This is the TDMST Weekly Round-Up of news affecting professional truck drivers, written by Vicki Simons for the week ending February 5, 2022.
We welcome your comments, thoughts and feedback on the items of your choice below.
1. Regarding Freedom Convoy 2022:
As one publication summarized: “Convoy Support Grows as Facebook Sells Out Truckers“; and as one pastor put it: “Too Bad American Pastors Don’t Have The Man-Stuff Of Canadian Truckers.” A February 2, 2022, article states:
A Jan. 19 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed natural immunity against COVID was at least three times as effective as vaccination alone at preventing people from becoming infected with the Delta variant. Overall, the study showed natural immunity outperformed vaccine immunity when it came to preventing infection and hospitalization from Delta.
Please pray for a quick end to the unreasonable demands by those in leadership in places around the world regarding injecting harmful substances into people’s bodies. Meanwhile, here are some of the most recent articles — listed alphabetically, not chronologically — regarding the Canadian convoy for freedom!
- Alberta border blockade strands Canadian truckers for days in Montana
- Anti-vaccine protests continue in Canada
- Canada looking at ways to clear border blockade in Alberta
- Canada protests over vaccine mandate reach Ottawa
- Canada’s Largest Trucking Group Asks Protesters to Leave Capital City But That’s Not Happening
- Canadian carrier org decries ‘Freedom Convoy’ demonstrations
- Canadian Convoy says they have enough money to protest for four more years
- Canadian police move against truck blockade at US-Canada border
- Canadian Trucking Alliance seeks training, immigration support for known employers
- Canadian vaccine mandate sees little change in cross-border truck traffic
- Convoy to D.C. 2022 organizers detail mission of the event, address rumors
- Copycat US trucker convoy silenced on social media
- Cross-Border Vaccine Mandate Prompts Protests in Canada
- Freedom Convoy’ in Canada accesses $1M from once-frozen viral fundraiser
- Freedom Convoy Organizers Remind Supporters to ‘Keep Calm’ as Trudeau Warns of Violence
- Freedom Convoy parks in Ottawa
- Freedom Convoy reaches Ottawa, protesting vaccine mandates and more
- Freedom Convoy truckers say some supporters are embarrassing them
- GoFundMe called to testify after suspending $10M+ in convoy donations
- GoFundMe suspends Freedom Convoy fundraiser
- Historic Freedom Convoy Truckers Garners Int’l Support, Criticism
- Is Freedom Convoy Coming to America?
- Is Freedom Convoy headed to US?
- Lanes open in both directions at Alberta border after blockade breakthrough
- More anti-vaccine protests expected in Canada this weekend
- Movement for vaccine mandate protest convoy to Washington, D.C., gaining steam on social media
- Ottawa Police Say Freedom Convoy is ‘Peaceful’ But Wreaking Havoc on Traffic
- Ottawa’s top cop: Police likely can’t end vaccine protests
- Photo gallery: Exclusive images from Canadian trucker protest in Ottawa
- Politician Wants to Seize ‘Millions of Dollars’ of the Almost $10M Raised by Freedom Convoy
- Protesters blockade Alberta border crossing for third day
- Rowdy truckers draw ire of Canadian authorities at vaccine protest
- Rumors Swirling as Big Rig Blockade at U.S.-Canada Border Continues
- Second blockade shuts Alberta border traffic for sixth day
- Tens of Millions’ of COVID Tests Are in the Mail
- The price of border vax mandates? A two-hour protest traffic jam
- Thousands protest COVID mandates and restrictions in Ottawa
- Toronto braces for Freedom Convoy demonstrations
- Trucker convoy rumbles into Canada’s capital carrying COVID and mandate beefs
- Trucker Convoy Shuts Down a U.S.-Canada Border Crossing
- Truckers Protest as Canada Reinstates Mandate & U.S. Bans Unvaccinated
- Truckers scale back blockade at US-Canada border, let some traffic resume
- Trucking companies steer clear of Ottawa protests
- Trudeau ‘Not Intimidated’ by Freedom Convoy, Will Not Meet With ‘Very Few’ Protesters
- Trudeau to truckers: ‘Behavior on display this weekend does not represent you’
- Trump: Canadian Truckers Doing More to Defend American Freedom Than Our Own Leaders
- U.S. & Canada Issue Unpopular Vaccine Mandate for Truckers Crossing Border
- U.S. truckers gearing up for Convoy to D.C. 2022
- What does trucker protest mean for cross-border freight?
