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Maryland's double
whammy for
truck tolls
So yeah, about that $15 truck toll you currently pay on
some
Maryland bridges. In two years, those same tolls could be $48 a pop as
part of a steep set of increases announced by the Maryland
Transportation Authority. Public hearings begin Thursday, June 9.
Truckers are still reeling from a round of truck-only toll increases
that took effect in 2009.
Under the proposal floated June 2, tolls for 5- and 6-axle commercial
vehicles stand to at least double by July 2013 on each of the
authority's eight facilities. The increases would occur in two phases,
with the first tier scheduled to occur Jan. 1, 2012.
The steepest increases are proposed for one-way tolls on the William
Preston Lane (Bay) Bridge on U.S. 50/301 and the Harry W. Nice Memorial
Bridge on U.S. 301. Those are both $15 tolls now, but would double to
$30 on Jan. 1, 2012, and then increase to $48 on July 1, 2013.
"This is ridiculous, especially in the midst of our current economic
situation," said OOIDA Executive Vice President Todd Spencer.
"Obviously the MTA doesn't know or doesn't care that toll costs come
out of truckers' pockets and are generally not passed along to their
customers. Tripling tolls on those bridges will likely result in
truckers diverting to other less appropriate routes or simply choosing
not to service many Maryland communities."
A current truck toll of $30 on the John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway,
which is part of Interstate 95, would increase to $36 in 2012 and then
to $48 in 2013.
...
Steer tire guarantees
30
more miles
A new low-rolling-resistance steer tire that is EPA
SmartWay-verified for improving fuel economy will also significantly
boost miles-to-retread, according to Michelin North America.
Introducing its next generation dual-compound tread technology,
Michelin said the new XZA3+ Evertread steer tire will be guaranteed to
run at least 30 longer than competitive steer tires in long-haul
applications.
...
Groups push for safer
trucks
The American Trucking Associations and the Owner
Operator
Independent Drivers Association on June 8 called on the federal
government to begin researching how standards for crashworthiness for
heavy trucks could benefit truck drivers.
...
Rest Stop to Remain
Open:
State Rep. Robert Godfrey said last-minute deal leads to saving the
I-84 rest stop.
A day after contacting the governor's office, State
Representative Bob Godfrey, who represents Danbury in the General
Assembly, helped secure an agreement that will keep Danbury's
Interstate 84 rest stops open, Godfrey said in a prepared press
release.
...
"First and foremost, we must consider the safety of truck drivers and
others travelling on the roads," Godfrey wrote in a June 7 letter to
the Governor Malloy. "Over tired truckers and drivers are a serious
safety concern."
...
Illinois Attempts to
Improve
Truck Routing Information
Truck drivers who plot their routes with consumer GPS
devices
may be setting themselves up for a problem. Those systems are great for
showing car drivers which way to turn, but they don't necessarily
identify critical truck information, such as the height of a bridge or
the weight limit on a county road.
Last year the Illinois General Assembly was considering a direct
approach to the problem: pass a law that would require truck drivers to
use a commercial truck GPS system. But before it acted, the Assembly
put together a task force to study the issue. Now, based on the task
force's recommendations, the governor is poised to sign a bill that
takes a more comprehensive approach.
The bill doesn't mandate truck GPS units but it will require local
governments to report road restrictions and designations to the state
Department of Transportation, which will post a unified list on its web
site. ...
[Don Schaefer, executive vice president of the Mid-West Truckers
Association, said,] "The Chicago area, in particular, has a hodgepodge
of truck routes that locals fiercely protect and love to write
tickets," he said. "A guy running 80,000 pounds on a 73,280 road is in
line for a ticket around $1,100."
The new law will make a difference, he said. "It means the state can
start putting pressure on local jurisdictions. If they're going to
complain about trucks on certain routes and they haven't updated their
data, they won't get much support."
...
Dual-compound steer
tire
Michelin introduced its XZA3 + Evertread steer tire June
8,
incorporating a "dual-compound" tread design.
Ted Becker, director of marketing for Michelin America's Truck Tires,
said the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency SmartWay certified tire
is designed for fuel efficiency, meeting California Air Resources Board
requirements and to deliver 30 percent more mileage than competitor
steer tires.
...
Inspecting trucks with
infrared
... many motor carrier enforcement agencies are now
using
infrared inspection systems or "IRIS" for short to help them quickly
identify trucks with under-inflated, flat, or over-inflated tires,
leaky exhaust systems, and most importantly overheated brakes.
The biggest advantage of such technology is that it can quickly
identify trucks with problems in all of these areas - usually in
seconds - thereby helping law enforcement officers quickly determine
who's operating good, safe equipment ... and who isn't.
...
Maine Turnpike
Authority
reform nears passage
An overhaul of the Maine Turnpike Authority is one step
closer
to becoming state law.
In the wake of a report that questioned spending at the turnpike
authority, a bill was introduced at the Maine statehouse that calls for
significant changes. Among the benefits for truckers and other drivers
is a requirement that more toll revenue be routed to state highway
projects.
...
IRU opposed to new tax
The International Road Transport Union have announced
their
opposition to a new road tax that the European Parliament is set to
introduce.
...
