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Trucking Alliance Safety Priorities
Safety on our roads and for our truckers is a shared responsibility. There is always more we can do to protect lives and ensure the integrity of the nation’s freight system. Backed by thorough research, the Trucking Alliance is committed to supporting meaningful reforms to make our highways safer for everyone.
Since 2012, we have helped pass major laws to improve safety, including:
- Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs): Replaced paper logbooks to track driving hours accurately.
- Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse: Created a national database to catch drivers who fail drug tests.
- Hair Drug Testing: Recognized hair testing as an option for screening drivers.
- Automatic Emergency Braking: Required new large trucks to have automatic braking systems.
But there are still things where the trucking industry falls short. These measures will create a safer and more sustainable future for all of us:
Strengthen Drug Testing of Commercial Truck Drivers
Driving under the influence of drugs puts everyone at risk. The federal government must expand drug testing to include all 9.2 million truck drivers, not just those drivers who operate the largest tractor-trailer rigs.
Stronger Safety Oversight for Trucking Companies
About 9 out of 10 U.S. trucking companies do not have a federal safety rating. And trucks operated by unrated carriers are 9 times more likely to have a crash. Let’s prioritize inspections of unrated carriers to help reduce the risks of crashes on our highways.
Independent Testing Standards for Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs)
ELDs are engaged to a truck’s engine to make sure a driver doesn’t exceed their hours behind the wheel. But hundreds of ELDs don’t work. The federal government should require all ELD manufacturers to have their devices certified by an independent lab to make sure they work in the marketplace and track a driver’s hours accurately, keeping our roads safer.
Prevent Foreign Trucking Companies From Illegally Hauling Freight in the U.S.
Foreign-owned trucking companies (usually from Mexico) are transporting unauthorized freight in the U.S. That is a federal crime. We urge our federal and state law enforcement agencies to crack down on these illegal practices and hold these companies accountable.
Automation Technologies Should Assist Truck Drivers, Not Replace Them
Truck manufacturers should refocus their attention. Rather than devoting billions to developing self-driving large trucks, install those emerging technologies into trucks manned by drivers. Rather than replace them, help drivers avoid accidents and improve safety outcomes. That’s where the Trucking Alliance sees the most immediate and impactful value for our drivers’ safety, our customers, and the motoring public.
Combat Fraud and Identity Theft in the Trucking Industry
Criminal operations have permeated the trucking industry, selling fake DOT numbers, issuing fraudulent commercial driver’s licenses, and stealing cargo. Let’s step up enforcement actions to flag these criminals in order to protect truck drivers, the public, and the nation’s supply chain.
Certify All Commercial Driver License (CDL) Training Schools
Many truck driver training schools prioritize speed and profit over safety. They produce graduates who have the minimal skills necessary to operate an 80,000-pound tractor-trailer rig across the nation’s highways. This lack of training poses a considerable risk to the public’s safety. We support national safety standards for schools, performance-based training, better CDL testing that’s focused on real-world skills, and publishing school results to guide safer career choices.
Modernize Trucking Insurance and Federal Liability Rules
The amount of liability insurance required by the federal government to start a trucking company hasn’t changed in 45 years. The industry is now underinsured, with companies unable to pay catastrophic injury claims. The current insurance requirements should be adjusted for inflation in today’s dollars, not what they were 45 days ago. Also, the federal government regulates all trucking companies that operate in interstate commerce. If sued by an injured party or a shipper, those claims should be heard in federal court, where judges are more familiar with laws governing interstate commerce.