2. Regarding accident, accident near miss, fatalities, and fatalities – zero:
Accident
Please learn from these accidents what you may be able to do to help prevent being involved in an accident.
- Big rig overturns after trucker chokes while drivingPlease see our article: “Reasons Why Eating While Driving a Truck Can Be Costly“.
- Tanker truck crashes into house to avoid deerPlease see our article: “Avoiding Deer Collision, Other Animal Collisions in a Big Truck“
- VIDEO: Infamous truck-eating bridge in Kansas City takes a big biteThe Independence Avenue bridge in Kansas City, Missouri, “is clearly marked at 12 feet, 0 inches, but that doesn’t stop it from becoming a frequent target for bridge strikes.”Please see ouar article: “Low Clearance Bridges and Overpasses: How to Watch for and Avoid.”
- VIDEO: Trucker pays the price for van driver’s speedy turn on an icy Montana roadwayThe trucker in the video — whose dash cam recorded the accident — had either already stopped or was just about stopped when the collision occurred.This is more proof that not all truck accidents are the fault of the trucker!
- WATCH: Driver gets a very rude awakeningBe sure that before you get up from behind the wheel of your truck that you set your truck’s brakes — even when you think you’re on level ground at the fuel island!
Accident near miss
Fatalities
We extend our condolences to all who were killed, whether on the job or not.
- Driver flung from overpass in fatal single-rig wreck
- Driver killed in crash with semi parked on shoulder
- Highway fatalities continued upward trend through third quarter 2021
- Highway fatalities rose 12% through September 2021, NHTSA estimates
- Road Deaths Rise at Record Pace as Risky Driving Persists
- Traffic fatalities went up in first nine months of 2021
- US road deaths rise at record pace as risky driving persists
- Worst 10 states for winter fatal traffic crashes
Fatalities – zero
As long as there are machines that experience mechanical failure and as long as there are humans in vehicles, I believe that there will always be people who die in vehicle crashes. So the attempt to get traffic fatalities to zero is simply another example of bureaucratic overreach to put more burdens on truckers and the trucking industry. This is another of those “feel good” goals that will never be able to be accomplished — and the sooner that people in positions of authority recognize that and act on that reality, the better!
- Daily Infographic: DOT unveils zero-fatality road safety strategy
- DOT Safety Strategy Envisions Zero Highway Fatalities
- Zero-Emission Trucks: Poised for Growth
3. Regarding supply chain:
- Class 8 Order Market Frozen by Weak Supply Chain
- FTC extends deadline for public comment on supply chain disruptions
- House Debates Supply Chain Semiconductor Bill
- Missing profits: 93% of Amazon sellers lost revenue from supply chain disruptions
- Putting supply chain sustainability into action
- Supply chain chaos and port gridlock could drag on into 2023
- Supply chain pain may lurk in container crane bill
- Supply chain, trucking industry at the ‘edge of a cliff,’ ATA president says
4. Regarding autonomous vehicles, electric vehicles, fuel, and emissions:
Autonomous vehicles
I absolutely oppose autonomous, driverless, or self-driving vehicles on the roads with the motoring public, but share these so that you may stay current on the topic.
