Stay Safe and Healthy this Labor Day Weekend

Whether it is precautions for COVID-19, or traveling precautions, there is a lot to keep in mind this Labor Day weekend.

AAA is predicting less people on the roadways this year because of COVID-19 and they are advising people who are traveling to check out COVID-19 stats and restrictions for their destination before heading out the door.

Holiday weekends usually mean traveling and socializing. While COVID-19 is keeping some people from doing that, it is not stopping others from heading out the door this weekend. AAA recommends having cleaning supplies wherever you go.

“Whether you decide to go to a state park, you’re going to be out and about exploring things. It’s important that when you get back in your vehicle too that you clean that down as well,” said AAA representative Montrae Waiters. And while it’s exciting to get together with friends and family during a holiday weekend, the pandemic still exists, and precautions needs to be taken. Wear a mask and stay socially distanced.

It is not uncommon for thieves to target truck terminals over the holidays as they know it is a good opportunity as no one is there.

Make sure that you take extra precaution to secure the trucks and items of value at your terminal. If your units do not have anti-siphon devices or locking caps, instruct the drivers not to fill the units at the end of the day. Make sure that all security alarms are in working order. Walk the perimeter of the lot to make sure that security fencing is in good condition. Move units and all other material such as pallets, tires, etc. far enough away from the fence so they cannot be used to climb on to get over the fence. Consider blocking the entrance and exits to the lot so units cannot be stolen. Throughout the three-day weekend assign management personnel to check the terminal randomly. Using a little prevention and common sense can deter a thief from striking your facility.

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) rescheduled its International Roadcheck for September 9-11.

The annual event was postponed in March until further notice due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was originally slated for early May.

The three-day enforcement campaign will result in a high volume of roadside inspections throughout North America. Law enforcement will perform driver and commercial motor vehicle inspections at weigh or inspection sites and fixed locations and through roving mobile patrols. Officers will check for compliance with motor carrier safety regulations, and those vehicles or drivers found with a critical inspection violation will be placed out of service.

Each year, CVSA’s event emphasizes a specific area of safety compliance. This year’ focus is on the driver requirements component of a roadside inspection. Areas include:

• Driver’s age
• Driver’s licensing requirements
• Driver physical qualifications
• Sickness or fatigue
• Alcohol, drugs, and other substances
• Driver’s record of duty status (U.S., Canada, or Mexico)

For more information on International Roadcheck, visit www.roadcheck.org

Roadcheck checklist that you can print off as a handout for your drivers: https://cvsa.org/wp-content/uploads/what_inspectors_are_looking_for.pdf

The 2020 national enforcement mobilization “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” goes into effect across the country from Aug. 21 to Sept. 7, 2020. One of the deadliest and most often committed – yet preventable – of crimes (impaired driving), has become a serious safety epidemic in our country.

With the end of summer comes Labor Day weekend, which in years past has signaled one last trip to finish out the summer. As it turns out, this year does not look much different, despite the COVID-19 pandemic — except for the places Americans plan to travel. Given that many locations around the country have instituted a 14-day quarantine for new arrivals and some countries have banned Americans altogether, travelers are essentially opting for the locations that will have them. A study from from Tripit comparing Labor Day air line bookings this year vs. last year shows that traditionally popular destinations have been replaced with warm-weather destinations that also happen to be pandemic hot spots (Florida and Arizona, for example).

Unfortunately, the holiday weekend also means an increase in road traffic, with many flocking to the beaches and to visit family and friends for the long weekend.

Increased traffic means an increased likelihood of vehicle crashes, and the festive nature of the weekend, unfortunately, lends itself to instances of drunk driving. To keep people safe on the streets, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) wants to make sure this busy travel period is a safe one, which is why we’re partnering with law enforcement nationwide for the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over enforcement campaign from August 21 through September 7, 2020, to help put a stop to alcohol-impaired driving.

https://www.cvsa.org/wp-content/uploads/International-Roadcheck-Vehicle-Inspection-Cheatsheet.pdf

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has issued an amended Regional Emergency Declaration in response to Hurricanes or Tropical Storms Laura and Marco, and the current and anticipated effects on people and property, including immediate threat to human life or public welfare from heavy rains, high surf, flooding and high winds. 
 
This Declaration addresses the emergency conditions creating a need for immediate transportation of supplies, goods, equipment, fuel and persons and provides necessary relief.  Affected States included in this Emergency Declaration are: Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas.
 
Motor carriers and drivers providing direct assistance to the emergency in the affected states in direct support of relief efforts related to Hurricanes or Tropical Storms Laura and Marco are granted relief from Parts 390 through 399 of Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations except as restricted in the declaration.
 
The declaration remains in effect for the duration of the emergency (as defined in 49 CFR § 390.5) or until 11:59 P.M. (ET), September 23, 2020, whichever is less.

Due to the cancellation of our on-site safety seminars in 2020 we will be presenting a safety webinar series starting next month to keep you informed and up to date on changing regulations as well as a review of existing regulations.  We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused, but we are thrilled to host the Idealease Safety Webinar Series in their place.

The webinars will be one hour in length and will address six separate topics regarding compliance and safety.

Please Click Here to register for the Idealease Safety Webinar Series.

Here are the dates and webinar topics:

• Sept 9     Keeping your driver safe during a pandemic
• Sept 23  New hours of service regulation changes and the ELD
• Oct 7      How the Drug and Alcohol Testing regulations apply to you a motor carrier
• Oct 21    Developing a proactive safety and loss control program