TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2023.04.01 is the trucking commentary on news affecting professional truck drivers for the week ending April 1, 2023, written by Vicki Simons.
We welcome your comments, thoughts and feedback on the items of your choice below.
1. Regarding inspections, road rage, safety, staged, violations, and violence:
Inspections
If you keep yourself and your truck ready for an inspection at any time, you’ll never be caught off-guard.
For more on this subject, please see:
- Captain of the Ship Policy and Unsafe Working Conditions
- Refuse to Drive a Truck When These Situations Happen
- Out of Service Truck: Trucker Stages a Showdown
Now, the articles for this week…
- 184 out of service orders issued during two day ‘zero-tolerance’ CMV detail in Arizona
- Brake assembly nearly hits Oklahoma trooper at 70 m.p.h., loose lug nuts blamed
- CVSA, fleets share maintenance tips ahead of Roadcheck
- International Roadcheck is quickly approaching; here’s how to prepare
- Law enforcement in 15 states to take part in I-95 traffic blitz
- Oklahoma Highway Patrol points out dangerous problem for big rig driver
- The year’s biggest CMV blitz is coming soon — Here’s a ‘cheat sheet’ on CVSA Level I inspections
- This dash cam video featuring a flying Kia makes a pretty good case for pre-trips for four wheelers
- What Truckers Need to Know About Upcoming International Roadcheck
Road rage
Seek to diffuse potential road rage situations before they erupt.
It is not always be the case, but don’t let pride get the best of you when you’re driving.
Remember that professional truck drivers used to be considered the “white knights of the highway.”
- Nebraska troopers arrest semi driver for road rage threat during winter storm
- Truck driver arrested for trying to run fellow trucker off I-49 in incident caught on video
- Video captures 2 big rigs in road rage scene along I-49
- Video shows big riggers battling on Louisiana interstate
Safety
One way to help you practice safety is to think in concentric circles about what is around you, starting from the nearest and working outward
Sometimes, people are so caught up with what is on their phones that they don’t even pay attention to what is happening around them.
Also, don’t “flash cash,” but rather be prudent.
- 6 Steps to a Safer Trucking Fleet
- CTDOT launches new speed safety camera program for work zones
- Daily Infographic: Tips for trucker safety
- Survey finds majority of women drivers feel safe sleeping in their trucks
- Survey shows that 68% of female truckers feel safe on the job
Staged
Violations
Violence
- Trucker guilty of first degree murder in road rage shooting of fellow truck driver on I-81
- Trucker wounded in Interstate 5 shooting north of Los Angeles
- Trucker wounded, suspects at large, following shooting on I-5 at Grapevine
2. Regarding batteries, charging, and electric vehicles:
If you are looking to buy a new electric truck, please do your own due diligence first.
Batteries
Charging
- California installs first battery charger for heavy trucks
- California’s first public truck chargers installed at Truck Net LLC
- Funding available for Indigenous-led vehicle charging and awareness projects
Electric
- California mandates electric trucks
- California Truck Stop Opens Public Charging for HD Electric Trucks
- California will require half of trucks sold in 2035 be electric
- Electric Truck Market Considers Infrastructure Reality
- EV Charging Kicks Off Its Own Industry Trade Show
- EV Infrastructure – Can Communities Keep Up with Demand
- EV Startup Lucid to Cut 1,300 Jobs, 18% of Its Workforce
- How Government Incentives Drive Electric Truck Adoption
- Many Electric Vehicles to Lose Big Tax Credit With New Rules
- Nikola says it has orders for 100 FCEV Class 8 trucks
- PacLease Places First Leased Electric Peterbilts into Service
- Shyft Group Debuts Class 5 All-Electric Crew Cab
- Solar Roofs Are Being Used to Power EVs
- Truck hauling lithium batteries explodes at Alabama truck stop
- US Challenges China’s EV Supply Chain
- US, Japan reach deal on vital minerals for EV batteries
- US, Japan Reach Deal on Vital Minerals for EV Batteries
3. Regarding fuel, emissions, and autonomous vehicles:
Fuel
- AAA retail diesel average now $4.238
- Average US diesel prices down for 8th straight week
- California lawmakers OK potential fines for high fuel prices
- DOE/EIA diesel price nears pre-Ukraine-invasion level with latest drop
- Eighth-Straight Weekly Drop Brings Diesel to $4.128 a Gallon
- Hydrogen truck deployment with Tesla charger model considered by experts
- New California Gas Price Law Another Defeat for Oil Industry
- Nikola Could Score $1 Million a Day in Hydrogen Incentives
- Weekly Fuel Report: March 28, 2023
Emissions
- California expected to accelerate deadline for zero-emissions trucks
- California gets EPA waiver to move ahead with Advanced Clean Trucks rule
- Cummins expects to beat EPA emission regs by a year
- EPA Enables California to Enact its Strict Truck Zero-Emission Rule
- How Will EPA’s 2027 Ultra-Low-NOx Rule Affect Trucking? [Podcast]
- How Will EPA’s 2027 Ultra-Low-NOx Rule Affect Trucking?