- Automated vehicles to be focus of House T&I hearing
- Autonomous Vehicle Association Unveils New Name
- Embark appoints autonomous vehicle industry veteran as chief operating officer
- GM’s Cruise Begins Offering Driverless Rides (link no longer online)
- PlusDrive-Enabled Automated Trucks Help Reduce Fatigue and Improve Driver Retention
- TuSimple Automates Nation’s First Trucking Lane in Arizona
- TuSimple to Haul Union Pacific Goods Between Tucson, Phoenix
- TuSimple will haul ‘driver out’ intermodal freight loads for Union Pacific
- TuSimple, Union Pacific partner on driverless deliveries
- Union Pacific to utilize TuSimple’s AV technology for Tucson-Phoenix route
Electric vehicles
With tremendous winter storms being forecast in many places — and knowing what happened in Texas about a year ago — I think that electric-only vehicles are subject to becoming inoperable when they cannot be recharged.
- Comments on Plan for 500,000 Charging Stations
- First US Mile of Wireless EV Charging Road Coming to Detroit
- WATCH: First-ever electric truck pulls a full-sized Cup Series hauler to a NASCAR event
Fuel
- $4 a Gallon in Range as Diesel Climbs 6.6¢ to $3.846
- Daily Infographic: EIA expects gasoline and diesel prices to fall in 2022 and 2023 as demand growth slows
- Diesel prices: Gulf Coast sees an increase of almost 8 cents
- DOE/EIA diesel price hits nearly 7.5-year high
Emissions
Like “zero fatalities,” I believe that “zero emissions” policies are feel good stances that will never be able to be accomplished.
- Are ‘Zero-Emission’ Laws Realistic or a Pipe Dream?
- Natural gas trucks feeling pressure from zero emission
- Report: Zero-emission truck deployment ‘quite low’ but ramping up
5. Regarding regulations and smuggling:
Regulations
Any move to “lower” or “streamline” the entry requirements for people to become professional truck drivers is — in my opinion — destined to backfire. Example: Look at what happened to the man who was responsible for killing 4 people in Colorado.
- ATA Chief Calls For Pro-Truck Driver Policies
- Congress looks to simplify operators’ credentialing process
- FMCSA lifts restrictions on CDL knowledge test proctors
- FMCSA updates guidance on CDL knowledge tests
- Government Aims to Streamline CDL Process
- Legislation Introduced to Reduce Red Tape for Truck Drivers
- Legislation introduced to streamline truck drivers’ credentialing process
- New Bill aims to be “sensible remedy to the unnecessary regulatory barriers” that surround getting and keeping your CDL
Smuggling
Never ever haul humans like you haul cargo or cattle. If memory serves me correctly, these are the first articles I’ve ever seen where someone went to prison for smuggling people.
- Louisiana truck driver sentenced to federal prison for human transporting conspiracy
- Texas trucker headed to prison for smuggling undocumented migrants
6. Regarding economy and employment:
Economy
- ACT Research: Preliminary data show new CV orders continue to be hampered
- Class 8 orders weak in January due to ‘supply-side shortages’
- Surviving Stagflation – The Economic Tsunami That Lies AheadQuote: “…reports that show our economy is entering into another period of ‘stagflation,’ which is defined by Investopedia, as ‘an economic condition that combines slow growth and high unemployment with rising inflation.'”
- Used Class 8 truck prices were up in December
Employment
- Big gains for trucking jobs in January on adjusted basis but slide for non-adjusted
- Employers Add 467,000 Jobs in January
- Jobless Claims Decline for Second Week as Omicron Eases
7. Regarding pay and towing:
Pay
The listing of these articles does not imply an endorsement of the companies.
- Driver pay hikes continue to roll in
- Economics 101: Driver pay will keep moving higher
- Midwest Carriers latest company to increase driver pay
- Trucker pay levels reach new heights
Towing
When you’re in a ditch or involved in an accident, you may not have time to be “choosy” when obtaining a towing service. But surely, there has to be a better way of getting towed than getting towed and then getting a whopper of a bill!
