What Is the Department of Transportation (DOT)?
The Department of Transportation (DOT) is the federal agency responsible for planning and coordinating federal transportation projects and setting safety regulations for all modes of transportation in the United States.
According to the official description, DOT’s mission is to “Ensure our Nation has the safest, most efficient, and modern transportation system in the world, which improves the quality of life for all American people and communities, from rural to urban, and increases the productivity and competitiveness of American workers and businesses.” The DOT plays a crucial role in setting and enforcing regulations that affect transportation safety, infrastructure development, and environmental sustainability.
DOT’s main activities include funding infrastructure projects, conducting research to improve transportation systems, and implementing policies to enhance safety and accessibility. It also addresses issues such as traffic management, vehicle safety standards, and the environmental impact of transportation. Understanding the Department of Transportation is critical to comprehending how federal policy influences the everyday movement of people and goods, shaping economic development and public safety nationwide.
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Self-driving trucks: what does the future look like?
The (latest) future of self-driving trucks
As autonomous vehicles are increasingly produced, a more daring venture on the horizon is the advent of self-driving trucks. News of these developments started several years ago – what progress has the industry made since then? And, what kind of impact could self-driving trucks have on road and driver safety, as well as potential legal ramifications?
Today, autonomous driving technology is one of the most discussed new developments on the horizon. Over the past five years, many companies have been developing self-driving technology both for cars and for long-haul trucks. Our truck accident lawyer takes a look at self-driving vehicles and what they could mean for the future of transit, road safety, traffic incidents and indeed the wider economy.
What is “autonomy”?
Before we go any further, it is important to demonstrate exactly what is meant by “autonomy.”
The industry has adopted the following levels of increasing technological complexity, […]
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FMCSA Issues Final Rule on Truckers’ Hours of Service
FMCSA announces final revision to trucker hours of service rules
On May 14, 2020, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), a division of the federal Department of Transportation (DOT), announced four regulatory changes. These revisions are meant to provide truck drivers with greater flexibility while preserving the safety of commercial truck operators, manufacturers, and retailers. FMCSA Acting Administrator Jim Mullen stated that the changes were based on thousands of suggestions from drivers and other trucking industry members and comments from the public over the last two years. The agency predicts that these amendments will provide $274 million in annualized cost savings.
What Do the FMSCA Revisions Change?
The FMCSA revisions make the following changes to Hours of Service (HOS) regulations:
Expansion of the “Short-Haul” Exception: The FMCSA imposes tracking, reporting, and other requirements for commercial truck drivers, […]
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Covid and Easing of Truck Safety Regulations
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the incidents of truck crashes in the state of PA are among the highest in the nation. The FMCSA, an arm of the US Department of Transportation, is tasked not only with tracking the safety records of commercial motor vehicles, but also with regulating the industry. They are focused on reducing large truck and bus crashes, injuries and fatalities. They perform roadside inspections, investigate truck crashes and develop and enforce safety regulations.
In 2013, the FMCSA Hours of Service regulations to limit truck driver fatigue went into effect in an attempt to reduce the number of truck crashes. The rules specify the maximum number of consecutive hours that commercial truckers can drive, the frequency and length of their rest breaks and number of hours of required off duty time. […]
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DOT to relax trucker drive-time regulations
The Department of Transportation is poised to loosen federal regulations that govern how many hours at a time truck drivers can legally stay behind the wheel.
The current hours of service regulations limit driving to 11 hours in a 14 hour on-duty period, followed by at least 10 hours of rest off-duty before a new shift can begin. Additionally, regulations require that drivers take a 30-minute break before hitting the 8-hour mark. Violating these rules can come at a steep cost, even putting drivers “out of service” for a day or more. When you’re paid by the mile, that time can make a big difference.
To enforce these rules, the previous administration mandated the use of electronic logging devices or ELDs. While paper log books could be easily falsified (something we often found in truck accident investigations), it’s harder to fool an ELD, […]
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E-Commerce means more truck traffic in NEPA
In the past decade, Northeastern Pennsylvania (NEPA) has rapidly become a hub for e-commerce distribution. E-commerce, or the ability to buy and sell items online, is quickly becoming one of the most popular and easiest ways for people to shop. As a result, more tractor trailers carrying online purchases are on the road than ever before. For this area especially, tractor trailer traffic has increased exponentially. Distribution and fulfillment centers continue to pop up throughout the region—across Lackawanna, Luzerne Monroe, Wayne and Schuylkill Counties, there are over 30 industrial centers, each with their own small community of businesses. Twenty-two industrial centers are located in Lackawanna and Luzerne Counties alone.
Companies
with distribution and fulfillment centers located in this area include Walmart,
Amazon, Gatorade, PepsiCo, ABF Freight, Quaker Oats, and Hershey. Currently, Chewy.com, Patagonia, and Adidas
are working on building their own fulfillment and distribution centers in the
area. […]
