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TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2024.06.15

TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2024.06.15 is the trucking commentary on news affecting professional truck drivers for the week ending June 15, 2024, written by Vicki Simons.

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

TDMST Weekly Round-Up

1. Regarding listening, roads, SCAC, seat belts, strike – Canada, and Teton Pass closure:

Listening

OK, I’ll start by saying that I’m glad that the powers-that-be are at least attempting to listen to professional truck drivers regarding the trucking industry.

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However, if these “listening sessions” are anything like what I’ve observed in the past, these same powers-that-be will simply be going through the motions to appease the people, all the while planning to do what they want to do.

Be that as it may, I am vitally aware that in Luke 18:1-8 in the Bible, we read Jesus’ parable is about a persistent widow who kept coming before an unjust judge.

The widow’s action of repeatedly appealing to the unjust judge to receive justice regarding her enemy was indicative of our need to pray and not lose heart.

That being said, I believe that it is ultra-important for professional truck drivers to consistently and regularly contact their elected officials — on the state and federal levels — regarding matters that concern them regarding the trucking industry.

Roads

Please be aware of these road closures or road repairs and any required detours.

SCAC

If the Standard Carrier Alpha Code (SCAC) affects you, please take action before the deadline.

Seat belts

While I personally wear a seat belt when I travel in any vehicle — and while I am convinced that the wearing of seat belts save more lives than they hinder when a vehicle is involved in a crash — I don’t think it is the place of government entities to require that drivers wear them while driving.

That being said, if you participate in a “survey” regarding seat belt usage, please be aware that your answer(s) may be tracked in some way.

Strike – Canada

If this affects you, please be aware of what is going on.

Teton Pass closure

If this affects you, please be aware of what is going on and be prepared to take an appropriate detour.

2. Regarding collapse, containers, and ports:

Collapse

The articles in this section regard the port where the Francis Scott Key bridge collapsed.

Containers

Ports

3. Regarding aerodynamics, economy, employment, fees, future, scam, seizure, tolls, and UCR fee hike:

Aerodynamics

According to the article linked just below, Shelley Simpson, the president and incoming CEO at J.B. Hunt Transport, said that “her company was pursuing avenues other than electrification to achieve its carbon-reduction goals, including going all-in on spec’ing more aerodynamic trucks and trailers.”

Quoting the article:

The strategy is working. Simpson reported an 18% reduction in greenhouse gas emission intensity since 2019. The company has cut CO2 emissions from 120 tons per million-ton-miles to 94 tons per million ton-miles in five years.

The article further says:

Consider that a 1 mpg increase in fuel efficiency (from 7 to 8 mpg) would save almost 1,800 gallons per year. That would reduce CO2 emissions by about 20 tons per year per truck. And at current fuel prices of $3.60 per gallon, savings could be around $5,000 per year.

Here’s the article:

Economy

Employment

Fees

If you feel strongly about this increase, please contact your elected officials.

Future

Scam

Be aware of scams like this and avoid them at all costs.

Seizure

The article does not go into any detail as to how the “agents [came to believe that] the driver might be involved in some type of criminal activity.”

However, by virtue of the fact that the money was “hidden” in the truck seems to be pretty compelling evidence that something was wrong.

Tolls

UCR fee hike

If you feel strongly about this increase, please contact your elected officials.

4. Regarding following distance, load securement, low clearance, operations, parked truck mishap, and violations:

Following distance

Yes, it is frustrating when drivers of other vehicles do not respect truckers, proper following distance, or the rules of the road.

Please continuously remember that you are a professional truck driver. 🙂

Load securement

While I could have put this article in the “crashes” section of this TDMST Weekly Round-Up, I thought it was important to highlight that truckers who haul tankers need to practice great load securement.

Open what needs to be open when it is the right time to open it and then close what needs to be closed when it is the right time to close it.

If you need more training on what to open and close — and when — on your rig, please get it.

Low clearance

Every single low clearance crash is totally preventable.

Know the full height of your load, get special routing when you have an overheight rig/load, and always use a truckers atlas for navigating your rig.

Operations

Back on May 24, 2024, I commented about this situation on Facebook.

