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What is Washington, D.C.'s Truck Restriction Camera Program?

Washington D.C.'s Truck Restriction Camera Program utilizes automated enforcement cameras to monitor and enforce truck restrictions on certain roads within the District. The program aims to ensure that commercial vehicles adhere to designated truck routes and restrictions, promoting safety and minimizing the impact of heavy traffic on specific streets.

Here's how the program typically works:

Real-Time Tracking with GPS Connectivity Solutions for Fleets

It is obvious that managing a whole fleet as an individual manager is hectic. Fortunately, with advancing technology, fleet companies have been able to manage every task at hand due to the availability of GPS connectivity for fleets.

All fleet operations that use GPS connectivity solutions can now obtain their vehicles’ locations, the amount of fuel used so far, as well as information about vehicle conditions anytime they need to. So, what exactly is GPS for fleets? How exactly does it work? If your fleet business requires it, how will the equipment be installed? What are the benefits of using GPS in a fleet? Let’s find out.

GPS Connectivity

GPS is an abbreviation for the global positioning system. This is a system that is linked to navigational satellites and also ground stations. It is used to locate a vehicle with an installed GPS device or anything else with a GPS receiver like a smartphone or even a smartwatch. GPS is an essential part of navigation in modern life.

How Does It Work?

The system works through a method known as trilateration. To navigate, a GPS-enabled device requires a minimum of four satellites and unobstructed sightlines. Then, the device makes all the other calculations concerning the location and the GPS receiver’s time.

Three satellites produce the location of the GPS receiver on the surface of the earth. The last one is commonly used to confirm information from the other three satellites. The fourth satellite is also responsible for calculating the altitude of a receiver, moving us into the third dimension.

How to Install GPS Connectivity

As a fleet manager, you need to understand how to install GPS connectivity in your fleet. This is simple. Mainly two methods are used.

·   Use a plug-and-play device – This method requires power. It can only be found in a fleet vehicle's OBD port. The process is easy. You just need to know where the OBD connector is. Then, you plug in the GPS device, register, and finally start tracking your vehicles.

·   GPS management software – This software helps fleet managers to monitor the real-time locations of the vehicles, their speeds, and many other functions. The good thing is that the software, which mostly comes as an app, can be installed on smartphones.

Eyeride LLC is a company that sells GPS connectivity solutions like internet-enabled GPS trackers and cameras that your business requires to manage the fleet. It is the best place to purchase this equipment.

Advantages of GPS

There are a lot of advantages that come with the real-time tracking of your fleet using GPS.

·   Cheap – This system is very affordable, unlike other navigation systems, which require a lot of money to buy and install.

·   Easy to use – GPS makes the fleet’s navigation easier as it will tell drivers all the directions and all the turns to take to reach the right destination.

·   Helps in fleet management – It is easy to manage your fleet using GPS no matter how many vehicles your fleet has. 

Conclusion

If you were wondering whether or not to start real-time tracking with GPS for your fleet, now is the time. Your business productivity will increase, and the whole management process will be easier.

How to Safely Share the Road with Big Trucks

Big trucks are always on roadways across the nation. If they are involved in an accident, it can be much more severe than accidents involving only passenger vehicles.

In one recent year, just tanker trucks specifically were involved in 5,733 crashes. Of those, 372 were deadly. This doesn’t even take into account all the other types of big trucks on the road.

Trying to avoid big trucks can be an important part of staying safe on the road, as can defensive driving techniques.

The following are things to keep in mind when it comes to safely share the road with big trucks or even staying away from them as much as you can.

Give Them Space

The most important thing you can do on the roadway is given big trucks, as well as buses and RVs, plenty of space. Give them significantly more space than you would even another passenger vehicle.

When you give big trucks more space, you’re shielding yourself from a lot of potential risk of sharing the road with them. It’s one of the single most effective tactics to protect yourself, along with remaining vigilant and alert.

You should aim to give regular passenger vehicles a three-second distance at least, so with big vehicles and trucks, go for at least five.

Also, as a side note, if you can’t see the truck driver’s face in their mirrors, they can’t see you.

Along with generally leaving enough space when you’re near a big truck, ensure that you leave enough room for trucks to change lanes when they need to and never pull over in front of big trucks. A truck driver doesn’t have the ability to stop quickly, especially if they’re pulling a heavy load.

Be Cognizant of Cargo

It’s not just the truck itself that can be potentially dangerous to share the road with when you’re driving. You need to watch out for the cargo too.

For example, if you’re driving too near a flatbed truck with oversized cargo and the load falls, it can cause severe injuries to people nearby in a passenger vehicle.

As far as 18-wheelers with closed trailers, if you see the trailer doors looking partially open or perhaps moving, then it could mean they aren’t secured the right way. You should move out of the way.

Give Room for Turns

A lot of accidents involving big trucks occur when they are trying to turn. Watch out for a truck’s signals.

If a truck driver is signaling they need to turn right, don’t pull up to the trucks’ right side. They need the space for a wide turn.

Know Trucks’ Blind Spots

By understanding the blind spots of a truck and the driver, you’re more prepared to make safe driving decisions.