The Eurovignette Directive proposed by the EP TRAN Committee and the
Council of Ministers adopted today by the European Parliament turns the
Eurovignette merely into a heavy, additional new tax to be paid by EU
citizens for any road freight service, which will penalise the EU
economy and job creation with no environmental benefits.
...
President of the IRU EU Goods Transport Liaison Committee, Alexander
Sakkers, stressed: "While the road transport industry is strongly
committed to further greening its services, this new tax imposed on
road transport services through the Eurovignette Directive will
actually impede operators from investing in and implementing the best
technologies and techniques crucial to further green road transport and
meet the CO2 reduction target."
...
States act on ticket
cameras
Use of technology to enforce traffic rules is an annual
point
of contention at statehouses. This year is no different with lawmakers
in multiple states addressing whether the enforcement tool should be
allowed.
...
OOIDA Executive Vice President Todd Spencer says the focus on ticket
cameras ignores the more logical and reasoned approach to roads and
traffic.
"The goal should be to keep traffic moving in as safe a manner as
possible," Spencer said.
Communities should be pursuing "intelligent traffic lights that
actually monitor traffic and are triggered by traffic flow," he said.
...
Illinois nears
privatization
approval
The Illinois General Assembly has approved a bill that
resorts
to tapping private companies to help build new roads. The funding
method is already authorized to build the long-sought Illiana
Expressway.
...
A year ago, [Gov. Pat] Quinn signed into law a bill permitting the
state to partner with private groups to develop, build and manage the
proposed 53-mile expressway. Daniels approved similar legislation,
which authorizes a private group to build and operate the proposed $1
billion roadway in exchange for toll revenue.
...
National Tire Safety
Week
spotlights tire maintenance
The Department of Transportation (DOT) hopes to put the
spotlight on tire safety this week. National Tire Safety Week runs from
June 5-11, and coincides with the begining of the heavy summer driving
season.
The latest data from DOT's National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration shows that over the five-year period from 2005 to 2009,
nearly 3,400 people died and an estimated 116,000 were injured in
tire-related crashes. ...
...
FMCSA seeks hours
paperwork
comments
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is
seeking
public comment on its revised estimate of the paperwork burden of the
hours of service rules.
To comment, go to www.regulations.gov; the docket number is
FMCSA-2011-0065.
...
The currently approved estimate is 181.28 million hours, as approved by
OMB on Aug. 20, 2010; the expiration date of this information
collection is Aug. 31. In the newly revised request, FMCSA proposes to
reduce the paperwork burden by about 9.20 million burden hours, or by 5
percent, to 172.08 million hours.
Who's Winning, You or
Your Fuel Program?
You and your fuel program should be working together in
harmony. However, with diesel fuel prices going up and down like a
yo-yo, and your work schedule getting busier, not easier, it probably
feels like neither you nor your fuel program is winning.
Perhaps you feel helpless against rising fuel costs. In fact, they
really are out of your control, and even minor fluctuations in pricing
can have a big impact on your bottom line.
...
So, how can you win?
...
No-Idle Systems
As we report in the June 2011 issue of Heavy Duty
Trucking,
there are a large number of suppliers of idle-reduction systems. We
have listed as many as we are aware of for your convenience.
...
Oregon Bill Would
Restrict
Truck Idling
The Oregon State Senate has approved a bill that
prohibits
commercial trucks from idling in front of schools and residential
neighborhoods, but the measure not take effect for more than two years,
the Oregonian newspaper reported.
Under Senate Bill 767, penalties are $50 for first offense, $100 for
second offense and $200 after this. Fines would be levied against
drivers, not the fleet owners, according to the state legislature's
website.
Truckers could still idle their engines to recharge batteries or make
repairs, and to run their air conditioners in summer or keep them warm
in winter, the website said.
...
Truck driver speaks
out
after obejct shatters his windshiled while driving
An early Sunday morning incident could have killed two
truck
drivers on Interstate 80. Iowa State Patrol confirms someone dropped an
object from an overpass near mile marker 222 near Tiffin and hit the
windshield of two semi-trucks.
"I was coming from Omaha headed to Chicago," said truck driver Kim
Heath.
Kim Heath has some 45,000 pounds of steaks to get from one Midwest city
to next. But at about three Sunday morning, an unexpected incident
derailed his plans.
"As I passed under the overpass I heard a loud explosion and my
windshield shattered," said Heath.
This is the windshield. He says it was a styrofoam cup filled with ice
that did all the damage. And Heath wasn't alone.
"And within a matter of seconds another trucker pulled over right in
front of me," said Heath.
...
Declining living
standards
pre-date the recession and threaten the recovery
Average living standards in the UK economy are now in
the grip
of their first prolonged decline since the late 1920s. Most
commentators have attributed this trend to the recession. In fact its
roots go back a lot further. Wages for most of the workforce have been
falling behind increases in wider prosperity since the early 1980s and
at an accelerating rate.
...
In contrast, those of a group of relatively unskilled and semi-skilled
workers, including bakers, forklift truck drivers, packers and bottlers
actually fell in real terms. As a result, despite the implementation of
the minimum wage, the proportion working on low pay has almost doubled
from 12 in 1977 to over 22 today. This 30-year long squeeze has,
together with the spread of unemployment, greatly undermined the
promise of an aspirational culture much promoted across the political
spectrum.
...
