In a press release, Schneider announced it will replace one-third of its fleet of 10,000, by the end of 2012, at a rate of 75 new trucks per week.
The new trucks will be 2012 and 2013 Freightliners equipped with the OnGuard collision mitigation system, which allows drivers to recognize and respond to potentially dangerous driving situations that could lead to a rear-ending collision.
OnGuard features a forward-looking radar sensor that monitors the distance, speed and deceleration of the vehicle ahead and alerts the driver to take appropriate measures to avoid a collision.
Safety first and always is our number-one core value, which means we always look for new ways to prevent crashes that could endanger our drivers and the motoring public, says Don Osterberg, senior vice president of safety and security at Schneider National. OnGuard certainly meets that goal. Our drivers are trained to keep a safe following distance of 7 seconds on dry pavement and at least 14 seconds on wet or snowy roads, but if a situation should arise where the gap between our truck and the vehicle in front closes to less than 3.6 seconds, a warning will sound, allowing the driver to take the necessary steps to regain a safe cushion. If the driver fails to take appropriate action, the system will deactivate the cruise control, depower the engine and even apply the brakes to avoid a collision.