- Stricter Truck Emissions Standards are a Gorilla of a Monkey Wrench [Commentary]
- Zero emissions as a service, meal kit logistics and trucker fitness – WTT
Autonomous vehicles
I most definitely oppose the operation of self-driving, driverless, and autonomous commercial motor vehicles on the same roads as the motoring public, but share these articles to help you stay current on the topic.
- Q&A: AEye’s Andrew Nelson on Lidar’s Role in Autonomous Trucking
- What if Autonomous Trucks Don’t Deliver?
4. Regarding accidents, death, fatalities, fraud, and health:
Accident
Death
Fatalities
We extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to the families whose loved ones passed away.
Please scan the articles to see if there are any clues that led up to the fatalities so that you not repeat those actions.
- Firefighter killed, two troopers hurt, when semi driver ‘disregarded’ traffic control devices on I-35
- Police: Impaired semi-truck driver kills 4 people changing tire
- Semi truck driver arrested following hit and run that killed tow driver in Oklahoma
- Tesla sued after two die following crash into parked big rig at Florida rest stop
- Truck driver charged with homicide, DUI, in crash that killed four in on I-81 in Tennessee
Fraud
- Michigan man pleads guilty in $40 million trucking Ponzi scheme
- Trucking company owner pleads guilty to $40M Ponzi scheme
Health
5. Regarding AB5, business, ELDs, HOS, insurance, and training:
AB5
If there were wins against AB5 from the gig economy — and there have been — then the same rules need to apply to professional truck drivers.
Regarding the “Commerce Clause” in The Constitution of the United States, back in the day when Chief Justice John Marshall was on the bench, he said regarding the power of regulation of commerce, that it must carry the same meaning throughout the sentence.
That being said, if AB5 has been exempted in one aspect, it should be exempted in all aspects.
Personally, I just wish that the state lawmakers in California would mind their own business and leave workers alone to earn an honest day’s wage for an honest day’s work.
Business
- 5 ways to scale your company in a down market
- Teamsters tell Yellow no more purchased transportation
- Yellow accuses Teamsters leadership of negotiating in ‘bad faith’
ELDs
Some of us have been shouting about the problems associated with forced ELD usage since 2017.
My comments are here:
- Electronic Logging Devices Mandate Commentary
- In what other industry besides trucking has the government ever mandated the purchase of a ‘self-certification’ product?
Meanwhile, here are the articles on this topic this week:
- Can FMCSA improve ELD regulations?
