This is the TDMST Weekly Round-Up of news affecting professional truck drivers, written by Vicki Simons for the week ending May 20, 2023.
We welcome your comments, thoughts and feedback on the items of your choice below.
1. Regarding Memorial Day, fuel: fuel, biodiesel, CNG, diesel, hydrogen, LNG, and natural gas:
Memorial Day
A typical Memorial Day weekend typically runs from the Friday before through the Monday of the holiday, although the article lists Thursday through Tuesday.
You may also want to see these Memorial Day-related posts on our site:
- Tips on Memorial Day Weekend Driving in a Big Truck
- Double-Check Your Memorial Day Delivery Appointment
Fuel
The caption under the photo from the first article in this section reads:
With frustration over electric charging infrastructure mounting, there was interest in hydrogen fuel cell trucks.
Fuel – biodiesel
Fuel – CNG
Fuel – diesel
- AAA retail diesel average now $4.007
- Average US diesel prices continue downward slide
- Diesel benchmark price falls again but may resist further declines
- Diesel Prices Down 2.5¢ to $3.897 a Gallon
Fuel – hydrogen
Fuel – LNG
Fuel – natural gas
- Chevron ADF Oils Approved for Cummins Natural Gas Engines
- Delo 600 ADF certified for Cummins nat gas engines
- Walmart ‘betting big’ on Cummins new X15N natural gas engine
2. Regarding alcohol, drugs, inspections, insurance, legal: legal, Canada, Illinois, Iowa, Montana, and smuggling:
Alcohol
Never, ever drink anything that contains any amount of alcohol before driving a commercial motor vehicle.
Also, when you’re on the road as a trucker, never use any mouthwash that contains alcohol.
Drugs
Never, ever haul illegal drugs as a trucker, no matter how much of a reward you are promised.
- “Zigzagging” motorist caught with cocaine in fake pregnant belly after nearly slamming into semi
- Ontario trucker faces charges after drug bust at border
Inspections
If you keep yourself and your rig in perpetual readiness for an inspection, you’ll never be caught off-guard.
- CHP troopers find numerous violations while enforcing seven ton weight limit
- CVSA inspection bulletins clarify issues with braking aids, tire inflation systems
- CVSA inspection bulletins offer clarity on braking aids, tire inflation systems
- International Roadcheck is here; TA service centers offering free mid-trip inspections to help drivers prepare
- Mexican government urges Texas to halt truck inspections at border
- Mexico Says Texas Truck Inspections Delaying Shipments
- On the ground during Roadcheck in New York state
- Roadcheck expected to ‘help usher in a new freight cycle’
- Roadcheck inspection blitz uncovers the good, bad and ugly
- Truck inspections at southern border costing millions
Insurance
Legal
Police say that the driver accidentally missed his exit, leading to the clearance issue.
Legal – Canada
Legal – Illinois
Legal – Iowa
- Damages for pain and suffering in Iowa truck crashes capped
- Iowa caps monetary civil liability for trucking companies, drivers
Legal – Montana
- Montana Reins In Third-Party Lawsuit Financiers
- Trucking associations herald new Montana law dealing with third-party litigation lenders
Smuggling
Never, ever haul people like they are cargo or cattle, no matter how much treasure has been dangled in front of you.
3. Regarding bridges, maintenance, parking, recalls, TA/BP, and weight:
Bridges
Maintenance
Parking
Recalls
- Air Bag Manufacturer Refusing NHTSA’s Request to Recall
- Freightliner, Western Star trucks recall: electronic stability control issue
- NHTSA: Volvo Group NA Failed to Comply with Recall Requirements
TA/BP
- TA closes deal with BP | Freight-fraud prevention tactics highlighted
- TravelCenters of America approves BP takeover
Weight
4. Regarding AB5, CDL renewal, HOS, and trailer length:
AB5
CDL renewal
HOS
- FMCSA: HOS Violations Rise After Rule Change
- Report on hours-of-service changes yields few takeaways
Trailer length
5. Regarding training and veteran truckers:
Training
- Alaska passes bill easing regulation for new CDL applicants
- FreighTrax, UCO increasing online training options
- FreighTrax, University of Central Oklahoma collaborate on online driver training
- Lawmakers look to bolster ranks of young truck-driver program
- Penn State partners with Transportation Solutions for CDL training
Veteran truckers
This is an excellent article with many quotes!
6. Regarding platooning, slow roll, and worst drivers:
Platooning
I oppose platooning of commercial motor vehicles and hope one day to write a post about why.
Slow roll
Worst drivers
- Here are the states where you share the road with the worst drivers
- Texas takes crown for worst drivers in US, according to new study
- Worst drivers are in these states
7. Regarding Florida boycott, speed limiter, technology, and transit times:
Florida boycott
- “WTF are you talking about?”: Drivers are largely unaware of reported ‘Florida boycott’ poll reveals
- Some Latino truck drivers call for Florida boycott over new immigration work rules
- Truckers threaten to boycott Florida over migrant crackdown
Speed limiter
Technology
- AI isn’t new to the supply chain, but ChatGPT is expanding its role
- EIA says software issues led to decision
- Getting Started on Trailer Telematics
- How instant, personalized data visibility changed the game for Silver Trucking
- Motorcity Systems Launches Driver Engagement App
- OOIDA calls out flaws in CSA Safety Measurement System plan
- SAP launches AI solutions for ‘future-proofing’ supply chains
- Volvo Group launches augmented reality safety app for its electric big rigs
Transit times
8. Regarding breach, economy, fraud, lottery, pay, rates, selling, and theft:
Breach
- Transportation Safety Systems Unaffected by DOT Data Breach
- U.S. DOT data breach exposes employees’ personal info
According to ConsumerAffairs.org:
ID theft occurs when someone steals another person’s sensitive personal information. It’s slightly different from ID fraud, which involves the actual use of someone else’s sensitive information in a fraudulent or deceptive way.
