Operation Safe Driver Week is almost here. The week-long enforcement blitz starts Sunday, July 15th, and runs through Saturday, July 21st.
Sponsored by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, the blitz will see enforcement officers across the country focusing on both large trucks and passenger vehicles. Operation Safe Driver is one of the few nationwide enforcement programs that not only focuses on trucks, but also smaller vehicles who are driving unsafely around large trucks.
In a press release about Operation Safe Driver, the CVSA cites an FMCSA study which states that “driver behavior [is] the critical reason for more than 88 percent of large truck crashes and 93 percent of passenger vehicle crashes.”
The stated goal of the program is education, but that usually goes along with tickets or citations. Enforcement officers are directed to be on the lookout for “unsafe driving behaviors” including speeding, distracted driving, texting, and more.
It likely won’t be as intense as Roadcheck 2018 was just a few weeks ago, but you can still expect an increase in truck inspections being performed. New data from the Texas Department of Public Safety indicates that 24% of vehicles inspected during Roadcheck in Texas this year were placed out of service.
Source: gobytrucknews, cvsa, truckersreport, TX
GB says
Because that’s what this industry needs more regulation. What a great way to entice anyone to coming into an already low pay highly regulated field, hand out tickets and more regulations for a week. Good news all the more BS less drivers willing to do the job and wages going up. Screw the people, let them pay more for their goods as they don’t value who brings it to them anyway so pay drivers more and charge customers more.
Saratoga Exp says
The tickets they give out are well deserved. So many fly under the radar and never get caught. These are the dangers that need to come off the road.
Ken harvey says
Yes,make all you can dot,it is your jobs that are becoming obsolete with full automation about here.
Gator says
WHAT?
Daniel says
Automation isn’t going to cause them to lose their jobs. If anything, their jobs will increase because monitors (people) will do even less circle checks than they already do..
Greek Cruz says
Most truckers are old who cant work the technology. Automation would require tech savy cdl drivers who are a minority in this industry. Wages will go up.
Then theres legislation. Good luck passing legislation for autonomous trucks on all 50 states. Its slow and tedious and process. Court and laws takes decades of study and compromise.
Plus Baby boomers are retiring and millennial’s lack the numbers to replace them.
America is in for a rude awaking if they think they can continue to treat truckers like crap.
DJ says
That’s a common misconception in this country that older Americans are not tech savvy.
Bull says
Continue to ruin a profession on the backs of a special group of people willing to do what others won’t.
DICK JONES says
Sounds like a great time for a vacation.
Mack says
How does an inspection blitz help with stopping texting, scrolling and watching movies on the smartphone? All behaviours that I see other drivers do every single day. Both truck drivers and four wheelers. All a blitz does is look at the truck and the paperwork. By the way…My vacation starts this weekend 😉
Saratoga Exp says
My bro in Vegas says they ride along with local trucks and call in texters to a radio car at the next exit. Very effective.
Perry Keener says
There is a very simple solution to all of the governments tierny, but no one wants to listen or act.
So I say “IF YOU’RE NOT PART OF THE SOLUTION, YOU’RE PART OF THE PROBLEM.”
G Jackson says
We used to suffer from too much crime. We now suffer from too many laws.
Bo Carter says
Here is a Question? And I know I’m not the only one that wants an answer!
Laws are made for everyone, wether you’re a O/O Truck Driver or Company Driver or Regular Car Driver , or DOT Officer or Highway Patrolman
Why should it be allowed for any Officer to be on there Phones or Laptop Computers or Speeding and nothing happens to them , they seem to know that they can do it and get away with it as they think they are above the Law as they are the Law !
Dave says
I too am wondering about cops on laptops molesting us, checking out our license plates. However, I don’t want them doing the speed limit down the interstate (It creates a huge back up).
Skim says
My life as a trucker used to be a nice relaxing way to make a living, I drove at or under the speed limit, was never late for an appointment, got to take a nap whenever I was tired, and never worried about finding a safe place to park at night. Now I have to drive like an Indy car racer with my eye balls hanging down to my knees, just to try and deliver a load on time, or get home on the weekend which doesn’t happen much anymore.
BroOfX says
Well, should definitely be a significant amount of vehicles pulled over this week…cars that is. Its been ridiculous what drivers in passenger cars are getting away with and have the audacity to not give a damn about their behavior.
Trogloyde says
Just now figuring out phones and driving means everyone on the road.
ELDs are gonna save us all.
Jimmy Jam says
I’m selling my truck and going home for good. There’s no point in doing this job any more.
I spent a few days trying to come up with reasons to keep on trucking and came up with nothing.
The tyranny is so overt now it’s not even funny.
John Finney Jr says
I agree with you on that and the same reasons you say is what a lot of us old time drivers are thinking. The Government for years has been trying to figure out how to get rid of the independent driver and the little man in the trucking industry and they found it. Anything the Government gets involved with fails and the trucking industry is no different. After 22 years of driving I gave it up 2 years ago and went home best decision I ever made. I miss it tremendously but my blood pressure has went down, my stress level has dropped, my family life has gotten so much better and I am making more money than ever before. Can’t think of one reason to go back. Good luck with your what ever you decide to do.
