SMMC Update

MANAGEMENT COUNCIL NEWS

However, what will change is that training providers will soon have to meet minimum training requirements set forth in 49 CFR §380 Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, issued back in 2016, and then register online with FMCSA’s Training Provider Registry.

These new rules establish consistent and effective training requirements and will help reduce the failure rates for the state driver licensing agencies-administered skills test, thereby helping drivers to obtain CDLs more efficiently and improve the supply chain.

Additionally, the Training Provider Reg istry will make it easier for new drivers to find qualified training providers, in creasing the likelihood that a prospective driver signs up for and completes training.

How does this help the public?

Research from the American Trucking Associations estimates that the U.S. needs about 80,000 additional truckers on the road to meet the economy’s current freight demands. To fill that gap, we must make entry into our field obtainable, affordable, reliable, and most importantly, safe.

Our organization is already imple menting creative ways to attract a new gen eration of workers to the industry. We have researched and established target audiences who are most likely to benefit from a career in trucking, and we are rolling out work force development ad campaigns to attract the next generation of drivers and service technicians – our industry’s greatest work force needs.

Professional drivers deliver more than 86 percent of all goods to Alabama communi ties. We have more than 112,000 Ala bamians working in our industry. We need more individuals to join our ranks to move both the state and national economies. The good news is that the new ELDT rule will not negatively impact the ability for new drivers to enter the industry, despite mis information you may have read on social media.

FMCSA issues a pair of final rules affecting trucking

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration recently published in the Federal Register two final rules that will drastically affect trucking businesses.

First, a final rule amending regulations and processes for individuals with a vision impairment to become medically certified to earn a commercial driver’s license. This new “alternative vision standard” will replace the current vision exemption program that is currently in place.

American Trucking Associations officials raised concerns with the proposal, including the requirement to add a motor carrier road test as a way of determining if an individual with a vision impairment can safely operate a CMV. FMCSA did respond to many of the industry’s concerns but ultimately decided to move forward with their proposal. With regards to the road test, the Agency responded that “...FMCSA takes an additional step to ensure that, even though medically certified, the individual can operate a CMV safely.”

Essentially, FMCSA is saying that this step is above-and-beyond what will be required as part of the medical certification process. This new process will be similar to the process insulin-dependent drivers must go through (i.e., seeing a specialist in addition to a medical examiner). The effective date is March 22, 2022.

Meanwhile, concerning the Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot program, FMCSA in January published details of its pilot/appren ticeship program which allows 18-, 19-, and 20-year-olds to operate a commercial motor vehicle in interstate commerce.

While the details have been announced (i.e., program requirements), the program is not yet open for applicants. The notice pro vides that FMCSA will open the program as soon as their Information Collection Request (ICR) package, which includes the applica tion process for becoming a carrier sponsor for the program, is cleared by the Office of Management and Budget.

FMCSA seeks to fast-track under-21 apprenticeship pilot program

Overdriveonline.com recently reported that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is looking to take the first step toward the Biden administration’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act’s under-21 apprenticeship pilot program mandate.

In a Federal Register notice published in February, FMCSA is asking the White House Office of Management and Budget for “emergency approval” of an information collection request (ICR) regarding the program.

According to Overdrive, the details of the apprenticeship program in the ICR were outlined in the infrastructure package. It includes one probationary period of at least 120 hours of on-duty time, of which, 80 hours must be driving time in a truck. This probationary period must include training in interstate, city, two-lane- rural, and evening driving; safety awareness; speed and space management; lane control; mirror scanning; right and left turns; and logging and complying with hours of service rules.

A second probationary period must include at least 280 hours of on-duty time with at least 160 hours of driving time. This period must include training in backing and maneuvering in close quarters; pre-trip inspections; fueling procedures; weighing loads, weight distribution and sliding tan dems; coupling and uncoupling proce dures; and trip planning, truck routes, map reading, navigation and permits.

After completion of the second proba tionary period, the apprentice may begin operating CMVs in interstate commerce unaccompanied by an experienced driver.

Throughout the program, FMCSA will collect data regarding the ability of tech nologies or training provided to apprentices as part of the pilot to improve safety; analysis of safety records of participating apprentices as compared to other CMV drivers; the number of drivers that stopped participating in the program before com pletion; a comparison of safety records of drivers before, during and after each pro bationary period; and comparison of each participating driver’s average on-duty time, driving time, and time spent away from the home terminal before, during and after each probationary period.

Commercial driver drug violations were up 10% last year

The second year of the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse saw 58,215 drug violations in the system, compared to 52,810 in the

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program’s first year in effect.

The majority of violations stemmed from positive drug tests (49,013 in 2021), while 8,152 violations were drug test refusals. The remaining 1,050 violations reported in 2021 were actual knowledge violations reported by employers.

Positive marijuana tests put more drivers in the Clearinghouse than any other sub stance, FMCSA reported, with 31,085 pos itive drug tests in 2021 – a 5.3% increase over reported marijuana violations in 2020. Cocaine was the second-highest positive substance among drivers, with 8,765 positive tests – a 10.4% increase over the previous year.

Alcohol violations also increased in 2021 over 2020, with 1,422 violations reported to the Clearinghouse, up from 1,122 in 2020.

Of the 104,840 drivers who have at least one reported violation in the Clearinghouse since it took effect in January 2020, there are still 81,052 drivers in prohibited status who have not completed their return-toduty process. Of those drivers in prohibited status as of Jan. 1, 2022, only 13,050 have completed the requirements to be eligible for return-to-duty testing.

