UPS to equip Class 8 trucks with collision mitigation technology

The parcel delivery and logistics provider will have advanced collision mitigation technology in 60 percent of its Class 8 fleet once installation is complete.    Package delivery and logistics provider UPS is equipping more than 5,700 of its existing Class 8 trucks with advanced collision mitigation technology to alert drivers to moving and stationary objects in front and surrounding the truck, the company said in a statement.
   More than 60 percent of UPS’s Class 8 tractor fleet, or 11,000 vehicles, will utilize the collision mitigation technology, as every new Class 8 tractor purchased since June 2015 includes the technology, said UPS. The technology provides drivers with blind spot warnings, lane departure warnings, electronic stability control, and forward collision warning with automatic brake application, as well as adaptive cruise control, which helps the driver maintain a constant distance behind the vehicle in front of the UPS tractor. Secondary benefits include reducing the accordion effect caused by traffic and, from that, enhanced fuel economy, said UPS.
   “UPS has some of the safest drivers on the road, and some of our best drivers have told us that collision mitigation systems help make them even better drivers,” said Carlton Rose, president of global fleet maintenance and engineering for UPS. “This investment is indicative of UPS’s commitment to the safety of our employees, their families, our customers and the motoring public.”
   While UPS’s 102,000 drivers are trained in safe driving methods through the company’s defensive driving platform, the technology is a welcome change for many. 
   “Driving conditions can change quickly. Collision mitigation technology is like an extra set of eyes that helps you make decisions more quickly, especially when you’re driving in rain or fog,” said Lexington, Ky., based UPS driver Dale Brenaman. UPS freight driver and American Trucking Association’s America’s Road Team Captain from East Berlin, Penn. John McKnown said, “As truck drivers, we all know the right side of our vehicle is our largest blind spot. Now we have technology that watches this every second of the day. Initially, I thought the blind spot alarms would be an annoyance, but now that I’ve driven with this technology I’ve become a believer.”