Trucks World News

Apr 9, 2011

SAFETY * USA - Trucking companies and drivers looking out for terrorism

Charlotte,NC,USA -WCNC/NewsChannel 36, by GREG ARGOS -April 8, 2011: -- Bob Fisher considers himself a road warrior. He's been in the trucking industry for 40 years and says he's seen security become the number one priority for truckers... That's because truckers could be easy targets for terrorists, since many carry hazardous materials long distances through large cities... This week, truckers from across the state and country brushed up on how best to do that. Speakers from the FBI, Homeland Security and the Transportation Security Administration met for a conference in Concord. The goal is to remind trucking companies to be vigilant about the people they hire, perform background checks, and monitor all dangerous loads...

* Trucking execs asked to be terror-aware. Experts at gathering cite area vulnerability to 'lone wolf' attacks.
Charlotte,NC,USA -The Charlotte Observer, by Franco Ordoñez -Apr. 07, 2011: -- A tractor-trailer filled with hazardous materials could be terrorists' next weapon of mass destruction, according to a panel of terrorism experts gathered in Concord Wednesday. And the group encouraged trucking executives to play the front line of defense in guarding against such an attack... More than 100 trucking executives attended the one-day security conference at Charlotte Motor Speedway that focused on improving ties between the government and industry leaders... The panel included experts from the FBI, Department of Homeland Security and Transportation Security Administration. Some speakers referred to truck drivers as "American road warriors" and "road patriots." They urged the executives to conduct extensive background checks on their drivers and look for unusual changes in their lifestyles, and to be aware of materials being transported to or from odd locations... One panelists pointed out how lethal a truck bomb can be, citing the 1993 attack when terrorists drove a rental van carrying a 1,500-pound bomb into the underground parking garage at the World Trade Center. The bombing killed six people and was intended to topple the buildings... Nichols said Charlotte is popular with crime syndicates because of its central location and proximity to major highways connecting other major cities such as Atlanta and Washington, D.C...

Labels: safety

Feb 26, 2011

SAFETY * Canada - Alberta truckers safe drivers: official

While U.S. figures revealed that thousands of Canadian trucking firms have violated regulations south of the border, Alberta officials say the industry's safety record is good

Edmonton,ALB,CAN -CBC News -Feb 23, 2011: -- A CBC News investigation has revealed that thousands of Canadian trucking companies have been violating U.S. road safety rules by not keeping proper records and driving longer than is allowed... Data from the U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration showed that thousands of Canadian carriers violated key parts of the hours of service and logbook rules in 2009 and 2010. Alberta-based companies accounted for 78 of those violations... Those numbers are evidence of a systemic problem within the Canadian trucking industry, said Winnipeg-based trucker Michael Arpin. Drivers are often pressured to be on the road for 26 hours straight — leaving them fatigued and accident prone, he said... But according to Alberta officials, the vast majority of trucking companies operating in this province have good safety records, and collisions involving a tractor-trailer unit are relatively rare... Of the more than 24,000 trucking companies registered in Alberta, 142 had unsatisfactory provincial safety ratings last year, based on such things as mechanical inspections and proper log book entries, Trent Bancarz, a spokesman for Alberta Transportation, said. Ninety of those firms resolved the problems to the province's satisfaction. But 52 companies had their safety fitness certificates revoked, meaning they could no longer operate in Alberta... (Photo from farm3.static.flickr: Coutts, Alberta, Canada, border with USA)

Labels: safety

Dec 10, 2010

SAFETY * USA - Feds May Order All Light Duty Vehicles to Have Backup Cameras by 2014

Congress required auto safety upgrades in 2008, in response to dozens of cases of children getting backed over by cars

