Safety

KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Dealer executives bubbled with optimism as they exited their respective truck-brand meetings here at the American Truck Dealers conference.

Any commercial carrier accident involving personal injury or property damage has lawsuit potential, and the public is usually quick to blame the truck driver.

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration said it will implement a new online application process that will allow hazmat materials special permits to be reviewed in a timely manner, beginning May 1.

CINCINNATI — Concern about driver safety compliance is pushing the purchase of new technology to help fleet managers to see and respond to data on driver performance, manufacturers of the equipment said.

Trucking company failures leaped to 730 during the first quarter, the largest number since the third quarter of 2008, as the recession continued to take a toll on freight carriers, said Donald Broughton of Avondale Partners.

The huge ash cloud hanging over Europe from last week’s volcano eruption in Iceland is hampering global air freight and causing a shift in European cargo from planes to trucks, news services reported.

The chairman of American Truck Dealers said the trade group will add more attention to medium-duty lines at its annual convention and exposition, scheduled for April 23-26 in Kissimmee, Fla.

The Department of Transportation’s freight transportation services index for February fell 2% from a year earlier but rose from January, DOT said.

The New York State Department of Transportation told a transportation task force that it will no longer pursue efforts to restrict trucks from using certain rural routes in the Finger Lakes area, American Trucking Associations said.