleep Apnea Screening and Treatment Needed for Truck Drivers (11/13/2012)
Driver Medical Cards
CDL Driver Medical Cards to be Randomly Verified by FMCSA (11/15/2012)
Drug & Alcohol Testing
Hair Testing for CDL Truck Drivers: $80 Haircut can Save Millions (2/5/2012)
Why a Drug and Alcohol Database for CDL Drivers Makes Sense (6/6/12)
HOS / Logbook
New Hours-of-Service Logbook Examples Now Available (3/8/2012)
Various Safety
Top Hazards for Truck Drivers during Roadside Inspections (4/17/2012)
CDL Truck Drivers Endure Roadcheck 2012 (6/14/2012)
At last! Truckers Relieved by New Highway Reauthorization Bill (7/16/2012)
Results of Roadcheck 2012: Mixed Results for Trucking Safety (8/15/2012)
CDL Drivers: Keep your Truck Cool in the Heat (8/2/2012)
CDL Driver Guide to Best Practices for Safe Backing (9/18/2012)
Safe Winter Driving Tips for Truck Drivers (11/29/2012)
Driving Ambition News
Trucking Companies & CDL Truck Drivers: Louisville here we come! (2/16/2012)
Driving Ambition Opens CDL Driver Staffing Office in Kansas City, MO (7/19/2012)
Driving Ambition's CDL Driver Introduction Video (10/10/2012)
Driving Ambition will continue to blog with updates on important safety and regulatory topics. You can also visit us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter for additional information.
Driving Ambition is a premier CDL truck driver staffing company serving Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, and Tennessee. Since 2001, we have specialized in matching safe, experienced CDL drivers for our customers and great job opportunities for our professional truck drivers.
Our commitment to safety and building solid working relationships with both customers and CDL drivers has allowed us to earn an unparalleled reputation with our Proven Drivers and Exceptional Service.
The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) revealed its list of the top ten critical issues facing the North American trucking industry in its annual survey of more than 4,000 trucking industry executives.
- CSA: The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) tops the list for the first time with its two-year old safety program. Click here to see FMCSA's response to the report.
- Hours of Service: Ongoing concerns with recent as well as potential changes in the federal hours-of-service regulation caused that issue to remain in the number two position for the second consecutive year. Many in the industry are concerned over how changes to the 34-hour restart provision, the addition of a mandatory rest break after 8 hours of driving, and threats to reduce total drive time will impact industry operations.
- Economy: Last year’s top industry issue, the economy, fell two spots this year to third place. That issue topped the list for a record three consecutive years and remains a source of concern for many in the industry.
- Driver Shortage: Worry over the increasing driver shortage put that issue at number four. Economic recovery, CSA and HOS changes may be contributing factors to a shrinking pool of qualified drivers according to some in the industry.
The complete top 10 list includes the economy, HOS, the driver shortage, CSA, fuel prices, congestion, infrastructure funding, tort reform, onboard truck technology and truck size and weight.
"ATRI's annual survey of critical industry issues gives ATA, and all trucking stakeholders, a clearer understanding of the challenges our industry faces," said ATA chairman Dan England, Chairman of the Board, C.R. England, Inc., Salt Lake City, UT.
"As we all know, the trucking industry operates in a complex and evolving environment and we must constantly work to understand how economic and regulatory changes will impact the industry,” ATA President and CEO Bill Graves said. “By improving our understanding of the issues, we can be better stewards of the important job our industry is tasked with. ATRI’s work once again gives ATA the information we need to effectively represent the industry.”
ATRI’s annual survey has been conducted since 2005 and is commissioned by the American Trucking Associations (ATA).
A copy of the survey results is available from ATRI here: Critical Issues in the Trucking Industry 2012.
Find more news and engage with us on Driving Ambition's Facebook page!
Driving Ambition is a premier CDL truck driver staffing company serving Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, and Tennessee. Since 2001, we have specialized in matching safe, experienced CDL drivers for our customers and great job opportunities for our professional truck drivers.
