The Trucker Newspaper - December 15-31, 2015

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• December 15-31, 2015 Nation thetrucker.com NTSB: Driver of tractor-trailer in 4-person fatal lost control from using synthetic pot THE TRUCKER NEWS SERVICES WASHINGTON — The National Transportation Safety Board earlier this month said it had determined that the driver of a tractortrailer that struck a medium-size bus September 26, killing four members of the North Central Texas College softball team, lost control of his vehicle because of incapacitation stemming from his likely use of a synthetic cannabinoid. The college is located in Gainesville, Texas, just south of the accident site. Synthetic cannabinoids are chemical compounds that are marketed as allegedly legal alternatives to marijuana; however, their effects can be considerably worse and they have been known to cause psychosis, seizures, and nonresponsiveness. The driver, Russell Staley of Saginaw, Texas, who had a documented history of drug use, was operating a tractor-trailer northbound on Interstate 35 near Davis, Oklahoma. After negotiating a slight rightward curve, the truck departed the left lane, continued across the 100-foot-wide median, and traveled more than 1,100 feet before striking the medium-size bus in the southbound lane of I-35. Four bus passengers died and five were seriously injured. Six additional bus passengers and both drivers sustained minor injuries. Federal law prohibits commercial motor vehicle drivers from operating a vehicle while impaired. However, federal regulations require testing for only a few impairing substances. This crash investigation highlights the challenges that employers and law enforcement face in detecting driver use of impairing substances for which testing is not required, stated an NTSB news release. “Motor carriers need to know about this emerging class of drugs, and they need better tools to detect driver impairment,” said NTSB Chairman Christopher A. Hart. As a result of the investigation, the NTSB Associated Press: EMILY SCHMALL Students at North Central Texas College left flowers, teddy bears and softballs inscribed with prayers outside an administration building on campus in Gainesville, Texas, in the wake of the accident that killed four softball players. issued recommendations addressing impairing substances that are not tested for under federal regulations. Contributing to the severity of the crash was the fact that, although the bus was equipped with seat belts in all seating positions, none of the passengers wore the restraints. Furthermore, the bus driver failed to implement the college’s policy requiring passengers to wear seat belts. Had the seat belts been properly worn, they would probably have prevented ejections and reduced overall injuries. Also as a result of the investigation, the NTSB called upon states to require seat belt use for all vehicle seating positions that are equipped with belts. “Buckling up can save your life, whether you are in a car, a truck, or riding in a bus,” Hart said. The NTSB also issued or reiterated recommendations regarding side impact protection standards for medium-size buses, on-board recorder system standards for large commercial vehicles, and updated criteria for median barrier installation. 8 Food Grade Tanker Hiring Company Drivers DeDICaTIOn Since 1976, Opies Transport has taken pride in hiring trucking’s finest driving professionals. That’s why we’re proud to provide them with exceptional new equipment, a stellar maintenance program, safe and consistent freight, plus an experienced support team available 24/7. > Late-Model Kenworths > Medical/Life Insurance Plan > assigned equipment > 401k Plan with 100% match > no HazMat Call us today at (800) 341-9963 | OpiesTransport.com | recruiting@opiestransport.com
Thetrucker.com Nation OOIDA Truck Insurance Great rates. Outstanding service. Friendly, fast, efficient service for the busy Owner-Operator. Competitive Rates • Outstanding Service • Multiple Discounts Available December 15-31, 2015 • Truckers slapped with another $10 hike in tolls by NY/NJ Port Authority Five-axle vehicles now pay $85 off peak, $90 in peak hrs. THE TRUCKER STAFF NEWARK, N.J. — Truckers saw a $10 across-the-board hike when the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey implemented new toll rates on its bridges and tunnels on December 6. The increases mean truckers will be paying 55 percent more than they did three years ago, and 13 percent more than one year ago. The rates were applicable on the George Washington Bridge, the Lincoln Tunnel, the Holland Tunnel, the Goethals Bridge, the Outerbridge Crossing and the Bayonne Bridge. Five-axle trucks using E-ZPass are paying $85 in off-peak hours, $90 in peak hours and $77.50 overnight. Paying cash will cost $105 regardless of the time of day. Peak hours are weekdays 6 a.m.-10 a.m. and 4 p.m.