I wrote:

Even if the trucker moving from the right lane… to the left lane was wrong — because he clearly didn’t have the room to safely change lanes — it was also clear that the trucker in the left lane kept moving left to avoid a collision.
Instead of running off the road, riding into the median (where he might have overturned), and attempting to merge back onto the road **from the left**, it would have been much easier for the trucker on the left to ease off his speed and let the trucker on the right have room.
Who was professional in this case?
In my opinion, neither one.
Just saying.

You can see the video for yourself in this article.

Parked truck mishap

Both articles linked below say that the semi “lost its brakes” while it was parked and then it began rolling.

Because I have an analytical personality and I’ve never heard/read of this happening before, I wonder if there is more to the account.

Could it be that the trucker didn’t set the brakes as well as he thought he had?

Could it be that the truck’s brakes were out of adjustment?

Could a truck’s brakes truly stop working all of a sudden?

What do you think needs to be done to be done to prevent this sort of thing from happening in the future?

Please comment through the form below.

Violations

5. Regarding autonomous vehicles, battery pack, electric vehicles, emissions, fuel, fuel economy, hydrogen, and oil:

Autonomous vehicles

I most emphatically disagree with the operation of autonomous, driverless, or self-driving commercial motor vehicles on the same roads as the motoring public — but I share articles on this topic with our readers to help us stay current on the topic.

Battery pack

Electric vehicles

Before you buy an all-electric Commercial Motor Vehicle, please do your due diligence by asking some questions and getting answers.

Emissions

Fuel

Fuel economy

Hydrogen

Oil

6. Regarding recalls, safety, super load, supply chain, and tires:

Recalls

If any part of your vehicle is under a recall, please have the work done as soon as possible.

Safety

Super load

Supply chain

Tires

7. Regarding AB5, border, business, fires, and inspections:

AB5

Border

Business

Fires

Even if you’re irritated about something, taking your frustration out on other people’s property is the wrong way to take care of things.

If you need to talk over things, please get a counselor to deal with what’s bothering you.

Inspections

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

Please be aware of emphases coming up and what has happened in the past.

8. Regarding occupation lifestyle, parking, pets, and weather:

Occupation lifestyle

Parking

Pets

Please see this page on my site for more info:

Truckers’ Pet Travel and Saving Money in a Big Truck

Weather

9. Regarding crashes, death, drugs, DUI, fatalities, fraud, smuggling, and theft:

Crashes

Please look through these articles to see if there is anything you can learn to help you prevent being involved in a similar crash.

Death

I extend my condolences to the family of the man who died as a result of the action described in the article just below.

Please review it to see if you can learn anything to help prevent a future death.

Drugs

Never ever haul or take illegal drugs.

DUI

Never ever consume alcohol prior to driving a vehicle of any kind.

Fatalities

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

Can you learn anything from the articles below that would help prevent being involved in a fatal large truck crash?

Fraud

Never attempt to deceive, misrepresent something, intentionally pervert the truth, or pretend to be someone else for the purpose of trying to get something valuable.

Smuggling

Never ever transport people made in the image of God as if they were cattle or cargo — no matter how big a “payoff” you’ve been offered.

Theft

This is the largest number of articles about theft as it concerns truckers or their rigs that I’ve ever seen assembled in one week’s compilation!

Never take something that doesn’t belong to you, unless you have permission.

In our day, there are many types of surveillance cameras, so be on guard!

10. Regarding CARB, CARB-compliant engine, technology, technology – AI, Tesla, and underride guards:

CARB

CARB-compliant engine

Technology

Technology – AI

Tesla

Underride guards

11. Regarding insurance, leasing, legal, proof of citizenship, and towing:

Insurance

Leasing

Legal

Proof of citizenship

According to the article linked just below:

Under current rules, a State Driver Licensing Agency may issue a CDL or learner’s permit only to an applicant who presents proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent residency. If the applicant is unable to present this proof, the state may issue a non-domiciled version.

This matter strikes me as wrong, simply from the standpoint that someone who is not loyal to this country — and then begins to drive a big rig in this country — could use it to create a lot of problems.

What are your thoughts?

Please share through the form below.

Towing

In my opinion, predatory booting and towing need to be made illegal in every state in the USA.

12. Regarding championships, looking for winner, and recognition:

Championships

I congratulate the professional truck drivers who were recently recognized for their achievements, safe driving records, and demonstration of skill in driving a truck.

Looking For Winner

Recognition

I recognize professional truck drivers who helped their fellow human beings in a time of need.

Thanks, y’all!

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









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