Truck and Bus Safety: A Decade of Progress

Parties to the National Transportation Safety Board
Truck and Bus Safety Public Forum

AAA

Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety (Advocates)

American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA)

American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)

American Bus Association (ABA)

American Trucking Associations (ATA)

Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA)

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)

Government Accountability Office (GAO)

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)

International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT)

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

National Private Truck Council (NPTC)

Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA)

Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA)

Truck Safety Coalition (TSC)

United Motorcoach Association (UMA)

United Transportation Union (UTU)

Women in Trucking (WIT)

 

AAA
North America's largest motoring and leisure travel organization, providing more than 52 million members with travel, insurance, financial, and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. See www.AAA.com.

Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety (Advocates)
An alliance of consumer, health, and safety groups, along with insurance companies and agents, working together to make America's roads safer. Advocates encourages the adoption of Federal and state laws, policies, and programs that save lives and reduce injuries. Advocates helps build coalitions to increase the participation of a wide array of groups in policy initiatives which advance highway, auto and commercial motor vehicle safety. See www.saferoads.org.

American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA)
An organization that represents the state and provincial officials in the United States and Canada who administer and enforce motor vehicle laws. AAMVA's programs encourage uniformity and reciprocity among the jurisdictions. The association also serves as a liaison with other levels of government and the private sector. Its development and research activities provide guidelines for more effective public service. See www.aamva.org.

American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)
A nonprofit, nonpartisan association representing highway and transportation departments in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Its primary goal is to foster the development, operation, and maintenance of an integrated national transportation system. AASHTO works to educate the public and key decision makers about the critical role of transportation in securing a good quality of life and a sound economy. AASHTO serves as a liaison between state departments of transportation and the Federal government and is an international leader in setting technical standards for all phases of highway system development. Standards are issued for design, for construction of highways and bridges, and for materials. See www.transportation.org.

American Bus Association (ABA)
An organization representing 1,000 motorcoach and tour companies in the United States and Canada. Its members operate charter, tour, regular route, airport express, special operations, and contract services (commuter, school, transit). Another 2,800 member organizations, working in partnership with the North American motorcoach industry, represent the travel and tourism industry and suppliers of bus products and services. ABA is also home to ABA Foundation, a nonprofit organization promoting scholarships, research, and continuing education. See www.buses.org.

American Trucking Associations (ATA)
The largest national trade association for the trucking industry, founded in 1933. Through a federation of other trucking groups, industry-related conferences, and its 50 affiliated state trucking associations, ATA represents more than 37,000 members covering every type of motor carrier in the United States. The mission of the ATA is to serve and represent the interests of the trucking industry; to positively influence Federal and state governmental actions; to advance the trucking industry's image, efficiency, competitiveness, and profitability; to provide educational programs and industry research; to promote safety and security on our nation's highways and among our drivers; and to strive for a healthy business environment. See www.truckline.com.

Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA)
An international not-for-profit organization comprised of local, state, provincial, territorial, and federal motor carrier safety officials and industry representatives from the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Its mission is to promote commercial motor vehicle safety and security by providing leadership to enforcement, industry, and policymakers. CVSA identifies solutions to potentially unsafe transportation processes and procedures related to commercial drivers and vehicle safety. In addition to the membership of transportation departments and ministries, public utility commissions, state police, and highway patrols, CVSA has several hundred associate members who are committed to helping achieve its goals. See www.cvsa.org.

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
A U.S. Department of Transportation agency charged with the broad responsibility of ensuring that America's roads and highways continue to be the safest and most technologically up-to-date. Although state, local, and tribal governments own most of the nation's highways, FHWA provides financial and technical support for constructing, improving, and preserving America's highway system. FHWA's annual budget of more than $30 billion is funded by fuel and motor vehicle excise taxes. The budget is primarily divided between two programs: Federal-aid funding to state and local governments; and Federal lands highway funding for national parks, national forests, Indian lands, and other land under Federal stewardship. See www.fhwa.dot.gov.

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
A U.S. Department of Transportation agency whose primary mission is to prevent commercial motor vehicle-related fatalities and injuries. FMCSA focuses on ensuring safety in motor carrier operations through strong enforcement of safety regulations; targeting high-risk carriers and commercial motor vehicle drivers; improving safety information systems and commercial motor vehicle technologies; strengthening commercial motor vehicle equipment and operating standards; and increasing safety awareness. To accomplish its objectives, the FMCSA works with Federal, state, and local enforcement agencies, the motor carrier industry, and labor safety interest groups. See www.fmcsa.dot.gov.

Government Accountability Office (GAO)
An independent, nonpartisan agency that works for the U.S. Congress, often referred to as the "congressional watchdog." The mission of the GAO is to support Congress in meeting its constitutional responsibilities and to help improve the performance and ensure the accountability of the Federal government. GAO reports provide Congress with objective, fact-based, and nonpartisan information. See www.gao.gov.

