Latest news with #ATRI
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Report finds repeal of truck tax would mean fewer crashes
WASHINGTON — New research by the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) has linked repealing the 12% federal excise tax (FET) on new trucks and truck equipment to a significant reduction in crashes and, as a result, significant cost savings. In its report released on Wednesday, ATRI, the research arm of the American Trucking Associations, found that the accelerated replacement of old trucks with new ones spurred by repealing the tax would reduce the cost of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). The resulting increase in the number of trucks operating with such equipment on board would prevent 750 crashes per year and save nearly $13.5 billion in crash costs over 10 years, ATRI estimated. 'Truck prices clearly impact annual sales for our dealers, and reduce our customers' ability to add new equipment to their fleet,' commented Jacqueline Gelb, president of the American Truck Dealers, in an ATRI press release. 'This report greatly reinforces one of the key justifications for repealing the FET on new trucks by quantifying the real-world benefits a repeal will have on the environment and highway safety.' Eliminating the truck FET has been an ongoing priority for ATA, and the association has been pushing lawmakers to enact legislation supporting it. Bipartisan legislation was reintroduced in March to repeal it. The tax, which has been in place since 1917 to help raise revenue during World War I, applies to the first retail sale of a new truck or trailer. Depending on the truck and trailer type, the tax can add over $40,000 to the price of a new tractor-trailer. 'Such a cost will ultimately influence purchase decisions, and some potential new truck buyers will choose alternatives,' the ATRI report states, including buying used trucks or operating existing trucks longer before replacing them. 'It is generally understood that newer trucks have more fuel-efficient engines, lower repair and maintenance costs, and are more likely to have the latest advanced safety systems. New trucks also do not have the performance-degrading 'wear and tear' that will inevitably occur after several hundred thousand miles of driving.' ATRI estimated that increased demand for newer, cleaner trucks that would result from repealing the FET would decrease carbon emissions at an accelerated rate, with annual reductions of 1.2 million metric tons of carbon dioxide over current truck purchases. Road congestion cost trucking $108.8B in 2022 Truck speeds continue to decline at nation's biggest highway bottlenecks Top 10 trucking policies likely to be affected by Trump's return Click for more FreightWaves articles by John Gallagher. The post Report finds repeal of truck tax would mean fewer crashes appeared first on FreightWaves.
Malaysian Reserve
30-04-2025
- Automotive
- Malaysian Reserve
New ATRI Research Quantifies the Environmental and Safety Benefits of Repealing the Federal Excise Tax on New Trucks
WASHINGTON, April 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) today released research that highlights real-world environmental and safety benefits that could accrue from a repeal of the 12 percent federal excise tax (FET) on new trucks and trucking equipment. A World War 1 era tax, the Truck FET has long been an issue for buyers of new trucks. The tax currently adds an additional $20,000 to more than $50,000 to the cost of each new truck purchased, thus acting as a strong deterrent to new truck and trailer sales. This new research first estimates the age and annual mileage of the entire Class 8 truck population in the U.S., offering unique insight into the influence of older trucks on industry-wide environmental and safety metrics. The research then illustrates how removing the 12 percent Truck FET can accelerate the replacement of older trucks. From an environmental perspective ATRI found that, as a Truck FET repeal increases demand for new vehicles, industry CO2 emissions will decrease at an accelerated rate. Each year as the industry adds newer, cleaner diesel vehicles to the fleet, emissions will be reduced annually by 1.2 million metric tons of CO2 over current truck purchases with the Truck FET in place. This equated to cumulative savings of nearly 66 million metric tons of CO2 over a 10-year period. Safety was also shown to benefit from a Truck FET repeal. The accelerated replacement of older trucks reduces the cost of safety technologies, thus adding more Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) equipment to the industry, preventing nearly 750 crashes per year and saving nearly $13.5 billion in crash costs over 10 years. Finally, the report outlines key reasons why the Truck FET does not function well as a funding mechanism for the Highway Trust Fund, documenting the revenue volatility due to annual fluctuations in new truck sales, as well as the limited number of highway users that pay the tax in any given year. The research then calculates how the FET revenue can be replaced. 'Truck prices clearly impact annual sales for our dealers, and reduce our customers' ability to add new equipment to their fleet. This report greatly reinforces one of the key justifications for repealing the FET on new trucks by quantifying the real-world benefits a repeal will have on the environment and highway safety,' said Jacqueline Gelb, President of the American Truck Dealers. A copy of the full report is available on ATRI's website here. ATRI is the trucking industry's 501c3 not-for-profit research organization. It is engaged in critical research relating to freight transportation's essential role in maintaining a safe, secure, and efficient transportation system.
