Land Line Media
Artificial intelligence is becoming more and more prevalent in everyday life; the trucking industry is no exception.
Autonomous vehicles are being deployed expeditiously, while states have utilized AI technology for truck parking systems, platooning and more.
Arkansas is the latest state to announce an AI-driven technology for trucking purposes.
State officials said a $2.7 million project will modernize trucking operations in one of the state’s most critical freight corridors.
ARDOT will partner with the Arkansas Highway Police and Quarterhill on a system that will feature weigh-in-motion sensors capturing truck weights at highway speeds and real-time detection of unsafe tires.
License plate recognition, DOT checks and Intelligent Roadside Operations Computer (IROC) will verify vehicle credentials instantly.
Message boards will alert drivers who need further inspection.
“Partnering with Quarterhill allows us to bring cutting-edge tools to two of Arkansas’ most important freight gateways,” Jeff Holmes, Chief of Arkansas Highway Police, said. “These upgrades will strengthen enforcement, improve roadway safety, and keep goods moving efficiently across our state and beyond. This initiative is a win for our economy, drivers, and communities.”
The system will be deployed at two key entry points, eastbound Interstate 40 in Lehi, Ark., and on southbound Interstate 55 in Marion, Ark.
These highways see some of the highest truck volumes in the nations, a news release said.
“This project demonstrates how technical innovation and collaboration can solve real-world challenges in freight management and strengthen Arkansas’ position as a national leader in freight movement,” Quarterhill CEO Chuck Myers said. “By working hand in hand with ARDOT and the Arkansas Highway Police, we are ensuring that Arkansas’ highways remain safe, efficient, and capable of supporting growth in interstate commerce for decades to come.”
Washington state DOT has also recently partnered with Quarterhill on a truck parking initiative.
That system is designed to help truck drivers quickly locate available parking at rest areas along Interstate 5.
“This project is a prime example of how public agencies and private partners can work together to improve highway safety,” said Matt Neeley, state traffic systems development engineer for WSDOT. “Reliable access to truck parking information not only supports safer freight movement but also strengthens the resilience of Washington’s transportation network for all road users.”
Taking responsibility for safety does not merely involve assigning a title; it involves fostering accountability, expertise, and a culture in which each employee takes responsibility for their own safety and the safety of others.
Jane Clark
Key takeaways
- Safety ownership varies by organization size, with larger companies often having dedicated safety managers and smaller ones relying on HR.
- HR involvement has benefits and challenges, as it can streamline safety initiatives while lacking the technical expertise for comprehensive oversight.
- A balanced approach that combines HR’s administrative role with a safety manager’s technical oversight can effectively promote safety as a core organizational value.
Safety is one of the most critical concerns in our industry, whether it’s protecting our drivers on the road, safeguarding our technicians in the shop, or ensuring the well-being of other motorists. It’s a multifaceted responsibility that demands consistent attention to safe driving habits, rigorous asset maintenance, and strict adherence to regulatory standards. Yet even with these measures in place, accidents can and do happen. When they do, the question arises: Who in the organization truly owns safety?
At a recent NationaLease meeting, Glenn Hebert, president of Cox & Smith Risk Management, emphasized that ownership of the safety function often depends on the size and structure of the organization. While larger companies may benefit from a dedicated safety manager, smaller organizations often delegate safety responsibilities to the human resources department because of their limited resources.
When HR owns safety
In smaller operations, HR often integrates safety into broader employee welfare initiatives. This approach can streamline communication and embed safety into the overall employee experience. HR’s involvement can foster a unified focus on well-being, which in turn boosts morale and reinforces a culture of care. It also offers a practical solution for resource-constrained companies, eliminating the need for a separate safety role.
However, this model is not without its drawbacks. HR professionals may lack the technical expertise required for comprehensive safety oversight, which can result in compliance gaps or missed opportunities for proactive risk mitigation. Additionally, with HR juggling multiple responsibilities, from recruitment to benefits administration, safety may be unintentionally deprioritized.
When a safety manager owns safety
In contrast, larger organizations often appoint a dedicated safety manager to oversee safety protocols across departments. This role brings specialized knowledge, ensuring that safety regulations are met and that best practices are consistently applied. A safety manager can also cultivate a proactive safety culture, identifying risks before they escalate and implementing targeted training programs.
While this model enhances safety outcomes, it does come with increased costs. Moreover, if responsibilities are not clearly delineated, overlaps with HR or operations can lead to confusion and inefficiencies. Still, for high-risk industries, the investment in a dedicated safety professional is often justified by the reduction in incidents and liabilities.
Striking the right balance
Ultimately, the decision of who owns safety should be guided by the organization’s size, risk exposure, and operational complexity. In some cases, a hybrid model may be the most effective, where HR handles the administrative aspects of safety, while a safety manager oversees technical compliance and execution. Regardless of the structure, what matters most is that safety is not treated as an afterthought but rather as a core organizational value.
Taking responsibility for safety does not merely involve assigning a title; it involves fostering accountability, expertise, and a culture in which each employee takes responsibility for their own safety and the safety of others. Whether through HR, a safety manager, or a collaborative approach, the true owner of safety is the organization itself.
Washington, D.C. – The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) today released new research on causes and solutions for the current gaps in diesel technician training, recruitment, and retention. Qualified techs are indispensable to a safe and efficient trucking industry, yet 65.5 percent of shops were understaffed in 2025 with an average of 19.3 percent of positions unfilled. The research synthesized findings from techs, shops, and training programs.
