Best Strategic Plan

8/7/2019 Best Strategic Plan

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1 Strategic Plan

Michigan Truck

Safety Commission

Strategic Plan

2005 - 2007


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2 Strategic Plan

TABLE of CONTENTS

Introduction ...........................................................3Strategic Plan Development .................................5Mission..................................................................7Vision ....................................................................7Objectives .............................................................7Emphasis Areas....................................................7Measures of Impact and Evaluation......................7The Issue: CMV Safety .........................................8

Reduce fatigue-related crashes ............................10Strengthen the CDL program................................11Increase knowledge about sharing the road .........12Improve maintenance of heavy trucks ..................13Identify and correct unsafe roadway

infrastructure and operational characteristics ...14Improve and enhance truck safety data................15Promote industry safety initiatives ........................16

Acronyms ..............................................................17Acknowledgements ..............................................18


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3 Strategic Plan

Introduction

Michigan Truck Safety Commission (MTSC)In the mid-1980s, an anti-truck climate existed in Michigan. Problems such aspassenger car/truck crashes, hours of service violations, load spillage andexcessive speeding by commercial drivers led to this negative image of the

industry. In response the Michigan Trucking Association, Michigan Brotherhoodof Teamsters, Michigan State Police, Michigan Department of Transportation andthe Michigan Legislature developed the legislation establishing the MichiganTruck Safety Commission.

Early discussions focused on increased enforcement. However, education andtraining emerged as focal points with research and enforcement as sidebars inthe creation of the legislation. The Michigan Trucking Association and the statestrucking industry were committed to enhancing the education and safety trainingof truck drivers and agreed to support an increase in truck registration fees toaccomplish that goal.

In 1988, the Michigan Legislature created the Michigan Truck Safety Commission(MTSC) with the enactment of Public Act 348 whose primary provisions were:

Establishment of an 11-member Commission representing a cross sectionof transportation safety groups and individuals. Seven are appointed bythe governor and four by state statute, all of which are public servicepositions.

Development of a Truck Safety Fund.

Expend truck safety funds to conduct truck driver safety educationprograms, encouraging, coordinating and administering grants for

research and demonstration projects in truck driver safety education andconduct special enforcement programs within the Department of StatePolice, Motor Carrier Division.

Michigan State Police Motor Carrier DivisionFor many years, two separate state agencies were the primary truck enforcementagencies: the Michigan Highway Department (now the Department ofTransportation) and the Michigan Public Service Commission (now within theDepartment of Consumer and Industry Services.) The very first agency involvedin regulating transportation in Michigan was the Railroad Commissioner,established in 1873. In 1917, the same year the Michigan State Police was

created, the State Legislature replaced the Railroad Commission with theMichigan Public Utilities Commission, the predecessor of the Michigan PublicService Commission. The Utilities Commission began regulating the truckingindustry in 1923 with less than 10 inspectors.

The Michigan Highway Department first hired Weighmasters and built permanentscale facilities in 1929. Weighmasters enforced only size and weight law. In1968, the Weighmaster function of the Highway Department was transferred tothe Michigan Public Service Commission by a Governors Executive Order. In1982, Gov. Milliken transferred the enforcement function, including the


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4 Strategic Plan

personnel, of the Michigan Public Service Commission to the Michigan StatePolice, which created the Motor Carrier Division to administer the program. MotorCarrier Officers were given full police powers for the purpose of commercialvehicle enforcement including:

Detection and apprehension of individuals who use commercial vehicles intheir criminal activities.

Investigators work with the trucking industry to detect commercial fraudsand crime including drugs, insurance schemes and regulatory violations.

Audits are performed at companies to determine compliance with driverqualifications, safety inspections and repairs.

Hazardous Materials Officers not only enforce strict safety standards andregulations, they conduct training programs that provide up-to-dateregulatory and safety information to business and industry leaders.

Motor Carrier Officers serve as expert witnesses and are routinely calledupon by other police agencies, courts and the industry to provide valuableinsight and knowledge in crashes involving trucks.

Each year Motor Carrier Members inspect more than 165 safety featureson approximately 18,000 Michigan school buses.

Motor Carrier Officers monitor commercial vehicle traffic to promotecompliance and safe transit for the motoring public by enforcing speedand other hazardous violations.

