By Fred Fakkema, VP of Safety and Compliance, Zonar
May 15, 2024
America depends on its truck drivers to keep the economy moving, but in this high-pressure environment, meeting delivery deadlines can come at the cost of safety practices.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health recognizes that tight delivery schedules are part of the problem with unsafe driving behavior. A report found 73% of drivers perceived their delivery deadlines as unrealistically tight. The rush to meet deadlines can lead to speeding, violating driving-hour regulations, and pencil-whipping one of the most crucial steps to safe driving: inspections. Shortcuts in safety procedures lead to dire consequences.
Despite the safety imperatives for diligence in inspections, there remains ample room for improvement. Every year, during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s International Roadcheck, nearly 20% of inspected vehicles are sidelined due to out-of-service violations, despite being forewarned.
Fortunately, modern telematics, which include electronically verified inspection reports and other vital data, can build efficiency and thoroughness into a fleet’s safety procedures.
The Cost of Shortcuts
Of the 5.1 million inspection violations reported by FMCSA in 2023, nearly 1 million of them were out-of-service violations. In addition to fines that can reach as high as $32,000 for the most serious OOS violations, carriers risk losing revenue from the load being carried at the time as well as being on the hook for goods spoilage. Another added cost is getting the truck (and/or driver) compliant again.
Going forward, the carrier risks increased frequency and scrutiny of inspections, which can uncover violations that often result in reputational damage and increased insurance premiums. In the worst-case scenario, a court could find a carrier negligent if a faulty brake system or other mechanical issue led to a collision. A 2023 study by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform determined the average plaintiffs’ award, including settlements, was $27.5 million from June 2020 to April 2023. For plaintiffs’ verdicts alone, the mean award was $31.86 million. These nuclear verdicts could put a carrier out of business.
How One Company Enhanced Its Safety Culture
Amid these challenges, however, there are plenty of success stories that demonstrate how fleets can significantly enhance their safety protocols and improve their CSA scores.
One such example is Cowboy State Trucking, a Colorado-based fleet that traverses the Rocky Mountain region, covering over 4 million miles annually, much of it in the rugged and hazardous driving conditions of Wyoming. With its 36 trucks, 120 trailers, 30 full-time drivers, and numerous owner-operators, Cowboy State Trucking embraces telematics to reinforce its culture of safety, giving the company autonomy over its safety record.
Leveraging fleet health and safety technology, the company digitized inspection records, streamlined maintenance reporting processes, and revolutionized its pre-trip inspection protocols.
Cowboy State Trucking’s protocol mandates that drivers and operators physically scan tags during inspections of vehicle and equipment components. This ensures the accuracy of inspections and the reliable capture of results. The adoption of verified electronic inspection reporting has proven instrumental in reducing the time drivers spend on DVIR inspections by as much as 50%.
Deon Bunker, the COO of Cowboy State Trucking, attests to the transformative impact of these changes. He emphasizes that shorter inspections and fewer mistakes not only save time so drivers can concentrate on driving but also instill a sense of accountability among drivers.
“By verifying that a driver has visited each zone, we’re able to hold drivers accountable,” he said. “Now inspections are getting done correctly and in a timely manner, instead of getting lost—and management has visibility almost in real time.”
A long-term vision for safety
Cowboy State Trucking’s commitment to safety extended beyond mere compliance. By integrating inspection technology with its maintenance platform, the fleet reinforced a safety-first culture, demonstrated to drivers that the company wants them to spend time building safer habits, and streamlined defect prioritization and resolution processes.
The results speak volumes for Cowboy State Trucking. In just a few months, the fleet managed to reduce its CSA scores from 76 to 12. This significant improvement not only enhanced the company’s reputation but also conferred tangible benefits such as reduced insurance premiums and a competitive edge in contract negotiations.
The case of Cowboy State Trucking underscores the importance of proactive maintenance practices and the value of investing in the right tools for pre- and post-trip inspections. Requiring drivers to document all pre- and post-trip inspections, and making the process electronic and verifiable, increases accountability. Fleets that are still using paper inspection forms are missing opportunities to identify maintenance issues as well as capture valuable data from more structured reporting. Paper-based reporting, even when done with the utmost diligence, is subject to errors and mishandling by anyone who touches the paperwork and inputs the data. The seamless flow of information between Cowboy State Trucking’s drivers and mechanics resulted in faster reporting and resolution of issues, and ultimately minimized downtime and maximized uptime.
Even beyond inspections, telematics can be useful in gathering vital data such as speed, acceleration, braking, and GPS location to streamline operations, manage costs and proactively address issues that could impact a carrier’s safety record.
As the International Roadcheck approaches, fleets have an opportunity to emulate Cowboy State Trucking’s success and create a safe and efficient operation. It’s as easy as three steps:
- Conduct a proper inspection.
- Streamline the process by electronically managing that data.
- Make sure these inspections are verified.
With these three steps, fleets can increase vehicle uptime and create a financial incentive for both owners and drivers.
