NTSB - Fail !

[moose]

Here we go again. Deborah Hersman ,head of the National Transportation Safety Board, continue to ignored it's own agency finding of a transportation accident investigation, and push this administration agenda of limiting our freedom by recommendation of needed regulation.
and Thank's god the NTSB is limited to recommendations ONLY.
finely the NTSB published it's investigation of the Nevada truck/train accident.
http://www.ntsb.gov/news/events/2012/miriam_nv/Abstract_Miriam_NV.pdf
as always, NTSB recommendations have very little to do with a truck accident finding, and a lot to do with a predetermined agenda.
despite the fact that they have no idea why the trucker was 'inattentive', they, never the less comes with a long line of recommendation addressing 'distracted driving'.
#6 is a total fabrication !, handheld cellphone ? fatigue ? pain ? - who wright this stuff ?
but what really gets me is the conclusions #12, & the recommendation # 17 &#19 . predetermined agenda. !
why ATA, buses & OOIDA ? why ONLY those names have been pulled ?
what about trucks that are unions driven ? teamsters ?, Truck Load associations ? constructions truck drivers ?, dump truck ?,
but the real problem is NTSB failer to understand the operational condition of a truck that crushed into a moving passengers train. NTSB own finding show that most of the break system where not factional, out of adjustment. and that the ABS system was not properly maintained. ABS electric lines where cut, and ABS unit where missing. NTBS own finding show that this was the case with EVERY other rig operated by the carrier.
Hello ??? NTBS??? are you reading this ? you think there's a rezone ???? there's a good rezone. like everyone in the industry will tell you those mandated units are way too expensive and way too under performed to be maintained on a rig that spends most of it's lifespan hauling heavy dirt into a goldmine !
mandating another worthless electronic system to such rig will only result with the new monitoring system getting a same level of maintenance.
at least ABS system are "EOM" (they are not made by the truck/trailer manufacturer, just installed at the time of the vehicle productions), but hose recommended aftermarket gadgets have NO chance what so ever to perform as well as the rest of the truck.
what Miss. Deborah H. would like to see is every truck and trailer been equipped with a complicated unreliable electronic system, that alert the driver when a break unit is not properly working.{#6}. open your wallet, and be willing to be placed OOS.
another problem is that the FMCSA did NOT published guidelines for it's enforcement officers, of how to handle a truck that have a light showing an out of adjustment break unit.
as stated in this report CVSA is yet to do ANY leg work ! those systems needs 1st to be readily available.
this year during 'break week' enforcement blitz CVSA was very clear, for the first time that they will target 'monitoring systems'.
in other words if you have a tire inflated monitoring system on-board, and the light goes red, - you are out of service till you fix the tire! (or the light). same goe's to the break monitoring system. if it's show that the break is out of adjustment, then here is your ticket.
even if this aftermarket gadget is the failing, you are still guilty till prove otherwise.
NTSB - failed.

 

[iceroadtrucker]

I believe these people need to come outa there closets where they are writting up these rules and Regs and get down on the deck plates so to speak. They truely dont have a clue. What we all need is some one from the Deck plates rewrite the Rules. Ya know there is College Degrees that look nice on a wall ya look what I did then there is Commensense. Wake up Commonesense works think about it.

 

[cheri1122]

PROBABLE CAUSE
The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of the Miriam, Nevada, accident was the truck driver’s delayed braking and the failure of John Davis Trucking to adequately maintain the brakes on the accident truck. Contributing to the number of fatalities and severity of injuries was insufficient passenger railcar side impact strength.


That the driver's delayed braking was at fault is unarguable, but why the driver delayed is nothing more than speculation and conjecture, period.
That the "failure to adequately maintain the brakes on the accident trucks" also caused the accident is conjecture as well - the truck may have stopped in time, had the driver attempted to do so. there is no way of knowing, and to present conjecture as fact is a dereliction of the duty of the Board.

"Because the Nevada Highway Patrol did not follow the pushrod stroke measurement
procedure described in the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance out-of-service criteria, it
is not possible to make a definitive statement regarding the number of brakes that were
out of adjustment on the accident truck.
A tow truck company that responded to the accident scene “backed-off” the brakes
during vehicle recovery operations, thereby destroying evidence and precluding further
brake measurements."