Our commitment to safety and building solid working relationships with both customers and CDL drivers has allowed us to earn an unparalleled reputation with our Proven Drivers and Exceptional Service.
DRIVE ON! The Challenging Road to Recovery is the theme for this year's Ohio Trucking Association (OTA) Annual Convention.
If you’re within 100 miles of Cincinnati September 16-18, this is a MUST ATTEND event. You’ll hear from the FMCSA Administrator Anne Ferro, receive updates on CSA, and get a “State of the Industry” from Dan England, Chairman of C.R. England, and this year’s ATA Chairman.
You don’t even have to be a member of the OTA to attend – in fact, it’s a great way for non-members to learn more about the Association before joining.
The 2-day event will be held at the Kingsgate Marriott Conference Center at the University of Cincinnati ($99/room rate). Registration for the Convention is only $295 (members) and $395 (non-members).
As an active member of the OTA, I highly recommend getting involved. Attending this year’s Convention is a great first step. The education, relationships, and political advocacy that the OTA provides make it an incredible value.
All OTA Convention materials are now available online. Follow these links to see more!
I hope to see you in The Queen City!
About the OTA
The OTA is a nonprofit, full-service trade association formed to promote and protect the interests of the trucking industry in Ohio. Membership includes over 800 company members, including both Ohio-based and non-domiciled carriers, and their suppliers.
The OTA staff provides updates on critical industry issues through regular communications, and serves as Ohio's only liaison between the industry and the Ohio Legislature and regulatory agencies.
The OTA also provides a forum where members can learn from other members' triumphs and mistakes. These forums include:
- An annual convention
- Regional meetings in your area
- Periodic seminars and workshops
- Monthly Safety & Maintenance Council meetings on topics your people need
- An annual Membership Directory listing all the information you need to contact other members
For more information about the OTA, visit www.ohiotruckingassn.org
Driving Ambition is a premier CDL truck driver staffing company serving Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, and Tennessee. Since 2001, we have specialized in matching safe, experienced CDL drivers for our customers and great job opportunities for our professional truck drivers.
Our commitment to safety and building solid working relationships with both customers and CDL drivers has allowed us to earn an unparalleled reputation with our Proven Drivers and Exceptional Service.
Ever since CSA was first being tested in 2009, the FMCSA has been working on a proposal to address the Crash Indicator BASIC. When the FMCSA unveiled the CSA website, it promised to add a feature that would indicate whether or not a crash was the carrier’s fault.
In August 2010, the FMCSA was in the process of reviewing the findings of a feasibility study to determine crash accountability based on Police Accident Reports. As late as December 2011, the FMCSA still indicated it would set up the process to review crash accountability determinations by February or March 2012.
In March, however, FMCSA Administrator Anne Ferro reversed course and announced that she was delaying the Agency’s review of the crash accountability process, stating that the Agency needs to rethink its plan. Ferro explained that too many questions were raised about the reliability of Police Accident Reports as the sole source of determining whether a truck driver could have prevented an accident.
The announced delay was a major discouragement to a trucking industry that was anxiously awaiting details of a long sought-after plan.
Why the frown?
Currently, CSA measures motor carrier safety performance based on ALL truck-involved crashes, including those that the carrier did not cause, nor could have prevented.
Early on, carriers raised concerns about the way CSA records crashes since it affects their overall ranking, and can trigger FMCSA enforcement action. Many fleets have complained that they have been seriously harmed by crashes for which their drivers had no blame.
The FMCSA posts this crash information on a public website. Although the public is unable to see a carrier’s ranking in the Crash Indicator BASIC, the total number of crashes (including injuries/fatalities) is made public. Even if the carrier is clearly not at fault in a crash resulting in injury or fatality, the crash website will list the crash as an injury/fatality.
Carriers are frustrated because they have no defense as attorneys, insurance companies, news media, competitors, and shippers are looking at this crash information. The trucking industry is arguing that in crashes where carriers are clearly not at fault, it should be stated as “unavoidable” on the website.
