Project Goal

Develop research to be used for performing the Environmental Assessment (EA) for upcoming rulemakings. The proposed research would review and update past research on delay and environmental costs of bus and truck crashes. The goal of this study is to update the 2013 report with new data and methodology.
 

Background

FMCSA, in conjunction with the Volpe Center, published a report titled “Delay and Environmental Costs of Bus and Truck Crashes” in March 2013. That report helped inform the EA for the Safety Fitness Determination (SFD) rule in 2015. The report has also been cited in EAs for other FMCSA rulemakings. However, the informative value of the report declines as it ages.

The Office of Policy anticipates the SFD rule will be part of FMCSA’s regulatory agenda within the next 12 months. Since the idea behind the SFD rule is to reduce the number of crashes by eliminating “unfit” carriers from operating in interstate commerce or in transportation that affects interstate carriers, FMCSA will need to conduct an EA to examine impacts such as hazardous material debris/cleanup, traffic congestion and its consequent pollution, disposal of debris from vehicles that were totaled, etc. The SFD rule is expected to receive substantial scrutiny. As such, having more current information to quantify the impacts of the regulation will strengthen the rulemaking. In addition, potential rulemakings on speed limiters and automated driving systems, where fully evaluating the impacts of crash avoidance methods will be critical to completing the rulemakings.
 

Summary

The 2013 paper on Delay and Environmental Costs of Truck Crashes presented estimates of costs related to Truck and Bus crashes including vehicle delay costs, emission costs, and fuel consumption costs. In addition, it also presented a new methodological approach to estimating property damage costs. Finally, the report also presented crash costs related to hazardous materials.

The Office of Policy anticipates that future rulemakings will be required to address economic impacts as a pre-requisite for publication. This proposed research would serve as a foundation for rulemakings over the next 8-10 years.