The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) Operation Safe Driver Week will take place July 11-17, 2021. During this weeklong initiative, law enforcement personnel will be on the lookout for drivers of commercial motor vehicles and passenger vehicles engaging in risky driving behaviors. In an effort to reduce dangerous driving practices and increase safety on the road, those who are identified as unsafe drivers will be pulled over and issued a citation or warning.

During last year’s Operation Safe Driver Week, enforcement officers from 55 U.S. and Canadian jurisdictions observed 66,421 drivers engaging in unsafe driver behaviors on roadways and issued 71,343 warnings and citations. In 2020, speeding was the most cited traffic enforcement violation for commercial motor vehicle drivers, followed by failure to use a seat belt, failure to obey a traffic control device, using a hand-held phone/texting, and improper lane change.  

Operation Safe Driver Week can lead to tight capacity and longer transit times for shipments. At Echo Global Logistics, we’re here to help both shippers and carriers prepare for and manage through the upcoming initiative.

Tips for Shippers

Operation Safe Driver Week can limit capacity and cause transit delays. Here’s what shippers can do to mitigate possible issues during this time:

• Factor in the longer lead time it may take to source trucks
• Build flexibility into your delivery date
• If possible, adjust shipment pick-ups to take place before Operation Safe Driver Week
• For non-critical shipments, determine if you can hold orders until after the safety initiative ends
• If the load is critical, evaluate expedited options with time-definite services
• Leverage Echo’s industry expertise and multimodal shipping solutions to explore alternate transportation options

Tips for Carriers

It’s important for carriers to focus on a culture of safety, not just during Operation Safe Driver Week, but all year round. Here are some recommended actions for drivers to observe to avoid violations:

• Ensure you are following speed limits as speeding will be a focus area during the safety event this year
• Abide by common traffic laws, obey traffic control devices, and wear your seat belt
• Do not engage in dangerous driving behaviors like reckless or aggressive driving, distracted driving, following too closely, improper lane changes, etc.
• Continue to operate within the Hours of Service (HOS)regulations as required to make sure you are well-rested and alert when driving

At Echo, we’re here to steer you through the upcoming Operation Safe Driver Week. Our team of logistics professionals can evaluate your transportation needs, discover efficiencies, and simplify your transportation management. We leverage our unique combination of industry expertise, best-in-class technology, and award-winning customer service to make sure you get the best solutions for your business during Operation Safe Driver Week and all year round.

If you'd like to learn more about how Echo can help you prepare for Operation Safe Driver Week, contact us today at 800-354-7993 or info@echo.com, or request a quote for a shipment.