Truck Crash Deaths Rose 8.7 Percent in 2010

Tennesseahawk

Veteran Expediter
People are not only aggressive as ever, they're also not paying attention. This doesn't surprise me. If the number of drivers are going up, the number of fatalities should do the same.
 

PreacherRich

Seasoned Expediter
Ok, I am fairly new to the industry but it seems there are a few explanations for this. Rates for freight have dropped which means people are trying do more to make the same money. There is less money to maintain vehicles and upgrades are getting put off.

There seem to be a flood of drivers and equipment coming from south of the border that are not up to par. If US officials don't pull there heads out of their hind ends and level the playing playing field and require ALL commercial drivers to play by the same rules no matter what their country of origin is, it will get worse. (Ok after some research I retract the above statement, it looks like they do have to play by the same rules. However,many US Officials do still need to pull their heads out of their hind ends!)
So say no to cheap freight and vote to save lives!
 
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moose

Veteran Expediter
Normally i do not agree with the ATA, but in this case, i think that Bill Graves got it. this is just a matter of, 'OK we have more deaths, now what is the agenda we need to push forward, and how will we present them numbers to better our needs'.

every seasoned Expediter will tell us what we all know,
in 2010 we drove way more millage then in 2009.
as implemented in the provided link, there where more trucks driving more millage moving more freight in 2010 then in 2009.

what needs to be attached to such data, is information that was not publicly given since 2002 (if am not mistaken)
which is a 'truck accident caution report'- which will tell us why accident are happening .
we do know one thing for sure, HOS have nothing to do with truck fatality rates, since they have not being changed for years, but we will not hear that from safety advocates, nor seat warmers bureaucrats.
 

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
A flood from the south?...only one has been approved at this time..they the 2nd carrier was rejected and a 3rd carrier is in process....
 

cheri1122

Veteran Expediter
Driver
We also won't hear that most truck crashes are the fault of a 4 wheel driver, either, I bet. :mad:
 

Tennesseahawk

Veteran Expediter
Normally i do not agree with the ATA, but in this case, i think that Bill Graves got it. this is just a matter of, 'OK we have more deaths, now what is the agenda we need to push forward, and how will we present them numbers to better our needs'.

Never let a crisis go to waste.
 

PreacherRich

Seasoned Expediter
Ok, so maybe there is not a "flood" of Mexican trucking companies in the US but there are a fair number of immigrant drivers in the US, from what I understand, that are working for a below average rates. Having a hard time finding statistics online to confirm these truckstop conversations. That is the common explanation I hear of cheap freight coming out of Texas. Is it possible though that there is just more freight going into Texas than coming out? Rumor and gosip? I don't know...

Here are some articles on Mexican Trucking:

Print information about Mexican Truck Pilot Program

Various Articles on Mexican Truck Pilot Program

truck driver salary

Mexican trucks due to begin going deep into U.S.

Mexican trucks to haul freight on U.S. roads - USATODAY.com

Landmark US-Mexico trucking agreement resolves 15-year conflict - CSMonitor.com

1st Mexican truck scheduled to enter US interior - Yahoo! News

OK, so Mexican trucking companies are not at fault for deaths on US Highways. But, declining rates, declining roads, increased construction all contribute. Keep in mind accidents decreased the previous two years so maybe there hasn't been much of a change at all. I believe that US Truckers (yes, that includes expedited van drivers) are the best in the world.

Be safe and pray for each other out there!
 
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OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
Truck traffic picked up and there is a flood of new drivers out there...that MIGHT not be aware of the danger of them pesky 4wheelers..we all had to learn to cope with them...
 
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