Washington,DC,USA -The Detroit News -December 3, 2010: -- Law named for Cameron Gulbransen, 2-year-old NY boy killed when father backed over him. Nearly 300 people killed and 18K injured each year because of backovers. Nearly 1/2 the deaths involve children under age 5; crashes also affect the elderly. Family member responsible for the death in about 70% of cases... Transportation Department proposing new requirements to improve rear visibility by 2014 model year... Automakers have been adding video cameras and object detection sensors to vehicles. Backup cameras optional on most vehicles; about 20% of 2010 vehicles w/ cameras onboard... Government proposal expected to be completed next year after public comment period. Under plan, 10% of vehicles must meet standards by 2012 model year, 40% in 2013, all vehicles by 2014... Rules apply to all passenger cars, SUVs, Pickups, minivans, other vehicles up to 10K lbs... (Photo: Backover child)

Labels: safety

Nov 3, 2010

SAFETY * Ireland - NCBI calls for minimum noise standards on electric vehicles

Dublin,Ireland -HGV Ireland -November 3, 2010: -- The National Council for the Blind of Ireland (NCBI) has called on the Government to implement minimum noise standards on electric vehicles to improve public safety... The call comes following the announcement a deal between Toyota and the government to trial a new electric vehicle (Prius Plug-in Hybrid) in the Irish market... The NCBI has welcomed the move, but said that clear legislation should be introduced which obliges vehicle manufacturers and importers of vehicles to adopt external sound technologies that have minimum noise level criterion and emit a certain standardised sound, to ensure public safety – particularly for vision impaired and blind people... The NCBI said the safety concern is because most people with impaired vision rely heavily on their hearing when crossing roads and use the noise of oncoming traffic as a cue for when it is safe to cross a road. The general public also use similar cues to alert them to use sub-conscious ways of measuring dangers and providing for their own safety... (Image from t3.gstatic)

Labels: safety

SAFETY * USA - Congressman to introduce bill to screen all cargo aboard planes

Both FedEx and UPS have suspended shipments from Yemen

Washington,DC,USA -Fleet Owner -Nov 1, 2010: -- Following Friday’s thwarted terrorist attempt by cargo plane, Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-MA) is seeking to close “loopholes” in the United States’ air cargo system. Markey is vowing to introduce legislation that would require security screening of all cargo on cargo planes as soon as Congress goes back into session following tomorrow’s mid-term elections... The attempted attack was identified by a tip from a Saudi Arabia official. U.S. authorities believe the packages, which both originated in Yemen, were the work of Al Qaeda and were destined for a synagogue and a Jewish center in Chicago... FedEx said authorities in Dubai found a suspicious package at a FedEx facility on Friday, and in cooperating with authorities... (Photo from 3.bp.blogspot.com: FedEx and UPS may be competitors, but their delivery drivers get along fine)

Labels: safety, trucks and terrorism

Sep 30, 2010

TRUCKS SAFETY * USA & Canada - Want to cut emissions quickly? Use the right tires

Stockholm,Sweden -Fleet Owners, by Brian Straight -September 29th, 2010: -- A new study conducted by Volvo Trucks and Michelin over in Europe claims that using the wrong tires and having improper wheel alignment can increase carbon dioxide emissions by as much as 14.5%... The study was conducted using two Volvo FH 4×2 trucks, each equipped with a 500 hp., 13-litre Euro 5 engine, and hauling a fully loaded trailer. The rigs each weighed 40 tons. One rig was driven with a variety of incorrect wheel alignment settings while the other used optimally aligned wheels and with standard tractor and trailer tires supplied by Michelin... The test truck was also run with various tyres and various tyre pressures. The testing was reviewed by Mats Lidbeck from the Technical Research Institute of Sweden, who served as an independent auditor of the testing... The companies found several interesting facts, not the least of which is that using the correct tire can cut fuel consumption 11% with correct tire inflation reducing it another 1%... The study also revealed that another 2.5% of fuel can be eliminated by properly aligning the wheels... The keys to cutting carbon emissions when it comes to tires are simple: Low-rolling resistance tires, maintaining proper inflation, and keeping vehicles aligned. Managers spend plenty of time spec’ing the right equipment for their application. It’s also important to spec the right tires and then properly maintain them once the vehicle hits the road... (Photo from o.aolcdn: Penny tire thread check)

