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First Hour Riskest For Drivers: A surprising study debunks the idea that driving in the final hours of a trip is riskier than driving at the start of a trip. The study, conducted at Virginia Tech and funded by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, finds that whether a driver is on the road for two hours or 11 hours, there is no statistical difference in safety. The finding has thrown a monkey wrench into special interest groups’ argument that hours-of-service rules should be tightened. The study examined the risk associated with each hour of driving, from hours 1 through 11. “The results of this study do not support the hypothesis that there is an increased risk resulting from commercial motor vehicle drivers driving in the 11th driving-hour as compared to the 10th driving-hour, or any hour,” a press release from the researchers stated. In fact, the study found a significant increase in risk for the first hour of driving. This finding may be due to sleep inertia (the desire to return to sleep after waking), which typically lasts one to three hours. The first hour may also expose drivers to heavier traffic conditions and an increase in complex driving situations.
An Arm And A Leg: Truckers are feeling the pain of rising diesel prices. At the time of this printing, gasoline prices are on the verge of setting a record high price, but diesel’s already done that—repeatedly. The average nationwide price of diesel set new records in February and again in March, with the most recent record at $3.88 a gallon, about 85 cents higher than last year. In mid-March, four states reported average diesel prices above $4 a gallon. Stunned by the escalating prices, trucking companies and other businesses are doing what they can to reduce fuel consumption and cut costs. Farmers are buying more fuel-efficient equipment, while truckers are postponing maintenance and packing lunches. All types of transportation companies are cutting what little fat they can find. Truckers in Tacoma say they are investing in bunk heaters to heat and cool cabs so engines don’t have to idle. A recent survey found that 69 percent of truckers say fuel costs are their top expense, and to offset costs, 16 percent are downsizing staff, 12 percent are lengthening their workdays, and 8 percent are taking fewer vacations. One reason for the hike in costs is that demand for fuel goes up in the winter, but another reason is relatively new: diesel vehicles, which get better fuel mileage, are becoming more popular around the world. Europe, India, and China are all using more diesel engines and increasing the demand for the fuel. And all the signs suggest that demand will only continue to rise.
Safe Snow Removal: For years, safety advocates have said that it’s difficult and dangerous for drivers to climb on top of their rigs to shovel off snow or chip away ice. Now the American Trucking Associations (ATA) says it will seek new ways to help truckers remove snow and ice from their trucks without risking their safety. ATA president and CEO Bill Graves has requested that the American Transportation Research Institute study the issue and recommend new technology or equipment that lets drivers clear their roofs without the associated dangers. When drivers neglect to clear roofs, large sheets of ice and snow can fly into traffic and break windshields or cause other damage to vehicles. ATA’s recommendation comes after the Connecticut legislature’s Transportation Committee approved a measure that would fine drivers between $200 and $1,000 for not clearing the snow and ice from their vehicles. New Jersey and Pennsylvania are the only states that currently have legislation regarding snow and ice on roofs. The Connecticut bill would go into effect June 1, 2009, meaning that enforcement would not take place until the fall or winter of that year. UPS, Wal-Mart, FedEx, and several other large companies use a scraper to remove snow and ice from vehicle roofs. As the truck drives under the device, two vertical beams, connected in the middle by a rubber blade, pull snow and ice from the roof. The scrapers start around $18,000 each.
Stylish Trucks Aim To Lure Drivers: Motor carriers are doing whatever they can to lure drivers. Now truck manufacturers are getting in on the act. Trucks are becoming sleeker and more sophisticated in order to attract more people to the profession. In February, Navistar unveiled the LoneStar, a new cab that “makes a statement about the driver,” according to Dee Kapur, president of the company. The LoneStar, harking back to truck designs from the 1930s, looks like no other truck on the road. “It eschews the boxy, mechanical look of older trucks in favor of the glint and gleam of prewar Packards and Lincolns,” according to the New York Times. In addition, Navistar designed the truck to be more aerodynamic, which according to the chief designer, could translate into an annual fuel savings of $3,000 to $8,000. Navistar lets buyers choose more options—the type of wood on the floor, the type of mattress, the brand of microwave. Other makers are also offering high-end trucks that drivers can customize. Freightliner’s Cascadia offers a high cabin option with double bunks and two feet between the seats. Kenworth’s new trucks, promising 30 inches between the seats, include several well-outfitted tall sleeper models. All the sophistication and nostalgia are a nod to the more romantic days of trucking, when the profession was seen more as a career for adventurous and independent types.
Some Truckers Wary Of North Carolina: State troopers in North Carolina are handing out fines of up to $25,000 for trucks that are overweight or that don’t have the necessary number of escort vehicles. More than a dozen trucking companies have contested the penalties, asking courts to reduce fines and throw out the big, unreasonable ones. So far, judges have sided with the motor carriers in at least seven cases. In one of the most recent cases, state troopers argued that certain penalties (lacking the necessary number of escort vehicles and driving during unapproved times) invalidated truckers’ permits. The troopers issued big fines that would have been assessed had the truckers truly lacked permits. The judge sided with the three trucking companies, saying the troopers acted outside their authority and ordering the state to return the penalties ($68,200 plus interest) to the out-of-state carriers. Since 2004, when North Carolina troopers got the authority to enforce overweight vehicle laws, they have handed out $38.8 million in fines. Only 1 percent of the fines have been contested by trucking companies. Some trucking companies say they avoid the state altogether. Truckers who haul freight for Earthmovers Equipment of Pennsylvania drive hundreds of miles out of their way to avoid North Carolina. The company spent $12,000 in legal fees contesting a $22,120 ticket a driver got for not having the required number of
escort vehicles.
Before You Google That Job Candidate: More employers are checking up on job applicants through Internet searches and social networking sites, such as Facebook and MySpace. But such scrutinizing could lead to charges of discrimination, experts warn. Without hiring policies in place regarding Internet searches, some employers could leave themselves vulnerable to charges that they are discriminating against candidates. Experts say there are fewer “failure to hire” lawsuits than other types of employment litigation, but they expect such litigation to grow as more employers use Web sites for background checks. It is not illegal to search for a job candidate on the Internet, but, according to an Indianapolis attorney, employers need to have a policy in place that “details what the purpose of the Internet search is” and that indicates that the company does not base its decision on race, color, or national origin. A Boston attorney, meanwhile, advises to “make sure there’s a legitimate business rationale for rejecting applicants and that your hiring decisions are not motivated by information you found on an applicant’s social networking site.” Some experts, however, advise against looking at social networking sites altogether. “I think it’s unlikely employers are going to learn a good deal of job-related information from a Facebook page they won’t learn in the context of a well-run interview,” said a Washington, D.C., attorney, “so the potential benefit of doing this sort of search is outweighed by the potential risk.”
Start With Integrity: There are three guiding principles that all great leaders share, according to John Howard, author of Detoxifying the Culture. Here’s a look at them:
- Integrity. Leaders who are forthright and consistently live by their values attract people who happily follow them. When a leader is less than truthful, employees are never sure they can trust him, and they resist his lead.
- Ideals. Ideals are concepts of what is perfect, worthy, and true. A leader’s reach must exceed his grasp, or there is no growth. The most effective leaders have a clear vision of the ideals they strive for. Those ideals act as a guiding light, directing leaders to be the kinds of people they aspire to be.
- Joy. When people who work together have a good time doing so, they can accomplish much more. Howard encourages leaders to collect inspirational quotes, books, articles, and anecdotes. When they feel less than joyful, they can read something from their collection to improve their spirits, which will rub
off on others.
Nothing astonishes men so much as common sense and plain dealing.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson
