TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2024.07.20 is the trucking commentary on news affecting professional truck drivers for the week ending July 20, 2024, written by Vicki Simons.
I welcome your comments, thoughts and feedback on the items of your choice below.
1. Regarding politics – Trump, technology, and technology – Microsoft:
Politics – Trump
The articles in this section either address or are related to former President Donald Trump and his Vice Presidential running mate, J.D. Vance — and how they might affect the trucking industry should they gain enough votes in November 2024 to win.
- Senate Transportation Leaders Tout Trump at RNC
- Trump Assassination Attempt Inquiry Adds to Congress’ Agenda
- Trump’s VP pick has trucking-friendly agenda
- Trump’s VP pick supports truck parking, opposes speed limiters
- Trump’s VP stands behind OOIDA’s top priorities
- What does Trump’s VP pick mean for trucking?
- Where Trump’s VP pick J.D. Vance stands on speed limiters, brokering fraud, parking
Technology
- AI is changing how cargo thieves operate; will the freight market mirror 2019? |
- Aifleet CEO discusses use of AI to boost driver utilization
- Best trucking management software 2024
- C.H. Robinson Uses AI for Faster, More Customized Load-Matching for Small Fleets
- CH Robinson launches innovative Digital Dispatch powered by AI
- Driver rank camera as top safety tech, as long as it faces outward
- FedEx, UPS Warn of Delivery Delays From Global Tech Outage
- FreightTech Friday: Alvys raises $20.5M to accelerate tech development
- FreightWaves Infographics: FMCSA orders California trucking company to shut down after deadly crash
- FreightWaves Infographics: Japan’s proposed conveyor-belt highway
- Global tech outage largely bypasses freight and passenger railroads
- Speed-warning technology bill advances in California
- Transfix Launches AI-Driven Software for Brokers and Carriers
- Transfix Unveils AI-Driven Software Suite for Brokers and Carriers
- What Cybertruck is teaching a sustainability director about electrifying fleets |
Technology – Microsoft
What impact did the Microsoft outage have on you personally or your trucking company?
Please comment through the form below.
- Massive Microsoft outage hits diesel lanes, permitting systems
- Microsoft and CloudStrike outage grounds flights, trucking, global trade
- Was your ELD hit by the Microsoft outage? Here’s what FMCSA says you should do.
2. Regarding AB5, AEBs, CARB, politics, regulations, speed limiters, and underride guards:
AB5
AEBs
AEB stands for “automatic emergency braking” (as is mentioned on my glossary).
CARB
CARB stands for California Air Resources Board.
- J.J. Keller launches new CARB compliance service
- Volvo Announces CARB-2024 Omnibus Compliant Engine
- Volvo Trucks North America introduces CARB 2024 Omnibus compliant heavy-duty engine
Politics
- Bonds and special taxes question on upcoming California ballot
- OOIDA’s Pugh to testify at House highway subcommittee hearing
- Speaking at GOP convention, Teamsters president calls for labor reform
- Truck drivers are topic of a Pennsylvania Senate resolution
Regulations
- Election-year politics could slam brakes on trucking regulations
- FMCSA, NHTSA Delay Posting of Significant Rulemakings
Speed limiters
I oppose speed limiters, but list these articles to help you stay current on the topic.
- FreightWaves Infographics: FMCSA delays speed limiter rule to May 2025
- Safety group ‘deeply disturbed’ that DOT pushed speed limiter and automatic braking rules to 2025
- Truck Safety Coalition calls out DOT for delaying speed limiters, AEBs
Underride guards
- NHTSA Denies Petition for Rear Underride Guard Improvements
- NHTSA denies petition to strengthen rear underride guards
3. Regarding alcohol, crashes, distracted driving, drugs, fatalities, fraud, smuggling, theft, and violence:
Alcohol
Never ever consume alcohol prior to driving a vehicle of any kind.
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.
- Driver in intentional crash with DPS building indicted for murder
- Humboldt Broncos crash driver wants permanent resident status returned
- Tractor-trailer loaded with beef demolishes part of a Wendy’s in PA
- Van driver driving away from previous crash hits dash cammer’s ‘brand new semi truck’
- Video captured in Texas shows semi truck striking Honda then church
- Where’s the beef? Driver says foggy glasses caused crash into Pennsylvania Wendy’s
Distracted driving
Feel free to review the information on this topic on my website:
Distracted Driving: Beware of Attention Diverters That Can Be Fatal.
