Technological Advances in the Trucking Industry
By: Shayla Powers
Like most other things, technology is constantly evolving, and with it comes new regulations and standards for the trucking industry. Advances in driver monitoring and inter-fleet communication have made it much easier for companies to make real-time changes and suggest ways to improve driver productivity as well as reduce errors. Safety technology has arguably been the highest fluctuating facet of the trucking industry and most people agree that it is the most important in terms of regulation and enforceability. It has seen the addition of stability control, collision avoidance systems, lane departure warnings, anti-lock brake systems, and interior and rearview cameras, to name a few. These technologies have been a vast improvement in the industry in regard to safety, and it can only go up from here. Not only are the safety improvements good for those on the road, they also save business owners quite a bit of money in the long run.
In response to this influx of new technology, the Department of Transportation (DOT) has implemented a five year (2017-2021) plan that prioritizes their research and describes the actions that will be taken to address the problems that they find. The Strategic Plan meets the requirements of the FAST Act, which required the Secretary of Transportation to develop a plan to “guide future Federal transportation research and development activities.” The main six purposes of the research plan are to improve mobility of people and goods; reduce congestion [on the highways], promote safety; improve the durability of the transportation infrastructure; preserve the environment, and preserve the current transportation system.
For more information on technological advances, check out www.prodrivers.com.
If you would like to read more about The Strategic Plan, or the FAST Act, www.transportation.gov.