TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2023.10.07 is the trucking commentary on news affecting professional truck drivers for the week ending October 7, 2023, written by Vicki Simons.
We welcome your comments, thoughts and feedback on the items of your choice below.
1. Regarding AEBs, autonomous vehicles, Estes hack, and inspections:
AEBs
AEBs stand for Automatic Emergency Braking.
Autonomous vehicles
I most definitely oppose the operation of self-driving, driverless, and autonomous commercial motor vehicles on the same roads as the motoring public, but share these articles as a courtesy to help our readers stay current with the topic.
- Autonomous trucks are more fuel efficient, study suggests
- Kodiak and Maersk making Houston to OK City autonomous deliveries
- Kodiak Robotics and Maersk Launch Commercial Autonomous Trucking Lane Between Houston and Oklahoma City
- Kodiak, Maersk making deliveries via autonomous trucking lane
- Maersk Partners With Kodiak on Autonomous Truck Runs
- Maersk, Kodiak Open Autonomous Trucking Lane
- Maersk, Kodiak Robotics launch 1st commercial autonomous trucking lane between Houston, Oklahoma City
- Nodar Increasing Sensing Range for Autonomous Driving
- Outrider hiring globally for launch of autonomous distribution yards
- TuSimple Reports 11% Fuel Economy Boost in Autonomous Driving Study
- Uber Freight’s autonomous loads; truckload volumes plunge; FreightTech’s new API – WTT
Estes hack
Please protect your trucking assets from being hacked!
- Cause of Estes Express technology failure unclear
- Cyberattack Hits Estes Express Lines’ IT Systems
- Cyberattack victim Estes making ‘steady progress’
- Estes Express confirms cyberattack
- Estes Express Hack Highlights Need for Truckers to Take Cybersecurity Precautions
- Estes opens online portal for customers as cyberattack drags on
- Estes: Many Core IT Systems Operational Again After Attack
- Major trucking company Estes Express confirms that cyberattack resulted in ongoing IT system outage
Inspections
This section carries mostly the results of a large trucking inspection that took place.
If you keep yourself and your rig in perpetual readiness for an inspection, you’ll never be caught off-guard.
- Colorado State Patrol plans two CMV chain law check operations for October
- Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance Releases Results From Operation Safe Driver Week 2023
- Operation Safe Driver results are in; who were the problem children on the road?
- Preparing for the Arrival of Electronic Truck Inspections
- Safe Driver Week leads to 2,634 tickets and citations
- Speeding once again tops list of Operation Safe Driver Week violations
- Speeding Tops Infractions During Operation Safe Driver Week
- Speeding tops list of infractions by truck drivers during Operation Safe Driver Week
- US, Mexican trade officials ask Texas governor to end truck inspections
- Vickery Transportation keeps OOS violations and turnover near 0%
2. Regarding theft and vandalism:
Theft
Truckers need to do everything reasonable to prevent cargo theft.
According to the third article in this section, “The thieves broke through the seal and padlock to take the cargo”!
In the past, some truckers may have thought that a padlock was sufficient to prevent cargo theft.
I don’t know what kind of padlock the trucker had installed on his/her trailer to try to deter thieves, but it obviously was one that could be breached.
Well, all one has to do is search YouTube.com for “wrenches to open padlock” to find at least 3 different “shorts” videos about breaking into a padlock (whether with or without breaking the lock).
So, obviously, a better grade of lock needs to be used, perhaps a bar lock.
- Cargo theft up 57% year-over-year in second quarter
- Crab Caper: Trucker sleeps through theft of high-dollar seafood in Philadelphia
- Crab clusters stolen while truck driver sleeps in cab of parked rig
- Daily Infographic: Cargo thefts from trucks, warehouses spike during Q2
- What’s behind the reports of ‘unprecedented’ retail theft
Vandalism
This is absolutely horrible!
In supposedly warm and inviting Georgia, a professional truck driver tried to find safe and legal parking, but could not.