Economy
- ACT Research: Preliminary net trailer orders decline
- An unusually terrible freight market may get a lot worse
- April Medium-Duty Sales See 16.2% Rebound
- April Trailer Orders Down 49% Year-Over-Year
- Average Age of Passenger Vehicles Hits Record High
- Class 8 tractor production exceeds build plans as retail sales remain robust
- Companies’ drive for expanding margins threatens future freight demand
- DAT: May a Pivotal Month for Truckload Freight, Rates
- Don’t Buy Into So-Called “Freight Recession” Hype
- Factory Production Rebounds in April After March Slump
- Month of May will be pivotal for truckload volume, says DAT’s Adamo
- Preliminary used Class 8 truck same dealer retail sales shrank in April
- Retail Sales Rise 0.4% in April
- Shipments, costs decline further in April but inflection coming, Cass says
- Shipping boom hangover: When measuring markets gets tricky
- Trucking Q1 Results Show Substantial Slowdown
- US freight cycle near bottom as capacity begins to tighten
Fraud
- Canadian trucking officials call for end to Driver Inc. ‘scam’
- Double brokers, load board fraud and autonomous trucks – WTT
- Freight Fraud Scams Up 400 Percent. How to Detect Them.
- Fuel card fraud is rampant in 2023 — Here are seven ways truckers can fight back
- It’s time for massive load board players to take responsibility for fraud
- Paycheck Protection Program fraud involved fake trucking company
Lottery
Let’s hope that this trucker has good financial habits!
Pay
Rates
- Freight rates near the bottom; trailer sales down
- Truckers protest low freight rates with Indiana slow roll
- Truckstop: Spot rates fall heading into International Roadcheck week
Selling
- A balanced look at the used truck market
- Red Flags for Sellers to be Aware of When Selling Commercial Trucks
Theft
9. Regarding brokers, classification, employment, load boards, and shortage:
Brokers
- Brokers, forwarders adjust course as market softens
- FMCSA’s broker rulemaking coming soon, administrator says
Classification
Employment
- C.H. Robinson Is Laying Off 300 More Employees
- C.H. Robinson lays off 300 employees
- New drivers traverse difficult road to employment
- TuSimple cuts 300 more US jobs, keeps China ops
- U.S. Xpress Cuts Corporate Staff Ahead of Knight-Swift Deal
Load boards
Shortage
10. Regarding batteries, electric, and emissions :
Batteries
- EV Battery-Swapping Could Help Solve Charging Problems
- Michigan Town Rests Economic Hopes on Ford Battery Plant
- The Safety Aspects of the BYD Iron-Phosphate Battery
Electric
If you are looking to buy a new commercial motor vehicle, please do your due diligence first.
- 4 Gen’s Brad Bayne Full Steam Ahead on Electric Trucks
- Cummins partners with EV charger supplier
- Early electric trucks identify opportunities and limitations
- Navigating Battery-Electric Truck Charging Challenges [Video]
- New federal hub connects ZEV information
- Study Urges Excise Tax Repeal for Electric Trucking Takeoff
- The Future of Propulsion: Uncertain
- US, Canada Plan First Cross-Border Electric Vehicle Corridor
- Volvo Electric-Truck Safety App for First Responders
Emissions
- Drawing a Road Map to Emissions Reduction
- Emission standards proposal questioned during House hearing
- Ex-Audi CEO Pleads Guilty to Diesel Emissions Charges
- Experiencing the Latest Zero-Emission Trucks [Photos]
- HDT Webinars to Address Fleet Emission-Reduction Challenges
- Upcoming NOx Regulations Present Challenges for OEMs
11. Regarding crashes and fatalities:
Crashes
Based on the information in second article in this section, I have chosen to stop calling crashes “accidents.”
- Container falls off truck in entrance-ramp rollover
- Daily Infographic: 4 reasons you should stop calling vehicle crashes ‘accidents’
- Lane change claims rig hauling doubles
- Oklahoma City firefighters rescue truck driver whose rig ran off I-44 bridge
- Semi truck and car burn after drunk motorist changes lanes in front of rig
- Train collides with 2 tractor-trailers near Baltimore; one driver injured
- Truck driver arrested after sideswiping another rig’s trailer on I-70 in Putnam County, Indiana
- Trucker & child unhurt after terrifying hang from bridge
- Trucker charged with several felonies for fatal oversized bridge strike
Fatalities
We are grieved every time we hear of someone who was killed in a car or truck crash.
We extend our deepest sympathy and offer our condolences to the families of those who passed.
- 26 dead in crash between tractor trailer, van
- 26 die in fiery crash between 18-wheeler, passenger van south of Texas/Mexico border
- Forgotten tool turns into deadly projectile after falling off flatbed
- Semi truck accident turns fatal when Good Samaritans make unsafe stop to help
- Semi truck stuck on shoulder during attempted u-turn ends in death of two
- VIDEO: Smoldering aftermath of crash that killed 27
12. Regarding recognition and awards:
Recognition
We recognize and applaud those who helped their fellow human beings in a time of need.
Awards
Congratulations to those who will be nominated and who have been honored for their trucking achievements!
- Two months left to enter to compete for 2023 Trucker of the Year
- U.S. Xpress honors 4 truckers with 4 million miles to their credit
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: 2023.05.20 to our TDMST Weekly Round-Up Trucking Commentary or our Truck Drivers Money Saving Tips home page.
