This is the TDMST Weekly Round-Up of news affecting professional truck drivers, written by Vicki Simons for the week ending January 29, 2022.
We welcome your comments, thoughts and feedback on the items of your choice below.
1. Regarding Freedom Convoy 2022 and COVID-19:
Freedom Convoy 2022
Do you remember that in my trucking commentary last week, I cited information from my June 2011 article “Trucker Protest: 10 Reasons Why Parking Your Truck Can Be Costly“? Well there comes a time when not protesting will cost a lot more and such a time has come in Canada concerning mandatory jabs vs. medical sovereignty. A growing group of truckers — mostly from Canada, but also from the USA — have formed a “Freedom Convoy 2022” that has traveled from various places in Canada with the intention of arriving in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (the capital) by no later than Saturday, January 29. The mainstream media and even the Canadian Prime Minister have sought to marginalize or ignore the thousands of trucks that have been assembling for this convoy. Mr. Trudeau obviously didn’t learn a very important lesson earlier in life: You don’t bite the hand that brings you your food! According to this source — The Daily – Commodity flows by mode in Canada: Canadian Freight Analysis Framework, 2017:
In 2017, the vast majority of the 72.9 million freight shipments in Canada were hauled by truck (90%). Shipments by rail accounted for about 9% of the total, and shipments by air accounted for the rest.”
Of course, the statistics may have changed since then, but I wager that a large percentage of freight moves by truck in Canada, so Trudeau doesn’t know who he’s messing with. Also, according to Trucking Statistics:
What is the volume of goods transported by the trucking industry? The United States economy depends on trucks to deliver nearly 70 percent of all freight transported annually in the U.S., accounting for $671 billion worth of manufactured and retail goods transported by truck in the U.S. alone. Add $295 billion in truck trade with Canada and $195.6 billion in truck trade with Mexico. Canada and the United States trade $300 billion in goods and services every year. More than 66% of the goods travel by truck. Each year trucks cross the Canada-US border over 10 million times. (That’s one trip every three seconds).
So, based on the statistics, truckers have the leverage to make something happen in Canada! Many thousands of Canadians have turned out in support of the truckers and their courage has sparked courage in others as well. I remind you that this issue is not about health and safety but about power and control. All one has to do is visit OpenVAERS.com to see the numbers of people who have been listed, to learn that the CV-19 jabs are neither safe nor effective in keeping people healthy (through January 14, 2022):
- 1,053,828 COVID Vaccine Adverse Event Reports; and
- 22,193 COVID Vaccine Reported Deaths.
The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20: “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.” So, it is understandable why those who believe in the Bible would resist a poison death shot (or a series of them). As the Declaration of Independence says (in part):
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,” Being coerced, forced, or threatened with the loss of one’s livelihood are not in keeping with these principles of freedom and liberty — and are not the way to “win friends and influence people.” I just read one trucker advocate’s statement on Facebook that truckers in the convoy should be prepared for a January 6 type event, so everyone, please keep your eyes wide open! Please let me express again how much my husband Mike and I appreciate you truckers — all year long! I could not possibly assemble all of the articles and resources about this convoy movement, but I have compiled some for your convenience — in alphabetical order (not by chronological date). And don’t forget to look at the 4 convoy-related photos embedded near the bottom.
