Colonial Pipeline Incident
Additional Measures Taken to Help States Affected by Pipeline
The U.S. DOT announced Tuesday 5/12/2021 additional help for States in areas affected by the cyberattack on the Colonial Pipeline. The White House and DOT have determined that previous declarations of “major disaster” issued by the President within the past 120 days allow States covered by those declarations to use Interstate highways in their State to transport overweight loads of gasoline and other fuels.
FMCSA Responds to Unanticipated Shutdown of Colonial Pipeline
U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Administration Issues Temporary Hours of Service Exemption in Response to the Unanticipated Shutdown of the Colonial Pipeline.
Crash Analysis
Large Trucks are Involved in 1/3 of All Fatal Crashes Occurring in Work Zones
(4/26/2021) The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) today called on all drivers to “share work zones safely” by staying alert, obeying traffic signs and allowing all vehicles extra space as the nation’s annual roadway repair and construction season commences.
“Fatal crashes occurring in work zones are both tragic and absolutely preventable,” said FMCSA Deputy Administrator Meera Joshi. “I am especially concerned that large trucks continue to have a disproportional involvement in fatal crashes occurring in work zones – 33 percent – when large trucks comprise roughly five percent of vehicular traffic. Don’t allow yourself to become distracted, slow down, obey the signs and the instructions of flaggers and be courteous and safe by giving every vehicle
Record Roadway Fatalities Prompt CSC to Challenge Biden Administration
For the first time since 2007, as many as 42,060 people are estimated to have lost their lives in motor vehicle crashes in 2020, according to preliminary estimates from the National Safety Council (NSC).
This hard fact recently prompted the NSC to call on the Biden Administration to publicly commit to the elimination of U.S. roadway deaths by 2050. Joined by the Road to Zero Coalition, the nation’s largest coalition of traffic safety organizations, and other advocacy groups, the NSC timed its request for the same day President Biden released his new infrastructure plan. (www.truckinginfo.com)
National Work Zone Awareness Week
National Work Zone Awareness Week (NWZAW), April 26 – 30 this year, is an annual spring campaign held at the start of construction season encourages safe driving through highway work zones. The key message is for drivers to use extra caution in work zones.
Please talk with your drivers and encourage them to always drive defensively, particularly this summer when road construction and work zones will be at their peak. Here are some helpful links with downloadable material to assist you in promoting Work Zone Safety this summer:
Who are Safe Motor Carriers?
National Work Zone Awareness Week
Learn more about FMCSA’s consumer protection resources and tools to help identify reputable interstate household goods movers.
No April Fools Joke Here… FMCSA Enforcement Numbers Dropping Like a Rock
On April 1, 2021, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration posted its latest “Motor Carrier Safety Progress Report,” which provides a host of enforcement-related data for FYs 2019 and 2020. STC quickly noticed declining enforcement numbers and pulled the agency’s previous year “Progress Report” to see if this was a developing trend. After reviewing the FY 2018 data on the prior year’s report, the decline in enforcement activity became even more stark. Here’s what we discovered between FYs 2018 and 2020 (Scopelitis Transportation Consulting, LLC 4/21/2021):
CVSA Inspection Bulletin 2021-03 – Identifying the Motor Carrier
When completing an inspection report, a citation or a collision report, the inspector must correctly identify the motor carrier. The motor carrier does not necessarily own the truck. The motor carrier is the person or company contracted to move that load from one point to the next. The motor carrier is responsible for the truck, the driver and the load. This bulletin defines motor carriers and provides guidance on how to correctly identify and document a motor carrier on an inspection report.
FMCSA Road Safety Art Contest
Everyone on our roads has a responsibility to help keep each other safe. The annual FMCSA Road Safety Art Contest invites students to use their creativity to raise awareness of how to stay safe on the road, particularly when driving, biking, or walking around large trucks and buses.
This year, the contest has expanded to include students in grades K-12, with new submission categories including digital art, craft, video, and photography.
The 2021 contest is now open! Submit now through June 4, 2021. Download the Entry Form today!
Entry Level Driver Training Provider Requirements
Get Ready to Register with FMCSA’s New eLearning Course for Training Providers
The Training Provider Registry will help commercial driver’s license (CDL) applicants connect with training provider who are self-certified to provide required entry-level driver training. Sign up to receive news and updates from FMCSA about the Training Provider Registry and the new requirements for CDL applicants, training providers, and State Driver Licensing Agencies (SDLAs).