2024 Facts for Drivers PDF

-.. * Safety Management Council C-QUH:C-ll'L OF ATA V..tl.M'.M"rL::.AN r U'.C::«. IMG...aoc-rAT.IOH t '1-ls 1i L Since.1953 FAC T S fo r DRIVERS Information, Questions and Answers...

-.. * Safety Management Council C-QUH:C-ll'L OF ATA V..tl.M'.M"rL::.AN r U'.C::«. IMG...aoc-rAT.IOH t '1-ls 1i L Since.1953 FAC T S fo r DRIVERS Information, Questions and Answers on The Tfiuck Driving Championships T he, Trucking Industry Saiety and Security (Including Hazardous Materials)' t Firs Aid, Health, Wellness, & , Personal Safety Fire , Safety Infonnation on regulations:. le,gis]ation, and laws included in this Facts for Drivers is cur:rent as of the time of printing. Changes in regulations, legislation:. and ]a,vs which lbe1con1e effective foUo\ving the printing of this publication ,viU be incorporated into the nel...'1 edition. -- --- a - · AMe',ll'ttC-.ili,H ATA V" - RECEIPT... -. IU, £ihe:l r. eby 'I ,, r i.1,. r,.-;eoeipt j. acknowledge I!of a oopy..... of the I 2024........ ,. ,. l \ j , ' Drivers. I agree. "to read. ,, thLis manual in the I·. Facts.. f for. -...._,. 11 G I II ll I' t. trucking "'"., interest. I of Ilearning rJJ !lnore I.'Hf" aboutll, the rtl rci, industry F' and '!I· - to i.n1prove - r 1n y. "d knowledge. fl· ""z,I )' t '·, of safet & I and y t security '11.. ,I principles.. and.11 practice&. r. I. '"- (Driver's Signature) (Signature of Carrier l o Representative) (Date) (Name ofMoLor Carner) Instructions: "()"' This, :rIeceipt , sh all Ibe :readt ;' JJ/ and.,. signed..... '. I.urn r, J [ ·, the It...driver u r r. to he. book has Eby shall.Id be........ , idtersigned oonn 1l tJ ,,,. whon11 and dated I ·, been issued Iby, a.. t and... # representative.... '.........,. ,.. ,l i, :t I'. IJf of the.. E. tmotor ; carrier. The con1pleted t.... shall be d,.. reoeipt. F 1 'I II fit' retained ,l I in UI the l II driver l qua[ification II ·II. d'I fileI 'U :l. driver. of the t t, FORE\\".A.RD......................................................................................................... 1 THE CHAl\fPIONSHIPS................................................................................... 2 hampionships Eligibility Rules...................................................................... 4 1C THE TRUCKI C INDUSTRY......................................................................... 7 A Brief History.................................................................................................... 7 u. 1)-WLcking: A ti..1ainsp:ring o:lf the U.S. Economy................................................. l l Tn11.cking:: A Leader in S.afety & Soc11rit7.w............................ ······· rn ·····.........13 11-Wlcking: A Good orporale Citizen............................................................... ] 4 1C l"irWLcking: 0ne National Vo.mce.......................................................... ·········......... ] 5 1 Timcking and 1hc Driver's Role in B1utildillilg Public Relations · ou.............. u.15 A.111ilcriCcLs Road ·r:-eam..................................................................................... 16 Share the Road............................................................................................. 17 Con"lbatting Hll][lall Trafficking.......................... I7 u.. ············--·········.. 1rlJ.ckin_g:: I overnme.n.l Relations....................................................................... 17 'fruck Tax.cs.................................................................................................... I 7 Fooe[al R -.i.1.alions....................................................................................... 18 Slale Regulations...........................................................................................,20 Tr1L1.cking:: Classes & Types of Ca:rricI"S..............................................................22 fue H igh,vay }'Ste·m........................................................................................ '13 SAFITY & ECUR.l!Tl'...................................................................................... 26 Sa:fel}' Regttlations............................................................................................. 26 C:SA.................................................................................................................26 DataQs............................................................................................................ 28 P:re-Employmenil Screening Progr-an"l ( PSP)............................................ 29 Driv-er Qualifi.cations/]>apeTWork.............................................................. 29 Entry Le,,, cl Driver Training (ELD1)........................................................ 33.1\-toclicaJ Certificates..................................................................................... 33 National Registry of I\. 1.edical Exa.m:iinc-rs.................................................. 33 Drug & Alcohol Oearillilg House and Drug Testing............................... 34 Holl.JS of Scrnre (HOS)............................................................................ 34 Seat Belts........................................................................................................ 36 Load S straight truck,, three-axle tractor sen1i-tiraile:r, four-axle tractor setni-trailer.> fi.ve-ax1le tractor sen1i-tirailer, five-axle sieeper> flatbed, tank truck1 auto-hauler, or twii.n-trailers) and in only one state oon1petition du.ring any given calendar yearr. These and other eligibiHty requiren1ents apply 11:o all levels of A'IA­ approved Chanr1pionships com:l!lp etition: state,, region al or :nation aJ. For a con1plete ]isting ofdigii.bm1ii.ty criteria, consult the ATA 1DCISVDC Rulebook. \Vin nelt"s of the state Championships are auton1atically eligible to be entered into the ATA National Championships where they con1pe1i:e for the title of "' at:ional Chatnpion» in their cl ass. NTDC contest:ants also co:n1.pete for special a,1,; ards and the 1t.tltin1ate , title of «Grand Chan1pion:' Of cours,e,, if a state winner has an accident, transfers to a non-d:riving , job, changes en1pioyers,, atternpts to couunercialize on their "vi nn ii.ng of the state ch,a n1pionship> or does anything that :n'lay be consiidered de-trin1enta[ to the trucking indU;Stry or the Chan1pion­ ships progtran1> the d:river n1ay be disqua]ified fron1 con1petition in the ATA atio:nal TDC/SVD. 1C ][fa driver is, eligible to ,enter a state Chan1pio11ships> the first step Ito con1peting is to file the offic.ial entry and.rdease forn1. A drivees employer n-iay obtain the form on the drii.ver s behalf by re,que-stmng it fron1 the applicable State Tl'Ucki ng Association. 6  THE TRUCKING INDUISTRY A Brief History Eady J.900s Trucks 1¥ith gasoline poweJied internal comnbustii.on engines begin replacing bors,e-drawn ,vagons to de] iver ,goods firon1 railheads to markets and end users. At this tin:1e, trucking had a limited l!'eacb due to the linutations of the trucks and roads., and thus was concentrated in ll.I!l"'iban a:r,eas. 1919 During World Vvar t the- nu111be:r of trucks in use :in the Un·ited States ".\Tent fro:n-n. 100,000 to over 1> 000,000. Trucks became largell' and began extending tbeiir range as innovations such as pnewuatic tires '\ the Con1n1ercial Vehid,e Safety Alliance (CVSA) was created This is the organization that standaTd­ izes the roadside inspection procedures and criteria ,, and that oversees the North An1erican Out-of-Service Criteria (1OOSC). 1982 The US. Surface Transportation Assistance Ac,t of 1982 established funding for state motor car!l'ier enforcement progranis. This fund­ ing aUowed states to dedicate resources and officers to enforcing the n1otor carrier safety regulations. 8 1986 The Commercial Vehicle Safety Act of 1986 created nationvride testing and qualification standards for issuance of conunerciail drii,r,ers' liceuses,. or CDLs. 1988 Rules reqluring drug testing were added to the safety !l"egulations. RuJes for a1coho1 testing ,._ve:re :in1plemented in 1994. 1990 The nu..mber of 1notor car.rie,rs authorized by the DOT doubled to more lhan 40,000 active call"'ners when cotnpared to 1980. During the 1980 s the flexibility created by deregulation ]ed to the deve]opn1ent of the just -in-tioie (JIT)' logistics 1nodel. Under this n1odel, ni1anu­ facn1.:r,ers and retailers were able to lower inventory levels ,, lowering overl"lead Also dUJ"ing the 1980's, trucking increased its share of U.S. freight n--u.oven1ent. As a result,. nea1dy every good consu.mied ii.Ii the U. S. u.10-,res on a truck so11uetime dUJring its life cycle. That has Jed to trucking hauling over 72 percent of aU ftt-eight transported in the U.S. 1991 'Ihe lt1term odal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA, pronounced «Ice Tea') did away ·\.Vith "bin,go ca:rds> (authority r,egistration cards) and established nationwide standa!tds for truck siiz,es and weights. 1994 Thie N orth Ainericain Ftree TradeAgre , ement (NAFTA) be1rwee111 Mexko, Canada, rund the Unit:ed States wenl into effect, e::t.'"])anding international t rade an1ong the three countries. Part of NA.FTA involved a1aking it easier to conduct cross- border trucking opera­ tions. As a result of this,, the NAFTA Trucking Den1onstration Project ran from 2007 to 2009. This progran1 allowed Mexico-based carrrie:rs to operate in the U. S. In 201 1:, the p:rogram:n was :restarted U!nder a "Concept Docun ent:' The current p!l"ogrrarn was later forn1,dized as 9 part of the US. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Care_. Katrina Recovery,,. and Iraq Acco-un,tability Appropriations Act._. 2007. The llCC lt\"aS: fornially abolisbed, and its ·ren1aining responsibilities ,ve-re transferred to the Snrfaoe Transportation Board (STB). The Trar.sportation Equity Act for tlie 21st ,Century (TEA-21) 1r,equired states to low,er the breath-alcobol content (,evel.t:or intoxication to 0.08. Thi.s Act aJso estabJished , the Motor Carrier Safety AssistaDce Prograni i( IC AP) to better disperse funds for state enforc e, n1ent of CJ\1V safety and hazardous 1.nater:ials regu]ations Iu. part, MCSAP :regulations require states to have n1.otor ca:rr.ie:r safety regu] ations that are, con1.patible "vith the fed.era] regulations. FinaUy,, TEA-21 estab­ lished the procedures used to shut dov 'U car:riers proven to be tut safe or non-con1piianl:. The Motor Carrier Safety Jmprorve:ment Act of J 999 n1oved all n1otoc carrier safety oversight :responsibilities fro1111 the Offi0e of Motor Carri,ers within the Fede1ra1 Highway Adn.1inistrat on (FffiVA) to the then-newly created Federal Motor Carrier Safety Admjnisuatw.n (F ICSA)> an agency within the US. O OT. The FMCSA officially 1 1 began opera'tion on January 1, 2000. 2015 Th e Fixing Americas Surface Transportation (FAST) Act :requi.red Fl\1CSA to establish a Drug and Alcobol Cle , aringhouse to track drive.rs that ,-ve:re caught vio]ating the drng and alcohol regulations, in1plen1ent electronic loggin.g de"\rices (ELDs}., and develop new entry·-leve drilr,er train.iing , cequiren1ents. 2017 egotiations began on tliie U.S.- 1exico-Ca.nada Agreement (USMCA), ·which was fu.Uy i.mp1ie.n ente, d in 2020. This updated and 10 replaced AFTA. Under NAFTA and the ·usMCA> truoking has dominated cr-0ss-borde:r trade. In 2022,. i6A.9' percent of the value of tirade with Canada and 83. 