National Academies Press: OpenBook

Alternative Truck and Bus Inspection Strategies (2006)

Chapter: Chapter 1 - Introduction

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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 1 - Introduction." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2006. Alternative Truck and Bus Inspection Strategies. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13939.
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3CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION BACKGROUND Roadside inspections are a key element of federal and state commercial vehicle safety programs. Designed to ensure compliance with federal and state safety, credentialing, admin- istrative (e.g., weight) regulations, these inspections have tra- ditionally been conducted at fixed facilities located on select major highways. A variety of factors, however, are forcing government agencies to consider alternatives to the tradi- tional inspection processes. These factors include drastically increasing commercial vehicle volume and vehicle miles trav- eled, stagnant or reduced commercial vehicle safety funds and/ or staffing levels, an expanded focus (e.g., security) for road- side enforcement personnel, as well as operational enhance- ments offered by automating and streamlining select processes. SCOPE This study was designed to identify and describe the char- acteristics of the various types of alternative commercial truck and bus inspection strategies currently being used by enforce- ment agencies. The study segmented the inspection process into three components: (1) identification (e.g., how vehicles were identified are selected for inspections), (2) inspection (e.g., how, when, and where vehicles are inspected), and (3) enforcement (e.g., how violations are enforced). The study also gathered available information on the effectiveness of the inspection strategies. This portion of the study was struc- tured to document the benefits (e.g., reduced costs, improved resource allocation) of the alternative inspection processes. APPROACH This study employed a multifaceted approach to collect the most current information related to commercial vehicle inspections. The study was designed to ensure that a variety of stakeholder view points—such as federal-level regulators, state enforcement personnel, and motor carrier/motor coach industry representatives—were included. Specifically, the approach contained the following elements: • Literature Review—Designed to identify the current state of the roadside enforcement practice (e.g., technolo- gies currently used to select vehicles for inspection, tech- nologies used to expedite the inspection process and/ or share the inspection results), as well as future trends (e.g., emerging technologies) that could improve the inspection process. The literature review also documented issues (e.g., an increased focus on commercial vehicle security, increased commercial vehicle volume, budget constraints) that are changing the roadside enforcement landscape. • Survey of State Inspection Personnel—Designed to augment the literature data, the surveys documented specific states’ enforcement models (e.g., strategies employed, technologies used, and inspection facilities used), the industry’s response to their inspection pro- cesses, as well as their plans to improve their roadside inspection capability. The survey questions, as well as the detailed survey results are included in Appendix B. • Interviews—Designed to clarify and augment the data gathered through the surveys and literature review. A series of interviews was conducted with stakeholders, including state enforcement personnel and motor carrier representatives. The interviews were conducted with state personnel from across the country and representa- tives from motor carrier and motor coach operations. REPORT ORGANIZATION This report is designed to be a synthesis of information gleaned from a variety of data sources. Although specific ref- erences to specific reports or surveys represent the majority of the study, the intent is to present a comprehensive overview of the topic. The remaining sections of this report include the following: • Alternative Commercial Vehicle Inspection Strategies Survey; • Literature Review; • Trends Affecting Commercial Vehicle Inspection Strategies; • Characteristics of Truck and Bus Inspection Strategies; • Effectiveness of Current Systems; • Key Findings and Conclusions; • Bibliography; • Contributing Organizations and Individuals; • Enforcement Agencies Survey Questionnaires/Results; and • Interview Guides.

Next: Chapter 2 - Alternative Commercial Vehicle Inspection Strategies Survey »
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TRB's Commercial Truck and Bus Safety Synthesis Program (CTBSSP) Synthesis 10: Alternative Truck and Bus Inspection Strategies explores the characteristics of the various types of alternative commercial truck and bus inspection strategies currently being used by law enforcement agencies. The synthesis examines how vehicles are selected for inspection; how, when, and where vehicles are inspected; and the consequences of violations. The synthesis also provides information on the effectiveness of the inspection strategies, documenting benefits such as reduced costs and improved resource allocation.

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