During this week, Together for Safer Roads (TSR), the leading NGO focused on building cross-sector partnerships to improve fleet trucking safety around the world, has announced the launch of its Fleet Trucking Global Safety Standards Initiative.
The global undertaking seeks to develop a set of shared fleet trucking safety standards, which TSR said has the potential to save 10s of thousands of lives over the next several decades. It launches just before the 7th Annual UN Global Road Safety Week gets underway.
“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,” stated 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,” he continued. “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.”
Andres Peñate, the Together for Safer Roads Board Chair and the Global Vice President of Corporate Affairs at Anheuser-Busch InBev said: “Together for Safer Roads is proud to stand with the UN Road Safety Collaboration and all our fellow road safety advocates in this decade of action for safer roads. We look forward to presenting our new global safety standards concepts to this body in the future, and to ongoing work with the governments of UN member states as we work toward Vision Zero.”
With perhaps the greatest name ever, Cormac Gilligan, a TSR Board member and the 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 the 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, Brazil experienced a 13 percent reduction in road fatalities across 64 towns and cities, and Shanghai, China saw an astounding 90 percent reduction in intervening road fatalities.
TSR 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.”
Jim Olson, a TSR Board member and VP of Safety at Republic Services Inc. noted: “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 U.S. and globally.
“This effort will help all fleet truck companies better serve their communities.”
As the leading NGO focused on building cross-sector partnerships to improve fleet trucking safety, Together for Safer Roads (TSR) leverages private-sector technology, data, and expertise to create innovative programs aimed at preventing traffic crashes, injuries, and fatalities around the globe. TSR’s members represent some of the largest and most important fleets in the world, as well as pre-eminent road safety technology companies. TSR works with governments, businesses, and community stakeholders on local projects, fleet safety management, and technology initiatives to eventually reach Vision Zero – the total elimination of traffic fatalities and severe injuries. www.togetherforsaferroads.com.