5 percent of the va[ue of trade mth Mexico was transported by trucks. 2021 'Ihe ln_fr,astruc.ture Jn11es.tme11t and /obs Act (IlJA) ·was passed, and it requires FMCSA to: Deve]op auton1atic en1erge:ncy biraking regulations, Incorporate the rear-in1pact guard intro the annual inspection r.equire11:nents for trailers, Develop an apprenticeshii:p pilot p:rogran1 for 18- to 20-year-old drii:vers, and 1 Con11.plete a ]arge-truck c, rash cm.isation study. 20.22 According to the U.S. D,epartn.1.ent of Transportation> as of April 2023, there were ove:r 750,000 active US n1otor carriers that own or [ease at least one tractor. Trucking: A Mainspring ofth,e.. S. Economy Over tii.n1.e> there have been a nrm1.be:r of slogans that have captured the ess,entiality of t!iucking; for exan.1.ple: «Trnckiug D1 d.ive:rs Ameri­ ca;' "Good Stu.ft Trucks Bring It;' and,. Juost re , cently, "Trucking Moves An1eric , a Forward." There is no doubt that the truc!l.cing indus­ try can be justly called a mn ainspring of the U.S. econon1y. Afterr aU, practically e , v, erything \¥e eat; w ear, Oil' ose its del.i:!vered by truck. Since a nation·s pr-ogress ii:s inevitably tied · to how efficient1y and etfectivdy it transports its goods and peop]e> nuich of the suocess of the An1e1tican way of lj fe is due to 1'1101:or carrie:rs and their drivers Trncks of every type are serving A.mnerica:"s fa:rn1 homes,. and indus­ tries,. perlornl.ing a co1np]ete door-to-door transportation service entitrdy on their o.v11 or joining ,v:ith othe!i n1.odes of transportation in hau1ing nearly ever}''thing we need No An1erican hon1e is. too ren1.ote to shaire in the nation"s production. l1 Trucks pe irformn a distribution service that ,cafl n.ot be duplicated by any other for11n of transportation. Trucks have tlie advantage of flexibility which does not appear likely to be clhallenged. Throughout the conntry; the n1otor carrier j s the i1nportant link in the transpo:rta­ t:ion of virtually all con1n1odities. After alt over.S,0% of all.S. co1n1Dunitiies rely e:x.clusi,relJ-" on tn1ck:s to deliver theii.r prodacts aud goods. Although other fo:rms of transportation play an i!l:nportant role in the transport of n1aterials and people,. each is necessarily limited in :its operation. Cargo transported by railroads, ships, and airplanes for exan1.pte, u.ltin1ately must be hau]ed by truck to reach its final destina­ tion. The !l:notor truck is the only direct n1eans of t:ranspo:rt to mna:ny warehouses., stores, and consumers" doors. In1po:rtant advantages of the motor truck are: Flexibility - Trucks can go "rirtuaUy anY'vher,e on our roads and streets. In fact, in 2021 ,. conunercial sing[e-un.i'I!: and combination trucks travded 327.48 bil]jon rnil,es,, while con1bination tn1cks alone logged 1 9 5.62 billion. n1i]es fio:r business purposes. In the s;u'ne year combination trucks drove a11 average of nearly 80,000 i'lliles,,. although many tong-haul Class 8 tractors travel around ]00,.000 n1iles eaoh y,ear. Versatility- Any numbe!I" of trucks can be used at any given tin11.e foT a specific haul. Trucks are avaj]abie in. all types,. shapes, and sizes. Many of thenri are speciaUy designed to ca!I"rry a specific product or class of products,, and n1any of them a!["e, adaptable to another,. but similar class of product. Efficient Delivery- On av,e:rage, trucks are n1ore ,effi.ci,ent than rail transport. This greater efficiency is due to easier pick-up and deiive:ry as well as tn.1cking s ability to pick up and de]iYer door- to-door. This, coup]ed with :r,egular delivery schedules, allows n1uch lower stoak-pil­ ing by n1anufactur-ers and n11.erchandisers. Goods can be o:rdered as, needed> freeing capital th.at would o1i:hen,r.ise be frozen jn inventory - son11.eth ting all businesses desire. In other words,. trucks ar,e a n ore ,efficie , nt means of transport. Protection - Truck cargo requires less packing and handling,, whioh :reduoes packing expenses. Th is feature also r,esults in less damage and 12 pilferage. All of this.n1eans savings to shippers and their custon1ers. Es.sera tialitx - The dynamic n1oto:r t:ranspo:rt industry has accepted its responsibility as an esse!l.1tiaJ fo:rce in the continued expansion of An1e:rica's n1ass production and distribution s.yste11.n> and is oonstantly su.ivi11.1g to de-velop better serrvice and equipn1ent to support a gr-owing America. Truckin,g: A L,eader in Safety & Security According to figures fron1l FM1CSA> U.S. truck drivers' ability and con1n1.i1tment to avoid and r,educe crashes resulted in a 34% decrease in the nun1ber of fatal or injury crashes per 100 tnillion vehicle miles traveled by large trucks between 2000 and 2020. VVhat n1 es this dec!["lease so astounding js that since 20 16 the Nationa[ Highway Traffic Safety Ad.n1inistir-ation (NH1'SA) j11.nple- 111en.ted changes to revise vehicle classification based on gross ve , hicle weight rating (GV\.YR),, which :reclassified 329 light pickup trucks as large trucks. \Vithout the reclassification,, the trucking industry's overaU crash statistics would be eve , n lower. Motor caniers, in cooperation with their state and national associa­ tions ,and law enforcement, carry on year-round 1nultiphase safety and security prograJ1:11s, ird.ated to driver seiection, trainin and supervision. 'Trucking saJ'et),. and ecurity professionals a_r,e con­ stanrtly e°\raluating tbeur existing and new safety and security practices, t,ec.bnology, an.d training, Many states.. cooperative , highway safety patro]s report unsafe pira.ctjces or exceptionally good perfor.mance by truck drivers. P'roiessionai drivers are carrefull y selected for j udg1nent, responsibility, and skill, among other q_ualities. Many of today's vehicles arre equipped with the 11.Tiost 11.nodern safety devices and all equipn1en t iis, and n1tust b regulad y inspected and kept: in good repair. 1'0 further reinforce the in1po:rtance of safety and security,. the Truck D1 rhring Clr1a1npionshi.p5> Step Van Driving Chan.1pionships, and oth,er awards and :recognition progr-ar:ns are held on a ]ocal. state, and national level> during which drive , rs eairn respect and awards for their skill in han.dl:ing their vehicles and for their safe and secure driving achieven1ents. 13 The trucking industry also cooperates Vfith state,. local, and :federal officials as weU as organizations like the ational Safety Councit un:rversitjes, and other entities that study and teach safe and secure practices a_nd provide reiated tools. Altogeth.et > this collaboration produced ain outstandin.g safety an.d securiqr !l"ecord for the iindustiry. Trucking: A Good Corporate Citizen Truck drivers are instructed to cooperate with motorists to n1.ak.,e highway t:rave1 safe11:· and more pleasant. The trucking industrys yea.r-!l'onnd. safety and courtesy , campaig,ns stress, for example,. that truck driv,ers should pull to the r ight, if possible and safe to do so, to allow motorists to pass,. particularly on hills. They should also avoid creating n1oving traffic blockades. Even before the general pub]ic and governn1en1i: b ecatne concerned about environn1.ental in1pact and energy conservation, the trucking industry was working to r,eduoe fuel cons1UD_ption and the noise and smoke· created by son1.e truck engines. Truck drivers do their part as good! cifuens by observing and r,eporting cases ofv, ehicle breakdowns, accidents., and other difficulties as, we]] as alerting ]aw enforce1nent authonti es to snspjcious, erratic, and dangerous behavior and situations. Hund.reds of letter-s are received annuaUy by truck operato:r s across An1.eric..a praising d:rivers for aclts of cowrleSJ", courage, and helpfulness tmvard the n"1otoring public. Truckin,g: One ationa Jl Voic-e Th e trucking industry is represented nationally by American Trucking.i\s:sodations,, Inc. (ATA). ATA is a federation of motor carriet· llnen1- be1-s, industry suppliers, 50 state trnckin.g associations (each represent­ ing all classes and types of trnck operations within their specific state)> five affiliated conferences (each t-epresenting a type of t!t-"1.Ick operation), five oow'lci]s (professiona] societies comprised. ofindividuals witr.h specific job functions, such as safety, n1amtenan sec1rritf> etc.):, and R the American Transportation Research Institute. ATI, as it is all.so kno,,.,·u, has been engaged in critical transpo:rta:ttion studies and tests since 19 54. As a non- profit> ATRI is dedicated to conducting and 14  : ng research on t:rucking..s essentiaJl · ro]e in a safe,. efficient, and supporti viable transportation systen1.. ATA is headquartered in \Vashington, D.C.> with a s,eparate office on Ca p.ito] Hill. ATA's tnission is: To serve and represenil: the i.Jnterests of the trucking industry with one united voice; To positively influence federal and st. ate governn1e , ntal actions.; To advance the tirucking ind ustry"s iJ111age> efficiencyJ competitive­ ness,, and profitability; To provide educ.ationa] p:rograms and iindustry res,earcl : To prornote safety and seclHity on ouT nation's highways, and arnong professional drivers; and To strive for a healthy business eni.rironn1ent. The depart1uents into which ATA is divided support its n1ission and include: Office of Public Affairs; Image & 0utireach; Legislativ,e Affairs; 1 Law; P:Olicy & Regulatory Affairs (including Safety> Security> Opera­ tions) Highv, ay; ·Cross Border> Environmental> Enginee:ru1 Govern- 11:nent Traffi½ \Vorkforce Develop1nent, etc.); Federation Relations & Strateg,ic Plannin Econonuc & StatisticaJ Analysis; the Confeirences (Agricultural and Food Transporters Conf.e:ren ces; Autonidble Carriers Conference; Govetnment Freight Confer-ence Intermodal Motor Carrie!r's Coll.lferenoe; and Moving and Storage Conference), as well as 1 the ouncils ( ationall Accounting & Fina1noe Council; Safety Manage­ 1C a1en1i: Council; Transportation Security Council; Technology & Mainte­ nanoe Council; and \\fon1en in Motion Council.) ATA is aJso the 1 headquarters for Transpoll:"1: Topics, the weekly newspaper of the trucking industry. Trucking and the Driver,s Role in Building Public Relations "The tn1cking industry is the 1:nost vitaJ part of ou!l" entire nation"s transp ortatii.on system.. \Viitbout trucking:, the , eoonon1.y would scr,eech Ito a gl'indin,g halt. \'V"ithout the 3.S n1illion truck d·rivers t!