TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2023.04.08 is the trucking commentary on news affecting professional truck drivers for the week ending April 8, 2023, written by Vicki Simons.
We welcome your comments, thoughts and feedback on the items of your choice below.
Inspections
If you keep yourself and your rig in perpetual readiness for an inspection, you’ll never be caught off-guard.
Please learn about upcoming inspections.
- 3 Steps to Roadcheck Survival
- CVSA’s 2023 Out-of-Service Criteria now in effect
- CVSA’s International Roadcheck fast approaching
- FMCSA launches nationwide enforcement sweep targeting moving company scams
- Officers find load securement problems on CMVs in Georgia, Iowa
- Traffic stop for unsecured vehicle load ends in CMV driver arrested and out of service
- Updated CVSA criteria now in effect
Accidents
Please learn what you can from these articles so that you can help prevent being involved in a similar accident.
- VIDEO: ‘High speed’ jackknife caught on traffic cameras
- VIDEO: Train strikes stuck truck in South Carolina
Fatalities
We extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to the families of those who passed away.
Please learn what you can from these articles so that you are not involved in a similar situation yourself.
- Distraction, speeding, alcohol drive up 2021 traffic deaths
- Distraction, Speeding, Alcohol Drive Up 2021 Traffic Deaths
- Driver fatigue caused deadly Phoenix milk truck crash, NTSB finds
- Migrant worker killed when bus hits big rig head-on
- One dead in Florida after bus carrying 38 crosses center line, striking tanker truck, police say
- Two dead in semi vs. tow truck crash on I-80 in Wyoming
Economy
The following are articles about the economy from the perspective of the trucking industry.
- BrightDrop secures Ryder order for 4,000 vans
- Cardboard box demand to remain low in 2023
- Class 8 truck orders normalize in March
- Class 8 truck orders see March decline
- Costco’s March sales highlight consumers’ shift to essentials
- Cummins plans $1B+ in plant investments
- Daily Infographic: US annual parcel shipping volumes to grow 5% through 2028
- GM Passes Ford in Q1 EV Sales, Still Trails Tesla
- Loaded and Rolling: Freight market downturn turns 1 year old
- March Class 8 Orders Stumble
- The freight market downturn is a year old. When will the market turn around?
- The Stockout: Sugar and salt reduction a CPG focus for foreseeable future
- Truck orders continue to soften, but remain healthy
- Truck orders fall for fifth time in six months
- Trucking – Exports of Mexican-built Cargo Trucks Hit 13,231 in February
- Truckload spot market may bottom in April
- Virginia building fabricator, trucking firm folds amid economic uncertainty
- Wells Fargo, ACT Research experts forecast economy for 2023
- White Paper: State of the Industry — April 2023
Ferry
- BCTA says ferry rate stability key as commission eyes 9.2% hike
- Detroit-Windsor Truck Ferry can’t secure funding, plans to close in September
- Detroit-Windsor truck ferry in danger of imminent closure
Lottery
Let’s hope that this trucker had financial discipline so that he doesn’t end up in a worse situation after being awarded the money.
Owner-Operators
- New survey shows that majority of owner-operators are satisfied with their jobs
- Owner-operators are ‘extremely satisfied’ with their job
Pay
- Four Ways to Offset Increased Driver Compensation
- POLL: What’s your preferred compensation structure: percentage, miles, hourly…?
Rates
Recalls
If your tractor or trailer has a recall, please have it attended to as soon as possible.
- Freightliner Cascadia trucks recalled over hazard light issue
- Tesla issues recall for Semi truck over roll-away risk
- Tesla Semi trucks being recalled
Aerodynamics
Please do your due diligence before you invest in any aerodynamic devices.
Business
- How to boost profitability in challenging times: The ‘extra load’
- North Carolina Trucking Company to Shut Down After Top Customer Pulls Out
- Overdrive’s Reader Rigs: Reuniting owner-ops, mentors
- Walmart wants to beat Amazon at its own game
Maintenance
Employment
The articles in this situation are not an endorsement of any specific employment opportunities.