- Action4Canada | Facebook
- Briefly: Canadian truckers protest mandated vaccinations
- Canada’s Transport Minister Defends Mandates For Truckers as ‘Freedom Convoy’ Raises $1 MILLION
- Canada-wide anti-mandate demonstrations kick off with slow-moving convoys
- Canadian confusion: Truckers protest vaccine mandate as officials scramble to clarify misinformation
- Canadian Hockey Legend Credits Truckers With ‘Igniting a Revolution’
- Canadian truckers battle back against mandates
- Canadian truckers protest vaccine mandate
- Convoy For Freedom 2022 | Action4Canada
- Facebook hashtag: Freedom Convoy 2022
- Facebook hashtag: IStandWithTruckers
- Florida trucker in Canada convoy: ‘We’re here to join a movement’
- Florida trucker in Canada convoy: ‘We’re here to join a movement’
- Freedom Convoy 2022 | Facebook
- Freedom Convoy Issues Demands, Organizers Say ‘Truly Sorry’ Supply Chain Could Worsen
- Freedom Convoy Picks Up Support From Richest Person in the World
- GoFundMe freezes $3.7M until organizers of Canada trucker convoy detail spending plan
- Massive success of trucking convoy fundraiser causes confusion over distribution
- Massive trucker convoy rolls through Canada to protest vaccine mandates
- Police Officer Under Fire After She Calls Truckers Leading Freedom Convoy ‘True Heroes’
- Prime Minister Trudeau Denounces Freedom Convoy as ‘Small Fringe’ With ‘Unacceptable Views’
- Thousands greet ‘Freedom Convoy’ in GTA, protest against vaccination mandates heads to Ottawa
- Trucker Who Won Shocking Political Victory Calls For U.S. Truck Drivers to Protest
- Truckers angry over vaccine mandates roll toward Canada’s capital in protest
- Truckers protest vax mandate at U.S./Canada border
- Truckers Rally a Nation as Freedom Convoy Rolls Out En Route to Canada’s Capital City
- Trucking Company Owners Weigh In On Freedom Convoy: ‘Should Not Have Messed With Truckers’
- Trudeau Denounces Freedom Convoy as ‘Small Fringe’ With ‘Unacceptable Views’
- Trudeau in ‘Isolation’ as GoFundMe Begins Releasing $6 MILLION Raised for Freedom Convoy
- VIDEO: Check out the Canadian convoy from a bird’s eye view
COVID-19
I know of no one who has not taken the jab who regrets that, but I have read of numerous people who took the jab who now regret that decision.
- Federal government, CTA issue joint statement on vaccines, supply chain
- Feds withdraw vaccine mandate
- Justice Coming for Victims of COVID Totalitarians & Murderers: Dr. Fuellmich
- Major grocery store chain confirms trucker vaccine mandate is increasing costs
- New Restrictions on Truckers Having ‘Substantial Impact’ on Freight Rates
- No Cross-Border Trucking for Unvaccinated Drivers
- OSHA Formally Withdraws Its COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate
- OSHA withdraws its COVID-19 vaccine mandate
- OSHA withdraws its COVID-19 vaccine mandate
- Senator Calls Out Biden For Imposing Mandate on Truckers But Not Illegal Immigrants
- Trudeau, O’Toole stress need for truck drivers to get vaccinated
- U.S. will ban unvaccinated Canadian and Mexican truckers from crossing the border, starting tomorrow
- US Gov’t to Fix Supply Chain Problem by Banning Unvaxxed Truckers from Crossing the Border – Alt-Market.us
- Vaccine Mandates for Canadian and Mexican Truck Drivers at the Borders Started Today — Supply Chain Disruptions to Get Worse? – Vaccine Impact
- Vaccine Rule Raises Shipping Costs for Canadian Grocer
2. Regarding accident, accident near miss, and fatalities:
Accident
Please read the article or watch the video and seek to avoid being put in the same situation that led up to these accidents.
- Georgia DPS says dash cam video revealed why this truck overturnedQuote from article: “he truck was traveling 55 in a 35, which caused the CMV to overturn in a sharp curve,”Always slow down before a curve.
- Trucker takes a terrifying tumble off an icy bridgeIn the video, do you see the melting snow on the shoulders of the bridge?
Bridges freeze before nearby roads.
This was totally a preventable accident.
Slow down in icy weather. - VIDEO Big rig driver fails to yield, leaving dash cammer with a choiceWhat was the driver in the blue big truck thinking?
- VIDEO: A very bad day for this fuel truck driverObviously, this trucker didn’t set his parking brake before he got out.
- VIDEO: Fully loaded trucker veers into median to avoid toppled big rigThe evasive maneuver prevented a larger accident.
- VIDEO: How NOT to make a left turn as a truckerThis video shows an impatient trucker who could not see what was coming when he made the turn — and got creamed.