- Driver just has to beat this Rubix cube RIGHT NOW
- New report blames teen’s distraction & marijuana use for Chevy vs. CMV crash that killed 6 girls in Oklahoma
Drugs
Never ever haul or take illegal drugs.
- Border Patrol agents discover 450 pounds of liquid methamphetamine in fuel tank
- Calexico CBP officers discover cocaine, meth in tractor trailer frame
- Inside look at the FMCSA drug and alcohol clearinghouse
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?
- Deadly 6-vehicle Fremont crash involved a big rig hauling 10K pounds of beef
- Driver dead after crashing down embankment between overpasses
- Large truck crash fatalities fell 11% in 2023
- Motorist dead after striking parked semi truck at Missouri rest area
- NTSB chief points to 2022 crash that killed 6 teens, says public underestimates marijuana’s impact on drivers
- Three dead after big rig crossed median into oncoming traffic on I-81, PA authorities say
- Two ejected, one dead, when semi truck driver tried to beat train, Nebraska sheriff says
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.
- NullShip selling counterfeit postal labels, FreightWaves investigation finds
- Owner guilty of fraud for making false statements to obtain semi trucks for his business
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.
- Nearly mummified bodies found in the back of Houston 18-wheeler
- Trucker arrested for migrants and bulk cash while crossing checkpoint
- Two people found decomposing “like mummies” in the trailer of a parked semi truck
Theft
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!
- Bill to address cargo theft will focus on organized crime
- Cargo theft numbers continue to climb
- Cargo theft numbers dropped, finally, in second quarter
- Cargo Thieves Get Prison Time, Ordered to Pay Millions in Restitution
- Mexico averages 5 cargo theft incidents a day in June
- NE Philly cargo thieves make off with load of beef
- Philadelphia cargo thieves strike again; $15,000 in frozen beef stolen
- Suspect broke into big rig at Oregon rest area with hatchet, ran over trucker, cops say
- Thieves nab 400 cases of beef in cargo theft
- Trucking Weathers Another Increase in Cargo Theft for Q2
Violence
Seek to protect yourself from being involved in violence in the first place.
You may wish to review the information on my self-defense post.
4. Regarding autonomous vehicles, batteries, electric vehicles, emissions, fuel, and fuel cells:
Autonomous vehicles
I am 100% opposed to the operation of driverless, autonomous, 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.
Batteries
- Sodium-Ion Battery Startup Peak Sparks Lithium Alternative
- Stellantis Reports Battery Fire Risk for Hybrid Minivans
Electric vehicles
Before you buy an all-electric Commercial Motor Vehicle, please do your due diligence by asking some questions and getting answers.
- Alternative Powertrain Might Unlock US EV Market
- Behind the wheel of Lion’s nimble, powerful Class 8 electric truck
- Canadian Refuse Fleet Deploys Eight Mack LR Electric Trucks
- Cummins receives $75M grant to boost ZEV production
- Drayage fleets need education to learn benefits of electrification
- Driving Peterbilt’s electric Model 579
- Electric TRUs, Diesel Hybrids Pave Path for Reefer Transport
- Electric vehicles topic of new funding in multiple states
- Enphase Energy Launches CS-100 Truck Charger
- Ford Commits $3 Billion to Boost Truck Output After EV Delay
- GM CEO Barra Backs Away From 1 Million EV Production Goal
- Mack’s largest-ever order of electric trucks lands on Vancouver Island
- Mercedes-Benz to Install EV Chargers at 100 Starbucks
- Public EV Chargers Set to Surpass Gas Stations in Eight Years
- ZF’s AxTrax 2 Electric Axle Shows its Stuff
Emissions
- Aggressive emission regulation will drive up costs everywhere
- California’s vehicle-emission standards taken to Supreme Court
- Cummins awarded $75 million for zero-emissions production
- Cummins gets $75 million for zero-emissions manufacturing after record fine
- Labatt unveils its first zero-emission mobile repair truck
- Rare earth magnets’ role in zero emissions
- Volvo rolls out new engine to meet strict California emissions standards
Fuel
- Diesel Price Sheds 3.9¢ to Settle at $3.826 a Gallon
- Diesel prices fall after 4-week rise
- Diesel prices finally drop after three-week spike
- FBX Report: July 16, 2024
- Former fleet co-owner sentenced for work-comp scheme | Diesel prices, freight rates fall
- Lower fuel prices propelled trucking conditions in May
- Sheetz plans to open four new locations with diesel lanes
- Weekly Fuel Report: July 16, 2024
- Weekly NTI Update: July 15, 2024
Fuel cells
5. Regarding border, brokers, congestion pricing, economy, and income tax:
Border
- A unified approach to improving cross-border operations
- Autos from Mexico to US helped cross-border trade surge to $73B in May
- XPO expands cross-border service with launch of XPO Mexico+
Brokers
- Freight transparency: Why brokers don’t want 49 CFR 371.3 enforced
- Transfix, recently out of the brokerage business, offering its first software solution
Congestion pricing
I wonder if the Boston City Council will come to the same conclusion as New York City did.