-8 p.m. as well as Saturday and Sunday 11 a.m.-9 p.m. All other times are off-peak for all vehicles with the exception of trucks, which is 10 p.m.-6 a.m. the following morning. Truckers are having to pay “an obscene” amount in toll fees, and the money’s not even going to fund the infrastructure, said Kendra Hems, president of the New York State Motor Truck Association. She told The Trucker that the association had been opposed to the graduated toll hikes since their inception five years ago to no avail. Meanwhile, as the Port Authority hit motorists with the last of five annual toll increases, the agency found itself in the cross hairs of a fiscal challenge. A recent report by Moody’s Investors Service concluded that the Port Authority now relies more on revenue from tolls at its New York-area bridges and tunnels than on revenue from its airports. At the same time, bridge and tunnel traffic has been steadily, if slowly, declining over the past several years, and future toll increases are a potential political minefield. Add to that a lengthy slate of large capital projects that includes a new bus terminal in New York City projected to cost about $10 billion and a new rail tunnel under the Hudson River, and the challenges become starkly evident. “There are worrying signs on the toll side on our ability to rely on them as much in the future as we are now,” Port Authority Chairman John Degnan said December 4. The disconnect, in Degnan’s words, between what the bi-state agency will need to spend and the revenue model it has operated under up to now is forcing the Port Authority to take a hard look at raising revenue from other sources, including its extensive — and sometimes under utilized — real estate holdings. Not surprisingly, the increases generated considerable backlash among motorists when they were approved, and a General Accounting Office report later chided the Port Authority for not holding enough public hearings and making those it did hold inconvenient to attend. Some criticized the increases for being used to funnel money away from the Port Authority’s core transportation mission and toward projects like the World Trade Center redevelopment, a charge agency officials denied. That claim was the basis for a lawsuit against the Port Authority filed by AAA Northeast, a nonprofit auto club, after the 2011 increases were approved. Some of those criticisms remain, though the targets have shifted. A spokesman for AAA Northeast said December 4 that the toll increases are now paying for projects like the $1 billion-plus Pulaski Skyway refurbishment in northern New Jersey. Federal investigators are probing whether the Port Authority had the legal grounds to fund the project. At OOIDA you are never just a truck insurance customer. You are our mission. For over 40 years, OOIDA has been dedicated to developing a comprehensive range of insurance products for the small-business trucker through its subsidiary, Owner-Operator Services, Inc., offering them at competitive rates with many discounts* and ways to save. OOSI is also committed to providing outstanding, friendly customer service and fast turn-around. Nobody knows the insurance needs of the smallbusiness trucker better than the expert staff at OOSI, setting up coverage and dealing with your requests while you’re busy on the road. “Much-needed revenues for interstate projects should not be diverted to road and bridge repair in New Jersey,” spokesman Robert Sinclair said. “Five years and five toll hikes later, we still seek answers as to how much money the toll increases have raised and where the money is going as the Port Authority embarks on building a vitally important trans-Hudson rail tunnel and Manhattan bus terminal.” Hems said another argument against the toll increases and the way the process has been handled is that there has been no federal oversight as is required for a bi-state agency. Nobody knows trucking better. 1-800-715-9369 www.ooidatruckinsurance.com “There’s been no accountability, no transparency,” she said. An outside audit report in 2012 called the toll increases necessary to keep up with the Port Authority’s capital demands. While Degnan noted that traffic on the bridges and tunnels has been slowly decreasing, he said there has been a small uptick over the last few months. Increased business at area ports may be the reason, combined with low fuel prices and a generally improving economy, he said. 8 Associated Press sources contributed to this report. With direct underwriting, many binding decisions are made directly by OOSI, providing you quick, reliable Administration make sure your proof of insurance Call OOSI at 800-715-9369 and speak to one of our agents about your truck insurance needs, Or visit us at our web site, ooidatruckinsurance.com. *Discounts and premiums subject to underwriting guidelines and verification of information.
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