Investing in our highway’s safety is a critical priority in the trucking industry and, until recently, we have only been able to make a conservative estimate of that investment. Now, thanks to a recent report from the American Trucking Associations (ATA), we have an exact dollar amount to place on that investment.
The report concluded that the trucking industry invests at least $9.5 billion in safety annually. They came to this number by collecting detailed data from carriers through two surveys, one of which covered 120 questions on a range of safety expenses. The ATA reports focused on investments in four categories: on-board technology, driver training, safety pay and regulatory compliance.The report indicates that the $9.5 billion does not include “general and routine maintenance costs such as purchasing new brakes, tires or trucks, which would increase the total significantly.” Through these investments, the trucking industry has been able to see positive movement on the ultimate safety goal - improved safety for all motorists.
At Keller Trucking, safety is our #1 priority. We have achieved and maintained the highest safety rating issued by the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) and uphold CSA scores that are among the highest in the industry.
While we are happy that our peers in the trucking industry are also making the same sort of investments we are in safety, we also understand the safety effort never ends.
Keller Trucking will continue to improve on safety procedures. Current practices include the use of Electronic On Board Recorders (EOBR), prioritizing the importance of safety practices in orientations with new drivers, a weekly safety bonus for drivers and implementing a Safety Compliance program.
Click here to learn more about how Keller prioritizes safety above all - adhering to our motto: “Time may be money, but life is priceless.”