Experts at detecting unsafe or defective vehicles, officers performthousands of comprehensive equipment inspections annually.

Special border enforcement operations to preserve homeland security.

Michigan Center for Truck SafetyThe Michigan Center for Truck Safety (MCTS) is responsible for the day-to-dayoperation of educational programs sponsored by the Michigan Truck SafetyCommission. The Center is operated through a grant to the Michigan TruckingAssociation Educational Center, Inc. (MTA) and is housed at the MTAheadquarters in Lansing.

The MCTS is a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing highway safetythrough safer truck travel. The Center does this by providing Michigan's truckingindustry with a variety of free educational safety programs and services. TheMCTS also provides the general motoring public information on how to share theroad safely with trucks.


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National Truck Crash Data: Nationally one of every eight people who die on thenation's roadways is killed in a crash involving a heavy truck. Most are occupantsof other vehicles or non-occupants, such as pedestrians and bicyclists. Another130,000 people are injured in crashes with heavy trucks. Over the last twodecades truck involvement in fatal crashes has declined by more than 50% as afunction of vehicle miles traveled, from 5.0 per 100 million VMT in 1980 to 2.1 in

2001. Nevertheless, the rate is still much higher than the 1.3 rate for passengervehicles. While heavy trucks are over-represented in fatal crashes, analysis ofdriver-related factors in crashes between large trucks and passenger vehiclesindicates that passenger vehicle driver errors or other driver factors are cited inmore than two-thirds of the crashes.

State Strategic PlanningIn Michigan, the development of a statewide and comprehensive strategichighway safety plan was commissioned by the Governors Traffic Safety AdvisoryCommission (GTSAC) in October 2004. The GTSAC consists of the Governor(or a designee), the Directors (or their designees) of the Departments of

Community Health, Education, State, State Police, and Transportation, the Officeof Highway Safety Planning, the Office of Services to the Aging, and three localrepresentatives from the county, city, and township level.

The GTSAC formed a comprehensive working group consisting of a crosssection of the traffic safety community in Michigan, and arrived at twelveemphasis areas, one of which is commercial vehicle safety. Appropriately, theMichigan Truck Safety Commission has been identified as the entity to addresscommercial vehicle safety issues for Michigan and also serve as the ActionTeam to address those issues within the GTSAC. Consequently, this planserves as both the MTSC Strategic Plan and as the Action Plan for the

Commercial Vehicle Safety Action Team of the GTSAC.

For development of this strategic plan, issues and strategies from the nationaland state agenda were carried forward into the Michigan plan, as well as otherissues and strategies not mentioned in the national plan.

State Truck Crash Data: In Michigan in 2004, there were 16,696 CommercialVehicle involved (CMV) reported traffic crashes, 3,040 injuries, and 129 fatalities.CMV-involved crashes and injuries make up a fairly small percentage of theoverall crashes and injuries, 4.5% and 3.0% respectively. CMV involved fatalitiesthough, represent over 11% of fatalities. Since 1998 even though the total

number of crashes, injuries and fatalities has declined, the percentage theyrepresent of the total has remained constant. From 2000 to 2004 there hasbeen little change in the number of commercial vehicle registrations but a 7%increase in the number of commercial driver licenses issued.


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MissionTo improve truck safety by providing Michigans trucking industry and citizens ofMichigan with effective educational programs, and by addressing significant trucksafety issues.

VisionAll roadway users arrive safely at their destinations.

Long-Term Objectives

Increase the CMV safety belt usage a minimum of 10% by 2008

Decrease the percentage of CMV-involved fatal crashes in relation to totalfatal crashes from 11.5% to under 6% by 2008

Decrease the percentage of CMV involved fatalities per 100 millioncommercial vehicle miles traveled (CVMT) from 1.85 in 2004 to under 1.5by 2008

Decrease the percentage of CMV involved KA Injuries per 100 millioncommercial vehicle miles traveled (CVMT) from 2.51 in 2004 to under 2.0by 2008

Emphasis AreasTo support the mission, vision and objectives of the MTSC strategic plan, datadriven emphasis areas and strategies were identified. These emphasis areasand strategies were derived from the NCHRP Report 500 Series ImplementationGuide-Volume 13 Guide for Reducing Collisions Involving Heavy Trucks.(http://safety.transportation.org/guides.aspx )