For example, truck blind spots can include areas on either side of the truck and the area that’s right in front of it. The area right behind a truck is also a blind spot.

Don’t spend time in a truck’s blind spots if at all possible. You might need to slow down or speed up to get out of a blind spot.

Overall, try not to ever drive right next to a truck.

Pass Quickly

If you have to pass a truck, do so as fast as you can. Due to the blind spots listed above, truck drivers might not be aware of what you’re doing or even that you’re there in the first place. If you’re going to pass a truck, ensure you have ample space.

Use Your Turn Signals

Turn signals are something that is so important for all drivers. If you’re going to be changing lanes or turning, use your signals. Truck drivers need those signals to know what they should do next.

Be Mindful of Driving

When a truck driver is tired, texting, or even under the influence of substances, you might notice them drifting between lanes. Trucks can also drift when the winds are high and the vehicle is pushed around, especially if the truck isn’t fully loaded.

Watch for indications a truck is drifting, and stay as far away as you reasonably can.

Overall, following defensive driving guidelines will be best to avoid getting into an accident with a big truck. There are certain things you can’t control on the roadway, but you can fully control your own driving behavior and decisions.

Avoid any sudden lane changes or movements and give notice if you need to make a change.

Truck safety accessories and upgrades that are worth the investment

In the past years, the transportation industry has been one of the first to take advantage of the latest tech innovations and most drivers, both commercial and personal, enjoy state-of-the-art upgrades that once seemed too good to be true. Improvements have been made in all aspects of car quality, but safety is perhaps the one that changed the most.

From autonomous emergency braking to lane assist technology and blind-spot detection, modern cars are getting safer. As more and more countries have pledged to take measures to reduce road fatalities, we can expect these groundbreaking technologies to become mainstream.

However, there’s one automotive industry where innovations don’t have the same adoption rate: the trucking industry. Every year, around 250,000 truck drivers are involved in crashes and 2% of these crashes result in death. This makes being a truck driver one of the most dangerous jobs in America.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, most of these accidents are caused by a lack of safety gear, so it’s important to take extensive measures. At present, there are a number of initiatives that are set to reduce the rate of truck accidents, such as the placement of large video displays on the back of trucks and the use of cameras and radar sensors. Although these measures are a reason to optimistic, it will undoubtedly take some time until all trucks are fitted with safety upgrades.

Whether you have a trucking business or you simply own a personal truck and want to make it safer, these are the essential upgrades you should invest in: 

Mudflaps

If your truck doesn’t have a mud flap by now, you should get one as soon as possible. As you probably know by now, driving a truck can take you through some challenging off-road conditions. You will have to pass areas with a lot of mud and rocks, which not only can ruin the way your truck looks, but also cause some serious safety issues. A mudflap can prevent this.

Mudflaps are special vehicle guards that you place behind the vehicle’s tires to protect it from road debris and certain substances that can affect it, such as salt and de-icing solutions. They can be made either from rubber or sheet metal and, because they’re very durable, they will protect your truck’s mechanical parts for a long time.

Many truck owners buy mud flaps for their decorative purposes and it’s true that this is a handy additional benefit. By customizing your mud flap, you can also advertise your business. However, when buying a mud flap, make sure you choose it for its quality and level of protection, not its aesthetic appeal because safety should always come first. 

Fender flares

Fender flares are an extension of the truck fender that provides additional coverage from the debris thrown into the air by the tire. And while it may seem like fender flares only have an aesthetic purpose – keeping your truck free from mud and other debris – they actually improve safety as well. When driving at high speeds unfinished roads, the smallest gravel can seriously damage your truck if you don’t have a fender. In some US states, installing fender flares on your truck is required by law, so make sure you check this if you’ve just bought your truck. 

Truck winches

You can never be too prepared for sticky situations. Literally. When you take your truck off-road, there’s the risk of being stuck in mud or water, and when that happens, a regular rope or cable won’t do the trick. This is where a strong truck winch can save the day.

Truck winches are durable, motorized cables that can easily pull a truck’s weight from mud and other obstacles so that even the hardest off-road conditions will become more manageable. Every truck driver knows just how frustrating it can be to be stuck, with no cell reception to call a towing service, or waiting for hours until someone comes to help you out. A good truck winch and help you get out of these sticky situations yourself so that you don’t have to call the towers. Needless to say, this accessory pays for itself because it’s much cheaper than having your car towed long distances. And you won’t be the only one who’ll be grateful. If another driver gets stuck on the road, you can always use your truck winch to help them out. 

Lightbars

In most cases, the life of a truck driver means navigating rough terrain for miles and miles, including at night. And while you may think that your stock lights are enough, many car safety experts argue that you need advanced lighting solutions to be protected on the road.

Lightbars provide significantly more light, which means that you will be able to clearly distinguish your surroundings and spot even the smallest obstacle on the road. When driving late at night on roads with no lighting, light bars will help you see if the road ahead is damaged and spot pedestrians and animals from afar. And you’ll never miss the first exit again. Even though they’re not the most important safety upgrade, light bars can make the difference between getting home safe and having an accident, which is why every responsible truck driver should consider getting them.