Transportation Safety


IIHS Tests Reveal Improved Vehicle Crashworthiness

"This is a huge change from just five years ago when most small SUVs were rated either marginal or poor in our side test, and standard side airbags and electronic stability control were rare," said Institute President Adrian Lund.

Bridge Inspection Handbook Given to All U.S. Railroads

The Federal Railroad Administration cooperated with two associations to provide the book, which assists personnel involved in decisions related to rail bridge safety and management.

ABF Celebrates National Truck Driver Appreciation Week

Beginning today through Aug. 30, each ABF employee will receive a special letter of appreciation and will have the opportunity to win an HDTV, GPS unit, or Maglite flashlight in a special drawing in their honor. ABF service centers also will be hosting events such as cookouts and other forms of recognition.

NTSB to Host Aviation Emergency Communications Training Session

The National Transportation Safety Board is devoting two days at its Training Center to offer guidance to aviation public affairs professionals on how to most effectively manage emergency communications following a major aircraft accident.

NTSB Sending Team to Madrid to Aid in Spanair Investigation

Technical advisors from Boeing, the FAA, and Pratt & Whitney will be included, the safety agency said.

ATA Conference Focuses on the Economy, Fuel Costs, New Technology

The American Trucking Associations 2008 Management Conference & Exhibition will focus on helping motor carriers prosper in today's bumpy economy.

APA Sides with Dispatchers in Aircraft Fuel Load Dispute

"We are concerned about what appears to be a drive toward minimum standards by our airline and others," said APA President Captain Lloyd Hill.

GHSA Alarmed by Another Year of Higher Motorcycle Deaths

Its chairman sees "a few signs for optimism" in latest DOT report, which estimated 41,059 people died in U.S. highway crashes last year.



Hydrogen-Powered Fleet Tours America

"The technology necessary to put these cars on the road, and keep them moving, exists today," said DOT's Paul Brubaker. "The question is not if hydrogen-powered vehicles will be available commercially, but when."

New Standard Out for Canadian Vehicles Transporting Schoolchildren

The Canadian Standards Association said it published the standard for multi-functional activity buses because their use is rising, and no Canadian Federal standards cover them.

Peters Announces Historic Drop in Highway Fatalities

The number of people who died on the nation's roads dropped again last year, reaching historically low levels, U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters announced yesterday.

FMCSA Declares Bus Operation 'Imminent Hazard to Public Safety'

The agency declared motor coach vehicles and drivers used by Liberty Charter & Tours that are or were recently affiliated with Angel Tours Inc., Iguala Busmex Inc., and Angel De La Torre to be an "imminent hazard."

FAA Seeks $7.1 M in Penalties Against American Airlines

FAA proposed $7.1 million in fines against American Airlines for a string of violations that include improperly deferring maintenance on safety-related equipment and violations of employee drug-testing rules.

Steady Decline of Miles Driven Reaches Eighth Month

U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters is using this benchmark to press her case for new sources of revenue for the Highway Trust Fund.

Safety Director Sentenced to Home Detention for Driver's Log Scheme

Others in the scheme were sentenced to confinement, home detention, and two years' probation. All were ordered not to work in the trucking industry unless approved by the Probation Office.

Greyhound Seeks Exemption to Place Video Recorders Lower

An FMCSA notice published yesterday seeks comments on the application, which would affect the company's fleet of about 1,650 buses.

CVSA Joins Chorus of Transport Groups Backing Truck Safety Bill

The proposed legislation "is about encouraging investment in safety through the purchase and installation of technologies on trucks and buses that have been tested and proven to work" said CVSA Executive Director Stephen F. Campbell. "It will certainly help reduce heavy truck fatalities which have been hovering around 5,000 per year for the last 10 years."

ASTM Committee Approves New Corrosion-Resistant Steel Standard

According to the task group, the standard will most benefit state departments of transportation that require high-performance corrosion protection of reinforcing steel bars in coastal environments, as well as departments of transportation that use deicing salts on roads, bridges, and decks.

Crashed Charter Bus Used Illegal Tire: NTSB

A retreaded tire should not have been used on the front axle, which controls steering, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.

BTS Special Report: Americans Divided on Airplane Cell Phone Use

Americans are divided on whether cell phones should be allowed during flights, with people age 65 and older more likely to oppose their use than those between 18 and 34, according to a new Bureau of Transportation Statistics special report using survey data on opinions about the transportation system.

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