Transportation Safety


DFW International Airport, shown here, on Nov. 18 reported it expects about 1.7 million passengers to pass through during the 11-day Thanksgiving travel period (Nov. 19 through Nov. 29), 5 percent more than last year.

FAA Works to Ease Delays for Thanksgiving Holiday Travel

Under the agreement, the Department of Defense will release airspace off the East Coast above 24,000 feet. The added capacity is expected to ease delays during one of the busiest travel periods of the year, saving time and money for passengers and airlines while reducing fuel burn.

"Deficient" is changing to "alert" when a score in one or more BASIC categories is above the FMCSA threshold for intervention.

Slight CSA 2010 Changes Coming Next Month

For example, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is changing "deficient" to "alert" when a motor carrier's score in one or more BASIC categories is above the agency's threshold for intervention.

DOT Video Series Personalizes Distracted Driving's Cost

The "Faces of Distracted Driving" series announced Nov. 16 by Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood features people who have been injured or lost loved ones because of distracted driving accidents.

NTSB Discussing 2010 Most Wanted Changes Today

Among the regulations are primary seat belt laws, graduated licensing laws for young drivers, hard-core drinking driver laws, and recreational boating safety laws. New ones may be considered, according to the board.

EU Nearer to Harmonizing IFR Rules for Military Aircraft

Six years of work went into the specifications that have been sent to 38 member states, the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation said Nov. 8.

FAA Finalizes Rule to Prevent Fatigue on Aging Aircraft

The new rule seeks to prevent “widespread fatigue damage” (WFD) by requiring aircraft manufacturers and certification applicants to establish a number of flight cycles or hours a plane can operate and be free from WFD without additional inspections for fatigue.

RouteTracker is an EOBR from XATA Turnpike that connects directly to the engine computer of a vehicle. It combines engine diagnostic repoting with GPS data.

It's Time to Get Serious About CSA 2010

More than anything else, shippers want visibility of a carrier's data. Many are mandating electronic onboard recorders.

Changes are being made in 49 CFR Part 225, which requires rail employee injuries and illnesses to be reported.

Changes Coming in Railroads' Injury Reporting Duty

The final Federal Railroad Administration rule takes effect June 1, 2011. It eliminates the current requirement that railroads decide within seven days whether a potentially reportable injury was work related.



Travel Agency Fined for Violating Price Advertising Rules

"When people buy tickets for air travel, they have the right to know how much they will have to pay," said DOT Secretary Ray LaHood. "We will continue to take enforcement action when our price advertising rules are violated."

Utah DOT Safety Director Wins AASHTO Award

Several state DOTs brought home top honors from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials' 2010 Annual Meeting.

Colorado Commercial Carrier Cited for Violating Hours-of-Service Rules

In the final settlement agreement issued by FMCSA on Oct. 7, 2010, the agency cited JBS Carriers for 102 counts of falsifying drivers’ hours-of-service records and three counts of allowing drivers with a suspended, revoked, or canceled commercial driver’s license to operate a motor vehicle.

NHTSA Warns Drivers of Risks Associated with Daylight Savings Time Change

NHTSA warns drivers that adjusting to the new low-light environment can take time, and that driving while distracted puts everyone—and especially pedestrians—at greater risk of death or injury.

NFPA Seeks Public Input on New Automotive Ambulance Standard

The purpose of this document is to specify minimum requirements, performance parameters, and essential criteria for the design of ground ambulances.

FAA Proposes Safety Management System Requirement

Commercial carriers would have to develop and implement an SMS, which FAA describes as "an organization-wide approach to managing safety risk and assuring the effectiveness of safety risk controls." Its proposed rule lists four essential components of an SMS.

2009 Alcohol-Related Crash Deaths Down Slightly

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's 2009 estimate indicates 33 percent of U.S. drivers dying in highway crashes had a 0.08 blood alcohol concentration or higher.

Chevron Fined $423,600 for Salt Lake City Pipeline Failure

The pipeline involved in the failure leaked crude oil for more than ten hours before Chevron received notification of the failure from the local fire department, according to PHMSA.

The employees would not be shielded from discipline or an FRA enforcement action if an identifiable hazmat spill is involved.

Amtrak to Pilot Close Call Reporting System

The passenger rail company and two of its unions have agreed to conduct the project for five years on tracks in parts of Boston, New Haven, Long Island City, N.Y., Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Miami, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Seattle.

This Voice of Russia photo shows a typical traffic jam in the city. New Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said the answers are more parking places, developing public transport, and road construction.

Russian President Tackling Moscow's Traffic Problems

The new mayor promised to take action before he was sworn in last week. President Dmitry Medvedev says a "huge number of people" die on the city's roads "partly because of a poor traffic management system."

DOT, EPA Propose New Fuel Efficiency Standards for Trucks and Buses

“In addition to cutting greenhouse gas pollution, greater fuel economy will shrink fuel costs for small businesses that depend on pick ups and heavy duty vehicles, shipping companies and cities and towns with fleets of these vehicles," said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson.

This AgustaWestland photo shows an AW139, which has two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6C-67C turbines and a five-bladed main rotor.

Maryland Buying Six New EMS Helicopters

A state board approved a $72.3 million contract Wednesday to add Agusta Aerospace Corp. AW139s to the fleet operated by the Maryland State Police.

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