The FMCSA states that including non-preventable crashes in CSA scores is legitimate since statistics clearly show that past crashes are a predictor of future crashes, no matter who’s at fault. However, the Agency also recognizes that non-preventable crashes should carry a different weighting than preventable crashes.
What next?
Before a crash accountability initiative could be implemented, the FMCSA said there needed to be a uniform process for making crash determinations and reviewing police accident reports. The agency also wants to ensure public input in the development process.
During the coming months, an effort to conduct additional research and analysis to determine the feasibility of a crash accountability program will take place. By the end of the year, the agency hopes to answer the question of whether a new process would improve the CSA’s focus on truck crash predictability.
In the meantime
The trucking industry is asking that, at the very least, FMCSA should take immediate action to wipe carriers’ records of crashes that are unambiguously not the fault of the truck driver. These instances should not require a complicated investigative process.
The FMCSA has indicated that they are considering changing the language used with a carrier’s public crash data on the CSA website to make clear — in “bigger, redder letters” — that the list “is in no way, shape or form” intended to convey that the crashes are the fault of the motor carrier.
Driving Ambition is a premier CDL truck driver staffing company serving Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Since 2001, we have specialized in matching safe, experienced CDL drivers for our customers and great job opportunities for our professional truck drivers.
Our commitment to safety and building solid working relationships with both customers and CDL drivers has allowed us to earn an unparalleled reputation with our Proven Drivers and Exceptional Service.
Operation Roadcheck is a 72-hour roadside inspection and enforcement blitz in which an estimated 10,000 inspectors set up more than 1,000 checkpoints on highways across North America to monitor truck safety compliance. Since its inception in 1988, Operation Roadcheck is the largest targeted enforcement program on commercial vehicles in the world.
As in past events, this year's Roadcheck will focus on commercial vehicle and driver safety and security. However, with the advent of CSA, these roadside inspections now play an even more important role. That’s because all inspection violations will become part of your CSA record. The Safety Measurement System (SMS) uses the on-road safety performance of carriers and drivers to identify candidates for interventions, determine the specific safety problems a carrier or driver exhibits, and to monitor whether safety problems are improving or worsening.
Here are five steps you can take to make sure you survive Roadcheck 2012:
- Understand the inspection process. The roadside inspection involves a comprehensive 37-step procedure which includes items related to vehicle, driver and cargo safety. Click here for a complete list of the inspection procedures.
- Know the most frequently cited violations. Last year, CMV enforcement conducted nearly 71,000 truck and bus inspections during the three-day event, focusing primarily on the Level 1 inspection. HOS logbook violations led overwhelmingly as a percentage of all driver violations cited, as over 50% of drivers placed OOS because of HOS violations. With CSA’s Fatigued Driving BASIC, these HOS violations affect both the driver’s and the carrier’s CSA scores. Only 14% of those drivers inspected indicated they were using electronic logs. For equipment, the most frequent violations include brake issues, tires and wheels, lights, load securement, steering, frames, and suspensions. See Top Hazards for Truck Drivers during Roadside Inspections.
- Keep your vehicle clean and well maintained.
- Conduct thorough pre- and post-trip inspections.
- Treat the inspector with courtesy and respect.
For more information on Operation Roadcheck, visit http://www.cvsa.org/. The 2012 edition of the North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria Handbook and Pictorial is also now available for purchase.
Driving Ambition is a premier CDL truck driver staffing company serving Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Since 2001, we have specialized in matching safe, experienced CDL drivers for our customers and great job opportunities for our professional truck drivers.
Our commitment to safety and building solid working relationships with both customers and CDL drivers has allowed us to earn an unparalleled reputation with our Proven Drivers and Exceptional Service.
For the second consecutive year, the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) is seeking carrier input on CSA, and its impact on their operations.
The brief, confidential online survey asks carriers for information on how their perceptions of CSA have changed or been affected as CSA continues its second full year of measuring motor carrier and CDL driver safety performance. The survey also seeks to capture attitudes toward the program and general understanding of its key components.