Reduce fatigue-related crashes

Strengthen the CDL program

Increase knowledge on how CMV and cars can share the road

Improve maintenance of heavy trucks

Identify and correct unsafe roadway infrastructure and operationalcharacteristics

Improve and enhance truck safety data

Promote industry safety initiatives

Measures of Impact and EvaluationIn developing and implementing strategies to address each of the emphasisareas, the Commission seeks to determine the level of impact and success ofefforts and resources expended. The Commission expects to:

Secure baseline data from relevant sources to determine criticalcompliance and driver performance issues as well as the extent of safety

management programs in the state Develop programming based on appropriate data to address emerging

compliance, driver performance, safety management and CMV safetyissues

Track and report on participation levels in compliance, driver training andsafety management programs to assess impact and to provide a basis forfollow-up efforts

Develop relevant measures of activity and impact, and gather and usesuch data as the basis for new program development and requests forcontinuing funding


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8 Strategic Plan

The Issue: Commercial Motor Vehicle SafetyDrivers of heavy trucks appear to engage in fewer unsafe driving practices thando drivers in general. Analysis of driver-related factors in crashes between largetrucks and passenger vehicles indicates that passenger vehicle driver errors orother driver factors are cited in more than two-thirds of these crashes, whereastruck driver errors are cited in less than one-third (FHWA, 1999c; Blower, 1999).

Studies of vehicle highway speeds in North America indicate that drivers ofheavy vehicles generally exceed posted speed limits less often, and by smallermargins, than drivers of light vehicles (Tardif, 2003; NHTSA, 1991). In addition,crash-involved truck drivers are much less likely than passenger vehicle driversto drive under the influence of alcohol.

Even though truck drivers appear to be better drivers than those of othervehicles, truck crashes are more likely to result in a fatality because of thevehicles size, weight, and stiffness. In 1999, heavy trucks accounted for 4percent of all registered vehicles and 8 percent of total vehicle-miles traveled, butthey accounted for 9 percent of all vehicles involved in fatal crashes (NHTSA,

2001). Compared with passenger cars, when a heavy truck is involved in a crash,it is about 2.6 times as likely to result in a fatality. The average overall humanand property harm in large-truck crashes is about twice the average of crashesinvolving only passenger vehicles (Wang et al., 1999).

Michigan 2004 CMV Involved fatal truck crash overview

Less than 10% of all CMV involved fatalities were the actual truck driver

Of the truck drivers killed 25% were not belted, 37.5% were belted and37.5% it was unknown if the driver was belted or not

Car Driver at Fault; most common scenarios: Crossing median/center line, hitting CMV

Running red light/stop sign, hitting CMV Lost control on freeway Rear ending stopped CMV (construction/traffic or at traffic light/stop

sign)Other statistics from 2004 fatal CMV crashes:

10 involved pedestrians and 2 involved bicycles

6 crossed the median prior to collision

3 involved jack-knifes and 2 ran off the road

4 involved buses over 15 passengers and 1 involved a 9-15 passengerschool bus

8 involved tractor/doubles

67 were tractor/semi-trailer and 49 were van trailers

52 were unknown CMV type

3 auto transporters

13 cargo tanks and 2 garbage haulers

5 cement mixers and 12 dump vehicles

19 flatbeds

92 had Michigan CMV plates and 10 had HM placards


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2000-2004 Commercial Motor Vehicle Fatal Crashes

122132

111121

152

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

CMV fatal crashes have decreased 20% since 2000

2000-2004 Commercial Motor Vehicle Injury Crashes

3,206 3,2583,031 3,040

4,001

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

3,500

4,000

4,500

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

CMV injury crashes have decreased 24% since 2000


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Reduce Fatigue-related Crashes

BackgroundIn a major national forum on truck safety, the primary safety issue identified wasdriver fatigue. The reasons for driver fatigue are many, and only some of them

may be addressed through state programs. However, states can take steps toincrease the efficiency of use of existing parking space for drivers needing restand/or required to stop driving because of hours-of-service regulations; statescan also modify existing space and create new space to provide additionalparking facilities. Rumble strips can alert tired drivers that they are leaving thetraffic lane.