- Drivers back to paper logs after FMCSA strikes another popular ELD device from approved list
- FMCSA adds another ELD to revoked list Products & Services
- FMCSA removes All-Ways Track ELD from its list of registered devices
- FMCSA removes All-Ways Track ELD from list of registered electronic logging devices
- FMCSA removes sixth ELD from registered devices list
- FMCSA Says Two More ELDs Aren’t Compliant – Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs)
- How ELD mandate made trucking more dangerous
- Loaded and Rolling: ELD mandate, trailer backlog and softening demand
- Video shows ‘ghost co-driver’ added to trucker’s ELD to skirt HOS rules
HOS
I’ve been warning drivers about exemptions from the HOS for a long time.
Never drive tired. Take needed breaks.
Don’t let the lure of more money override your body’s need for sleep.
- Drowsy drivers not taking enough breaks, AAA study reveals
- FMCSA’s hours-of-service exemption implicated in fatal truck crash
- Georgia waiver effective through April 3
- Hours-of-service exemption contributed to fatal crash
- How Does the Split Sleeper Berth Rule Work?
Insurance
6. Regarding brakes, brokers, recalls, and roads:
Brakes
Keep your brakes properly adjusted.
Don’t overestimate your truck’s braking power when descending a mountain grade; rather, keep things steady and slow enough to stay safe.
Brokers
- Broker transparency issue takes over FMCSA session
- FMCSA denies brokers’ request to remove transparency regs | Another ELD revoked
- FMCSA denies group’s request to amend freight broker requirements
- FMCSA shuts door on brokers in rate transparency dispute
- FMCSA signals intent to move on OOIDA broker transparency petition
Recalls
If your tractor or trailer has an open recall, please have the needed work attended to as soon as possible.
- First recall issued for Tesla Semi for possible parking brake failure
- Problem with grille surround prompts recall of 5,000 International trucks
- Tesla issues recall for electric Semis over faulty brake modules
Roads
- Expect delays on Blue Water Bridge between US and Canada come July
- Oregon DOT asks drivers to use ‘extra caution’ as active slide threatens I-84
7. Regarding clean, tankers, training, and trucks:
Clean
There are lots of things — like cell phones and GPS units mounted on the windshield — that can reduce one’s “field of vision,” so determine what is necessary to stay safe.
Tankers
- Fuel Tanker Demand Booming as More Oil Is Refined
- Tanker manufacturers, repair facilities face new registration fees
Training
- Briefly: Bill allows 529 education savings to be used for CDL training
- Florida Ramps Up Number of CDL Schools
- How to Transcend Your Fleet’s Driver Training Program
- Preparing tomorrow’s professional truck drivers
- Technology Helps Minimize Tractor-Trailer Pairing Errors
- Training, safety investments prevent violations
Trucks
- Drivers value truck features more than truck age
- DTNA commemorates 750,000th vehicle produced at North Carolina factory
- EPA OKs California Rules Phasing Out New Diesel Trucks
- Mount Holly plant produces 750,000th truck
8. Regarding economy, consumers, employment, pay, rates, strike:
Economy
The following list includes some of the most recent articles about the economy from the trucking industry’s perspective.
- Class 8 orders slow to start in 2023
- February Used Class 8 Sales Down 20% Year-Over-Year
- For-hire trucking capacity growth seeing sharp slowdown
- Freight cycle expected to bottom out sooner than later
- FreightCar America sees potential market upside for tank cars
- J.B. Hunt, Ryder Execs: Shaky Market
- Key Inflation Gauge Slowed in February
- Shipper conditions to remain favorable through 2023: FTR
- Study: US annual parcel shipping volumes to grow 5% through 2028
- Too early for an April Fools’ joke
- Triple threat of trade and the outlook for rest of year
- US Revises Down Last Quarter’s Economic Growth to 2.6% Rate
- US trailer industry increases build rate in February
- Used Class 8 truck sales retreated in February
- What Do Q1 Freight Volumes Tell Us?
- What’s contributing to freight market volatility chaos?
Consumers
Employment
In my opinion, people who live within a state should be given first priority for employment over those from out-of-state and out-of-the-country.
- Kentucky Law Aims to Attract Nonresident Truck Drivers
- New Kentucky law helps out-of-state truckers come to the state
- Program connects refugees to jobs including trucking
Pay
Truckers are notoriously underpaid for the work they do.
