The American Transportation Research Institute, the recently created research arm of the American Trucking Associations, has set as its highest priority projects related to the relationship between fatigue and impairment in transportation operations. “We need to focus our resources and efforts on conducting and promoting credible research aimed at reducing fatigue and optimizing alertness in over-the-road operations,” says ATA President William Canary, who also is vice chairman of the ATRI board.
Other priority ATRI projects include:
- Understanding truck crash causation by configuration
- Safety technology and return on investment
- Privacy standards for incident and event data recorders
- Cost modeling of Environmental Protection Agency regulations
- Improved safety in highway work zones
- Analysis of environmental and fuel-saving benefits associated with higher-productivity vehicle configurations
- The effectiveness of commercial motor vehicle enforcement in reducing truck-involved crashes
In setting the research agenda, the ATRI board followed the recommendations of an independent Research Advisory Committee comprised of government officials, independent scientists, labor union officials and academics in cooperation with leading carriers and suppliers.
