2 New Reports about the Supply Chain Industry
Posted on Thu, May 27, 2010 @ 09:38 AM
Two very interesting reports came out in the past few days...
Wednesday, The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) released an analysis of commercial vehicle crashes that found the majority (87%) occurred within the first eight (8) hours of driving. This is important in that it further discredits supposed highway safety groups such as CRASH, which have repeatedly sued the FMCSA over 2007 changes to the hours-of-service regulations permitting drivers one additional hour of driving time. Only 12% of crashes occurred in the 9th to 11th driving hours. Prior to 2007 drivers were permitted to drive only 10 hours.
Coupled with measurable and historic decreases in truck-involved fatalities during the same period, it would behoove CRASH to focus on other behaviors (such as distracted driving) by passenger car drivers who, incidentally, cause anywhere from 50-70% of truck-involved crashes, according to studies by the FMCSA and AAA.
Lawsuits by CRASH and associated groups have cost millions of dollars that could well be better spent on other initiatives more likely to reduce crashes.
Additionally, in a recent Commercial Carrier Journal webinar, FTR Associates President Eric Starks released their Driver Supply Update for May. FTR forecasts a 200,000 driver shortage by the end of 2011. FTR cites a lack of hiring and training personnel due to carrier cut backs during the recession. Anecdotally, we have sufficient hiring and training staff but are finding a shortage of qualified drivers.
The impact of CSA 2010 was not figured into FTR’s dire forecast, however it will only exacerbate the problem. Starks’ assessment that “we could be 400,000 drivers short of what we need” with CSA 2010 driver defections spells trouble for already tightening capacity should signal shippers that rate decreases squeezed from carriers during the recession will be erased and reversed in the not-too-distant future.
Posted by Kevin Mullen, Director- Safety: ADS Logistics