Trucking news and briefs for Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024:
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is planning to undertake a study to understand and quantify the prevalence and severity of sexual assault and sexual harassment (SASH) experienced across the commercial motor vehicle (CMV) industry, particularly among drivers.
The agency said it is seeking information on how best to design and conduct a study to identify, categorize and assess context and trends of SASH in the CMV industry.
FMCSA is particularly interested in how to support women currently in these jobs and those seeking to enter the CMV industry. The request for information (RFI) seeks feedback on how best to approach the study holistically in terms of statistical sampling, study design, and administering the appropriate data collection efforts.
For example, FMCSA seeks information on how best to treat categories of gender, sexual orientation and ethnicity in the study, as well as best practices in designing questions that use the latest standards for SASH research and address the breadth and lifecycles of careers in the CMV industry.
This study builds on recommendations from FMCSA’s Women of Trucking Advisory Board (WOTAB) to better understand problems of SASH among drivers, thereby helping identify possible countermeasures.
FMCSA will use the results of the study to understand any potential regulatory or policy measures needed to improve driver safety and mitigate SASH; work with industry partners on outreach and other efforts to improve driver safety through SASH prevention; and support the participation of women in the CMV industry.