Economy
- ACT Research: Preliminary net trailer orders for June reflect continued slowdown
- ACT Research: Used truck sales slowed in June
- ACT Research: June Class Eight data reflects current market doldrums
- Cass data melts lower in June
- Cheema Freightlines CEO sees industry becoming more about ‘serious truckers’
- Class 8 Sales Continue Trending Below Year-Ago Period
- Class 8 Truck Orders Take Downward Turn in June
- DAT: Truckboard volumes slip in June after strong May showing
- Data shows decline in freight volumes
- ECONOMIC TRUCKING TRENDS: Trailer orders weaken, but trucking conditions improving
- Freight recession nearing an end?
- June Medium-Duty Sales Decline 9% Year-Over-Year
- Prologis says demand ‘improving’ in ‘uncertain macroeconomic environment’
- State of Freight for July: ‘Bullish’ market coming for freight economy
- Trailer Orders Fall 19% in June to 6,300 Units
- Triumph Financial staying course on growth targets despite weak earnings
- Trucking conditions turned positive in May
Income tax
6. Regarding coach, discrimination, future, health, infrastructure, operations, parking, and routing:
Coach
- Transflo forms ‘strategic partnership’ with Predictive Coach
- Transflo partners with Predictive Coach to provide groundbreaking driver safety technology
Discrimination
I can’t see this working well for the trucking company attempting to force one or more truckers to have their hair cut a certain way.
Of course, if the truckers knew the “dress code” (“hair code”?) ahead of time — and agreed to that — I don’t see how the company can be “punished” for having that policy in place.
I’m very interested in seeing how this works out.
Future
Health
Infrastructure
In this section, I list articles having to do with roads and bridges.
- $5 billion in grants will go to 16 states for improvement of aging bridges
- $5B federal funding allocated to improve of replace aged bridges in 16 states
- Biden Administration Grants $5 Billion for Aging Bridges
- Interstate 81 expanding to three lanes in Virginia
- North Carolina receives $240 million for Cape Fear Bridge
- USDOT to invest nearly $400 million for new I-55 bridge in Memphis
Operations
- Driver showcase serious NYC backing skills from two POVs
- VIDEO: Trucker forced to make a major save after bad merge by motorist
- Watch as this trucker heads straight for a very menacing dust storm
Parking
- New truck parking venture accelerates convenience for Phoenix truck drivers
- Truck Parking Club Hits 500 Locations
- Truck Parking Club joins the Trucker Path Marketplace
Routing
- New law seeks to keep commercial vehicles off Cullasaja Gorge in North Carolina
- Wyoming Gets Tough on Drivers Ignoring Road Closure Signs
7. Regarding collapse, fire, shut down, staged, towing, training, and weather:
Collapse
The articles in this section have to do with the Francis Scott Key bridge in Baltimore, Maryland.
- Port of Baltimore Terminal to Have $1.54B Impact, Study Finds
- Senior Senators Press for Baltimore Bridge Funds
Fire
The articles in this section include weather-related fires and other kinds of fires.
- Emergency waiver grants suspension of HOS regs in response to Oregon wildfires
- Oregon wildfire emergency in effect
- Semi engulfed in flames following mechanical failure on Idaho interstate
- Trucking company catches fire during lightning storm
Shut down
Another bridge strike, another trucking company shut down!
- B.C. suspends another carrier after truck strikes overpass
- Fleet shut down after bridge strike | Volvo’s new CARB-compliant engine
- Small trucking company suspended after first overpass strike
Staged
Informant murdered > person charged with murder agrees to plead guilty.
Towing
In my opinion, predatory booting and towing need to be made illegal in every state in the USA.
Training
- Adding Truck Driver Training to High School Career Programs [Listen]
- P.E.I. to make MELT mandatory from Aug. 5
Weather
- A major highway and roads are flooded as torrential rains hit Canada’s largest city
- Flooding wallops southern Illinois, prompts evacuations
- Storms flood the Ozarks and strand drivers in Toronto; tornado moves a B-52 bomber in New York
- Vermont floods raise concerns about future of hundreds of aging dams
8. Regarding Amazon Prime, next day shipping, super load, and supply chain:
Amazon Prime
Big promotion > big sales!