["ansporting goods safely and effici,ently in the U.S., there would be no industry: To say that everyone in the United States relies, on the n1erchandise deliv,e:red by Americas truck drive:rs is true but not 15 enough in the modern arena of public opinion, Today, the profession­ al driver nrLust not o!l1!!ly mov,e -\.n1erica physicaUy,, but also psychologi­ cally. A driver·s ability to drive c.rash-fre ptuvide quality and time!y service, r,eprese:nt the industry professionaHy,, and den1onstrate the essentia]ity of trucking arre now all critical to public perception and the health of the industry. lrt iis be , cause of the professional truck drivers"' superior pedorntance and professionalisn1 that lihe· public still bas a positi,re 0'1',erall ·,riew of CMV drivers. Fo:r n1ost An1ericans,, the (:biver :represents trucking and is tlhe n1ost visible synribo] of the industry. A driver s actions behind the wheel fonn a fasting in1p:ression on the n1.otoring public. Th, e public"s opinii.on,, and thus, the industry·s reputation,, affects the \.vay govern­ ment officials regulate tbe iindustry, including operational :require­ n1.ents aJ.11d tin itation fees and taxes., and th.e ability to gain acoess to certain roads and highways. lntin1ately,, the mndustry's reputation affects its ability to grow and prosper. To overco111.e negative peroep­ tion s,, the.iindostry relies on each1 truck dJri,re!l'.. s superior driirin,g albilities ,, professionalism, a n!d , courtesy at all ti1nes. An.1eriica1"s Road Team Further helping to bolster the industry's in1ag,e is An1.erica's Road Team. Created by Arnerican Trucking Associations in I 986 and sponso:re,d by \'olvo Truck this national public i1nage and ootr,each p.rogran1. is led by a team of p:r-ofessional truck drive , rs ,vith superior driving and con1 mw :ication skills,, remarkab]e safety records,. and a strong desire to educat,e fellow n1.oto:r:ists and the general public on highway safety· and the trucking industry. Millions have heard the R oad "T'!.1 ean1 irnotto: H.s a!lety £ 1s our UJ£IVlllg..J - c.oncerr-n. 2 An1.erica's Road Tean1 Captains, n1ost of whon1 hav,e million- n1i[e, accident-free driving records,, take a few days each n1onth away fron1 their truck driving jobs to trave] and speak on behalf of ATA and the industry to t!he !lnedia and pub]ic. They conduct news interviews and hold safety talks before diverne groups inch.I.ding student senior citizens,, businessn1en and wonien,, and fellow truck drivers,. during which they share. their experiences and safety successes. Road Tean.1 drivers address transportation issues from their unique , and pron ote the trucking industry's overall con1mit11111ent pe:rspective to in1proving highway safety. 16 ShaJ!'e the Road Because one life lost in a traffic accident is one too n1a11y> An1erican Trucking Associations Sha1·e the Road progratn is dedicated to > l'."educing the fatality and ac,ddent rates on Ain1er:ica s roadways. This national safety outreach effort seeks to educate all n1.oto:r1sits about how trucks and cars can. safely sh are tbe iroad. The Share the Road p:rogram engages a 1rean1l. of professionaU. truck drivers kno,vn for t:h.eir safe driving records to conduct safety de1non­ strations to the n1.edii.a in an effo:rt to l'."eaclli the driving public th rough TY, radio., print, and online. Representatives fron1 State Trucking Associi.ation ATA n1en11.berr con1panies,, and law enforceanent are al!so enL.ist,ed to he]p co111n1unii.cate the Share the Road lifesa"ring n1essages to hundreds of towns and citie and mill.ions of n1otorists a.n nually. By pro viding high-way users "vith tips on how to drive safely arow1d tnicks,, the ATA hare· the Road progl'an111 is belping to r,eduoe accidents and save liYes. In fac4 U.S. DOT reports have credited programs like Sha:re the Road \.Vith the sig , nii.ficant reduction :in truck-reiated fatalities over the past decade. Th,e Share the Road p:rogra1n has been in existence tor over 20 years and replaced the highly successful How to Drive , progra.n1> a partner­ ship with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Con1bating Human Trafficking ATA and its men1ber con1panies are leading an industry-wide effo:rt to heip end hun an tra-fficking. ATA enco1.Jl!rages all of its n1ember conJJpanies to provide anti-hwuan trafficking training to thei:r drivers and staff, and to in1p]ement and enforce zero-tolerance po!l.id.es rdated 1ro hulnan trafficking and cot'll n1e:rci al sex act:iviti,es. Trucking: Govern.ment Relations Truck Taxes The trucking industry's support of America goes beyond transporta­ tion and highway safety- and s ecu.rity. lt is also a hug,e l'evenu.e generator for fede!ral, state;. aud local goire1"un1ents. Co111 tnercial 17 trucks paid $34.89 billion :in federa] and state !highway-user tax,es in 2021. Of that total, 18 biUion was paid in feder-al highway-user taxe , s by the trucking industry in 2021. The total consisted of:., Die , sel taxes: 58.3% Federal use taxes: 6.0%., Gasoline taxes: 9.9% Retail truck taxes: 22. 6% · Tire taxes: 3.3% States coUected 16. 77 billion in total highway-user taxes, with $ [ 3.7 billion cont:riibuted to conu11e rd.al truck diesel taxes. In addition:i- for a typical five-axle tracto:r-se1:ni-t:railer combinat.ion, a carrier pays a federal ex-ciise "lax on new equip!l.11,ent and tires, federal and state fl!llell taxes, a federal hea"'Y Yehicle use ·tax, a state regislltr-a­ tion fee,. and various otber state and federall lees a11d taxes. In January 2023,. the ave:rage cost in taxes for a 5-axle tractor- se1111iiti--aile:r cotnb:iinatjon. was $7> 745. Oregon , collected tl1e h:iighest ave:rage tax,. $22,508, an1ong the 50 stat,es and the District of1Coiun bia. Alaska collected $[,783 o.n average in taxes on a typical 5-axle tractor-se!lTii­ trailer con1bination, the [owest average tax in any state. Federal Regulations As stated previously,. interstate tirucki.ng came under the control of the federal government in 1935 Viirith the passage of the Motor Carrier Act. At that ti.1ne:i, federal con.ttu[ over rates,.f'outes, operating te:rriitory, and ope:rating p:r-ocedures of iinterstate fo:r-hire rnotor carders was vested in the Interstate Conuneirc.e Co1nmission (ICC) which then issued its Motor Carrie:r Safety Regulations. In 1967, control over interstate !I.Tiotor carrier safety,. including such regulations,. was transferre , d to U.S. DOT which is. led by a pres1dential appointee known as the S ecretarry of Transportation and is currently divided :into 10 ope.rating ad111inistrrations, fouir of whic.fu are , direct!y or indirectly :rdated to trucking. The four are: The Federal Mo tor Carrier Safety - Administration (FMCSA), established o.n January 1.!J 2000, pursuant to tlr1.e Motor Carrier Safety lmpro, vernent A,c t of 1999, ad ministe!l's die Federal Motor Carrier· Safety Regullatio:ns (lFMCSR). These safety regulations are 18 the pruuary :regulations n1otor carriers !I.Tiust con1ply with. They cover con1pany irequiren1ents (safety managen1enli:, Iiegistration,. autihol'ity, insurance, etc.), vehicle n1.arking> driver licensing and qualifications,. safe driving, parts and accessories, !hours of se:rvice, veh ide inspec­ tion and n1.ai11tenance,. etc. FMCSA has also issued standards for state safety pf\ogran1s,. and tlh e state :r,egulato:ry and enfor,cen1ent bodies have, for the n1ost part,. adopted the1n as their o,vn. The P'ipeline and Haza.nlous Materials Safety Admi11is,tra,tio,1 (P1H:MSA)1, CJ'1eated iD 2.005, is r,esponsible lor· hazardous materials tran por tation and! safety. This agency oversees the Hazardous Materials R,egulations (HMRs). Th,ese ar,e the regulations ca:ririers and drivers transportin1g !hazardous n:1ateirials 1n.ust obey. Topics covered by the HMRs include registration, nan:ling and classifying hazardous materials, shipper"s responsibilities, and package and tank specifica­ tion and "testing. Also in the HMRs air,e specific irequire111 ent for car.rfage by rail, air-craft:, water vessels,. and higlnvay vehicles Th,e National HighWfi.Y T:rajJic SaJefv'Administmtian (NHTSA), estab]ished in 1970, provides education,, :reseatreh> safety standards, and enforcen1e!l.1t activity for the pw-pos-e of savu.'lg lives, p:r,eventing injudes. and redudng e , conon1ic costs, dllle to traffic crashes. Unde:r its authority,. NHT SA issued the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS),. which set forth niinin-1um. salety performance r,equire­. !I.Tients fo:r n1otor vehicfos o.r iiten"l.s of n--iotor vehide equipn1,ent with i,vhich m, anufactu:rers n1ust comply. AU n T 1Cl as weU as continuity and e111ergency capabitit:ies for defense pmrpos­ es.;. Majo:r Strategic Highway Nehvork Connectors,, ,vhich p:rovide access between n ajor n11.ilitary installations and the Strategic Highway etwork and l11:1tennodal Connectors '1.vh:ich provide access between mnajor internr10dal facilities and the other four subsysten1s n aking up the at:ional High,vay System. The growth rate in highway vehicle n1i1es t:ravded (VMT) had exceed­ ed 3% for every five-year peiriod in the J 960s. In the 1970s, tbe gro,'vth of U.S. VMT ,,vas offset by sharp dedines corresponding to the recession and fue] crisis in 1973-74 and 1979-80. ·vMT grew steadily in the 1980s by 37%,, the 1990s by 26%> and the 2000s by 8%. Fron1 20l0-20l5, VMT girew just under 5%, frotn 2.98 nillion to 3.10 24 trillion. 1Gro,vth stalled fron1 2015-2020 due to the C,OVID-19 panden1ic. utnbe:rs dec1reased ove:r 4%, :&otn 3.1 1 trillion in 20 Jl 5 to 2.9 tll'"iUion in 2020. Bridges ,. Bridges and structu.res are key c , on1ponen1rs of the nation s roadway oetwo.rk th at provides transportation cornnect!i.vity to safely c:ross features such as i,vater ways, railways,. roadways,. and other obstacles. Through federal regulations and policy,, the FillVA Offieie of Bridges and Structures tnanages the technical guidance and policy of the nation'"s bridges. The Office of Bridges and Structures giv,es direction on design, construction, ti.nspection, ,evaluation n1anag,en1.e1.1t and preservation of the nation s inventory of highway bridges. Approxi­ mately $7 billion is given by FHWA annually to assist transportation agencies, to plan> design> build, repair, rehabilitate, and inspect bridges and structures. 'Ihe Bureau of Transportat!i.on Statistics (BTS) r.eported that the!ie were over 621 >000 bridg,es in 2023. To !I.TI ai ntain the nations bridges and structures., FHWA grades bridges by structural integrity in th:r,ee categories: good, faiir> or poo:r. In 2023> there were 275-,000 bridges in good condition, 304,000 bridges in fair oonclition 1 and over 42:.000 bridges i. n poor condition. 