Volume 6, Issue 3 THE ATRINSIDER November 2010 The American Transportation Research Institute Annual Survey Reveals Trucking Industry’s Top ATRI RESEARCH Concerns TO BE PRESENTED For the second year in a row, Though it slipped one spot year was Driver Shortage, AT TRB ANNUAL the state of the nation’s this year, one out of 10 reemerging as a stand-alone economy eclipsed all other respondents still ranked issue in the 2010 survey after MEETING concerns as the top issue facing Government Regulation as dropping off in 2009. This may the trucking industry. Coming the top concern. be the result of more positive in second on the annual survey 2010 Top Industry Issues news concerning economic Several of ATRI’s research conducted by ATRI on behalf recovery which is in turn 1. Economy studies will be presented at of the American Trucking increasing freight Associations was FMCSA’s 2. CSA 2010 demand. However, it is also the 90th Annual Meeting of 3. Government Regulation the Transportation new safety enforcement likely that the as yet program, CSA 2010. 4. Hours-of-Service undetermined impacts of CSA Research Board (TRB), 5. Driver Shortage on driver hiring may be held in January in This is the sixth year for the 6. Fuel Issues reflected in the rise of this issue Washington, D.C. annual survey, which surveyed 7. Transportation Funding/ back to a top five spot. over 4,000 industry Infrastructure executives. In addition to 8. Onboard Truck Other critical issues on the ÌSynthesis of Carbon identifying the top issues of Technology 2010 top ten list are fuel, Accounting Tools with concern, ATRI’s Top Industry 9. Environmental Issues transportation funding/ Applicability to the Issues Survey also solicited and 10. Truck Size and Weight infrastructure, onboard truck tabulated specific strategies for technology, environmental Trucking Industry addressing each issue. Once again, commercial driver issues and truck size and Authors: Mike Tunnell Hours-of-Service (HOS) made weight. A copy of the full Top and Katie Fender Government Regulation, which the top five, largely due to the Industry Issues report is was the second most pressing Ì uncertainty surrounding the available from ATRI at Estimating Truck-Related issue in the 2009 survey, new rules, expected to be www.atri-online.org. Fuel Consumption and remained near the top of the released soon by FMCSA. Emissions in Maine list at spot number three. Rounding out the top five this Author: Mike Tunnell ATRI Releases New Data on Commercial Driver Cell Copies of the papers Phone Use presented at TRB will be available on ATRI’s website New survey results from cial driver surveys were com- of drivers reported having no at www.atri-online.org in ATRI quantify cell phone use pleted, with two-thirds of the company-provided commu- January. by commercial drivers. Two respondents representing com- nication device. separate surveys, one for driv- pany drivers and the remaining ers and one for motor carri- third owner-operators or inde- ÌMore than half (55%) of all ers, were conducted by ATRI pendent contractors. Among respondents indicated that to better understand the role the survey respondents, over there are time-sensitive issues of cell phones in commercial 80 percent have held a CDL which require the use of a cell driver operations and produc- for 10 years or more. Nearly phone while driving. INSIDE THIS tivity. 60 percent of respondents Ì drive long haul (average length The most frequently cited ISSUE: ATRI’s research was con- of haul 500+ miles). time-sensitive reason for us- ducted in response to the ing a cell phone while driving Board Member growing attention on driver The driver survey questions was schedule changes or distraction. Much of the cell were designed to solicit input speaking with dispatch Spotlight 2 phone research to date has on the types of communica- (57%). involved cell phone use by car tions devices used, the circum- Ì drivers, with limited studies stances under which use occurs When asked under which ATRI Board targeting commercial drivers. and the frequency and length circumstances drivers would Selects RAC 2 of use. Some of the key find- use cell phones while driving, ATRI’s research included two ings include: the top four reasons cited by separate industry surveys, one drivers were: communicating ATRI RAC targeting commercial truck ÌDrivers identified several with family and friends; dis- cussing schedule changes; Spotlight 3 drivers and the second fo- types of company-provided cused on motor carriers and (versus personal) communi- reporting an accident or their policies and practices cation devices: dispatch de- stranded motorist to the po- regarding communication vice (35%), cell phone lice; and seeking help or re- Maine DOT Rates devices utilized by their driv- (24%), and two-way radio porting aggressive driving. ers. A total of 394 commer- ATRI Excellent 4 (20%). Twenty-two percent (Continued on page 2) Page 2 The ATRInsider Board of Directors (Continued from page 1) Mr. Steve