Balancing new trucking regulations with measures to maintain safety

Last year, a truck driving school in South Carolina saw enrolment increases of almost 500 per cent, as more job seekers looked for reputable companies to help them train. Amid increasing driver shortages, hiring and retaining more truckers has become a priority in all states, and a number of regulations have been amended or introduced in order to improve the situation. While in Georgia, temporary adjustments to trucking regulations helped to address emergency shortages in a state of emergency, permanent nationwide updates to the rules concerning hours of service have given qualified truck drivers more flexibility. Now, further changes to regulations may help to ease driver shortages, but to avoid compromising on safety, they should be accompanied by increased implementation of safety technology, longer training times and robust insurance policies. 

Increasing Safety Measures for Comprehensive Insurance

In Illinois, high-risk drivers who have been convicted of a major traffic violation can file for Illinois SR-22 Insurance to obtain minimum liability coverage. This means their driving privileges can be reinstated, and they can still be eligible to obtain a commercial driving license (CDL).  However, ensuring qualified truck drivers are adequately insured can present problems to trucking companies, because previously disqualified or very young drivers may be thought to present an excessive risk. Although a recent case in Illinois drew attention to its misuse, biometric scanning is widely used across the transportation industry and can be used for a range of safety measures such as in-cab cameras and secure locking that could make it easier to obtain more comprehensive and affordable insurance. 

Impact of New Hours of Service on Safety

New hours of service came into effect in September 2020 with the aim of allowing drivers more flexibility and control over their timetables. The amendments have been legally challenged on the grounds that extending on-duty limits have a negative effect on highway safety. However, the FMCSA has defended the changes saying that any potential impact to driver health and safety or increased risk on the road was carefully considered and scientifically tested. The new rules were not implemented in California, where truckers still follow state regulations, although interstate drivers are exempt as the rules are deemed incompatible with the new federal directives.

Safety Technology to Reduce Risks For Younger Drivers

While younger drivers are thought to pose more of a risk on the roads, encouraging more 18-25 year olds to take up truck driving could significantly reduce driver shortages.  As part of the government’s new infrastructure bills, The new Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program will enable younger 18 year olds to drive trucks across state lines, but only while being supervised by an experienced driver who is at least 26 years old.  To further mitigate the potential risks posed by using younger drivers, the trucks they drive will be automatically limited to a top speed of 65 miles an hour and will have to be fitted with automatic emergency braking and forward facing camera systems.

While new regulations aim to alleviate the shortage of truck drivers, their potential impact on safety must also be carefully considered and mitigated.