Action taken to eliminate paperwork requirement for truckers

Truck drivers in Kentucky and throughout the rest of the U.S. are no longer required to file the amount of paperwork once expected of them. According to U.S. Transportation, a rule that took effect on Dec. 18 waives the daily pre- and post-trip inspection paperwork, only requiring truck drivers to file the necessary reports if any equipment or safety issues are discovered.

The decision to eliminate the reportedly unnecessary paperwork is expected to save the trucking industry around $1.7 billion annually. A secretary with U.S. Transportation insists that the move will not compromise safety on the roads. Roughly 95 percent of inspections fail to yield any safety concerns, yet truck drivers are estimated to collectively spend 46.7 billion hours on paperwork completion each year.

A spokesperson with the FMCSA insists that they are committed to truck drivers remaining focused and efficient without the distraction of time-consuming reports. Up until the new decision, the trucking industry held the 19th-highest place for burdensome paperwork in a federal agency. With the requirement gone, that position has been reduced to 79th place.

Although this news is designed to improve truck driver safety, accidents still occur that can significantly harm other passenger vehicles on the road. For those who have been injured in a crash due to potential truck driver negligence, such as fatigue or recklessness, civil action may be a viable decision to receive damages for subsequent medical expenses and noneconomic damages like pain and suffering. Speaking with an attorney well-acquainted with the rules of the road and personal injury law may yield some beneficial results.

Source: OH&S, “DOT Plays Santa, Eliminating Daily Paperwork Requirement for Trucking Industry“, December 17, 2014