Wages at standstill
over
last 30 years
... Higher earners, including barristers and medical
practitioners, have seen huge rises in their income, while those in
professions like bakers and truck drivers have seen their earnings
actually fall in the last 30 years.
Gap widening between high and low earners
The real wages (adjusted for inflation) show that medical practitioners
have seen their wages leap by 153 per cent, while bakers' pay fell by 1
per cent. Judges, barristers and solicitors earn 114 per cent more than
they did in the 70s - but forklift truck drivers earn 5 per cent less
in real terms.
...
Are you an UltraChef?
TravelCenters of America and Petro Stopping Centers are
looking for winning comfort food recipes from UltraONE driver rewards
program members for the UltraChef One Million Point Recipe Challenge.
...
Two grand prize winners will be chosen. They will receive...
Two runners-up will be chosen to receive...
...
Marten to pay
detention time
Marten Transport out of Mondovi, WI, says it's going to
start
paying detention time to both its company drivers and owner-operators
on July 1, regardless of whether the customer shares in the cost or
not.
Recruiting director Tim Norlin told Land Line Now that if a load is
delivered on time, after two hours of waiting a company driver will be
paid $12 an hour extra. Owner-operators will be paid $20 an hour extra.
...
Now Oregon law
provides
indemnification protection
A bill to address indemnification clauses has completed
its
trek through the Oregon Legislature.
Gov. John Kitzhaber signed into law a bill to make unenforceable any
motor carrier contracts that provide for shippers to be indemnified for
losses caused by their own negligence. The rule, which took effect
immediately, applies only to contracts executed after May 27.
...
[Joe Rajkovacz, OOIDA director of regulatory affairs] says the
indemnification protection effectively prohibits a receiver from
pre-conditioning unloading by attempting to require the motor carrier
to obtain specific insurance coverage that many times is not
commercially attainable.
...
"This type of scam is often used by receivers to force motor carriers
into paying for unloading services provided by the receiver - services
from which they profit dramatically," he said.
...
Cargo Theft A Greater
Concern Than Terrorism For Supply Chain Future
Cargo theft is a major concern for an overwhelming
majority of
supply chain professionals, far higher than terrorism, according to the
annual supply chain survey by FreightWatch International, a global
logistics security solutions provider.
Cargo theft was rated the top concern for supply chain risk over the
next five years, as stated by supply chain professionals during the
2011 FreightWatch supply chain survey. Over 80 percent of all
respondents stated that cargo theft was a major concern for supply
chain operations over the next five years, surpassing terrorism, which
only 11 percent of respondents listed as a major concern.
In addition, 74 percent of all respondents stated that cargo theft had
a major or moderate effect on their supply chain operations.
...
[Australia] Trucking
operators face 3.4 percent wage increase
Trucking operators employing drivers under the modern
award
system will need to increase wages by 3.4 percent from July 1.
Fair Work Australia today handed down its minimum wage decision, which
also includes a $19.40 increase for the country's lowest paid workers.
The 3.4 percent increase will apply to trucking operators employing
staff under the Road Transport and Distribution Award and the Road
Transport (Long Distance Operations) Award.
The increase will coincide with a 2.4 percent jump in heavy vehicle
registration fees and the diesel excise.
...
How to: Change
transmission
and axle lubes
Transmission and axle lubricants accumulate contaminants
because they are subject to heat and mechanical stress. They also have
additives that need to be replenished. Don't use transmission and axle
lubes interchangeably.
...
Roadcheck to focus on
HOS
violations
Considering that 70 percent of HOS violations are "form
and
manner" violations, this would be a good week to take a long hard look
at your logbooks. The CVSA annual Roadcheck safety blitz will focus its
enforcement on HOS and logbook violations next week, June 7-9.
...
Pilot Flying J to
upgrade
showers, host contest
Pilot Flying J showers are being renovated and truckers
can
vote on the best shower at its interstate facilities this summer, the
travel center announced. For the next two years the truck stop's 4,000
showers will be upgraded ...
...
Diesel falls 4th week
For a fourth consecutive week, the national average
retail
price of diesel fell during the week ended May 30, according to the
U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration. The
national average price dropped 4.9 cents to $3.948, the lowest price
since April 4.
Prices in all regions dropped...
...
Prime Inc. increases
pay per
mile to independent contractors
Independent contractors in reefer and flatbed segments
will
have minimum pay set at $1.02 per mile starting June 1, said John
Hancock, Prime Inc.'s recruiting director. The increase is available to
all new and existing operators.
The Springfield, Mo.-based carrier pays its contractors 72 percent of
revenue. ...
...
Base rates soften in
March,
fuel surcharges increase
TORONTO, Ont. -- Canadian ground transportation costs
increased slightly in March, due to mostly to fuel surcharge increases,
according to the most recent Canadian General Freight Index compiled by
Nulogx.
...
Saskatchewan running
triple
trailer turnpike trial
REGINA, Sask. -- Saskatchewan is running a triple
trailer
turnpike trial between Regina and Saskatoon.
The province announced special restrictions have been placed on the
vehicles to ensure their safe operation.
The turnpike triples can be up to 58 metres long. Participating
carriers must pay a $2,000 per year administration fee and pass a
pre-entry audit. ...
...
New York bill would
mandate
front-end mirrors for trucks
An initiative on its way to the governor is intended to
eliminate blindspots for truck drivers traveling in New York City.
