Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Research ...onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/FMCSA/Walker121516.pdf · Office of Research and Information Technology Federal Motor Carrier

Office of Research and Information Technology

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

Research & Technology Program

Overview

Dr. Martin R. Walker


Office of Analysis, Research, and Technology

1 Office of Research and Information Technology 1 Office of Research and Information Technology

FMCSA’s R&T Program:

− Mission

− Organization

− How we choose R&T projects:

Project Ideas

REB Process

Budget Development

Peer Review Process

Strategic Areas

Strategic Areas and

Projects

Selected Projects

Agenda


2

The Office of Analysis, Research, and Technology (ART) provides

data and research to identify and address factors associated with

CMV crashes.

ART supports the Agency's diverse safety initiatives by delivering

safety in new ways, particularly through advanced technologies..

Save Lives and Reduce

Injuries in Truck and Bus

Crashes

Our Mission


STAFF

Research Technology

GS15, OR Analyst, Div Chief GS15, Transportation Spec, Div Chief

2 - GS14, Mathematical Statistician 4 - GS14, General Engineer

1 - GS14, Transportation Spec 1 - GS14, Transportation Spec

1 - GS13, Mathematical Statistician

FUNDING

FY15 FY16 FY17

Research and Technology $9M $9M $9.2M

R&T Organization


R&T Proposals

Evaluated by

REB

R&T Projects

presented to

Senior Mgmt

- R&T Budget

Developed into

Work

Statements

Project Proposals Contracting Conducting Study Final Report

Request for

Proposals

Evaluation

Team Reviews

Proposals

Contract

Award

R&T Budget

Spend Plans

Reviewed

REB

Work Plan

Development

Methodology

Peer

Reviewed

Study Execution/

Final Report

Peer

Reviewed

Peer Review

Research Review Process


5

Mission: Conduct systematic studies directed toward fuller scientific

discovery, knowledge, or understanding that will improve safety and

reduce the number and severity of CMV crashes.

Research priorities focus on 72 studies in six strategic areas to help

FMCSA achieve its safety goals, as follows:

Produce Safer Drivers: 28 studies

Improve Safety of CMVs: 14 studies

Produce Safer Carriers: 12 studies

Advance Safety through Information-Based Initiatives: 9 studies

Enable and Motivate Internal Excellence: 4 studies

Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act, 2015 (FAST Act)

Projects: 5 studies

Strategic Objectives


Ensure that CMV drivers are physically qualified,

trained to perform safely, and mentally alert.

Produce Safer Drivers


• Case Study/Beta Test of Updated Model Motorcoach Curriculum. To

beta test the updated model motorcoach driver curriculum recently

developed by the Agency.

• Commercial Driver Individual Differences Study (CDIDS). To identify the

most critical driver characteristics—such as medical or work histories—that

increase crash risk.

• Evaluation of Research on CMV

Drivers with Moderate to Severe

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA).

To research the prevalence of OSA,

associated risk factors, and the impact

of OSA on performance measures

relevant to the driving task.

Produce Safer Drivers (Active)


• Evaluation of the Impact of Changes to the Hours-of-Service (HOS)

Rules Governing CMV Drivers. To determine whether changes to the

HOS rules have had any impact on CMV safety, carrier productivity and

cost, and the U.S. highway system.

• Examining FMCSA Vision Standard for CMV Drivers and Waiver

Program. To re-examine the vision standard for CMV drivers and evaluate

the efficacy of FMCSA’s vision waiver program.

• Naturalistic Driving Study (Data Analysis). To analyze the collected

naturalistic driving data from the recently completed Onboard Monitoring

System (OBMS) Field Operational Test (FOT) in order to identify safety-

critical events and determine factors related to the occurrence of safety-

critical events.

• Performance-Based Testing of Driving Skills/Capabilities. To

determine the risks associated with older CMV drivers and to evaluate

whether performance-based testing is necessary.

Produce Safer Drivers (Active), cont.


• Feasibility Study for Developing a Longitudinal Study of CMV

Driver Health. To determine the feasibility of conducting an extended

longitudinal study of CMV drivers’ health and wellness.

