TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2023.07.29

TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2023.07.29 is the trucking commentary on news affecting professional truck drivers for the week ending July 29, 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 turmoil – UPS, turmoil – Yellow, financial failure:

Turmoil – UPS

There has been a lot of turmoil in the trucking industry lately.

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Part of the turmoil has to do with UPS and the Teamsters.

The following are some articles about this:

Turmoil – Yellow

Part of the turmoil in the trucking industry has to do with Yellow.

At first, it looked like things might be saved, but now, that doesn’t look as likely — unless someone jumps in with an acquisition offer.

As I wrote weeks ago, I predicted that one trucking company shut down would not be the last.

I didn’t expect for a shut down to occur to a company as well established as Yellow.

If you work for Yellow and if your job is on the line, please bear in mind what to look for regarding truck driving jobs and evaluate what trucking company recruiters tell you.

Remember what happened with Arrow Trucking:

Tulsa, Oklahoma-based Arrow Trucking abruptly shut down days before Christmas in 2009, leaving its drivers without pay or a way to get home.

Given as how there has been a “freight shortage” of late, I wonder if what is happening to Yellow will be able to absorbed by other trucking companies.

Here are some of the most recent articles about this:

Financial failure

2. Regarding AEBs, ELDs, legal, parking, violations:

AEBs (automatic emergency braking)

ELDs

Others and I have had plenty to say about the self-certification of Electronic Logging Devices.

I asked: In what other industry besides trucking has the government ever mandated the purchase of a ‘self-certification’ product?

Also, I find it interesting that regarding POLL: Detention time since the ELD mandate — has it improved?, of the 147 Total Votes that have been cast (at this time) since July 25, the top two options:

  • No, it’s only gotten worse at most customers: 41.5% (61 votes); and
  • No, detention’s been about the same: 36.05% (53 votes)

together total 77.55% of truckers who say that detention under ELDs is about the same or worse than it was before.

Here are other recent articles about this topic:

Legal

Parking

Violations

Ouch! A $20K fine! Ouch!

3. Regarding border, brokers:

Border

Brokers

4. Regarding autonomous vehicles, electric vehicles, emissions, fuel:

Autonomous vehicles

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

Electric vehicles

Before you invest in an electric commercial motor vehicle, please do your due diligence.

All may not be as you’ve been told regarding their emissions and the infrastructure for operations.

Here are some of the most recent articles on this topic.

Emissions

Fuel

5. Regarding crashes, drugs, fatalities, weather:

Crashes

Please review these articles to see if there was anything reasonable that could have been done to avoid the crashes described.

Drugs

Unless and until the time that the USA changes its laws or regulations about truckers being allowed to use CBC that could contain THC, it is wise to avoid using the products, even during your time off.

I am friends with a trucker on Facebook who lost his trucking job earlier this year as a result of using a CBD product, after which he underwent a drug test and was found to have THC in his body. ๐Ÿ™

Also, never, ever haul illegal drugs, no matter how much you are offered to do so.

Fatalities

We express our deep sympathy — and offer our condolences — to the families of those whose loved ones died in these crashes.

Can you learn anything from the articles below that would help you learn about how to prevent a fatal large truck crash?

Weather

Please be on your alert regarding driving in high winds.

6. Regarding attack dog, inspections, safety:

Attack dog

This issue is very disturbing.

Inspections

If you keep yourself and your rig in perpetual readiness for an inspection, you’ll never be caught off-guard.

Safety

7. Regarding pay, rates, taxes:

Pay

Rates

Taxes

8. Regarding politics, ports, regulations, side underride guards:

Politics

Ports

Regulations

Side underride guards

9. Regarding technology, Tesla:

Technology

Tesla

Regarding the second article in this section, did the reporter share any information about how much the trucks weighed?

10. Regarding scam, theft, towing:

Scam

Please be on your guard against potentially exploitative devices like these and potentially accompanying violent behavior.

Theft

Do everything reasonable to avoid theft of your person, your belongings, or anything associated with your tractor, trailer, or cargo.

Towing

11. Regarding business, economy, trends:

Business

Economy

Trends

12. Regarding appreciation, awards:

Appreciation

Awards

Congratulations to the winner!

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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