* DC,USA - Senators push for EOBRs in all trucks

Washington,DC,USA -Land Line Magazine, by Jami Jones -Sept. 29, 2010: -- If Senators Mark Pryor and Lamar Alexander get their way, all trucks will have electronic on-board recorders installed... They introduced Senate Bill today that if passed into law would mandate that 100 percent of all “commercial motor vehicles involved in interstate commerce and subject to hours of service be equipped with EOBRs” ... Spencer also points out that EOBRs of any kind will require input from the drivers. That interaction alone is enough to show that the black boxes cannot be any more reliable in documenting true HOS compliance than paper logs... The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration adopted a regulation that will mandate the use of the devices for motor carriers with a record of chronic noncompliance with the HOS regs... The regulation mandates EOBRs for motor carriers with a 10 percent or greater violation rate of the hours-of-service regulations. The EOBR rule officially went into effect June 4. The compliance deadline for the regulation is June 4, 2012... (Photo from mobiletechnology)

* DC, USA - Five major U.S. trucking companies endorse EOBRs for all commercial trucks

Washington,DC,USA -Logistic Management, by John D. Schulz -September 29, 2010: -- Five leading U.S. trucking companies are calling for federal regulations that would require all interstate trucking companies to install electronic on-board recorders (EOBRs) on all their trucks to verify legal duty status of their drivers... The companies endorsing the bill are five giants in the truckload sector—Schneider National (second-largest TL carrier by revenue), U.S. Xpress (fourth largest), J.B. Hunt Transportation Services (fifth largest), Knight Transportation (10th largest), and Maverick USA, a major flatbed carrier with more than $300 million in revenue... (Image from lm.ehpub: EOBR story)

* USA - OOIDA blasts proposal to require EOBRs in all trucks. "There is no data to show that EOBRs will increase highway safety", says OOIDA official Todd Spencer

Grain Valley,MO,USA -The Trucker -30 Sept 2010: -- The proposed Senate bill to require all commercial trucks to operate with electronic on-board recorders drew fire Thursday from the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association... OOIDA officials said while the proposal might sound good on paper, EOBRs are no better than paper logbooks for tracking truckers’ hours of service, despite claims by some entities “that will cash in on a government mandate... OOIDA noted that in June the organization filed a legal challenge of an EOBR regulation by FMCSA that will mandate the use of the devices for motor carriers with a record of chronic non-compliance with hours of service regulations...

* Canada - RCMP officials alarmed about the safety of certain lift axle semi-trailers. Road tests raising alarm

Edmonton,ALB,CAN -The Vancouver Sun/Edmonton Journal, by Darcy Henton -September 29, 2010: -- RCMP officials are alarmed about the safety of certain lift axle semi-trailers in the wake of two fatalities in Alberta... Tests conducted two weeks ago showed trucks pulling trailers with some designs of lift axles — which can be raised from the pavement to minimize wear and tear when the truck is unloaded — take nearly twice as long to stop under some conditions and the weight on their axles reached levels that could overstress both axles and tires... RCMP Cpl. Barry Red Iron, the RCMP's forensic collision reconstructionist for southern Alberta, said he began looking into lift axle truck safety after a May 25 crash near Granum, Alta., about 150 kilometres south of Calgary, in which one man was killed and another seriously injured when a motorcycle collided with a semi-trailer truck... He said the lift axle system likely was not a factor in that crash because the trailer was empty, but the Granum fatality and a second one in Calgary raised enough concern to prompt tests at Edmonton Garrison in May and at a testing facility on Sept. 14... The test results shocked truckers and owners of trucking firms. Some said the units that failed the test should be recalled and manufacturers should be advised of the issue and required to address it...