- VIDEO: Trucker hauling oversized load crashes down a ditch, up an embankment, back onto roadwayHe lost his load along the way and crashed the nose of his tractor into the concrete wall.
The article doesn’t say what led up to all of that.I’m so glad that the trucker whose dash cam recorded all of that had the presence of mind to back off when he saw what was unfolding right before him.
Accident near miss
- VIDEO: Trucker forced to think fast when a big rig barrels across the medianHere’s another video showing an evasive maneuver.If you are ever in such a situation, be careful what kind of evasive maneuver you make, so as not to overturn or wind up in a worse situation later.
- WATCH: Four wheeler REALLY doesn’t want to miss that exitIncrease following distance to make room for impatient people!
Fatalities
Our condolences go to this trucker’s family.
3. Regarding Automatic Emergency Braking, HOS, politics, age, and safety:
Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB)
- DOT Announces Strategy to Address Roadway Deaths
- DOT unveils zero-fatality road safety strategy
- Our Goal is Zero Traffic Deaths – Buttigieg Announces New Federal Strategy to Combat Traffic Fatalities (VIDEO)Quote 1: “In Buttigieg’s Marxist utopia, there will be zero traffic deaths.”Quote 2: “So the goal went from zero Covid deaths to zero traffic-related deaths.”
- USDOT to Require Automatic Emergency Braking for Big Rigs as Part of ‘Zero Fatality’ Initiative
I wrote about this situation on Facebook on January 28 as follows:
Oh, is this on top of the notion that “an ELD in every truck will save 26 lives per year”?
In my opinion, this so-called Automatic Emergency Braking will take control out of the hands of human drivers and put it in the “hands” of a program — and ultimately the hands of programmers (who most likely have 0 experience driving a big rig).
As has already been mentioned, the vast majority of big rig crashes are due to the non-truck vehicle/driver.
So the answer isn’t more regulation on big trucks!
HOS
- New hours-of-service rules don’t deter safety, OOIDA says
- Truckers: Safety groups ignore driving ‘realities’
Politics
Age
- 18-20-year-olds driving interstate seems linked to higher insurance minimums
- FMCSA Pushes to Fast-Track Under 21 CDL Truckers, Again
- Under-21 Driver Program Raises Reporting Concerns
- What Opponents of FMCSA’s New Teen Trucker Program Are Saying
- Why Supporters of FMCSA’s New Teen Trucker Program Still Have Concerns
Safety
- Illinois trooper gives a heartfelt shout-out to a fuel hauler for safe driving on I-74
- Viewpoint: Rules may differ, but all drivers share one goal — stay safe
4. Regarding autonomous vehicles, electric vehicles, fuel, and oil:
Autonomous vehicles
I absolutely oppose the operation of driverless, autonomous, and self-driving trucks on the roads with the motoring public, but share these articles as a courtesy to help you stay current with the topic.
- Autonomous trucking firm TuSimple expanding footprint
- Daily Infographic: ArcBest invests $25M in remote vehicle operation tech company
- TMC Eyes Automated Driving Systems With New Recommended Practices
- TuSimple inks deal to expand autonomous freight network
- TuSimple, Developer Building Autonomous-Truck Terminal
- TuSimple, property developer team up to boost autonomous trucking in Texas
- VW, Bosch Team Up on Self-Driving Software
Electric vehicles
- Cummins, Isuzu to Co-Develop Prototype BEV
- Daily Infographic: 13 New Electric Vehicle Battery Plants Are Planned in the U.S. Within the Next Five Years
- Electric Vehicle Push Unites Warring Oil, Corn Allies
- GM to Spend $6.5 Billion on Michigan EV Factories
- GM’s $6.5 Billion Electric Truck Blitz Wins Michigan Incentives
- Isuzu, Cummins Announce Battery Electric Truck Collab
- NACFE: Electric Trucks Deliver
- Renault, Nissan to Invest $26 Billion in Future EVs
- Survey: EV Trucks Not Meeting Vocational Fleet Demands Yet
- US House Policymakers Examine Electric Vehicles’ Role in Rural Commerce
- Volvo touts increased range in its new Class 8 electric tractor
Fuel
- Another surge in diesel prices
- Diesel prices surge to highest national average since 2014
- DOE/EIA benchmark diesel price is highest in more than 7 years
- Natural gas truck sales rise, but focus turning to electric: ACT
- New Diesel Emissions Regs Mean New Engine Oil Category
- Renewable natural gas’ one-two punch against emissions
- Steadier Diesel Prices Help Trucking Conditions Rebound
- The Diesel Market Looks at Risk of Price Spikes
- Weekly Fuel Report: January 25, 2022
Oil
- Oil Demand Nears Pre-Pandemic Levels, Aramco Says
- Oil Explorers Are Fracking at Breakneck Pace, Fueling Inflation
- US Taps Strategic Reserve for 13.4 Million Barrels of Oil
5. Regarding drugs and smuggling:
Drugs
Never ever agree to haul illegal drugs, no matter how much money you’ve been promised!