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Nashville is home to some of the worst bottlenecks in the U.S. See where
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Nashville is home to several of the country's most congested bottlenecks, according to a new study. A report by the American Transportation Research Institute revealed that seven locations in the Volunteer State are in the top 100 for some of the worst truck bottlenecks. The ATRI reportedly compiled the list by measuring the level of congestion involving trucks at more than 325 locations across the national highway system. According to the report, the company used freight truck GPS data and several 'customized software applications and analysis methods' to locate the worst traffic in the nation. Large stretch of Bell Road to be repaved and repaired Nashvillians may find that it comes at no surprise that several of the state's bottlenecks are located right in Music City. Coming in at No. 5 in the nation, the merge of I-24, I-40 and I-440. The study found that the peak average speed in the area only reaches up to about 27 miles per hour. However, that's almost a 4% change in peak average speed from the year before. Backups at the merge last from approximately 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., according to the report. During that time, drivers travel at speeds just below 20 miles per hour. A short distance away, the stretch of I-40 at I-65 through the downtown area ranked as the 16th worst bottleneck location in the U.S. | READ MORE | I-40 at I-65 East typically sees backups begin at 3 p.m. and last until 6 p.m. The average peak speed during those times reach up to 31 miles per hour, according to ATRI data. Meanwhile, on the north side, the I-65 at I-24 merge was named as the 53rd worst bottleneck area in the country. Speeds reportedly drop down to just below 30 miles per hour between 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. No. 5: I-24/I-40 at I-440 East in Nashville No. 16: I-40 at I-65 East No. 28: I-75 at I-24 in Chattanooga No. 44: I-40/I-75 at I-140 in Knoxville No. 53: I-65 at I-24 in Nashville No. 56: I-24 at US 27 in Chattanooga No. 68: I-40 at I-275 in Knoxville ⏩ Fort Lee, New Jersey is home to the most congested bottleneck location in America followed by Chicago, Houston and Atlanta. To view the full list of the top 100 truck bottlenecks, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
C.R. England adopts AI-powered driver-facing cameras
Nationwide truckload carrier C.R. England recently announced it has chosen safety and telematics provider Lytx to equip its 3,500-truck fleet with driver-facing cameras. The cameras are part of a larger suite called Lytx Drive Cam Event Recorders, which use AI and computer vision to 'identify driving risks, including distracted driving, handheld cell phone use, lack of seat belt use, following too closely, and more.' This comes as other large truckload carriers including J.B. Hunt and Prime Inc. have tested or adopted camera technology. For J.B. Hunt, Trucking Dive reported that the fleet had completed adopting driver-facing cameras across its entire fleet after having piloted the technology back in 2018. For large truckload carriers, the legal benefits appear to outweigh the privacy costs. The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) wrote in a 2023 report, 'According to surveys of legal and insurance experts, DFC [driver-facing camera] footage, when available, exonerates drivers in 52 percent of insurance claims and 49 percent of litigation cases as well as leading to settlements in 86 percent of cases versus proceeding to trial.' Despite the benefits, road-facing cameras remain the primary camera option for surveyed fleets. The same ATRI report noted that as of 2023, only 32% of survey respondents used DFCs compared to 72% who use over 100-year-old federal excise tax on heavy-duty trucks is again under scrutiny. The U.S. House of Representatives recently reintroduced legislation aimed at removing it. The bipartisan legislation is called The Modern, Clean, and Safe Trucks Act of 2025. Trucking lobby groups supported the measure. American Trucking Associations President and CEO Chris Spear said in a release, 'First implemented over a century ago to help finance America's effort in World War I, the FET has become the largest excise tax on any product, adding $24,000 to the cost of each new clean-diesel tractor-trailer.' Spear added that keeping the tax on the books would continue to impose enormous hardship especially for small fleets and independent truckers. The ATA estimates that the federal excise tax, currently at 12%, the highest levied on any product, creates $6 billion in an added annual burden on the trucking industry. The Commercial