Another group jumps on band wagon to ban cell phones

[TeamCaffee]

This issue appears to be gaining traction:


10/4/2011 Truckinginfo.com
Fleet Group Pushes for Cell Phone Ban for Commercial Drivers

NAFA Fleet Management Association is urging the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to move quickly to ban the use of mobile devices by commercial drivers except in emergencies.

In a letter to Ray LaHood, Secretary of Transportation, and Anne Ferro, administrator of the FMCSA, NAFA expressed strong support for the National Transportation Safety Board's recent recommendation to prohibit the use of both handheld and hands-free cellular telephones by all commercial drivers' license holders while driving in commercial operations, except in emergencies.

"FMCSA's action on NTSB's recommendation will be an important tool against distracted driving and will support the efforts of fleet managers to encourage their companies and agencies to strengthen safety programs with further restrictions on cell phone and text message usage," NAFA said in the letter.

However, FMCSA is not currently contemplating a total cell phone ban, only one that would ban handheld phone use.

Citing research by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, FMCSA says it is not clear if simply talking on a mobile telephone presents a significant risk. The act of reaching for an object increases the risk of a safety-critical event by three times, while dialing increases the risk by six times - primarily because it takes the driver's eyes off the road.

American Trucking Associations President and CEO Bill Graves, in a statement on the Board's recommendation, cited that research to underscore ATA's belief that hands-free phones do not elevate crash risk and perhaps even reduce it.

The NTSB made the recommendation to the FMCSA and state regulators, citing distraction from the use of a mobile phone by the driver of an 18-wheel semi-truck as the probable cause of a crash that killed 11 people. Investigators determined that the driver used his mobile phone for calls and text messages a total of 69 times while driving in the 24-hour period prior to the accident. The driver made four calls in the minutes leading up to the crash, with his last call coinciding with the time his southbound truck crossed a 60-foot-wide median, struck and overrode a cable barrier system, entered the northbound travel lanes, and struck a 15-passenger van.

 

[Desperado]

but how can they tell what kind of device was being used

 

[charlies1gal]

It is my opinion that in WIDE OPEN SPACES my wireles keeps me MORE attentive! I get tired from BOREDOM!!! Especially on that long boring stretch of I-57 in Illinois & talking to a friend keeps me alert & awake! I DO NOT use a hand held, nor do I talk while in heavy traffic or construction!!! Which is just common sence. I do however take offence to officials constantly wanting to punish CDL drivers for everything that comes down the pike! Yes, there are many offenders, BUT! Not nearly as many as many as are in smaller vehicles that cause DEADLY accidents EVERY DAY of the week while USING CELL PHONES!!!! If there going to ban us, BAN ALL!!!! They Know that will NEVER happen!!! Makes me so upset I could just scream!

 

[TeamCaffee]

The TSG will be having a call with Deborah Hersman, NTSB Chairman and I will put call information on here. If you would like questions or concerns put them on here and the group will ask them of her.

If we sit back and do nothing I have to wonder if this could become a law.

 

[paullud]

I would like to know what studies they did to show restricting cell phone use for commercial drivers makes anything safer. How many studies have been done to know that this will not cause drivers to become fatigued due to boredom? Why is the ban not being recommended for all vehicles given the much higher rate of fatal accidents involving non-commercial vehicles?

Posted with my Droid EO Forum App

 

[Turtle]

I'm offering a reward to anyone who can get me a picture of Ray LaHood driving while talking on a hand-held cell phone. If you can get one of him texting, I'll double it.

 

[gotta go]

The TSG will be having a call with Deborah Hersman, NTSB Chairman and I will put call information on here. If you would like questions or concerns put them on here and the group will ask them of her.

If we sit back and do nothing I have to wonder if this could become a law.

Linder, this is an old post of mine, but it includes the points I would like to hear addressed.

Re: No Phone Zone
I sent the following letter to my Progressive Insurance agent today. Hopefully they will step forward and remind Progressive that commercial drivers are a large portion of their customer base.