- Cops find 500 pounds of marijuana, fentanyl, mushrooms, during CMV safety inspection
- OOIDA refutes claim that hard drug use is under-reported
- Testing Results Indicates Cocaine Use Outpaces Marijuana Among Truck Drivers
- Trucker and Passenger Arrested When Inspection Uncovers Hundreds of Pounds of Drugs
- Trucker drug study dust up: Co-author refutes criticism from OOIDA
Smuggling
Never ever agree to transport people like they are cargo or cattle, no matter how much money you’ve been promised!
- More Than 150 People Including Truck Drivers Apprehended in Big Rig Smuggling Busts
- Stolen license plate gets migrant-smuggling driver arrested
- Truck driver sentenced to federal prison for smuggling humans in a load of onions
- Trucker claims he was forced to smuggle migrants at gunpoint
- WATCH: Truck driver bails out of big rig during 28 person human smuggling bust
- WATCH: Truck Driver Gets Away as Dozens of Illegal Migrants Bail out of Dump Trailer
6. Regarding economy, employment, shortage and military:
Economy
- ACT Research: U.S. trailer orders close 2021 nearly 16% lower than 2020
- ACT Research: Used Class 8 retail sales volumes, prices climb higher in 2021
- Canada’s spot market sees record loads posted in December
- Daily Infographic: Taking the Measure of Transportation in 2021
- Economic Growth Quickens in Q4 With Inventory Boost
- Expect more of the same in commercial vehicle market for ’22
- Fewer shipments, higher trucking costs in 4th quarter: U.S. Bank
- Is 2022 the year of the retail reset? Deloitte thinks so
- Money Printing Is DESTROYING America’s Dollar – The Organic Prepper
- Record-setting end to 2021: December Sales of new Class 8 trucks finish with better-than-expected results
- Trucking conditions bounced back strong for carriers in November
- Volumes dipped in fourth quarter while rates jumped
- Were Job Growth and Retail Sales Weak in December? It’s Complicated
Employment
Shortage
- ATA blames supply chain woes on “chronic shortage of talent”
- Flatbed carrier invests in vocational schools to combat labor shortage
- The Big Resignation: Truck Drivers Not The Only Worker Shortage
- There’s gold in the driver shortage for the ATA
Military
I greatly respect our military service members, but I have to ask these questions:
- Aren’t members of the military supposed to be defending our country? (link)
- Aren’t many service members being pressured to get a CV jab and are consequently experiencing health challenges and some are dying? (link 1, link 2)
I don’t believe that military members ought to be taking over for those who have been forced out of their jobs due to unconstitutional actions by elected officials and unaccountable bureaucrats.
7. Regarding pay, rationing, insurance, tolls, UCR fee and recall:
Pay
This listing does not imply an endorsement to work for any of these companies.
- Coastal Transport announces largest driver pay increase in company history
- Family-owned West Side Transport rolls out $1.7 MILLION driver pay increase
- How does your salary stack up?