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)
A nonprofit research and communications organization funded by auto insurers. For decades, the IIHS has been a leader in research to prevent motor vehicle crashes and reduce injuries. Current research focuses on human, vehicular, and environmental countermeasures to motor vehicle crashes and on interventions to reduce losses from such crashes. See www.iihs.org.

International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT)
A labor union serving a diverse membership of blue-collar and professional workers in both the public and private sectors. Its objective is to promote the rights of workers in the United States and Canada. Formed in 1903 by the merger of several local and regional teamsters, the IBT now represents 1.4 million members. See www.teamster.org.

National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA)
A U.S. Department of Transportation agency responsible for reducing deaths, injuries, and economic losses from motor vehicle crashes. NHTSA sets and enforces safety performance standards for motor vehicles and motor vehicle equipment, and gives grants to state and local governments to conduct highway safety programs. NHTSA also investigates safety defects in motor vehicles; sets and enforces fuel economy standards; helps states and local communities reduce the threat of drunk drivers; promotes the use of safety belts, child safety seats, and air bags; investigates odometer fraud; establishes and enforces vehicle antitheft regulations; and provides consumer information on motor vehicle safety. To develop the most efficient and effective means of bringing about safety improvements, NHTSA also conducts research on driver behavior and traffic safety. See www.dot.nhtsa.gov.

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
An agency of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, NIOSH is responsible for conducting research on the prevention of work-related injury and illness. The mission of NIOSH is to generate new knowledge in the field of occupational safety and health and to transfer that knowledge into practice for the betterment of workers. NIOSH conducts scientific research, develops guidance and authoritative recommendations, disseminates information, and responds to requests for workplace health hazard evaluations. NIOSH provides national and world leadership to prevent work-related illness, injury, disability, and death by gathering information; conducting scientific research; and translating the knowledge gained into products and services, including scientific information products, training videos, and recommendations for improving workplace safety and health. See www.cdc.gov/NIOSH/.

National Private Truck Council (NPTC)
The only trade association in the United States devoted exclusively to the interests of the private corporate trucking fleet and its professional practitioners. NPTC represents a cross-section of American manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and public service organizations ranging in size from family-owned small businesses and town utility fleets to Fortune 500 global conglomerates. See www.nptc.org.

Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA)
An international trade association representing independent owner-operators and professional truck drivers. The nearly 151,000 members of OOIDA are men and women in all 50 states and Canada who collectively own or operate more than 220,000 individual heavy-duty trucks and small truck fleets. The mission of OOIDA is to promote a better business climate and efficiency for all truck operators and highway safety and responsibility among all highway users. See www.ooida.org.

Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA)
An association of truck manufacturers, providing a forum within which member companies work together for common objectives and share information on issues that impact their products. TMA continuously identifies and monitors North American truck safety and environmental issues and potential regulations, facilitates industry–government dialogue and cooperative research, and coordinates industry responses to proposed rulemaking. TMA works cooperatively with Federal, state, provincial, and local regulatory and elected officials to ensure that safety standards and regulations are technologically feasible and cost-effective, while providing safety and environmental benefits. See www.truckmfgs.org.

Truck Safety Coalition (TSC)
A partnership between The Citizens for Reliable and Safe Highways (CRASH) Foundation and Parents Against Tired Truckers (P.A.T.T). TSC is dedicated to reducing the number of deaths and injuries caused by truck-related crashes; providing compassionate support to truck crash survivors and families of truck crash victims; and educating the public, policymakers, and media about truck safety issues. See www.trucksafety.org.

United Motorcoach Association (UMA)
North America's largest association of professional bus and motorcoach companies, founded in 1971 as the United Bus Owners of America. UMA's current membership includes over 875 motorcoach companies. Another 215 motorcoach manufacturers, suppliers, and related businesses are associate members. UMA serves the informational, legislative, regulatory, and business needs of its member companies—which range from one and two vehicles in size to many hundreds of coaches; from small tour-specific companies to those performing intercity route service, charter, and tour operations on a coast-to-coast scale. See www.uma.org.

United Transportation Union (UTU)
An AFL-CIO affiliate transportation labor union representing 125,000 active and retired railroad, bus, and mass transit workers in the United States and Canada. UTU is the largest railroad operating union in North America, with more than 600 locals. The union represents employees on every class I railroad, as well as employees on many regional and shortline railroads. It also represents bus and mass transit employees on approximately 45 bus and transit systems and has grown to include airline pilots, flight attendants, dispatchers, and other airport personnel. See www.utu.org.

Women in Trucking (WIT)
An organization established in 2007 to encourage the employment of women in the trucking industry, promote their accomplishments, and minimize workplace obstacles. Corporate members of WIT include trucking and logistics companies; truck driving schools; truck, trailer, and accessory companies; and industry-related companies. WIT has a special interest in ensuring safety on the road, providing driver training scholarships, removing gender bias from carrier marketing campaigns, and mentoring new entrants. See www.womenintrucking.org.