I know your agency can't match Oprah when it comes to influence, but...I was disappointed to see that Progressive is a sponsor for the No Phone Zone campaign. If states make it illegal to drive and use a cell phone, it will diminish our ability to safely do our jobs.
Would you please let Progressive know that your clients use hands-free systems to conduct their business.
No phone zone is one of those knee jerk reaction things that get picked up and not thought through.
Picture it, driver's phone rings, let it go to voice mail. Take next exit ramp, pull off on shoulder to listen to voice mail. Take time to return call. Pull off of shoulder, back onto Interstate. Have now lost 15 minutes out of day, must pick up speed in order to make up lost time. Repeat 10 times.
Do you see the consequences? What if there is no exit ramp for 10 miles? Does the truck pull over on the shoulder of the roadway? What if you're in a town? What if the call is a family emergency? How many times does an accident take place because a truck is pulling back onto the highway and slowly building up to speed? How many accidents take place due to excessive speed? Driver has only a limited amount of time to drive each day. If they've had the magic 10 calls in a day, at a minimum of 15 minutes each, that's 2 1/2 hours out of the day.
Please request that Progressive drop their support of this campaign.

I need to add that after my agent sent this on to Progressive, (hopefully along with thousands of others) their public support of the campaign stopped.
I was surprised when Deborah Hersman supported the cell phone ban. When she spoke at MATS, after having the adventures of riding from Washington, D.C., to Louisville, by truck, she seemed to have a better grasp on the challenges we face.

 

[TeamCaffee]

I was also very disappointed when I saw Progressive was supporting this.

 

[TeamCaffee]

The TSG is having a call with Joe Rajkovacz, OOIDA Regulatory Affairs today 10/4/11 at 3:00 eastern time. We will be talking with Joe about the proposed cell phone ban in commercial vehicles. Joe will be giving us insight on this proposed regulation and what we can all do to join in the fight.

712 432 0075
Pin 550718#

 

[Brisco]

Quick Comment.......

I have no problem, NO PROBLEM, with banning ALL Cell Phone use in a Commercial Motor Vehicle while in operation.

Offering a reward for a picture of Ray LaHood using a cell phone, or texting, while going down the road in a 4,000 lb vehicle just doesn't compare to if he was going down the road in a 33,000lb - 80,000lb vehicle.

Hell, I'd like to see Ray LaHood in a Commercial Motor Vehicle period. Reward - Goofy.

Letter posted above.....Goofy also.

Honestly, I'm quite surprised at the backlash over this. We all are Professional Drivers and should be supporting this Ban. Sounds to me like there's way to much "Individualism" going on here. Someone came close to saying "I drive better when I'm on the phone" above. What a crock........

I bet some of the worst offenders are right here, but they just don't realize it. I'll admit, I've talked on the phone many a mile during my 750,000 mile driving career, and have probably driven UNSAFELY during many of those miles also. And, I'll admit too that I probably never realized it either cause I was too engrossed in the googoo gaagaa talk I was conducted with several of my girlfriends. But, when WE ALL have seen the chaos drivers of oversized rigs that has been coming from drivers distracted by cell phones and texting, WE ALL should be supporting Legislation such as this that makes it not only safer for the general public, but safer for us also.

 

[JohnMueller]

From a safety perspective, I would like to see cell phone use banned in ALL vehicles - both passenger and commercial. FMCSA, in recent years, has become more and more stringent on the trucking industry and our professional drivers. Unfortunately there has been little, if anything, done to enhance highway safety by operators of passenger vehicles. Passenger vehicles (cars) are found to cause around 84% of the motor vehicle crashes in truck/car accidents. The government surely needs to address the driving (bad) habits of the general public. Professional drivers are just that, yet they, and the comanies they drive for, are often found to negligent to some degree in these crashes, even if the passenger vehicle driver is on his or her cell phone at the time of the crash.

From the motorcycle enthusiast perspective cell phones should be banned in all vehicles period. In that one to seconds it takes you to reach that cell phone to take that ever so important call you could easily veer into my bike. That ever so important cell phone call has also caused many folks to pull out in front of me. Most just raise their hands and wave, easily dismissing the fact that they could have easily killed me. Some are so bold as to raise their finger!