Carrier Journal reports that during testimony to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee, the FET was noted as adding an average of $22,000 to the cost of each vehicle. CCJ adds that similar efforts in recent sessions of Congress have failed. The exact costs added vary. CDL Life reports that according to Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Calif., 'it adds $15,000 to $30,000 the cost of new heavy trucks, trailers, semitrailer chassis, and tractors for highway use. LaMalfa also says the FET encourages the sale of used trucks because these vehicles are not subject to the 12% tax.'March preliminary Class 8 orders further retreated based on year-over-year comps, according to data released Wednesday by ACT Research. March preliminary North America Class 8 net orders were 16,000 units, down 8.3% y/y. A central theme for March and Q1's overall performance remains uncertainty. Carter Vieth, research analyst at ACT Research, wrote, 'Whether the slowdown in orders is a result of moderating economic activity, private fleets' pausing expansion, or a response to trade and policy uncertainty is difficult to surmise and remains an open question.' Vieth adds that while March orders were down 8.3% y/y compared to February, seasonally adjusted Class 8 orders rose 1.1% from February to 16,500 units, with a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of 198,000 units, 'one of the lowest 1-month SAAR readings in almost three years.' The impacts of reciprocal tariffs announced by the Trump administration on Wednesday add further uncertainty, due to the extensive supply chain integration between Mexico, Canada and the U.S. when it comes to producing a Class 8 tractor. While the recent tariffs avoid items under the existing United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the raw materials such as aluminum and steel used in making the tractors may increase. Dan Moyer, senior analyst of commercial vehicles at FTR Transportation Intelligence, added in a February release, 'Approximately 45% of all Class 8 trucks built for the U.S. and Canadian markets will be subject to the 25% U.S. tariff on all imports from Canada and Mexico and planned Canadian counter tariffs. About 40% of U.S. Class 8 trucks are produced in Mexico, and roughly 65% of Canada's Class 8 trucks are assembled in the U.S.' Summary: For the dry van segment, the beginning of spring brought little change in tender rejection and volume rates, with the past week seeing little movement. On a positive note, compared to the previous year, dry van conditions are more favorable for carriers despite lower dry van tender volumes. Dry van outbound tender rejection rates were flat w/w at 5.48% but are 183 basis points higher than last year's value of 3.65%. Dry van outbound tender volumes saw slight gains w/w but remain lower compared to y/y comps. VOTVI rose 86.16 points or 1.2% w/w from 7,188.76 points on March 24 to 7,274.92 points. Compared to last year, VOTVI is 359.63 points or 4.71% lower than last year's value of 7,634.55 points. Tariffs and their potential impacts remain an important concern for the dry van segment, with manufacturers' demand planning struggling due to uncertainty. Manufacturing indexes saw dips in their March releases. Chris Williamson, chief business economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence, said, 'A key concern among manufacturers is the degree to which heightened uncertainty resulting from government policy changes, notably in relation to tariffs, causes customers to cancel or delay spending, and the extent to which costs are rising and supply chains deteriorating in this environment.' Less consumer demand means less spending and fewer upstream replenishment orders. For the dry van space, a marked downturn in automotive, retail and other durable goods orders could explain some of the poor performance in dry van tender volumes compared to seasonal expectations. The $3,500 Divide: Trucker Pay Trails National Average, Impacting Truck Driver Job Satisfaction (FinditParts)Lawmakers try again to improve truckers' bathroom access (FreightWaves) Freight industry: Which regulations should DOT cut? (FreightWaves) Mullen preps more layoffs, lease terminations (Fleet Owner) Truck driver triumphs at Supreme Court in case involving marijuana testing (FreightWaves)FMCSA calls fraud a 'public safety crisis masquerading as an economic problem' in tech-focused MATS talk (Overdrive) The post C.R. England adopts AI-powered driver-facing cameras appeared first on FreightWaves.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Ongoing MVR monitoring could help carriers avoid big risks
