Posted on Thu, Sep 02, 2010 @ 11:13 AM
The next step in the rollout of CSA 2010 is underway. Carriers can now see how they are being scored in the pending Safety Measurement System. Also as planned, CSA 2010 will stick to its schedule to implement the program state-by-state throughout 2011. Once all the states are up to speed on implementating CSA 2010, the new method for determining safety fitness will be put into effect. All of this is part of CSA 2010’s mission to increase truck driving safety and decrease trucking accidents and trucking-related fatalities. This next phase will hopefully be a major step to ultimately completing these goals.
“This early look gives motor carriers an opportunity to understand and address their safety compliance issues right away," the FMCSA said in an official announcement. The early warnings give carriers an opportunity to assess concerns before they get penalized under the new system. Not everyone is familiar yet with the new standards so this sort of “dry run” is great for carriers who may be committing violations without knowing it. Those who are not yet familiar with the new standards are urged by the FMCSA to visit their website to learn more about how they will be scored according to the seven Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories, or BASICs. Additional information on CSA 2010 can be found here on the ADS Logistics Blog.
“Taking heed of industry concerns about its approach to measuring exposure in two of the BASICs, Unsafe Driving and the Crash Indicator, the FMCSA is changing from a calculation based just on the number of power units to one based on a combination of power units and vehicle miles traveled,” said by Oliver B. Patton, Washington Editor for Trucking Info. His complete article on the new phase of CSA 2010 can be found here. This small change in these 2 categories will make it easier for larger carriers because they are no longer going to be scored based solely on how many power units they have, which has hurt some larger carriers in the past. In the old system larger carriers were view as more dangerous because they had more accidents. This is only because they have more trucks and therefore more chances for an accident. With CSA 2010, that miles traveled are taken into account, their score in those two categories will come down and the scores of smaller carriers go up.
In its announcement yesterday, the agency took note of a preliminary report that researchers at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute have found that while most of the BASICs are good indicators of future crash risk, two of them are not. UMTRI is analyzing the data from the agency's 30-month field test of CSA 2010. Its final report is due by the end of December. The field test is working with small test groups within certain states to see if any improvements will need to be made to CSA 2010 or the BASIC categories. As of Mid-June, over 11,000 carriers have visited the CSA 2010 website to see their preliminary score. This is good news however, the several hundred thousand that haven’t may be in for a surprise come December, when the system goes live. Be prepared, and get your preliminary score today! Also subscribe to the ADS blog to stay on top of all the important CSA 2010 changes that will be happening in the future.
Posted on Tue, Aug 31, 2010 @ 09:01 AM
The Department of Transportation has made several changes to its rules for drug and alcohol testing. The changes are not related to the pending rule to create a national database for drug testing among drivers (a database would allow for employers to look up any trucker and see his or her drug testing history). However, this FMCSA rule is not linked to the DOT’s new changes to the drug testing standards.
“The new rule will add several amphetamine-type drugs to the required list: MDA, MDMA, and MDEA. Also, there will be a 6-AM test, a marker for heroin use,” according to truckigninfo.com. The Department will also lower the acceptable positive threshold for cocaine and amphetamine levels in hopes to see an increase in the number of positives for cocaine use.
The DOT originally proposed giving employers a choice between using a full-service drug testing facility or an Instrumental Initial Test Facility (ITIF), but ITIF’s only provide initial testing and not confirmation testing so all employers must use full-service testing facilities. Also, DOT will heighten it standards for Medical Review Officers and require them to be re-qualified every five years.
A full summary of the Safe Act of 2010 can be found here. In brief however, the Bill can be broken down into 8 main points:
1) The DOT is required by the Omnibus Transportation Employees Testing Act (Omnibus Act) to follow the HHS requirements for the testing procedures/protocols and drugs for which are tested.
2) Primary laboratory requirements in this final rule include: Testing for MDMA (aka. Ecstasy);
Lowering cutoff levels for cocaine and amphetamines;
Conducting mandatory initial testing for heroin;
3) The Department has brought several testing definitions in-line with those of HHS.
4) Each Medical Review Officer (MRO) will need to be re-qualified – including passing an examination given by an MRO training organization - every five years. The Final Rule eliminated the requirement for each MRO to take 12 hours of continuing education every three years.
5) An MRO will not need to be trained by an HHS-approved MRO training organization as long as the MRO meets DOT’s qualification and requalification training requirements.
6) MRO recordkeeping requirements did not change from the five years for non-negatives and one year for negatives.
7) The Final Rule does not allow the use of HHS-Certified Instrumented Initial Testing Facilities (IITFs) to conduct initial drug testing because the Omnibus Act requires laboratories to be able to perform both initial and confirmation testing but IITFs cannot conduct confirmation testing.
8) The Final Rule is effective October 1, 2010.
Posted on Mon, May 17, 2010 @ 10:24 AM
While searching for information as to why the most recent oil spill in the Gulf hasn’t yet been contained, I found an article that says warnings on system failures in deep sea drilling operations were evident as far back as 2000. Additionally it mentions that while drilling processes had advanced, safety technology stayed stagnate.