Large trucks base-plated in New York would be required to have
front-end mirrors installed if traveling through any of the five
boroughs.
...
Texas idling issues
sent to
governor
An effort to allow certain trucks in Texas to idle
without
truckers having to be watchful of the clock could soon be law.
The Texas House voted unanimously to approve a bill that would permit
trucks with "clean idle" engines to idle while also providing an
incentive to reduce idling. ...
Texas law now limits idling to five minutes per hour from April to
October in cities that include ...
The bill calls for the idling restriction to be removed for trucks
equipped with a 2008 model year or newer engine that is certified by
the Environmental Protection Agency. Heavy-duty engines certified by a
state environmental agency to emit fewer than 30 grams of NOx per hour
would also qualify.
In the bill analysis, Sen. Troy Fraser, R-Horseshoe Bay, wrote that
"during many months of the year, it is impossible for a driver to get
the rest he or she needs without air conditioning or heat."
...
Trucks free to enter
toll
road again
[Indonesia] ... The Jakarta administration previously
extended
a ban on trucks to four more sections of the inner-city toll road for a
month after implementing a five-day truck ban along the Cawang-Tomang
section for the 18th ASEAN Summit on May 7-8.
The expanded ban barred trucks from operating between 5 a.m. and 10
p.m. along the sections of ...
The ban was met by a mixed response throughout Jakarta. Some residents
reported observing immediate benefits, claiming that the toll road was
less crowded and commutes were faster without trucks to slow the pace
of traffic.
Some even took to the streets to support the ban, rallying on several
days to give moral support to the city administration, which faced a
barrage of criticism from the central government, local businesses and
truck drivers.
A strike by hundreds of container truck drivers in the Tanjung Priok
Port, North Jakarta, on Friday was followed by the triumphant return of
their trucks to the toll road.
...
Freight Transport
Association Claims Potholes Increase Haulage Costs
UK - Yesterday the Labour Party estimated that the bill
for
repairing Britain's roads was as high as 13.4 billion and that 92 of
the Councils which responded to their survey stated they had
insufficient funds to effect repairs. Given that, once reported, it is
the legal obligation of a local authority to repair potholes, for fear
of legal liability should a subsequent accident occur, the bill could
actually be even higher. Now the Freight Transport Association has
spoken out on the subject on behalf of the nation's road haulage
interests.
The FTA says that damage to commercial vehicles from poorly maintained
local roads represents a significant cost to business and, eventually,
hits the consumer in the pocket too, with industry estimates that tyres
and maintenance account for over 10 per cent of the costs of running a
typical large truck the damage caused by uneven road surfaces an have a
very real and direct effect on a hauliers costs to say nothing of the
element of road safety involved. ...
Nearly Half of
Americans
Would Struggle to Come Up With $2K in 30 Days
Last month's most terrifying financial news comes from a
paper
published by the National Bureau of Economic Research: Financially
Fragile Households.
From the abstract: This paper examines households' financial fragility
by looking at their capacity to come up with $2,000 in 30 days. ...
Approximately one quarter of Americans report that they would certainly
not be able to come up with such funds, and an additional 19 would do
so by relying at least in part on pawning or selling possessions or
taking payday loans.
The researchers also report that the ranks of the
couldn't-come-up-with-$2,000-in-one-month class includes many people
with incomes that put them well above the poverty line, reflecting
"either a substantially weaker financial position than one would
expect, or a very high level of anxiety or pessimism. Both are
important in terms of behavior and for public policy."
...
Meritor WABCO supports
tax
credit for safety technologies
Meritor WABCO announced its support for the Commercial
Motor
Vehicle Advanced Safety Technology Tax Act of 2011, introduced by
Congressmen Geoff Davis (R-Ky.) and Mike Thompson (D-Calif.) on May 4
as H.R. 1706. The bill would provide an income tax credit for proven
advanced safety technologies to owners of commercial trucks, buses and
commercial motor vehicle fleets.
The proposed bill facilitates the accelerated development and
deployment of advanced safety systems by providing tax credits to
purchasers of commercial vehicles of up to $1,500 per safety system and
$3,500 per vehicle. The tax credit cannot exceed $350,000 annually per
taxpayer. The bill's supporters say its passage ultimately could lead
to fewer crashes, fatalities and injuries.
...
DOTs 'Click It or
Ticket'
campaign back for Memorial Day weekend
As drivers prepare for the long Memorial Day travel
weekend,
the U.S. Department of Transportation on Thursday, May 26, announced
the 2011 "Click It or Ticket" mobilization with a reminder about the
severe risks of driving unbelted, day or night. "Seatbelts are a
lifesaver, but too many people are failing to buckle their seatbelts at
night, and it's costing lives," U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray
LaHood says.
...
Maine Turnpike
Authority
reform closer to reality
In the wake of a report that questioned spending at the
Maine
Turnpike Authority, a bill to overhaul the agency is on the move. Among
the benefits for truckers and other drivers is a requirement that more
toll revenue be routed to state highway projects.
...
New York Senate OKs
fuel tax
holidays
The New York Senate has likely won more favor from
residents
in the state this week after approving legislation to suspend
collecting taxes on fuel purchases for three holiday weekends in 2011.
