11-04-2025
Samsara report examines causes and impacts of distracted driving
Technology and telematics provider Samsara released a report on Tuesday that looked at what causes distracted driving and solutions for it. The report included over 1,500 commercial driver respondents. A major theme was that distracted driving is widespread, with text messaging and social media usage as key drivers.
According to the study, within the previous year, 79% of drivers experienced a close call due to distracted driving. Drilling into the details, 93% of drivers personally experienced the negative effects of risky behavior with 37% reporting vehicle damage, 32% personal injury, 30% fines and 30% license suspension or revocation.
Not only was it more dangerous dealing with distracted drivers, but the commercial drivers themselves highlighted the allure of digital devices and how they can make focusing on the road more difficult. Just over three-quarters of drivers reported often being distracted by their personal mobile devices, and the cohort was not limited to or concentrated in specific age levels or years of most common distractions reported were reading and sending messages (32%), making calls (29%) and scrolling social media (29%).
Another question raised by the report was whether a carrot or stick approach worked best for reducing distracted driving. Drivers overwhelmingly preferred recognition and incentives, with 82% of respondents saying positive reinforcement was more effective than penalties. The positive reinforcement also translated into improved driver retention. Ninety percent of drivers said they are more likely to stay with a company that proactively addresses distracted driving when it occurs.
You can download the 28-page report here.
Freightliner, a division of Daimler Truck North America announced on Thursday that its fifth-generation Cascadia is now available to order. The popular Class 8 truck was announced back in October 2024 with updates to its computing power and an upgraded camera, in addition to four new short-range radar sensors to complement its existing but improved long-range radar sensor. The sensors are part of the truckmaker's Detroit Assurance Suite of Safety Systems, designed to help drivers not run into things like stationary objects, vehicles stopped at odd angles or pedestrians, and ensuring that when a driver changes lanes, there isn't a vehicle occupying the lane.
For anyone who has driven a Class 8 tractor, the air brakes can make stopping a different experience compared to a passenger vehicle. Freightliner added an Intelligent Braking Control System that uses brake-by-wire tech paired with sensors and pneumatics to create Comfort Braking. The goal is to redistribute the force from the brakes and reduce sudden stops, and give a smoother overall experience.
Having driven a Class 8 on a controlled test track, I would describe the braking experience as clunky at best. And at low speeds, if you aren't careful you can shake the entire cab with a sudden stop. For drivers making a sudden stop, this can cause many problems, like personal belongings flying forward to the dash, or, if drivers are running in team status, propelling the teammate from the back bunk toward the front of the cab if the teammate isn't properly secured in the sleeper berth.
The remote lock-and-unlock feature is another welcome tool, allowing fleet managers to lock and unlock the vehicles on demand. In the past, I would have to wait 60 to 90 minutes for a roadside unit to arrive when my drivers locked themselves out.
Commentary courtesy of the Daily Watch, a newsletter for SONAR subscribers.
Summary: Net carrier revocations as calculated by Carrier Details on Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration data have averaged more than 1,500 per week to start the year. This is nearly 8% higher than for the same period in 2024. Revocations are a measure of truckload capacity exits as carriers lose their licensing to haul freight in the U.S. There is typically a seasonal increase in revocations in the winter months that wanes in the early spring, but so far that has not occurred. The elevated revocations are a sign that conditions are still challenging for many carriers in a market that has not improved enough to support current capacity.
Even as revocations trend higher, additions also appear to be growing at a stronger rate over the past month. Total trucking authorities have grown by more than 750 since the end of February, providing a bit of a mixed signal for the truckload market. The growth in new authorities is a bit of a mystery but could be the product of either ignorance of market conditions or growing optimism around a looming turn in market conditions that would make the environment more favorable for operators. The growth would only support a stagnant market as demand is currently weakening from an annual perspective, mainly due to loss of share to intermodal.
ATBS says independent drivers earned a little more in '24 but drove more as well (FreightWaves)
Knight-Swift to add dashcams for improved fleet safety (Trucking Dive)
House bill targets staged truck crashes (FreightWaves)
Study reveals truck driver fatigue and mental health struggles (Commercial Carrier Journal)
State-Level Public Truck Parking Findings (ATRI)New Mack long-haul truck makes grand entrance in bid for market share (FreightWaves)
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