Virginia Tech’s Transportation Institute will head the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s federally required study on the the 34-hour restart provisions implemented in 2013, VT announced Feb. 3, and it’s looking for about 250 truck drivers to participate in the study.
A federal appropriations bill signed into law in mid-December put a stay of enforcement on the rules, pending the study. Congress stipulated in its bill that the study form two groups of drivers — one to abide by pre-2013 rules and one to abide by the 2013 provisions.
The drivers must be studied for at least five months, and researchers will compare their schedules, crashes, near-crashes, crash-relevant events, operator fatigue and alertness and short-term health.
The report must be reviewed by the DOT’s Office of Inspector General, and it must be submitted to Congress once finished. If the agency concludes the 2013 rules are better for safety and operator alertness, they will go back into effect.
The agency announced in the middle of January it was looking for driver participants for the study, and Virginia Tech offered this week more details: It says it will recruit roughly 250 drivers from small, medium and large fleets from a variety of operations and segments.
VT will use electronic logging devices, “high-tech watches” and other tools to gauge fatigue levels, it says.
VT will produce the final study report for the agency, too.
The CSA is a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) initiative to improve large truck and bus safety and ultimately reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities that are related to commercial motor vehicle
FMCSA:
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
The FMCSA was established within the Department of Transportation on January 1, 2000. Their primary mission is to prevent commercial motor vehicle-related fatalities and injuries.
What Does The FMCSA Do?
Commercial Drivers' Licenses
Data and Analysis
Regulatory Compliance and Enforcement
Research and Technology
Safety Assistance
Support and Information Sharing
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
BMI:
Body mass index (BMI)
BMI is a formula that uses weight and height to estimate body fat. For most people, BMI provides a reasonable estimate of body fat. The BMI's biggest weakness is that it doesn't consider individual factors such as bone or muscle mass. BMI may:
Underestimate body fat for older adults or other people with low muscle mass
Overestimate body fat for people who are very muscular and physically fit
It's quite common, especially for men, to fall into the "overweight" category if you happen to be stronger than average. If you're pretty strong but in good shape then pay no attention.
Dm:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.
Fm:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.
Virginia Tech looking for 250 truck operators for FMCSA’s 34-hour restart study
Virginia Tech’s Transportation Institute will head the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s federally required study on the the 34-hour restart provisions implemented in 2013, VT announced Feb. 3, and it’s looking for about 250 truck drivers to participate in the study.
A federal appropriations bill signed into law in mid-December put a stay of enforcement on the rules, pending the study. Congress stipulated in its bill that the study form two groups of drivers — one to abide by pre-2013 rules and one to abide by the 2013 provisions.
The drivers must be studied for at least five months, and researchers will compare their schedules, crashes, near-crashes, crash-relevant events, operator fatigue and alertness and short-term health.
The report must be reviewed by the DOT’s Office of Inspector General, and it must be submitted to Congress once finished. If the agency concludes the 2013 rules are better for safety and operator alertness, they will go back into effect.
The agency announced in the middle of January it was looking for driver participants for the study, and Virginia Tech offered this week more details: It says it will recruit roughly 250 drivers from small, medium and large fleets from a variety of operations and segments.
VT will use electronic logging devices, “high-tech watches” and other tools to gauge fatigue levels, it says.
VT will produce the final study report for the agency, too.
Click here to fill out a form to participate in VT’s study.
CSA:
Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA)
The CSA is a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) initiative to improve large truck and bus safety and ultimately reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities that are related to commercial motor vehicle
FMCSA:
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
The FMCSA was established within the Department of Transportation on January 1, 2000. Their primary mission is to prevent commercial motor vehicle-related fatalities and injuries.
What Does The FMCSA Do?
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
BMI:
Body mass index (BMI)
BMI is a formula that uses weight and height to estimate body fat. For most people, BMI provides a reasonable estimate of body fat. The BMI's biggest weakness is that it doesn't consider individual factors such as bone or muscle mass. BMI may:
It's quite common, especially for men, to fall into the "overweight" category if you happen to be stronger than average. If you're pretty strong but in good shape then pay no attention.
Dm:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.Fm:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.