Texting

Drivers of commercial trucks and busses are now banned from sending text messages or emails via mobile phones while driving, according to federal guidelines issued by the US Secretary of Transportation.  Effective immediately, truck and bus drivers who text while driving commercial vehicles are subject to civil or criminal penalties of up to $2750, according to the Department of Transportation.

The action was a result of the Department's interpretation of standing rules.  "Our regulations will help prevent unsafe activity with the cab," said Anne Ferr, Administrator for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). "We want to make it crystal clear to operators and their employers that texting while driving is the type of unsafe activity that these regulations are intended to prohibit."

FMCSA research shows that drivers who send and receive text messages take their eyes off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds out of every 6 seconds while texting.  At 55 mph, this means that the driver is traveling the length of a football field, including the end zones without looking at the road.  Drivers who text while driving are more then 20 times more likely to get in an accident then non-distracted drivers.  Because of the safety risks associated with the use of electronic devices while driving.  FMCSA is also working on additional regulatory measures that will be announced in the coming months.

Today the FMCSA is sending a strong message:  We don't EXPECT you to share the road responsibly with other travelers - we REQUIRE you to do so.

Taken from the USDOT Web site.

Cell phone Usage and/or text messaging while driving is banned or restricted in Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Washington and the District of Columbia.

Taken from the Minnesota Trucking Association Magazine

New Jersey Idling Law

Beginning in New Jersey on May 1, no diesel-powered  vehicles will be allowed to idle unless they have a model year 2007 or newer engine, or have to be retrofitted with a Diesel Particulate filter that is connected and properly functioning and are complying with hours-of-service regulations.  Currently, all diesel - powered vehicles are permitted to idle while stationary for up to three consecutive minutes.  Idleling citations in New Jersey include penalties ranging from $100 for the first violation up to $1500 for a fourth or subsequent violation.  A Compliance Alert will be issued by the state within the next few weeks and the American Transportation Research Institute have released and updated version of its idling regulations compendium with information about the new rules in New Jersey and elsewhere.  The New Jersey Motor Truck Association is continuing it efforts to extend the anti-idling exemption as provided. under the law. 

DOT. Audit

We had another visit in our Audubon Office, from the D.O.T.  They did a complete audit of R & R Transportation and we are proud to say that we were granted a "Satisfactory" rating again, with no fines applied.  The officer was very adamant in stressing the point that he did have any issue with the driver's logging too fast for the recommended/governed speed.  Notes of this concern were made in our file.  Be aware that this is something the DOT will continue to observe in future audits, so remember, logging speed is 3 - 5 miles under the posted speed limit, an officer could write a violation on this and/or a speeding ticket to the driver.

The officer also assessed a driver's license that had in fact been suspended and the driver had kept driving.  This was a "driver" violation rather then a "company" violation so therefore the driver would be fined.  Drivers need to make sure that someone is monitoring their incoming postal mail. Failure to respond to any notifications by mail from a state licensing department most always means suspension.

Also be aware that your EZ-Pass can easily be tagged when crossing a state line and later checked for miles/hours.  If you are driving too fast you can be sited for a violation..

Comprehensive Safety Analysis

During our D.O.T. audit we were introduced briefly to the CSA 2010, which is a new approach to assessing a motor carrier's safety performance.  The biggest changes with this new assessment, each carrier is measured under seven Behavior Analysis & Safety Improvement Categories-Unsafe Driving, Fatigued Driving, Driver Fitness, Crash History, Vehicle Maintenance, Improper Loading/Cargo Securement and Controlled Substances and Alcohol.  As drivers, the biggest change that this new system will bring about is that both carriers and drivers will be assessed.  In fact with the new system a driver's performance will be tagged to the driver and will then follow the driver as they are employed by different carriers.

Illinois State Police Using the Photo Radar in Work Zones

Illinois has begun using photo radar in free way work zones.  ONE MILE OVER THE SPEED LIMIT and the machine will get you a nice $375.00 ticket in the mail.  The state of Illinois is using the speed cameras in areas designated as "Work Zones" on major freeways.  Anyone caught by one of these devices will be mailed a $375.00 ticket for the FIRST Offense, the SECOND offense will cost $1000.00 and COMES WITH A 90 DAY LICENSE SUSPENSION.  This is the harshest penalty structure ever set for a governmental unit involving PHOTO speed enforcement.  The state already has two camera vans on line issuing tickets 24/7 in work zones with speed limits lowered to 45 MPH.  Photos of the both the driver's face and the license plate are taken Illinois State Police were given the authority to use cameras to enforce work zone speed limit ONLY IN CASES WHERE WORKERS ARE PRESENT.  It also requires that  signs are to be posted when work zone speed limits are being enforced by camera. 

Slow down for your own sake!