25  SAFETY & SECURITY This chapt,er contains info:r1n.ation designed to :increase the p:rofes­ siona] truck dr.ive:r s cot11petency in> and kno"\.v]edge ot the basic principles of safe and securre driving., the general.rules of the road, the Federal Motor Carrier Safetry ltegulations (FMCSRs)> and the Hazard­ ous Materfals (HM) :regu11ations. Th is chapter is, not intended to be the sole sourrce on these topics. i othi.ng in this Factsfor Drvers relieves a driver of respo.nsibilit}'' to know and con1.ply "\-vith the app]icable U.S. federal rules and regula­ tions and those of each state and locality !in whkh the driver operates. Safety Reg _ ulations CS,A The Conllpli.ance, Safety> Accormtability (CSA) program is the Federal Motor 1Cairrier Safety Ad111inistrration (FMCSA)"s safety 1notutoring and enforoem.ent program. designed to: 1) identify and prioritize unsafe motor carririers for enforcement inte:rvention; and> 2) provide data to third parties (i.e., shippers b.roker i nsure , rs, etc.) to make safety-based \business decisions. CSA uses roadside inspection data and accident records to prioritize carriers :for FMCSA enfor,ceme , nt or "intervention: The syst,en1 does this by: l. Collecting data fro n1 safety events such as roadside in spectii.ons and accidents; 2. \Vei.ghing the violations and crashes based on time and Se'll.'erity (t11ore :recent and t110:re severe events bea!I" n1ore weight); 3. Placmg the data !into gro,ups called B ehavio1ral Analysis Safety Irnproveu1ent Categorries, (BASICs) and using statistical formulas to create BASIC Meas1Lues:--:: 4. Scoring carriers based on their BASIC MeasuJ\es relativ,e to other­ carriers in their safety ev,ent (peeF) group which is roughly based on the niLm1ber of safety-related eve.nts (violations, inspections, o:r c:rashes); and 26  5. Identifying carriers \i\rti.th relativd y poor scores and prri.oritizing them for an "intervention;' such as a warning letter, an off-site or on-si.te , strean1]_ined ( focused) investigation., or a con11prehen­ sive on-site investigation. the BASICs> ,vith the exception of the Crash BASIC> are based on the regulations. Wl en a violation occurs.JI i.t is placed in the appropriate BASIC. The BASICs and accon1panying re , gulations are: Unsafe D1·-iving (dl.rivi.ng regulations in Part 392)> 1Crash Indicator (D OT-recordabie crashes)., Hours of Service Co:n1plianc;e ( fatigue and hours-of-serrv.ke regulations in Parts 392 and 395), Veh.icle Maint,enauc,e (Paru 393 and 396), 1 Controlled Substance/ Aloohol (Part 3.82 and the drug and alcohol regulations , in Part 392), Hazardous Materia1s Con1plia.u1ce (the HMRs}. and Driver Fitness (Parts 383 and 391). Initially, only five BASICs (Hours of Service on1plianc Driver 1C Fitness, \7ehicle Maintenanc Controlled Substance/Alcohol, and Unsafe Driving) were aVc1Jj}able for pubi:ic r. ev i. ew, though iudiv.idual n1oto:r carrrriers had access to their own non-public BASIC sco:res. As of Decetnbe:r 4, 2015,. howevelt"> carriers'' alerts and percenrtil,e soore, s I111a-,,r,e been l'e.llloved from public disp,lay pur-suant to the Fixing Americas Surface Tran:sportation Act of2015. CSA percentile scores and alerts cannot be n1ade public aga.ti.n until FMCSA fixes certain problen1s identified in a study of the s.ysten1 published ti.n Jllll e 2017. The FMCSA has been working on the fi.xes since then, but CSA scores will ren1.ain pr:ivate , until further notioe. Since its inception,. CSA. has evolved based on input fron1 the indus­ try and other stakeholders. Recognizing that CSA is a wot-k in pirogires FMCSA has instituted a nu1nber of methodology changes. One significant adjustn1ent 11.nade ri.n :response to industry crjt:ids1n 1,rvas allowing motor carri,ers and cki\re!l's ·to use the ooline· D ata:Qs systen1 ·to request that erroneous data lbe corrre , cted (descrjbed in detail !below). This includes !lnaking changes to the data as a ir-esult of a court of I.a""' disn1issi.ng or reducing a charge or finding the defendant 27 not guilty. If a driver is found not guilty or has a charge disn'lissed the.record will be iremoved fironli 1CSA and the co:nr-espondmg severity points wiU be expunged. If the charge is reduced> the record wi]] be amended ii.ndii.cating the new charge and the severity w,eight: of the violation will be chang e , d 1Do one ( 1 ). FMCSA a1 so has a progranll that lets 11.notor carriers challenge the preventability of son:1,e crashes The Crash Ptreventability Determi­ nation Program allo,AlS ntotol['. carrieJrs to contest crashes t.ha t 1:neet certain conditions and hav;e them renioved frrom the c , alculatiiou of thell' c ash Indicator BASIC score. The progra!l:n applies to a J i11.11 iited numb e:r of c.rash scenarios induding a truck being struck u11 the rear> struck by a n1oitorist \'V ho was driving in the \-Vrong di:riection or n1aking an illegal tu:m:. struck by a v,ehide ,vhile the truck is legally parked or stopped,, struck by a n1oto:r.is1t: ·who failed to stop, struck by a vd1ide ,,vhose drii.ver was driving under the in.fluence, o:r struck by a vehide -.vhose driver experienoed a medical issue o:r who adn1itted to falling asleep or distract,ed driving. An ind dent n1ay also be contested if it involved a truck that struck a.n aninl}at a t!iuck that struck an individual comnutti.ng or atten1pti11.1g to Go11u11it suicide, or a truck that was involved in a rare or unusual type of crash (,e.g.> struck by an airplane or skydiv,ec). DataQ:s \Vith the in1ple1.11entation of CSA, it has beco:iue essentia[ for both motor ca:r:riers and drivers 11:o n1onitor their safety :records. These record5> con1piled by FMCSA and contained in the Motor Carrier Managernent lnfo:nnation Sys.ten1 (MCMJS), consist of in sp ect:ion> violation, at'ld crash data subn1.itted by state authorities and sho1u[d be checked for accuracy. Dali:a iinac.cu£a,cies can have a serious iDJpact ou a truck driiver's ,career If a d.rive:r finds erroneous data on thei!t' driving record, the:re , is a way to contest: it. Jo.st like motor c , a!triers, driivers ha,.re the.right to vi,e""'T and cbaJllenge theil'" ICMI S cord through the DataQs s1;rs1Jen1.. By logging on to the 1vebsite htrtp ://dataqs. fn1csa.dot:.gov/log:i n. asp drivers ca[1 '\r:iev.r their pr-ofiles. If inaccurate infornu1tion is discov­ erred> a driver can submit a Request for Data Revie1t\T (RDR) online through the website. Inoo.1rrect iinforniation can [',eo1ain on a driver"s ZS reoorrd for up to five year ,. so diligen·t revie"",. is a n1.ust. Con"ln"'lon scenarios that may :requiire an RDR :indude: when a crash is not DOT recordable; v,.rhen a c:rasfu is assigned to the ·wrong driver or ca.r.r:ier; when ii.nsp ection data is iuconrect; when there is duplicate crash, inspection. or v:iolatio1.1 inforn1ation; or when citations have been adjudicated in court. 0 nee a dispute is filed on]irle, it is sent to the state law , enfo rven1.e11t agency that originally reported the data. As a result, atten1pting to argue the merits of a violation is n1ost often n--iet with resistance and is r,ejected> unless there was a d,ear e:rror made by the officer involved An RDR can only be filed on the san1e data twice, so necessary and con1plete documentation is a n1.ust CS.As focus on driver records :is abundant!ly dear. Law enforcement officials n1ake insp ect:ion decisions and ,enrtploy,ers n"lake pe:rsonnel decisions based on this data. It is the r,esponsibility of each driv, er to be sLrre the inforrnation on record is co:r:rect and free of discrepancies. 'Ihe Dat:aQs systen1 :is a tool not just for motor carriers> but: for drivers as w,e]l to ensure their records are accuratte. Pre-Employn1en t S,cre , en.img PrograID ( PSP) FMCSKs P're-En1pioyment Screening (PSP') allows drivers and rrnotor car.riers the oppot1:unitry to purchase driver safety 1·ecords bon1 the Motor Carrie:r Manag,e1nent Inforn ation System (MCNHS). The voluntary screening tool provides drive:r reco·rds containing tthe mnost recent 5 yea!rs of all reportab]e crash data and 1nost r-ec,ent 3 years of roadside :inspections. PSP r,ecords nuy be pu.rchased by a dirhrer at any tirJD,e; however,, n1otor ca!rriers n"lust have written conse!llt foon1 the dri.ver before acquiring the driver's record and may on]y do so at the tin:1e of hire. D rrhr·ell' Qualifications/Paper,,v;ork As previously 1nentioned FMCSA's licensing provisions ii.n Part 383 are j ntended to help reduce crashes by setting qualifications and safety standards for CMV. drivers. The ]aw requires that a person must hold a single, valid Conunercial Driver,s License (CDL) in order to drive a CMV 1. In interstate, intrastate, or foreign co:r.n tnerce;  2. \Vith a gross vehicle weight rating (GV\VR) or gross vehicle weight (GVVv) of at foast 26,:001 pounds, whicheveir is greater> or a combi:nation vehicle with a combined weight or con1bined rated weight of 26>001 pounds or more that includes a traile!r ,vith a GV\V OF GV\i"IR of 10>001 pom1ds or n1.ore; 3. Designed to transpo:rt at least 16 passenge:rs, inducting the driver; or 4. Transporting a quantity of hazardous nu.aleri.als :requiring placarding. This CMV definit.ion, used for licensing purposes., is found at Section 383.5. A driver n1.ay elect to take additional testing to obtain one or n71.ore specialized endorse1nents to the license. These endot'"Sements include double/triple trailer (T ), passenger (P)> schoo1 bus (S)> tank (N), and hazardous n1.aterials (H). The federal ll.'u1es require that every CDL applicant take a knowledge test befor-e obtaining a Conunercial Learners Per n1it (CLP). A driv,er 'l\'l'it.h a CLP can only dll'ive i11ll tbe piresence of another CDL driver au.d is rest.f'i,cted m the type of equipment lth,e· drifl.Ter may opell'ate. The only endorsements a Cl.P dt·iver can obtain ar-e N (en1pty only),. P (no passengers), and S (no passenge:rs). O1nce a d:river obtains a CLP, the dri.ver n1ust wait at least 14 days and con1plete entty-levd driver tra_ining given by a provider listed on FMCSKs Trainmg Prrovider Registry before becoming eligible to take the skills test requirred to be is.sued a.DL. The skills test is given by a person 1C authorized by the state who is competent to e\raluate and detenni.ne whether the d:river has den1onstrated their ability· to operate a CMV1 and any associated equipn.1ent assigned. Tli'Je road test must be long enough for the instructor to evaluate the driver: To pass the skills test,. dirivers m.nust den1onstrate n1astery of the follo,,ving: (a) P're-trip vehicle inspection skills. Applicants for a CDL 11nust possess basic pre, -trip vehicle inspection skills for the vehicle class that the drive, r operat,es or expects to operate. (b) Bas.ic v,ehi, cle ,cont.rol. skills. A!ll applicants for a CDL n1ust 1 possess and demonstrate basic n1otor veh:ide control skills for 30  the v,ehide class that the driver operates or expects to operate. : (c) Safe on-road drivina skills. All applicants for a CDL n--n.us1t poss_ess and den1onstrate safe on-road driver skills for the vd1ide class that the dr-iver operates o:r expects to ope:r-ate. Skills tests !l'l1Ust be conducted in on-street conditions or under a oornbina­: tion of on-street all:ld off- street conditions. A State !l'llay use si11nulator:s to perto1rn1 skills testing, but under no drcun1Stances as a substitute fo:r the :required testing in on-street conditions. To qualify for a CDL1 ,, a drii.ver n1.ust n1eet certain additional n--n.iniinum quaiifkations to drive in interstate con11nerc:e. These qualifications include, but are not lii.rnit, ed to,. the driver: Bei!llg at least 21 years old if driving in i!l11terstate co:tnmDerce though 49 states allow d.Ji vers 18 years of age to drive in intrastate corn1_n1e , rce (39 I.11 (b)(1) ); Being able to read and speak the Eng]ish language sufficiently to converse with the general public, understand high1,,vay· traffic signs and signals u.11 the English Ianguage,, respond to official UJ1quirries, and n1.ake entries on reports and records, (391.11(b)(2)); ho1\rever> som,e states waive this :reqwrena.ent for intrastate drive:rs. Having a cur:rent valid CDL or CI.P issued by only one state o:r jurisdiction (391.1 l (b)(5)) Beii!l:lg in good health and physically qualified to drive a CMV (39 l. l l(b)(4)), na.eaning the driver has a valid n1edical card and mn. eets the following standards (see 39 l.4 l): o Has no loss of foot> leg, hand, or a1rn1 or has been granted a wa11.ver; o Has no iin1paii:rn1ent of the use of a foot" leg, hand, ann> or :fingers or a111y other structura] defect or lin1iitation likely to interfere with safe driving, or has been granted a waiver; o Does not have , a form of di abetes c.ll!rrently requi rin1g insulin for control, unless the person obtcltllls the Insuliin-Treated D1iabetes Mellitus Assessment Forn1> MCSA-5870,, f:ro11.n theii:r tr, eating clinician.and is free fru:i:n co1nplic , ations that n1 ight in1pair the ability to operate a con11.ne:rcial motor vehide safely.;, o Does not have a heart condition of the type