Just wrap us in bubble wrap!

Trucking 101.biz here! Welcome to our post and thanks again to harmony for allowing us to keep the motoring public informed by using their blog space. It is our combined efforts, that are helping motorist, become more aware and safer drivers. Trucking 101.biz, wants you to be well educated, when it comes to sharing the road with trucks and large vehicles.

Take a look at the truck pictured. Notice the small black "dot" on the lower fairing (just behind the steps) and the "black box" mounted on the front bumper. These are collision avoidance devices and are becoming more and more prevalent on today's trucks. Safety concerns in the industry, has become a growing issue over the last 10 years and for good cause. Truck incidents are dramatic events, due the size of the vehicle involved, not to mention the cost of clean up. Cars involved in collisions with trucks are usually the loser and insurance claims for these incidents are staggering in monetary value. The survival rate of persons involved in serious collisions with trucks is low, about 23%. So, it simply makes sense, to equip these large vehicles with all the warning systems available. OR DOES IT?

We would agree to an extent, however, the trucks themselves are not the cause. Driver error is almost always the cause. Remember, these machines require a human to operate them. Sure, having some type of warning system, monitoring the blind spots of large vehicles is a great help, but if a driver is tired or distracted he may not heed the warnings (audible or visual) and still be involved in a collision. Are you thinking, there is no solution? Drivers good or bad are just at the mercy of the circumstances before them. Well, not exactly. We believe that the root cause, to a major majority of the truck collisions, is the industry's pay structure. Drivers are generally paid by the mile or a % of the revenue a truck earns. Some LTL carriers or "local" drivers can be compensated by the hour. With federal regulations getting stiffer all the time, drivers paid by mileage, will begin seeing decreases in pay. The answer, in our opinion, is structured salary. The details are complicated, however, it is fair to the driver, transportation company and shipping entities. We will post the basic idea of this at a later time or you can contact us directly for details.

The safety devices being employed on trucks today are great additions to the overall improvement of safety for the industry. Some of the devices used are:

VORAD- Vehicle on board Radar (like in the photo) more info here
Backing Cameras and audible alerts
Smart Cruise Control
Drowsy Driver Alerts
GPS
Speed Limiters
Animal deterrent devices
Improved lighting
Black Box recorders

see video here(media player required)

These devices, when used properly, do what they are designed for. There is some grumbling, from skeptical drivers, that these devices are being used to monitor the driver more than the traffic or the truck itself. The Black box recorders are primarily used for incident re-creation and investigations. The Speed limiters, or governors, are used for safety and fuel efficiency and the smart cruises are used to help drivers maintain a safe following distance. All good uses of these devices. The reality is, transportation companies, ARE using the real-time features on some of these gadgets to monitor drivers and "build a case" against them. One large company, located in UTAH, uses the trucks recording device, to inform drivers that they are displaying some improper driving techniques, such as hard braking, missed shifts, speeding, over revving, or excessive engine idle time. Again, all good information, if used properly.

Trucking 101.biz knows drivers and the industry. We expect drivers to be professionals at all times while on-duty. Driving with adequate rest, conducting the required pre and post trip inspections, backing safely and using guides, keeping fit and eating properly, operating with-in the limits set forth by law and sharing the roads responsibly. SAFETY begins with the human element. Mistakes can be devastatingly costly and tragic. The industry is taking measures to help keep all drivers safe but there is no substitute for education and information. We hope we have done our part. For more trucking information and to access professionals for your questions, please visit us at trucking 101.biz.

Thanks for reading and look for the warning signs or devices on the big rigs. They care about your safety.