This is the TDMST Weekly Round-Up of news affecting professional truck drivers, written by Vicki Simons for the week ending October 15, 2022.
We welcome your comments, thoughts and feedback on the items of your choice below.
1. Regarding predictions, inspections, accidents, and staged:
Predictions
It is no secret that many people are creatures of habit and that we tend to repeat behaviors — good or bad — that we’ve done in the past.
So, the findings of ATRI’s study on this come as no surprise.
What would be very interesting to know, though, is what sort of “re-training” can be done to help truckers get out of bad habits and into good ones — and if truckers even want to be “re-trained.”
- ATRI Study Links Traffic Violations, Unsafe Driving (link no longer online)
- ATRI: A trucker who crashes once is at high risk for another
- Driver behavior linked to future crashes, ATRI research shows
- Study finds that truckers who did these 4 things increased the likelihood of a future crash by 100% or more
Inspections
If you keep yourself and your truck in perpetual readiness for an inspection, you’ll never be caught off-guard.
- ATRI report shows inspections are key in curtailing big truck crashes
- CVSA releases results from surprise five day hazmat/dangerous goods inspection blitz
- CVSA shares results of five-day hazmat inspection blitz
- Hazardous Materials Transport Inspection Results
- Inspection blitz finds violations of hazardous materials/dangerous goods regs
- More than 1,700 CMV violations found during CVSA’s Inspection Initiative
- Surprise dangerous goods, hazmat blitz nets 1,774 violations
Accidents
- Preventable: wear a seat belt while driving: Truck driver ejected after losing control on Wolf Creek Pass
- Ouch! Could this have been prevented? VIDEO: Apparent truck tire blowout sets the shoulder of the road on fire
- 1 of 2: Never try to beat a train: Illinois tractor trailer vs. train crash led to derailment
- 2 of 2: Never try to beat a train: Train derails after colliding with tractor-trailer in Illinois
Staged
I am glad that those who are guilty have been — and continue — to come forward.
I wonder, though, if the truckers who were falsely involved in these staged accidents have had their records officially cleared on legal, police report, DMV, and insurance records.
2. Regarding fatalities and drugs:
Fatalities
We extend our deepest sympathies to the families of all who died in these accidents.
- Construction worker falls to death after tractor-trailer hits bucket truck
- Man killed while pumping gas after big rig slams into station; driver arrested for intoxication, causing death
- Man who fatally struck trucker checking on his load admitted to taking Percocet and oxycodone: Report
- One dead, truck driver jailed on suspicion of DUI, after semi crashes into pumps at Michigan gas station
- Truck driver fatally struck by pickup after pulling over to check his load
Drugs
Never ever haul illegal drugs, no matter how big the incentive you’ve been offered!
- $1.4 million in cocaine seized from big rig at Bridge of the Americas
- Officers intercept big rig carrying $1.4M worth of cocaine at Bridge of Americas
- Texas border agents inspect semi truck, make the most massive fentanyl bust in port history
3. Regarding autonomous vehicles, electric vehicles, fuel, and oil:
Autonomous vehicles
I most adamantly oppose self-driving, driverless, and 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.
- 5G Transition Opens New Opportunities for Autonomous Trucks
- Daily Infographic: FMCSA recruits truck drivers for autonomous vehicle study
- New ACT Research report focuses on ownership costs of autonomous commercial vehicles
- ZF Showcases Autonomous Braking, Other Systems
- ZF Unveils Autonomous Driver Safety System
Electric vehicles
The first article linked in the section just below is one of a series of articles that I’ve come across lately regarding the problems associated with electric vehicles catching on fire.
In most of the articles about electric vehicle fires that I’ve read, the point that has been made is that it takes a huge amount of water to put them out (seemingly much more than fires involving vehicles that are powered by other fuels).
If you’re looking to buy an electric truck (or just thinking about it), please do your due diligence.
- EV fires following Hurricane Ian have Florida fire officials on guard
- Inflation Reduction Act Will Spark Greater, Faster Switch to Electric Trucks
- Logistics giant Performance Team set to grow number of electric Volvo tractors in its fleet
- Prepare for the electricity demand from Electric vehicles
- Thermo King completes electric trailer testing with Walmart, Loblaws and Martin Brower
Fuel
- Big reversal in DOE/EIA diesel price on back of broader market upswing
- Daily Infographic: Ohio renewable natural gas station to fuel Amazon trucks
- Diesel prices sit again at above $5 as oil producers begin production slashes
- Diesel Reverses Course, Shoots Up 38.8¢ to $5.224 a Gallon
- DOE methodology for determining diesel prices sees 2 key changes
- EIA expects heating costs to rise, diesel prices lower
- National diesel average price up almost 40 cents
- SONAR Sightings: Florida volumes recovering from Ian; diesel back to $5 per gallon
- SONAR Sightings: Imports to LA rise this week, boosting truckload volumes
- Weekly Fuel Report: October 11, 2022
- Weekly NTI Update: October 10, 2022
Oil
4. Regarding aerodynamics, economy, inflation, and per diem:
Aerodynamics
If you’re looking to reduce some aspect of your truck’s air resistance or wind drag, please do your due diligence first.
Economy
These are some of the most recent articles about the economy from the trucking industry’s perspective.
- Cass: September increase in shipments a head fake
- Inventory is a ‘high risk’ for retailers: Morgan Stanley
- September US Class 8 Retail Sales Stay Strong (link no longer online)
- September weakness pushes analysts to lower estimates ahead of Q3 reports
- SONAR Sightings: Southern California volumes edge upward; Germany to US rates rise
- Truckload market loosens again as tender rejections touch new low
- US imports sink in September, suffer steepest drop since 2020 lockdowns
Inflation
“Inflation” has been defined [Part 3: Constitutional Economics, Constitutional Money] as both “an increase in the amount of currency, resulting in rising prices” and “theft.”
