This is the TDMST Weekly Round-Up of news affecting professional truck drivers, written by Vicki Simons for the week ending June 4, 2022.
We welcome your comments, thoughts and feedback on the items of your choice below.
1. Regarding HOS, CARB, and AB5:
HOS (Hours of Service)
Do any of our readers really believe that the state of the health of the majority of Americans warrants a continuation of an “emergency declaration” such that an Hours of Service waiver is still needed?
Please comment through the form below.
- COVID emergency hours waiver extended through August
- COVID-related emergency hours of service waiver extended again
- Fifty state HOS relief for COVID-19 supply haulers extended through summer
- FMCSA Extends COVID Emergency Declaration
- FMCSA extends COVID hours of service waiver another 3 months
- FMCSA extends COVID-19 emergency declaration through August –
- FMCSA extends COVID-related hours of service waiver through August
- POLL: Are you still using the COVID-emergency HOS limits waiver?
CARB (California Air Resources Board)
It looks like the courts are going to have to sort this one out!
- California sued over swift implementation of heavy duty truck emissions standards
- CARB taken to court over new emission standards
- EMA Lawsuit: CARB Emissions Rule Violates Clean Air Act
- Lawsuit seeks to delay California’s clean truck regulation
- Truck and engine manufacturers suing CARB for lead time in emissions changes
- Truck Manufacturers Group Files Lawsuit Seeking More Lead Time for CARB Regulation
- Truck pollution regulation timing targeted in industry lawsuit
AB5
2. Regarding limiter, accidents, drivers, and last mile:
Limiter
If you feel that putting speed limiters on commercial motor vehicles is a bad idea, then please write and submit your comments here (noting that there are helpful tips in the Commenter’s Checklist).
- OOIDA encourages members to comment on speed limiter mandate
- Speed Limiter Proposal: More Time to Comment
- The great speed limiter debate: FMCSA’s proposed rule spurs questions
Accidents
Please learn what you can from the accidents described in these articles so that you can actively avoid getting involved in a similar accident yourself.
- Driver pleads no contest to felony charges in 74 mph crash with trooper
- Fawn sparks chain reaction crash between two rigs, SUV
- POLICE: Trucker dead after crash with illegally parked semi truck
- Shifting load of plants bonks trucker
- Trucker charged in plunge down embankment
- Two dead, five on life support after semi plows through slowed traffic
- Watch this four-wheeler break a driver’s 40 year accident-free streakI feel sorry for this trucker!
- Wrong-way driver found dead on highway 12 hours after fleeing scene of wreck with semi
Drivers
Watch out for aggressive and distracted drivers!
- Distracted drivers ‘running rampant’ on nation’s roads, report says
- Pandemic sparked ‘aggressive’ driving culture, FMCSA official says
Last mile
3. Regarding aerodynamics, fuel, autonomous vehicles, and electric vehicles:
Aerodynamics
Fuel
I know that owner-operators, independent truckers, and trucking companies are all suffering as a result of high fuel prices right now.
But I absolutely do not believe that it is the place of government officials to set price controls!
Those who set the stage for the current economic crisis need to admit and then correct those factors.
- ATA calls on Biden administration to take action to lower diesel prices
- Benchmark diesel price down again, East Coast shows more signs of normalcy
- Daily Infographic: The Average Nationwide Monthly Gasoline Price (1978-2022)
- Diesel prices dip but remain above $5.50 national average | I-81 closures this month
- Diesel prices drop outside the West Coast Land Line
- Diesel Sheds 3.2¢ to $5.539 in Third Straight Decrease
- Fuel tax holiday begins in New York Land Line State
- How hydrogen could help decarbonize transportation
- New York governor suspends fuel tax
- New York State to suspend diesel fuel taxes for the rest of 2022
- New York Suspends Gas Tax for Six Months
- Proposal Seeks Increase in Port Diesel Fee
- Trailer Manufacturers Aim to Help Curb Fuel Costs
- US exports even more oil as domestic gasoline and diesel prices spike
- Weekly Fuel Report: May 31, 2022
Autonomous vehicles
I totally oppose autonomous, driverless, and self-driving commercial motor vehicles on the public roads with the motoring public, but share these articles so that you can stay current with what’s happening.
- Autonomous vehicles topic of West Virginia law Land Line State
- Chick-fil-A pilots autonomous robot delivery with Refraction AI
- Embark partners with Texas police as part of autonomous truck development
- Embark Works on Autonomous-Truck Interactions with Law Enforcement
Electric vehicles
- Climate Activists’ Demands for EV Mail Truck Fleet Hypocritical
- Delivery network revamp may spur more EV orders, Postal Service says
- Electric Truck Performance in the Real World
4. Regarding automation and technology:
Automation
In some ways, automation can help us — such as with using washing machines to wash clothing.
However, be careful about accepting it too much because some people want to replace human labor with machines in all aspects of our lives.
Technology
- CR England reports cybersecurity breach
- Driving Fleet Maintenance Efficiencies with Data
- FleetUp introduces new dashcam footage annotation feature
- Freight-matching platform using ELD data to improve service
- How to Choose the Right Fleet Maintenance Software for Your Business
- KlearNow aims to empower intermodal operators with new drayage marketplace
- Mack unveils new technology
- New technology gives fleets quicker access to valuable dashcam footage
- Rail Roundup: Trinity acquires software platform, CP serves Hapag-Lloyd
- Route optimization vs. planning: What are the differences?
- Safety Series: Dash cameras can provide inexpensive and effective protection to drivers
- Tesla Faces Increase in Complaints Over ‘Phantom Braking’
- The issues behind electronic compliance
5. Regarding pay, tolls, inflation, failures, and consumers:
Pay
We do not endorse any trucking companies listed in this section.