Brett says
Safe Driver Week = June Inspection Blitz Part 2
John says
I’m reading a lot of negative comments here. People seem to think this is just aimed at truckers. Well guys, it’s not, I feel that this is a good thing, I drive a car hauler and I see everything you see out on the road. If you’re doing your job right, what do you have to worry about? If you can’t accept the DOT to do their job by doing random inspections, then this is not for you. It’s part of the industry now. The trucking outlaw days are over. I’m glad they’re going to target drivers, trucks and cars, for speeding, texting, unsafe driving around big trucks, ect. If it’s to keep unsafe drivers off the road, especially while my wife and kids are driving on these same roads, then I’m all for it. I agree that there are too many regulations for trucks, and I understand a lot has to do with volume$$. But on the same note, a lot has to do with the way truckers represent themselves, driving illegally and unsafe equipment. And yes a lot of underpaid drivers. But still the same highways, but that’s a different chapter in this industry. And yes this blitz might not do much, but it’s a start.
Joe says
its nothing new they do this every year and it focus’s on the 4wheelers not the trucks.
Daniel says
Yeah, 24% of trucks inspected were put of service, but it’s more like 64% of trucks on the road are out of service. If the overwhelming amount of drivers not doing a proper circle check actually did their job, the government wouldn’t have cause to regulate.
It doesn’t mean I agree with some of the regulations in Schedule 1. Some major defects listed are obtuse, but it’s our job to not use the vehicle if it’s out of service and doing so means you’re just helping to ruin the industry for everyone else doing their jobs.
Remember to list all defects and repair minor defects immediately whenever possible or when you return to home terminal as per regulations. Even just lazy drivers taking equipment with burned out lights because they won’t replace them is why there is so much regulation. They don’t even check.
I picked up a load on equipment that had 8 lights out and not a single one of them was a wiring fault. There’s only 14 lights on the F N thing! That’s 2/3rds of the lights out, which included the plate light; 1 running light; 3 marker lights; 2 brake lights, and rearmost turn signal – major defect, guys and gals. Even if the signal lamp was operational, if you have 8-minor, unrepaired defects, it’s paramount to a major defect and it’s out of service until you get off your lazy ass and replace some things.
Any time you don’t do your job – whether you agree with the regulation or not – are the reasons why we endure so much BS. THANKS A LOT.
Mack says
Daniel, I would agree with your whole comment, were it not for the naive premise that – to paraphrase you: “The government would not have cause to regulate if it wasn’t for the irrisponsible drivers”. You’re for real man? The government would not have cause to regulate? How old are you?
Hound dog says
I agree with you. Daniel must be a new recruit that got licensed through a company program that gave him his license. I have been out here on the road since the mid 80s and I tell everyone that this is the only job in the world where you are considered a criminal just for doing your job. Miss a line, fine and points on some silly score that makes no sense except to keep you from getting a job. Have someone cut you off, fine and ticket, pass in wrong lane, big fine
MrNA says
Sad but true G Jackson. I say make it a law that we add no more laws.
But seriously the CVSA can be and historically has been a good thing. Unfortunately the Safety Blitz Week is their campaign to get funding for the next year. They will take the numbers to State and Federal “powers that be ” as a big reason to justify funding of the program. Plain and simple. Be on your toes. Watch over your shoulder and use your head.
David says
The reason is money they don give a sh about safety period
B Lusk says
ELDs placed a $2,000,000,000. burden on transportation.
How many lives will it save?
Cell phone distracted drivers. $0.
Douglas Kirk says
Laws of any kind are only as useful as the people who follow them. There is no law in and of itself that can guarantee a result….can’t be done, kiddies
Stephen says
How does a blitz differ from enforcement doing their job ?
Ray says
And I thought paper logs caused most of the truck accidents. Yes, its sarcasm.
Mack says
There are so many laws on the books already, and new ones created every day, that the longest serving lawyers can’t tell you how many there are. But one thing they will tell you for sure: Because there are so many laws in the books, we all unknowingly and unwittingly break some. Yes folks, the government made us all into criminals in one way, or another.
Hound dog says
The trucking industry is sadly being abused by politicians , agents and brokers and those who see a weakening cash cow, that is providing them a way to fill their own bank accounts. Rules and regulations, originally conceived to provide a safe environment for all involved has become a multi-billion $ business. No longer is the guy behind the wheel considered a father or husband doing a job to provide for his family. No, he is the low life that puts this huge obstruction on the highways and interstates Interfering with thousands of people trying to drive their personal automobiles to their jobs that may need some product that can only be moved by truck. So isn’t that kind of like killing the goose that lays the golden eggs????
nomad says
NEED TO CHECK OUT THESE
WEEKEND WARRIORS WITH THEIR CAMPERS BOAT TRAILERS AND UTILITY TRAILERS PULLING LOADS ON DRY ROTTED RUBBER AND UNSAFE SPEEDS… #SAFETYFORALL
Saratoga Exp says
I’ve seen this too many times. “But they only have a few hundred miles on them.”