Here, they demonstrate that the conjecture is entirely without merit - they don't even have a clue whether the brakes were insufficient!!

"Had the accident truck been equipped with an onboard brake stroke monitoring system,
the truck driver would have had information about the out-of-adjustment and inoperative brakes."


As the accident was caused by the driver's inattention, [failure to observe flashing RR lights & train horns] how can they presume he would have paid attention to a small light on the dashboard? The logic here just completely escapes me.

"To the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration:
1. Create a mechanism to gather and record commercial driving-related employment history information about all drivers who have a commercial driver’s license, and make this information available to all prospective motor carrier employers.
2. Using the mechanism developed in Safety Recommendation 1, require motor carriers to conduct and document investigations into the employment records of prospective drivers for the 10 years that precede the application date.
3. Require motor carriers to retrieve records from the Commercial Driver’s License Information System and the National Driver Register for all driver applicants so that they can obtain a complete driving and license history of prospective drivers.
4. Inform commercial vehicle inspectors of (1) the importance of taking pushrod stroke measurements within the specified pressure range, (2) the relationship between pushrod stroke and specific air pressure, and (3) the consequence of taking measurements outside of this range.

1, 2, and 3: This is current procedure, followed by every reputable carrier already. Further, there is not a shred of evidence to suggest that it did, or would, or even might have prevented this accident.
4: In light of the dubious logic preceding this recommendation, one wonders whether it has any more basis in fact than the rest.

This is a travesty of an investigation, all the way around.

 

[mjmsprt40]

With or without a monitoring system: Doesn't the driver do a brake check when hooking up the trailer? How about the daily pre-trip on the tractor itself? You know before you hit the roads whether your truck will stop, because you checked the brakes while still in the lot.

No electronics needed, just a good "seat of the pants" feel for whether it's right or not. If it doesn't feel right, get out and check visually.

 

[Jason2]

Like every other thing the government is involved with ,always failing.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Ever sat in a TS overnight?.....you can count on 1 hand how many drivers do a FULL check as required by law....Many in here talk a good game but even in the front lot with all the straights parked there I've not seen too many FULL checks done either....

 

[blackpup]

Ever sat in a TS overnight?.....you can count on 1 hand how many drivers do a FULL check as required by law....Many in here talk a good game but even in the front lot with all the straights parked there I've not seen too many FULL checks done either....

I agree with you inspections about not being done. Though I have always had my doubts about how effective any inspection would with out the facilities and time to do them. How many times have you left even a good shop and mechanic with your truck and had problems.

My main point is that a through pretrip inspection as required by DOT takes time, skill and the proper equipment.

jimmy

 

[OntarioVanMan]

I agree with you inspections about not being done. Though I have always had my doubts about how effective any inspection would with out the facilities and time to do them. How many times have you left even a good shop and mechanic with your truck and had problems.

My main point is that a through pretrip inspection as required by DOT takes time, skill and the proper equipment.

jimmy

You don't know...no one knows ....nothing is for sure in life....but government thinks otherwise, unfortunately....you know, I know...most drivers know you could inspect a truck with fine tooth comb and a part could fail pulling out of the lot....

 

[zorry]

If you don't have time or skills to do a decent pretrip you're in the wrong profession.
A perfect pretrip ? Few do. The better the pretrip, the more profitable you'll be.

 

[mjmsprt40]

You should at least do enough to be sure your lights work and that your brakes actually stop the truck. Maybe you don't measure the stroke of the air cylinders, but you step on the brakes and know that you'll stop before you leave the lot-- I hope.

 

[blackpup]

You should at least do enough to be sure your lights work and that your brakes actually stop the truck. Maybe you don't measure the stroke of the air cylinders, but you step on the brakes and know that you'll stop before you leave the lot-- I hope.

Brakes are my most favorite thing in the world, trust me on that.

As OVM said there are drivers who seemingly do not check any thing before they leave the parking lot.

jimmy