A new white paper released by ACE USA, the U.S.-based retail operations of the ACE Group, outlines the impact of new Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations on truck fleet safety.

Further, the paper suggests steps that companies can take to integrate the new regulations into their operations to fulfill the requirements set forth.

“The industry’s concern about fleet safety and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) program is reflected in the results of a survey of more than 4,000 trucking industry executives who identified the program as among the ten most critical issues they face,” said David Brown, vice president and Transportation Practice Leader for ACE Risk Management. “Federal safety programs were originally launched in the 1990s. These recent changes, however, mean fleet safety has taken on a new level of urgency as executives work to understand the new regulations and how it will impact their business.”

“Fleet Safety: Understanding New Regulations,” was authored by Jack Scarborough, senior health, safety and environmental consultant at ESIS, Inc., the risk management services division of the ACE Group.

In the white paper, Scarborough noted that while many of the original requirements have remained unchanged, the process set forth by the FMCSA SAFER system has been re-engineered to provide a better view into how well large commercial motor vehicle carriers and drivers are complying with safety rules.

Scarborough remarked, “These evolving regulatory measures put additional pressure on commercial motor vehicle carriers to reduce safety violations.”

The white paper includes links to materials provided by the FMCSA and explains that to most effectively implement the new standards, companies should work with experienced fleet consultants who focus on the FMCSA program requirements to support them in their efforts to identify risks and implement solutions.

As part of a thorough risk management program, companies should partner with an insurance carrier and risk control consultants specializing in the transportation industry, ACE recommended.