This is the TDMST Weekly Round-Up of news affecting professional truck drivers, written by Vicki Simons for the week ending June 12, 2021.
We welcome your comments, thoughts and feedback on the items of your choice below.
1. Regarding cyberattacks: Navistar, JBS, Colonial Pipeline, and future:
First, Colonial Pipeline supposedly underwent a cyberattack, which shut down a lot of gas stations on the East Coast.
Then, it was the JBS meat packing plants.
Most recently, it has been Navistar.
What’s next? Check out the articles below.
Cyberattacks – Navistar
- Navistar faces cybersecurity incident
- Navistar hit by cyberattack but ‘minimizing potential impact’
- Navistar’s IT systems struck by cyberattack
Cyberattacks – JBS
Cyberattacks – Colonial Pipeline
- Colonial Pipeline CEO Defends Cyberattack Response
- Colonial Pipeline CEO: Ransom payment among my ‘toughest decisions’
- FMCSA extends fuel-hauler HOS exemption due to Colonial Pipeline hack
- Lawmakers Chide Colonial Pipeline for Weak Cybersecurity
- US has recovered ransom payment made after Colonial Pipeline hack
- US recovers $2.3M of ransom paid to Colonial Pipeline hackers
- US Recovers Millions in Ransom From Colonial Pipeline Hackers
Cyberattacks – future
- Cyber Polygon: Will The Next Globalist War Game Lead To Another Convenient Catastrophe?
blacklistednews.com/article/80105/cyber-polygon-will-the-next-globalist-war-game-lead-to-another-convenient/ (no longer online) - Energy Chief Granholm Cites Risk of Cyberattacks
2. Regarding fuel, hydrogen, electric vehicles, emissions, green and energy:
Fuel
- Daily Infographic: Why Are Diesel Fuel Prices Higher Than Gasoline Prices?
- Diesel Bumps Up 1.9¢ to $3.274 a Gallon
- Diesel rates higher across all regions
- DOE/EIA price up 1.9 cents, retail diesel starting to significantly lag wholesale prices
- Weekly Fuel Report: June 8, 2021
Hydrogen
- How A 100 Year Old Science Experiment Helped Create The Fuel Of The Future
This looks extremely promising to me!
blacklistednews.com/article/80120/how-a-100-year-old-science-experiment-helped-create-the-fuel-of-the/ (no longer online) - Port of Los Angeles To Test Hydrogen Fuel Cell Trucks
- Truck Talk: Hydrogen rising edition
Electric vehicles
- Albertsons makes nation’s first zero-emission grocery delivery using Volvo VNR Electric truck
- Are ‘near-zero-emissions’ diesel trucks delaying electric vehicle adoption?
- Penske Takes Delivery of Volvo VNR Electric Models
- Shyft Group Plans Medium-Duty All-Electric Commercial Chassis
- Threat to EV Sales: Slow Charging Times
- Trova to Offer Electric-Powertrain Conversions for Heavy Trucks
Emissions
- Daily Infographic: United States Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Economic Sector
- Port of Los Angeles, Partners Launch Zero-Emission Project
Green
- DOE Initiatives Aim to Accelerate Lithium-Battery, Clean-Hydrogen Technologies
- Leonard’s Express Adopts Green Tech for Diesel Trucks
Energy
- ATA Forms Climate, Clean Energy Committee
- Global Oil Demand to Hit Pre-Virus Level Next Year, IEA Says
3. Regarding bridge, roads, and pollution:
Bridge
- ARDOT Officials Roll Out New Plan to Ease Congestion From I-40 Bridge Closure
- Changes made to interstate traffic patterns at West Memphis to ease flow across Mississippi River
- I-40 bridge detours forcing major traffic pattern changes
- Officials change traffic flow to reduce congestion caused by I-40 bridge shut down
Roads
- Most dangerous highway stretches for US truckers
- Sacramento area will soon experience ‘worst closure ever’ starting Friday
Pollution
4. Regarding accidents and theft:
Accidents
Please learn from the articles listed below what preceded accidents so that you don’t repeat the behavior and wind up in one yourself.
- Dash cam captures major chain reaction crash that caused a box truck to topple
- Driver that plowed through group of bicyclists sentenced to minimum 16 years
- Four killed, nine wounded in crash involving milk tanker truck
- Trucker dies during surgery for injuries suffered in June 4 crash on Indiana toll road
- Trucker perishes after he was struck by two semis while placing safety triangles
- Trucker Placing Triangles Fatally Struck By Two Big Rigs Along Indiana Interstate
- Watch as a merging semi swipes the dash cammer’s hood
Theft
Please protect yourself, your truck, and the load in your trailer!
