Roses & Razzberries – November 2022

ROSES are well deserved for Dallas Steiger, a driver for Quick-Way Inc. Steiger was northbound on U.S. Highway 31 near Sherman Township, Mich., when he saw a child on the southbound side of the highway. Steiger said the child was very near the white line, so he “slammed the brakes on in the truck, and as soon as I could, I got across the highway,” Steiger told Land Line Now. Steiger ran across the 55-mph highway and about the same time a blowing horn got the child’s attention, who ran away from the road. Steiger followed the child to where his mother was and helped calm the two. “I’m usually pretty calm, but in that situation, my heart was pumping … it was pretty scary,” Steiger said. Truckload Carriers Association presented Steiger with the Highway Angel award for his act of bravery. “I honestly just didn’t think it was going to be a big deal. That’s just something that people do,” Steiger said.

RAZZBERRIES for the recent addition of driver-focused cameras in the state of Kentucky. The initial location equipped with these cameras was a weigh station in Laurel County on Interstate 75. Local authorities say the cameras curtail distracted driving habits in commercial motor vehicles. An additional 13 locations will be adding similar cameras, said the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. OOIDA expressed its apprehension about the use of these cameras. “We are always concerned when we hear of more surveillance on truckers in the name of safety,” OOIDA Executive Vice President Lewie Pugh said. “It would seem we could spend those dollars much more effectively in helping make the roads safer for the public than what some in-cab viewing cameras will do.” The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet says motor vehicle operator compliance will be used to determine the safety of this program.

ROSES to the nearly 94% of drivers cleared of out-of-service violations as part of this year’s International Roadcheck. The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, which puts together this inspection and enforcement initiative, reported that 59,026 inspections were conducted and 93.8% of drivers passed. In the U.S. and Canada, both vehicles and driver records were inspected. In Mexico, only vehicles were inspected. Last year, more than 40,000 commercial motor vehicle inspections were conducted during International Roadcheck, and 83.5% of the vehicles inspected had no out-of-service violations.

ROSES for announcing two state-of-the-art truck parking facilities through Infrastructure for Rebuilding America grants. The $23 million from the grants will be used for a 125-space truck parking facility off Interstate 40 in Tennessee and a facility with 120 spaces near the Interstate 4 corridor in Florida. “We have heard loud and clear from the truck industry what a big gap there is in terms of truck parking,” Transportation Deputy Secretary Polly Trottenburg said at FMCSA’s Driver Appreciation Day celebration. “Not only are we working closely with state and local DOTs to try and help them find truck parking, but we are putting some real dollars on the table.”

RAZZBERRIES for the slew of Occupational Safety and Health Administration violations that led to $326,306 in fines following the death of a 48-year-old employee. An OSHA investigation concluded that B&R Repair in Lemont, Ill., failed to identify and evaluate atmospheric hazards in a confined space, train workers on the confined space programs, and ensure employees filled out a confined-space permit before entry into a confined space, according to a U.S. Department of Labor news release. B&R Repair also was cited for failing to provide fall protection to an employee working on top of tanker trailers and not providing training on fall hazards, respirators and hazard communication.

ROSES to the increased CDL training programs coming to state colleges in Florida. A total of $8.2 million will be distributed to State College of Florida, Broward College, Daytona State College, Northwest Florida State College and Valencia College for expanding their CDL training programs. This expansion will allow upwards of 3,500 individuals to be trained by these institutions annually. This program is largely funded through the state’s Job Growth Grant Fund. The money will cover new programs at some schools and upgrades and new equipment at existing programs. In addition, a plan is in place to cover the tuition costs for up to 142 students at Broward College. LL