Model Strategies: Increase efficiency of use of existing parking spaces Create additional parking spaces Incorporate rumble strips into new and existing roadways

2000-2004 CMV Fatal Crashes vs. Time of Day

8

4

2423

18

33

1210

9

24

18

41

21

3

6

9

11

24

26

23 23

910

11

8

24

16

21

18

13

3

9

7

19

23 23

21

14

5

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

12:00 mid. -

02:59 a.m.

03:00 a.m. -

05:59 a.m.

06:00 a.m. -

08:59 a.m.

09:00 a.m. -

11:59 a.m.

12:00 noon -

02:59 p.m.

03:00 p.m. -

05:59 p.m.

06:00 p.m. -

08:59 p.m.

09:00 p.m. -

11:59 p.m.

20002001

2002

2003

2004

68.9% of all fatal crashes occur between 6:00am - 6:00pm

2000-2004 CMV Crashes vs. Time of Day

570

700

3,575

4,339

4,689

4,115

1,413

817

477

539

3,094

3,607

3,835

3,684

1,212

6634

85

531

3,022

3,592

3,822

3,329

1,16

3

6454

62

593

2,993

3,516

3,671

3,288

1,14

4678

690

579

2,861

3,548

3,789 3

,437

1,16

0653

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

5000

12:00 mid-02:59

a.m.

3:00 a.m.-05:59

a.m.

6:00 a.m.-08:59

a.m.

9:00 a.m.-11:59

a.m.

12:00 noon-2:59

p.m.

3:00 p.m.-5:59

p.m.

6:00 p.m.-8:59

p.m.

9:00 p.m.-11:59

p.m.

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

79.4% of all crashes occur between 6:00am - 6:00pm


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11 Strategic Plan

Strengthen CDL Programs

BackgroundThe commercial drivers license (CDL) established national standards for

acquiring a license to operate heavy trucks. It has been fully implemented sinceApril 1992. Although the CDL has achieved major improvements, e.g., reducingthe problem of multiple licensing and consolidating driver history information,problems remain. The administration of the test can be improved, and measurescan be taken to reduce fraud and improve the quality of both state and third-partytesters.

Model Strategies: Improve test administration for the CDL Increase fraud detection by state and third-party testers Increase compliance by truck drivers and firms with applicable statutes and

regulations Improve driver performance through education and training Implement S.T.E.T. operations in high-risk areas to improve compliance

2000-2004 Commercial Driver Licenses

279,868

285,569

288,335

292,270

271,218

0

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

300,000

350,000

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

CDL's have increased 7% since 2000


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Increase knowledge and Education (share the road)

BackgroundMost truck fatalities occur in multi-vehicle crashes, and in 2000, 78% of all heavytruck-related fatalities occurred to occupants of the other vehicles. In crashesinvolving a heavy truck and a passenger vehicle (80% of all fatal truck crashes),it appears that the principle culpability most often lies with the driver of the othervehicle. Consequently, some effort needs to focus on drivers to reduce truckfatalities. Drivers need better information on how to share the road with largetrucks.

Model Strategies: Incorporate Share the Road information into driver materials Promulgate Share the Road information through print and electronic media Continue to participate actively in the GTSAC to insure consideration of truck

safety issues Develop cooperative programs and partnerships with relevant other state

departments, e.g., MDOT, MPSC, OHSP, SOS and others, to improveinformation sharing and understanding of the collective mission of truck safety

Utilize partnerships with associations, unions and others as appropriate toreach targeted audiences and increase participation in educational andtraining programs

Increase the level of attention to truck safety issues in public and privatedriver education programs used across the state as well as in the drivereducation test used by the Secretary of State

2000-2004 CMV Fatal Crashes x Unit

19

113

39

12

111

55

11

91

22

14

84

31

15

89

34

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Single CMV CMV - Car CMV 3+ units

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

66% of all CMV Fatal crashes occur between a CMV and a passenger vehicle


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Improve Maintenance of Heavy Trucks

BackgroundHeavy trucks generally accumulate high mileage. In 2000, combination trucks

averaged almost 65,000 miles, compared with almost 12,000 for passengervehicles. State vehicle inspection programs (and not all states have them) aredesigned for passenger cars and usually require inspection only once a year.Large trucks need to be inspected much more frequently. Roadside inspectionsinvariably identify sizeable proportions of trucks that need to be taken out ofservice immediately because they are considered too hazardous to continueoperating. In-depth inspection of trucks in fatal crashes indicates that about onethird would have been removed from service if inspected just prior to the crash.

