This is the TDMST Weekly Round-Up of news affecting professional truck drivers, written by Vicki Simons for the week ending July 31, 2021.
We welcome your comments, thoughts and feedback on the items of your choice below.
1. Regarding bridge, roads, politics, and PRO Act:
Bridge
Thank goodness that the bridge on I-40 is going to be reopened!
- Biden visits Mack plant | I-40 lanes reopen in Memphis next week
- Closed I-40 Bridge to Begin Phased Reopening Next Week
- I-40 bridge between Arkansas and Tennessee to reopen next week
- I-40 bridge in Memphis scheduled to partially reopen next week
- I-40 Hernando DeSoto Bridge to Partially Reopen
- I-40 is reopening just in time for a new major bridge project to commence
- I-40 Memphis bridge to partially reopen; limited traffic can resume August 2
- Memphis I-40 Bridge Set to Reopen
- Memphis I-40 bridge to partially reopen after months of trucker traffic headaches
- Officials say 1 year and $1M required for repair of bridge damaged by over-height truck
Roads
Please pay attention to road closures and new rules for roads (even on truck routes).
- New law banning left lane camping goes into effect in Arkansas
- Six-Year Project Underway on Ohio I-70 Segment
- Truck traffic banned from busy Nebraska bridge for a month
Politics
If these matters concern you, please contact your elected officials to express your opinion.
- Highways, ports get $2B boost in Biden infrastructure deal
- Infrastructure deal: Senate suddenly acts to take up bill
- Kansas Leaders Award $23 Million for Road Improvement Projects
- Key details of the Senate’s bipartisan infrastructure plan
- Senate Advances $1.2T Infrastructure Bill Which Includes Massive Insurance Hike on Truckers
PRO Act
- Partisan PRO Act gets pushbackQuotes from article:”On July 22, the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions (HELP) Committee held a hearing entitled, ‘The Right to Organize: Empowering American Workers in a 21st Century Economy.’ This hearing centered around the PRO Act, the maligned federal legislation which would essentially eliminate the successful independent contractor model in the trucking industry…”
“…there is no way for the PRO Act to pass through Congress this year. …this form of work serves as the backbone of truckload. Some of the most successful truckload carriers today started with one enterprising individual buying one truck and growing their business from there. Any threat to this model moving forward must be opposed, or the entire economy will suffer.”
2. Regarding weather and violence:
Weather
Please pay attention to where wildfires are raging and avoid those areas.
When it comes to hauling freight in a hot truck, please keep yourself cool and well-hydrated.
- Above-average hurricane season nearing peak months
- Fire destroys trucks at Tennessee travel center
- Large Western wildfires continue charring millions of acres
- Monsoon storm leads to truck hanging off I-17 in Phoenix
- Northwest triple-digit heat wave coming this weekend
- Oregon’s Bootleg Fire Continues to Burn
- Photos: Ever wondered what a semi truck struck by lightning looks like?
- Scorching heat wave returning to Plains, South
- VIDEO: This is why they tell you not to drive into floodwaters
Violence
Don’t get caught up in any kind of illegal activity.
- Industry-Celebrated Trucker Gets 50 Years in Prison For Child Porn Crimes
- Micheal Sheeds, former award-wining trucker, gets 50 years for child porn
3. Regarding taxes, tolls, fee, rates, pay, cost, civil asset forfeiture, and shortage:
Taxes
Let your voice be heard on this issue!
- Gas tax holiday pursued in Pennsylvania Land Line State
- IFTA for Beginners: Step-by-Step Guide to Calculate Taxable Gallons
- New bipartisan bill would repeal FET on heavy trucks, trailers
- US Senators Introduce Bill to Repeal Excise Tax on New Trucks
Tolls
Fee
Rates
Pay
- 9 High Paying Truck Driver Jobs in 2021 You Should Know About
- Are Crisis & Driver Demand Impacting CDL Salaries?
- Brampton truck driver takes wage protest to employer’s homeBe ultra-careful about when, where, and how you protest.Don’t allow your quest to be paid lead to a criminal charge.
- Family-owned trucking company introduces a Home Weekly program for its Lease Purchase and Company drivers, shows off 2022 & 2023 Kenworths and PeterbiltsDetermine which is more important for you:
– getting a guaranteed income each week based on minimum work; or
– getting home more often; or
– preferably both!