Labels: drivers safety, safety

Aug 21, 2010

SAFETY * Germany - Researchers develop new thermoplastic fiber composite material to build safer cars

Pfinztal,Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg, Germany -Gizmag (USA), by Darren Quick - August 18, 2010: -- Vehicles used to be predominantly made of steel, but to reduce weight and cost today’s vehicles are now built from a mixture of materials including steels, aluminum and fiber-reinforced plastics. Highly stressed load-bearing structures and crash components constructed from composites are designed to buckle on impact to help reinforce the body and protect the vehicle‘s occupants in the event of a collision. But these materials tend to chip into sharp-edged splinters on impact. Researchers have now found a way for the automotive industry to mass-produce a particularly safe class of materials that can absorb the enormous forces generated in a collision without splintering... Currently used composites constructed using a thermoset matrix not only tend to splinter, they are also difficult to mass produce efficiently and cannot be recycled. Researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology (ICT) claim to have now found a solution to these problems by developing a new class of materials designed for large-scale use in vehicle construction called thermopastic fiber composites... Not only can they be shredded, melted down and reused to produce high quality parts, they have also been found to perform significantly better in crash tests. When reinforced with textile structures they absorb the forces generated in a collision through viscoelastic deformation of the matrix material – without splintering... The Fraunhofer researchers have named their technique “thermoplastic RTM” (T-RTM). It is derived from the conventional RTM (Resin Transfer Molding) technique for thermoset fiber composites and forms the composite in a single step... The researchers say that the cost of the thermoplastic matrix material and the cost of its processing are up to 50 percent lower than the equivalent costs for thermoset structures. Over the next few years the researchers anticipate that these kinds of components will start to be used in vehicle and machine construction as well as in the leisure industry... (Image: wrhowell via Flickr - Researchers say their new material won't splinter like the bumper of this Toyota)

Labels: safety

Jan 11, 2010

SAFETY * Australia - Trucks are safe, owners insist

Tullamarine,VIC,Australia -Farm On Line -8 Jan, 2010: -- The trucking industry has rejected accusations that its safety standards are slipping, arguing that a combination of better roads, improved driver education and increased use of rail will accelerate the existing decline in the road toll... Trucking companies including giants such as Linfox and Toll, as well as single owner-operators, say the industry is safer and will play a growing role in freight shipments as the economy grows, despite recent high-profile accidents... The Australian Trucking Association's NSW manager, Jill Lewis, said calls this week from the Rail, Tram and Bus Union to ban the road shipment of dangerous goods represented a "knee-jerk reaction"... With many in the industry expecting demand for freight haulage to double by 2020, more regulation without investment in infrastructure would push up prices of key items such as fuel and food, she said... (Photo from sl.farmonline)

* NSW - RTA urged to impose 24-hour truck checks

Sydney,NSW,Australia -The Sydney Morning Herald, by ANDREW WEST -January 12, 2010: -- The NSW Roads and Traffic Authority should operate truck checking stations 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to increase safety on all heavy vehicles, the Public Service Association says... As the State Government searches for ways to stem the holiday road toll, the association says permanently staffing the stations would have a big impact on road safety, especially between Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane... There are seven heavy vehicle checking stations across the state, and four - Mount Boyce, Mount White, Marulan, 12 Mile Creek - are fitted with automated equipment, such as Safe-T-Cams, to measure the speed and weight of trucks. Another three - Chinderah, Bell and Kankool - are manual stations...

Labels: safety

Jan 8, 2010

SAFETY * UK - Some VOSA checkpoints 'in wrong places'

London,UK -Road Transport, by Roger Brown -10 January 2010: -- VOSA's effectiveness is being hampered by some of its roadside checkpoints being located in the wrong places, according to the latest report from the National Audit Office (NAO)... In its publication Enforcement of Regulations on Commercial Vehicles, the government spending watchdog says that due to changes in the road network, a number of stopping sites are no longer positioned at strategically important locations... In its study, the NAO adds that VOSA's ability to target risky commercial vehicles entering the UK is limited because the organisation cannot always inspect incoming vehicles at ports, combined with a lack of access to ship manifests and other information held by government...

