Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/44411
FOR THE RECORD TRUCKING NEWS No talking NTSB urges ban on all cell phone use for commercial trucks JILL DUNN T he National Transportation Safety Board recommended banning all cell phone use while driving for commercial drivers and requiring highways with high com- mercial traffic have medians that mitigate trucks from crossing the road. The NTSB recommended not al- lowing truck and bus drivers to use cell phones, even if hands-free tech- nology is used, except for emergen- cies, at its Sept. 13 meeting. It noted a March 2010 accident in Kentucky that left 11 dead after a truck accidently crossed Interstate FYI Appeals court overturns port employee rule The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit reversed the federal Central District of California's ruling that allowed the port's require- ment that only employee drivers regularly could work the port. The American Trucking Associations had appealed the lower court's decision upholding the port's concessionaire agreements, which include the pro- gressive ban on owner-operators. Chicago intersection worst bottleneck Chicago's freeway intersection of I-290 at I-90/I-94 was the most con- gested location for trucks, accord- ing to research conducted in 2010. Ranking second most congested was I-95 at State Route 4 in Fort Lee, 12 TRUCKERS NEWS NOVEMBER 2011 N.J. Truckers in Houston face heavy congestion as the next three choke- points in the ranking of 250 highway locations turn up in a tight bundle: I-45 at U.S. 59, I-10 at I-45 and I-10 at U.S. 59. Trucker wins GPS system Bill Stewart, a St. Louis resident, won a Rand McNally IntelliRoute TND 500 Model Trucker GPS system, 65, overriding a cable barrier system and striking a 15-passenger van. The trucker had 69 calls and text mes- sages in the 24 hours before the ac- cident and the last call coincided with the time the truck departed the highway. The board recommended the Fed- eral Highway Administration de- sign medians to redirect or contain trucks on highways with high de- grees of commercial traffic. The Owner-Operator Indepen- dent Drivers Association stated it "does not believe a ban would im- prove highway safety and would rather see a mandate on training and emphasis on increasing parking." The American Trucking Associa- tions advocates banning handheld mobile phone use for all drivers, but allowing hands-free cell use. Banning cell phone use by com- mercial drivers has been listed be- fore on the NTSB's "Most Wanted List" of safety recommendations. A final rule was sent to Ray LaHood, Department of Transportation secre- tary, on Aug. 3. It needed to clear the Office of Management and Budget before its Oct. 12 publication date, which was after this issue of Truckers News went to press. The Federal Motor Carrier Safe- ty Administration had published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking continued on page 81 NEWS BRIEFS Truck Centers Inc. said. The dealer network held a drawing for the GPS system and other prizes on the occa- sion of National Truck Driver Appre- ciation week. Iowa 80 exhibit hall expanding Iowa 80 Trucking Museum's exhibit hall is expanding by 21,600 square feet to display more than 60 trucks, continued on page 81 ROBERT SUTTON