known to be aocon1.panied by loss of consciousness, collapse, or cardiac failu:r,e.;, 31  o Has no history of :respiratory dysfitnction likely to interfere with an ability to control and drive a CMV; o Does not have hi,gh biood pressure at a level likely to interfere ·with an ability to safe1y operate a CMV; o Has no rheumatic, arthritic, orthopedic, or other !l11uscular or vascular condition !likely to inte·rfere with safe driving; o Does not have epilepsy or other condition whid'l can cause loss of consciousn,ess or loss of ability to control a CMV o Has no n ental, nervous, organic, or functional disease, or psychiatric disorder likely to inte1-fere with the ability to sa:fie1y drive a CMV o Has a distant visual acuity of 20/40 (based on the standard Snenen eye chart) in e, ach eye, with or l'lirithout corrective J.en s es; field of vision of at !least 70 degrees, in each eye the ability to distin,guislri traffic-signaJ colo:rs (red> yellow,. and gr,een)1 or has a vision waive:r (or,. if the driver has u10:noculair -,.rision has co111pleted the process detail,ed in 391.44) o Can !hear a fo:rced whisper at a distance of at least five f.eet 1 with o.r without the use of a hearing aid> or can pass a ptre­ scribed audion1.etric test with or without a hearing aid. o Does not use illegal/banned dru,gs or substance that will adversely affect the d:r:iver·s ability to safely operate a c , oui- 1.nercial n otor vehicle; aud o Is. not an alcohoiic. As an etnployee perforn ing sa.tety sensitive functions in tlr1,e trans,por­ tation i.ndustry.. the professional driver is responsible fo:r providi.ng a safe work etHri.ronn1ent for co-workers and tr.he traveling publiic. Creating a saf.e Ylo.rk environn1ent not only 1.neans following estab­ lished work rules but also :f0Uo1.\.Tiug the.D 0 "s rules on drug use 1T au.d alcohol.llllisuse found in Part 382. A professional driver, who requires a CDL to operate., will be tested under the DOT rule , s prior to being en1pioyed by any 1.notor carrier. The driver is also subject 'to randon1 d:rug/alcohol tests during the course of e!tnployn1ent. These tests n1ay also be required post-accident, :regardless of whether the profession al driver '\.Vas at fault. 32 Entry-Level Driver Tll':ainiog (ELDT) FMCSAs Entry-Level Driver Training tules in Part 380 establish UiUDitnutn training requiretnents for entt:ry-[evelCl\1V drivers in interstate and intrastate co.nun erce. Individuals who are applying for aClass A orClass BCDL, an upgrade to thei:rCD or a hazardous materials endo:r-sen1en1I for their licens,e fo :r the first tin"le,. nnist n1eet these staindards. The rule :r,equires that e, nt ry-]evel drivers take behind-the-vtheel training con1bined with a prescribed knowledge cuirriculwn to address the specific training needs of a drive:r seeking aCDL. l\.1edic.al. C,ertificates 1 An FMCSA rule :issued in 2008 requires a driver's n1ediral certification info:rn1ation to he linked 11:o theirCDL via theComn1ercial Driver's License lnforn1ation Syste1n (CDLIS). For this l"iea.son> drivers who hold a CDL are not required to carry their u1edical ex:anuner..s certificate (MEq for n1ore than 15 days. after the date it was issued as proof of 1nedical certification, to verify n1edical qualification at :roadside. Hol'tl ver> any variances or skill 1e perforn1ance evaluation certificates (i.Je., V11c1!ivers), if applicable, will still be requir-ed to he carried by the drive:r. In addition, aUCDL drivers are required to self-certify the l:)rpe of driving they are doing (interstate vs. intrastate) and subnut tl:1eiir l\IBC to their State Dtiver-s Llce.nsing Agency· (SD LA). Once subn1itt,ed, tJhe SDLA is required. to post the certificate to CDLIS which FA(CSA,, n1otor carriers and state ra, enforcement agencies a:re able to ac:oess. As a best practice, it is re()Ollllllended that driv:ers contiun1e carrying their n1edical card! as a p:re-caution. Natioual Registry of Certified MedicalExaminers lll'l April 2012, FMCSA issued a fin al rule ,estab1i shing a National egistry of 1Certified MedicalExarniners and rr,equi ring aU tnedica] exa.nnners i,,vho wish. to conduct physical exa1.ni.nations for iinte:rstat,eCMV drivers to: 1Con1plete training conc, erning FMCSNs physical qualification standards. Pass a test to ve:rify an understanding of those standards. and M aintai.n a.nd den.1011stirate compelence through periodic training and testing. 33 Drivers n1ay only use n11edical ,examiners lisli:ed on the atio111al Regist!l'y to beoo.lille medically certified ,. By June 23, 2025, certified nr1edical exa11.11iners. \.Y-ill be required to.repot r,esul ts of all con'lpleted CMV dr we1rs'. physical exanJ1inations electronically to F.MCSA by nlidnight local ti1ne the follm.v­ ing calendar day. FMCSA ,'Vi11 in. lLll'TI transnut the r-esiltlts to the SDLAs whlch will then n-:Lclude this inforn1ation on the drive:r s CDUS/Moto:r Vehlcle Record (MVR). This " 'lll replace the current requirement that drivers sub1nit copies of n1.edicaB. certificates to their :respective SDLAs. Drug & Af,cobol Cleari.ogho111JSe and Drug Testing Both intra- and interstate n1otor carriers :must be conducting pre-ern­ ploy1nent, rand.on. post-accident. reasonab1e-s1L.1Spicio11> re­ turn-to-duty, and follo,v-up drug and alcohol testing for CDL opera­ tors. The required tests and th,e prohibi.tions are covered in Part 382 of the FMCSRs, and the testing procedures are covered in Part 40 of the DOT regulations. To further in1prove highway safety, on January 6> 2020> FM SAs 1C D1rng & Alcohol Clearinghouse becrune ope.rational. The Cleariug­ !house sen.res as a central !reposiito.ry ofdriv,ers,. DOT positive test 1 resn.llts_,, refusals to test, and other such violations of the drug , and alco11ol 11:estiiug regulatiious.. Motor carrier en.1p[oyers, designated service agents, medical :review officers,, and substance abuse profes­ sionals are 1·equi:red to subn-i:i1t DOT alcohol and dru.g violations to the Clearinghouse. Each motor carririer en..,,ployer> or their design ated service agent>.is :required to querry the Clearinghouse before hiring a CDL drjve:r-applicant to ve:rify that the driver is not in violation of any drug and alcohol prohibitions. Etnployers. are also required to qu.e:ry the database annually for records relating to their ex..i sting driver \.Vo:rkfo:rc , e. Records of drug and al coho] prograln violations will ren1ain in the Clearinghouse for :five years o:r u111til the drriv,er oon1plet,es the.return-to-duty pir:-ucess, whichever js later. How:-s of S,ervice (HOS) HOS regu] ations fo.r tru.ck dri. vers. were first :uuposed by the Interstate Co1nmerce Col'nmission in J 9'38 and ]ia1ited truck drivers to l2 34 hot.us of drive tin-i.e per day and 15 hours of total on-duty tin11e followii:ng 8 hours off. Tlbese :regulations re11.11ained relatively stable until 2003> but since then ha\re changed nnl!ltii.ple tun.es. In 2003> based on extensive research, FMCSA a.n-i.ended the HOS rules 1to include the foHowing lin its: 10 hou1:-s of mandato.ry rest ti111e between work shifts;. No n1or,e driving (but other ""lo:rk is allowed) foUowing the 14th ,consecutrve l11our after :reporting for wo:rk (thus putting drivers on a aorn1.al 24-hour circadian. rhyt]run); No n1ore than I.JI hours of driving per shift; a:nd The option to restart calculation of cun11.ulative on-duty tin1.e by taking 34 consecutive hours off duty;. FoUowing lii.tigation ove:r the new rme5> n1ore changes were published in 20 l 1> including: A required 30-tninu te off-duty brea!k eve:ry 8 hours; and A provision allowing 11.naxin"1.W'll fines for anyone who drives n10:re than 3 hours past tbe I !-hour lim.nit,, 1,vbich is conside.red an.-..:egregious" violation. Rules for electronic logging devices (ELDs) ,,v, ere published in 2015, as discussed belo"\v. 0n Sep1ten ber 29> 2020., FMCSA e!l.lacted additional changes to its H10S rules to add flexibility for drivers. Tlbese changes: Exte, n.ded the :radhis to 150 air n1.iles and on-duty tin1ie to 14 hou:rs for CDI. drivers operating unde:r the short-haul logging ,exception (395. l(e)(l)) ; A.1J1ow up to an additional two hours of on-duty and driving time when drivers ,en.count,e r adverse conditions ( 395. l(b)); Allow drivers to take their 30-n1u1ute n1andatory break. as on-duty tin1e rather than o:ff duty, and cow1t only drivirig tune toward the 8-hour ]inu'l (395.3); and Added flexibility to the "'split sleeper'' optii.on> allo1ving drivers to con11.bi11e a 7-hou.r sl,eeper-berth period with another break of 3 hours to get a valid ]0-hour break (versus the previous requi:re- 1.nent for an 8/2 split) (395. l (g)). 35  eat Belt It's the hn'\i-:. FJ\1CSR 392.16 reqLur,es a CMV dlrive:r and all other occupants jn the vehicle to wear a seat belt. Law enforoen1en1r jn 35 states and the District of Co1unllb:ia n1ay have the right to pull over and cit,e a driver if that driver and./or passenger(s) are not wearing a seat belt (p:rim.ary enforcen1enll::); 20 of those a11d D.C. include rea:r 1 seat passengers. Fifteen states police n1.ay cite an adult front seat occupant for not wearing a seat belt if pulled over for another traffic violation (secondary enfo:rcen1ent) ,vith rnany of those having prin1.ary e11:11forcen1.ent for younger drive:rs andlorr passengers. in the fl'\ont seat; l l states hav,e secondary ,enfo:rcen1.ent for :rear seat pass,en­ ge:rs as well U.S. DOT studies show that seat be1t usage an1011:1,g 1CMV drive:rs has inJ!prove, d over the ye, ars. According to the a_fety Belt Usage by Cowz­ mercial Motor Vehicle fC1\fV) Drivers Survey rdeased by FMCSA seat belt usa,ge reached an a11-tin1e high in 2016 where, 86% of all CMV drivers are w,eanng their seat bel.ts, an increase front 84% in 2013. Hard evidence sho,vs that, each yeair, seat lbdts p:re, ve, nt 15,700 fatali­ ties., 350>000 set·ious injuries, and 67 billion in costs associated ,-vith traffic injuries and deaths. Load Secu.ire,.m.ent In 2002, FMCSA published updated ca.r,go securen1ent rules in Subpart I to Part 393, ,vhich becan1e effective January 1, 2004> f.or n1.otor car:rietrs operating in interstate c, omme, roe. The ndes set forth how a n1.oto:r cartrier and driver should use cargo secure1nent devices to prevent artide, s from shifting on or ,v.ithjn,, o:r faUing from, CMVs. In short:,, cargo must be fir.niJy inunohilized or secl.ll"ed on or ,vi.thin tbe vehicle , by structures of adequate strengt:h> dunnage (]oos,e materials used to support and p:rolect cargo) or dunnage bags (inf.llat­ able bags , intended to fill spac,e between articles of cargo, etc.), shori.ng ba:rs, ti.edowns (straps, chain, rope, etc.)> or a co111bination of these. The ru1,es cover aU types of cargo except comn1odities in bu1k that lack strucmre o:r fixed shape (e.g., liquids,, gasesJ grain, liquid concrete,, sand, gravel> and aggregates) and are 1:ransport,ed in a tank,, hopper,, box, or similar device that is part of the rruck. The rules a]so 36 e stab]ish securen1ent-deviice perfo:rn1ance criteria and requiren1ents cove:r.ing those conunodities cons:iide:red to be the n1ost difficult to dete:nuine the appropriate n1eans of secuiren1ent1 such as logs.;. dressed lun1b er; r:netal co:ils. paper roUs; concrete pipe; intennodaJ containers; auton1obiles> light trnoks and van5> heavy vehicles, equipn1ent. and machinery; flattened or crushed vehicles; :roll-on/ roll-off containers; aad tair-ge boulders. Requirements concerning securen1.ent wo:rking load lin1its, a.nd blockmg a.nd bracing are applicable to all c.o111n"1odi­ ties bei!Dg t:r-ansported except bulk. Another cargo secur,en1ent rule i.,vas published in July 2006 tor clarity and uniformity of enforc.en.1ent. Pre-Tr.itp and Post-Trip Inspection According to FMCSR Sections 392. 