Please stay current with various models of being paid as a professional truck driver so that you are compensated appropriately.
- Driver compensation, detention study updates presented at MATS
- Making the case for an hourly-pay standard for truckers
- Truck driver compensation webinar misses the mark
- Truck drivers seek top pay, respect from fleets
Rates
Strike
- Sysco food delivery drivers go on strike in Louisville, Indy
- Will Postal Service ride to the rescue if Teamsters strike UPS? Maybe
9. Regarding drugs, smuggling, price gouging, taxes, and theft:
Drugs
Never ever haul illegal drugs, no matter how big of a payout or “cut of the pie” you’ve been promised.
It’s not worth it legally or with respect to your trucking career.
- ‘Massive amount’ — $7.4 million in meth seized from semi’s shipment of charcoal
- Multiple violations discovered after officer notes ‘odor of marijuana’ coming off CMV driver at Wyoming Port of Entry
Smuggling
Never ever haul illegal aliens like they are cattle or cargo, no matter how big of an incentive has been dangled in front of you.
It’s not worth it legally or with respect to your trucking career.
Plus, if any of the people on-board die as a result of being transported by you, you could be found guilty of murder.
- Border agents find 14 illegal immigrants inside big rig sleeper berth
- Tip leads Border Patrol to 14 people smuggled inside sleeper berth
Price gouging
Taxes
- Bill seeks to create tax credit up to $7500 for CDL-A truck drivers who drive 1900 hours per year
- Connecticut’s truck-only miles tax ‘basically on the honor system’
- Connecticut’s truck-only miles tax ‘basically on the honor system’
- Preparation can make tax time less of a headache for small business owners
- U.S. company offers $1.4 billion, urges TravelCenters of America to reconsider BP acquisition
Theft
- Borderlands: Mexico recorded 237 cargo thefts the first 2 months of 2023
- Nebraska police searching for stolen semi trailer loaded with $275K worth of beef
10. Regarding forfeiture, legal, politics, and weights:
Forfeiture
Legal
Politics
Weights
- Georgia lawmakers strike deal on truck weight limits
- Georgia Pushes To Increase Truckload Limits Another 8,000 Pounds
11. Regarding MATS and parking:
MATS
- 51st annual MATS opens Thursday, includes full schedule of activities
- Day 2: Friday at MATS to be mix of trucks, knowledge and music
- Day 3: Saturday at MATS features healthy advice, truck show awards
- Mid-America Trucking Show opens in Louisville
Parking
- $755 million truck parking bill reintroduced in Congress
- Another new NYS Thruway rest area opens in Upstate; another closes
- Cloudtrucks Survey Reveals Neighborhood Concerns Over Truck Parking Facilities
- Congressional Policymakers Introduce Truck Parking Bill
- Lawmakers introduce ‘clear path’ to more truck parking
- Senate, House introduce bipartisan truck parking bill
- Truck Parking a Priority for Administration, Buttigieg Says
- Truck parking bill picks up co-sponsors
- Truck Parking Bill Reintroduced
- Truck Parking Improvement Act introduced in Congress
- With only ‘1 spot for every 11 trucks,’ lawmakers reintroduce bill to create new truck parking
12. Regarding recognition and awards:
We recognize and applaud all truckers who helped out their fellow human beings in a time of need.
Also, if you know of someone who needs to be recognized, please feel free to nominate him/her for an award.
- Knight driver rescues woman trapped in van that caught fire on I-20
- Maverick driver honored for aiding a man run over by his own truck
- TA announces 2023 Citizen Driver Award honorees
My husband Mike and I wish you — and all professional truck drivers — safe travels and lots of money saving opportunities on the road.
Return from TDMST Weekly Round-Up: 2023.04.01 to our TDMST Weekly Round-Up Trucking Commentary or our Truck Drivers Money Saving Tips home page.
