About the Trucking Alliance

Improving Commercial Truck Safety

The Alliance for Driver Safety & Security (also known as the Trucking Alliance) is a nonpartisan coalition of freight and logistics companies. Our vision is to eliminate all large truck crash fatalities.

Truck drivers deliver almost all of the products we buy. But almost 5,000 truck crash fatalities occur each year in the process. Another 150,000 people are injured. There’s no way to rationalize those tragic numbers.

That’s why the Trucking Alliance believes more stringent federal safety reforms are required of all commercial trucking companies. The freight industry has a duty to keep the public safe while performing its critical role. Higher safety standards and emerging truck technologies can make it possible.

Results:

Since its creation in 2011, the Trucking Alliance has achieved a remarkable list of federal safety reforms for the freight industry; policies that are necessary to help reduce the risk of large truck crashes:

2012 – WON CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL TO REPLACE PAPER LOGBOOKS WITH ELECTRONIC LOGGING DEVICES IN INTERSTATE COMMERCIAL TRUCKS. 

(2020 – ELD Mandate Became Enforceable.)

Since the 1930’s, truck drivers were permitted to fill out paper logbooks to record their driving time. Drivers would frequently falsify those logbooks, which contributed to excessive driving time, drug use and fatigue, leading factors in truck crashes.

In 2012, the Trucking Alliance secured congressional sponsors to advance a federal law that replaced paper logbooks with Electronic Logging Devices. An ELD is a recording device, engaged to a truck’s engine. ELDs make it easier for law enforcement to know if a commercial truck driver is complying with federal on-duty hours.

But not all commercial trucks are required to install ELDs. (see below under Current Priorities)

2012 – WON CONGRESS APPROVAL TO ADVANCE THE SAFETY BENEFITS OF TRUCK SPEED LIMITERS. 

2024 – The US Department of Transportation (USDOT) is expected to propose a federal safety regulation that large trucks do not exceed a prescribed maximum speed. 

Truck speed limiters are engaged to the engine and prevent a truck driver from exceeding a maximum controlled speed. Going over the speed could result in the driver receiving a major safety violation.

2012 – WON CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL TO CREATE A NATIONAL DATABASE OF ALL TRUCK DRIVERS WHO FAIL A DRUG TEST. 

2020 – Became Operational.

All truck drivers who hold a Commercial Driver License (CDL) must pass pre-employment and random drug tests in order to operate commercial motor vehicles.

The Trucking Alliance secured congressional sponsors to pass a federal law creating a national database of all positive drug test results. The Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse (DAC) enables prospective employers to know if a commercial truck driver applicant has previously failed a drug test. (There’s more to be done. See Current Priorities)

2015 – WON CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL TO ALLOW HAIR TESTING (IN LIEU OF A URINALYSIS), FOR COMMERCIAL TRUCK DRIVERS.

2024 – Rule is Pending

Hair testing is 10x more effective at identifying lifestyle illegal drug users than a urinalysis. But the USDOT does not recognize hair drug testing as a method for testing people in safety-sensitive occupations, like commercial trucking.

Because hair tests are more effective, Trucking Alliance carriers require their truck drivers to pass the federally required urine test, plus a hair drug test. These carriers have disqualified thousands of truck drivers who failed the hair test for illegal drug use.

In 2015, the Trucking Alliance secured congressional sponsors to pass legislation that directed the Secretary of Transportation to allow hair tests, in lieu of a urine test, for complying with federal drug testing protocols.

But FMCSA has yet to implement this congressional mandate. So, positive hair test results cannot be submitted to the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse. Thousands of truck drivers are using illegal drugs and going undetected. (There’s more to be done. See Current Priorities)

2021 – WON CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL TO REQUIRE AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKES ON ALL NEW COMMERCIAL TRUCKS

2024 – Rule is Pending.

Automatic emergency brakes are an example of Advanced Safety Technologies (ASTs) that help truck drivers avoid large truck crashes. ASTs also include adaptive cruise control, in-cab lane departure warnings, externally mounted cameras, and roll stability controls.

In 2021, the Trucking Alliance secured bipartisan congressional sponsors who passed a law requiring all large Class 7 and 8 freight trucks have automatic emergency brakes installed as standard equipment, a positive step toward improving commercial truck safety.

Additional Safety Priorities:

Despite these safety achievements, there’s more to do; to reduce large truck crashes and improve overall freight safety:

Expand ELDs to Include More Commercial Trucks 

Current rules allow thousands of truck drivers to operate tractor trailers without an ELD to verify their compliance with federal regulations. These include:

• Drivers who pick-up and deliver goods all day, but within a 150 air-mile radius.
• Drivers who transport agricultural products.
• Drivers who operate vehicles with engines predating the model year 2000.

Federal regulations should require these drivers to utilize ELDs in order to verify they are not exceeding their hours behind the wheel.

More Commercial Truck Drivers Should Be Required to Pass a Drug Test

About 2.97 million truck drivers hold commercial driver licenses (CDLs). These CDL drivers must pass a pre-employment and random drug test.

But there are an estimated 13 million commercial truck drivers who deliver freight every day, but who are not required to pass a drug test. These non-CDL drivers share the same highways and pose the same safety risks as those commercial truck drivers who are drug tested. Federal regulations should require all commercial for-hire truck drivers to be drug and alcohol free.

Motor Carriers Should Have Adequate Insurance to Compensate Crash Victims

In 1981, Congress required motor carriers that cause an accident to have sufficient net worth, or insurance, to offset the medical expenses incurred by the accident’s victim(s). The dollar amount was set at $750,000. Yet, 40 years later, this insurance amount remains unchanged.