• Flexible Sleeper Berth Pilot Program. To conduct a pilot study to

demonstrate how split-sleep in conjunction with the North American

Fatigue Management Program could be used to improve driver rest and

alertness.

• The Role of Human Factors in Cargo Tank Rollovers. To evaluate the

role of human factors in cargo tank rollovers.

Produce Safer Drivers (Active), cont.


• CMV and Personal Vehicle Crash Analysis. To determine whether

cause of a crash between a passenger car and a CMV should be taken

into account in the Safety Measurement System (SMS) to enhance the

ability to identify at-risk carriers.

• CMV Driver Crash Factors. To evaluate driver factors that contribute to

CMV crashes and near-crashes.

• CMVs Involved in Crashes. To collect additional information on CMV

crashes.

• Crash Risk by Medical Condition. To estimate crash risk by medical

condition in the commercial motor vehicle driver population.

• Crash Risks by CMV Driver Schedules, Phase II. To collect hours-of-

service (HOS) and crash data to analyze how HOS provisions are being

used and the impact of driver schedules on crash risk.

Produce Safer Drivers (Planned FY17)


• Crime Prevention for Truckers. To identify and recommend suitable

crime prevention measures that truckers can take to safeguard themselves

from harm when parked.

• Large and Small Carrier Health and Wellness Program Assessment.

To conduct a prospective case study of motor carrier health and wellness

programs, geared toward both large and small carriers, focusing on

individual driver health and wellness outcomes.

• Research on Variations in State HOS Rules. To examine changes or

alternative provisions to the current Federal HOS regulations.

Produce Safer Drivers (Planned FY17), cont.


• Analysis of Medical Information Available at the Roadside. To conduct a

study to determine whether law enforcement has the necessary information to

identify that a CDL holder’s medical certificate has expired or been revoked.

• Assessment of Established CMV Driver Health and Fitness Programs. To

assess the availability and success of companies that have implemented

programs for improving CMV driver health and fitness.

• Estimating the Prevalence of Drug Use Among CMV Drivers. To conduct a

field study to collect and analyze information regarding drug use by CMV

drivers.

• Evaluating the Effectiveness of Education Programs on Drivers with

Sleep Apnea. To examine the effectiveness of new and existing OSA

education programs on the behaviors and choices of CMV drivers who are

diagnosed with or likely to have OSA.

• Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the NAFMP. To evaluate the effectiveness

of the North American Fatigue Management Program (NAFMP) in regard to: 1)

educating truck and bus drivers to modify their behaviors to remedy various

potential sources of fatigue, and 2) meeting the needs of drivers’ employers,

including fleet managers, safety and risk managers, dispatchers, driver trainers,

and other corporate officials.

Produce Safer Drivers (Planned FY18)


• Research to Assess the Impact on Safety of CMV Operation by Drivers

with Limited English Proficiency. To conduct a study and obtain data to

determine whether there is a correlation between limited English proficiency

and CMV safety.

• Research to Assess the Impact on Safety of CMV Operation by Hearing-

Impaired Drivers. To examine whether and to what extent the current physical

qualifications relating to hearing [49 CFR 391.41(b)(11)] impact safety and

whether the standard should be removed or changed.

• Second International Conference on Transportation Operators’ Health

and Wellness and Fatigue. To develop and execute the Second International

Conference on Transportation Operators’ Health and Wellness and Fatigue.

• Tracking CDL Skills Testing of Out-of-State Applicants. To conduct a study

tracking safety trends and assess the possibility of fraud with CMV operators

who pass their CDL skills test at an out-of-State test site and then obtain their

CDL in their home State.

Produce Safer Drivers (Planned FY18), cont.


Improve truck and motorcoach safety through vehicle-based research and the deployment of CMV safety technologies.

Improve Safety of CMVs


• CMV Brake Performance: Correlating In Situ Brake Stroke to

Overall Vehicle Braking Performance. To quantify the effects of

commercial motor vehicle (CMV) brake stroke adjustment, particularly

those that are considered out of service (OOS), with overall truck-trailer

brake performance and resulting stopping distance.

• Instructional Design Guides for Inspecting Electric and Hybrid-

Electric CMVs. To provide safety guidelines to commercial vehicle

enforcement officers and inspectors when examining electric and

hybrid-electric commercial vehicles for compliance.

