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TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2022.09.24

This is the TDMST Weekly Round-Up of news affecting professional truck drivers, written by Vicki Simons for the week ending September 24, 2022.

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

TDMST Weekly Round-Up

1. Regarding tolls, pay, rates, economy, surcharges, and Postal Service reseller program:

Tolls

In my opinion, the situation of Rhode Island’s tolling system is one of those predicaments that lands right on the crosshairs of the Tenth Amendment, which reads:

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The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

Since The Constitution of the United States does not address the topic of tolls, this is a matter for the states to decide, right?

Then again, if this was a “truck-only” toll, then that is not “equal justice under law,” is it?

Hmm…

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

Pay

I covered this topic in more detail last week.

Rates

Economy

These articles describe the current state of the economy from the trucking industry’s perspective:

Surcharges

Is this good news?

Postal Service reseller program

Count me slow on this subject, but I didn’t know that the U.S. Postal Service even had a reseller program.

Quotes from the article:

The reseller program, in a nutshell, allowed a third-party company to get a commercial rate from the Postal Service and then sell that rate, with a margin built in, to the SMB, for postal services.

…

While it may initially appear that SMBs could potentially face higher postage rates, Nima Elyassi-Rad, head of business development at Shippo, said that is unlikely to be the case.

…

The only SMBs that will see changes are those that had relationships with resellers, Elyassi-Rad said. But if there is enough volume, the SMB may be able to strike a similar, or even better deal, with the Postal Service directly, he noted.

I’m interested in learning just exactly how this will work out in the long run.

 

2. Regarding accidents, fatalities, alcohol, drugs, and legal:

Accidents

Please review the large truck accidents described in these articles to see if there is anything that you can learn so as not to be involved in a similar accident.

Fatalities

We extend our deepest sympathies to the families of those who died, as described in these articles.

Alcohol

This proposal is clearly federal overreach and in my opinion needs to be stopped.

Drugs

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

Legal

I realize that motorcycles and bicycles can be difficult to see from the cab of a large commercial motor vehicle.

Please be watching out for them and if you need to put additional mirrors on your truck to help you see more space around your truck, please consider doing that.

 

3. Regarding energy, fuel cells, fuel efficiency, fuel electro, fuel hydrogen, fuel natural gas, and fuel prices:

Energy

I summarized the first article in this section as “too few alternatives.”

In my opinion, people need to have access to more choices when it comes to energy instead of fewer choices.

Fuel cells

  • Class 8s With Fuel Cells Prove Mettle in Los Angeles-Area Test (link no longer online)
  • Cummins Showcases Fuel Cell, Engine Innovations (link no longer online)

Fuel efficiency

There are 3 options under “Maintain Your Fleet” in the following article: Motor Oil, Tire Pressure, and Air Filter.

Please feel free to see the other points in the article.

Fuel electro

I had never before heard of “electrofuel,” so I looked up the definition.

According to Wikipedia:

Electrofuels, also known as e-fuels or synthetic fuels, are a type of drop-in replacement fuel. They are manufactured using captured carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide, together with hydrogen obtained from sustainable electricity sources such as wind, solar and nuclear power.

The article goes on to say:

The process uses carbon dioxide in manufacturing and releases around the same amount of carbon dioxide into the air when the fuel is burned, for an overall low carbon footprint. Electrofuels are thus an option for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from transport, particularly for long-distance freight, marine, and air transport.

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

Fuel hydrogen

Fuel natural gas

Fuel prices

 

4. Regarding California, Florida, AB5, ports, intermodal, border, and vaccine:

California

I think that this proposed move by California is a trap and one that will ultimately backfire.

Florida

AB5

I’m glad that this fight isn’t over!

Ports

Intermodal

Please do your due diligence before you get involved in this kind of work as a trucker.

Border

Vaccine

I will rejoice when this requirement is dropped — for good!

 

5. Regarding autonomous vehicles, electric vehicles, emissions, carbon, and internal combustion engine:

Autonomous vehicles

I most adamantly oppose the use of self-driving, driverless, or autonomous commercial motor vehicles on the same roads as the motoring public — but I have listed these articles as a courtesy to help you stay current on the topic.

Electric vehicles

From “Engineering Explained” on Facebook, I shared this video today, saying, “Some things to think about…”

This is Electric car’s biggest problem

Actually, I think it is Electric truck’s biggest problem — at least from the weight of the batteries!

Emissions

Exactly what are the “emissions” from large trucks with which people have a problem?

If you know, please share that info through the form below. Thanks!

Carbon

I included the link to the first bulleted article in this section to prove that if people are so concerned about “carbon,” then there is going to have to be mass genocide, because the human body is 18.5% carbon.

Actually, it is insane to want to get rid of carbon because it is the building block of life.

In this article, we read: “Carbon compounds are central to life on earth. They form the building blocks of proteins that are structural elements such as bone, contractile elements such as muscle, coverings such as skin, and enzymes that catalyze the multitude of biochemical reactions. The hereditary molecules of life, the nucleic acids DNA and RNA, are composed of carbon compounds. Together with oxygen, carbon compounds provide the energy for life.”

Just sharing.

Internal combustion engine

 

6. Regarding deadliest, delivery speed, training, and HOS:

Deadliest

Delivery speed

Please do not sacrifice safety in order to try to deliver quickly!

Training

HOS

If you feel strongly about this matter, please contact your elected officials.

 

7. Regarding technology, ELDs, and weather:

Technology

ELDs

Weather

 

8. Regarding idling, insurance, and holidays:

Idling

Quote from this article:

Did you know, a typical long-haul truck idles about 1,800 hours per year, consuming about 1,500 gallons of diesel? Considering idling burns roughly .08 gallons of fuel per hour, you can do the math on how much that’s currently adding up to be. Not to mention the wear and tear idling has on powertrain components, which the American Trucking Association estimates adds $2,000 per truck in maintenance costs annually.

 

Insurance

Holidays

 

9. Regarding maintenance, oil, trashy, and parking:

Maintenance

Oil

Trashy

Last week, I addressed trashy looking trucks.

Evidently, this truck is even worse!

Parking

 

10. Regarding protection, theft, recall, roads, and safety:

Protection

Quote from this article:

Data shows that 71% to 87% of global cargo theft happens when cargo is in transit.

 

Theft

Recall

Roads

Safety

 

11. Regarding supply chain, politics, essential, and
employment:

Supply chain

Politics

Essential

While I agree with Chris Spear, President and CEO of American Trucking Associations, regarding what he wrote in this September 23, 2022, article — Perspective: Truckers Are Undeniably Essential — one has to remember that at least as far back as 2017, the ATA was leading the push for autonomous trucks!

 

Employment

 

12. Regarding nominations, recognition, and awards:

Nominations

Recognition

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

Congratulations

We congratulate professional truck drivers who achieved a milestone or demonstrated great skill!

 

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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