This is the TDMST Weekly Round-Up of news affecting professional truck drivers, written by Vicki Simons for the week ending March 26, 2022.
We welcome your comments, thoughts and feedback on the items of your choice below.
1. Regarding inflation, fuel, oil, oil reserves, and closure:
For sure, we have had some hard times in the past two years, but it looks like things are going to become much harder.
If you are a regional or long-haul trucker, please make preparations now for some non-perishable foods to pack in your truck, some drinking water, an emergency kit, and a first aid kit.
You will also want to be prepared to engage in self-defense and have a truck cam for video surveillance.
Inflation
- As Rising Costs Continue to Minimize Profits in Trucking, the ES Advantage Helps Owner-Operators & Trucking Business Owners Stay in the Black
- E-commerce consumers keep shopping, even as inflation drives up prices
- Freight volume is deflated by rising costs against seasonal expectations
- Markets Point Higher After Tough Inflation Talk From Fed
- States Seek to Ease Inflation Burden With Direct Payments
- Warren: Ocean Freight Alliances Add to Inflation
Fuel
- As fuel prices rise, towns add electric vehicle charging stations
- As Gas Prices Rise, Towns Add Electric Car Charging Stations
- Daily Infographic: Petroleum and natural gas are the most-used fuels in the United States through 2050
- Diesel Ends 10-Week Surge, Dropping 11.6¢ to $5.134 a Gallon
- DOE benchmark diesel price plunges while commodity markets roar ahead
- Four States Sign Pact to Develop Hydrogen Hub
- Fuel price surge pushes cost of running empty higher
- Fuel prices creating a “last man standing” situation for smaller carriers, drivers fear
- Fuel tax relief efforts adopted, pursued at statehouses
- Global oil market, diesel prices uncertain at best
- Legislation Would Support Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Trucks, Fueling Infrastructure
- National diesel average drops nearly 12 cents per gallon
- Owner Ops may not be around much longer if diesel prices keep it up, Mississippi truckers say
- Saudi Arabia says it’s not responsible for high oil prices
- Spain: Truckers get gas price cut, but some still strike
- The clean energy revolution depends on diesel
- Trucking Sees Little Benefit to Diesel Tax Relief Plans
- Viral clip of man paying almost $1,000 at the pump
Oil
Oil reserves
Closure
This is sad, but I think it is just the beginning.
2. Regarding autonomous vehicles, electric vehicles, and batteries:
Autonomous vehicles
I very strongly oppose the operation of autonomous, self-driving, or driverless trucks on the roads with the motoring public, but provide this info to keep you up-to-date on the subject.
Electric vehicles
- Class 8 Mack LR Electric Refuse Trucks Roll Off Assembly Lines
- Colorado welcomes arrival of new zero-emissions big rigs
- EV Battery Maker LG to Expand in Michigan
- Fleet Forward: The Tour Atlanta to Showcase Commercial EVs
- Goodyear Launches EV-Ready Tire Line for Last-Mile Delivery
- Maersk to deploy 300 Einride electric trucks
- Maryland teams with electric vehicle charging firm
- Morgan Unveils Electrified Refrigerated Concept Truck Body
- Navistar owner Traton upsizes electrification spend to nearly $3B by 2026
- Surprise! 20% of Postal Service’s first vehicle order is electric
- USPS Doubles EV Order From Oshkosh
- WattEV Orders 50 Electric Volvo Trucks to Launch Truck-as-a-Service Program
- WYDOT announces strategy for National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure funding
Batteries
- LG Plans Battery Plants for Canada, Arizona
- What truck fleets need to know about electric vehicle batteries
3. Regarding economy, supply chain, ports, and Russia:
Economy
- ACT Research: Tractor dashboard dropped significantly at beginning of 2022
- ATA truck tonnage index flat in February
- ATA Truck Tonnage Index unchanged in February
- Just 3 years after 2019’s trucking bloodbath, another is on the way
- National tender rejection rates fall under 16% for first time in nearly 2 years
- North American trans-border trucking freight valued at $69B in January
- Truck Tonnage Up 2.4% Year-Over-Year in February
Supply chain
- Can a government-brokered supply chain exchange succeed?