It now moves to the Assembly.
The Republican-led bill cleared the Senate on a 48-14 vote. The measure
- S4880 - would lift the taxes on the state's gas and diesel purchases
for the Memorial Day, July Fourth and Labor Day holiday weekends.
Advocates say it would save consumers about 33 cents per gallon in
state sales, motor fuel excise, and petroleum business taxes during the
12-day period. Local governments would also have the option of waiving
their sales taxes of about 15 cents per gallon.
The state's petroleum business tax accounts for 17 cents per gallon.
The state sales tax and motor fuel excise tax each account for 8 cents.
...
Trucking Survey
... This survey will only take about 15 minutes of your
time.
Please answer each question to the best of your ability. Some questions
may appear repetitive, but it is important that you answer all of them.
Anonymity is guaranteed and your responses will only be used in
combination with answers received from other participants. Also, your
responses will not be shared with management.
Once you complete this survey, you will be entered into a drawing for a
$50 Gift Card to Petro Stopping Center.
This study has been reviewed and approved by the Collegiate Review
Board for the Protection of Human Subjects in Research.
...
Truck drivers and farm
workers: Risk of being killed working
Safe Work Australia released its latest report on
work-related
deaths due to injury called Work-related Traumatic Injury Fatalities
2008-09.
This report indicates little change in the number of workers killed
each with 286 workers killed in 2008-09, 100 of which were due to
traffic incidents on public roads.
In addition 117 workers died while travelling to or from work and 41
members of the general public were killed due to someone else's work
activity, according to Safe Work Australia.
Truck drivers and workers on farms are the groups most at risk of being
killed while working.
...
Govt Wants Compromise
on
Truck Ban as Drivers Threaten Strike [Indonesia]
... "We are renegotiating the toll road matter. Trucks
from
Merak [in Banten], for instance, could be allowed through the Puri
Kembangan toll gate [in West Jakarta] to Pluit and then to Tanjung
Priok [port in North Jakarta]," Royke told reporters. ...
CVSA Roadcheck to
target HOS
and HHG compliance, passenger buses
Truck and bus safety inspectors will be on the job night
and
day during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance's 72-hour
International Roadcheck on June 7-9, checking vehicles and their
drivers at inspection sites along major highways across North America.
In addition, roving patrols will inspect vehicles and drivers traveling
other roadways.
...
With the recent increased attention being made relative to driver hours
of service and electronic onboard recorders, this year's Roadcheck will
emphasize checking driver logbooks and underscore to drivers the
importance of maintaining their logbooks, taking breaks, preventing
fatigue, and driving without distractions. Also, Roadcheck 2011 will
include added emphasis on finding carriers of household goods who may
be operating under the radar by using improperly marked rental vehicles
and/or operating as a property carrier rather than a HHG carrier.
...
Semi-annual truck
inspections underway
Commercial truck drivers need to make sure their rig is
up to
snuff, because police are in day two of a three-day, roadside
inspection blitz.
During the first day of the program, 30 per cent of the vehicles
checked, didn't pass muster.
That 30 per cent fail rate sounds a lot worse than it really is.
Inspection officers are armed with an infrared camera which helps them
spot potential tire, brake and other issues. ...
Natural Gas Vehicle
Bill
Draws Critics
Criticism over legislation that would offer tax
incentives for
natural gas vehicles is intensifying, which may make it more difficult
for the bill's supporters to accomplish the goal of a vote on the
measure before the August recess, reports the Motor Equipment
Manufacturers Association.
The "New Alternative Transportation to Give Americans Solutions" (NAT
GAS) Act of 2011, H.R. 1380, introduced in April, would authorize tax
incentives for both light-duty and heavy-duty vehicles ranging from
$7,500 to $64,000, depending on the size of the vehicle. Introduced by
Representives John Sullivan, R-Okla., Dan Boren, D-Okla., John Larson,
D-Conn., and Kevin Brady, R-Texas, it currently enjoys the bipartisan
support of 185 cosponsors and prominent supporters of natural gas
including billionaire T. Boone Pickens.
However, the legislation has drawn sharp criticism from prominent
conservative groups, which have called the measure "another wasteful
subsidy" that unfairly supports one technology.
Proponents of the bill responded to the criticism by arguing that
inaction amounts to a de-facto subsidy of the oil industry.
...
States act on
'distracted
driving' efforts
Thanks to the feds, truck drivers already are prohibited
from
texting while driving. More and more states are acting to put into
place similar bans for all motorists.
During the past year, about a dozen states have acted to outlaw the
distracted driving practice. By the end of this summer, at least 32
states will be enforcing bans while more states are working to approve
similar actions.
...
Turnpike E-ZPass
discounts
end for out-of-state tag holders
New Jersey drivers on the New Jersey Turnpike with
out-of-state E-ZPass accounts and tags will lose their off-peak
discount starting July 1.
The Turnpike Authority board of commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday
morning to end the discounts, meaning that customers with New York
Metropolitan Transportation Authority or Port Authority E-ZPass will
have to make a choice.
...
Officials will continue to offer off-peak discounts to truck drivers to
encourage them to travel outside of the prime commuting times of 7 to 9
a.m. and 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. weekdays. Weekends also are considered peak
hours for purposes of E-ZPass discounts.
...