7 and 3 96.13, prior to beginning a driving shift or every time a CMV driver cl11anges equipn"Ien.t during a shift> the driver n1ust: (a) b e satisfied that the 1n1otor vehicle is in safe operating condition; (b) rev.ie, tbe last dri veir vehicle inspection report if r-eq uired by Section 396.11 (a)(2)(i); and (c) sign the repo:rt to ackno\t\r]edge that the driver has reviewed it and that there is. a certification that the required repairs have been perlorn1.ed.: To t11eet the requirenrients of (a) above,. il:be driver most conduct a pre-'tll'i_p inspection of the equipnlient. At [ni111ilnun1> this inspection II.Dust cover seirvice brakles (including t:rai.let brake connections), parking brakes, steering.. lightin8"> tire5> wheels, :riu15> horn> wind­ shtield vripers, mirrors, coupling devi.ces, and en1e:rgency equipment. FMCSR Section 396. ] 1 r1equires a post-trip inspection and> if neces­ sary, a report. "'Ev,e:ry :nnotor carrier shall require its drivers to report, aad ever-")' driver shaU prepare a report :iin writing at the con1plletion of each day"s work on each vehicle operated, exoept fo:r inter mocL-L.1 equipment tendered by a.n inte:rn1odal equipment provider:, The Driv,e.r Vehicle Inspection Repot-t (DVIR) shall cover at leas't the parts and accessories listed abo\'e in the pre-trip inspection checklist. There :is an exception that states a driver does not hav1e to sob1Diit a DVIR when the drivell' bas neither.fouud nor be-en oiade nvar1e of any vehide defects or defi· ciencies. 37 Walking/\Vorking urfaces Standard On ovember 18, 2016, the 1OccupationaJ Safety and Health Adn1in­ istration (OSHA) issued a final rule revising its walking- working surfac.es and personal pr-0tection equip!1.Tien1r (PP'E) regulations. OSHA did not exernpt n1otor vehicles fron-:l the fall protection re- qui rem,ents but did not p:ropose any specific fall protection require­ n1.ents for n11otor vehicles. 1OSHA n1ade revisions Ito the following areas: O'Ockboa:rds: The final rule defines a dockboarrd as a po:rtable or fixed device used to span a gap or compensate for a difference in height between a loading platfon::n and a transport vehicle. Dockboards mnay be poweir,ed or n1anual,. and include1 but are not ]united to, bridge plates, dock levelers,. and dock plates. Run-off protection is not :required when the:re is insufficient space for equipnl.ent to run off. AdditionaUy., s,ecuring dockboards is not neoessary when there is sufficient contact between the dockboard and. the surface to prevent the dockboa:rd froin n1oving out of a safe position. \\Theel chocks o:r other n1eans to prevent vehicle n1ovement are required when en1.p]oy­ ees are on a dockboard. Repaiir/ ssen1bly its: In situations where there are two or n1ore pits (not n10:r,e than LO feet deep) in a conunon area and the pits are not more than 15 feet apart,, OSHA :requires contrasting fiJ.oo:r n1airki.ngs at [east six feet fron the pit edlge around the entire area of the pits. Vi/heel Chocking: The final nde n1ade clear that 1OSHA has authority to enforce wheel chocking requirernents in two instances: (1) Trans­ port vehicles that do not meet the definition of con1.nl.ercial !lnotor vehicle (CMV): and (2) CMVs not ope:rated. in interstate con"ln"leroe> 1 which indndes CMVs that transport mat,erials on private roads or 1 within a work establish n1ent. Loading,:_Dock GuardraHs ,& Fall Protection: The final rule does, not exempt loading docks fron1 having guardrails or fall protection. En1.ploye:rs that can demonstrate , that the use of fall p:rotection systen1.s is not feasible on the ·working side of a platfo:rnl. used at a [oadi ng rack, loading dock. or t,een1ing platfo rn1,. then the wo:rk n1ay be done without a fall protection syste1n, provided.: c, ( 1) 'The wo:rk ope:ration fo!l" ,\rhich fall p otecti.o:n i.s infeasible is in process; (2) 38 Access to the platform is ]i!l.nited to authorized emp]oyees.;: and (3) To,e authorized en1ployees are trained Employer Training Reguirements: The fina[ rule requires that all e!l.npioyers 11:nust provide tiraining for each employee by a qua1ified person. The training must include: (1) TI1e nature of the fall hazards in the work area and how to 11:·ecognize then1 (2) TI1e procedures to be followed to minitTiize those hazards; (3) The correct procedur,es for instalHng,, inspecting, operating, n1aintaining, and di.s-assetnbling the personal fall protection systen1s that the employee uses; and> ( 4) TI1e corirect use of peirsona1 fall protection systen1.s and equip­ n1ent. Elec:tJ:"oni!c Logging Devices (ELDs) An Electronic Logging Device (ELD) is a device installed in a CMV that n1onitors hours of service comp1iance. The requiren1en1rs for using ELDs are found in Section 395. S and Subpart B to Part 3 9 S, and the technical speci:fications ELDs 1nust nieet are found in Appendix A to Subpart B of Part 395. Though not !l.nandat,ed in the regulations, so1ne ELDs can also track vehicle and driver perfonTiance such as fuel econon1y, speed, and onboard events. FMCSA issued the :fina[ rule requiring ELDs in Decelnber 2015> and it went into full effect in Decen1.ber 2019. All motor ca_rriers and drii.vers subject to FMCS.Ns 1re , co1d of duty.status requireo1en:ts i n 395.8.n1ust be using an.ELD to re ,cord hours of senTice, unll,ess one of tfrl.,e ELD e , xe01p ti.ons applies. There are ELD e , xenJ.ptm.ons for drivers ,,.rho only occasionaHy have to con--n.plete a record of duty status (8 orr fe,-ver days in the last 30 days)i, driv,ers invo]ve , d in df'ive­ away operations, drive:rs involved in recreational vehicle dd.vea,-vay/ towaway operations,, and drivers operating a vehicle o]der than model year 2000 (as evidenced by the vehicle s. VI or engine set"ial nm'll­ ber). Effective January l > 2023 ,. n1otor carriers operating in Canada were r,equired to co11r1ply with the Canadian ELD require1nents, based on a rule that went into effect in June 2021. These :regulations require drivers who.n1ust con1plete a :r,ecord of duty status to use an ELD that has been certified by a Canada-authorized third party, unless an exe1r:nption. applies. Ach..-anced Driv,er Assistnr,e Syslems (ADAS) AD1AS technologies are designed to assist drivers in safely responding to dyna1nic changes in traffic. conditions. A ,vide variety of ADAS technologi, es and functions are available th.rough various system supp1ie:rs and original equipn1e11t manufacnrrers (OE.lvls). FMCSA has also placed a great dea] of focus on the potential safety bene:frts. Bdow is a sun1tmary of sev,e:ral on.board safety technologies that are currently available. Lane Departure liVarr1ing-Syste"1 (LDWSJ: An LDWS uses technolo­ gies to determine if a vehicle is drifting from its lane. If a trnck begins to dr-ift before a turn signal has been activat,ed, the LD, VS notifies the driver with audible cues such as a nun.hie strip soU!Jld. As technology in1p:rov,es LDWSs are expected to indude n-m.echantisrns that will auton1ati.cla ly adjust a drifting truck's steering. Automatic Ernerger1cy Brakir1g (AEB ): AEB delects potential for,,\ ,ard collisions using sensors and activates the braking systen1 to deoelerate the vehide to avoid or mitigate a collision. The technology often uses any con1ibin at.ion of :radar, can1eras, o:r Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) to identify threatening situations. The sio\ve:r the vehicle is trav,eling;> the more likely it is that the automatic en1ergency braking systen1 can bring it to a stop to prevent a co1lision. Adap#ve Crnise Control CAQC): Assi.sts with aoceleration and/or braking t:,o n1.aintain a driver selected speed ai1d following distanc,e between subject vehicle and the vehicle in front. Advanced ACC syste.01.s with stop and go fean.u-es can come to a c.on1plete stop and accelerat,e back to the sped:fied speed ,-vithout driver intervention. This systen1 still :requires an alert driver to take in their surroundings, as it only controls speed and the distance between the subject vehicle and the vehide in front. Camera Mo11itoring Systems (CMS): These syste.n1s include d:rive:r and.road-facing can1e:ras and ca.me:ra-based n1irro.r syste1ns and use in-cab and vehicle s.urroWld:ing cann.eras and sensors to monitor the 40  ,. d:riverr's beha"\rior and perforn1a.nce. CMS enhances the driver s field-of-view and helps ,e1nployers pt-ovide driver feedback to improve perfo:rmance. Electronic Stability Control (ESCJ: _i\n ESC uses nutltiple on-board sensors to detect side-to-side instability and yaw (the angle of a vehicl,e in relation to its ve , rtical axis) primarily to avoid :rollovers. ESC is available in both active and passive platforn1s. Passive systems inform drivers of significant roH-over :risk a couple of seconds afte:r the event, thus improvin,g a driver's pe:rfrorn1ance in sin1ilar future situations. Active systems take direct action ,,,.rhen they detect v,ertical instability by reducing throttle or, if necessary, applying brakes. Acrive systen1s have been re.quired on n1ost ne,v heavy trucks and tractors since 2017. Blind-Spot lvfonitoring: BJ ind spots are defined as areas behind or at the side of the vehicle that the driver cannot see &on1 the d:rive s seat. A blind-spot n1onitoring systeni. uses s,ens,ors that mnonitor the driver's blind spots and notify the dl"iVel" if any obstacles co!lue close to the vehicle by providing an audible,. visual, or haptic warning, Most BSM systen1s can be te1npora:rily disabled :for a short duration of ti!l11 when the driverr activates the turrn sign al or by a switch or th:rou,gh the driver corlitroI panel l-vhile going through a construction zone. While safety technolo,gy n1ay be an aid to ll"'educing crashes, drive!iS remain the n1ost in1po:rtaut elen1ent to truck safety. 'Ihe rr-esponsibility fo:r safety still rests finnly in the driver's hands. Bas c Safety Guidelines Speed 1aDagen1en t According to the federal Highway Adn1inist:ration (FH\VA), speed­ ing - traveling too fast fo:r conditions o:r in excess of the posted speed 1 in1it - is a factor in 29% of all fatal crashes and costs An1e:rica approximately 40.4 biUion in econon1ic costs each year. Add]jtionally, R an AT I study, updated in 2022,, found that speeding 15 mph over the speed limit incr,eased tl1e likelilu,od ofa crash by40%. Conse­ quently, many n1otor carriers focus a great deal of their training,. 