Always do your own due diligence before signing on with any trucking company.
- Roehl Transport raises driver pay with new model
- USA Truck creates new compensation plan for owner-operators
Tolls
Inflation
- “These gas prices are killing the American Dream” says Detroit trucking company
- 5 Ways Truck Drivers Can Minimize Sting of Inflation
- Amid high costs, carriers can find ways to do more with less
- Biden Plots Inflation Fight With Fed Chair
- Corporations Are Using Inflation to Rob Consumers. Here’s How to Stop Them.Quote: “In short, the real problem is not inflation. The real problem is the increase in corporate power and the decline in worker power over the past 40 years.”Do you agree with that? Please comment through the form below.
- Indiana governor eyes ‘inflationary relief,’ not fuel tax cut
Failures
Consumers
- Consumer Confidence Slips in May Amid Stubborn Inflation
- Pandemic Spurred Change in Industry, Transportation Professionals Say
- Walmart, Others Amass $45 Billion in Extra Stuff to Sell
6. Regarding operations, inspections, and cross-docking:
Operations
- WATCH: Does this tarp job make you feel some type of way?Please don’t be lazy!Finish the job well!
Inspections
If you keep yourself and your rig in a perpetual state of readiness for an inspection, you will never be caught off-guard!
Cross-docking
- Daily Infographic: Cross-docking?My definition for cross-docking:”Moving freight from unloading truck to sorting center to loading truck without having to go through storage first.”
7. Regarding employment, qualifications, shortage, shut down:
Employment
- Are you contemplating switching jobs this summer?
- CSX Turns Away Freight, Struggles to Fill Jobs
- Futurist Outlines What Could Be Ahead for Driver Recruiting
- Job Openings Fell in April From March’s Record High
- More than half of drivers not looking for new job, survey shows
- Survey Shows Slight Rise in Truck Drivers Seeking New Jobs
- Taking A Truck Driving Job Can Offset Inflation For Blue Collar Americans
- Truck Driver Reviews Top Most Influential Factor in Choosing a New Job
- Truck transportation jobs climb again; warehouse hiring maintains breakneck speed
- US Added 390,000 Jobs in May as Hiring Remained Robust
Qualifications
- 3 Changes to FMCSA’s Driver Qualification File Rules Fleets Need to KnowThe first one on the list is “Eliminating the Annual List of Violations,” which I believe is a good move.
Shortage
- Labor, equipment shortage and Driver Inc. top executives’ concerns
- Truck orders range-bound as shortages persist
Shut down
A name change does not reverse a shutdown order!
- Reincarnated Carrier Put out of Service as Imminent Hazard
- Texas fleet attempts to avoid FMCSA shutdown order
- Texas fleet shut down for trying to avoid earlier FMCSA penalty
- Texas trucking company changed name to dodge order to shut down: FMCSA
- Texas trucking company ordered off the road after changing name to avoid previous out of service order, FMCSA says
8. Regarding politics and roads:
Politics
Roads
- Briefly: Expect construction delays on part of I-81 in southwest Virginia
- I-81: Coalition to discuss parking; changes through Syracuse announced
- New Hampshire covered bridge damaged by big rig
- Planned closures on I-496 | California sued over CARB deadline
- Planners Eye New Freight Corridor
- Semi’s mysterious red liquid spill closes I-15 for 9 hours
9. Regarding drugs and violence:
Drugs
Never, ever agree to haul illegal drugs — no matter how much money you are offered!
- Florida truck driver charged with crashing rig while smoking meth
- Tractor-trailer driver admits to smoking meth before crashing into shopping center
Violence
- OTR driver accused of bomb threats targeting schools, charged with making threats through interstate commerce
- Truckers “talking of not delivering fuel into Las Vegas” as police fail to respond to street racers blocking refineries
10. Regarding economy, freight, and supply chain:
Economy
- Class 8 Orders Slip in May
- Demand for new trucks still high but orders dropped in May, analysts say
- Market turn inspires owner-operators to partner up with larger fleets
- May Truck Orders Remain Constrained by Supply Chain
- Metal Prices May Set Back Race for Cheaper EVs
- Paccar Predicts Truck Market Stronger for Longer
Freight
Supply chain
- Biden to Devote $2.1 Billion to Strengthen Food Supply Chain
- Canadians stressed about supply chain shortages: Survey
- Challenged supply chain improving as US trailer build slots rapidly filling
- Congress Keeps Supply Chain Bill on Summer Agenda
- New port and supply chain envoy to work on supply chain disruptions
- Supply Chain Relief Sparks Feud Over Degree of Softer Economy
- Trucking industry brings supply chain stability
- World Events Redistribute Supply Chains
11. Regarding safety, tools, and atlas:
Safety
- FMCSA allots more than $463 million to improve CMV safety
- FMCSA increases safety grants by 52%
- Listen to truckers about highway safety, OOIDA Foundation says
- Transportation Agencies Face Challenges Spending More for Safety
Tools
Atlas
12. Regarding awards:
We recognize those who helped their fellow human beings in a time of need.
- Florida trucker aids motorist in rollover accident
- Marine veteran honored for aiding couple in accident
We congratulate all professional truck drivers who have achieved a milestone in their trucking careers.
- A & A Trucking’s Alan Paradis is Maine Professional Driving Grand Champion
- Arkansas Trucking Association names its Driver of the Year
- Maine announces champion truck drivers
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: 2022.06.04 to our TDMST Weekly Round-Up Trucking Commentary or our Truck Drivers Money Saving Tips home page.
