The FMCSA Is A Dark Cloud Over The Trucking Industry
On May 21, 2015 the FMCSA Deputy Administrator Daphne Jefferson delivered a speech to the Massachusetts Motor Transportation Association in Framingham, Massachusetts.
She opened up with the usual pleasantries, then went on to state that "Americans deserve a safe, efficient and reliable transportation system to power the economy and get us where we are going as safely as possible." That's well and fine, but Americans also deserve to be treated with respect and dignity as opposed to being treated like children, or worse yet slaves. That seems to be the approach that government uses today, as if they own us and we owe it to them to continue driving trucks to make a meager living. After all Gina McCarthy who is the Administrator for the EPA said"that is how government works — we tell you what you can do today." Some how these bureaucrats have mistaken the U.S. as a dictatorship instead of a Democracy.
Daphne Jefferson went on to quote statistics from FARS (Fatality Analysis Reporting System) saying that "in 2013, there were about 3,806 fatal crashes involving large trucks and buses, a 2 percent increase over the previous year," and that "4,251 people lost their lives in these crashes, a 1 percent increase over the previous year. What was an eye-opener for me is that large truck occupant fatalities have increased almost 40 percent since 2009, to 691 in 2013. More and more of your own are dying in crashes every year. We all need to step up our efforts to bring those numbers down." That is an interesting statement coming from an Administration lacking an administrator. Former Administrator Anne Ferro stated in her June 3, 2014 post that "truck related fatalities have increased 18 percent since 2009." Wow! In two and a half years truck related fatalities have increased 18% and in 3 years truck occupancy fatalities have increased to almost 40%. Those numbers are staggering!
What changed in the trucking industry that could make such a dramatic effect in the amount of truck related fatalities in 3 years? Well, let's see. The trucks that they are producing today are safer and better built trucks, truck safety inspections have been increasing at the scale houses and rest areas, and more than ever trucking companies are working harder at compliance. The one thing that could be creating such an increase in truck related fatalities is the CSA laws that the FMCSA has implemented since December of 2010, as well as their aggressive approach to coerce companies to use electronic logging devices. If their numbers are accurate, then in 2.5 years the truck related fatality rate has increased 18 percent, and Truck driver's and their passengers fatality rates have increased by 40%. By saying their aggressive approach to coerce trucking companies to use electronic logging devices, they have threatened carriers that they would shut them down if they didn't use electronic logging devices, while many other carriers are volunteering to go that route to gain favor in the event of a federal audit (scare tactics). Aparently the desired outcome of the CSA laws and the use of electronic devices have not come to fruition, in fact they have had the opposite effect. Daphne Jefferson reported that 691 more lives were lost to truck related fatalities in 2013 as opposed to how many were lost in 2010. Then she says that " ELDs are estimated to prevent about 20 fatalities and over 400 injuries each year." So let's get this straight, there is an increase of 691 truck related fatalities a year, and ELD's are going to save 20? She even stated that " more and more of your own are dying in crashes every year." The question is, who's responsible for this loss of life? The trucking industry? Or could it be the bad policy making of the FMCSA?
The FMCSA takes a leadership role in the trucking industry. It wasn't one that the industry asked for, it was one that is forced on the industry, and as time goes by we in the industry have lost confidence in the leadership of the FMCSA. They have transitioned from influential in the industry to a complete and total rule by force. That means with the implementation of impractical laws and the use of electronics in the business of trucking, we the drivers have lost all control to have a choice to do what we know is right, and are now being forced to stay at the wheel longer between rest periods, forced to drive in peak travel conditions, and are being forced to take rest breaks when they are not needed, and allowed to drive when rest breaks are needed. In fact trucking companies are demanding drivers to drive after a 10 hour break even though a driver didn't get a period of time to sleep during the break because they weren't ready to do so. People drive trucks as a means of income, they have families to care for, they have bills to pay too. Of course they are going to push themselves to drive when they are tired after being forced off the road by impractical laws and electronic devices when they weren't ready for a rest break. It's in our nature to do what we need to do to survive, but at least before the CSA laws, and before the use of electronic logging devices, we could pull off and get some rest when needed, without any consequence of any kind.
It's not like drivers are criminals. They don't start up their trucks thinking to be a menace to society. No, they are good hard working Americans that love their country, and are trying to earn an honest living, doing what they love to do, drive trucks. travel, and see this beautiful country we call the United States of America. They are grown men and women taking on the responsibilities of transporting commodities for the benefit of Government, corporations, and the people. Truck drivers make every attempt, as humanly possible, to be the safest drivers that they can be. They are expected to be perfect in an imperfect world. If safety is such a concern, then the FMCSA should open up to drivers and ask them questions on what can be done to improve safety on America's roads, after all it's the job we do every day. We of all people should know where improvements are needed. Drivers may tell them that a good place to start would be to make it illegal for municipalities to fine truck drivers, and retailers for overnight parking in shopping centers. That may help to create more parking availability for drivers when they are tired and need to find a safe and legal place to park. Would it be terribly bad to make it a point to paint some lines on the roads? So many roads in America are not properly marked to establish boundaries for lanes or the edge of the road, and it's hard to know where a person is suppose to be on a dark, rainy night when the roads are wet and visibility is limited. There are many good points that drivers may like to bring to the table to improve road safety for the general public and themselves. Unfortunately government takes no responsibility in their actions, but place a 100 percent of the responsibility on the drivers, and the trucking companies.
Safety doesn't start with laws, it starts with the individual responsibility of all traveling motorist. Safety is a matter of respect for the task at hand. We will not have better traveling conditions until people, truck drivers and the general public alike, learn to have respect for basic road rules and abide by them. We can obtain a safer means to travel upon America's roadways when we can educate truck drivers and the general public of the benefits of sharing the road, instead of the selfish behaviors that we see on the roads today of a me first attitude. Our first step as responsible individuals is to make the FMCSA see that they are wrong in their aggressive actions and that they need to take a better course of action. We as drivers know that we need laws to live by in order to maintain a functioning society, but we realize that laws must be practical, and functional for the purpose to allow a person the opportunity to choose the right course of action. At least when that was the case there was 691 less deaths on America's roads.
We as truck driver have been rewarding the FMCSA, and trucking companies with our work. The FMCSA have been getting away with their abusive behavior, and trucking companies refuse to stand up for themselves, because truck drivers continue to do the work requested of them, like loyal dogs. As long as we continue to tolerate their inadequacies then nothing will change for the greater good for drivers, and there will be increasing numbers in the fatality rates on America's roads. If discontinuing to work is not a viable option for you, then you may like to print this article out and send it to your two U.S. Senators and one Representative in Congress, and demand action be taken against the FMCSA, or write a letter in your own words outlining how the FMCSA has increased driving related fatalities. Either way, it is imperative that you take action action now, because one person can't make a difference, but we together as an industry of people can.