The Virginia rest areas closed as a cost-cutting measure, then re-opened by current Gov. Bob McDonnell to make good on a campaign promise are the subject of another budget battle. Actually, all of the the state’s rest areas must find ways to reduce costs. McDonnell has a few ideas of his own, but is waiting for Continue Reading

Of the 29 states that have enacted texting bans, Massachusetts may just be the toughest. The New England state is the latest to ban the latest driving distraction wrought of technology. According to the bill, adults will be fined $100 for the first offense, $250 for the second and $500 for the third. Teen-aged drivers are subject to the same fines, but will also face license suspensions of Continue Reading

Despite its praise for the efforts of Comprehensive Safety Analysis (CSA) 2010, the American Trucking Association voiced some of its concerns before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Highways and Transit last week. These concerns specifically relate to safety and equality. For example, the ATA suggested determining causation of a crash before entered into drivers’ records so Continue Reading

A stronger anti-texting law in Louisiana is garnering praise from the U.S. Department of Transportation. Beginning Aug. 15, drivers caught texting while driving can be pulled over, rather than being merely ticketed for it if pulled over for another offense. Unchanged from the state’s original 2008 ban, drivers face fines of Continue Reading

An estimated 70,000 safety inspections were conducted during a 72-hour blitz known as Operation Roadcheck last week in the U.S., Canada and parts of Mexico. Sponsored by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), the effort helps unite law enforcement and regulatory agencies and sharpen their ability to hone in on violations. But it also benefits the trucking industry as well, some say. By Continue Reading

Meritor WABCO is taking its commitment to safety to the streets, offering demonstrations of its latest safety technologies to fleet managers and supervisors, owner-operators, and truck and trailer dealers. Its Roll Stability Support system, RSSplus, is specifically for trailers. The system works by monitoring trailer wheel speed, lateral acceleration and Continue Reading

A global driver risk-management firm contends that safety groups and government agencies may have dropped the signal on truly addressing driver distraction and correcting dangerous behavior. DriveCam Inc.’s analysis of in-cab video and other data streams from over 2 billion miles of vehicle operation indicate that handheld cell phones are the most Continue Reading

A Maine logging and trucking contractor is throwing his weight around, determined to prove to legislators that increasing weight limits on the state’s interstates would boost efficiency and public safety. The project measured the performance of two trucks laden with 99,800 lbs on the non-Interstate route, where higher weight limits were already approved, and a stretch of I-95, where gross vehicle weight limits were Continue Reading

Undertaking yet another move to boost safety on the nation’s roadways, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced its Pre-Employment Screening Program for professional drivers, a move applauded by the American Trucking Associations (ATA). Screenings will provide motor carriers with up to five years of Continue Reading

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) will delay the launch of its measurement tool intended to improve safety, but officials insists it will be rolled out in 2010. Once expected to be unveiled in June, the Comprehensive Safety Analysis (CSA 2010) won’t be unveiled until November. CSA 2010 will utilize a scoring system Continue Reading