Helping Tour Groups Choose the Right Vehicle and Passenger Carrier Company

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is the agency within the US Department of Transportation (DOT) tasked with the mission of bus and truck safety. There is a wealth of information on the FMCSA website, and one resource we'd like to highlight is their Passenger Carrier Safety Website, which is an interactive, informational tool to aid individuals or groups in selecting the right vehicle and the safest passenger carrier companies.

The FMCSA's Passenger Carrier Safety website allows users to select a vehicle type based on the number of passengers to be transported, length of trip in terms of time, whether the passengers will have baggage or equipment, and the type of terrain the vehicle will traverse during the course of the trip.

After determining which vehicle type is right for the trip and for meeting the group's needs, users can use the search tools to Find a Carrier. The search generates a list of interstate passenger carriers in the area the user specifies, and it provides safety information on these carriers based on safety ratings.

For other helpful resources—including information on pre-trip safety for bus/motorcoach passengers, and information on selecting vehicles and carriers for transporting children—check out the FMCSA’s Bus/Motorcoach Passenger Safety Information page.

Paying Attention to Tour Bus Safety: Surprise Roadside Inspections at Yosemite National Park

Approximately 250,000 visitors arrive at Yosemite National Park on tour buses each year, and a large majority of the tour bus passengers are international visitors. During a five day period of surprise roadside inspections of commercial tour buses at Yosemite National Park, June 9-20, only 31% (47 of 153) of the buses were deemed safe and released with no citation. In contrast, 21% were deemed so unsafe that they were taken out of service by federal inspectors (22 for safety-related equipment problems, and 10 for drivers' logbook violations).

The unannounced inspections were carried out by the FMCSA in conjunction with the California Highway Patrol (CHP) and the National Park Service (NPS), along with Yosemite Law Enforcement Rangers and other agencies. Surprise inspections like this will take place at the park this year. Read more about the June 2010 Yosemite inspection event.

Good News About Crash Statistics & Survival Rates for Senior Drivers

A status report published by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) on June 19 reports that the rate of fatal crashes per licensed driver aged 70 and older declined between 1997 - 2008. The rate of less severe crashes reported to law enforcement during the time period also decreased.

These unanticipated declines are particularly noteworthy considering the proportion of the US population aged 65 and older is growing. IIHS researchers also found a 34% decline in injury crash rates among drivers aged 80 and older between 1997 - 2005 -- compared to a decline of 16% for drivers aged 35 - 54.

What factors may have influenced these trends? According to the IIHS study, older drivers may be "policing" themselves; in other words, they may be deciding to stop driving when they believe they can no longer do so safely. Another possible factor discussed in the report is that states can impose restrictions on drivers as they age. The study reports that as of May 2010, 18 states have shortened license renewal periods; nine states require vision tests for older drivers at each renewal; two states require road tests; and seven states require older drivers to renew their license in person.

The Institute notes that improvements in older people's physical conditioning and health could be reducing their risk of crashing, as well as increasing their chances of survival in the event they do crash. "Seniors are less likely to get into police-reported crashes in the first place, and they're less likely to die from their injuries when they do crash. This isn't what we expected, given older driver demographics and other influences," said Anne McCartt, IIHS Senior Vice President for Research and an author of this recent report.

View the IIHS Status Report, Volume 45:6.

More Value Added to MCSAC

Anne Ferro, Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), recently appointed senior officials from the Truck Safety Coalition (TSC) and Parents Against Tired Truckers (P.A.T.T.) to the Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee (MCSAC). John Lannen, TSC Executive Director, and Jane Mathis, Board Member of P.A.T.T., were among the eight new advisory committee members added to the committee. The purpose of MCSAC is to provide advice, information, and recommendations to the FMCSA in regards to motor carrier safety regulations and programs.

“Making the nation’s highways safer for all drivers by making truck safety a top national priority is what the Truck Safety Coalition is all about,” said Lannen. Mathis, whose son and daughter-in-law were killed in a 2004 collision said, “I look forward to offering the perspective of a mother whose child’s death could have been prevented had stronger regulations and enforcement been in place.”

The first meeting with the new MCSAC committee was held on June 8 – 10. Foremost on the agenda was to find ways to prevent distracted driving by commercial motor vehicle operators, with a particular emphasis on in-cab technologies and activities.

Read about the other new MCSAC committee members.
Visit the TSC website.

