GAO-NSIAD-99-82-B-282071
MILITARY SAFETY
Army M939 5-Ton Truck Accident History and Planned Modifications
APRIL 1999
GAO-NSIAD-99-82-B-282071 - Page 2 of 23
GAO
United States
General Accounting Office
Washington, D.C. 20548
National Security and
International Affairs Division
B-282071
April 9, 1999
The Honorable Christopher J. Dodd
The Honorable Joseph I. Lieberman
United States Senate
The Honorable Rosa L. Delauro
House of Representatives
In April 1997, two U.S. Army Reserve soldiers were fatally injured during a
training exercise at a U.S. Army installation. Both were passengers in a
M939 series 5-ton tactical cargo truck that overturned. In response to your
request, this report identifies (1) the extent to which accidents involving
the M939 series 5-ton tactical cargo truck have occurred and (2) the results
of Army studies on the truck’s design and its plans to address any
identified deficiencies. You also asked us to evaluate the adequacy of the
Army’s training program for the drivers of the M939 truck because
inadequate training could be a contributing factor in accidents. This issue
will be addressed in a later report.
Background
The Army classifies its vehicles on the basis of such factors as function
and physical characteristics. For example, tracked vehicles (Abrams
Tanks and Bradley Fighting Vehicles) are classified as Army combat
vehicles; wheeled vehicles (trucks, automobiles, cycles, and buses) are
classified as Army motor vehicles. Within the Army motor vehicle
grouping, vehicles are further separated into tactical and non-tactical
categories and within the tactical grouping, into light, medium, and heavy
classifications based primarily on vehicle weight. The M939 series trucks
are accounted for as part of the Army motor vehicle’s medium tactical
fleet.
The Army reviews operational requirements for its vehicle fleet in an effort
to improve readiness. From January 1983 through October 1993, the Army
upgraded its 5-ton medium tactical fleet by purchasing about 34,900 M939s
to replace aging and obsolete trucks. The new truck, designed to operate
on and off road, maintained the basic design of its predecessors but came
equipped with such first-time standard equipment as air-brakes and
automatic transmissions. At present, the Army has three variations and
nearly 40 different models of the M939 in its inventory. Depending on the
model, the truck performs multiple duties that include hauling cargo,
GAO/NSIAD-99-82 Military Safety
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