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TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2023.03.25

TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2023.03.25 is the trucking commentary on news affecting professional truck drivers for the week ending March 25, 2023, written by Vicki Simons.

We welcome your comments, thoughts and feedback on the items of your choice below.

TDMST Weekly Round-Up

1. Regarding acquisition, coalition, AB5, and California:

Acquisition

Given that Mike and I used to work for both of these trucking companies, I am surprised by this acquisition.

DAT TruckersEdge - Most Loads. Best Rates. Serving Owner-Operators Since 1978. 10% off your first 12 months. New customers only.

Of course, that was a very long time ago and various circumstances may have changed since then…

Coalition

According to the first bulleted article linked below in this section:

The creation of the organization comes as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced new rules limiting emissions from heavy-duty trucks, and California announced its own, even stricter proposed standards, which mandate zero-emission trucks, including the elimination of medium- and heavy-duty trucks powered by diesel or gasoline by 2040.

Please be discerning regarding terms like “no emissions”, “zero emissions”, and “clean energy” because humans, many animals, and even plants “emit gas” every time we “exhale”.

According to a March 9, 2023, resource:

Pursuing the so-called “net zero” agenda to reduce emissions to nothing by 2050 is extremely dangerous and would be devastating to American families, aside from being totally impossible to achieve, warned retired chemist Marty Cornell…

If you plan to buy an electric commercial motor vehicle in order to supposedly “be a good steward of the earth”, please do your full due diligence.

AB5

Quote from the article linked just above:

The exemptions of Uber, Lyft, and Door Dash drivers add insult to the injury hard-working truckers suffered. While ride-share and food deliveries may make a life for Californians more convenient, truckers deliver 72 percent of America’s goods and materials. Denying CDL holders the right to work for themselves appears wholly inconsistent with how other occupations have been treated.

California

Corroborating with the first article in the section just above,

California Farmers: “We’ve Lost EVERYTHING” — $BILLIONS of Food Lost in Floods in State that Produces Half of America’s Agriculture

Summarizing from the article linked just above, the California counties hit hard by flooding include:

  • Kern County: the nation’s #1 county in agricultural production;
  • Tulare County: second largest county in the U.S. in terms of food production;
  • Fresno County: the nation’s 3rd largest producer of agriculture;
  • Monterey County: the 4th largest county in the U.S. in terms of agriculture production.

Not only has food been lost, but opportunities to haul the food have also been lost. 🙁

2. Regarding accidents, safety, speed, and violence:

Accidents

Please review these articles about accidents and seek to avoid being involved in the same kinds of set-ups that led to them.

Safety

Speed

Violence

3. Regarding fuel, emissions, carbon, electric vehicles, and autonomous vehicles:

Fuel

Emissions

Carbon

Electric vehicles

Autonomous vehicles

I totally oppose the operation of self-driving, autonomous, or driverless commercial motor vehicles on the same roads as the motoring public, but share these articles to help you stay current on the topic.

4. Regarding economy, maintenance, and UCR fees:

Economy

Maintenance

UCR fees

5. Regarding border, broker, business, and insurance:

Border

Broker

Business

Insurance

6. Regarding age, lifestyle, and technology:

Age

Quote from article:

Maybe the same problems — low wages and poor working conditions — that are making older drivers leave the industry are what’s preventing teens from wanting to join in the first place.

Lifestyle

Do you agree with the statistics cited in the infographic linked just above?

Please comment through the form above.

Thanks.

Technology

There are various kinds of technology, some of which may be helpful and some of which may be considered invasive.

Please do your due diligence regarding the pros and cons of any device or system before you invest in it.

7. Regarding drugs, fraud, legal, marijuana, and smuggling:

Drugs

Never ever haul illegal drugs, no matter how large of a payout you may have been promised!

Fraud

Legal

Marijuana

Quote from the article above:

It is a sad situation that this testing for marijuana results in truck drivers losing their jobs because of actions they took in their private time that do not interfere with their work. The toughest part of fixing this problem will likely be people in the US government letting go of drug war priorities that prevent changing policy to make it more in line with advancing liberty and safety.

Do you agree or disagree with the quote above?

Please comment through the form below.

Smuggling

Never ever agree to transport people like they are cattle or cargo, no matter how large of a payout you may have been promised!

8. Regarding platooning, politics, and weight:

Platooning

Politics

Weight

9. Regarding ports and supply chain:

Ports

Supply chain

10. Regarding rates, seized money, and taxes:

Rates

Seized money

Quote from the first article linked in the section just above:

It has taken two and a half years, but truck company owner Jerry Johnson has gotten his $39.5K back that was seized on his way to an auction in Phoenix.

I am glad that this has resolved well for this trucker and trucking company owner!

Taxes

11. Regarding purchases, recalls, and shut down:

Purchases

Recalls

Shut down

12. Regarding recognition, award nominees sought, and skills:

Recognition

We are grateful any time someone comes to the aid of a person in need of help.

Award nominees sought

Skills

We applaud the drivers who used their professional driving skills in noteworthy ways.

My husband Mike and I wish you — and all professional truck drivers — safe travels and lots of money saving opportunities on the road.






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