Effective July 1: Kansas Safety Belt Law, Georgia Text Ban

Kansas Becomes 31st State to Pass Primary Safety Belt Law
Beginning July 1st, law enforcement officers can stop truckers for not wearing a safety belt in Kansas. Previously, Kansas law considered failing to wear a safety belt a secondary offense; it could only be enforced if the driver was stopped for another infraction, such as speeding. By passing the law, Kansas is eligible for $1 million in federal funds for public safety programs. Read an article by the Wichita Eagle.

Georgia Becomes 28th State to Ban Texting While Driving
Also beginning on July 1st, drivers in Georgia can receive a citation for texting while driving. The law bans sending a text message as well as reading an incoming text. However, Georgia Gov. Sonny Purdue indicated that the law may change in the future because of potentially confusing ramifications in the language. When a cell phone buzzes, the driver may not know whether it is a phone call or a text message without checking the phone. A law enforcement official may interpret checking a phone to be reading a text message. Read an article by the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

FMCSA to Establish Regulatory Guidelines Regarding Sleep Apnea

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is studying the effect of sleep apnea and the potential impact on truck drivers.

Sleep apnea is most often caused by a blockage of a person’s air passageway, most commonly when the soft tissue in the throat collapses and closes during sleep. People with untreated sleep apnea can repeatedly stop breathing during their sleep – often for a minute or longer.

"Drivers with severe sleep apnea are at greater risk of being involved in a crash," says Anne Ferro, chief of the FMCSA. Ferro contends that sleep apnea promotes fatigue, and fatigue is estimated to be an associated factor in 13 percent of all truck crashes and 28 percent of single vehicle crashes.

The FMCSA is considering recommendations from the Medical Review Board that suggest that all drivers should be tested for sleep apnea. However, it acknowledges that more scientific data linking sleep apnea to driver safety is required before it would recommend barring a driver from certification.

Schneider National, J.B. Hunt, and Coastal Pacific Xpress are companies that have implemented or are developing a sleep apnea program without waiting on regulations. Don Osterberg, senior vice president of safety at Schneider said, “The real objective is to improve the welfare and safety not only of our own drivers but the motoring public as well.”

Read a news piece on sleep apnea and trucking safety.

President Obama Issues Executive Order to Improve Fuel Efficiency of Trucks

President Obama has directed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) to create the first-ever national policy to increase fuel efficiency for both medium-duty and heavy-duty trucks starting with model years 2014 and full compliance by 2018.

In announcing the directive, the President said the fuel economy of commercial trucks could increase as much as 25 percent using technologies in place today. Preliminary analysis suggests that—over the lifetime of vehicles built between 2014-2018—the program could save up to 500 million barrels of oil and achieve approximately $70 billion in fuel savings.

As auto/truck manufacturers strive to meet the executive order of more fuel efficiency, some of the ramifications could include:

· Reduction in the overall weight of trucks
· Smaller truck engines installed

Critics argue this is a classic case of fuel efficiency versus safety. In order to achieve the standards, trucks will need to be lighter in order to use less fuel. However, lighter weight trucks can make the driver more susceptible to injury in a collision. The challenge will be for engineers to explore new ways to keep drivers and occupants safe in lighter trucks. Additionally, the policy created by the EPA and DOT must be closely monitored and evaluated to determine the impact on truck driver safety.

Read a short news piece about the policy.

Roadcheck 2010 Begins Tomorrow

For 72 continuous hours, June 8-10, law enforcement officers and inspectors will be conducting comprehensive safety inspections of trucks and enforcing safety belt use. Roadcheck is sponsored by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CSVA). In 2009, Roadcheck performed 72,782 truck and bus inspections, and it can be said that this resulted in saving 17 lives and preventing 307 injuries.

The focus of Roadcheck 2010 will be a North American Standard (NAS) Level I Inspection, which includes an examination of the following:

· Driver’s license
· Medical examiner's certificate and waiver
· Alcohol and drugs (if applicable)
· Driver’s record of duty status (as required)
· Hours of service
· Seat belt
· Vehicle inspection report
· Brake system
· Coupling devices
· Exhaust system
· Frame & fuel system
· Turn signals
· Brake, tail and head lamps
· Lamps on projecting loads
· Safe loading
· Steering mechanism
· Suspension
· Tires, wheels and rims
· Van and open-top trailer bodies
· Windshield wipers
· Emergency exits on buses and HM requirements as applicable

"Roadcheck is successful because of the dedication and hard work of the thousands of roadside inspectors all across North America, as well as the strength of our partnerships and of the combined commitment to ensure trucks and buses are sharing the road safely with others," said Stephen A. Keppler, CVSA's interim executive director.

Visit the CVSA website.
Learn more about Roadcheck 2010.