On Wednesday, Jan. 8, FMCSA shared its plan to conduct a “Study of Warning Devices for Stopped Commercial Motor Vehicles” by publishing a notice in the Federal Register. The goal? To analyze whether warning devices significantly impact drivers’ behavior in scenarios involving parked or disabled CMVs—and, if they do, to determine how and to what extent.

“It is an experimental study that requires data collection for evaluating whether warning devices meaningfully influence crash-relevant aspects of human performance in the presence of a parked or disabled commercial motor vehicle, and if so, how and to what extent,” FMCSA explained in its announcement.

The study is set to involve a sample group of 256 drivers.

Current Regulations on CMV Warning Devices

Under existing rules, all commercial motor vehicles are required to carry warning devices. When a vehicle is stopped on the road or the shoulder—not including cases where traffic conditions prevent it—these devices must be deployed following specific guidelines. Placement depends on various factors, such as whether the roadway is straight or curved.

“These requirements follow from the basic notion that increasing the conspicuity of a parked or disabled commercial motor vehicle makes it easier to see and recognize, thereby reducing the risk of a crash involving passing motorists,” the FMCSA stated.

However, the growing presence of autonomous vehicle (AV) technology has prompted new scrutiny of these longstanding regulations.

Autonomous Vehicles and the Warning Device Debate

Back in December 2024, FMCSA rejected a request from Waymo and Aurora to exempt autonomous trucks from the current warning device requirements.

The companies proposed outfitting their autonomous trucks with mounted warning beacons on the truck cab as an alternative to deploying traditional devices like reflective triangles or flares.

FMCSA declined the application, describing the request as overly broad. Nonetheless, the agency left the door open for exemption applications focused on narrower aspects of the regulation.

Now, the FMCSA is doubling down by launching a formal investigation to determine how effective the current warning device regulations truly are.

Using Modern Tools for a Deeper Analysis

Advancements in technology are providing FMCSA with new ways to measure how drivers respond to warning devices. Tools such as sensors and eye-tracking systems can offer valuable insights into reaction times and levels of driver attention.

“FMCSA plans to implement these modern tools in a controlled experiment at a closed-course, state-of-the-art driving research facility,” the agency said. “This setup will enable the most comprehensive study of warning device effectiveness conducted to date.”

The findings could have far-reaching implications, potentially shaping future regulations around warning devices. Additionally, the data may assist FMCSA in responding to exemption requests for alternative solutions, such as those proposed by Waymo and Aurora.

“FMCSA plans to implement these modern tools in a controlled experiment at a closed-course, state-of-the-art driving research facility that will allow the most comprehensive examination of the effects of warning devices to date,” the agency wrote. “The results of the study may support future rulemaking related to warning devices and provide baseline data necessary to inform agency decisions on exemption applications for alternative warning device products.” FMCSA concluded.

Source: Land Line

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According to a statement from ATRI, the selected research topics aim to tackle some of the industry’s most pressing issues. The top research priorities for 2024 are as follows:

Analyzing Driver Demographics to Discover New Trucking Career Pathways

This study will leverage decades of demographic data collected from truck driver surveys by ATRI. The goal is to identify shifting trends among drivers, which can help the industry refine its recruitment and retention strategies. This research will also explore potential pathways into the trucking industry for underutilized groups, such as young adults aging out of the foster care system.

Updating the Impact of Nuclear Verdicts

In 2020, ATRI published a study on the occurrence and effects of nuclear verdicts in the trucking industry, including the rise of third-party litigation financing. The update will use recent data to assess changes in verdicts, their impact on insurance premiums for motor carriers, contributing factors to these large verdicts, and the potential effects of recent state-level lawsuit abuse reforms.

Understanding Cargo Theft in the U.S.

Cargo theft is a growing concern for motor carriers, shippers, insurers, and consumers. This study will review existing data and collaborate with motor carriers to better quantify the extent and frequency of cargo theft, a crime that often goes unreported. The research will also evaluate current and emerging cargo theft tracking and prevention programs to identify best practices.

Calculating the Cost of Truck Bottlenecks

For years, ATRI has used its vast database of truck GPS data to monitor and measure traffic congestion on U.S. highways. This research will offer a detailed analysis of the costs associated with congestion at specific bottlenecks from ATRI’s top 100 list. It will also include case studies that quantify the return on investment (ROI) for infrastructure improvements that have successfully reduced congestion.

Federal Excise Tax (FET) Cost-Benefit Analysis

The 12 percent FET on heavy-duty trucks and trailers is viewed by many as a deterrent to investing in newer, safer, and cleaner equipment. This analysis will explore the FET’s impact on decisions made by carriers to avoid investing in new equipment, including lost opportunities for safety and emissions improvements.