Results of the survey - which will be available later this year - will be compared and contrasted with last year’s results, and will be accompanied by findings from ATRI’s surveys of other stakeholder groups impacted by CSA, including CDL drivers, shippers, and the enforcement community.
ATRI is the trucking industry’s 501(c)(3) not-for-profit research organization. It is engaged in critical research relating to freight transportation’s essential role in maintaining a safe, secure and efficient transportation system.
Driving Ambition is a premier CDL truck driver staffing company serving Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Since 2001, we have specialized in matching safe, experienced CDL drivers for our customers and great job opportunities for our professional truck drivers.
Our commitment to safety and building solid working relationships with both customers and CDL drivers has allowed us to earn an unparalleled reputation with our Proven Drivers and Exceptional Service.
REGISTER NOW!!
Driving Ambition is proud to be a sponsor of the Indiana Motor Truck Association’s Spring Council Conference. The annual Conference, put on by the Safety & Maintenance Council, will be held on Wednesday and Thursday, May 9-10, at the Sheraton Indianapolis Hotel at Keystone Crossing.
This informative, two-day Conference will feature a variety of critical transportation-related topics, including:
- Driver Recruitment & Retention – presented by Jeremy Reymer, President & CEO of Driving Ambition
- Driver Wellness – presented by Chuck Gillespie, Program Director for Wellness Council of Indiana
- Cargo Theft – presented by Ari Berlin, Federal Bureau of Investigations
- FMCSA Update (CSA, EOBRs, HOS, and Sleep Apnea) – Kenneth Strickland, Division Administrator for FMCSA
- Fuel / Energy Price Advisory – presented by Jack Hunter, Risk Management Consultant for INTL FCStone, Inc.
- Alternative Fuels – Panel discussion led by Kellie Walsh, Greater Indiana Clean Cities Coalition
- Maintenance Compliance – presented by Michael Irwin, DEKRA Automotive North America, Commercial Fleet Performance Systems
- Indiana Transportation Projects – Keith Bucklew, Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT)
The Spring Council Conference begins in the afternoon on Wednesday, May 9, followed by an Awards Dinner featuring key-note speaker Rob Abbott, VP of Safety Policy for ATA. The Conference will end before noon on Thursday, May 10.
At only $80 for IMTA members to attend (only $130 for non-members), this is an incredible value!
For more information, and to register online, click here.
Register now and join us for this important industry update!
Driving Ambition is a premier CDL truck driver staffing company serving Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Since 2001, we have specialized in matching safe, experienced CDL drivers for our customers and great job opportunities for our professional truck drivers.
Our commitment to safety and building solid working relationships with both customers and CDL drivers has allowed us to earn an unparalleled reputation with our Proven Drivers and Exceptional Service.
During last month’s Mid-America Trucking Show, an FMCSA roadside inspector demonstrated key problem areas for drivers, fleets, and truck owners.
For drivers, the FMCSA inspector said the top five roadside violations are:
- Logbook issues – either not current, not signed, or otherwise incomplete
- Driver’s record of duty status isn’t current
- Driver isn’t in possession of a medical certificate
- Driver doesn’t speak English
- Fleet requires or permits driver to drive after 14 hours on duty
The inspector indicated that the top five Out-of-Service violations include:
- Fleet requires or permits driver to drive after 14 hours on duty
- False reports of driver record of duty status
- No record of duty status
- Driver fails to retain logs for previous seven days
- Carriers requiring or allowing drivers to drive more than 11 hours
The top five vehicle violations were also identified:
- No, or defective, lighting devices or reflective material, as required
- Required lamps are inoperative
- Tire tread depth of less than 2/32-inch
- Inspection or repair and maintenance of parts and accessories
- Oil or grease leaks
The inspector indicated that the top five vehicle Out-of-Service violations are:
- Inoperative turn signals
- Flat tire or exposed fabric
- Inspection or repair and maintenance of parts and accessories
- Inadequate brake tubing and hoses
- Stop lamp violations
The inspector gave a list of “pointers” to help drivers pass a roadside inspection:
- Be prepared
- Have a valid CDL
- Keep current logs
- Drive within allowed hours-of-service
- Wear your seatbelt
- Know the critical vehicle inspection items
- Have a professional attitude
- Keep in mind BLT - brakes, lighting and tires
- Know the three P’s of hauling hazmat – papers, placards and packaging
The inspector referenced the following critical vehicle inspection items:
- Fuel system
- Brakes
- Coupling devices (fifth wheel)
- Lighting devices
- Steer mechanism
- Suspension
- Frame and body components
- Tires and wheels
- Windshield wipers
- Load securement
- Rear view mirrors
- Horn
- Exhaust
- Emergency equipment
After an inspection, the FMCSA inspector said that drivers or fleets should repair out-of-service defects before operating the truck again. If that’s not possible, get the truck towed, satisfy any driver out-of-service requirements before driving again, repair non-out-of-service vehicle defects and turn in the inspection report within 15 days.