Website promotes
alt-fuel
vehicles
Drivers and managers can find educational information on
alternative-fuel vehicles and environmental performance of vehicles at
a new interactive eco website launched by GE Capital Fleet Services.
The site is dedicated to alternative vehicles and services and offers
information, tools, and educational materials. It has dedicated
sections for business solutions and driver solutions.
...
Texas lawmakers
approve
uniform speeds, all day
Truckers welcome news that the days of setting speed
limits in
Texas by the presence of the sun could soon be a relic of the past. A
bill has completed its journey through the Texas statehouse that would
allow truckers and other drivers to travel at the same speed, night and
day.
...
Indiana governor given
greater tolling authority
A new law in Indiana gives the governor greater
authority on
toll projects in the state.
...
The governor will have sole authority to add toll lanes, including
truck-only lanes and high-occupancy toll lanes, to existing roadways as
long as free lanes are not reduced.
...
Cargo thefts can kill
Sales of stolen goods - particularly pharmaceuticals -
may
hurt large-scale public health in the U.S., according to a cargo theft
analysis conducted by the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB).
"Cargo theft is not only a property crime that hurts the national
economy, it can have a serious impact on public health and safety,"
stressed Joe Wehrle, NCIB's president and CEO, in the group's 2010
National Cargo Theft report released this week.
...
The NICB's research identified 747 cargo thefts occurred across the
U.S. nation in 2010 with an estimated loss value of $171 million, with
most freight stolen from trucks or railroad cars, although the group
stressed intermodal and air freight shipments are vulnerable as well.
However, that number may be quite low as the Federal Bureau of
Investigation (FBI) estimates that cargo theft costs the U.S. $15
billion to $30 billion a year - resulting in an estimated 20 mark-up in
retail prices for consumers.
...
NYS Senate Passes Bill
To
Help Protect Pedestrians From Truck Accidents
... "Trucks equipped with crossover mirrors eliminate
the
truck driver's blind spot and allow drivers to see pedestrians crossing
in front of them," Senator Golden said.
...
The bill requires all trucks, tractors, and tractor-trailers or
semi-trailer combinations registered in New York State with a maximum
gross weight of 26,000 pounds or more and a conventional cab
configuration, to be equipped with crossover mirrors when operating in
New York City.
Crossover mirrors allow the driver to see any person at least three
feet tall who passes at least one foot in front of their vehicles.
While the exact cost depends on the type of mount used, the mirror
heads themselves cost approximately $10 to $29 each and assembly kits
which include the mirror head and the adjustable braces and mounting
hardware are available for approximately $23 to $57 each.
...
Fuel Cost Sparks Truck
Crime
As Haulier Attacked
UK - As the price of fuel has increased apparently the
latter
day spectre of theft from parked vehicles is returning to haunt road
haulage outfits, as well as ordinary motorists. The large quantities of
diesel used by a freight or general delivery truck is bound to appeal
to cash strapped thieves, some of whom it appears are willing to resort
to violence.
Motorway service areas can be hotspots for truck crime and the Road
Haulage Association (RHA) has been campaigning for years for improved
security at these sites. As fuel prices rise, diesel has become a
highly valued commodity among criminals who sell it on for a 'below
market' cost. This activity is creating large losses for haulage firms
in particular.
The RHA tells us that one of their members was recently threatened with
physical harm by several individuals intent on siphoning diesel from
his tank while he was parked...
...
Getting Ready for More
Volatile Fuel Prices with Fuel Purchasing Strategies
Rising and volatile fuel prices are applying significant
pressure to commercial fleet operational plans and budgets. In the
first two months of the New Year, fuel prices were 50 cents higher than
at the same time last year. This was before the unrest in North Africa
and the Middle East that continues today, which has driven a barrel of
oil above $100 and diesel prices over $4 per gallon.
Many analysts predict that prices will continue to climb and remain
highly volatile - reminiscent of 2008. ...
...
Trucker's Objectives
of
Electronic On Board Recorders May Significantly Alter the Way Freight
Moves In the USA
The freight industry has become under relentless tension
from
the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)'s desire to
implement a lengthy list of regulation. ...
Monitoring of Truck Drivers by means of the use of Electronic On Board
Recorders (EOBR's) is 1 example of a controversial law being strongly
considered for implementation. With Electronic On Board Recorder
(EOBR)'s, third parties are able to determine and record the precise
running time of a truck from a single device installed in the driver's
cab. The goal of such a program is to monitor the actual driving time
of each driver remotely so that log books and driving hours no longer
have to be kept and accurate record keeping can be achieved. The United
States Freight Marketplace has not accepted this brand new
controversial laws without a large quantity of debate. Several truck
drivers do not want EOBR's installed in their trucks as well as see
such legislation as a violation of their privacy by the government. ...
Delaware jobs:
Trucking
companies hard-pressed to keep drivers on their payrolls
This high-stress career path has plenty of forward
motion but
little upward mobility. And traditionally, that's meant high turnover
for truck drivers.
But lately, amid high gas prices, new government rules and an economy
struggling to get out of neutral, truckers have been changing jobs with
even greater speed.
In the fourth quarter of 2010, annualized turnover at large-fleet,
long-haul trucking companies was 69 percent, according to the American
Trucking Association. That's the highest it's been since the second
quarter of 2008 -- another period of high fuel prices.