If you want to see for yourself the increase in the amount of currency in the USA, check out the M1 Money Supply documentation by the Federal Reserve Education Data website.
The unconstitutional Federal Reserve Act of 1913 put in place a central bank in the USA, when The Constitution of the United States specified that:
- Congress was the entity given the power to coin money (Article I, Section 8); and
- “No State shall… make any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts” (Article I, Section 10).
Because of “the Fed” being in control of the USA’s fiat currency and no longer being tied to the gold standard, the buying power of the U.S. dollar — between January 1913 and September 2022 — has shrunk to $0.03.
So, the “inflation” that we’re currently experiencing is nothing new.
It has been going on for a long time and every once in a while there are spikes in the money supply, exactly like what happened between April 1, 2020, and May 1, 2020.
Per diem
5. Regarding barges, border, California, and ports:
Barges
One writer wrote:
BARGE-POCALYPSE unfolding as grain and coal transport rivers DRY UP
– River barges are RUNNING DRY due to engineered drought
– Farmers forced to dump beans and grains on the side of river
For purposes of “grounding,” I found a List of Mississippi River floods, at least 3 of which have happened in the last 10 years.
- Drought Worsens Across Midwest as Mississippi River Dwindles
- First the Mississippi, Now the Ohio River Faces a Barge Crisis
If you are a regional or OTR trucker, we encourage you to make sure that you have an emergency kit — complete with a back-up supply of food — fully stocked in your truck at all times.
Border
- Mexico replaces Canada as No. 1 US trade partner in August
freightwaves.com/news/mexico-replaces-canada-as-top-us-trade-partner (no longer online)
California
- California governor to call special legislative session over high fuel prices
- California Strengthens Alliances for Transportation Electrification
Ports
If you are considering working in or at the ports as a trucker, please do your due diligence about any special credentials and clearances you may need.
- Port Leaders to Meet Amid Rapidly Changing Environment
- Quarterly volumes up at Georgia ports despite September decline
- South Carolina Ports sets volume record in September
- Truckers can get certified on the spot Oct. 18-19 State
6. Regarding chains and winter:
Chains
For your benefit, we have written about these chain-related topics in the past:
- Tools and Equipment: A Guide to Pro Trucker Use and Savings
- Truck Snow Chains: Preparation for Winter Driving
- About Automatic Tire Chains and Automatic Snow Chains for Trucks
- First Winter Driving Season
Meanwhile, here are some of the most recent articles about snow chains for trucks:
- Colorado holding chain law checkpoints in October
- Colorado’s getting serious about chains for the season
- Three Colorado Chain Law checkpoint dates planned for October with ‘strict enforcement’
Winter
7. Regarding safety, testing, and LTL:
Safety
Testing
LTL
- Less-than-truckload rates uptick despite trucking downturn
- LTL survey ranks Peninsula No. 1 overall, Old Dominion top national carrier
- What are the complexities in LTL linehaul transportation?
8. Regarding employment, status, and exemptions:
Employment
- Driver Recruitment Strong Despite Uncertain Economy
- GXO Logistics plans to add 22,000 employees to support holiday peak
- Honest feedback can catch driver turnover issues
- Nation’s military veterans getting help transitioning into trucking industry
- Report shows trucking employment took a major dive in September
- Trucking employment numbers take a dive, per BLS
Status
- Biden administration revising rule on independent contractors
- Department of Labor proposes new worker classification rules
- Labor Department Proposes New Independent Contractor Definition
- Labor proposal could upend rules for some truck drivers, companies
- Proposed Biden Admin Rule Threatens Independent Trucking Status
- Trucking Weighs In on Independent Contractor Plan
Exemptions
9. Regarding parking and personal conveyance:
Parking
- ATA’s law enforcement group pushes states for truck parking
- DOT Makes Effort to Address Lack of Truck Parking
- Trucking law enforcement group urges states to address truck parking shortage
Personal conveyance
- FMCSA leaving personal conveyance hours of service guidance as-is
- Personal conveyance limits pushed by CVSA rejected again
10. Regarding legal, limiter, and technology:
Legal
- BNSF ordered to pay truck drivers $228 million for collecting their fingerprints without consent
- Truck Drivers Win Lawsuit Against BNSF for Unlawful Fingerprint Scans
- Oregon troopers ticket trucker for ‘exceeding the number of trailers in tow,’ lane violation
Limiter
Technology
- Blockchain, Once Overhyped, is Finding Real Transportation Use Cases
- Ticket cameras topic of bills in New Jersey and New York
11. Regarding maintenance, tires, and parts:
Maintenance
- How low-viscosity lube can boost a fleet’s bottom line
- Supplies You Need for Regular Commercial Truck Maintenance
Tires
Parts
12. Regarding tolls, violations, and fires:
(Note: This is the first time that I ever recall when there have been no articles published during the week about some trucker getting an award of some kind or someone helping out a trucker in some way.)
Tolls
- Rhode Island to appeal after judge ruled truck-only tolls unconstitutional
- Rhode Island to appeal federal ruling on truck tolling
Violations
Fires
We don’t know the motivation behind this person’s actions, but please don’t take actions that can result in extremely negative consequences!
- Michigan trucker accused of deliberately setting 25 Swift trucks on fire in 8 states over 2 years
- Michigan trucker arrested in connection with 25 fires of trailers
- Prosecutors: Michigan man set 25 big rig fires in 8 states
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: 2022.10.15 to our TDMST Weekly Round-Up Trucking Commentary or our Truck Drivers Money Saving Tips home page.