Driving Ambition is a premier CDL truck driver staffing company serving Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Since 2001, we have specialized in matching safe, experienced CDL drivers for our customers and great job opportunities for our professional truck drivers.
Our commitment to safety and building solid working relationships with both customers and CDL drivers has allowed us to earn an unparalleled reputation with our Proven Drivers and Exceptional Service.
The FMCSA recently announced enhancements to the CSA methodology, specifically the Carrier Safety Measurement System (SMS).
This release is the first in a series of improvements to SMS that will take place up to twice a year. The process includes making a public announcement of planned changes, allowing carriers to privately view the impact the changes will have on their BASIC scores, soliciting feedback on the planned changes, modifying the planned changes (if appropriate), and making the new scores based on the methodology changes publicly available several months later.
The announced enhancements include:
- Moving Load Securement Violations to the Vehicle Maintenance BASIC – All load/cargo securement violations will be moved from the Cargo-related BASIC to the Vehicle Maintenance BASIC. This change helps to mitigate the inappropriate bias against flatbed carriers with their Cargo-related BASIC scores.
- Creation of a Hazardous Materials (HM) BASIC – A separate basic will be created to measure compliance with HM regulations. The Cargo-related BASIC will be renamed the HM BASIC and will measure only those carriers that transport placarded quantities of HM. This change helps to mitigate the inappropriate bias against HM carriers with their Cargo-related BASIC scores since their compliance with HM regulations was being compared against carriers that don’t transport HM.
- Applicability of Lower HM Thresholds – FMCSA will be changing the criteria for determining which carriers transporting HM will be subject to the lower thresholds in each BASIC. Under the new methodology, a motor carrier will be labeled as an “HM Carrier” and subject to the lower thresholds if the carrier:
- Has had at least two roadside inspections involving placarded quantities of HM in the prior 24 months, with one inspection occurring within the past 12 months
- Has 5% or more roadside inspections involving placarded quantities of HM
Motor carriers can now access the SMS Preview through two websites:
- Visit the CSA Website and log in with an FMCSA-issued U.S. DOT number and a personal identification number (PIN)
- Log in to the FMCSA Portal and select the “CSA Outreach” link.
FMCSA encourages motor carriers to view the SMS Preview to see how methodology changes will affect their SMS results.
On the CSA Website’s Resources page, motor carriers and other stakeholders can access a foundational document that provides additional information about the first set of SMS changes.
A Federal Register notice outlining the changes is also available for review. Written comments regarding the changes can be filed to the Federal Docket Management System at http://www.regulations.gov, Docket ID Number FMCSA-2012-0074.
Driving Ambition is a premier CDL truck driver staffing company serving Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Since 2001, we have specialized in matching safe, experienced CDL drivers for our customers and great job opportunities for our professional truck drivers.
Our commitment to safety and building solid working relationships with both customers and CDL drivers has allowed us to earn an unparalleled reputation with our Proven Drivers and Exceptional Service.