While drivers of both cars and trucks are the target of the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) Operation Safe Driver program, commercial vehicle drivers received a majority of warnings and tickets/citations during the July 10-15 emphasis.
Of the 11,448 drivers stopped for unsafe driving behaviors, 4,494 drivers received tickets or citations and 5,756 were given warnings. Of those, 2,634 tickets/citations and 4,592 warnings were given to commercial motor vehicle drivers, while 1,860 tickets/citations and 1,164 warnings were issued to passenger vehicle drivers.
Speeding was the top infraction for all drivers. Commercial motor vehicle drivers received 1,594 warnings and 731 tickets/citations for speeding. Passenger vehicle drivers received 625 warnings and 1,293 citations/tickets for speed-related infractions. Combined, a total of 2,219 warnings and 2,024 citations/tickets were issued for speeding.
During Brake Safety Week Aug. 21-27, roughly one of every eight trucks inspected for brake-related violations was placed out of service by commercial vehicle inspectors. Out of 18,875 commercial trucks inspected, nearly 88% did not have any brake-related out-of-service violations. However, 2,375 (12.6%) were removed from roadways because inspectors discovered brake-related out-of-service violations.
Some examples of brake-related violations that automatically place the vehicle out of service are broken brake drums, loose air tanks, corroded holes in a spring brake housing, and inoperative tractor protection valves. Service brake violations, such as cracked linings, brake adjustment or loose chambers, may combine to put the combination of vehicles out of service under the 20% brake criterion. Certain service brake violations are automatically placed out of service when found on the steering axle.
Of the 2,375 commercial motor vehicles that were placed out of service, 295 (12.4%) had steering axle brake violations, 1,127 (47.5%) had stand-alone brake violations and 1,394 (58.7%) failed the 20% defective brakes criterion, which requires that a vehicle is out of service if the number of defective brakes is equal to or greater than 20% of the service brakes on the vehicle or combination.
Every year, TAT (formerly called Truckers Against Trafficking) honors a member of the trucking, bus or energy industry, whose direct actions help save or improve the lives of those exploited or prevent human trafficking from taking place, with the Harriet Tubman Award
Bob Costello has indicated that the freight market has improved – but very slowly – since January. It must be said that ATA’s indices are dominated by contract freight as opposed to spot rates.
Now, however, with Republican control of both houses of Congress and the White House (and, some say, the Supreme Court) I am optimistic that trucking will get a fairer shake than it has during Biden’s term in office.