Congress should increase this amount, to make sure motor carriers are financially able to operate safely and can afford adequate insurance to offset current medical costs incurred by accident victims.

Major Claims Against Motor Carriers Should be Filed in Federal Court: 

Congress should require major claims against motor carriers engaged in interstate commerce are filed in federal court. All personal injury and property claims filed against interstate motor carriers must prove that the companies were in violation of federal motor carrier safety regulations. For these reasons, these cases should be heard and decided in federal courts, rather than state courts.

Automated Truck Technologies Should Assist Drivers (Not Replace Them)

Much attention is being given to the development of automated, self-driving trucks; vehicles that can operate without drivers. But commercial truck drivers are indispensable to the nation’s supply chain. They operate their vehicles and manage situations that require their involvement, such as:

• Unforeseen weather events,
• Highway emergencies,
• Detours,
• Vehicle conditions,
• Computer software programs,
• Cybersecurity disruptions,
• Cargo security, and
• Providing efficient customer services.

Rather than waiting on automated trucks, these technologies should be utilized now in trucks with drivers. In almost all cases, drivers should be in the truck’s ‘cockpit’. These emerging technologies can assist drivers to mitigate and avoid accidents, improving truck driver safety. Drivers should always have the power and authority to override a truck’s automated systems, as road, traffic or safety conditions warrant.

Board of Directors

The Trucking Alliance Board of Directors sets all policy and objectives. Two Alliance Advisory Groups analyze proposed regulations, legislation and policy objectives. The Alliance outsources media relations and advocacy to implement its objectives.

Officers

Steve Williams – President
Chairman and CEO
Maverick USA
Little Rock, Arkansas

Kevin Knight – Vice President
Executive Chairman of Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings, Inc.
Knight Transportation
Phoenix, Arizona

Reggie Dupré  – Secretary/Treasurer
President and CEO
Dupré  Logistics, LLC
Lafayette, Louisiana

Directors

David Daniels 
President
May Trucking Company
Salem, Oregon

John Pope 
Chairman of the Board
Cargo Transporters, Inc.
Claremont, North Carolina

Jim Richards
President and CEO
KLLM Transport Services
Jackson, Mississippi

Mark Rourke 
President and CEO
Schneider
Green Bay, Wisconsin

Nick Hobbs 
Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer
J.B. Hunt Transport
Lowell, Arkansas

Rob Penner
President/CEO
Bison Transport
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Carriers Advisory Group

The Carriers Advisory Group serves as an informational resource to the Alliance Board of Directors – studying proposed rules and legislation and recommending policy.

Greer Woodruff – Chairman of the Carriers Advisory Group
Executive Vice President of Safety, Sustainability and Maintenance
J.B. Hunt Transport
Lowell, Arkansas

John Culp
President
Maverick USA
Little Rock, Arkansas

Dennis Dellinger
President
Cargo Transporters, Inc.
Claremont, North Carolina

Tom DiSalvi
Vice President of Safety, Driver Training & Compliance
Schneider
Green Bay, Wisconsin

Thomas Jackson
Executive Vice President and General Counsel
Schneider
Green Bay, Wisconsin

Al LaCombe
Vice President of Safety and Risk Management
Dupré Logistics
Lafayette, Louisiana

Dean Newell 
Vice President – Driver Safety and Security
Maverick USA
Little Rock, Arkansas

Garth Pitzel
AVP, Safety and Driver Development
Bison Transport
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Wilson Risinger
Vice President of Safety & Training
KLLM Transport Services
Jackson, Mississippi

Brett Sant
Vice President of Safety & Risk Management
Knight Transportation
Phoenix, Arizona

Christopher J. Simons
Vice President &  General Counsel
May Trucking Company
Salem, Oregon

Mike Weindel
President
Dupré Logistics
Lafayette, Louisiana

TRUCKING ALLIANCE BUSINESS PARTNERS ADVISORY GROUP

Greer Woodruff – Chairman of the Partners Advisory Group
Executive Vice President of Safety, Sustainability and Maintenance
J.B. Hunt Transport
Lowell, Arkansas

MEMBERS

Rob Abbott
Vice President of Customer Success
DriveWyze
Edmonton Alberta, Canada

Mark Brockinton
CEO of Transportation and Logistics Team
Aon Risk Solutions
Little Rock, Arkansas

Mark Emerson

Strategic Account Manager
Trimble, Inc.
Westminster, Colorado

Brian Heath
President and CEO
DriveWyze
Edmonton, Alberta Canada

Ritchie W. Huang

Executive Manager for Safety & Government Affairs
Daimler Truck North America
Washington, D.C.

Brian Hullinger
President and CEO
Psychemedics Corporation
Boston, Massachusetts

Andy Nickerson

Director of Business Development
Netradyne
San Diego, California

Robert Thompson
President/CEO
Clinical Reference Laboratory
Lenexa, Kansas

Casey A. Viegelahn
Director of Customer Success
Stoneridge
Novi, Michigan

Sean Waters

Vice President of Product Compliance and Regulatory Affairs
Daimler Trucks North America
Portland, Oregon

Advocacy and Media Relations

Lane Kidd 
The Kidd Group
Washington, D.C.
www.linkedin.com/in/LaneKidd

Legal

Rob Moseley
Marcinak & Moseley, P.A.
Greenville, South Carolina

Research

M. Douglas Voss, Ph.D.
Professor of Logistics and Supply Chain Management
Scott E. Bennett
Arkansas Highway Commission Endowed Chair of Motor Carrier Management
College of Business
University of Central Arkansas
Conway, Arkansas

Social Media

Haley Rose & Michael Sallander
CHAMP Internet Solutions
Newton, Massachusetts

Industry Relations

Sam Gill
The Gill Group
Alexandria, Virginia