MENU
SEARCHA trucking leader’s call for police to put more emphasis on traffic enforcement rather than roadside inspections yielded a polite “thank you” from the enforcement community – and disagreement with some of his message.
Traffic enforcement alone only gets to one of the CSA BASICs, but traffic enforcement with an inspection gets to the three BASICs that are most closely tied with risk, says CVSA.
A trucking leader’s call for police to put more emphasis on traffic enforcement rather than roadside inspections yielded a polite “thank you” from the enforcement community – and disagreement with some of his message.
Traffic enforcement is important, but it must be done in concert with vehicle and driver inspections, said Stephen Keppler, executive director of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance.
Keppler was responding to a speech to CVSA this week by Phil Byrd, president of Bulldog Highway Express and first vice chairman of American Trucking Associations. Byrd said on-road traffic enforcement is the best way to improve safety, even if it means taking resources away from roadside inspections.
“We very much appreciated Phil Byrd’s presentation,” Keppler said in response to an email query. “We would agree with some of what he said, we do not agree with all of it.”
CVSA brings together police and other enforcement officials from the U.S., Canada and Mexico, as well as industry representatives, to set North American truck safety enforcement policies.
Keppler said traffic enforcement on trucks, buses and cars is effective, but it is part of a comprehensive enforcement effort that varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction based on specific needs.
He pointed out that traffic enforcement gets to only one of three categories of behavior closely associated with crash risk.
Under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s CSA safety enforcement program, the categories of Unsafe Driving, Hours of Service Compliance and Vehicle Maintenance are closely tied to risk, he said.
“Traffic enforcement alone only gets to one of these (Behavioral Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories), whereas traffic enforcement with an inspection gets to all three,” he said.
Keppler also took issue with Byrd’s assertion that traffic enforcement has been falling in relation to other types of enforcement.
The data on that point is not accurate, Keppler said.
“We, ATA and FMCSA have discussed this issue and FMCSA is looking into it. ATA knows this.”
The Supreme Court’s May 11 broker-liability ruling may not radically rewrite transportation law overnight. But industry experts say it will intensify pressure on brokers, carriers, and shippers to prove they are prioritizing safety.
Read More →
Some Fontaine Fusion flatbed trailer manufactured between February 2025, and March 2026 could have mainbeams weakened by hydrogen embrittlement because of a problem in the galvanizing process.
Read More →
Heavy Duty Trucking has extended the deadline for nominations for its Truck Fleet Innovators awards. The deadline has been extended to May 22.
Read More →
The unanimous SCOTUS ruling in the closely watched Montgomery v. Caribe case allows state negligence claims against freight brokers that hire unsafe motor carriers, raising new liability and vetting concerns among brokers.
Read More →
Can technology help prevent truck crashes? In this HDT Talks Trucking Short Takes episode, K&B Transportation explains how it’s using cameras, speed management tools, cellphone-blocking technology, and other systems to improve safety and reduce risk across its fleet.
Read More →
Fleet safety is evolving fast—and technology is at the center of it. Learn how a former commercial vehicle enforcement officer turned director of safety at K&B Transportation is embracing real-world safety technology.
Read More →
FMCSA's long-awaited registration system promises a single portal — and tighter fraud controls. And there are steps you need to take by May 14.
Read More →
Winter roadway “pileups” aren’t one crash — they’re a chain reaction. Here’s what triggers them, how truck drivers can spot the danger early, and what to do if you're suddenly trapped in the mess.
Read More →
Detroit’s next-generation ABA6 safety system adds cross-traffic detection and enhanced side guard assist with left-turn protection, targeting high-risk urban scenarios.
Read More →
The American Transportation Research Institute will examine driver coaching, regulatory impacts — including the "Beyond Compliance" concept —and weather disruptions that shape trucking operations.
Read More →