• Truck and Bus Maintenance

Requirements and Their Impact

on Safety. To further analyze the impact

of vehicle maintenance issues (for large

trucks and motorcoaches) on safety.

Improve Safety of CMVs (Active)


• CMV Automated Research. To develop a research roadmap to

encourage automated CMV technology development/testing and to

identify the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) that

may be impacted with the adoption of autonomous vehicles.

• Development of a Second-Generation Performance Brake Tester

(PBT). To develop and evaluate a sliding skid plate PBT.

• Dynamic Onboard Brake Assessment (DOBBA) Technology. To

pilot test DOBBA technology on CMVs and transfer brake performance

data using wireless roadside inspection (WRI) technology.

• Hydraulic-Hybrid Commercial Vehicle Safety. To determine the

regulatory updates needed to address the safety of hydraulic-hybrid

commercial vehicles.

Improve Safety of CMVs (Planned FY17), cont.


• Motorcoach Tire Study. To evaluate the issue of tire wear in

motorcoaches and provide data for potential rulemaking, industry

guidance, and establish regulators on minimum acceptable condition,

preventative maintenance (PM) practices, and safe tire performance.

• Study of Truck Side Guards to Reduce Pedestrian Fatalities. To

study the deployment of truck side guards to reduce pedestrian

fatalities.

• Updates to FMCSRs and FMCSA Systems Due to NHTSA’s

Impending Electronic Stability Control (ESC) Mandate. To develop

recommended changes to the FMCSRS to accommodate the effects of

the ESC mandate.

Improve Safety of CMVs (Planned FY17), cont.


• Develop Link between ELD and Wired Tractor-Trailer

Communications System. To develop an electronic link between a

generic electronic logging device (ELD) and a wired tractor-trailer

communications system.

• Develop Link between ELD and Wireless Tractor-Trailer

Communications System. To develop an electronic link between a

generic ELD and a wireless tractor-trailer communications system.

• Develop Regulatory Standards for Natural Gas Trucks. To

recommend new North American Standard inspection procedures for

heavy trucks and buses fueled by natural gas.

• Permitted Vehicles Crash Analysis. To analyze available data

sources on CMV crashes/fatalities in States within the Commercial

Motor Vehicle Roadside Technology Consortium (CMVRTC), and to

cross-reference States’ permitted vehicle/carrier databases.

Improve Safety of CMVs (Planned FY18)


Improve carrier safety by applying safety management principles, compiling and communicating best practices to carriers.

Produce Safer Carriers


• CMV Fracking-Related Crashes. To identify and analyze CMV crash

trends in the energy-producing regions of the country (e.g., the Dakotas,

Texas and Louisiana, New York south into Alabama, Michigan, and

Indiana) that are using hydraulic fracking mining methods.

• Compliance and Safety Impact of Household Goods (HHG) Motor

Carriers. To improve enforcement targeting of the HHG motor carrier

population.

• Motorcoach Operating Practices Survey. To gain a better understanding

of motorcoach operating practices and to assess the relationship, if any,

between specific industry practices and safe driving performance.

• Research and Recommendations for Improving FMCSA’s Hazardous

Materials (HM) Cargo Tank Monitoring and Enforcement Program. To

develop recommendations for how FMCSA can better meet hazardous

materials cargo tank regulatory oversight and enforcement requirements.

Produce Safer Carriers (Active)


• Additional Implications of HM in a CMV Crash. To conduct a

comprehensive assessment of the cost of HM crashes, along with a

subsequent comparative risk assessment looking at HM versus non-HM

truck crashes.

• Civil Fines and Motor Carrier Safety. To determine the most effective

settlement approaches to consider as part of civil fines on motor carriers

to change/improve non-compliant behaviors.

• Effectiveness of the Inspection Selection System (ISS). To conduct

analysis and development of outreach materials on the effectiveness of

the ISS algorithm.

• Effectiveness of Weigh Station Pre-Clearance/e-Screening Systems.

