One trucking technology provider is expanding its lane departure warning capabilities with the addition of new partners. PeopleNet announced the addition of Takata SafeTrak and Mobileye to its network. Touted as one of the most effective safety technologies for drivers on the road, lane departure warning systems alert drivers as they are drifting out of lanes by monitoring driver behavior and road conditions. The technology also allows for fleet managers, for example, to review a driver’s performance and gauge his or her actions behind the wheel, particularly to Continue Reading

A new wave of technology has the potential to address up to 81 percent of all vehicle target crashes, according to the administrator of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA). Under development are “connected” vehicle systems that allow vehicles to communicate wirelessly with each other and with infrastructure, such as toll booths and traffic signals. Some of these Continue Reading

The U.S. and Mexico have finally made the cross-border trucking program official again. The top transportation leaders from both countries signed the agreement yesterday in Mexico City. Under the terms, Mexican trucks and drivers must comply with a litany of safety requirements. Drivers must submit to drug test and an English language assessment, for example. In return, Mexico agrees to lift a number of retaliatory tariffs it imposed on the U.S. when the previous cross-border trucking program was suspended in 2009. Then, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray Continue Reading

ESCO is making it easier to warn drivers, maintenance personnel and safety inspectors of potential problems with a new heat-sensitive decal affixed to the wheel/rim. When the white arrow becomes and remains bright orange, it could indicate an overheated wheel condition. If a problem with the wheel end, bearings or brakes is determined, then the decal will have to be replaced with a new one to continue to work effectively. The company warns Continue Reading

Last week, Nevada became the 34th state to ban texting and the ninth the prohibit all cell phone use while driving. This new law will take effect Jan. 1, 2012, with law enforcement issuing warnings beginning Oct. 1. Under the new law, violators face a fine of up to $100 for the first offense, up to $200 for the second offense, and up to $250 for the third offense. In addition, third-time offenders also can have their Continue Reading

While the American Trucking Associations and the Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association are calling for crashworthiness standards for cars and light trucks to be applied to heavy-duty Class 7 and 8 vehicles, some OEMs are already saying their final products independently meets even higher standards. Volvo’s trucks feature a three-point seat belt, a driver’s side airbag, and technologies that reconfigure the steering wheel and Continue Reading

Two prominent trucking lobbying groups are hoping the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will be open to applying their crashworthiness standards, currently applied to automobiles and light trucks, to commercial trucks as well. The American Trucking Associations and the Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association both petitioned the federal government last week to at least begin researching how such standards could help Continue Reading

Though many companies have written policies prohibiting the use of cell phones while driving, a recent study found that only a little more than half actually try to enforce them. Of the companies that do enforce compliance, the survey conducted by ZoomSafer, a provider of software that monitors distracted driving, found 61 percent rely on post-incident disciplinary measures, and only 2 percent use technology to measure and manage employee compliance proactively. Still, the company finds the fact that companies are concerned about safety encouraging, but to be Continue Reading

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) issued its final rule recently regarding commercial driver’s license knowledge and skills testing standards and establishing new minimum federal standards for states to issue a commercial learner’s permit. The final rule requires that a CLP holder meet virtually the same requirements as those for a CDL holder, meaning that a driver holding a CLP will be subject to the same driver disqualification penalties that apply to a CDL holder. Such changes are intended to boost safety by ensuring only qualified drivers are allowed to Continue Reading

New numbers released by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) show more and more commercial truck drivers are buckling up. In 2010, seat belt usage rose to 78 percent, up 4 percent from 2009. Overall, the numbers are up 14 percent from data collected in 2007. To derive these numbers, the FMSCA observed more than 26,000 commercial truck drivers at nearly 1,000 roadside stops across the nation. The report also showed that Continue Reading