UK - Police HGV targets drivers, filming truck drivers who use their mobile phones while driving

London,UK - HGV Ireland -January 8, 2010: -- Central Motorway Police have confirmed that they are targeting truckers committing offences, which could put the public in danger... Complete with flashing lights the Police HGV has been introduced to help clamp down on lorry drivers that might be using their mobile phones while on move or watching a crafty DVD!... Until now Police could not see up into the cabs from their patrol cars, but the HGV offers the additional height required... The truck has one officer riding shotgun armed with a camera to film any wrong doing...

* UK - Drivers urged to check effects of medicines

London,UK -HGV Ireland -January 7, 2010: -- UK drivers will be warned about the potential effects of medicines in a new THINK! campaign launched by Road Safety Minister, Paul Clark, today... One million leaflets will be distributed through 2,600 Boots stores while medicine bags will be labelled with stickers prompting drivers to check with their doctor or pharmacist that they are safe to drive while taking their medicines... This follows a major TV, radio and online campaign in August 2009 to target the irresponsible minority who drive while under the influence of illegal drugs... Paul Clark said: “We have already run a hard-hitting campaign to tackle those who drive after taking illegal drugs. But it is not just illegal drugs which can affect your driving. Some medicines may cause drowsiness and impair judgement, increasing the risk of an accident...

Labels: safety

Jun 19, 2009

TRUCKERS' SAFETY * USA - OOIDA supports bill that would allow truckers to protect themselves

Washington,DC,USA -Land Line Magazine, by Clarissa Kell-Holland -17 June 2009: -- On Friday, June 12, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association sent a letter of support to a lawmaker who has introduced a bill in the U.S. Senate that would allow drivers to protect themselves while out on the road... The bill was introduced by Sen. John Thune, R-SD, and has 22 co-sponsors, and seeks to allow “citizens who have concealed carry permits from the state in which they reside to carry concealed firearms in another state that grants concealed carry permits, if the individual complies with the laws of the state.”... On average, OOIDA members are away from home more than 240 nights per year. A Land Line poll found that more than 40 percent of respondents had either had “close calls” or had found themselves victims of violence while parked... OOIDA President, Jim Johnston, said that even though truckers are susceptible to harm and theft, “they are effectively prohibited from carrying a weapon to defend themselves because of the lack of consistent reciprocity between jurisdictions"... (Photo from parking-net.com: Truck parking)

Labels: safety, truckers' adventures

Jun 11, 2009

Trailer Carnage * Japan - Spurs calls for tougher laws

A recent succession of sometimes fatal crashes by trailers carrying freight containers has prompted calls for a lower speed limit and strict loading regulations for the hazardous vehicles

Tokyo,Japan -The Asahi Shimbun -10 June 2009: -- Experts and transport industry groups say that until laws are amended, similar tragedies will continue to unfold on the roads irrespective of any fault on the part of drivers... The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism said there were at least 222 accidents involving trailers between 2001 and May 22 this year... In 85 cases--or 38.3 percent--the accidents were caused when the trailers rolled onto their side or their cargo containers fell off... The president of an Osaka freight shipper who has previously driven trailers said tough work conditions encouraged drivers to be reckless... "You can't lock some (containers) because they're disfigured or corroded," he said. "And when drivers can't lock them, they feel they have to take off anyway because cargo owners are so strict about time."... The system of pay used at many freight companies is also a contributing factor, industry analysts say... "Some companies adopt a pay system in which 80 percent of a driver's paycheck is based on the piece rate," said a driver who has nearly a decade of experience with trailers... "If your pay is low, you tend to go at a higher speed."... (Photo from yamabushi: Container glut)

Labels: safety

Feb 5, 2009

SAFETY * USA - "Hey! Your tires are on fire"...

... drivers tell trucker on I-80 near Stroudsburg

Stroudsburg,PA,USA -The Pocono Record - February 03, 2009: -- Truck driver Edwin Williams doesn’t know how much farther he would have driven, unaware that the rear tires on his trailer were aflame, if motorists Joe and Janice Carucci hadn’t alerted him... Williams was heading west on Interstate 80 at about 7:15 a.m., hauling a shipping container filled with paper towels, when the Caruccis sped up beside him and signaled to him that his rear driver-side tires were on fire... Williams pulled over at Exit 304 in Stroud Township and the Caruccis helped him disconnect his cab from his trailer. All three then drove their vehicles a safe distance away from the trailer... The rising smoke from the burning tires could be seen from at least a half-mile away as other motorists got safely into the passing lane. Minutes later, one of the tires exploded... The Caruccis drive for a trucking company called Prime Inc. in Missouri...