Model Strategies: Increase and strengthen truck maintenance programs and inspection

performance Conduct post crash inspections to identify major problems and problem

conditions

2000-2004 Registered Commercial Motor Vehicles

1,750,030

1,749,279

1,739,553

1,692,464

1,735,474

0

200,000

400,000

600,000

800,000

1,000,000

1,200,000

1,400,0001,600,000

1,800,000

2,000,000

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004


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Identify and correct unsafe roadway

infrastructure and operational characteristics

Background

Highway configuration can create hazards for some large trucks. Programs toidentify and correct highway segments that pose significant hazards to trucks canreduce crashes. While making changes to the highway is costly, providinginformation to drivers concerning upcoming hazards and providing real-timefeedback on excessive speed for safe maneuvering can be implemented atrelatively low cost.

Model Strategies: Identify and treat truck crash roadway segmentssigning Install interactive truck rollover signing Modify speed limits and increase enforcement to reduce truck and other

vehicle speeds Implement S.T.E.T. operations in high-risk areas to improve compliance

2000-2004 CMV Crashes x Highway Class

4

,205

2,105

3,824

9,190

1,577

3,375

1,846

3,524

8,499

1,045

3,588

1,908

3,253

7,946

797

3,673

1,874

3,152

7,592

907

4

,160

1,821

3,354

7,931

133

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

9,000

10,000

Interstate US Route M Route City Streets Unknown

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

63.8% of all CMV crashes occur on City Streets and M Routes

2000-2004 CMV Crashes x # of Lanes

334

753

9

,730

3,406

3,740

2,208

730

556

591

8,464

2,881

3,204

1,987

606

590

615

8,010

2,867

3,008

1,851 5

51

344

630

7,996

2,854

2,999

1,808

567

295

589

8,040

2,967

3,023

1,895 5

90

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

0/Unknown 1 2 3 4 5 6+

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

80% of all CMV crashes occur on 2, 3 or 4 lane roads


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Improve and Enhance Truck Safety Data

BackgroundGood data are the backbone to any successful highway safety program. Timely

and accurate data are required to identify problems (with both vehicles anddrivers), establish priorities, design interventions, evaluate countermeasures, anddetect emerging problems. Important data on heavy trucks and their operatorscome from law enforcement, the judicial system, driver records, vehicleregistration, and motor carrier records. Rapid entry and compilation of such datacan greatly improve the detection of problems and enable immediateintervention.

Model Strategies: Increase the timeliness, accuracy, and completeness of truck safety data Utilize heavy-truck crash data more effectively in decision-making on

supported programs Conduct periodic analyses of crash data to provide longitudinal information on

crashes Benchmark Michigan against other states with respect to crash data and truck

safety

2000-2004 Commercial Motor Vehicle Crashes

18,28117,471

16,518 16,696

20,812

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

CMV Crashes have decreased over 19% since 2000


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17 Strategic Plan

ACRONYMSAASHTO American Association of State Highway and Transportation OfficialsEMS Emergency Management SystemFHWA Federal Highway AdministrationGIS Geographic Information System

GPS Global Positioning SystemGTSAC Governors Traffic Safety Advisory CommissionITE Institute of Transportation EngineersMCTS Michigan Center for Truck SafetyMDE Michigan Department of EducationMDOS Michigan Department of StateMDOT Michigan Department of TransportationMSP Michigan Department of State PoliceMTSC Michigan Truck Safety CommissionNCHRP National Cooperative Highway Research ProgramNHI National Highway Institute

OHSP Office of Highway Safety Planning


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Acknowledgements

The development of this strategic safety plan was completed by theMichigan Truck Safety Commission (MTSC) in September 2005. TheMTSC consists of a diverse group of commissioners and at large trafficsafety professional members including representatives from:

Michigan Department of StateMichigan Department of State Police, Motor Carrier Division

Michigan Department of TransportationMichigan Office of Highway Safety Planning

Kettering UniversityFoster, Swift, Collins and Smith

Michigan TeamstersLansing Community College

Alvan Motor Freight, Inc.Publicom, Inc.

Group Associates Inc.

All parts as described within this plan are necessary, but there is flexibility to customize

the structure and process according to external and internal factors. It is anticipated thatthe plan periodically will be updated and otherwise revised.

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