The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded a $400,000 contract to the Motor Freight Carriers Association to assist DOT in its efforts to address driver fatigue and alertness. As part of the contract, MFCA will conduct a nationwide survey of Teamster company drivers who have logged at least 1 million miles of accident-free driving to identify the various strategies and techniques employed to manage fatigue, particularly during nighttime operations.
“By surveying our drivers with excellent safety records, we are in essence using the knowledge and experience of the best to teach the rest,” said MFCA President Tim Lynch.
MFCA member companies employ more than 10,000 drivers who have logged more than 1 million accident-free miles. The research team will survey Teamster drivers who regularly operate on overnight runs to collect detailed information on such items as the nature of their job, the challenges, what helps them cope, how much and how long they sleep, their physical condition, the use of naps, and the impact of other road users on their alertness. The results, MFCA says, will be a compendium of recommended practices for managing truck driver fatigue in operations dependent on nighttime driving.