When I was younger there were no cell phones. There were no telephone answering machines (when I was really young), no text messages. It amazes me how I (we) ever survived without these things. Even more amazing is the people trying to call us survived. When we were home and the phone rang - we answered it.

Bottom line is that no person's cell phone call or text message is worth more than another person's life.

Thanks,

John Mueller, CDS
Safety Director/Partner

 

[TeamCaffee]

Personally I would rather see someone using a hands free cell phone then holding a CB Mic spewing garbage.

Today while talking with driver using hand free head set gave them a heads up on highway construction they were heading into and what lane to be in. When i am talking on the cell phone I am watching the road and gauges. When I am talking to a passenger the tendency is to look over at them to carry on the conversation.

To constantly stare at the road get hypnotic.

 

[TeamCaffee]

Call is starting now:

The TSG is having a call with Joe Rajkovacz, OOIDA Regulatory Affairs today 10/4/11 at 3:00 eastern time. We will be talking with Joe about the proposed cell phone ban in commercial vehicles. Joe will be giving us insight on this proposed regulation and what we can all do to join in the fight.

712 432 0075
Pin 550718#

 

[Brisco]

Call is starting now:

Joe will be giving us insight on this proposed regulation and what we can all do to join in the fight.

712 432 0075
Pin 550718#

Post when the Phone Calls that are AGAINST all use of Cell Phones while commercial motor vehicles are in operation are going to be placed.

This aint a one-sided "belief" here ya know..........

 

[paullud]

Post when the Phone Calls that are AGAINST all use of Cell Phones while commercial motor vehicles are in operation are going to be placed.

This aint a one-sided "belief" here ya know..........

If you feel that way then get your own call and organization started. There is more than one opinion but the one being expressed in the call and what the OP believes is against the ban.

Posted with my Droid EO Forum App

 

[Turtle]

Offering a reward for a picture of Ray LaHood using a cell phone, or texting, while going down the road in a 4,000 lb vehicle just doesn't compare to if he was going down the road in a 33,000lb - 80,000lb vehicle.

Sure it compares. Since Ray LaHood beats the distracted driving drum for all vehicles, not just CMVs, then a picture of him driving any vehicle while talking on the phone would vividly illustrate his hypocrisy.

Reward - Goofy.

Of course it's goofy. That's the point. I was going to say, "Nothing gets by you, does it?" But clearly, humor is one that does.

They have humormometers on sale at Radio Shack. You should get one. That way, when someone says you have no measurable sense of humor, you can confirm it with the humormometer.

 

[Jack_Berry]

Couldn't states with hands free laws just start enforcing their laws? this would include 4-wheelers. Yeah that will happen.

 

[cheri1122]

When laws are enacted restricting the communications of all commercial drivers in response to the actions of ONE driver [69 calls/texts in 24 hrs], while the fact that 84% of truck car crashes are the fault of the car is completely ignored, it doesn't seem as if logic has any part in lawmaking at all.
As Jeanie pointed out: forcing trucks to get off and on the highway to use even a hands free is just insane! It's a much bigger issue among the 4 wheelers, why aren't they restricted first, to see how well it works?

 

[layoutshooter]

When laws are enacted restricting the communications of all commercial drivers in response to the actions of ONE driver [69 calls/texts in 24 hrs], while the fact that 84% of truck car crashes are the fault of the car is completely ignored, it doesn't seem as if logic has any part in lawmaking at all.
As Jeanie pointed out: forcing trucks to get off and on the highway to use even a hands free is just insane! It's a much bigger issue among the 4 wheelers, why aren't they restricted first, to see how well it works?

One: truckers are EASY targets. Few like us AND we don't stand up for ourselves very well. Two: We have DEEP pockets. We are, more and more, being looked at as a "revenue stream".

More restrictions, more tickets, more money for government. That is all this is about.

We need to "shut 'em down" on the entire interstate system. a few days of "grid lock" would go a long way.

 

[Jason2]

I'm with all of you on this but I'm goin to go one step further. IF they want to make this a law start with our law enforcement.
They stay on their laptops more than alot of people driving.Seen it too many times.