ATRI will collect data quarterly in an effort to track
changes in driver safety performance and measure it against the
overall safety impacts of the 2004 hours-of-service rules, which
included a more flexible sleeper berth provision.
“Many parts of the trucking
industry have expressed concern over the potential safety implications
of the new sleeper berth rule,” said Dave Osiecki, ATA’s Vice
President of Safety, Security and Operations. “This data collection
effort provides a great opportunity for carriers to share their safety
experience under this new sleeper berth rule to see how it compares
with the previous, more flexible rule. The analysis of this data
could form the basis of an argument for change.”
ATRI’s study represents the
second stage of data collection as part of its continuing research to
measure the safety impacts of the hours-of-service rules changes.
Information required includes collision and driver injury data
covering the period January 1 through March 31, 2006. Data by
participating motor carriers should be submitted no later than April
30, 2006. ATRI will be collecting this same data on a quarterly basis
throughout 2006. Carriers interested in providing data can contact
ATRI’s Virginia Dick at (770) 432-0628 or at
vdick@trucking.org.
ATRI published the findings from
its first hours-of-service study, “Safety Impacts of the New Hours
of Service,” in February, analyzing the safety effects of the 2004
rules. The study compared the data with previous hours-of-service
rules that had governed driver health, safety and carrier productivity
for decades. This research found that the 2004 driver work and rest
rules generated significant improvements in driver safety performance.
http://www.atri-online.org/research/results/safetyandhumanfactors.htm.
ATRI is the trucking industry’s
501(c)(3) not-for-profit research organization. It is engaged in
critical research relating to freight transportation’s essential role
in maintaining a safe, secure and efficient transportation system.
