US government lauds handling of Volvo recall

by Truck News

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The US Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is lauding the handling of an unprecedented recall earlier this year.

The agency announced 100% of the nearly 16,000 affected Volvo trucks have been accounted for. The trucks had a serious steering defect that needed to be identified and repaired. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) worked with the FMCSA and Volvo to locate the trucks.

“Over the last nine months, our USDOT team and Volvo Trucks have been laser-focused on protecting the motoring public by ensuring that every one of these recalled heavy trucks was identified and removed from our roadways until they were repaired,” said US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.  “This extraordinary effort, covering such a large number of vehicles, now with a confirmed 100 percent achievement of the safety recall, averted the risk of injury or death to not only the truck drivers, but also to everyone sharing the road.”

The recall marked the first time NHTSA called on FMCSA for help in managing it. An immediate out-of-service order was placed on affected trucks.

Volvo also took unprecedented steps and “innovative methods” to reach owners and drivers, the FMCSA says.

“The successful conclusion of this large-scale national recall is a testament to the vital importance of everyone working together,” said FMCSA Administrator Scott Darling.  “Many people were called upon to play a role in alerting carriers and drivers of the recall – from the trucking trade media to roadside safety inspectors.  I am confident that all of our safety goals can likewise be achieved through this model of collaboration and partnership.”

The FMCSA says to reach 100% of affected vehicles is rare.

“We applaud Volvo Trucks’ commitment to addressing every one of these trucks,” said NHTSA Administrator Dr. Mark Rosekind. “Not only has every truck been found, they were repaired or taken out of service before there was any serious crash tied to this dangerous defect. This is exactly what proactive safety is all about.”

 


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