While 2021 is a brand new year, one cannot simply erase what 2020 brought us. You see, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed virtually every aspect of the world that we once knew. Today, we live in a strange new landscape where all bets are off. The environment has changed, the market has evolved, and the safety standards have certainly risen quite significantly. In the trucking industry, 2021 has brought with it some new standards for safety and best practices.
To learn more about these new best practices, take a look down below.
Driver Drug Testing
One of the biggest topics of conversation in recent years in the trucking industry has revolved around driver drug testing. In addition to COVID-19 testing in 2021, many trucking companies, fleets, and shipping companies have implemented comprehensive driver drug testing programs, which requires drivers to submit hair samples regularly to test for a variety of drugs and alcohol.
This will ensure that the drivers are safe, responsible, and unimpeded in their ability to deliver cargo from point A to point B.
Speed Limiters & Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Another area of conversation that has come up quite a bit in recent months deals with speed limiters on trucks that weight more than a specified amount, as well as greenhouse gas emission limits. In other words, the goal here is to ensure that trucks are able to drive at a safe speed when delivering cargo, while also emitting less greenhouse gasses into the environment.
Some companies have chosen to embrace new technologies that make it easier for drivers to maintain a safe speed while on the road, while also keeping emissions down. For instance, it has become quite normal in the industry to install after-market speed limiters throughout a given fleet to ensure that in the event the S. 2033 legislation passes in the US Senate in 2021, these companies will already be prepared to hit the ground running in full compliance with this new regulation.
Here at Matrix, our focus is more closely aligned to the environmental impact of our trucks and operations. We remain fully committed to meeting any new regulations and environmental standards that might be enacted as part of the new administration. While this will certainly require an investment in a cleaner and greener fleet, we’re prepared to make the necessary moves to keep the air that we breathe clean.
Learn More About Our Efforts
Do you want to learn more about some steps that we’re taking to embrace these new safety standards? Contact us today and speak with a member from our team. We’d be happy to fill you in on everything that we’ve done so far, and everything that we plan to do in the near future.
Learn more about the trucking regulations 2021