WASHINGTON — A long-standing quest for better data on how delays experienced by truck drivers waiting to load and unload affects safety and lost pay will get a fresh start by federal regulators.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration released on Wednesday the parameters of a new data collection it hopes will close an information gap preventing regulators from fully understanding the effects of truck driver detention time.
“This research study will collect data on commercial motor vehicle driver detention time representative of the major segments of the motor carrier industry, analyze that data to determine the frequency and severity of detention time, and assess the utility of existing intelligent transportation systems solutions to measure detention time,” according to an Information Collection Request (ICR) FMCSA plans to submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval.
The ICR points out that while a 2014 FMCSA study provided “valuable insights” on the effect of detention time on carrier and driver safety, it was limited, among other things, by a small sample size and the inability to separate legitimate time drivers spent loading and unloading from excess wait times.
“Therefore, FMCSA needs additional data from a broader sample of carriers to understand the safety and operational impact of detention time, to better understand why detention time occurs, and to identify potential mitigation strategies the industry may use to reduce detention time while improving operational efficiencies and safety,” the ICR notes.
To close the information gap, FMCSA’s study will use data collected from electronic logging devices, transportation management systems, vehicle telematic systems, safety records and from questions using carrier dispatching systems.
“The TMS, ELD, telematics, and safety data are already collected by carriers,” the ICR states. “The only additional data that will be collected will be the answers to questions submitted through the carriers’ dispatching systems. This information will allow FMCSA to identify the severity and frequency of detention time, the factors that contribute to detention time, and the administrative, operational, and safety outcomes of detention time.”
The agency wants to recruit approximately 80 carriers and 2,500 drivers to participate in the 12-month study. Most of the data is to be collected from clients of SpeedGauge, a San Francisco-based telematics company that generates data used by insurance companies to help make underwriting decisions for commercial carriers. FMCSA said it will also consider data from individual carriers that want to participate.
FMCSA outlined three primary objectives for the data collection:
- Assess the frequency and severity of driver detention time using data that represents the major segments of the motor carrier industry.
- Assess the utility of existing intelligent transportation systems solutions to measure detention time.
- Prepare a final report that summarizes the findings, answers the research questions and offers strategies to reduce detention time.
“Completing these research objectives will provide insight into any relationship between driver detention time and CMV safety,” FMCSA stated.
“Additionally, the findings from this study can contribute to a more complete understanding of these issues and facilitate private sector decisions that lead to reductions in detention time and improvements in safety and supply chain efficiency.”
FMCSA is giving the public 60 days to comment on the ICR before submitting it to OMB.
Getting a better understanding of the effects of driver detention time on safety and driver pay has been a priority of regulators and lawmakers over the last five years.
Predicted Crash Rates for Changes in Average Dwell Time
Source: DOT OIG 2018 report
A 2018 analysis by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General estimated that a 15-minute increase in average dwell time (the total time spent by a truck at a facility) increases the average expected crash rate by 6.2% – the theory being, drivers paid by the mile or by the load have an incentive to make up lost time by speeding (see chart).
The report also estimated that detention reduces annual earnings by $1.1 billion to $1.3 billion for drivers in the truckload sector.
In 2020, Democratic lawmakers attempted to include in a highway reauthorization bill not only a detention time study but a follow-on rulemaking to establish limits on the amount of time a driver could be detained by a shipper or receiver before being required to be compensated for lost time. The provision did not make it into the final reauthorization passed in 2021.
Dennis W McCourt
Half the problem is the shippers they just don’t care when they load that truck as long as that truck’s in their parking lot they’re happy and sometimes it’s on the dispatcher to get the truck there but the product isn’t ready I’ll set out a strawberry house before in California for a day and a half they had my pickup number they had the order number but the product was still in the fields
Kai
Drivers speed mainly due to hours of service regulations. Regulating a drivers driving and rest time may seem like a good idea, but it is contrary to that belief. For example, forcing at least a 10 hour rest break actually does more harm than good because most people usually sleep for 6-8 hours and then they are up and about. The remaining 2-4 hours are pretty much wasted time where the driver just sits in their truck doing literally nothing when they could be driving towards their destination. Hours of service regulation and the mandatory use of ELDs should be examined very closely in correlation with speeding and the cause of traffic accidents.
David James Seward
Too bad they won’t actually be looking at real data. The only they will see is the information gathered by electronic devices and we all know that absolutely no one who doesn’t get paid for detention time is going to log it the way it actually happens. As long as drivers are only paid by the mile, and not for every hour they are actually working, they will not log detention time and lose driving time. The only time a driver shouldn’t be paid is when he is actually in the sleeper berth or free to pursue activities of his/her choice. EVERYTHING ELSE SHOULD BE COMPENSATED!
Carlos Moreno
All ways the same escuse they know broker’s stilling drivers money by not paying detention time not matter if contract signed say 2 hours free even if drivers stay for 5 6 or 10 hours they don’t pay
Johnny Smoth
So whoever works in FMCSA are not truckers never smell a diesel, never worked as a truck driver looking for midnight parking spot so questions is what these dum ppl could do. We dont need hos rules, they useless. More dangers then they think. First of FMCSA cant not protect truckers and NEw York city ticketing 250$ for parking on the street, who you blame ? From one side HOS stupid rules make us to stop, from other side NYc dont have parking spots to par or single truck stop to park so now what are you gonna do? Because with loading unloading time plus driving in the traffic in NYC you cant not make deliveries or pick up with a shift. Thats why I call FMCSA is a useless yet stupid organization, and they are on taxpayers paycheck.
We dont beed HOS stupid rules, let businesses owners to do all business related scheduling on their own coming out from the load you get and appointments you have. Small companies dont have too many trailers to drop thus it makes us to wait live unloading and loading so we can not drop and hook like big companies.
Stephen webster
We need detention pay of a min of $45 U S a hour for trucks with 90 percent going to owner ops and 60 percent going to company drivers . We also need overtime pay after 9 hrs driving or 10 hrs on duty
Mark koehler
Drivers need to be paid for all time from the moment they start their day until the moment they’re done. If they are out there away from home they should be paid for that time whether or not freight is available. This should include company and contract carriers. Pay should be consistent just like any other job you work
Mark koehler
Drivers need to be paid for all time from the moment they start their day until the moment they’re done. If they are out there away from home they should be paid for that time whether or not freight is available. This should include company and contract carriers. Pay should be consistent just like any other job you work so you don’t go without pay when you put in the availability time.