Safety Impacts of Speed Limiter Device Installations on Commercial Trucks and Buses (2008)

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40 Under sponsorship of the Transportation Research Board, Bishop Consulting along with the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) is conducting a study focused on the safety impacts of speed limiting devices in commercial trucks and buses. As a trucking industry professional your knowledge and opinions are important to this study. This survey seeks your input on various speed limiter issues. The survey, which will take about 10 minutes to complete, asks you about the effectiveness of speed limiters, in terms of perceived fleet safety, driver acceptance, vehicle operations, and related issues. There is also a space for your comments and suggestions. Final research results will be provided to interested parties and stakeholders, but all infor- mation provided by you will be kept strictly confidential! The information collected from this survey will not be used for any other purposes. Thank you for your participation and support! Please send me a copy of the final report (must complete information below) YES Name: ___________________________________________________________________________________________ Phone: ___________________________________________________________________________________________ Company: ________________________________________________________________________________________ E-mail: ___________________________________________________________________________________________ Job title: __________________________________________________________________________________________ 1. Number of years you have been a safety manager (for commercial vehicle operations): _____ years 2. Your approximate number of years experience in commercial vehicle operations: _____ years 3. Number of power units in your company’s fleet: _______ power units 4. How would you characterize your fleets primary operation (select one)?  For hire: local/short-haul (less than 100 miles from home base)  For hire: long-haul (more than 500 miles from home base)  Private fleet: long-haul  Private fleet: local/short-haul  Passenger carrier: long-haul  Passenger carrier: local transit  Other (please specify): ________________________________________________ 5. Does your organization use speed limiters in any of your trucks?  NO  YES a. If “NO,” then why (select all that apply)? If “YES,” skip to Question #6.  Cost of installing and/or maintaining devices  Owner-operator refusal  Impact on delivery time  Avoid workplace conflict  Car–truck speed differential safety concerns  Inability to accelerate during safety event  All vehicles (cars and trucks) must have speed limiters  Fear that drivers will drive faster in lower posted speed zones  Other (please specify): ______________________________________________ If you answered NO on Question #5, please do not complete the questions beyond this point. Please e-mail your responses to richardbishop@mindspring.com or fax your responses to Jeff Hickman @ 540-231-1555. Thank you for your time. APPENDIX B Survey Questionnaire

41 6. Do you use a speed limiting device that was factory installed by the engine or vehicle manufacturer?  NO  YES a. If “NO,” what type of speed limiter does your company use? ________________________________________________________________________________________________ 7. Please estimate what percentage of your fleet uses speed limiters? _____% 8. How many years have speed limiters been installed in your vehicles? ____ years 9. Does your company set a cruise-control speed limit that is different from a non-cruise control (on-pedal) speed limit?  NO  YES, the cruise control speed is _____ MPH 10. What is your non cruise-control (on-pedal) speed? _____ MPH 11. Do you require speed limiters for owner-operators you hire?  NO  YES  Not applicable 12. How did you determine the governor speed to set in your fleet (mark all that apply)?  Safety  Posted speed limit  Fuel mileage  Insurance requirements  Driver input  Followed other trucking organization  Other (please list): _______________________________________________________________________________ 13. What are the TOP three intended goal(s) of speed limiters (please write number)? __ Reduce top speed __ Reduce overall speeding above posted speed limits __ Reduce crashes __ Reduce speeding-related violations __ Reduce tire wear __ Increase fuel economy __ Other (please list): _______________________________________________________________________________ 14. Do you have any variations in the top speed of the speed limiter among your drivers? For example, different speeds for drivers with an excellent or poor safety record.  NO  YES, please explain: ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ 15. Have drivers tampered with the speed limiter settings?  NO  YES a. If “YES,” are there penalties for drivers who tamper with the speed limiter settings?  NO  YES, please explain: _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ 16. Based on your experience, how successful have the speed limiters been in reducing speeding violations?  Very successful  Successful  Neutral  Unsuccessful  Very unsuccessful  Cannot determine

17. Based on your experience, are you aware of drivers traveling faster than normal in lower speed areas in order to “make up” time “lost” by using a speed limiter on interstate routes?  NO  YES, please explain (anecdotal information is acceptable): ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ 18. Based on your experience, how successful have the speed limiters been in reducing crashes?  Very successful  Successful  Neutral  Unsuccessful  Very unsuccessful  Cannot determine 19. Based on your experience, how successful have the speed limiters been in reducing tire wear?  Very successful  Successful  Neutral  Unsuccessful  Very unsuccessful  Cannot determine 20. Based on your experience, how successful have the speed limiters been in increasing fuel economy?  Very successful  Successful  Neutral  Unsuccessful  Very unsuccessful  Cannot determine 21. Based on your experience, how often do the speed limiters reduce on-time delivery?  Very often  Often  Neutral  Seldom  Very seldom  Cannot determine 22. Based on your experience, what has the driver response been toward the speed limiter?  Very positive  Positive  Neutral  Negative  Very negative  Cannot determine 23. Based on your experience, in what way does having speed limiters on fleet vehicles impact driver hiring and retention?  Strong adverse impact  Adverse impact  No impact  Positive impact  Strong positive impact  Cannot determine 42

43 24. Have speed limiters negatively affected safety in any area of your operations?  NO  YES, please indicate how: ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ 25. Have speed limiters negatively affected productivity in any area of your operations?  NO  YES, please indicate how: ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ 26. Overall, the use of speed governors has improved your fleet operations.  Strongly agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly disagree 27. Please feel free to write any comments, issues, or experiences you’ve had with speed limiters. ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ Thank you for your time. Please submit you survey in one of the following ways. E-mail: richardbishop@mindspring.com Fax: Jeff Hickman @ 540-231-1555 Mail: Jeff Hickman, Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, Blacksburg, Va., 24061