Letters to the Editor: Collisions, Training, HOS, Size, Speed
b>Car, Truck Collisions
I observe vehicle traffic every day and routinely see cars and trucks following too closely. I regularly review motor vehicle reports and, while I see many speeding tickets, I rarely see tickets for following too closely, an indication this violation may not be strictly enforced.
The Smith System defensive driving technique requires space around your vehicle. This space provides improved visibility, allowing the driver additional time to make safer decisions.
Richard Zitelli
i>Linehaul Recruiter
edEx Ground
easbey, N.J.
Driver Training
This driver-training program may be one of the best programs the industry has seen, assuming it is not tied to a driving school association (Click here for previous story, "Trucking Groups to Use Loans, Ads, in Bid to Boost Number of Drivers.")
I run a school in Tennessee. The Tennessee Higher Education Commission is the authorizing body for all schools in the state and it has very high standards. I see no need to belong to an association to gain approval or an endorsement.
I would like to thank American Trucking Associations for giving potential drivers a chance to enter the industry. This is a much-needed program. I hope that carriers around the country will take advantage of this opportunity. “Train and retain” should be the motto of the carriers that take advantage of this.
My school motto is “Training the best, safely.” There is nothing more important than safety. However, the carriers that make training entry-level drivers possible need to retain them. My school encourages students to give carriers a chance to work out problems that arise.
Pauline Singletary
i>Director
mokey Mountain Trucking Institute
evierville, Tenn.
Hours of Service
After being employed in the trucking industry for more than 40 years, I have seen many changes. The October 2005 ruling on splitting the sleeper-berth time leaves a lot to be desired.
Recognizing the need for hours-of-service regulations and the need for drivers to get their proper rest is always a concern of mine. The average driver knows when it is time to get off the road, and the sleeper-berth splitting option prior to October 2005 was good. It helped all parties concerned: shippers, drivers and management alike.
Les Lenhart
i>Instructor
ransport Tech
utler, Pa.
Longer Trucks
Norfolk Southern Chairman Charles Moorman’s comments concerning longer, heavier trucks in the March 20 Transport Topics appears to be an attempt at the reordering of surface transportation (3-20, p. 3). His proposal to turn truckers’ longhaul freight over to the railroads with “financial assistance from state and federal governments” implies they can’t handle the business on their own.
What is missing from the equation is how shippers feel. Carriers have long ago forgotten that shippers have all the cargo and prefer to decide the mode of transportation that gives them the best combination of flexibility, service and cost in line with their distribution systems.
This, in fact, would include longer, heavier trucks when appropriate. The last time I looked, “flexibility” was not in the railroads’ vocabulary.
John Amos
i>President
mos Logistics
leasant Hill, Calif.
Limiting Speed
In testimony on the hours of service issue last fall, James Walker, an automotive consultant, spoke of the importance of setting speed limits based on the 85th percentile rule — i.e., the speed at, or below, which 85% of drivers operate their vehicles.
“Recent [Michigan] State Police data shows the 85th percentile speed for heavy trucks is 64 mph. A higher limit will merely be closer to reality,” Walker said.
Walker also told lawmakers that the closer speed limits are to 85th percentile speeds, the smoother and safer the traffic flow tends to be.
“Reducing differential speeds is one key to this smoother and safer traffic flow,” Walker said. “No safety benefit accrues to setting posted speed limits below the 85th percentile . . . and no safety benefit accrues from different speed limits for trucks and cars.”
Michael Gully
i>Vice President
ully Transportation Inc.
uincy, Ill.
I do not for one minute think American Trucking Associations’ support for limiting speed to 68 mph has to do with safety. I think that some of ATA’s members, being large companies, want the speed lowered in order to reduce competition.
Smaller companies that allow trucks to go the speed limit can deliver freight faster and shut out large companies. To be honest, it is harder on drivers because it takes longer to get to the receiver.
This is America. Competition made this country and ATA should leave the speed of trucks to the owners.
Michael Lovett
i>Driver
ed River International
hattanooga, Tenn.
These letters appear in the April 17 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.
