Page 23 - ATR 2 2019 digital

WHO WILL PAY? “Motor carriers in Arkansas were being “We don’t seek legislation based on
Cost will of course be an important forced to choose between improving intuition or preference. Data confirms
factor for everyone. Who will pay for safety or facing worker misclassifica- that implementing safety technologies
any new safety requirements? One of tion claims. From a public policy per- increase safe driving behaviors. We sup-
the authors of the bill said the market spective, this should not be the case. port and encourage companies to invest
would help answer that question. In Technology can provide new ways to in the pursuit of safety because we all
theory independent truckers will be protect drivers on our highways, the share the roads.”
more likely to work for a company that passage of HB 1448 allows Arkansas If Tennessee and Arkansas are any
is willing take on the majority of the carriers to invest in these technologies indication, it’s likely similar legisla-
costs of any safety feature it requires. for both their employee drivers and tion will at least be considered by more
Jeff Loggins said his company owner operators without endangering a states in the near future. ATR
would probably treat it like they did driver’s independent status.”
the electronic logging devices. Loggins
Logistics would purchase a specific
brand of camera and monitoring system
for their drivers, but if a driver chose to “Spot On!”
use a different system, then the burden
would be on that driver to pay for both
the camera and the monitoring system.
In addition to crash report data,
both the FMCSA and the AAA reports
provide a cost-benefit analysis for each “I want to let everyone know that the articles in the Arkansas Trucking Report
are spot on! The photos and in-depth coverage are excellent. You get it and it
of the systems in the study. The cost of shows! Keep up the good work that you do for our industry!”
the equipment, training and mainte- Kevin Burch
nance of the systems was compared to
the benefits of reduced legal fees and Kevin Burch
President, Jet Express, Inc.
court costs, reduced property damage Past Chairman, ATA
from potential crashes, and not having Past Chairman, TCA
to incur lost wages and worker’s com-
pensation. The FMCSA report suggested
the LDW systems paid for themselves
within a year and the RSC systems
did the same in less than 18 months.
Carriers can balance this information
with feedback from their drivers as they
decide which technologies to adopt.
Malea McElyea vice president
of business development at CalArk
International says, “Clarification in
this legislation regarding classification
of status is important for both motor
carrier employees and owner-operators
because it honors our obligation to the
motoring public to keep the roadways
as safe as possible. Advancements in
policy, technology and regulation in the
name of safety should be taken serious-
ly regardless of the classification of an
individual. Improvements in safety and
trust of those we share the road with
keep alive the industry that provides the For advertising information, contact Amanda Lamb at
livelihood that both classes depend on.” (501) 372-3462 or amandalamb@arkansastrucking.com
Shannon Newton, president of the
Arkansas Trucking Association, said,

ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT | Issue 2 2019 23