The Fleet Business Authority
Issue link: http://heavydutytrucking.epubxp.com/i/221397
WASHINGTONreport Safety Board critiques FMCSA oversight i In an analysis of transportation, such four fatal crashes, the as railroad, highway, National Transportamarine and pipeline. It tion Safety Board does not have regulasharply criticized the tory responsibility. Federal Motor Carrier American Trucking Safety Administration Associations said the for poor oversight, Board's report undercalling for an audit of scores the need for the agency's complimandatory electronic ance review process. logging devices and Two of the crashes improvements in the involved trucks. CSA safety enforceCaused by driver erment program. ror, they killed a total "NTSB's finding of eight people, the that a truck driver in a board said. The other fatal crash, and many two were bus crashes, of his co-workers, roucaused by driver error tinely carried two log and poorly maintained An analysis by the NTSB of two fatal truck crashes revealed books is unacceptable equipment. They killed shortcomings in the way FMCSA manages compliance reviews. and would have been a total of 17 people. prevented by the use Although the specific circumstances vary, the crashes of a mandatory electronic logging device," said Bill Graves, reveal shortcomings in the way FMCSA manages its ATA president and CEO, in a statement. compliance reviews, the board said. The truck crashes in ATA Chairman Phil Byrd, president of Bulldog Hiway particular reveal that the agency's reviews did not uncover Express, Charleston, S.C., added that the report highlights hours-of-service violations because the need for CSA improvements. inspectors were focused on other areas "We look forward to the forthcomThe agency's reviews of compliance. ing Government Accountability Office did not uncover hours- and DOT Inspector General CSA audit "While FMCSA deserves recognition for putting bad operators out of busireports and hope they emphasize the of-service violations ness, they need to crack down before need to ensure that the program accrashes occur, not just after high-visibili- because inspectors were curately measures crash risk and focuses ty events," said NTSB Chairman Debofocused on other areas on unsafe fleets," Byrd said. rah Hersman. "Our investigators found The Truck Safety Coalition also said of compliance. that in many cases, the poor performing the Board's report underscores the need company was on FMCSA's radar for for electronic logs, but urged the agency violations, but was allowed to continue operating and was not to make any changes that would weaken CSA. not scrutinized closely until they had deadly crashes." The truck crashes NTSB said it found problems with both the thoroughIn Elizabethtown, Ky. on March 2, a truck operated by ness and quality of the agency's compliance reviews, and Highway Star of Troy, Mich., was traveling northbound on Inwith its increasing reliance on focused compliance reviews. These reviews focus on only part of the carrier's operation, in terstate 65 at about 67 mph when it approached slowing traffic. The road was straight and the driver's line of sight response to problems indicated by the carrier's CSA scores. was clear, but he did not brake until just before striking The Board is an independent federal agency charged by the rear of a 1999 Ford Expedition. The Ford burst into Congress with investigating every civil aviation accident flames, killing six of its eight occupants. in the U.S. and significant accidents in other modes of 16 HDT ¥ DECEMBER 2013 www.truckinginfo.com