Just before Christmas, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) released the new hours-of-service proposal. Then, this morning, it did the same for an electronic onboard recorder (EOBR) rule.

What the agency failed to do, though, is use these rules to complement each to truly create safer roadways. It completely missed the boat.

Whether you are in favor of either rule or not, if they come to be, then the EOBR rule should be used to allow for more flexibility in a driver’s day. By failing to do so, FMCSA is wasting the advantages an EOBR can bring. more

Deborah A.P. Hersman, chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), spoke Wednesday at the Transportation Research Board’s 90th Annual Meeting in Washington, DC. While Hersman’s role is overseeing NTSB, which investigates accidents, she used her speech as a reminder that proactive spending on safety is a prudent path to take.

“Congress has passed over a dozen extensions for the FAA and at least half a dozen extensions for highway programs, primarily because they cannot agree on tough issues like financing,” she said. “The decisions made, or not made, in the coming months affect all of us in this room but, more importantly, determine the transportation realities for all Americans.”

Hersman related a number of stories on her agency’s investigations, and in each case, the life of the train, bridge, or plane was a factor in the accident, as was the lack of oversight.

“In my role at the NTSB, I’m often put in the position of being a truth teller. So as an agent of reality it’s my job to tell you that the concept of a lifecycle no longer exists,” she said. “Just because the train or plane you design is meant to last 30, 40 or 50 years doesn’t mean it won’t be around for 75. The NTSB will always be there in an aftermath of an accident to figure out what happened. But that’s only half the job. The other half is prevention.” more

Rising fuel costs, budget cuts, the ebb and flow of freight, and any number of other outside influences continue to put downward pressure on fleet budgets. Yes, the economy is recovering, but the Great Recession will likely leave a lasting impact on the way business in general, and fleets in particular, conduct their operations.

Long gone are the days when a middle manager could ask for a new piece of equipment and, trusting his loyal lieutenant, the president or CEO would simply answer, “Sure, go ahead and buy it.” Nowadays, that same request likely must be made along with cost-benefit analysis and return on investment timeframe. Then, maybe, it will be approved, if other value can be demonstrated as well.

So how does a manager work around this? Software packages, of course. There are a multitude of fleet management packages on the market today. All can help a manager justify and show how an idea can not only save a fleet money, but generate it as well.

Businesses are analyzing expenses like never before. Managers need to be prepared to defend those costs and show what they are doing to keep them in line. more

While the U.S. has offered up a preliminary document that it says will satisfy its requirements under NAFTA to allow Mexican trucks to operate inside the borders of this country, the head of Mexico’s largest trucking association says not so fast.

Speaking to reporters after meeting with Mexico’s transportation secretary, Juan Carlos Munoz, president of National Chamber of Motor Transport of Freight, said that Mexican trucks would be unable to meet EPA environmental standards, in part because low sulfur diesel fuel is not available in that county. more

In a recent interview, Rep. John Mica, R-FL, the new chair of the House’s Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said he intends to focus on getting an FAA reauthorization bill passed first before tackling the long-term surface transportation bill.

Mica told The Journal of Commerce that his priority is passing an FAA bill, which has gone through 17 extensions since its expiration in 2007.

There still is some good news on the highway bill, though, which expired in 2009 and has since received seven Congressional extensions. Even though it will come second, Mica told the Journal he intends to hold “listening sessions” to gather input on the form the new highway bill should take, giving some stakeholders a chance influence the final bill. more

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) has retired its final diesel-powered bus in favor of hybrid and compressed natural gas (CNG) models. The agency says it is the first in the nation to run only alternative-fueled buses.

Metro’s fleet includes CNG buses, one electric, and six gas-electric vehicles. It held a “retirement” party for the final vehicle yesterday which saw the bus towed away for good.

“What Metro has achieved transcends Los Angeles County,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor and Metro Board Chair Don Knabe. “We proved from both a technical and economic standpoint that a large transit agency can operate with alternative clean burning fuels and this has led many other transit agencies to follow our lead. Likewise, what Metro is doing to tap solar energy, recycle and build green facilities is raising the bar for the industry. That’s good for our customers, taxpayers and the environment.” more

As I sit at home today watching 20 inches of snow fall outside my window, it seems appropriate that I write a short item about a place where 20 inches of snow is only a minor inconvenience – Alaska.

Why Alaska? Well, it’s because I received this bit of information about J.J. Keller & Associates and thought it was something I should share.

For the fifth consecutive year, J.J. Keller & Associates will be sponsoring a race team in the Iditarod. The Iditarod, as many know, usually only gets mentioned nationally at the conclusion of the race, which can last up to 13 days. more

The debate over Mexican trucks on U.S. highways is sure to intensify over the coming months following the “concept document” the U.S. DOT unveiled yesterday. What is also likely to continue is the flawed argument by opponents of the program that allowing these trucks on U.S. roadways increases the risks to Americans.

“We continue to have serious reservations about DOT’s ability to guarantee the safety of Mexican trucks,” Teamsters general president Jim Hoffa said. “Mexican trucks simply don’t meet the same standards as U.S. trucks – they don’t even have to have anti-lock brakes. Medical and physical standards for Mexican trucking firms are lower than for U.S. companies. And how can Mexico enforce highway safety laws when it can’t even control drug cartels?”

(The Dept. of Transportation has posted the proposal on its website. You can find it here.)

Todd Spencer, executive vice president of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Assn. (OOIDA), echoed those same thoughts. more

Thanks to the power of Facebook, a personal friend of mine shared a link yesterday to a USA Today story on government earmarks – specifically those related to transportation. And do you know what the conclusion of the story is: there is a whole lot of money being set aside for transportation-related projects that is never getting spent.

Why? Because for all the good intentions (for now, let’s skip the debate over whether earmarks are a good or bad idea) of the senators and representatives involved, red tape, typos, and even delays in getting the money approved prevents funds from ever being spent.

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