- American Women Seize Trucking Jobs As Canada Turns to Refugees
- Driver Recruiting & Retention Annual Report
- Recruiting, Retaining Next-Generation Drivers a Challenge
- Trucking job vacancies increased sharply in 2022: Trucking HR Canada
FedEx
- 1 analyst cautious, 1 optimistic following One FedEx announcement
- FedEx Corp. announces broad subsidiary consolidation Land Line
- FedEx says air network restructuring to save $700M annually
- FedEx to combine all but LTL into 1 organization
- FedEx to consolidate Express, Ground and Services operating companies
- FedEx to Consolidate Operating Companies
- FedEx to consolidate operations
- FedEx to Merge Ground, Express Units
Testing
Fuel
- As diesel costs continue downward trend, oil producers’ cuts could soon boost prices
- As oil market braces for higher prices, diesel benchmark drops again
- Diesel Down to $4.105 Following Ninth Straight Decline
- Diesel retail average from AAA now $4.204 Fuel prices
- Hyzon Gets Delisting Reprieve as it Continues Fuel-Cell Truck Development
- Hydrogen likely the zero-emission solution for long-haul trucks
- Hydrogen trucks: Long-haul’s future?
- NACFE Says Trucking’s Future Is With Hydrogen
- NACFE takes fresh look at hydrogen fuel cells
- NACFE: Hydrogen Has a Future in Long-Haul Despite Lingering Questions
- NACFE’s progression to hydrogen fuel cell trucks
- States, companies compete for billions to make hydrogen for cars, big rigs
- Renewable natural gas lobbyist goals in D.C. next month include doubling alt fuel tax credit
- EIA: Power generation from renewables outpaced coal in 2022
- Weekly Fuel Report: April 04, 2023
- U.S. Reps. Introduce RNG Tax Credit Bill for Trucks
- HDT Launches Alternative-Fuel Fleet Survey
Oil
Emissions
- Defeat devices center of EPA settlement
- Hirschbach providing zero-emission yard trucks to cold-storage facilities
- Diesel shops fined $600K for manufacturing, selling, installing emissions ‘defeat devices’
- Owner of RI Trucking Company Rigged Tractors to Pollute Air for Five Years
- Rhode Island trucking company owner admits to ‘conspiracy’ to defeat emission control devices
- Rhode Island trucking company president admits to conspiracy
- Trucking company owner pleads guilty to evading EPA regs
California
- American Trucking Associations Furious About Radical California Truck Mandate
- California gets green light to proceed with own emissions standards
- EPA approves California rules phasing out diesel trucks
Electric vehicles
Before you invest in an electric commercial motor vehicle, please do your due diligence.
- Biden Visits Cummins, Promotes Clean Energy
- Biden: Cummins Building ‘Clean Energy Future Made in America’
- China-based automaker to invest $3B in Mexico EV plant
- Europe’s EV Push Nearly Faltered Over Fringe Fuels
- EV Tax Credit Rules Leave Carmakers in the Dark — Again
- F-150 Lightning Is Ford’s Only EV to Get Full Tax Credit
- Global News Roundup: Mercedes Tests Electric Trucks in Extreme Winter Conditions
- GM’s BrightDrop Ships First 500 EV Vans From Ontario
- GOP lawmakers in Delaware push back against electric-vehicle mandate
- Hirschbach, Lineage Logistics Deploy Electric Yard Trucks
- KDOT announces call for EV infrastructure projects
- New Ram EV Pickup Rev Can Go Up to 500 Miles on a Charge
- Now Is the Time To Plan For Charging Infrastructure Needs
- RoyPow launches all-electric truck energy storage system
- Safe and Reliable Battery Systems for Electric Trucks
- Tesla Deliveries Rise to Record After Slashing EV Prices
- Walmart to Expand EV Charging Network to Thousands of Stores
Autonomous vehicles
I most definitely oppose the operation of self-driving, autonomous, or driverless commercial motor vehicles on the same roads as the motoring public, but share these articles to help you stay current on the topic.
- Aurora officials aiming for driverless big rigs on Texas routes in ’24
- Aurora points to driverless trucks in Texas in 2024
- Company says they’ll run totally driverless trucks between Dallas and Houston by 2024
- Deny autonomous vehicle exemption, OOIDA warns FMCSA
Operations
Scam
Please watch out for this scam and do not become party to it!
- FMCSA launches ‘Operation Protect Your Move’ to crack down on moving scams
- FMCSA starts Operation Protect Your Move
- Household goods moving scams the target of new FMCSA crackdown
Staged
I’m glad that justice is being done!