- Fraudster Gets 9 Years in Prison For Series of Scams Including a Trucking Ponzi Scheme
- Small Fleet Summit: Cargo theft prevention plans key to protecting high-value loads
- Truck Cargo Thefts Skyrocketed Amid COVID-19
5. Regarding AB5, lawsuit and politics:
AB5
Lawsuit
Politics
- OOIDA Warns $547B Highway Bill Will ‘Destroy’ Small Carriers, ATA Calls it ‘Solid Legislation’
- US House Transportation Panel Approves $547 Billion Highway Bill
6. Regarding employment, owner operators, operations, respect, issues, medical and capacity:
Employment
- Job Openings Surge to Record 9.3 Million in April
- US Initial Jobless Claims Decline for Sixth Consecutive Week
Owner operators
Before you look to becoming an owner-operator, please do all of your due diligence.
I highly recommend that you talk with other owner-operators first!
- Driver Q&A: On the Road with Chad Fowler
- Small Fleet Summit: Financing owner-operators’ day-to-day operations with factoring
- Small Fleet Summit: Making the jump to owner-operator
- Small Fleet Summit: Owner-operators get respect
- Small Fleet Summit: What to know before becoming an owner-operator
Operations
- Daily Infographic: 5 Ways You Can Save a Highway Worker’s Life
- Motorists are getting “too comfortable” driving around semi trucks, Maine officials warn
Respect
Issues
Medical
Capacity
7. Regarding rates, recall, delivery and ports:
Rates
Recall
- 72,500 Freightliners Recalled After Headlamp Defect Leads to Incidents of ‘Total Vehicle Loss’
- 8,500 Western Star and Freightliner Trucks Recalled Due to Risk of Steering Loss
Delivery
- Same-day versus next-day delivery: Which is more sustainable?Quote (without link):”With same-day delivery, customers who place their orders within a specific time frame get their orders processed, packaged and delivered within 24 hours, either by the business’ delivery transport system or a third-party delivery solutions provider.
“A delivery expectations survey carried out by PWC showed that 41% of consumers are willing to pay an extra charge to get a product during the same day. Yet the survey also noted that only 24% would pay for almost immediate (a one- or two-hour window) delivery. While this proves that the demand for instant delivery is set to grow exponentially, there are still drawbacks to the sustainable implementation of this method.”
- UPS mulling same-day delivery service with contracted drivers — CEO
Ports
The ports are booming with imports.
If you’re a trucker who can haul containers from the ports, make sure you have all of the paperwork and credentials you need.
- Ongoing port congestion may create opportunistic ‘inventory bubbles’ for off-price retail
- Port of LA reaches 10 million-container milestone
8. Regarding drugs and smuggling:
Drugs
Never ever offer to haul drugs, no matter how much money you’ve been promised.
- $6M in Marijuana Seized at U.S. Northern Border as Big Rig Drug Smuggling Surge Continues
- $6M in marijuana seized from trucks at US-Canada border
- Small Fleet Summit: What happens when your truck is carrying drugs at border
Smuggling
Never ever offer to haul humans like they are cattle, no matter how much money you’ve been offered.
9. Regarding technology, drones and autonomous vehicles:
Technology
- 5 Ways to Improve Vehicle Underperformance
- As Canada’s ELD mandate takes effect, compliance is impossible
- Dashcam captures 4-wheeler havoc on California highway
- Fleet policies, tech needed to fight smartphone ‘addiction’, speaker says
- How AI and machine learning can improve safety, solve problemsQuote:”Ninety-eight per cent of distractions have no hard braking associated with them,” [AI company Nauto. Stefan Heck, CEO and founder of Nauto] said. In fact, he added, three-quarters of the time a driver runs a red light they didn’t even realize it. Artificial intelligence provides insights into the four or five seconds leading up to an incident and ‘fills in the missing gap.'”
- How to Get Your Whole Fleet Story with Video Telematics
- Waabi founder: AI-based self-driving technology ‘will change the world as we know it’Quote: “Jacques DeLarochelliere — What does matter is who holds the data… It’s really important to understand the value of data, and trucking fleets should know where their data goes.”
Drones
Autonomous vehicles
I am absolutely opposed to driverless, self-driving and autonomous trucks, but keep you updated on this topic for your education.
