TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2022.08.13

TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2022.08.13 is the trucking commentary on news affecting professional truck drivers, written by Vicki Simons for the week ending August 13, 2022.

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

TDMST Weekly Round-Up

1. Regarding costs, pay, taxes, inflation, and economy:

Costs

On Wednesday, August 10, 2022, the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) published a news release that I received via email.

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The title of the news release was:
“ATRI’s Newest Operational Costs Research Documents
Costliest Year Ever in Trucking”.

A downloadable analysis is available through a registration form on their site.

Other articles about this topic include:


Pay

We would like to hear from you through the form below:

What kind of a pay increase have you experienced in the last 2 years?

Does it even come close to the increase of prices due to inflation?


Taxes


Inflation


Economy

 

2. Regarding AB5, legal, legal – motorcycle, legal – Schneider, and smuggling:

AB5


Legal

From the first article linked above in this section:

A week earlier, the high court took the same action (or inaction) by denying “cert” in Miller v. C.H. Robinson, a case involving a personal injury lawsuit. I argue that this will have much bigger implications for the industry. This denial of cert. could upend the massive freight brokerage industry, which has massive ramifications across the supply chain.

While the particulars are very different, the cases’ appeals to the Supreme Court stand on the same grounds: that federal law preempts state laws in both situations. That law is the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act (F4A), which bans states from enacting laws that could affect a motor carrier’s rates and services.


Legal – motorcycle


Legal – Schneider


Smuggling

Never ever haul human beings as you would cattle or cargo!

 

3. Regarding accidents, fatalities, and venting:

Accidents


Fatalities

We extend our deepest sympathy to those who died in the accidents linked in this section.

Another article is listed above which indicates that a truck plunged off an overpass.

Why does this seem to be happening more often?

Does it have anything to do with drugs or jabs?


Venting

Isn’t there a better way of taking care of off-gassing?

 

4. Regarding 2290, business, recall, and safety:

2290


Business

Even if you aren’t an owner-operator or independent trucker, please familiarize yourself with the information in these articles.


Recall


Safety

 

5. Regarding 60-foot, containers, and ports:

60-foot

According to the first article linked below in this section:

  • “a standard 53-foot trailer can fit about 26 pallets”;
  • “[a 60-foot trailer] can fit as many as 30 pallets of perishable goods, such as meat and dry/wet produce, requiring different temperatures.”

Other questions come to mind, such as:

  • How does a longer trailer affect an entire rig’s turning radius?
  • How does a longer trailer affect overall rig weight?
  • How does a longer trailer affect the Federal Bridge Formula Weight?

Please see these recent articles on this topic.


Containers


Ports

According to the last article linked in this section:
“A port trucker movement in New York/New Jersey has been making the case that port drivers should get compensated for all hours worked.”

Here, here!

 

6. Regarding fuel, oil, electric vehicles, and emissions:

Fuel

Although falling fuel prices are welcome, please remember:

  • what fuel prices used to be; and
  • that there has been a big push from those on the federal level in the USA to move away from petroleum-based fuel (which I believe is a huge mistake).

Here are some of the most recent articles on this topic:


Oil


Electric vehicles


Emissions

According to the first article linked below:

There are two types of emissions to consider: air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions.

EVs have zero tailpipe emissions, which means they don’t emit air pollutants or GHGs out of a tailpipe the way fossil fuel-powered vehicles do. …

But even though EVs don’t emit GHGs out of their tailpipes, they still require a power source for charging.

Some EV chargers are powered by solar panels or other renewable sources. However, many EVs are charged with electricity from the grid. That means the emissions associated with charging an electric truck vary greatly from state to state.

Here are some of the most recent articles on this topic:

 

7. Regarding employment and recruiting:

Employment


Recruiting

 

8. Regarding roads, spill, supply chain, liftgates, and weather:

Roads


Spill

Please make sure that your load stays contained until you reach the load’s receiver!


Supply chain


Liftgates


Weather

 

9. Regarding inspections, insurance, and last mile:

Inspections

If you keep yourself and your truck in perpetual readiness for an inspection, you’ll never be caught off-guard.


Insurance

The article linked in this section states:
“DataQs allows users to track and petition a review of federal and state data issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration that’s believed to be inaccurate or incomplete.”


Last mile

 

10. Regarding technology, Tesla, and training – sleeping:

Technology


Tesla


Training – sleeping

A driver trainer must not be continually falling asleep on the job.

If a trucker is doing that, there could be a medical issue at stake.

Please feel free to see our article entitled:
Becoming a Truck Driver Trainer: Motives, Warnings and More.

 

11. Regarding price hikes and future:

Price hikes


Future

 

12. Regarding awards:

We recognize those who helped their fellow human beings in a time of need:

We congratulate those truckers who have displayed great skill on the job, qualified to be in a championship, or having won!

 

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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