Cost
Civil asset forfeiture
- Via civil asset forfeiture, Arizona grabs trucker’s auction moneyAs a reminder, Amendment IV to the Constitution of the United States reads:”The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”
Shortage
- Parts shortages, record material prices keep Class 8 truck sales ‘mushy’
- Piecing together the driver shortage puzzle — Taking the Hire Road
4. Regarding CPAP, concerns, urination, drugs, and parking:
CPAP
- Can truckers with sleep apnea legally drive if treatment devices are recalled?
- Trucker takes legal action against CPAP manufacturer after he says recall left him disqualified to driveAccording to the FMCSA’s website — Driving When You Have Sleep Apnea — “A study conducted by the University of Pennsylvania and sponsored by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the American Transportation Research Institute of the American Trucking Associations found that almost one-third (28 percent) of commercial truck drivers have mild to severe sleep apnea.1″I don’t know what percentage of truckers with sleep apnea have been fitted with a CPAP machine, but any recall on a CPAP machine can possibly lead to trouble.
One option is to get a CPAP machine from an established company that has produced many CPAP machines in the past with no problems.
Concerns
Urination
- Trucker arrested after stopping in peach orchard to peeAs we described on our Portable Toilet 2 page, Washington State used to define urine as a biological hazard.Urinating in public is considered a punishable offense in some places.
So if you drive a tractor with a sleeper (not a day cab), please consider the wisdom of having a toilet (perhaps a portable toilet) in your truck and regularly maintaining it.
Drugs
Never agree to haul drugs through or into an area where they are considered illegal, no matter how much you are offered.
Parking
- Minneapolis City Council approves truck parking ban ordinance
- Minneapolis council votes to enact street parking ban for commercial trucks
- Minneapolis goes ahead and enacts sweeping truck parking restrictions
- Ten NYS Thruway rest areas to shutter this weekWhy are they closing so many at one time instead of staggering the work?
- Truck parking banned on Minneapolis streets
5. Regarding CARB, capacity, tires, equipment, and right to repair:
CARB
Capacity
Tires
Equipment
Right to repair
- FTC looks to crack down on ‘right to repair’ violators
- FTC pledges to crack down on ‘right to repair’ violations
6. Regarding accidents, accidents – weather, doors, and dumping:
Accidents
- Dash cam shows ‘what can happen when you take away a truck driver’s following distance’
- Girl dies after passing semi truck launches rock through car windshieldHow can situations like this be prevented when a rock is in the road?Please share your thoughts through the form below.
Thanks.
Accidents – weather
Driving conditions and visibility can change in an instant, so always be watching for the need to stop to protect yourself, your rig, and the cargo on-board.
It is a good idea to regularly monitor the weather — such as on a CB radio with built-in weather band — to see if any hazardous situations are forecast.
Our deepest condolences go to the families of those who died.
- 8 die in series of collisions involving 22 vehicles in Utah
- At least 7 dead in 22 vehicle pileup in Utah triggered by sandstorm
- At least 8 killed in 22-car pileup in Utah during sandstorm
Doors
Dumping
This was a deliberate action and I hope that it will be dealt with accordingly.
7. Regarding consumers, economy, and overspending:
Consumers
- Consumers Boost Spending 1%
- Interest in parcel lockers grows for online shopping-addicted Americans
- School’s out of stock
- Warning: Book now or ‘Christmas may be canceled’
- Will US consumers throttle back on buying stuff?
Economy
- Daily Infographic: New container prices are still rising
- Drilling Deep: Economist Perry on bull-versus-bear debate in freight
- Sold out: PACCAR done taking 2021 orders amid swelling demand
Overspending
8. Regarding electric vehicles, autonomous vehicles, leasing, and recall:
Electric vehicles
- European Electric Truck Charging Venture Foreshadows U.S. Deal
- Global News Roundup: HD Truck Manufacturers Team Up For Electric Charging
- Season 7 Episode 3: Getting Back to the Basics on Electrical Maintenance – Podcast
- Season 7 Episode 4: Electric Trucks Are Producing Some Interesting Partnerships – Podcast
Autonomous vehicles
I am totally opposed to self-driving, driverless or autonomous trucks, but am sharing these articles to help you stay up-to-date with the topic.