41 policies. and procedures on speed tnanagen1ent. such as kno1,.ving and following posted or applicab]e speed limits as well as :recognizing and adjusting to c , onditions that 1r-eq1Lu1re a driver to alter their speed Progress has. been tnade, but the re is roo1n for additional uuprovenn.ent. The san1e 2022 ATRI study found the peroentage of drivers w.iit!h a speeding violation had in.creased 8.1 % sinoe 2018. Congestion, work or school zones, pedestrians. tin e of day, Jload conditions, and weather n1u.st be taken :into consi.deration when detern1ining appropriate speed. ote that 'the speed of a vehide which encow1te:rs sideslip due to excessive speed (in a curve) can be detern1med by studying the yawinark (the n ark left fron1J a sliding tire). Stop ping D iistance Having adequate brakes and the ability to stop in the reqni.red distance is, ina.perative to driving safe.. Stopping distance changes depending on tlhe type of "reJhide and its speed; the vehicle,s size, height, and.v,eight; type of loads-; holrv ""'di the load is secured: tire type, size> pressure, and tread wear; type of brakes.; and driver s alertness. Drivers must also oonsider weather]i road conditions., surfaces., and elevation of :road surfaces. Regulations finalized by HTSA m 2013 require that standard tractors driving at 60 mph n1ust con1e to a co:n1plete stop within 250 feet, while vehicles witl"l n1101re axles and heavier loads are alllowed up to 310 feet The CDL :Driver's Manua] reoon1mends that if a CM\7 dl'iYer.is drh.ring belol '" 40 01ph ,. -th,e driiver should I.eave at lea st one ec,o.nd for every 10 f.eet of 1,rehid,e length., For a typical straight truck or tractor/28 ft. ttrailer unit,. this :results in 4 seconds between the C.M\7 and the vehicle ahead. For speeds over 40 u1pb, the CMV wrive , r should lea"\re one additi.om,al second,. and fo!l' ,each additional 11:,en feet of v:ehi,cle length,, one n:iore second. To estini.ate foUowi ng distance. in s,econds, pick a n11arker on the side of the :road ahead of the vehide i_!l1 front of you. Once the vehicle passes that n1ark:e:r. coU!l'lit the nuni.ber of seconds until yon pass that san1e n1arker. If it is l.ess 4.1. than the recon,_n,.ended. nwu.ber of seconds, slo,v your v,eh ide in a safe :m1.ru'lfleL Types of brakes also h av,e an in1p act on braking distance. The n1.ost c on1Jnon brakin.g systen1 a driver ,vill encounter is eitherr clisc brakes or dlrun1 brakes. Disc brakes tend to have a shorter stopping distance than drun1 brakes, anywbe!rie fro111 17% - 33% depending on speed Howeve:r> drnn,. b:rakes a re n,.ore con"1.mon because they are generally n1ore durable and typi.caJ.ly cheaper to maintain. 1\.-lirrors Good dri,ring habits iu.clude proper use of all the vehicle"s tnirrors. Proper n1irN>r adjustment helps the driver to eliin·1inate vehicle bltind spots, and in turn> helps in1prove visibili.tyJ s,ecurity, and sa.fety w · h:ile parked or driving. 1\1.any experts say that dri ers should ,chec/k 01.irrrors every 5 to 8, seconds and con:tinuaU'y monitor traffic pat11:,e rns arou.nd the ve , bicle. In1prope:r or inadequate n1irror usage is a conttributing factor in 11nany vehicle accidents. Mi.rrorless trucks or Camera Monitor Syste , nIB (CMS) have caught the attention of 1tnany in the 1rrnck:ing industry as an alternative to co , nven­ tional rea.r--vis.ion n1irro:rs. Currently> FMCSA has approved an exen1p­ tion fo:r several con1panies to complete1y r1e111ov,e traditional n1irrors, adding can1eras and monitors ii.n the cab t:o vie-\1\f the surroundings of the CMY. 'Ihe hope is that the Cainera Monitot· Systen1s give drivers in1- proved vision and elinunate all blind spots, around the tractor and trailer. D efensi re Driving A defensive driver is defined by FMCSA as c,a driver who tries to r,eoogniiz,e potentially hazardous situations in advance and assu11n es other drivers n1.ay n1ake 11nistakes and is prepared :in th,e event an errro:r is n1ade A defens:ive driver is one who: 1Conu11its no driving errors; Makes reasonable and prudent allowances for the ] ack of skill or imp.roper driving practi.ces of the opposing drivers or pedestd­ ans.; Adjusts thei:r own driving to con1.pensale for rmusual weather,, road> and traffic conditions and 43  Is not tricked into an accident by the nnsafe actions of pedestr!i.­ ans and other drivers. A key con1ponent of this is anticipating dang , e!l's bet:ore they u1atieri­ ali.z,e and k.J.10,v.ing how to avoid and properly react to such risks. A defensiv,e drive:r is aware of their environment (t:raffic, road> weather> o:r pedestrian activity). lin short> the defensive dri,rer is constantly st1rveying tlheir surround.ings in anticipation of a hazardous, situation., keeping a safe following distanc maintaining a safe speed gjven the conditions, and adopting the following princi.p]es: Starting ,and Backing Up: It is !i.n1.portant for a driv,e:r to be aware of their surroundings even when the vehicle is stopped, m neutrat or parked. In 8% of large-truck/two-vehicle fatal cirashes, either the truck o:r fhe other vehicle w,e:re stopped or parked. Before sbiftiug into gear, a defensive d.Jriv,er · k.l:lol\t'S what is in front,. bebin.d, and lo the siide of theiir ve!hicl,e. In fact> extr-a precaution and preparation are required when there is limited visibility and when n1.aneuvering space is tight:. Sta.rt witb a walk:-aJt"ound. When safe to do so,. d:ri vers should al-,.., ays cotnplete a wa!lk-around !before starting thei:r vehicle or backing up. The de:f:e nsive driver checks all sides of th,e vehiicle (back> front, left and right, as well as un.den1eath, and above) to be sure safe clearance has been achieved and that can1eras,. tnirrors,. and windows atre dearr and positioned to n1aximi:zie visibility. When th,e walk-aroun.d !is complete,. drivers should begin their maneuv,e r pron1ptly after checking mirro:rs to avoid. a hazard that might: tTiaterialize in the interin1.. Move lrith care. Proceeding cautiously aJl.lows, unexpected vehicles or pedestrians the d1anoe to n1.ove away. A tap of the horn can be useful in congested areas. Continue backing slowly, n1.aintaining contrroL ever rush; ch eek mirrors consta.ntly. Hin doubt ) sl:op. Check for and anticipate varying surface grades/ inclines and space lin1itations, and how it will affect v,ehicle control,. speed, dearances> and visibility. Use a spol:ite!I'. The advanttages of utilizing a spotteir can.not be unde:r- 44 estin1ated when badcing up, though ultimate responsibility for the position and n1.oven1ent of the vehicle rests. with the drive:r. \\ :1en using a spotter,. have trhe spott.er '\.Vear a safety vest and walk. around the vd'l.lde and check all cleara.nce levels distances, and lha:zairds.;, then , t fron1 the vehicle and in such a way pos!i.tion the spotter at least :8 fee that the spott.er can clearly see the driver and the driver can clearly see the spotte:r. Maintain visual and veirbal contact -i,vith the spotter at all tin1es; other--wis½ do.n"t back up. Agree in advance on the hru.1 1d signals to be used by the spotter (Le.., back up, 11:nove forward, and stop). Never assume the spotter knows what you will do ne:x.1:. Large-truck statistics suggest that one out of every four coUis!i.ons i:nvo1ves backing, so don,..t back up m11less the:r,e"s no alteirll.1!ative. Right- of-- -Vay. General1y, a defensive driveir gives the :right of way to other veh:icles when: (1) the dri.-ver..s vehicle is last to arrive at an intersection (2) entering traffic and turning ]eft in front of approach­ ing traffic; and/or (3) changing lanes. Defiensive drivers assun1e other drivers or pedesttria.ns n1c11y not see their veb ide or anticipate their actions. Defensiv,e drivers do not begin n1.aneuvers until they are sure it ,viU not conflict ·with t1ra:ffic or force other drivers to !brake or steer around the obstruction. As a general roJ,e: "c.,Gi. r,e the r.iigh't of ,-vay,. don,. t take it.n Negotiating Turn..,;;: Biind spots, trailer length> and off-tracking (tr-aiJ.e:r i,vheels do not follow the path of tractor 1,vheels while turning) make turning markedly more challen,ging in a 1CMV. CMV s, generaUy take longer to con1plete a turn th.an passenger cars which presents addi­ tional safety considerations. Defensive d.rii.l.r, errs are co,nsli:anOy checking t.111e , ir m.u-rors before, ,vben. entering and exiting, and a.fter a mrn. is complel:,edL D1r.iv, ers n1ust allow an1ple time to co1.111plete the n1an.euver> ensuring approaching drivers do □ot have to brake or swerve to avoid an accident. Riglilt hl.rns: \'\Then turn:ing right,. it is espe,cially uuportant for the d:r:iver to be n1indful of the position of their vehicle in relation to pedestrians and stationa.1t-y objects as off-t:raclci.ng can potentially cause the trail,er to clirnlb the curb. Another de:fensiv,e driving tech­ nique is to n1ove to the right lane.vell in advance of tbe intersection,. positioning the rear of the vehicle to the :right,. blocking other v,ehides fron1. passing on the :right side. 45 Left mrns:: Turning left also has its d1allenges. The defensi.ve driver knows tbeir tru.ck s turning capabilities and radius (and how the setting of the adjustable reair axle n1ay in-u.pact that). an1d how long it will take to con1plete the turn. Because a left trur:n generally involves crossing lanes of traffic, it ii.s in.1po:r1i:ant for the driver to signal their intention to turn well in advance, gauge tl e speed of oncoming traffic, and check the n1irrr-01·s often - before,, durin and afte:r the turn. The , defens1ve drive ir must allow enough ti tne to con1.pl.ete the tu:rn without creating a hazard \\Then atten11 pting any tlll'n, never assume thallt o t.her drh.,.ers ,rilll see you. They tnay be looking e:l.sewhere. Additionally,, while all trailers are eqwpp ed with reflecthre strip son:1e trailers are still difficu1t to see at night a11d an opposing driver may think you have cleared the intersection when,, in fact. the trailer has not. Again> as a genera[ rule,, «give the right of way,, don't tak:e it." Ne gotiating Curves: The defensive driver anticipates oonditions that n1.ight contribute to a skid and :rollove:r. For exa.:n1pl,e> ho,v a trailer is loaded and with what type of carrgo can affect the likelihood of a skid o:r rollover. Is ithe cargo secure from shifting en :route? Is the cargo loaded in such a way that it n1ay n-u.ake the trailer "top heavy"' ? Is the :road uneven? Are there st:ron,g ,,..,inds expected or possible en :route? TypicaUy. during a tr-actor-trailer rollover event, the trailer begins to :roll fi irst, often giving the diri.ver Liittle or no tii.m. e to.react. Because of this, understa:nding the characteri sties of the load, the road condi­ tions, and the w,eather is in1p erative. The speed of a C f\7 when entering a curve is the 01.ost in1porta nt factor in rollovers_ vVhile 1111ost curves are posted 'li"lith advisory speed lit11its,, unless otherwise 11:narked> these speeds are reconu11enda­ tio:ns based on passenger cairs. Af,vays slow· down when entering curves and avoid driving on the shoulders as the wheels n-iay sink, increasing the likelihood of r-o!llover. The cargo securrement stan.daJ'ld for vehicles wm.th a gross weight rating over 10000 ,, lbs. requires, that cargo n ust be secur,ed to withstand a force in a left and :right direction of0.5 g (50% of the weight of the cargo). \Vlhy? Because shiftin,g.&eight ,can caus,e a vehicle to roU over. A tandem-axle semi-trailer with a cargo w,eight of 50> 000 ]bs and car-go height of 102 in. (' \Tith load ce:nte:m,ed) will have a :roll 46 th:r,esbold of 0.35 g. In other words, the vehicle ,vill roll over when the lateral force r,eaches. 