- CTA offers budget suggestions to stabilize supply chain
- General Mills raises guidance after overcoming supply chain constraints
- Steuart Walton, Cyrus Sigari to speak at The Future of Supply Chain
- Tiremakers Cautious About Supply Chain Solutions
Ports
- East Coast ports about to get slammed by a lot more ships
- FMC pressuring ocean carriers to boost exports
- One solution to the congestion problem: More inland ports
- Pacific, Atlantic Coast Ports Post Strong Volumes in February
- Port of Vancouver cargo volumes on steady course despite supply chain, extreme weather woes
- Port of Vancouver sets container volume record with empties, imports
- Truckers at Port of Baltimore Anticipate Bi-Weekly Container Boost
Russia
4. Regarding accidents, near miss, lawsuit, and insurance:
Accidents
Please familiarize yourself with what led up to these accidents and seek to avoid being in them yourself.
- 10-mile backups plague I-10 after fatal crash involving semi trucks, charter bus
- 9-vehicle-pileup creates backups so long troopers had to “wake up drivers who fell asleep”
- Big rig overturns after avoiding herd of loose horses
- Six students killed in crash with CMV, car driver reportedly attempted U-turn
- Trucker charged when four wheeler hydroplanes
- Witness said car driver made ‘rolling stop’ before crash with truck that killed 6 teen girls: NTSB
Near miss
Lawsuit
Insurance
5. Regarding operations, violations, inspections, safety, and weather:
Operations
Violations
Inspections
Safety
- Efficiency tips with advanced safety systems
- FMCSA Safety ‘Areas of Concern’ Remain Consistent
- Ohio State Highway Patrol unveils new Safety Belt Dashboard
Weather
Some people may not like to hear this, but I wonder if some of the increasing number of and harsh weather events that have been happening in the USA are a form of what is referred to in Leviticus 18:28 and 20:22, where the land “vomited” out the inhabitants because of their behavior against God.
You may want to look at the information on our website regarding death and dying.
One resource that I found that may help you avoid wildfires is Fire.AirNow.gov.
- California groundbreaking set for largest wildlife crossing
- Mackinac Bridge closed due to falling ice
- Massive tornado rakes through Big Easy; truck driver recounts survival
- State of emergency declared in Texas as wildfires rage
- VIDEO: Wind blows container off of a big rig — and onto South Carolina cop’s car
- Will extreme weather become more frequent by midcentury?
6. Regarding employment, pay, rates, rule, pricing, and retention:
Employment
- ACT Research For-Hire Trucking Index: Capacity tight, but improving
- Fleet Focus: Different trailer types present wide range of job options for drivers
- Love’s holds hiring event March 30, 31; seeks to add 2,000 employees
- US Initial Jobless Claims Decline to Lowest Since 1969
Pay
We do not recommend or endorse any of the companies mentioned here.
- Stevens gives drivers ‘largest and most comprehensive’ raise in company history
- Stevens Transport Announces Driver Pay Increase
- Will Gen Z Workforce Drive Up OTR Trucker Salaries?
Rates
Rule
- Court puts Trump independent contractor rule back in place
- Court reinstates independent contractor rule
- Court Reinstates Trump-Era Independent Contractor Definition
- Court reinstates Trump-era independent contractor rule
- Trump-era independent contractor rule reinstated | Stevens boosting contractor compensation
Pricing
Retention
7. Regarding comment, CHIPS Act, and climate:
Comment
- Comment period extended for oral fluid drug testing proposal
- DOT extends comment period on oral drug testing
- USDOT extends comment period on addition of oral fluid notice of proposed rulemaking
CHIPS Act
Regarding semiconductor chips.
Climate
Be watching out for politicians to call for heavy and expensive measures for people to pay for protecting the planet — where “more” is never enough.
