A long-standing quest for better data on how delays experienced by truck drivers waiting to load and unload affects safety and lost pay will get a reboot, according to Freightwaves.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration released the parameters of a new data collection it hopes will close an information gap preventing regulators from fully understanding the effects of truck driver detention time.
“This research study will collect data on commercial motor vehicle driver detention time representative of the major segments of the motor carrier industry, analyze that data to determine the frequency and severity of detention time, and assess the utility of existing intelligent transportation systems solutions to measure detention time,” according to an Information Collection Request (ICR) FMCSA plans to submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval.
The ICR points out that while a 2014 FMCSA study provided “valuable insights” on the effect of detention time on carrier and driver safety, it was limited, among other things, by a small sample size and the inability to separate legitimate time drivers spent loading and unloading from excess wait times.
“Therefore, FMCSA needs additional data from a broader sample of carriers to understand the safety and operational impact of detention time, to better understand why detention time occurs, and to identify potential mitigation strategies the industry may use to reduce detention time while improving operational efficiencies and safety,” the ICR notes.
To close the information gap, FMCSA’s study will use data collected from electronic logging devices, transportation management systems, vehicle telematic systems, safety records and from questions using carrier dispatching systems.
FMCSA outlined three primary objectives for the data collection:
- Assess the frequency and severity of driver detention time using data that represents the major segments of the motor carrier industry.
- Assess the utility of existing intelligent transportation systems solutions to measure detention time.
- Prepare a final report that summarizes the findings, answers the research questions and offers strategies to reduce detention time.
Full story here.