Post by HardTimeTrucker on Jun 19, 2009 16:06:18 GMT -5
Operators Phase in Roadability Rule
Bill Mongelluzzo
Jun 19, 2009
The Journal of Commerce
Chassis safety could bring mountain of paperwork
The transportation industry this week began operating under new federal regulations covering the safety of intermodal equipment, and in all modes of transport people agree much work still needs to be done before the Dec. 17 deadline for registering intermodal equipment.
The phase-in period for the so-called roadability regulations published by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration began on Wednesday. The regulations, which were 10 years in the making, are intended to keep unsafe chassis off the nation's streets and highways.
Implementing the roadability regulations is a shared responsibility among shipping lines, railroads, motor carriers and operators of such facilities as marine terminals.
These parties must now establish the processes needed to inspect, repair and maintain some 850,000 chassis, along with associated reporting and record-keeping systems. The equipment providers must register their equipment with the federal Department of Transportation by Dec. 17, and they will have one year to secure the unique DOT numbers and mark each chassis with its assigned number.
At a meeting Thursday in Long Beach sponsored by the Intermodal Association of North America and the International Warehouse Logistics Association, representatives of the various industries agreed that while the intent of the regulations is clear, there is still much uncertainty as to how the different modes of transportation will have to coordinate their actions in order to make the process work.
The key to making the roadability regulations work is a new inspection document called the driver vehicle inspection report that must be filled out by truck drivers when they pick up chassis. The drivers certify on the DVIR that the chassis brakes, tires, lights and other components relating to safety are in good working order.
On the one hand, operators of marine terminals and rail intermodal yards do not want DVIR paperwork requirements to slow down the gate process.
Bruce Wargo, secretary of the West Coast Marine Terminal Operators Agreement, represents 13 container terminals in Los Angeles-Long Beach. Those terminals process 25,000 to 30,000 gate moves a day, and they can not handle a paper DVIR for each move, Wargo said.
Ben Shelton, general director of intermodal operations at Union Pacific Railroad, said UP owns 30,000 chassis, and also operates 40 rail facilities at which it handles chassis supplied by many other equipment providers. UP is developing a standardized process for all of its facilities, with the intention of making the process electronic, Shelton said.
Motor carriers, on the other hand, may not be able to equip their trucks and drivers with electronic capability. Furthermore, motor carriers must produce paper copies of DVIRs at roadside check points and as evidence if the trucker is sued following an accident.
"A piece of paper may not sound intelligent, but if you don't have it you could be in trouble," said Greg Stefflre, a trucking industry attorney and chairman of IANA.
Contact Bill Mongelluzzo at bmongelluzzo@joc.com.
Bill Mongelluzzo
Jun 19, 2009
The Journal of Commerce
Chassis safety could bring mountain of paperwork
The transportation industry this week began operating under new federal regulations covering the safety of intermodal equipment, and in all modes of transport people agree much work still needs to be done before the Dec. 17 deadline for registering intermodal equipment.
The phase-in period for the so-called roadability regulations published by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration began on Wednesday. The regulations, which were 10 years in the making, are intended to keep unsafe chassis off the nation's streets and highways.
Implementing the roadability regulations is a shared responsibility among shipping lines, railroads, motor carriers and operators of such facilities as marine terminals.
These parties must now establish the processes needed to inspect, repair and maintain some 850,000 chassis, along with associated reporting and record-keeping systems. The equipment providers must register their equipment with the federal Department of Transportation by Dec. 17, and they will have one year to secure the unique DOT numbers and mark each chassis with its assigned number.
At a meeting Thursday in Long Beach sponsored by the Intermodal Association of North America and the International Warehouse Logistics Association, representatives of the various industries agreed that while the intent of the regulations is clear, there is still much uncertainty as to how the different modes of transportation will have to coordinate their actions in order to make the process work.
The key to making the roadability regulations work is a new inspection document called the driver vehicle inspection report that must be filled out by truck drivers when they pick up chassis. The drivers certify on the DVIR that the chassis brakes, tires, lights and other components relating to safety are in good working order.
On the one hand, operators of marine terminals and rail intermodal yards do not want DVIR paperwork requirements to slow down the gate process.
Bruce Wargo, secretary of the West Coast Marine Terminal Operators Agreement, represents 13 container terminals in Los Angeles-Long Beach. Those terminals process 25,000 to 30,000 gate moves a day, and they can not handle a paper DVIR for each move, Wargo said.
Ben Shelton, general director of intermodal operations at Union Pacific Railroad, said UP owns 30,000 chassis, and also operates 40 rail facilities at which it handles chassis supplied by many other equipment providers. UP is developing a standardized process for all of its facilities, with the intention of making the process electronic, Shelton said.
Motor carriers, on the other hand, may not be able to equip their trucks and drivers with electronic capability. Furthermore, motor carriers must produce paper copies of DVIRs at roadside check points and as evidence if the trucker is sued following an accident.
"A piece of paper may not sound intelligent, but if you don't have it you could be in trouble," said Greg Stefflre, a trucking industry attorney and chairman of IANA.
Contact Bill Mongelluzzo at bmongelluzzo@joc.com.