Williams ÌWhen drivers were asked to indicate the amount of time spent on each phone call ATRI Chairman while driving, 53 percent responded that calls are generally less than five min- Chairman and CEO utes. Another 21 percent put call times at 5 – 9 minutes. Maverick USA, Inc. ÌFrequency of use was queried in average number of calls made and received per day while driving; 58 percent of drivers indicated that one to four calls were made per Mr. Michael S. Card day, while 57 percent indicated one to four calls were received per day. President Combined Transport, Inc. ÌNearly three-quarters of drivers report using a hands-free device as opposed to a hand-held communication device. Mr. Edward Crowell President and CEO ÌApproximately two-thirds of drivers are expected to communicate with their dis- Georgia Motor Trucking Association patch via cell phone while driving. Mr. Hugh H. Fugleberg ÌForty-four percent of respondents drive for companies with specific policies in President and COO place restricting the use of cell phones while driving. However, drivers pointed out Great West Casualty Company the challenges in actually enforcing cell phone restrictions. Where drivers did indi- cate that restriction policies were enforced at their fleet, disciplinary actions in- Mr. Tom F. Jensen cluded fines (up to $150), warning letters and in some cases, termination. Vice President UPS Board Member Spotlight: William J. Logue Mr. Ludvik F. Koci Director One of ATRI’s newest Board members is William J. Logue, Penske Corporation President and CEO of FedEx Freight Corporation. He began serving as president in December 2009 and assumed the chief Mr. Chris Lofgren executive officer responsibilities in March 2010. President and CEO Schneider National, Inc. A seasoned leader, Bill previously served as Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, FedEx Express-United States, Mr. William J. Logue with responsibility for Air Operations, Air Ground and Freight President and CEO Services, Central Support Services, and Domestic Ground FedEx Freight Operations Divisions. Mr. Jeffrey J. McCaig Bill joined FedEx Express in 1989 through the Flying Tigers acquisition. He has held President and CEO various management positions in the company’s operations area including Senior Vice Trimac Transportation, Inc. President-US Domestic Ground Operations, Senior Vice President-AGFS (Air Ground and Freight Services), Vice President of the Memphis World Hub, and Managing Director Ms. Judy McReynolds of the Newark Hub. President and CEO Arkansas Best Corporation He currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the United Way of the Mid- South. In addition to serving on the ATRI Board, Bill is also a member of the executive Mr. Gregory L. Owen committee of the American Trucking Associations (ATA). Head Coach and CEO Ability Tri-Modal Transportation Services ATRI Board Selects Research Advisory Committee Mr. T.M. Solso for 2011-2012 Chairman and CEO Cummins Inc. The ATRI Board of Directors has representatives. Common among all selected a group of 26 industry RAC members is an understanding of Mr. Douglas W. Stotlar stakeholders to serve on the ATRI the critical role of sound science in President and CEO Research Advisory Committee. The advancing the industry’s safety and Con-way Inc. RAC members will serve a two-year productivity. term beginning in January 2011. Ms. Rebecca M. Brewster President and COO ATRI’s Research Advisory Committee RAC members gather annually to review American Transportation Research Institute (RAC) is central to its research program and ultimately recommend a prioritized of work. RAC members include motor research agenda for the trucking Hon. Bill Graves carrier executives and suppliers from a industry. The research proposals President and CEO diverse cross-section of the industry, reviewed by the RAC are developed by American Trucking Associations academics, government officials, individual RAC members, ATRI staff commercial driver and labor union and through research ideas submitted through ATRI’s website. (Continued on page 3) Volume 6, Issue 3 Page 3 ATRI’s 2011 - 2012 Research Advisory Committee (Continued from page 2) Mr. Tom DiSalvi Mr. Dean Newell Director of Loss Prevention Vice President, Safety Schneider National, Inc. Maverick USA, Inc. The 2011-2012 members are: Mr. Chad England Mr. Steve L. Niswander Mr. Philip L. Byrd, Sr., RAC Chairman President Vice President Safety Policy President & CEO C.R. England North America Groendyke Transport, Inc. Bulldog Hiway Express Mr. John Flanagan Mr. Deane H. Sager Ms. Kendra Adams Manager, Quality, Safety and Fleet Services Director-Transportation Industry Practices Executive Director Stevens Van Lines The Northland Group New York State Motor Truck Association Mr. David Foster Mr. Brett A. Sant Dr. Teresa M. Adams Vice President, Field Maintenance VP, Safety and Risk Management Director, Wisconsin Transportation Center Southeastern Freight Lines Knight Transportation, Inc.