In Gear - Today's Trucking

control are 4.7 times higher on curved
roads than on straight roads; a rollover is
more likely in dry-surface conditions, while
loss of control is more likely on wet surfaces
or other road conditions with less friction;
the odds of rollover increase as cargo
weight increases; the odds of loss of control
were 1.9 times greater for tanks compared
to vans; and the odds of rollover are greatest
at speeds ranging from 40 ot 55 mph.
Bendix supports the study’s findings, of
course, and notes that a separate NHTSA
study was also released recently, looking
COMING TO A LAWBOOK NEAR YOU: Alan
Korn, Meritor WABCO’s director of vehicle
dynamics and controls, expects the decision
on a stability-control mandate in 2010, with
likely implementation in 2012 or 2013.
at crashes involving single-unit medium
and heavy vehicles such as school buses
and straight trucks. Bendix tells us that, of
the straight-truck crashes where a stability
system could have helped, ESC may have
mitigated 91 percent of them.
What isn’t clear from the report,
because only tandem/tandem rigs were
investigated, is the effect of RSC and ESC
systems on multi-axle tractor-trailers. A
safe assumption is that broadly similar
safety improvements would be seen on
B-trains and the like but that will only be
proven in time.
Another angle to watch is the reaction
of insurance companies to the spec’ing of
such safety enhancements in a given fleet.
Another safe assumption is that premium
discounts will be at least considered.
Again, only time will tell.
As Allan Korn puts it, “that’s very much
a show-me industry. What they want to
see over a period of time is accidents
going down.”
And it’s more than just likely that they
will if the experience of California’s Apex
Logistics is any indication, as it probably
is. A dry- and liquid-bulk hauler that runs
up and down the west coast, including
Canada, three quarters of its 250 tractors
are now equipped with Meritor WABCO
RSC. That started in January of 2005, at
which point they’d been averaging three
rollovers a year, but they haven’t had
one since. And in the process they’ve cut
workers comp, physical damage, and
liability insurance costs by 50 percent. ▲
In Gear
FOR
MOREINF�
■ You can see the study yourself. It’s
available for download at the NHTSA
website (www.nhtsa.dot.gov), but use this
abbreviated URL — http://bit.ly/2mEbY9.
■ Also look at www.arvinmeritor.com,
www.wabco-auto.com, and www.bendix.com.
Shell Lubricants
JANUARY 2010 47