Wallace State to host virtual event to recruit female diesel technicians

Wallace State’s Diesel Technology pro gram is working to attract more women into the program and open doors to a suc cessful career in a field normally associated with men. A grant provided by the National Science Foundation is aiding in those efforts.

“Women shouldn’t feel they don’t have a chance in succeeding as a diesel technician,” said Jeremy Smith, head of the WSCC Diesel Technology program. “Slowly but surely, we are seeing more women in the industry, and they are able to do the job just as well as their male counterparts.”

On Thursday, March 17, at 5 p.m., the program will offer via Zoom a Women in Diesel Virtual Meet and Greet for anyone interested in learning more about Wallace State’s program. Along with meeting faculty and staff, prospective students will get to meet women who are currently in the pro gram and who are working in the industry to ask any questions they may have.

Along with its traditional on-campus classes, the Diesel Technology program offers a Diesel by Distance option for stu dents who need a more flexible schedule. It allows students to learn skills remotely using virtual reality before coming to campus to demon strate what they’ve learned during skills checkoffs. A demonstration of the virtual reality simulations will be provided during the session.

Information will also be provided about scholarships, on-the-job training and more. No diesel experience is required to enroll in the program or attend the session.

“Diesel Technology graduates are critical to the future of our economy and national supply chains,” said Wes Rakestraw, WSCC Dean of Applied Technologies. “If you want a good paying career with strong job security, Diesel Technology is a wonderful option.”

Most graduates from the Diesel Tech nology program go on to find work with a starting pay of $16 to $24 per hour, with opportunities for advancement as more certifications are earned.

The program can also be useful to cur rent entry- or lower-level diesel technicians who wish to earn credentials they can use to advance in pay and position within their current company or as they seek new em ployment.

While the meet and greet event is geared toward women, men seeking information about the program are welcome to attend.

The National Science Foundation last year awarded the college a three-year, $279,336 grant aimed at increasing women and adult learners in diesel technology training.

The American Trucking Associations recently announced 22 professional truck drivers who will be 2022-2023 America’s Road Team Captains, including one from Alabama, Darrien Henderson of Mobile who drives for J&M Tank Lines.

The drivers will serve as trucking industry ambassadors, traveling the country to spread the message of safe driving, while teaching about the trucking industry and its opportunities.

This year’s class includes drivers from 13 companies, 17 states, and drivers with more than 564 years of experience and 45,774,455 miles of accident-free driving.

The drivers were judged on their ability to express their knowledge of the industry, their skills in effective communication about safety and transportation, and their overall safe-driving record. The panel of judges included trucking executives and trade press.

“These Captains have dedicated their lives to spreading the message of safe driving. They are leaders in their communities, role models in their companies, and are dedicated to and passionate about the industry,” said Elisabeth Barna, ATA executive vice president of industry affairs. “This new class represents everything we strive to promote about our industry and its professionals, especially as we face a driver shortage and challenges with the supply chain.”

After receiving their signature navy blue America’s Road Team blazers, the Captains will immediately begin their work. To see the full roster of drivers, visit trucking.org.

The 2022-2023 America’s Road Team

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Wallace State’s project, titled “Develop ing and Implementing Hybrid Instruction to Increase the Access of Women and Adult Learners to Diesel Technology Training,” will include a partnership with the National Institute of Women in Trades, Technology, and Sciences to increase the diversity of students entering the Diesel Technology program, ultimately providing more opportunities and jobs for women and other adult learner populations underrepresented in the diesel technology field.

To register, visit https://womenindiesel. eventbrite.com or contact Anna Beard at 256-352-8356 or anna.parrish@ wallacestate.edu.

New ATRI research results evaluates strategies for alleviating rising insurance costs

The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) recently released a new report analyzing trucking industry impacts from the rising costs of insurance. This analysis, a top priority of ATRI’s Research Advisory Committee, utilized detailed financial and insurance data from dozens of motor carriers and commercial insurers. The report assesses immediate and longerterm impacts that rising insurance costs have on carrier financial conditions, safety technology investments and crash outcomes as well as strategies used by carriers to manage escalating insurance costs.

The study found that carrier strategies included decreasing insurance coverage levels, raising deductibles and/or SelfInsurance Retention (SIR) levels, and de creasing investments in other cost centers. In spite of this increased liability exposure, out-of-pocket incident costs and carrier crash involvement remained stable or de creased among a majority of respondents.

Despite reductions in insurance coverage, rising deductibles and improved safety, almost all motor carriers experienced sub stantial increases in insurance costs from 2018 to 2020. Premiums increased across all fleet sizes and sectors, with small fleets paying more than three times as much as very large fleets on a per-mile basis. Onethird of respondents reported cutting wages or bonuses due to rising insurance costs, and 22 percent cut investments in equip ment and technology – potentially creating future safety and driver shortage concerns. However, in the short-term, crash data confirms that carriers that raised deductibles or reduced insurance coverage were gen erally incentivized to reduce crashes in the subsequent year.

Finally, the research describes a process for calculating the “Total Cost of Risk” in order to evaluate the full scale and impact of rising insurance costs on a carrier’s longterm safety and financial viability, including safety investments in drivers, programs and technologies.

“ATRI’s study corroborates the Triple-I’s research on rising insurance costs and social inflation – that increased litigation and other factors dramatically raise insurers’ claim payouts,” noted Dale Porfilio, Chief Insurance Officer of the Insurance Infor mation Institute. “External factors that go well beyond carrier safety force commercial trucking insurance costs to increase, which then requires carriers to redesign their business strategies. The higher premiums ultimately tend to be passed along to con sumers in the form of higher prices for goods and services.”

A copy of the full report is available at truckingresearch.org.