Despite relatively easy reporting and repair or replacement of a defective vehicle or part at no cost, some truck fleets delay reporting and fixing defects to avoid lost revenue from sidelined equipment. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) depends on truck fleets to report a dangerous vehicle manufacturing or design defect, so that…
While most truck drivers are independent contractors that contract themselves out on a job-by-job basis, others are employed by trucking or shipping companies. In the event of a trucking accident, under legal theory known as “vicarious liability,” a company that employs a truck driver involved in an accident can be held liable for the accident…
An improperly balanced load is a leading cause of death among truck drivers. While it is common to blame the driver in an accident, even the safest, most professional driver cannot control a truck that is overloaded or improperly balanced and tied down. Truckers are paid for each mile they drive, and the trucking companies…
By now, you may be familiar with the ubiquitous red-orange bikes around town. They are the meat of Portland’s Nike-sponsored bike-share program, Biketown. The program officially launched nearly a year ago in June 2016 after several years of development and logistical setbacks. Portland’s Struggle to Acquire Biketown Portland has long held the reputation of being…
Nike-sponsored Biketown is Portland’s premier bike-share program. A thousand bright red-orange bikes eagerly await commuters at one hundred stations across downtown and local neighborhoods. At $2.50/ hour or $12 for a full day, these bikes are attractive and convenient options for city transportation. The program launched in July 2016 with extremely promising results. A total…
Portland is known for its strong bike culture; the state of Oregon boasts the nation’s highest percentage of cycling commuters, with nearly 8% of the population choosing the eco-friendly alternative to sitting in rush hour traffic. Each year that goes by, Portlanders see more bike-friendly improvements to city streets; yet they also see more cyclists,…
Despite well-intentioned plans to reduce the number of fatalities on Portland streets, 2016 saw an uptick in traffic fatalities compared with 2015. Although 2015 was the deadliest year to be on Oregon roads since 2008, in Portland, 2016 outpaced the preceding year with 44 traffic fatalities compared with 37 in 2015. The majority of these…
If you’re shopping around for a used car, you are probably searching for one that has a clean title. Yet if you search online your eyes may be drawn to seemingly perfect vehicles — with incredibly attractive prices and low mileage — only later to find out that their title states “Salvage.” You might get…
Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming Wow! What a Ride!Hunter S. Thompson Motorcycles have been around since the second…
Some fear them, some are ready to welcome them with open arms. A question that many wonder is “When will self-driving cars hit the road?” While we are not any closer to the human-controlled flying cars imagined on The Jetsons, we are making huge leaps in automated technology. Self-driving cars are being tested on closed tracks and…