Most techs (61.8%) enter the career without any formal training, requiring an average of 357 training hours and $8,211 in trainee wages to prepare them. Even with formal training, more than 30 percent of training program graduates were unqualified in 20 core skill areas, according to diesel shops. In 7 of these core skill areas, each additional hour of training improved tech qualification by more than 16 percent, and as such additional training hours in these areas can improve outcomes. In 6 core skill areas, however, each additional hour of training improved tech qualification by less than 8 percent, highlighting the need for critical curricula upgrades.
The most common barrier reported by techs at the start of their career was the high cost of acquiring their own tools (29.0%), followed by a lack of prior tech knowledge (28.0%), insufficient pay (16.1%), and poor shop mentorship (10.8%). Though pay and schedules were the two aspects of employment that most attracted techs to the trucking industry, techs also ranked the pursuit of more interesting work (ranked 3rd) and greater variety of work (ranked 5th) as vitally important.
Forty-four percent of trucking techs were considering other tech jobs, with automotive and agriculture the most common alternative industries. Dissatisfaction with pay, interactions with management, and variety of work were the aspects of employment that had the most statistically significant association with techs choosing to look for a new job versus staying at their current job. The research also evaluated techs’ perspectives on other industries to identify how trucking’s comparative strengths and weaknesses match up to techs’ varying priorities.
“With a lack of qualified techs and stiff competition from other industries, tech employment in the trucking industry is not keeping up with demand, especially when it comes to retaining entry-level technicians just entering the workforce,” said Robert Braswell, Executive Director of ATA’s Technology & Maintenance Council. “ATRI’s report helps trucking shops identify not only where they and their training program partners can improve but also how to better leverage our industry’s existing strengths.”
The full report is available on ATRI’s website here.
| ATRI has released updated versions of its Sustainability and Idling Regulations Compendiums. The ATRI Sustainable Freight Practices Compendium first launched in 2014 to serve as a one-stop shop for information on sustainable freight practices that can be implemented by motor carriers and their drivers. The compendium also identifies how public sector practices such as congestion mitigation, research and testing, and the use of incentives can advance sustainable freight goals. ATRI has now updated all three sections of its Sustainable Freight Practices Compendium – Driver, Vehicle, and Public Sector – with the latest research and data. |
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For 20 years, ATRI has provided an online compendium of the various idling regulations that limit how long commercial vehicles can idle. ATRI continues to monitor the development of idling regulations across the country and provides the compendium as a free service to help trucking companies and truck drivers comply with the myriad state and local idling regulations.“ATRI’s Sustainable Freight Practices and Idling Regulations Compendiums continue to be among the most frequently accessed pages on the ATRI website, underscoring the industry’s commitment to proactively reducing its environmental footprint,” said ATRI President Rebecca Brewster.
The updated compendiums are available online using these links:
· Sustainable Freight Practices Compendium
· Idling Regulations Compendiums |
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For the Most Part, Oversight and Highway Projects Remain Funded
Transport Topics
Trucking operations are set to roll on even as Washington grinds to a halt, according to the Department of Transportation’s shutdown plan.
Most highway and trucking programs will operate without interruption because they receive funding from the Highway Trust Fund and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act rather than annual appropriations. Federal law also requires agencies to maintain functions that protect life and property.
Trucking Oversight Remains Intact
At the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which regulates the trucking industry, all 1,084 employees remain on the job. Twenty-one of those are in nonworking status under the Deferred Resignation Program.
The plan says FMCSA positions are primarily funded by authorized contract authority and paid out of the Highway Trust Fund. The agency also collects fees under its Licensing and Insurance function and Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse, which support those programs and their staff positions. DOT emphasized the agency has sufficient liquidating cash to operate through a short-term lapse in appropriations.
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During a lapse, FMCSA’s obligation limitation follows the IIJA. Once Congress enacts an appropriations bill or continuing resolution, DOT will adjust the limitation to match that law.
Highway Programs Fully Protected
The Federal Highway Administration will continue normal operations with all 2,268 employees on duty. No furloughs are expected, and DOT said the agency has enough liquidating cash to support several months of reimbursements to states for road projects.
Hazmat Inspections Continue, With Some Cuts
Oversight of hazardous materials shipments will continue despite staff reductions.
The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration expects 190 of its 579 employees to be furloughed, with 63 employees specifically retained to protect life and property. Inspectors and investigators will remain at work, checking shippers and carriers, conducting accident investigations and issuing enforcement actions where needed to address imminent safety hazards.
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PHMSA will process permits and approvals only for emergencies that imminently threaten safety. Emergency Preparedness Grants payments will continue, as will intermittent support for financial operations to ensure timely payments to contractors and grantees. Information technology systems necessary for safety functions and cybersecurity will remain operational.
Activities considered noncritical — including hazardous materials training, rulemaking and research — will be suspended until funding is restored.
Vehicle Safety Standards Work Uninterrupted
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which oversees vehicle safety standards, is also unaffected. All 574 employees remain on duty, with 13 in nonworking status under the Deferred Resignation Program.
Funding is secured through prior appropriations, the Highway Trust Fund and the IIJA. The agency will shift staff payroll to alternate funding sources, including carryover and supplemental funds during the lapse.
DOT’s plan notes no significant disruptions to NHTSA’s work.
Maritime Operations Continue With Reduced Staff
The Maritime Administration would maintain most operations, with 590 of its 790 employees continuing to work. The Ready Reserve Fleet and Maritime Security Program would continue using carryover balances, ensuring vessels remain available for national defense needs.
Other Transportation Modes Face Deeper Cuts
While trucking and highway programs are largely shielded, other parts of DOT face sharper strain.
The Federal Aviation Administration projects more than 11,000 furloughs, though air traffic controllers remain on duty without pay, and inspectors continue field inspections.
The Federal Railroad Administration will continue accident investigations and inspections with reduced staffing, while most regulatory and research functions stop. Transit programs funded by multiyear appropriations will continue without interruption.
