Technology is becoming a bigger and bigger part of every business. The trucking industry has seen a lot of changes with the mandated installation of electronic logging devices (ELDs) and increased data aggregation. But the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will be focusing more on driver assistance technology, according to Deputy Administrator Cathy Gautreaux, and the changes will be based in data. Here are some of the potential areas of focus that are already being implemented.
Expect more data models with a library of local, state, and federal regulations.
Just like with the tax code, there are too many changing regulations for every party to keep them consistently in mind. So agencies and companies alike will be pooling the regulations and creating useful tools that let drivers respond to information based on their specific routes. For example, semi-truck drivers might see smarter GPS programs that have reminders when state borders are close by and what changes drivers need to make to comply. These systems would also have filters so independent drivers and carrier departments can select the right route based on a collection of different factors ranging from fuel type to cargo weight.
Safety preconceptions will be contradicted.
This is also a trend across multiple industries. Things accepted as fact might not actually be true. Behaviors that are regarded as the riskiest might be displaced by behaviors that are less immediately obvious. For example, speeding isn’t more dangerous the higher over the speed limit you go. While speeding always carries inherent risks, the areas and the congestion (to say nothing of the weather) play a large part in the overall danger. And driver fatigue, which has long been pushed to the background, is now being seen as such an influential factor that it can no longer be dismissed as occasional tiredness.
Big data has its positives and negatives, no matter what part you play in the transportation industry. But as data models become more precise and risk factors shift in impact, take the time to see how it impacts your insurance. Go to J.E.B. Insurance Services, LLC. to see how changes in what data insurance companies look at can help lower your expenses. We provide commercial truck insurance in the states of Florida, Georgia, Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Illinois, Iowa, and Nebraska.