8. Regarding roads, tires, and weather:
Roads
- Biden visits collapsed bridge, touts infrastructure law
- DOT reveals new program to help navigate road work
- Expect nine month closure of I-35 corridor in Kansas City
- FL bridge shut down for “several days” following tanker truck fuel leak
- Forbes Avenue Bridge collapses hours before Biden visit
- I-70 near Columbia at a standstill due to crash, stuck trucks
- Investigators vow to put collapsed bridge under ‘microscope’
- PennDOT Officials: Bridge’s ‘Poor’ Rating Didn’t Warrant Closure
- Review slated for 5 bridges sharing design of collapsed span
- Road ”
“& Bridge Repair Lead Infrastructure Spending Priorities - Road safety issues addressed in Utah: lane splitting, zipper merges
- What Does a Poor Bridge Rating Mean?
Tires
Weather
There are a number of bad storm systems moving into and out of various areas at any given time. Please always drive safely!
- As winter storm moves across US, ice becomes bigger concern
- Big rig restrictions put into place as storm expected to glaze Pennsylvania, New England in ice
- Big Rig Travel Bans Imposed in Multiple States Ahead of ‘Blockbuster’ Winter Storm
- Drivers should expect ‘significant disruptions to travel’ as winter storm dumps up to a foot of snow across central U.S.
- High-impact winter storm threat from Great Plains to Great Lakes
- Hundreds of drivers were stranded overnight on Texas I-10 in frigid temperatures
- Kentucky suspends restrictions on motor carriers responding to winter storm relief
- Latest winter storm expected to cover much of the U.S.
- Major winter storm aiming at Midwest
- Major winter storm now spreading across Northeast
- Power outages and hazardous travel expected with Kentucky ice storm
- Severe winter storm causing airport closures, flight cancellations
- States of emergency declared ahead of major winter storm
- Texas Braces for Deep Freeze With All Eyes on Power Grid
- Texas Cold Halts Some Permian Oil Wells as Ice Disrupts Trucking
- Travel bans announced for certain vehicles on Indiana Toll Road, Ohio Turnpike
- Trucking industry meteorologist outlines winter storm’s impact
- Winter storm prompts some states to issue big rig restrictions
- Winter weather causes rig to jackknife in Indiana
9. Regarding technology and cybersecurity:
Technology
- Daily Infographic: Don’t think you need a dashcam? 3 reasons you do
- Illinois has new route guidance app for oversize and overweight permits
- N.J. DOT Offers Truckers Real-Time Traffic Alerts
- New Illinois permit route app provides audible turn-by-turn navigation
- Safety app for drivers debuts in flood-plagued Virginia city
- Session 3: How Technology Can Help Draw & Keep Drivers
- Truck parking app partners with hotel chain for driver discounts
- Trucker dash cam captures robbery attempt that did not go as planned
Cybersecurity
10. Regarding shortage, training, truckers, and bathroom:
Shortage
- Driver shortage: Hire qualified drivers faster and without settling
- Trailer Manufacturers Wrestle With Labor Shortage
Training
Be ultra careful when anyone offers truck driver training for free. If it was a trucking company offering this, I’d say to watch out for being exploited.
Truckers
Bathroom
- Can I use the bathroom? The answer for truckers is often ‘No’This is why when we were on the road, we liked the convenience of having and using a portable toilet in-truck.
11. Regarding operations and inspections:
Operations
- 11 Defensive Driving Tips for Truckers
- ‘Do not swerve’ — Troopers offer tips after tanker driver hits house while avoiding deer
- Michigan House advances distracted driving bills
Inspections
- A few ways to avoid brake-adjustment violations
- Broken Lights Top Violation for North American Truckers
12. Regarding recognition:
We wish to recognize those people who helped out their fellow human beings in need. Thank you for being kind and compassionate!
- 2 Bay and Bay drivers recognized for helping man with car troubles
- Hero trucker Navdeep pulled out driver from crashed vehicle
- National Guard rescues stranded trucker in Oklahoma
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: 2022.02.05 to our TDMST Weekly Round-Up Trucking Commentary or our Truck Drivers Money Saving Tips home page.