- Daily Infographic: Climate change could cost shipping industry $25B annually by 2100
- Greenhouse gases’ social cost challenged by 13 states
- SEC Plan Would Require Climate-Change Risk Disclosures
8. Regarding convoy, protest, equipment failure, onboarding, idling, and parking:
Convoy
- Here’s the day-by-day traffic impact of DC trucker protest so far
- People’s Convoy expected to continue this week after brief weekend hiatus
- People’s Convoy says it has funds to last 1 more week
Protest
Equipment failure
Onboarding
- Complete onboarding solution already in the palm of drivers’ hands
- Drivewyze, Samsara to Streamline Driver Onboarding
Idling
Parking
- Daily Infographic: More delivery drivers park illegally amid curb congestion
- FMCSA feels ‘urgency’ of truck parking crisis
- Residents blame ‘careless’ driver for using their neighborhood as weekend parking
- Viewpoint: Truck parking remains key industry issue
9. Regarding technology, parts, and recall:
Technology
- Drivewyze’s e-Inspection program now operating in 7 states
- More Mobile Carriers Approach 3G Network Shut Down – Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs)
Parts
- Going Beyond the Chassis in Last-Mile Delivery
- Trac Intermodal partners with American Made Chassis to produce more chassis
- Webasto’s introduces two new SmarTemp 3.0 controllers
Recall
10. Regarding border, drugs, smuggling, and violence:
Border
- Trucker hauling produce to Canada had loaded gun and meth in cab, CBP says
- U.S. trucker arrested at Canadian border with loaded gun, meth
Drugs
Smuggling
Violence
- Highway in Leavenworth reopened after perceived bomb threat
- Indiana State Police investigating shooting at I-70 rest stop
11. Regarding MATS:
As I’m writing this, the Mid-America Trucking Show — a large trucking show — is going on.
12. Regarding awards and best fleets:
Awards
We congratulate every professional truck driver who has been awarded for his/her achievement and recognize those who helped out their fellow human beings in a time of need.
- 261 LTL drivers honored for achieving total 328M accident-free miles
- Airline Transportation Specialists driver named Highway Angel of the Year
- Best Fleets to Drive For Names Top Carriers
- Canadian fleets sweep TCA Fleet Safety Award grand prizes
- Challenger Motor Freight, Garner Trucking named top fleets for drivers
- Company Driver of the Year winner announced Tuesday evening
- Daily Infographic: Women In Trucking names 3 Driver of the Year finalists
- DOT to Give $10M to Compete for Highway Funds
- Doug Andrus Distributing’s Robert Howell is Company Driver of the Year
- Doug Andrus Distributing’s Robert Howell is Company Driver of the Year
- Everyday hero: Canadian trucker earns ‘Highway Angel’ wings for helping couple in distress
- Highway Angel of the Year extinguished potentially deadly car fire
- Lytx Recognizes Winners in Driver, Coach Categories
- Military veteran truckers to be honored at Mid-America Trucking Show
- Owner-operator takes home $25K with top honor
- Owner-operator takes home $25K with top honor
- TCA Discusses Leadership Transition, Presents Awards at Annual Conference
- TCA names new chairman, winners of fleet, driver awards
- Two Canadian carriers win top safety awards at TCA convention
- WATCH: Truck driver stops to help Florida state trooper being attacked by suspect along I-4
Best Fleets
We do not recommend or endorse any of the companies mentioned here.
Be sure to ask recruiters some crucial questions before you hire on with any trucking company.
- Challenger & Garner named overall winners in Best Fleets to Drive For
- Challenger named North America’s Best Fleet to Drive For
- Eight carriers named to new Best Fleets to Drive For Hall of Fame
- TCA unveils 2022 Best Fleets to Drive For
- Two trucking companies named Best Fleets to Drive For in 2022
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: 2022.03.26 to our TDMST Weekly Round-Up Trucking Commentary or our Truck Drivers Money Saving Tips home page.