- Eight more sentenced in staged-accident scheme targeting truckers
- Operation Sideswipe’ takes down another defendant
Containers
- Mighty fall: Container line profits plummet from historic peak
- Mixed signals: Container shipping downturn not following the script
Border
Broker
- FMCSA gets earful from owner-ops on broker transparency
- How to work broker relationships for better rates
- New broker authority lookup/review tool, two truck-nav platforms
AEB
- Automatic emergency brake proposal sent for White House review
- Next on Federal Regulations Docket: AEB Requirement for Heavy Trucks
Legal
- Police in Ohio can pull drivers over just for holding a phone, starting Tuesday
- Should Trucking Companies be Protected from Nuclear Verdicts?
Marijuana
Please be aware that the laws concerning the use of marijuana vary from state to state.
- ATRI seeks truck driver input on impacts of legalized marijuana
- ATRI Seeks Truck Driver Input on Legalized Marijuana
- How are state marijuana laws impacting trucking? Driver input needed
- Survey seeks drivers’ opinions on legalized pot’s impact on trucking
- Truck driver opinions wanted on legalized marijuana and the trucking industry
Politics
- Fuel tax rate changes addressed in five statehouses
- Georgia lawmakers approve heavy truck bill
- House Lawmakers Unveil Trucking Workforce Bill
- Ohio’s new distracted driving law goes into effect
- Senators Split on House-Passed Energy Bill
- Speed limit revisions are a topic in multiple statehouses State
- Ticket camera rules addressed in at least 13 states
Pollution
Ports
- Computer issues’ causing long wait times at Texas port of entry
- FMC: Terminals Can’t Issue Detention Fees if Ports Closed
- Ports of LA, Long Beach Bid to Become Hydrogen Fuel Hub
- West Coast Port Terminals Temporarily Shut on Labor Shortage
- What do seaport executives expect for the rest of 2023?
Supply chain
Sustainability
Technology
- Cheers to 50 years of cellphones
- New AI monitoring system showing Groendyke ‘a lot of things’ prior system did not
- New AI software designed to help shippers improve transportation operations
Violence
- Broken down truck driver killed by car while walking on the shoulder of I-95 in Maryland
- Man reportedly sleeping in semi dies after being shot during triple shooting incident in D.C.
- Truck driver arrested for firing shotgun at another trucker on Virginia highway
Weather
- Briefly: Snow storm continues to cause driving difficulties in SD
- How execs view weather impact and what tech can do to help
- Kentucky temporarily suspends CMV restrictions for storm cleanup
- Major damage reported following tornado at Ohio truck stop
- Semi slides off I-29 ‘due to the inability to see the road,’ South Dakota troopers say
- Travel issues due to weather in North Dakota, Minnesota
- Weather emergency in Kentucky eases driver hours, weigh stops
Lightning
This is rare, but obviously it does happen!
Recognition
We recognize those truckers who helped their fellow human being in a time of need or displayed great skill o the job.
- Trucker Rescues Man and Dog From Fiery Wreck on I-95
- Trucker’s dash cam shows you what it’s like to maneuver through the tunnels of a baseball stadium
- VIDEO: Trucker hailed as a hero for using big rig to shield students from car
Awards
We congratulate all of those truckers who were nominated to win — or did win — an award for their service in the trucking industry!
- 50-year veteran named Driver of the Year by Women In Trucking
- Atlantic Bulk Carrier trucker wins VTA’s 2023 Driver of the Year award
- Bass named Women In Trucking Association’s 2023 Driver of the Year
- Continental Express’ David Wolford named Ohio’s Driver of the Year
- Fifty year veteran driver with 6 million safe miles earns WIT Driver of the Year award
- Hats off to 50-year trucking veteran Candy Bass
- OOIDA life member receives multiple trucking honors
- The Natural: Tank truck driver, trainer Ken Tolliver has racked up 3 million accident-free miles
- TravelCenters of America announces 2023 Citizen Driver Award winners
- Two veteran truckers win TA’s 10th annual Citizen Driver Awards
- Women In Trucking Association announces Distinguished Woman in Logistics Award finalists
- XPO Logistics trucker is Arizona driving contest’s grand champion
Humor
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: 2023.04.08 to our TDMST Weekly Round-Up Trucking Commentary or our Truck Drivers Money Saving Tips home page.
