New Research Identifies Safety Compliance Alternatives

News provided by

American Transportation Research Institute

Jan 24, 2011, 11:52 ET

ARLINGTON, Va., Jan. 24, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In a study released today, the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) articulates strategies for improving the trucking industry's safety record through "alternative compliance."

The report proposes innovative safety tools and approaches including onboard safety technologies, employer notification systems and new drug testing methods as surrogates for existing regulatory compliance activities. The genesis of the report derives from government data which suggests that many safety benefits are beginning to plateau.

To determine the efficacy of existing compliance, the research evaluated carrier safety before and after compliance reviews. Among the most significant findings: while crash rates were notably lower following compliance reviews for small fleets, this benefit diminished and even disappeared as fleet size increased.

ATRI's study then outlines a framework for a pilot test of alternative compliance activities that are validated within the report as having the most impact.

"Maverick Transportation has tested, and benefited from, many of these alternative compliance tools. This report is the first of its kind to package the ROIs into a toolbox of proven solutions. DOT certification of an 'alt compliance' program can help our industry move from incremental to exponential safety improvements," said Steve Williams, Maverick USA CEO and chairman of the ATRI Board.

A copy of this report is available from ATRI at www.atri-online.org.

ATRI is the trucking industry's 501(c)(3) 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.

SOURCE American Transportation Research Institute