Trucking can be a risky business. A carrier's profitability depends largely on the state of the wider economic market, which can be impacted by everything from natural disasters to legislation changes. There are steps trucking companies can take to safeguard their operations despite outside unpredictability, however. For example, carriers can create a regular practice of reviewing their drivers' driver motor vehicle records (MVR) in order to flag any issues early and sidestep potential pitfalls in the future. Outside of pre-hire background checks, carriers are only federally mandated to review these MVRs once a year. Doing the bare minimum, however, creates an environment that makes it easy for issues to fall through the cracks. The consequences of this can range from costly fines to financially devastating litigation. 'Every day that a disqualified driver operates a CMV is like waiting for a bomb to explode. If the driver is in a crash, the carrier will pay regardless of whether they were at fault. The driver shouldn't have been there,' according to J. J. Keller Sr. Transport Management Editor, Mark Schedler. It is important to note that the American Transportation Research Institute's (ATRI) 2022 update of the Crash Predictor study establishes the increased risk of DOT accidents if MVR violations are left unaddressed. Some of these most risky events are, unfortunately, also on 2024's top roadside driver violations. The riskiest violations include: A Failure to Yield Right-of-Way violation (141 percent risk increase) A Failure to Use / Improper Signal conviction (116 percent risk increase) A past crash (113 percent risk increase) A Reckless Driving violation (104 percent risk increase) A Failure to Obey Traffic Sign conviction (85 percent risk increase) When drivers with existing unaddressed violations or disqualifications make these driving errors and are involved in an accident, the carrier can be held liable based on a negligent supervision claim. This all but guarantees a tough day in court. 'Reacting to driver violations when they show up on the annual MVR and delaying the correction of unsafe behavior almost guarantees an excessive verdict due to negligent supervision if those drivers are in a crash,' said Schedler. More frequent MVR checks allow carriers to identify and address driver violations or license status changes much sooner. This enables quicker intervention and remediation before issues escalate. Additionally, many insurers offer discounts to carriers who conduct more frequent MVR monitoring. Monitoring gives carriers an improved risk profile and signals a proactive safety stance that can translate to lower premiums. Companies can proactively monitor MVRs more frequently on their own using a third-party system, such as J. J. Keller's Encompass® Fleet Safety & Compliance System, which makes the process easier and often more reliable. 'Two things are usually true in trucking: Bad things happen in the 365 days between MVR checks, and drivers don't always report those bad things (warnings, violations and suspensions) when required,' Schedler added. 'Avoid the increased risk and potential liability of pulling MVRs once per year and reap the benefits from using an expert third party ongoing monitoring service.' Carriers can access a plethora of benefits by relying on a system like J. J. Keller's Encompass: Timely notification of changes to MVRs like expired CDL medical certifications, administrative suspensions due to failure to pay child support and loss of driving privileges due to exceeding licensing agency point totals Improve driver retention by delivering coaching and other remedial actions in a timely manner so they never reach the point where termination is the only option Promote safer driving behaviors by identifying and mitigating potential risks promptly, reducing the likelihood of accidents. Protect Unsafe Driving BASIC scores by helping carriers to remove unsafe drivers from the road fast. Automate the process of tracking and managing driver records, saving time and resources. As technology continues to evolve, the trend towards more frequent driver monitoring is likely to accelerate. Forward-thinking carriers that embrace these tools and practices now will be well-positioned to build safer, more efficient fleets in the years to come. The future of fleet safety isn't just about reacting to incidents, it's about predicting and preventing them. More frequent MVR monitoring is a key step towards that proactive approach. By moving beyond the minimum annual MVR check requirement, carriers can create a culture of continuous improvement, reduce their risk exposure and save lives on the road. The initial investment in more frequent monitoring pays dividends in enhanced safety, compliance and operational efficiency. The post Ongoing MVR monitoring could help carriers avoid big risks appeared first on FreightWaves.