- CVSA Ponders Driverless-Truck Enforcement
- Driver shortage leading to full-scale autonomy by 2024
- Exclusive first ride: Plus autonomous truck is a gentle giant on the highway
- GM Sues Ford Over Branding of Self-Driving Cars
- How an AV car company is helping keep the lights on
- How the trucking industry is preparing for autonomous driving
- Inside Big Tech’s ‘insanely hot’ patent race for the future of self-driving trucks
- Mobileye First to Test Self-Driving Vehicles in New York City
- This newly released automated trailer-hitching system will hook up a tractor and trailer with “extreme precision”
- TuSimple to Use Ryder Facilities to Expand Autonomous Trucking Network
- TuSimple will use Ryder terminals to expand autonomous freight network
- TuSimple, Ryder Partner on Autonomous Terminals
- Why self-driving trucks aren’t here yet
- Workhorse Says Postal Service Driver Error Pushed Truck Deal to Oshkosh
Leasing
- Court decision serves as primer on pitfalls, possibilities of truck leasing
- OOIDA: Be wary of ‘predatory’ lease-purchase agreements
Before you consider leasing a truck, you may want to read some information:
- DOT Leasing Regulations
- Lease Purchase Calculator
- Take Control of Your Own Insurance | For Leased Owner-Operators
Recall
9. Regarding fuel, fuel – cell, fuel – hydrogen, fuel – limit, fuel – natural gas, and fuel – price :
Fuel
- Analysis: Clean Diesel Truck Adoptions Jumping in Southwest, Northwest
- If coal is dead, then why are ships so full of it?
- Season 7 Episode 1: GHG Phase 2 Will Change How We Build Diesel Engines – Podcast
Fuel – cell
Fuel – hydrogen
- Cummins to Update its Fleet to Hydrogen-Fuel Cell Vehicles, Starting in 2022
- Cummins, Air Products announce hydrogen partnership
- Cummins, Air Products Team up to Accelerate Hydrogen-Truck Adoption
- Hydrogen on the highway: Cummins and Air Products plan fleet conversion
- Hyundai bringing hydrogen fuel cell trucks to California
- Hyundai bringing its hydrogen trucks to California
- Hyundai to Deploy Hydrogen-Fuel-Cell Trucks in California
- Hyzon Looks to Liquid Hydrogen for up to 1,000-mile ZEV Range
Fuel – limit
- Company ends temporary limits on diesel purchases
- Diesel rationing taking place at some TA truck stop locations
- Fuel supply concerns hit Reno-Tahoe, West Coast
Fuel – natural gas
Fuel – price
- Diesel drops for first time since April 2021
- Diesel Sheds 0.2¢ a Gallon to $3.342
- Streak is over: DOE/EIA diesel price declines
- Weekly Fuel Report: July 27, 2021
10. Regarding ELDs, technology, apps, and distractions:
ELDs
This information is primarily for Canadian truckers.
- Canada Adds Third ELD ”
“Certification Body – Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) - Hutch Connect is Canada’s first certified ELD
- Hutch Systems becomes first certified Canada ELD under new HOS regs
- Third ELD certification body named, still no devices approved
Technology
Please do what is necessary to protect yourself, your technology, and your digital assets.
- Soaring high-tech equipment volumes evidence for sustained digital transformation
- Thefts on the rise: How camera technology acts as security system
- US Moves to Better Protect Infrastructure From Cyberthreats
- US Senate Transportation Policymakers Press for Pipeline Security
Apps
Distractions
11. Regarding Hours of Service, insurance, lawsuits, and retention:
Hours of Service
Inspections
Insurance
If you are an independent trucker or owner-operator, keep tabs on this issue.
- Huge Insurance Hike on Truckers NOT Expected to be in Senate’s Infrastructure Bill, OOIDA Says
- OTR Capital joins OOIDA to fight minimum insurance increase
Lawsuits
- New Tactics in the Fight Against Nuclear Verdicts in Trucking – All That’s Trucking
- Oregon trucker seeks class-action status for lawsuit over Philips CPAP recall
Retention
- DOT Talks Truck Driver Retention Challenges with Owner-Operator Org
- Leaders recognize driver retention problem; let’s fix it now
12. Regarding award:
Congratulations to all of those who have been recognized for their selflessness and/or professional truck driving skills.
- Jesse Davis: Highway Angel
- Nomination deadline for Transition Trucking nears Land Line
- Prime driver honored for helping at accident scene
- Saturday is deadline for Transition Trucking award
- Trucker honored for fighting big rig fire at truck stop
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: 2021.07.31 to our TDMST Weekly Round-Up Trucking Commentary or our Truck Drivers Money Saving Tips home page.