COMMENT: from Runbum03 -February 04, 2009: "The proper response to a truck tire fire is to continue driving until the tire fire burns out. Do not stop if you do not have to. Check with your safety department and they will confirm this. By all means call 911 and stop if a fire truck is near; but if not, the fire will burn out. Suppose the tire... "

Labels: safety

Nov 9, 2008

New Technology * USA - Expected to make trucks safer

Toronto,Ontario,Canada -The Toronto Star, by Tess Kalinowski -Nov 07, 2008: -- ... The experts say that better technology and reduced speeds could prevent many of the rollovers that snarl traffic and cost lives on GTA highways... Next year, devices that limit speed for trucks will be mandatory on Ontario highways... Electronic stabilizers that will slow a truck even before the driver can feel the vehicle tipping also deserve a look, says OPP Chief Superintendent Bill Grodzinski... Such stabilizers, already standard in one major manufacturer's trucks, are also widely used in cars and SUVs...

Labels: safety

May 16, 2008

HEAVIER TRUCKS DEBATE * USA - Safety advocates oppose program allowing they

The Arkansas Trucking Association, said people must decide whether they want more trucks on the road, or fewer trucks carrying heavier loads

Washington,DC,USA -The Arkansas News (Little Rock,AR,USA), by Sara Spivey -May 15, 2008: -- Officials from insurance and safety groups protested efforts by shipping and trucking industries to establish a test program that would allow larger rigs to carry heavier loads... The trucking industry is advocating a pilot plan that would permit freight trucks to transport an additional 17,000 pounds along roads in Maine, Minnesota, Georgia, South Carolina, Texas and Wisconsin... Federal law currently limits trucks driving on interstate highways to 80,000 pounds... More than 300,000 tons of freight is driven through Arkansas every day. The state is home to four major trucking companies and 84,000 trucking and distribution employees... Lane Kidd, president of the Arkansas Trucking Association, said people must decide whether they want more trucks on the road, or fewer trucks carrying heavier loads... (Video from YouTube, by Darbkin - April 15, 2007: "Extremely heavy hauling to Fort McMurray, Alberta" - These coker ovens weigh more than 500 tons, 10 meters in diameter, 80 meters long, are are on their way from Edmonton to the oilsands plants at Fort McMurray. They have as many as 7 tractors pulling and pushing, the Scheurle trailer units have 160 wheels each. Travel speed is from 10-30 kmh... Two companies handle the hauling, Mammoet Transportation Inc. and Premay Equipment Ltd. in Edmonton)

* Trucking-shipper group lobbies for larger trucks

Washington,DC,USA -Today's Trucking (CAN) -15 May 2008: -- A coalition of about 30 trucking carriers, shippers, and manufacturers is in Washington in an attempt to convince Congress to adopt several demonstration pilot projects involving larger trucks in select U.S. states... The plan could be written into an upcoming congressional highway reauthorization bill. The current highway bill is scheduled to expire in September of 2009. Americans for Safe and Efficient Transportation -- which includes several state trucking associations -- is targeting Maine, Minnesota, Wisconsin, South Carolina and Georgia to experiment with larger, heavier trucks. Texas also remains a strong possibility to be added... Flanked by the usual smattering of trucking industry critics -- like the Truck Safety Coalition, a partnership of Citizens for Reliable and Safe Highways (CRASH) and Parents Against Tired Truckers (P.A.T.T.) -- Public Citizen President Joan Claybrook held a press conference to urge Congress to ignore the business coalition's proposals... Of course, basic economic logic would suggest that the number of trucks on the roadways is a response to economic activity and growing freight demand, not the other way around... (Photo: A campaign to allow bigger trucks on US highways has attracted the usual gathering of critics and watchdogs)

Labels: safety

May 13, 2008

Which is the priority? * Singapore - Life's Safety or cost?

