Trucking News and Briefs for Thursday, 26th June 2024:
NHTSA increases rear impact guard strength by rule
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced in a Federal Register Notice to be published on Thursday, June 27 that it has rejected a petition for reconsideration a rule 2022 strengthening standards of rear impact guards for trailers and semi-trailers.
The rule, which was published on July 15, 2022 required rear impact guards that were strong enough and able to absorb energy to protect the occupants of compact or subcompact passenger vehicles when they hit the rear of a trailer at 35 mph. NHTSA stated that the rule was intended to protect passengers when they hit the middle of the rear of a vehicle and when 50% or more of the vehicle’s width overlaps the rear end of the trailer.
NHTSA received a reconsideration petition from a coalition that included Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, the Truck Safety Coalition, Citizens for Reliable and Safe Highways, and Parents Against Tired Truckers. They argued that the rulemaking did not go far enough. NHTSA stated that the coalition “disagreed” with the data and analyses that the agency used to develop the final rule. They also asserted that NHTSA “should require reinforced rear guards for the 30% overlap accident condition.”
In its denial of petition, NHTSA stood by the data that it used in creating rule. It noted that the Trucks in Fatal Accidents database (TIFA) it used is more precise than NHTSA’s own Fatality Analysis Reporting System for medium-and heavy-duty trucks involved in deadly crashes.
NHTSA also said that it must consider “whether a proposed safety standard is reasonable, practical, and appropriate for motor vehicle types for which it is prescribed.” It decided that a standard requiring all trailers and Semi-Trailers to meet a 30 percent overlap standard “wouldn’t be reasonable or feasible.”
Jennifer Tierney of the TSC Board, who has been a long-time advocate for improvements in underride protection on trucks, called NHTSA’s decision to reject the petition “abhorrent” and “indefensible”. The agency that has the authority to protect motoring publics from these violent and gruesome accidents refuses to take proactive measures in the name safety. “At the current pace of NHTSA, I may be dead and buried long before adequate underride safety is ever required.”
NHTSA, following its 2022 actions for rear-impact guards and trailer side underride protection, has been working on a rulemaking that will require side underride protection on trailers. Last year released an ANRPM to solicit feedback about the benefits, costs, and other impacts of side-underride guards. The DOT Significant Rulemakings Report of February does not include a date for publication of NPRM. The next date listed for “analyzing comments” is October 2024.
[ Related to NHTSA launches committee to study underride accidents as new regs near]
Introduced in the House is a bill to establish a cargo theft taskforce.
Rep. David Valadao, R-California, has introduced a bill similar to the Homeland Security Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2025 that would allocate funding for a Task Force that would address supply chains fraud and cargo theft.
Valadao stated that the Safeguarding Our Supply Chains Act is designed to improve coordination between Homeland Security and FBI in order to stop thefts within the nation’s supply chain.
“The alarming rise in cargo theft has a devastating effect across industries. We need to do more to make sure these goods reach their destination,” he said. The Safeguarding our Supply Chains Act improves coordination to identify solutions and reduce theft. I’m proud of introducing this bipartisan legislation and look forward to working together with my colleagues to bring this to a successful conclusion.
If the bill is passed and becomes law, it will establish a Supply Chain Crime Coordination Center under Homeland Security Investigations, a division of the Department of Homeland Security, and a Supply Chain and Theft Task Force, led by HSI and FBI.
The coordination center will collect and analyze data on supply chain fraud, theft and regions and modes of transport in the United States where organized crime is prevalent.
The task force will address supply chain theft and fraud throughout the rail, motorcarrier, and intermodal system to detect, disrupt and deter organized thieves who target all stages of supply chain.
The American Trucking Associations (ATA), UPS and other supply chain companies and groups support the legislation.
[ Related to: Homeland Security Appropriations Bill would create an anti-fraud/cargo thief task force]
Continental Express expands into Chicago
The Ohio-based truckload carrier Continental Express, Inc. opened its ninth location in Oswego, Illinois, a few weeks ago. The expansion will help Continental to better serve its growing clientele in Chicago, according to the company.
Continental Express Vice President Kiera Sulser said: “We’ve been in Chicago for more than five years, so we’re super excited to have a terminal to call home.”
The terminal will be constructed in 2023 and include a 3,500 square foot office and shop area, as well as the capacity to house 100 tractor and trailers. There are already more than 25 professional drivers and diesel technicians working there.
Sullivan said that the number of Oswego drivers is expected to surpass 50 by the end of 2024.
“Growth in the Chicago market is unlimited, and we will continue to pursue opportunities for expansion as long as we continue relying on our three golden rule of safety, service and communication,” said Bradley Gottemoeller. “Our industry is experiencing a historic freight downturn. It shows that when you have an amazing team, great things can happen.
The Chicago location follows three other recent terminals openings in Indianapolis, Ohio (2020), Columbus, Ohio, and Lyndhurst Virginia (2022).
Continental Express, a company that specializes in refrigerated cargo, has its headquarters in Sidney (Ohio). Additional terminals can be found in Gaffney (South Carolina), Fort Worth (Texas), Danville (Virginia), Lyndhurst (Virginia), Indianapolis, Louisville, Kentucky, and Columbus, Ohio. Continental has a dedicated operation at Salem, Oregon.