To think that preventive measures weren’t up to date on current drilling practices; which in turn now jeopardizes our environment, waters, birds, fish and so many other things, makes me angry and got me thinking… Can you prevent an oil spill or, in our case, can you prevent an accident or damage from occurring?
Preventive measures, when taken seriously, can save lives and dollars for both the company and its employees. Although our company has many preventive measures in place, we need to make sure they are up-to-date with our current practices and that the employees performing these procedures know the seriousness of their actions. In plain words, prevention needs to be effective. Here are the 2 biggest ways to prevent an accident:
Pre-Trip Inspection and Equipment Inspection Sheets
Do you really know how important those mundane inspection sheets are? Employees who utilize these checklists should be looking at them like it was their first time. The drivers and warehouse employees who walk around trucks or equipment are the ones who will determine what does and does not work properly. Will you be able to detect the internal workings? It's doubtful, but a thorough check can certainly keep you safe, keep the truck or equipment running, save the company from having to pay for unnecessary costs, and save the operator from paying unnecessary fines.
Another meeting….ugh! But not just another meeting, these meetings take place to keep you and every other employee safe, and ensure that everyone is aware of the requirements that are placed on our company. Within these meetings, hypothetical real-time situations may be discussed as well. For instance, we might review another company that has had warehousing problem and discussion takes place as to “what could we do to prevent that situation from happening here at ADS." Whatever the timing or topic is of our Safety Meetings (and/or ongoing safety training), each one is important and should be treated as such.
Each of us, as employees of ADS Logistics, should look for ways to prevent potential danger or damage. Although we are required, through our ISO certifications, to report and document preventive measures, we can all go above and beyond this responsibility to ensure that we all go home safely to our families each night knowing that our trucks and equipment will be waiting for us tomorrow.
Posted by Rose Cyphert: Billing- ADS Logistics
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Posted on Fri, Apr 16, 2010 @ 09:05 AM
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) this week published its long overdue Electronic On-Board Recorders rule (EOBR). The rule was ready a year ago but was pulled back to allow the incoming Obama Administration to review it. It is schedule to go into effect June 1, 2012.
The rule, the first requiring EOBR’s, is limited to carriers with serious patterns of hours-of-service (HOS) violations as a result of Compliance Reviews. The FMCSA estimated that 5,700 truck and bus companies would be required to purchase, install and use EOBR’s after the first year of implementation of the new rule. Carriers with ten percent (10%) or more HOS (log) violations discovered during a Compliance Review will be required to install and use EOBR’s in all their vehicles for at least two years according to the FMCSA.
The rule also contains long-awaited technical requirements for EOBR’s, long a concern among competing manufacturers of the devices.
In a related story, David Bradley, President of the Canadian Trucking Alliance (Canada’s largest trucking advocacy group with more than 4,500 carriers as members) said EOBR’s should be mandatory for all truckers operating in North America. He went on to say the FMCSA will “inevitably” move toward broader EOBR requirements if not a universal mandate.
US carriers which voluntarily use EOBR’s will be exempt from some of the FMCSA’s requirements regarding retaining the retention of documents to support HOS enforcement.
Published by Kevin Mullen: Director-Safety
Posted on Wed, Apr 14, 2010 @ 11:04 AM
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration on Monday released preliminary CSA 2010 data to motor carriers. (Carrier data is confidential at this time and a PIN issued by the FMCSA is required to access it.) The raw inspection data does not include CSA 2010 scoring. Scores are expected to be available in August.
A quick review of this carriers’ data revealed two striking numbers:
- 65% of “Unsafe Driving” inspections were precipitated by a traffic stop for speeding. (If you include traffic stops for following too closely the number rises to 76%)
- 45% of our “Vehicle Maintenance” inspections were precipitated by something as simple as an inoperative light.
Clearly, just focusing on these two areas would have a dramatic impact on a carriers' CSA 2010 scores. Good safety management policies and procedures (and driver education programs) with monitoring and follow-up can drive down these and all CSA 2010 BASICS.
Full implementation of CSA 2010 has been delayed until 2011, which provides carriers with a little additional time to educate drivers and tweak policies, procedures, and programs. However it is a brief respite because today’s inspections will be reflected in CSA 2010 scores whenever full implementation occurs. (The FMCSA signaled their intention to begin using CSA 2010 scores to prioritize carriers for “interventions” as early as November.)
Full implementation will begin in the 9 test states (Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Kansas, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana and New Jersey) in July.
Carriers would be well served by reviewing their preliminary data now and acting immediately to shore up deficiencies in their safety management systems.