Belt Up? It's not practical - Construction workers at 'greater risk' than school kids but experts disagree on what to do

Singapore -The Electric New Paper, by Elysa Chen -May 12, 2008: -- The tragic death of 8-year-old Russell Koh, who was flung out of a minibus last month, has left many clamouring for seatbelts to be installed in all school buses... And while this is a pressing issue, some are questioning if the safety of workers being carried in open-top lorries should be looked into as well... Dr Lee Dar Hong, associate professor of civil engineering at the National University of Singapore (NUS), believes that construction workers are in 'even greater danger than school children'... He pointed out that the space at the back of the lorries, where workers sit, is meant for cargo, not passengers... He felt that although the increased cost might be an issue for companies, 'it should not be a concern if we value the lives of the workers'... Dr Lee's worry for the safety of construction workers is not unfounded... In January, 53 foreign workers were injured in a multiple-lorry collision in Tuas... It has been reported that 184 passengers on the cargo decks of lorries were hurt last year, with two deaths... In 2006, there were 81 injuries and five fatalities... (The Straits Times - Risky cargo: Workers travelling like this may be putting themselves in danger without realising it)

Labels: safety

Mar 11, 2008

Alert for Rail Crossings * Australia - Transport groups explore systems

Melbourne,Australia -ATN -11 March 2008: -- A landmark decision has been taken by peak transport industry bodies to collaborate in a project to develop and apply intelligent transport systems (ITS) technologies to reduce rail crossing crashes in Australia... Announced at the inaugural ITS for Railway Level Crossing Workshop, hosted jointly by Intelligent Transport Systems Australia (ITS Australia) and the Australasian Railway Association (ARA) recently in Melbourne, the project will bring together key stakeholder groups to focus on both immediate solutions using current technologies, and long term solutions employing purpose built technologies... "Perhaps other ITS technologies should be deployed to help change driver behaviour at the critical decision point by making real time information available to alert drivers to either a safe crossing, or danger and the need for action. This can be achieved easily with infrastructure to vehicle communication, or with GPS navigation units," says ITS Australia Executive Director Terry Warin."Road side to vehicle transmitters already exist in many parts of Australia for monitoring freight movements and GPS units are becoming increasingly popular. We know where every rail crossing in Australia is located. By installing GPS units in locomotives, the progress of trains toward level crossings will be monitored in real time"... "To complete the link, communication would be established between the units in the locomotive and the approaching vehicle. This means both drivers receive an alert in real time that there is not only a level crossing ahead, but that there is danger because the train and vehicle are converging"...

Labels: safety

Mar 10, 2008

SAFETY * USA - Truckers to review snow-removal ideas in wake of Conn. concerns

Hartford,Conn,USA -Associated Press/Newsday (Long Island,NY), by STEPHANIE REITZ -March 9, 2008: -- The country's leading trucking industry group says it will seek new ways to help truckers in Connecticut and nationwide remove ice and snow from atop their rigs without endangering themselves. The American Trucking Associations said in a letter to Gov. M. Jodi Rell last week that big-rig drivers share her concerns about dangers that airborne snow and ice pose to other drivers. Former Kansas Gov. Bill Graves, head of the ATA, said it is asking the American Transportation Research Institute to study the issue, and to suggest new technology or equipment that helps truckers clear their roofs without the dangers of slipping off... The move comes as Connecticut legislators consider penalties for drivers who cause crashes or injuries specifically because they neglected to clear their vehicles' roofs...

Labels: safety

Mar 1, 2008

Road Safety * Australia - $70million package.