- Amazon Prime Day Drives Online Sales Up 11% to $14.2 Billion
- Amazon Prime Day Sales Rise 13% in First Six Hours of Event
- Prime Day: Quick deliveries, easy returns key for retailers
Next day shipping
I am concerned that “next-day shipping” will have a negative impact on customers.
- PITT OHIO debuts next-day shipping lanes
- PITT Ohio’s next day shipping to Buffalo ‘will help businesses reduce transit times’
Super load
Supply chain
9. Regarding inspections, leasing, legal, ports, retention, roadside assistance, and Wyoming:
Inspections
If you keep yourself and your rig in perpetual readiness for an inspection, you’ll never be caught off-guard.
- California troopers use aircraft in commercial vehicle enforcement blitz on SR-99
- Georgia officer finds multiple violations on commercial vehicle pulled over for ‘sparks flying’
- Here are 10 brake lining and pad tips truckers should know ahead of CVSA Brake Safety Week
- Law enforcement in five states join forces for week-long ‘Operation Southern Slow Down’
Leasing
Actively protect yourself from being involved in predatory leasing agreements.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau examines predatory trucking agreements
- Truck Leasing Task Force hopes to determine severity of predatory agreements
Legal
- $10M suit in Georgia truck accident moved to federal court
- 26 States Sue NHTSA Over New Fuel Economy Rule
- Chassis providers accused of ignoring cease-and-desist order
- Crime is the topic of California bill nearing passage
- Davis-Bacon Act truck driver provision blocked by federal court
- Man faces slew of charges for breaking and entering into commercial vehicles
- Stellantis Forks Out $190 Million in US Fuel-Economy Fines
- Truck driver arrested on homicide and alcohol charges for fatal two CMV collision in Nebraska
- Truck driver facing charges after falling asleep, losing control of vehicle
- Werner student driver wage lawsuit struck down for a third time
Ports
- California Awards $27 Million to Container Ports
- CBP OKs Ports of Indiana Plan for Ocean Container Terminal
- Long Beach Port Breaks Ground on $1.5B Rail Yard Expansion
- Port of L.A. Container Volumes Up 14% on Strong Trade Activity
Retention
Roadside assistance
- Beep One: Revolutionizing Roadside Assistance for Truck Drivers (no longer online)
Wyoming
- Truckers face jail time, fines up to $2500, for violating Wyoming weight-based road closures
- WYDOT reminds drivers of new penalties for weight-based road closures
10. Regarding safety, security, speeding, spill, tire pressure, and truck parts:
Safety
- Institute a comprehensive safety plan to help ensure fleet safety — Part 3 (no longer online)
- Tank cleaning company accused of ignoring 2019 safety failures; cited for 8 repeat, 11 serious violations
- Truck safety advocates say DOT inaction costing lives
- Western Express talks safety at Enterprise Fleet Summit
- Your role in the Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program
Security
Speeding
Spill
Tire pressure
Truck parts
11. Regarding inflation, pay, rates, and tickets:
Inflation
Pay
Rates
- Business as usual at many of nation’s ports despite global tech outage
- Load rates bounce back and then some from holiday droop
- Marten still holding line on rate cuts even as Q2 financials deteriorate
Tickets
12. Regarding awards:
Awards
Congratulations to every professional truck driver who is nominated for, competes in, wins a truck driving skills championship, or is otherwise rewarded.
- Briefly: Wisconsin Landstar driver wins new Freightliner Cascadia
- Doug Vorst honored with Landstar’s Lifetime award
- Drivers test their skills, enjoy the thrill of competition in the Trucker Olympics at annual Walcott Jamboree
- FedEx Freight’s Brian Walker wins Indiana Motor Truck Association competition
- FedEx Freight’s Willinger Wins Kentucky, Again
- FreightWaves launches FreightTech 2025 awards
- Helping others overcome challenges drives TCA Professional Driver of the Year Rosalinda Tejada
- John Fuller wins Landstar truck giveaway
- Landstar honors 2023 class of Million Mile Safe Drivers
- Nominations Are Open: Transport Topics Spends First Half of 2024 Looking for Heroes (no longer online)
- Old Dominion Freight Line drivers take top honors in RI competition
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: 2024.07.20 to our TDMST Weekly Round-Up Trucking Commentary or our Truck Drivers Money Saving Tips home page.
