TDMST Weekly Round-Up: 2022.06.11

TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2022.06.11 is the trucking commentary on news affecting professional truck drivers, written by Vicki Simons for the week ending June 11, 2022.

We welcome your comments, thoughts and feedback on the items of your choice below.

TDMST Weekly Round-Up


Please note that this is the first trucking commentary that Vicki has written since we changed the platform for our website.

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1. Regarding Brake Safety Week, Safe Driver Week, inspections, and safety:

Brake Safety Week

Please keep your entire rig prepared for an inspection — including a brake inspection — at all times.

If you do that, you’ll never be surprised, as doubtless many truckers were, as recorded in the article under the “Inspections” section below.


Safe Driver Week

Operation Safe Driver Week is happening July 10 – 16, 2022, and the area of special emphasis this year is speeding.


Inspections


Safety

 

2. Regarding AB5, HOS, and LTL:

AB5


HOS


LTL

  • Tips For Managing LTL Freight?Quote: “Managing LTL (less than truckload) freight can be tricky. Hauling small loads that are less than the full size of the trailer appeals to owner-operators for numerous reasons. …”

 

3. Regarding fuel, electric vehicles, autonomous vehicles, and emissions:

Fuel

According to a Nov. 13, 2019, article by Material Handling and Logistics:

43% of US Commercial Trucks Powered by Diesel.

The statistics may have shifted since then.

But still, any upward trend in diesel prices is going to have a significant impact on the cost of transportation.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) makes these resources available:

We have no way of knowing what kind of intercession may take place regarding the cost of oil and fuel, but I did read an analysis that said that the cost of oil affects everything.

If you have a view on this, please comment through the form below.

Meanwhile, here are some of the most recent articles on this topic:


Electric vehicles


Autonomous vehicles

I most emphatically disapprove of self-driving, driverless, or autonomous commercial motor vehicles sharing roads with the motoring public, but share these articles as a courtesy to help you stay current with the topic.


Emissions

 

4. Regarding accidents, fatalities, drugs, theft, and violence:

Accidents

Please glean from these articles how you may be able to avoid getting involved in a similar accident yourself.


Fatalities

We extend our condolences to the family of the trucker.


Drugs

Never, ever haul illegal drugs, no matter how much of an incentive you are offered.


Theft

It might be a good idea to approach looking at your rig from the standpoint of how easy it would be to steal something from it — and then take action to help prevent it from being stolen.


Violence

 

5. Regarding economy, employment, credentials, and health:

Economy


Employment


Credentials


Health

 

6. Regarding tolls, taxes, rates, insurance, and inflation:

Tolls


Taxes

The suggestion regarding freezing or eliminating taxes on fuel as a temporary measure to lower the overall price of fuel does two disadvantageous things, in my opinion:
– it removes the ability for a state to pay for road construction and repairs that would be paid for from the tax; and
– (more importantly) it does not address the root cause of the increase in fuel prices to begin with.


Rates


Insurance


Inflation

A non-trucking resource stated on June 10, 2022:

Transportation SHOCKWAVES reverberate as consumer demand plummets amid unyielding INFLATION

Quote: “Now, the inflation is undeniable even to the deniers. Fuel price increases, for example, are now sitting at 75% year over year.”

How are you as a professional truck driver dealing with inflation?

Please comment through the form below.

 

7. Regarding labor, household, and legal:

Labor


Household


Legal

 

8. Regarding limiters, loads, and bridges:

Limiters

Please write and submit your comments here while the comment period is open.


Loads


Bridges

 

9. Regarding technology, training, and shortage:

Technology


Training


Shortage

 

10. Regarding supply chain, scales, and politics:

Supply chain


Scales


Politics

It does no good to blame an industry for something that is politically driven.

 

11. Regarding capacity, containers, and parking:

Capacity


Containers


Parking

 

12. Regarding awards:

Congratulations to all of those who will be nominated for and/or win an award for driving skills and excellence!

My husband Mike and I wish you — and all professional truck drivers — safe travels and lots of money saving opportunities on the road.

 


 

 



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