Mr Albanese said he was shocked after learn that Australia was unlikely to achieve a target stated in 2000 to reduce road deaths by 40 per cent by 2010

Sydney,Australia -The Australian, by Matthew Franklin -March 1, 2008: -- Devices that monitor the working hours of truck drivers and the speed of their vehicles will be tested as part of a $70million road safety package... The funding will also be used to help states build more truck rest-stops and parking areas along highways and upgrade freight routes so trucks can carry bigger loads... Federal Transport Minister Anthony Albanese unveiled the package yesterday after a meeting with state transport ministers... Mr Albanese said he was shocked after the Rudd Government took office late last year to learn that Australia was unlikely to achieve a target stated in 2000 to reduce road deaths by 40 per cent by 2010...

Labels: safety

Feb 22, 2008

SAFETY * USA - Group ranks states on safety legislation

Grain Valley,MO,USA -Land Line Magazine -February 21, 2008: -- The group Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety has issued its annual grade card on which states have adopted what it considers to be key highway safety legislation, such as required seat belts and motorcycle helmets... The AHAS is composed of consumer, safety, law enforcement and insurance organizations. The group called for extensive and uniform safety laws in all 50 states and said the government should withhold federal highway funds from those states that are slow to act... Most states have adopted at least 6 of the 15 model laws the group supports... Although the report found that no state has adopted all 15 traffic safety measures, it gave grades of “green” – the highest score – to the following 17 states that came the closest with 11 or more laws: Alabama, California, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee and Washington. The District of Columbia received a green rating, as well...

Labels: safety

Feb 16, 2008

Safety Agency * China - Criticizes "grim" chemical transport conditions

Beijing,China- Xinhua -15 Feb 2008: -- The State Administration of Work Safety (SAWS) criticized "grim" chemical transportation safety conditions on Friday and asked local authorities to draw lessons from a series of sulfuric acid accidents in Yunnan..... SAWS, in a notice on its website, said that the safety situation in chemical transportation remained grim, and it blamed the management of cargo carriers, who frequently allowed overloading and fatigued drivers... Three sulfuric acid spills occurred within 15 days in the southwestern province of Yunnan, two involving the same company in less than a day... Preliminary investigations by SAWS indicated that the tanker had been seriously overloaded and the driver was tired after long hours on slippery roads...

Labels: safety

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Apr 9, 2011

SAFETY * USA - Trucking companies and drivers looking out for terrorism

Feb 26, 2011

SAFETY * Canada - Alberta truckers safe drivers: official

Dec 10, 2010

SAFETY * USA - Feds May Order All Light Duty Vehicles to Have Backup Cameras by 2014

Nov 3, 2010

SAFETY * Ireland - NCBI calls for minimum noise standards on electric vehicles

SAFETY * USA - Congressman to introduce bill to screen all cargo aboard planes

Sep 30, 2010

TRUCKS SAFETY * USA & Canada - Want to cut emissions quickly? Use the right tires

Aug 21, 2010

SAFETY * Germany - Researchers develop new thermoplastic fiber composite material to build safer cars

Jan 11, 2010

SAFETY * Australia - Trucks are safe, owners insist

Jan 8, 2010

SAFETY * UK - Some VOSA checkpoints 'in wrong places'

Jun 19, 2009

TRUCKERS' SAFETY * USA - OOIDA supports bill that would allow truckers to protect themselves

Jun 11, 2009

Trailer Carnage * Japan - Spurs calls for tougher laws

Feb 5, 2009

SAFETY * USA - "Hey! Your tires are on fire"...

Nov 9, 2008

New Technology * USA - Expected to make trucks safer

May 16, 2008

HEAVIER TRUCKS DEBATE * USA - Safety advocates oppose program allowing they

May 13, 2008

Which is the priority? * Singapore - Life's Safety or cost?

Mar 11, 2008

Alert for Rail Crossings * Australia - Transport groups explore systems

Mar 10, 2008

SAFETY * USA - Truckers to review snow-removal ideas in wake of Conn. concerns

Mar 1, 2008

Road Safety * Australia - $70million package.

Feb 22, 2008

SAFETY * USA - Group ranks states on safety legislation

Feb 16, 2008

Safety Agency * China - Criticizes "grim" chemical transport conditions