Posted by Kevin Mullen, Director- Safety
Posted on Tue, Mar 09, 2010 @ 11:53 AM
The month of March started off with a startling discovery for me. I was on my way to work, nothing out of the ordinary. The commute to and from work is usually my time to think of what all I have to get done, think through my daily list of what I want to get accomplished. I finished my cigarette as I was sitting at a red light, and without giving it a second thought (or even much of a first), flicked the butt out the window. As the light turned green and traffic started moving, the County Sheriff who was right behind me turned on his lights. I thought, “What did I do? I wasn’t even moving!” as I pulled over to the shoulder past the light. The officer, without introduction or explanation, requested my license and registration. I handed him my documents and he proceeded to his car. I was still oblivious as to why he stopped me. When he returned to my window he handed me my documents along with a ticket. He stated that he was ticketing me for littering, for flicking my cigarette butt out the window. Yes, I know that it is. Yes, I know that smoking is a nasty habit….. All that is for another blog….
Later that day I got the bigger shock. The ticket carries a fine of $132.00! Having smoked for years, driving several hundred thousand miles, I couldn’t begin to calculate how many cigarette butts I have sent out the window. The message that littering is against the law rang pretty loud when the clerk told me the total of the fine. Even though it is somewhat of an embarrassment, it brings up a good point.
Over the years, the large majority of drivers I have met smoke. The common practice of flicking the butt out the window becomes a mindless habit when driving. My motto has been “There is only one thing constant… Change”. Today’s environment is a product of previous bad habits. Yes I do agree that I must do my part to clean it up and keep it clean. It is usually the small things that make the most difference. The small things that cause you the most irritation. The small things that accumulate to make up big problems.
This message is a word of warning to us smokers as well as a thought-provoking topic. The small thing, a cigarette butt, when accumulated with several others makes a big mess. We all need to do our part to take care of the small things, the attention to detail, for everyone’s benefit as well as our own.
Written by Mark Andersen, On-Site Manager Area Transportation
Posted on Mon, Mar 08, 2010 @ 02:21 PM
As a former motor carrier safety investigator, I’m going to come clean and reveal the secrets that need to know to avoid enforcement problems. This code of slience breach will forever ban me from enforcement industry activities, but my loss can be your gain.
- Control your speed. The #1 reason for getting stopped and inspected is speeding. (Not surprisingly the #1 cause of accidents is also speeding- thus the focus.) Lane violations, tailgating, and other aggressive behaviors are also guaranteed to get the attention of law enforcement. CMV enforcement personnel don’t need a reason (probable cause) to stop and inspect a truck, but you don’t need to give them one. Simply put, drive safely and professionally and you’ll virtually eliminate your odds of being targeted for inspection. [By the way, there is no law requiring law enforcement to “give 10 MPH” or even 1 MPH over a posted speed limit. Even driving the speed limit when road, weather, or traffic conditions dictate a slower speed is a violation (speed too fast for conditions) in many jurisdictions.]
- Inspect and maintain your equipment. A light out, tire with cord/belt exposed, or other easily-spotted equipment defect will get you pulled over (or pulled behind a scale) every time. Do your pre-trip inspection. Report defects and/or get them repaired before hitting the road. A truck with a headlight out pulling into a scale is almost certain to get a red light. Don’t make yourself an easy target.
- Work for a reputable company. Who you drive for will greatly affect how often you get selected for random inspections. All motor carriers in the United States have an ISS-2 score. The score is based on previous inspections of that motor carrier's trucks. Companies with a history of poor performance on previous inspections will be rated “Inspect” or “Optional,” which increases the likelihood that more of its trucks will be selected for inspection. You’re only as good as the last driver or truck from your company who was inspected. Work for a reputable trucking company like Area Transportation and you’ll get more respect from law enforcement. It’s not a free pass but it will make your life easier. Additionally, most trucking companies travel the same routes or lanes and become known to law enforcement in the areas they run. Companies known for maintaining their equipment and running compliant operations receive far less scrutiny from law enforcement. CMV enforcement personnel concentrate their efforts on those carriers who don’t comply. After all, that’s the purpose of enforcement… to get the “bad guys” to comply.
- If you’re hauling a permit load… stay on the permit route. CMV enforcement personnel are very familiar with permit routes. A multi-axle truck running off a permit route is just asking to be stopped and inspected.
- HazMat haulers and flatbed carriers take extra caution! HazMat haulers and flatbed carriers can expect extra attention from law enforcement due to the extra hazards these types of loads represent to the motoring public. Proper transport of HazMat and proper securement of flatbed loads is a high priority for law enforcement. If you fall into either of these categories you need to be on your game. You need to be sure your HazMat paperwork, load, placarding, etc. and your chains, straps, binders and winches are in order. [Any violation (including logs, equipment, etc.) while hauling placarded HazMat becomes a “HazMat violation” subject to increased fines and penalties.]
Follow these five tips and you can virtually eliminate your chances of being inspected. If however, you are inspected, you can rest assured knowing you’ll pass with flying colors. How important is that to you? How important is it for you to maintain your driving privileges? With CSA 2010 here [see other blogs on this site] violations on roadside inspections result in points assessed to drivers. Clear inspections ensure your continued employability.
Article submitted by Kevin Mullen, Director-Safety