NHTSA complaint: FREIGHTLINER BUSINESS CLASS — FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
I AM THE HAZARDOUS MATERIALS RESPONSE TEAM COORDINATOR FOR PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MARYLAND. I HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT THE WAY DIESEL FULE IS CURRENTLY CARRIED IN THE FUEL SYSTEMS OF MODERN COMMERCIAL TRACTORS. *AK I HAVE NOTICED OVER THE YEARS THAT THE CROSS-OVER FUEL LINE THAT RAN BETWEEN THESE TANKS HAS BECOME LESS COMMON AS IT WAS VERY SUSCEPTIBLE TO DAMAGE FROM ROADWAY DEBRIS. ALTHOUGH THIS DAMAGE AND RESULTING SPILL WAS COMMON, THE CONTROL OF SUCH A LEAK WAS USUALLY SIMPLE AS THIS CROSS-OVER LINE WAS TYPICALLY EQUIPPED WITH A VALVE ON EITHER END. THIS "FIX" HAS LED TO A DIFFERENT ISSUE THAT IS JUST AS, IF NOT MORE, PROBLEMATIC. NOW MOST FUEL LINES RUN FROM THE FUEL TANKS THROUGH A COMMON MANIFOLD. DUE TO THIS ARRANGEMENT, A LEAK IN ONE TANK WILL SIPHON MOST OF THE FUEL FROM THE OTHER TANK. MOST TRUCKS ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH VALVES TO ISOLATE THE TANKS OR OTHERWISE PREVENT THE SPILL OF THE ENTIRE CONTENTS OF BOTH TANKS. I HAVE SEEN A SINGLE TRUCK FROM A COMPANY IN QUEBEC, THAT WAS EQUIPPED WITH ISOLATION VALVES. A HAVE BEEN REFERRED TO NHTSA, BY PEOPLE AT FMSCA. THE BEST ACCESS I HAVE FOUND IS THIS COMPLAINT SITE. MY INTENT IS TO POTENTIALLY CAUSE AN IMPROVEMENT IN SAFETY EITHER BY REGULATION OR INDUSTRY ACCEPTANCE. THE MOTIVATION IS CLEARLY TO PREVENT FURTHER INJURY FROM MOTOR FUELS SPILLED AND ALSO TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT. FROM A RISK MANAGEMENT PERSPECTIVE, MOTOR CARRIERS TYPICALLY ARE SPENDING THOUSANDS OF DOLLAR TO CLEAN UP FUE
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation