This is the TDMST Weekly Round-Up of news affecting professional truck drivers, written by Vicki Simons for the week ending September 26, 2020.
We welcome your comments, thoughts and feedback on the items of your choice below.
1. Regarding Hours of Service (HOS):
Despite legal challenges, it appears as though the most recent change to the Hours of Service regulations is going through starting this coming week.
Please familiarize yourself with the new rules and make sure that your Electronic Logging Device (ELD) is updated to keep you legal and compliant with the new regulations.
The most recent articles about this topic are:
- Daily Infographic: The pocket guide to 2020 hours-of-service changes
- FMCSA Denies Driverless Tech Maker’s Controversial Hours of Service Exemption Request
- FMCSA denies tech company’s exemption request
- HOS changes start on Tuesday — Here’s what you need to know
- Hours of service recap, questions answered with FMCSA
- Infographic: What’s changing in federal hours of service regs next week
- Long-awaited Hours-of-Service (HoS) rule changes may be put on hold following a legal challenge filed last week – DAT
- New HOS rule allows drivers to pause 14-hour clock
- New HOS Rules Are Going Into Effect Next Week! Here’s What You Need To Know
- New hours of service set to take effect Sept. 29
- Ready or not, hours of service changes arrive next week
- Safety Groups Sue Over HOS Rules
2. Regarding accidents:
There have been a number of “under blunder” type truck accidents recently, all of which were completely preventable.
The result from one of these accidents killed another motorist and our deepest sympathy goes to the family of the motorist who died.
If you drive a vehicle that has the ability to raise its bed, please make sure that the trailer bed:
- is down every time you get ready to leave a facility that requires you to raise it; and
- “stays” in its lowered position the entire time you’re rolling down the road.
Overpass and oversized accidents:
- Driver stranded in cab elevated by overpass crash
- Motorist dies after dump truck with bed up knocks highway sign onto pickup
- Overpass crash left dump truck driver up in the air
- Two oversized loads strike I-20 overpass in 30 minutes
Train accidents and distracted driving accidents are also completely preventable:
- Train obliterates semi stuck on tracks in front of police station in gut-churning video
- Truck driver sentenced to less than two years for fatal distracted driving collision
I don’t always agree with the verdict that the group finds, but with this one, I do: preventable
3. Regarding technology and autonomous vehicles:
Among the most interesting announcements this week was California’s governor wanting to ban the sales of gas- and diesel-powered vehicles starting in 2035:
- California governor bans sale of fossil fuel-powered cars starting in 2035
- California Governor Issues Order to Ban Sales of New Gas and Diesel-Powered Vehicles
- California to ban sale of gas-powered cars by 2035
- California will require 100% zero-emission truck sales by 2045
Even though the target date is a long way in the future, my questions about this decision include:
- How will this affect overall sales of vehicles in the state of California?
- How big of an impact will this take on sales tax in the state?
(Possible source of info: Revenue Estimates for 2019-2020. ebudget.ca.gov/2019-20/pdf/BudgetSummary/RevenueEstimates.pdf (no longer online)) - Will vehicle purchasers simply buy gas- or diesel-powered vehicles out-of-state and bring them in?
- What will happen to gas stations, truck stops, repair shops, and more in the state of California?
- Will the state of California “punish” owners of fuel-powered vehicles in any way — and if so, how?
Miscellaneous articles about technology in trucking this week include:
- Are driver-facing cameras on a path of least resistance?
- CVSA imagines a future where technology constantly monitors truckers in stop motion video
- CVSA Releases New Video on the Future of Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement
- CVSA video explores future of enforcement
- FMCSA approves swapping [rear-vision] mirrors for digital cameras
- Why Consumer Navigation Apps Fail Trucking Fleets
I speculate that there’s eventually going to be a big accident involving platooning trucks, yet there are some who are forging ahead with treating multiple trucks on roads as if they were railcars on railroad tracks! {Sigh!}
My favorite money saving technology article (with embedded video) of the week was this:
4. Regarding pay, finance, tolls, and brokering:
Trucker pay
- Breaking News: Schneider announces driver pay increase, viewed as first salvo in possible wage escalation
- DHL Express raises US rates for 2021
- The Daily Dash: Schneider kicks off driver pay wars; volume peak kicked around – FreightWaves
- Updated: Move by truckload carrier could kick off matching increases
Cash flow / finances
Tolls
- CCJ Daily Dispatch, Sept. 24: ATA’s request for injunction on Rhode Island truck tolls denied
- Rhode Island will continue charging trucks-only tolls as lawsuit commences
Brokers and brokering
- FMCSA to Give Drivers Another Chance to Sound Off On Ways to Crack Down On Brokers
- FMCSA’s Wiley Deck announces listening session on broker transparency
5. Regarding staged accidents and protests:
Staged accidents
- “You’d Have To Be The Village Idiot Not To See The Connection”: Man Indicted For Staged Truck Crash Ring Found Murdered
- Feds issue nine more indictments in staged crash scheme
- Man indicted for staging New Orleans semi truck crashes was murdered, police say
- New Orleans Big Rig Crash Scam Ring Widens as 9 More People Indicted
- Nine charged with staging accidents with trucks and defrauding companies of nearly $300k
- Slammer’ named in staged crash indictments shot, killed
Protests
- Helping truck drivers navigate through protest areas
- National Guard deployed, curfew in place, as protesters take to streets in Louisville
- New Bill Would Protect “Fleeing Drivers” From Charges if They Hit Highway Protesters
- Protesters Shut Down and Occupy Brooklyn Bridge
- Protesters Shut Down Stretch of I-94 in Minnesota, Two Crashes Reported
- Protests erupt in dozens of cities, shutting down interstates all across the country
6. Regarding economy:
These are the most recent articles about the economy as it affects the trucking industry:
- August Truck Tonnage Index Dropped Compared to July, Last Year
- Commercial vehicle market recovery quicker, stronger than expected
- Cross-border freight continued to increase in July
- ECONOMIC WATCH: U.S. truck tonnage dives in August
- Final-mile adapts to e-commerce surge and rise in employment
- Freight volumes rise for a third consecutive month
- The Daily Dash: Will this be the best fourth quarter in recent memory?