0.35 g. Vehicles trave1illig at a speed of about 40 rrnph on a ran1p posted for 25 n1ph can. produce a late:ral force up to about 0.5 g. If the load isn..t centered or the slope of the cu.rv,e ri.s greater,. the potential for rollover increases. In 13%, of la:rge-truck/ two-vehicle fatal crashes'> either the truck or o ther vehicle was !l:1egoti­ ating a curve. Negotiating Slopes: Another potentially hazaroous situation for the professional truck drive:r is. negotiating steep do"vngrades. The priLmal'Jr reason for loss of control going do1,,.Tnhill is brake failure and uuproper control lr,echniques. A good n1aintena11.ce rre , cord and pre-trip inspection -will ho_p efully ave rt brake failure;. however11 if a driver notices any braking issues:, the driver should pull offtJhe road and stop as soon as it i.s safe to do so, and then call for service. He:re are a fe,\r tips that good defensive drive:rs use to avoid accidents on dmvugrades: 'test the brakes before ente:ring a long and/ or steep grade. Tlb1e gear s,eiected fo:r a do,vngrade sho1...tld never be higher than that which a di.river ·would use to ascend the same grade. In en1e!I"gency braking scenarios, use c'stab braking ,," a !I.net.hod in which tbe dr.mver applies the brake fuUy, then. releases it once the wheels lock up. Once the '!t.vheels begin spinning,, apply full brakes again. IMPORT.ANT: fully braking does not in1ply januuing on the birakes all at onoe. This will cause a skid and consequently,, loss of control of the vehicle. Don..t use the hand lever to apply only the trr-ailer brakes because it can ove!I"heat then.1 creating the conditions for a fire and/o:r lb:rake failure. Driving ir, Adverse Weather Conditions: Professional truck drri.vers !lnust be fully prepared to drive in ah11os1i: any weather condition. '\¥hen driving in adverse weather, drivers should understand th at stopping distances increase ,-mile the ability to tak:e qui evasive action decreases. It is inr1pe:rative that a driver adjust to road condi­ tions enough to con1pensate.for thei:r lessened traction, stopping ability, and visibility, as well as the potential for errors, by othe:r drivers.. 1Good defensiv,e d·riving can reduce the risk of an acd.dent. Two of the most unportant defensive dr.iiv.i.t1, g tech.niques in bad weather are to r,educ,e speed and increase following distance. 47 Additionally"' be su:re to apply brakes gently and steer with fluid,, non-jerky moven1.ents,. Pay attention to posted speed Li.nuts and be fa!tniliar with 1naxinutn1 allcnvable speeds ll'.l! adverrse weather conditions. States n1ay have required n-m.axin un speeds depending on the weatl1er conditions and these rwes can vary :fron1 stat, e-to-state. Distl'acted Driviing Distracted driving is any activity that talces a driver's attention away fJ10m the task of driving. A.nswe:ring or dia]ing a cell pbon sending a text n1essage, eatin o:r ev,en reaching for a fallen object are con1mon examples. It has !been the focus of a series of studies to , orrelates to crash risk. detern1:ine how speci:fically dist!['acted driving c A 2009 Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) study, for exan1.p],e, f.ound that te , xtin.g truck drive!l's inc!l'eased their risk of a "saletJt-critical driving r,entn by 23.2 tunes,, dialing a cell phone by 5,.9 tjn11es,, and use of,, or reaching foir:, an elect:ro. nic device by 6. 7 times when cou1pared to a non-distracted d:r:iver. In other words, the. longer a d1:riv,e:r's eyes ,vere diverted from the road, the n1ore risk associated with that distracting behavior. Texting, :forr examp],e, an1.omnted to 4.6 seconds of distraction ov,e:r a 6 second interval. At 60 n-m.ph, that l'neans a driver is trr-aveling m.no:re tha11 the 1en,gth of a football field w·ithout eyes on the road A Monash University study fou!l:ld t:hat n10!1:orists ,vho use lf-iand-held devices are 4 tin1es n1.ore 1ikely to get :into crashes serious enough to injure the.111.selves, and a Carnegie.Mellon study suggested driving.vhile us:iing a cell phone reduces the anflOW'lt of brain activity associated with d:rivi ng by 3 7%. Distracted drn"ing is not just about dectronic de,rices. A study published in 2007 by the Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety found sn1.ok.ing to be a source of distraction in 0.9% of distraction- :related crashes,. which equated to about 12,.780 crashes over the 5-year sh1'dy period. The National Highway Traffic Safety Adininisl:ration ( HTSA) also found that eating ,vhile driving could be ri slcier lhan talking on a cdl phone depending upon what was, being eatren. 48 l!Dterestingly> e-..ren though JDost people understand the risks of drii:vrng while distracted, they se dom act on their o,n1. concerns. lll1 a study released by the AAA Fow1datii.on for Traffic Safety_. it was noted that 71 % of those su.rveyed believe it tis not acceptab]e to talk on a handheld cell phone while driving, a.nd 95% believe texting '!wtvhile driving is just as, or n1ore, dangerous,, and yet 67% of the re , spondents ad1ni.tted to using a cell phone \.Vhile dirivin.g and 2 1 % adnm.ti.tted to sending or :reading text u1essages. That s_ee1rns to coincide i,,vith the r,eswts of a study that found 11 % of all drivers under the age of 20 who were involved in fatal crashes were reported as distracted at the tin1e of the crash. CurrentlyJ there are 4-9 states and the District: of Colwnbia that: prrohibit text n1essaging and 2 7 states and tlil,e District of Colun-ibia that p:rohibit hand-held cell phone use for al] d:rivers. Even l\riith increased attention at the state level> NHTSA Feported in 20 J19 th.at 2,. l 42 peopie were killed :in n1otor vehicle crashes invohriing distracted drivers Addir-essing this issue on a national scale has been a priority of the U.S. Departu1ent of T:ransportation. In 201 l ,, FMCSA and PHMSA issued a fi.nal :rule th.at r,estiricts the use of hand-held n1obile tele­ phones by interstate CMV drivers and mt rastate hazmat drivers. This rule took e:ffect on Januar y 3,, 2012. Th.e role prohibits CMV drivers fro1n holding, dialju or reach1iug '-'io au ·01-ia,cceptabte aud unsafe u-1a11.nel'·,, !foll' a baud-held oeUular phone. This includes all push-to­ talk functions. Hands-fir,ee use of a cellular. phone is allowed. The ban does not prohibit or restrict the use of CB radio GPS, or fleet managem:nent systems. A driver is allowed to ii.nitiat answer, or te:rni.inate a call by touching a single button on a [nobile pho:ne or on a headset:. This action should not require the driver to take thei:r eyes off the road. The d:river is not: allowed to reach for a phone in the passenger seat, under the drivers seat, or in. the sleeper berth,. for exa!l11p1e The hands- free devioe 111ust be -within dose p:roxin-iity to the driver's person. Sinoe all states were re,qufred to adopt the federal regulation. the rule is appiicable to intrastate non-hazn1at CMV drivers as well. Unde:r the fin.al n11e> CMV drivers who aI1e convicted of a hand-held eel[ phone violation hviioe 'lirvithin a 3-year period 'lir'Till be disqualified for 60 days. If convicted for a third violation 1-vithin 3 years, the driver will be disqualified for 120 days. Driir,ers will also be, ubj1ect to federal chril. penalties of up to 2:;750 for each offense. Motor carriers that a!I"e found to have allo,,ved their driv,ers to use hand-beld cell phones ,vhj]e operating a CMV face a maxin1.u1n civil penalty of $11 000 per violation and a IO-point CSA violation. The nde does allow for use of hand-held cell phones if tbey are used foll" en1ergency pu:rpos,es. In April 2013 > NHTSA :reieased voluntary guideiines for vehic1e n1.anufactnrers to reduce visual-!I.nanual distractions, such as con1mu­ nications, entertain1nent, and :navigation devices. The guidelines :include :r,econ1n1endations to ]hnit the tin1e a d.r.ive:r n1ust take their eyes off the road to perforn1 any task to two seconds at a tin1e and Ji2 seconds total. Tackling this issue goes beyond the law. The ,et:wor-k of En1p1oyers for Traffic Safety's 2012 fleet safety· bench111a:rk study !I"evealed that the safest fleets have written po!l:icies :restricting the use of n1.obile devices and check mobile phone records after a collision, :regardless of severity. 50  Safety Questions and Ansl-\Ters Q. ·w11at are the quali.ties of a professional truck dl'.'i"rer? A. A professional driver is. one who: 1. Is. physically, m, entally,. and emotionally in cont:ro] on the job 2. Is lell-infor11:11,ed about the d.rive!r"s motor vehicle, the highway,. and traffic laws 3. Has a sound grasp of safe driving ·techniques 4. Has sufficient expe:rience to have fo:rmed good driving habits and skills. S. Is. conscientious,. con pfiant, courteous, and puts sa.f.ety first Q 1What other factors must be taken itn.lro consideration 111tThen operating a '\i ehiide? A. A d:rive:r should always take into consideration: 1. TI'le condition of the vehide 2. Types of roads and road conditions 3. Light and weathe:r conditions 4. TI'le drivers own n1e:ntal and physical condition '" Q. '\\ l11at are the three license dasses designated by the iedel"al :standards? A. The federal standard requi:res that states issue a CDL to drivers according to these ticense dassifications: 1. Class A - Any combination ofvehicles ,vith a G·V¼'R of 1 26,00 l o.r tnore pounds provided the GV\.VR ofthe vehi­ de(s) being to1,ved is in eX!cess of 10 ,.001 pounds. 2. Class B - Any single vehicle ,vith a GV1/I/R of 26,00 J or tnore pounds ,. or any such vehicle to,ving a vehiid,e not in excess of 10,000 pounds GV\VR. 3. Class ·C - Any single vehicle, or cotnbjnation ofve 1 , hidesJI that does not n1eet tlhe definition of !l.ass A o.r Class B, but is 1C ,either designed to transport 16 or n1.ore passeoge:r5> includ­ ing the driver,. or is transpo:rting n.1ate:rial that bas bee.n designated as hazardous unde:r 49 U.S. C. 5103 and is required to be p]acarded under subpart F of49 CFR Pa-rt 172 or is traospo:rting any quantity of a material bsted as a select agent or toxin in 42 1CFR Part 73. 51 Q. l Vhat parts of the Fed,eral Motor Carrier Safety R.egnlatiions u1.nst tbe driver hav,e lkt-iowiledge of? A. Although a co:mnmercial vehide driver does not have to be e,qually faiu:ilia.r with all parts, the driver m.nust lhave a working knowfodge of: 1. Part 382> Controlled Substances and Alcohol> Use and Testing; 2. Part 383, Con1 nfle:rcial D1river's Lioense Standards; Requi!I"e- !111 ents and Penah:ies.; 3. Part 391, Qualifications of Drive:rs.; 4. Part 392, D1riving Rules; 5. P'art 393, Parts and Accessories Nec , es.sary for Safe Opera- tion 6. P'art 395,. Hours of S e.r,-rice; 7. Pa:rt 396,. Ins:p ection and Maintena.nce; and> 8. Part 397 (if hauling lhazarclous n1ateria!ls) "The d.river n11ust pay particular attention 1Do lhe requirements of Parts 392 and 395. Th e drive , r should know enough about Parts 393 and 396 to ascertain th.at the equ.ipn11.ent n11.eets the re , qwre­ men.ts of the :regulations and is in safe operating condition. The d:river should know the basic requiren1ents of Part 391 so that the d:river can r,en1ain qualified to drive. Driv,e.rs of hazardous 1t1'laterials should also be fan1.iliar with Parts 100-185. Q. May -tbe i11terstate dri'\ e , r be dispatched \¥bile ill or fatigu ed? A. No. A dnv,er a.nay not drive o:r operate a vehicle in interstate con1n11.e1rce while , the driver's ability or alertness is in11.pai.red by iUness o:r any other cause that n"l.ay n-i.ak,e it unsafe to drive (§392.5). Q. Vlhat are the signs of drol;\,Tsi.ness?..A... "There are several in,dicato.rs of drowsiness. A pe.rson,,s eyes close involuntarily> their head nods> or they ya,,vn repeatedly. If driving, a dr