To research available weigh station pre-clearance/e-screening systems

to determine their effectiveness related to roadside enforcement

efficiencies, commercial vehicle safety, crash reduction, injuries

prevented, and lives saved.

Produce Safer Carriers (Planned FY17 and FY18)


• New Entrant Training Pilot Study. To develop and demonstrate a

cost-effective blended curriculum that incorporates multimedia

electronic learning and group sessions to encourage new entrant motor

carriers to adopt a safety culture before they receive their U.S.

Department of Transportation (USDOT) numbers.

• Stopping at Railroad Grade Crossings. To determine whether it is

safe for certain CMVs to proceed through railroad grade crossings

without stopping or slowing (rather than stopping all the time).

• Validation of the Out-of-Service (OOS) Criteria (FY18). To determine

the validity of violations contained in the North American Standard

(NAS) OOS Criteria and their impact on carriers’ SMS scores.

Produce Safer Carriers (Planned FY17 and FY18), cont.


Improve the safety and productivity of CMV operations through the application of information systems and technologies.

Advance Safety through Information-Based

Initiatives


• Advanced Fatigue Modeling for Individual Differences, Phase III (SBIR).

To develop the Trucking Fatigue Meter, a data analytics technology that uses

existing streams of trucking data to evaluate driver fatigue and provide

actionable feedback in near real-time.

• Data Repository (Naturalistic Driving and Other Datasets). To create a

permanent, secure data repository for data collected during FMCSA research

and technology studies.

• Multi-Modal Driver Distraction and Fatigue Detection and Warning

System - Phase 2. To provide innovative, practical, fast, and reliable

detection of driver fatigue and distraction under a wide variety of operating

conditions.

• Selective Testing of Registered ELDs for Compliance. To selectively test

to confirm compliance of registered and certified ELDs with respect to the

technical requirements of the ELD final rule.

• FMCSA's CMV Technology Evaluation Program. To conduct a fast-

turnaround and independent evaluation of promising safety technologies

aimed at commercial vehicle operations.


Initiatives (Active)


• ELD Business Case Cost-Benefit Analysis. To analyze the business

case for motor carriers in terms of ELD costs, benefits, returns on

investment, and payback periods for encouraging early ELD adoption.

• ELD Deployment Analysis. To assess the success of the early

adoption of ELDs and relay information about the benefits of the ELD

rule.

• Linking Fleet Management Systems to Truck Parking. To

independently assess and inventory fleet management systems that

link truck parking applications when the driver approaches the HOS

limit.


Initiatives (Planned FY17)


Improve performance to serve customers of the Office of Analysis, Research, and Technology more effectively and economically.

Enable and Motivate Internal Excellence


• FMCSA Contribution to USDOT Multimodal Center for Climate Change

and Environmental Forecasting. To support research adaptation and

mitigation of climate change as it relates to transportation through annual

contributions.

• National Surface Transportation Safety Center for Excellence

(NSTSCE). Pooled funding for research to develop and disseminate

advanced safety techniques and innovations in both rural and urban

communities.

• Program Management —Pathfinder. To support Agency project

initiatives; establish long-term research concept of operations; educate,

inform and engage internal/external audiences on critical bus and truck

safety issues; develop, communicate, and strategically disseminate

information about R&T activities and findings; collect, control, and report

data on research initiatives; and provide assistance on development,

monitoring, and execution of the annual budget.

• TRB Activities & Motor Carrier Safety Research Analysis Committee.

Enable and Motivate Internal Excellence


FMCSA is currently conducting five research projects required by the

FAST Act:

• Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) and Safety

Measurement System Study (SMS)(also known as the Correlation

Study). Conduct a review of the CSA program, specifically the SMS.

• Military Under 21 CMV Driver Pilot Program. Establish a pilot

program to study the feasibility, benefits, and safety impacts of allowing

a younger military drivers to operate a CMV in interstate commerce.

• Report on CDL Skills Test Delays. Collect data on CDL skills test

delays (wait times) in each State.

• Study on CMV Driver Commuting. Determine effects of excessive

commuting on safety and CMV driver fatigue.

• Safety Study Regarding Double-Decker Bus with Rear Luggage

Compartment. Examine impacts of a rear luggage compartment

attached to a double-decker bus on vehicle safety, fire suppression, tire loads, and roadway pavement.

Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act, 2015


• Provides in-vehicle, real-time

objective data identifying driver

performance and crash

precursors.

• Truck cab is equipped with

four video cameras providing

views of driver’s face, forward

view, and two side mirror views.

• Provides understanding of

precursors to crashes and

driver factors such as issues

of performance, inattention,

distraction, and fatigue.

Research used for: • Rulemaking Support

• Safety System Development & Testing

• Driver Training and Outreach

• Factors that Lead to SCEs

• Driver Monitoring and Feedback

Naturalistic Driving Research


Conduct fast-turnaround and independent evaluation of promising

safety technologies.

Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) asks, via a Web site,

original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and technology vendors to

submit promising safety technologies for independent testing and

evaluation.

Evaluations completed:

1. Blindspot Warning

2. Driver Monitoring

3. Novel Convex Mirrors

Technology Evaluation Program

http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/51000/51400/51415/FAST-DASH-Safety-Tech-Evaluation-1.pdf



https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/research-and-analysis/technology/fast-dash-safety-technology-evaluation-project-2-driver-monitoring

https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/research-and-analysis/technology/fast-dash-safety-technology-evaluation-project-2-driver-monitoring

https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/research-and-analysis/technology/fast-dash-safety-technology-evaluation-project-3-novel-convex

https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/research-and-analysis/technology/fast-dash-safety-technology-evaluation-project-3-novel-convex


SmartPark: Real-Time Parking Availability

Goal: To demonstrate a technology for providing real-time information on

truck parking availability to truckers on the road.

Phase I: FMCSA completed Phase I by field testing combined Doppler

radar and laser scanning/light curtain.

Phase II: Phase II covered information dissemination, reservations,

maximization of space, gathering of historical data to make forecasts of

availability, and self-sustainability.

Field Operational Test (FOT): A 6-month FOT was recently completed;

draft final report detailing findings from Phase II and the FOT has been

submitted to FMCSA.

Phase II and the FOT demonstrated real-time dissemination of truck

parking space availability information using:

− Dynamic Message Signs (DMS).

− Interactive Voice Recognition.

− Smartphone app.

− SmartPark Web site.


Wireless Roadside Inspection (WRI) Project Overview

Real time safety assessment of CMV traveling at highway

speeds

- Identifier information used to query

relevant databases for potential

violations

- Assesses driver hours of service

(HOS) information/CDL status

- Envisioned to augment data

available to the Safety

Measurement System (SMS)

- Although WRI vision is technology

agnostic, Commercial Mobile Radio

Services (CMRS) path being used

in field testing


Innovative Technology Deployment (ITD) is a nationwide

grant program administered by FMCSA that is designed to:

Improve safety and productivity of motor carriers, commercial

vehicles and their drivers

Improve efficiency and effectiveness of commercial vehicle safety

programs through targeted enforcement

Improve commercial vehicle data sharing within states and between

states and FMCSA

Reduce Federal/State and industry regulatory and administrative

costs

ITD grant funding provided to States and Territories

through the agencies MCSAP-High Priority Program.

(~$20M annually)

Innovative Technology Deployment Program (ITD)


Review FMCSA Regulations for Potential Challenges with

Automated CMV (with VOLPE)

Low-Speed Automated Truck Queue at Ports and

Warehouses: (with MARAD)

Planned:

CMV Automated Vehicle Research:

Develop a research roadmap to better

understand the impacts that this new

technology will have on FMCSRs.

Updates to FMCSRs Due to

NHTSA’s Electronic Stability Control

(ESC) Mandate

Section 393 update and Roadside Inspection Criteria

FMCSA Automated Vehicle Projects


Contact Information

Martin R. Walker

Email: [email protected]

Office Number: 202-385-2364


Office of Analysis, Research and Technology

1200 New Jersey Ave, SE

Washington, D.C. 20590

Thank You

Research without Action is time Wasted,

Action without Research just Passes Time.

Research with Action can Change the World!

mailto:[email protected]

Documents

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Research ...onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/FMCSA/Walker121516.pdf · Office of Research and Information Technology Federal Motor Carrier