- Truckload tightness to continue, U.S. Xpress report says
- Truckload turnover plunges in Q2
- Trucks moved transborder freight worth US$60.7B in July
- U.S. trailer orders see 49% leap in August, but ‘it’s not all sunshine,’ according to ACT report
- Used Trucks Volumes Up, Average Price Down for August
7. Regarding technology and electric trucks :
- Kenworth, Peterbilt electric trucks qualify for California rebates
- What future bans on diesel mean for fleets now – Midday Market Update (with video)
Walmart has set a goal to have “100% zero emissions” by the year 2040, meaning no more diesel.
- Walmart: 100% Zero-Emission Trucks by 2040
- Walmart’s goal for its trucks: No more diesel by 2040
- Walmart to electrify entire fleet by 2040
8. Regarding legal and worker classification:
These are some of the most recent articles on these topics:
- Feds deny Pronto.AI exemption from 14-hour driving window
- Labor Department tackles employee classification; AB5 may not be affected
- Trucking Group Slaps D.C. Mayor With “Discrimination” Lawsuit Over Street Mural Dispute
- UCR registration period begins Oct. 1
9. Regarding jobs, trucker turnover:
Jobs and employment
- COVID-19 Leads to Truckload Turnover Plunge in Q2
- For-Hire Trucking Index Emphasizes Continued Driver Shortage
- More than 1.3 million still on unemployment in the trucking industry
- Trucking industry on fast track to recovery after driver turnover plummeted amid COVID-19
- What COVID-19 did to trucker turnover in Q2
Employees vs. Independent Contractors
- Department of Labor tackles worker classification definition
- Proposed Federal Rule Would Define Employee vs. Independent Contractor
- The Daily Dash: Federal rule on contractors coming; Hyundai readies fuel cell truck for US
- U.S. looks to better define employees, independent contractors
- Worker classification clarification open to public comment
AB5
- The Daily Dash: Milton out at Nikola; AB5 withstands legal challenge
- Uber/Postmates driver loses court challenge to California’s AB5 law
10. Regarding operations, trucking, recalls, panel, insurance, illegal:
Truck operations
- Daily Infographic: Empty miles are full of dispute
- Don’t Overlook These Trailer Maintenance Items
- Open a can of realism before buying that first truck
- POLL: Independents, how would you describe your principal freight sources — shippers, brokers, a mix?
- Ready Your Fifth Wheel for Winter
Recalls
- 15K Volvos recalled for defect that could cause brake pedal to dislodge
- Brake issue prompts recall of 15,000 Volvo trucks
- Volvo recalling 17,545 trucks for possible cracked brake pedal
- Volvo recalls 15,000 trucks over potential brake pedal issue
Trucker Panel
- CCJ Daily Dispatch, Sept. 21: New FMCSA advisory panel to be made up of truck drivers
- FMCSA announces new CMV panel
- FMCSA Forms Advisory Committee For Trucking Filled With Real, Actual Truck Drivers For The First Time Ever
- FMCSA says it’ll form driver advisory group
Insurance
Illegal activity
11. Regarding National Coffee Day:
Every trucker who loves coffee may find a special discount — or even free coffee — on this day:
12. Congratulations!
We extend our heartiest congratulations to those who have won — or will win an award for safe driving and performance on the job as a trucker:
- Four finalists named for Transition Trucking military vet rookie trucker award
- Just one week left: Entry deadline for TCA’s Fleet Safety Awards is Friday, Oct. 2
- Nomination period open for ATA award honoring individuals, companies that ‘go the extra mile’
- Nominations sought for CVSA’s driver award
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: 2020.09.26 to our TDMST Weekly Round-Up Trucking Commentary or our Truck Drivers Money Saving Tips home page.
