Trucking news and briefs for Tuesday, May 7, 2024:
A bill that would require the United States Postal Service to increase its oversight of trucking contractors passed in the U.S. House last week.
The bipartisan bill, dubbed the Mail Traffic Deaths Reporting Act, would require USPS to collect, track, and publicly report information related to deaths and injuries resulting from traffic crashes involving vehicles transporting mail. It was introduced by Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Virginia) and co-sponsored by Rep. James Comer (R-Kentucky).
According to a press release from Connolly, over the last three years at least 79 people have been killed in crashes involving trucks contracted by the Postal Service. The Wall Street Journal has also reported that USPS did not track and report serious crashes involving its trucking contractors.
“For too long, the Postal Service has taken an ‘out of sight, out of mind’ approach to truck safety,” Connolly added. “This legislation is about saving lives and protecting families on our nation’s roads. I am thrilled we’ve taken this big step toward getting it to the President’s desk, and I want to thank Chairman Comer for his continued partnership on that front.”
In May 2023, Connolly urged the USPS Office of Inspector General (OIG) to investigate the safety of freight contract trucking practices at the Postal Service. The OIG released a report in response to Connolly’s request, which found that the Postal Service doesn’t have a written policy requiring the tracking of trucking contractor accidents and fatalities.
The OIG’s No. 1 recommendation was that USPS establish a method for tracking contractor accident and fatality data and establish corresponding written policies and procedures for such a tracking system.