- J.B. Hunt and Waymo to test autonomous freight delivery in Texas
- J.B. Hunt will test Waymo Via autonomous trucks in Texas
- J.B. Hunt, Waymo Partner on Autonomous Freight Transport
- J.B. Hunt, Waymo Partner to Test Self-Driving Trucks in Texas
- J.B. Hunt, Waymo team up for self-driving deliveries in Texas
- Navistar posts big jump in Q2 earnings with help from TuSimple
- Self-driving startup targets longhaul trucking
10. Regarding economy, detention, taxes and insurance:
Economy
- Another month, another record for trucking conditions: FTR
- April freight levels dropped slightly from a robust March but rates still excellent
- Class 8 Sales in May Jump 98.4% Year-Over-Year
- Consumer Sentiment Rises, Inflation Outlook Moderates
- Preliminary data from ACT Research, FTR show 32% drop in Class 8 orders for May
- Daily Infographic: What Can I do to Improve My Fuel Economy in Hot Weather?
- FTR: April Trucking Conditions Hit Record High
- Trade Deficit Dips to $68.9 Billion With Exports Up
Detention
- Get Your Detention Fees Paid with Your ELDQuote:”You’re not going to get detention pay if you don’t ask for it. Don’t expect them to pay it without putting it on your invoice.”
Taxes
- Clueless Connecticut Governor Taunts Truckers After Approval of $90M Per Year Heavy Truck Tax
- Connecticut Lawmakers Approve Plan to Slap Truckers With $90M Per Year Mileage Tax
- Connecticut Lawmakers Pass Trucking Mileage Tax
- Connecticut lawmakers pass truck-only highway user tax
- Connecticut Lawmakers Push Through New Tax on Trucks
- Connecticut legislature passes VMT tax for commercial trucks; bill heads to Gov. Lamont
- Connecticut to enact highway fee for trucks
- Governor says it’s ‘fine’ if truckers go around Connecticut to avoid controversial $90 million truck miles tax
- Pay-as-You-Go Surprise: GOP Backs VMT Fees While Democrats Balk
Insurance
- House Democrats Defeat Republican Effort to STOP Massive Insurance Hike on Truckers
- House highway funding bill keeps $2 million insurance hike
- Minimum insurance increase a ‘punishment’ to truckers
11. Regarding safety, regulations, securement and weather:
Safety
- Building a Safety Culture
- PAYING FOR SAFETY: Incenting Drivers to Increase Retention
- Webinar to Explore Why and How to Build a Fleet Safety Culture
Regulations
- FreightWaves Classics: FMCSA regulates the trucking industry
- House Lawmakers Introduce Speed Limiters Bill
- OOIDA calls on DOT to repeal ‘unnecessary’ regulations
Securement
Weather
All year long — but especially in summer — make sure that you keep plenty of drinking water on hand.
You may wish to review the hot truck page on our site.
- Arizona wildfires force more evacuations, highway closures
- California and Nevada Are Now 100% in Drought
Quote:”This is a dry spell not seen since the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl days. Because of the drought, Americans very likely will experience a shocking food shortage very soon.”
blacklistednews.com/article/80099/california-and-nevada-are-now-100-in/ (no longer online) - Heat wave coming for truckers in SouthwestQuote:”A brutal heat wave will begin this weekend in the Southwest, with temperatures well exceeding 100 degrees in many spots. … Because the intense heat could last for several days, the National Weather Service (NWS) has issued excessive heat warnings across the region, including southern Nevada, southern California and a large portion of Arizona.”
- Highw”
“ays closed, rural Arizona residents wait as wildfire spreads uncontained - Large wildfires lead to road closures in Arizona
- Multiple roads closed in Arizona for wildfires
12. Regarding award:
Congratulations to all who were awarded with a company award or were otherwise recognized!
- An Illinois trucking company just rewarded their top driver of 2021 — with a brand new motorcycle
- Arkansas Trucking Association awards scholarships to three graduating seniors
- Erb’s Boehler wins TCA safety award
- Fleet safety finalists named by Truckload Carriers Association
- Meet Don Cook: The 4 Million Mile Man
- Ride-along turns into 45-year trip for Wisconsin Driver of the Year Alyn Jones
- Women In Trucking names Casey Stone member of the month for June
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: 2021.06.12 to our TDMST Weekly Round-Up Trucking Commentary or our Truck Drivers Money Saving Tips home page.
