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New Federal Legislation Looks to Improve Truck Driver Safety Across the Country

The trucking industry is vital to the lifeblood of the US Economy. It provides a critical service that allows goods and services to move from one place to another, and it does so at an affordable price.

However, with the rise in fuel prices over the past few years, the cost of hauling freight has increased dramatically. This has resulted in many companies cutting back on their fleet sizes, which means fewer trucks are available for hire.

This has led to a shortage of truck drivers and a lack of qualified applicants. The White House Administration has enacted the Biden-Harris Administration Trucking Action Plan to combat this. In addition, government officials are looking at ways self-driving technologies can make trucking driving safer. 

The Biden-Harris Administration Trucking Action Plan to Strengthen America’s Trucking Workforce

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced a new rule that will strengthen truck driver training requirements and improve the safety of commercial motor vehicle drivers by requiring all states to adopt and enforce minimum standards for driver training programs. The final rule is based on recommendations from FMCSA’s Driver Training Advisory Committee (DTAC), which was convened last year after a series of deadly crashes involving large tractor-trailers.

The DTAC recommended that all states require at least 40 hours of classroom instruction and 10 hours of behind-the-wheel training before issuing a commercial driver’s license (CDL). States must also ensure that CDL holders have completed annual recertification training every two years.

In addition, the DTAC recommended that states establish a process for identifying and addressing deficiencies in CDL holder training records. Finally, the committee recommended that states implement a system to track compliance with these training requirements.

Pete Buttigieg, Brian Deese to Unveil Plan to Put New Truck Drivers Behind the Wheel of Self-driving Trucks

The mayor of South Bend, Indiana, and a former state representative are unveiling a plan to allow more than 1 million truckers across America to drive semi-autonomous vehicles without worrying about getting behind the wheel themselves.

Buttigieg and Brian Deese, who represented parts of Indianapolis in the Indiana State Legislature, say they want to create a national standard for how autonomous trucks should operate. They’re proposing a federal law requiring manufacturers to install technology that can detect hazards and take control of the vehicle if necessary.

They’d also like to see regulations governing when drivers could be required to retake tests or be disqualified from driving. And they’re pushing for a requirement that companies report accidents involving self-driving trucks to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Only time will tell if these new self-driving technologies gain in popularity within the trucking industry. Still, there’s no doubt that any technology that improves the safety of truck drivers and others on the roads is a good idea to implement.

Reach Out to USA Strapping to Keep Your Shipping Loads Safe and Secure

At USA Strapping, we’re always looking at the latest news stories surrounding the transportation industry. While we think fully autonomous trucks are quite a ways off, we believe it’s always a good idea to learn more about what the government and other trucking companies are doing to protect our truck drivers. If you’re interested in learning more about some of the new technologies we’ve introduced into our strapping products to help keep loads safe and secure, feel free to reach out to the USA Strapping team today by phone at 888-768-0001