Together for Safer Roads (TSR), the global NGO focused on building cross-sector partnerships to improve fleet trucking safety around the world, has launched a new safety standards initiative, which has the potential to save tens of thousands of lives over the next several decades.
The Fleet Trucking Global Safety Standards Initiative is a global undertaking, which will develop a set of shared fleet trucking safety standards. It has been launched in conjunction with the 7th Annual UN Global Road Safety Week.
“Together for Safer Roads applauds the United Nations and World Health Organization’s efforts to promote road safety and their goal to reduce road deaths and injuries by half of their current rates by 2030 – and eventually reach Vision Zero, the elimination of all traffic fatalities and severe injuries,” said Peter Goldwasser, executive director of TSR.
“In line with these goals, TSR is launching this exciting new initiative to establish industry standards for fundamental safety instruments, which will ultimately result in a comprehensive suite of recommended standards for a broad cross-section of critical safety instruments and technologies. These will include telematics, pedestrian detection systems, automatic braking, airbags, side curtain airbags, side view mirrors, seatbelts, and others. We know from fleet trucking experts that there are no universally shared industry standards for these safety instruments. Our goal is to change that,” Goldwasser added.
Cormac Gilligan, TSR board member and global head, environment, health & safety (EHS) at UPS, added, “Embracing the idea, and requirements, of universal safety-based technologies for fleet trucks, it translates to more equitable deployment of safer trucks, as they hit the secondary resale markets and beyond. They will have the chance to purchase trucks that meet the standards of the largest global fleet operators without prohibitively expensive retrofitting costs.”
TSR has a longstanding commitment to this work on a global scale. For example, after implementing TSR’s recommended Vision Zero strategies, the state of São Paulo experienced a 13% reduction in road fatalities across 64 towns and cities, and Shanghai municipality saw an astounding 90% reduction in intervening road fatalities.
TSR also recently launched a Truck of the Future pilot program with vehicles from the City of New York that identifies and tests innovative and cost-effective solutions to eliminate collisions between large vehicle operators and vulnerable road users; later this year this pilot will expand internationally, working with a private sector fleet in Mexico City.
“The new Fleet Trucking Global Safety Standards Initiative aligns directly with the UN’s Vision Zero goals and should be supported by fleet truck operators around the world,” said Richard Kent, TSR board member and president of global sales at VisionTrack. “We invite businesses, governments and organizations around the world to join us in this important work.”
“On any given day, we have nearly 16,000 trucks on the road, and safety remains a top concern. Republic Services is thrilled to support the Fleet Trucking Global Safety Standards Initiative to bring better information and shared standards to all fleet trucking in the US and globally,” added Jim Olson, TSR board member and VP of safety at Republic Services. “This effort will help all fleet truck companies better serve their communities.”