Source: Truckers News

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Previous research conducted by ATRI has solidified the fact that women make up a mere 8.1% of all U.S. truck drivers, with an even smaller percentage of 2.7% in the long-haul trucking sector. In addition, studies have found that women tend to be safer drivers than their male counterparts.

This new ATRI study aims to uncover the underlying factors that hinder the recruitment of women as truck drivers. By understanding their preferences and needs, the industry hopes to bridge the gap and encourage more women to take on trucking careers.

“Recognizing that certain fleets have substantially more women drivers than typical fleets, motor carriers will be surveyed and interviewed to identify best practices in recruiting and retaining women truck drivers,” ATRI said. “Additional outreach will focus on women executives at motor carriers in order to understand issues and opportunities beyond truck driving.”

“We will also be collaborating with truck driver training schools to identify recruitment and training issues unique to women,” said Dan Murray, ATRI senior vice president.

A recent study has uncovered a significant reason for recruiting female truck drivers – they are statistically safer on the road.

“So, it’s just another reason to be more aggressive than we have been in attracting women to the industry,” Murray said. “Not only is there a huge opportunity in terms of the number of women we could potentially get, but at the end of the day, we’ll have fewer crashes and lower insurance costs.”

ATRI has a pool of successful female driver recruitment stories to draw inspiration. Boyle Transportation, a remarkable example, proudly claims that 40% of its drivers are women. In fact, they have received accolades for their exceptional efforts to attract and hire female drivers.

“It helps because we’re a team operation,” said Laura Duryea, Boyle’s director of driver recruitment and professional growth. “We have a lot of female teams. We have two women who are just acquaintances; we have married women and those who are just friends that are teaming. But I think that having a culture that not only appreciates female input and is open to having discussions with women about what they need, and providing that culture of inclusion, contributes to us being able to maintain that.”

Duryea added, “Having the ability for women to have their voice heard is really important, I think, in the industry because the more that we have women’s input, the more we can not only support women but also provide an environment for them to feel safe and supported as professional drivers. Even all of our advertising has women in them.”

Recruitment of truck drivers is becoming a top priority, as evident from sessions at the American Trucking Associations Management Conference & Exhibition. Groups like Women In Trucking Association and ATA’s Women In Motion (WIM) are pushing for more female drivers behind the wheel.

WIM is launching a membership program and creating a booklet specifically designed for female independent contractors. Group adviser Brenda Neville, president of the Iowa Motor Truck Association, shared this exciting news at an MCE session.

“We engaged in conversations with our entire council, a diverse group of 34 remarkable women, to ensure that we are strategically dividing, conquering, and most importantly, poised to make waves in our industry,” Neville said.

Source: Transport Topics

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Led by Shannon Roberts, an associate professor of mechanical and industrial engineering, the interdisciplinary group aims to understand better how advances in technology may shape the future of trucking and transportation.

This funding, provided by the National Science Foundation’s Future of Work Program, will support their research efforts over the span of four years.

“We know that when automation is introduced into trucks, it changes the role of a trucker,” Roberts said. “The question we are asking is: How do we examine and improve upon the future of work in long-haul trucking not by focusing on technology development, but rather by focusing on the trucker?”

Advancements in automation have the potential to bring numerous advantages, such as reducing accidents and improving overall efficiency; however, experts emphasize that completely eliminating human involvement is not the solution.

“Technology is good at handling consistent situations with predictable, rational people,” Roberts said. “But humans are not predictable, rational beings. Because of this, technology will not be able to react to everything that might happen on the road. It’s impossible. We will need a person in the truck.”

At the same time, automation can’t make workers feel expendable.

“People take pride in what they do,” Roberts said. “We don’t want to take everything out of that job such that people are unsatisfied and unhappy. Many people get into trucking as a means to move into the middle-class lifestyle with a high school diploma or a GED. It’s a means of betterment for a large chunk of the population.”

Ultimately, Roberts said her questions lead to a topic she calls the human-truck symbiosis.

“How do we take advantage of all the things that people are good at doing and all the things that technology is good at doing to make sure we have a system that works really well?” Roberts said.

The research team also includes Henry Renski (regional planning), Shlomo Zilberstein (computer science), Michael Knodler (civil engineering), and Robin Riessman (UMass Transportation Center), who will be conducting the study. They will gather information by accompanying truckers on their journeys, involving truckers in the design process, and analyzing workforce development.

Source: CCJ Digital

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