Update:  We received our first ticket in the mail for one of our drivers for an incident that happened on Christmas day.  It was an illegal right turn in Chicago, it included a picture of the vehicle in the process of doing the illegal act, licence plate and it came with a $100 fine.  So please be aware they are using the cameras to enforce different traffic violations. 

Drivers Fatigue at the road side

Recently the Safety Department went on line and took a class in Driver Fatigue.  This is something new that DOT has been studying on drivers in Minnesota.  They state that you can be in compliance on your log books and still be fatigued.  There are two low periods each day, where the people are more drowsy, early morning and early afternoon.  The Sunday before Martin Luther King Day, the DOT had four stop points set up around the state of Minnesota, checking for fatigue with drivers. Some of the things they are trained to look for are:

• Appearance of the driver, vehicle, etc.  Is the driver unkempt, messy truck, inside and out.

• If the driver has a good knowledge of his load he is hauling, where delivering, what is on the load, where did it come from.

• Conduct and attitude of the driver.

• Is the driver organized with paperwork.

Contact with the driver was about 1 minute unless flags were raised, then it would be more detailed.  According to Ken Urquhart, of the Minnesota State Patrol, there will be another focus project being set up for Sunday, the 15th of February, so be ready.

Passenger Policy

Taking a passenger with in the truck is really a privilege..being employed as a company driver with R & R does not give you the right to carry anyone with you in the truck , you need to be granted approval to have a passenger with you from the safety department in Audubon.  For several reasons R & R has chosen to implement a fee for traveling with a passenger in the truck.  The extra costs of having a passenger in the truck include-fuel usage, extra wear and tear on the interior of the truck, more weight in transported belongings.. The fee for having a passenger with you is now $75 a week.  Following the passenger's permitted travel time a review of the driver/trucks performance will be done, if this shows no late appointments, failure to communicate or willingness to travel where needed, the driver may be granted a refund of all or a portion of the $75/week passenger fee.  Remember to call safety if you are considering taking a passenger.

Pet Policies

Pets may only be transported in the truck with prior approval from management at R & R Transportation.  Upon approval the driver will be charged a $300 non-refundable monthly fee.  If at any time the estimated clean-up costs or damages are believed to be in excess of the amount that has been collected, the driver will be charged for the clean-up, replacement and repair costs immediately.  The driver will not have any control on truck assignment, the driver will have to stay in the truck assigned at the time the pet policy was signed, unless R & R opts to re-assign a truck. 

"Electronic On Board Recorders"

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has proposed a rule on Electronic On-Board Recorders.  The proposed rule would require that trucking companies who have a "serious and continued" problems with compliance of the HOES rules.  FMCSA is proposing to require the use of Electronic on Board Recorders to be mandatory for the companies having the problems.

This would mean unless we get our ratings down to reasonable level, we could be one of the companies required to have the on board recorders Please keep a close eye on your logs and remember to record each change of duty immediately.

Calling all Drivers!

Unfortunately, R & R Transportation is exceeding the DOT regulations for driver violations-the DOT has labeled "R & R" with a rating factor of "INSPECT". This means that when you are on the road and pull in to an inspection station the officers can input your license plate number and the safety recommendation received back from the federal online systems is "INSPECT".  As a driver you need to be aware that you have a high chance of being inspected, the DOT accumulates data from previous inspections and then responds by issuing our company a road check rating.  Inspections prior to this have not been acceptable, that is why we are at the point of DOT recommending that the officers inspect all our trucks.  Your job as a driver is to make certain that you are legal, logs complete and accurate, equipment is inspected and in safe operating condition, physicals and CDL's are valid, etc.

We need every driver to make it a priority to not receive any violations, every clean inspection will improve your safety rating.  We will be looking carefully at every violation that is found from this point on.  All inspections/tickets must be turned into safety, if the driver does not turn in a copy we will be forced to reprimand not only for the violation but for failure to send safety a copy.  We receive the information anyways when we do the company profile so why not turn it in right away and save yourself a lot of grief.

Keep the clean inspections coming in!! 

February:  2/3-Chris K., 2/11-Bridget S., 2/15-Juarez M., 2/18-George M., 2/23-David M., 2/25-Joe M., 2/27-Char T.

March: 2/2-Ben H., 2/3-Joy D., Paul E., 2/4-James B., 3/10-Ted T., 3/13-Stuart L., 3/17-Robert P., 3/30-Johnny L., 3/31-David T.

 Remember, we are always watching you!

You can bring your log lady candy, flowers, whatever to try and get on their good graces, but let me let you in on a little secret.  The most wonderful thing you, as drivers can do to make our day in safety, is turn in a clean inspection.  Clean inspections help bring our numbers down on our rating, which is good.  So, in a way of saying thank you, for every clean inspection you get, you will receive a special gift.  You have to turn in a clean inspection to find out what it is!

  We in Safety, sometimes have this effect on people during orientation!!

Any questions or comments you can contact Safety at 1-800-326-7442 or send an email to dnelson@rrtransinc.com