Vision Zero and Trucks

Since Vision Zero was first implemented in the area there has only been one cyclist fatality involving a truck, but there have certainly been more collision, injuries and other road user deaths. NYC is taking steps to reduce the risks that large trucks bring with them, and they're having success and saving money, because crashing into people is deadly and into things is expensive.

Since New York City announced its Vision Zero initiative in 2014, collisions per mile have dropped across the city’s fleet, the fleet has seen a reduction in red light and speeding violations and traffic fatalities have declined by 26 percent, while they have increased by 13 percent nationally.

“One of the things we know from our crash tracking is that 50 percent of the collisions that we are involved with that lead to litigations and claims are rear-end events due to tailgating and speeding. It’s a $50 million program for the city, and it’s a very simple thing to avoid. We do focus on training, and we think that’s where everyone should start.”

In addition to training, they're only buying high visibility vehicles when they're available. These trucks minimize blind spots by lowering the height of the truck cab, using additional windows and reducing the size and height of the truck’s hood.

This includes vehicles like tow trucks, garbage trucks and dump trucks, among other types. Overall, New York City operates at least 2,500 conventionally designed work trucks that could be transitioned to high vision trucks through this initiative.

As part of the initiative, the city adopted a Vision Zero Safe Fleet Transition Plan (SFTP), which was first published in May 2017 and outlines a series of safety investments that DCAS will require of fleet vehicles. In less than two years, the SFTP has resulted in the implementation of nearly 20,000 safety upgrades, including expanded use of automatic braking, backup cameras, driver alert systems, blind spot alerts, heated mirrors, truck side guards and vehicle telematics. 

The SFTP notes that 

In 2015, the expansion of Automatic emergency braking (AEB) to avoid or mitigate collisions involving pedestrians/bicyclists topped the list of measures considered likely to be cost-beneficial for possible future legislation by the EU in a Transport Research Laboratory report

The Volvo Trucks Safety Report 2017 finds that pedestrian-capable AEB or Forward Collision Warning (FCW) could be relevant for preventing or mitigating about 40 percent of crashes between large trucks and bicyclists or pedestrians in Europe.

In addition, NACTO recommends buying smaller vehicles where possible. 

“In our research, we found that it’s possible to have the best of both worlds: smaller, more maneuverable trucks, with the same capabilities as larger, less nimble models,” said Jonah Chiarenza of the U.S. Department of Transportation Volpe Center in a release. “As cities look at new models in the life cycle of replacing their fleets, this win-win dynamic can help make for safer streets.”

Like smaller Vision Zero fire trucks.

Meanwhile, UPS is experimenting with using electric-assist tricycles in Seattle. 

In the new system, cyclists will pull a trailer from UPS’ distribution center to a vehicle parking spot downtown. They’ll drop off the trailer, then ride on sidewalks and in designated bike lanes to make deliveries in narrow and congested areas, like Pike Place Market.

UPS partnered with the Seattle Department of Transportation to develop the pilot project. Riders will be trained to follow city ordinances.

These are things we should be trying in DC. There are ways to incentivize UPS to not drive in the CBD during rush hour, for example.

UPS started out as a bicycle delivery company in Seattle. It'd be great if they found their way back to that - at least in part. 

Comments

[contrarian]

Coincidentally, I was just reading about Honda Lanewatch:
"With Honda LaneWatch™, anytime you signal right, the camera on the passenger-side mirror will turn on and display live video on your 8-inch Display Audio Touch-Screen, revealing nearly four times more than the average passenger-side mirror."

Seems like that could be made mandatory on trucks at nominal cost.

[contrarian]

I'm not crazy about the UPS tricycle on the sidewalk.

[Brendan]

Not likely in DC. The Fire Department about 5 years ago embarked on a campaign to modify each firehouse with wider doors to accommodate larger trucks that they say were compelled by new EPA regulations. When asked about smaller trucks to avoid the cost of retrofitting all firehouses, they said no, EPA is "making us."