- KLLM Announces Largest Driver Pay Increase in Company History
- Tyson announces historic pay increase for reefer drivers
- USDOT Vows to Find ‘True Working Hours and Wages’ of Truckers In Effort to Ease Turnover
Rationing
- DC Asks Shoppers to Start Rationing Food: Is This Just the Beginning?Quote from article (without links):
“Farmers are being paid to not produce, are being ordered to dump their product to rot on the side of the road, meat is being regulated out of existence, people are being banned from trucking food into the country, and food processing plants are coercing people out of their jobs (and then facing inexplicable labor shortages).”
Insurance
Tolls
UCR fee
- FMCSA proposes reducing motor carrier fees
- FMCSA Proposes to Slash UCR Plan Fees by More Than 25% Beginning in 2023
Recall
- Danger Due to Faulty Cab Step Prompts RECALL of Thousands of Peterbilt 579s
- PACCAR recalling certain 2022 Peterbilt 579 tractors due to safety risk
- Peterbilt 579 trucks recalled over step assembly issue
- Thousands of Peterbilts recalled for cab step that could cause a fall
8. Regarding last mile and length of haul:
Last mile
Length of haul
9. Regarding technology and invention:
Technology
- “Faith in their GPS” to blame for big rig damage, hangups at local intersection, police sayNever rely on a GPS too much!Always, always, always pay attention to and heed static signs!
- Autopilot crash results in first felony charges related to automated system
- Daily Infographic: Why should truckers upgrade 3G devices soon?
- Data pirates: Experts say cybercrime is ‘off the radar’ for many in trucking
Invention
- VIDEO: Company demos fifth wheel tech designed to prevent deadly truck rolloversIf you have one of these devices, would you please write a truck parts review?Thanks in advance!
10. Regarding training and delivery:
Training
- Uptick in CDL testing appointments seen ahead of upcoming CDL school regulations
- WATCH: Officer offers mountain trucking advice to driver in training during confrontationThe first question I would ask is: Officer, how much professional big rig truck driving experience do you have?
Delivery
- Watch this delivery driver chuck a package at a doorstep with perfect formThere are no excuses for this!
11. Regarding roads, weather, and winter travel:
Roads
- Bridge collapse in Pittsburgh injures 10, cause under investigation
- Bridge collapse welcomes Biden to Pittsburgh
- Bridge Collapses in Pittsburgh
- Study: Iowa best state to drive in, Hawaii is the worst
Weather
- Big Rig Travel Bans Imposed in Multiple States Ahead of ‘Blockbuster’ Winter Storm
- Texas citrus growers still feeling impact of last year’s big freeze
- Wildfire forces shutdown of Pacific Coast Highway
- Winter storm to bring blizzard conditions to US East Coast
- Winter weather impacts trucking fleet maintenance practices
Winter travel
12. Regarding awards and photos:
Awards
Congratulations to all truckers who have received a special designation or received an award for their trucking expertise!
- 3 finalists named for Company Driver of the Year; winner gets $25,000
- ATA names newest America’s Road Team captains
- Autumn Transport’s Jerry Stephens is Minnesota’s driver of the year for 2021
- Three owner-operators vying for $25K annual contest prize
Recognition
We recognize those who have helped their fellow human beings when they needed it!
- Canadian Trucker Helps Motorists Survive Long, Cold Night on Interstate
- Trooper digs out 2 semi trucks, 12 four wheelers by hand
- Truck driver recognized for his efforts at scene of fatal crash in Pennsylvania
- WATCH: Tennessee cop gives a stuck truck a helpful nudge
Photos Regarding Freedom Convoy 2022
“When they start turning off traffic cameras to avoid showing the convoy…”
Does this remind you of anything?
Stocked Shelves: Thank A Trucker; Empty Shelves: Thank Trudeau
Person swimming: Canadians.
“Small” shark: Trudeau.
“Enormous” shark: Truckers.
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: 2022.01.29 to our TDMST Weekly Round-Up Trucking Commentary or our Truck Drivers Money Saving Tips home page.