...
Fuel card news:
Illegal
diesel detected by HMRC
Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has
announced
it has traced thousands of litres of illegal fuel at a truck filling
station on the M1.
Representatives have said that 217,000 litres of "highly adulterated"
diesel has been discovered.
Kerosene was added to standard diesel in a process known as
"stretching". The fuel has a lower duty rate and criminals can take
advantage of this by selling it with official diesel to make a tidy
profit.
...
"The addition of kerosene would have made the fuel more combustible and
prolonged use would undoubtedly damage the engine of any vehicle,"
commented assistant director of specialist investigations Stuart
Crookshank.
...
Nation's Best Truck
Drivers
Provide Life-Saving Tips To Motorists During Memorial Day Weekend
Memorial Day serves as the start for the busy summer
driving
season and nearly 35 million motorists are expected to travel over 50
miles this holiday weekend. America's Road Team Captains, elite
professional truck drivers with millions of accident-free miles, can
offer advice on how to navigate safely through highway traffic and
arrive at your destination safely.
...
Trucking firms urged
to
secure properties for holiday weekend
... Police are warning trucking companies to take extra
precautions with protecting their property this holiday weekend after a
rash of thefts.
Over the past few months, tractor trailers loaded with property were
stolen from trucking yards...
...
Student Truck Driver
Survival Guide for Men and Women
... Going to a carrier who claims they pay more "cents
per
mile" (CPM), does not always mean you will make more money. The reason
why is that word "Average" in the fine print. You may be assigned less
miles at a higher CPM and vice versa. Make sure you realize this before
company jumping.
...
Every little BIT helps
in
California
Truckers and enforcement are working together in
California to
effect some positive changes in the state's mandatory two-year
compliance review program. The changes could save time and money -
something every trucker could use a little more of.
California's Biennial Inspection of Terminal program, known as BIT, is
the state's version of a compliance review for intrastate carriers. It
comes with a fee, administered by the California Highway Patrol,
ranging from $270 for one-truck operations up to $1,870 for 101 or more
trucks using a terminal.
A cooperative effort by the California Highway Patrol, California
Department of Motor Vehicles, OOIDA, the California Dump Truck Owners
Association and California Trucking Association aims to make
substantive changes to the BIT program - and it will take a legislative
effort.
...
Natural-Gas Trucks
Face Long
Haul
An 18-wheeler can burn as much fuel in a year as 40
cars. What
if it burned domestic natural gas instead of imported oil?
...
Wabco to supply
emergency
braking technology to Hyundai
Wabco Holding announced that it has entered into a
long-term
agreement with Hyundai Motor Co. to develop and supply Wabco's
OnGuardPlus system. OnGuardPLUS, an emergency braking system, is
designed to reduce risk of colliding with moving vehicles ahead as well
as decelerating vehicles ahead that come to a standstill, applying
brakes in imminent collision situations and providing the driver with
acoustic and visual warning. It autonomously initiates emergency
braking, enables maximum possible deceleration and can bring the
vehicle to a complete stop, Wabco says; it also reacts to stationary
vehicles ahead, such as when approaching traffic congestion.
...
Drivers have mixed
reactions
to fuel subsidy
Beirut's taxi drivers appeared divided on the agreement
between caretaker Finance Minister Raya al-Hasan and a coalition of
transport unions Wednesday evening to subsidize taxi drivers by
LL470,000 monthly.
The confederations of taxi drivers had planned to stage strikes across
the country Thursday to protest against high gasoline prices but the
two parties eventually came to a three-month agreement, pending renewal
by an incoming government.
"I'm happy with the decision, it's better than nothing," said Marwan
Assouss, 44, who said he was originally planning to take part in the
strike.
Neameh, a 49-year-old man who did not want to give his full name,
called the deal "acceptable" but lamented that it was only directed at
taxi and truck drivers. "It's unfair that all citizens will not benefit
from it," he said, stressing the issue was not only about gasoline
prices but about the general cost of living.
...
Double Coin to raise
prices 6
Buyers of Double Coin Tires will have to shell out a few
more
dollars for the company's products following the announcement of a
price increase for TBR & ROTR products beginning June 1.
...
Truckers: Ban on
trucks on
toll road not a problem
The Organization of Land Transportation Owners (Organda)
will
organize a mass strike action today to protest the Jakarta
administration's decision to limit trucks from using the inner city
toll road, but several truck drivers said they did not object to the
new rule.
Aji, a truck driver who usually transports logs of wood, told The
Jakarta Post on Thursday that instead of joining the strike, he would
rather stay at home.
"It is true that since the rule came into effect, there are extra costs
I must bear and extra time wasted, but we just need to work better on
scheduling our time and addressing the costs," he said.
...
Tallman bill will halt
illegal truckers
A bill that would amend current transportation law to
strengthen fines for certain truck drivers whose rigs are
insufficiently licensed while operating in Pennsylvania will be put to
vote Tuesday in the House of Representatives' Transportation Committee.
...
Act 37 of 2001 requires out-of-state operators driving their four-axle
dump trucks into Pennsylvania to purchase a Class 20 license at a cost
of $1,251. Failure to do so was recognized as a summary offense with a
simple $25 fine.
If Tallman's bill is voted into law, violators of the law would be
issued a summary offense and face fines ranging from $500 too $1,000
for each violation.
...
Minister gives no hint
Severn Bridge tolls will fall
THE UK Government yesterday gave no hint that tolls will
fall
on the Severn Crossing when it enters public ownership and warned of
delays this summer because of resurfacing work.
...
R.I. Exploring Putting
Tolls
on Interstate 95
Rhode Island state officials are pushing ahead with a
plan to
explore putting tolls on Interstate 95, the state's top transportation
official said, despite U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood's
disapproval of the idea.
...
"We don't support the kind of approach, though, for roads that have
already been built with taxpayer dollars then to be tolled," LaHood
said in an interview posted on television station WPRI's website.
...
U.S. Xpress driver
wins
idling contest, receives truck
Scot Hays, a driver with more than 17 years of
experience with
U.S. Xpress Enterprises, received a 2007 Freightliner truck after being
named the first grand prize winner of the company's Idle Reduction
Sweepstakes.
...
A company spokesman said Hays reduced his idling to about 5 percent
during first quarter.
U.S. Xpress President John White said all the top qualifiers received
cash prizes for their efforts during the contest, which will be
repeated quarterly. "Through our Idle Reduction Sweepstakes, U.S.
Xpress has been able to create an additional focus on cutting down
engine idle which also offered a valuable business opportunity for our
drivers," he said.
Forget the gas tax - a
driving tax may be next
Washington lawmakers are kicking around a new idea to
help
raise funds to fix our highways and infrastructure: a national driving
tax charging motorists by the mile.
A driving tax could either replace the current 18.4 cent a gallon
federal gas tax or, possibly, add to it.
...
While many see a driving tax as more efficient than the gas tax, there
are privacy concerns over how driving information would be collected.
Plus, lawmakers opposed to the idea say it places a heavier burden on
motorists from rural states.
...
Trucker fined in 2010
crash
on Interstate 81 that hurt trooper
A judge fined a truck driver $2,000 Monday for a
spectacular
wreck on Interstate 81 that injured a state trooper last summer.
Judge Gino Williams found Enrique Gonzalez guilty of reckless driving
in connection with an incident on June 20 near Ironto. Williams also
gave Gonzalez a six-month license suspension.
...
A police report said Gonzalez lost control while using a cellphone.
...
Becoming a Successful
Owner/Operator
Trucknews.com and Michelin have teamed up to present a
10-part
video series on Becoming a Successful Owner/Operator.
...
The videos are available to view on the Trucknews.com home page in the
Learning Centre video box.
Health association to
team
with Texas truckers
... To introduce TMTA members to HTAA Health and
Wellness
benefits, TMTA fleet members and their drivers will receive
complimentary HTAA benefits for six months.
...
Rest areas closing
Nationwide, rest areas are closing because of flooding
or
budget shortfalls. On the other hand, one is being converted to truck
parking.
...
Free Trucker Stuff
Opens
Massive Free Load Board List for Truck Drivers
FreeTruckerStuff announced the debut of another new
webpage
with massive free load board lists for truckers. Over 35 load boards
listed and growing!
...
Call to flood-proof
roads
over truckie rest stops
The Transport Workers Union (TWU) says the State
Government
should be flood-proofing Queensland's roads, instead of spending money
on truck stops. ...
TWU state secretary Peter Biagini says safer roads for truckies should
be the Government's focus.
"It costs truck drivers a lot of lost money through time lost sitting
beside the road, waiting for the roads to be open, let alone the damage
it does to roads," he said.
...
Poor county raises
funds by
fining truck drivers
Traffic cops in a remote, poverty-stricken county of
Northeast
China have been collecting millions of yuan in fines to help pay
themselves salaries and bonuses, China Central Television (CCTV)
reported Friday.
The traffic administration of Lindian county, Heilongjiang Province,
reportedly handed in 3 million yuan ($461,630) in fines to local
government in 2010.
The county's revenue is not enough to support the administration's
daily operations, said former director Yao Binhai.
"Only 19 out of my 40 officiers are paid from the county's public
finances," Yao said.
"By fining more trucks, I can pay the rest of the officers," Yao said
in the CCTV report.
...
ELDs and EOBRs -
What's the
Difference?
Part of the fun of technology is getting a new
vocabulary of
acronyms. The latest for automated driver logs is ELDs - or electronic
logging devices. According to some reports, ELDs are not only better
than Electronic On-board Recorders (EOBRs), but they cost less. ...
...
... What do these things cost? What is the difference between the low
cost version and full blown high end versions? ...
...
Truck Drivers
Surprised by
Inspections
Truck drivers traveling near two intersections were
stopped by
state troopers Thursday for a surprise vehicle inspection. The Nebraska
State Patrol set up shop at 84th and Brentwood and 108th and Giles to
make sure commercial vehicles didn't pose any dangers to our roads.
Authorities say during their stay they kept on the lookout for bad
brakes and tires among other issues all in an effort to keep your
family safe.
"We check all of the paperwork on the driver and the truck," said
Trooper John Lewis. "We even do a complete walk around on the vehicle."
Those who passed the inspection received a special yellow decal good
for 90 days as proof their vehicle is suitable to drive. Those who
didn't get the thumbs up were shut down until their company fixes
what's wrong. ...
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