So, he parked along an on-ramp along I-75 and went to sleep, his wife also riding with him.
He awakened to find that a vandal had used an ice pick to puncture all 18 of his truck’s tires and the 6 tires on the truck he was hauling.
FYI, according to this resource: “Vandalism refers to the act of intentionally defacing, damaging, or destroying another person’s property.”
So, yes, the perpetrator is a vandal!
According to the first article linked below, this act of vandalism cost him “10-12 hours to get all the tires swapped out” and $10,400!
How can a trucker protect the tires on his rig while he sleeps?
Please comment through the form below.
- Trucker gets all 18 tires punctured parked in Adel, Georgia
- Trucker Video Shows Someone Stabbed All 18 Tires As He Slept On Georgia Off Ramp
3. Regarding crashes, deaths, and fatalities:
Crashes
Please look through these articles to see if there is anything you can learn to help you prevent being involved in a similar crash.
- No one hurt after corvette crushed under semi truck in Louisiana wreck
- Oversize semi truck forces closure of Mt. Vernon bridge until next summer
- Semi truck involved in ten vehicle pileup in I-84 construction zone near Mountain Home, Idaho
- Serious Pileup Crash Reported on Arkansas Highway Involving At Least 15 Vehicles
- Truck driver was ejected from his cab during a wreck with a DOT worker
- Video Shows Train Striking Stuck Truck In Redding, California
- VIDEO: A trucker’s need for a snack causes wreck, overturn
Deaths
- New details emerge after woman found dead in NJ trucker’s rig
- Truck driving trainee shot, killed while on the job in Oklahoma
- Trucking Company Worker Dies After Being Caught Up In Police Shootout Crossfire in Garvin County, Oklahoma
Fatalities
We express our deep sympathy — and offer our condolences — to the families of those whose loved ones died in these crashes.
Can you learn anything from the articles below that would help prevent being involved in a fatal large truck crash?
- 2 children among fatalities in Illinois truck crash
- At least 5 dead after tanker carrying ammonia crashes in Illinois
- Despite more miles traveled, highway fatalities falling
- Name of trucker fatally shot by Oklahoma trooper still not released
- NTSB investigating fatal crash with anhydrous ammonia spill | Spot rates update
- Police ID driver sought in connection to deadly ammonia truck crash
- Report: Traffic fatalities falling as miles traveled increase
- Tanker truck leak leaves five dead from chemical exposure, officials say
- Traffic fatalities down in first half of 2023
4. Regarding bankruptcy, business, employment, recalls, strike, and Yellow:
Bankruptcy
- 100 Drivers Retain Jobs Despite Company Bankruptcy Filing, Transition Truckers Finalists Tapped
- ILWU dockworkers union files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection
- Lordstown Motors founder buys company assets out of bankruptcy
Business
- 6 Tips for Selling Your Commercial Vehicle to a Dealer
- AB5 harms small-business truckers, OOIDA says
- Check Call: Bid now, don’t wait
- RigDig Truck History Report service now on OverdriveOnline.com
- Using data to effectively manage your fleet, reduce operating costs
Employment
- Daily Infographic: UPS plans to hire 100K seasonal workers for peak
- Employers Added a Strong 336,000 Jobs in September
- Flexport cutting workforce by about 950 employees
- Layoffs confirmed in BNSF Logistics brokerage unit’s sale to J.B. Hunt
- Truck transportation employment ranks rebound
- US transportation unemployment on the rise
- Winter is coming. AmeriGas needs drivers and techs to keep the country warm as temps drop.
- Women Make Trucking Industry Employment Gains Outside CDL Lanes
Recalls
Strike
Most of the articles below have to do with the situation with the auto workers.
- Another maritime strike brewing
- Auto workers stop expanding strikes against Detroit 3
- Mack avoids strike with new UAW labor deal
- Mack reaches tentative deal with UAW to avoid strike
- Mack Trucks Reaches Tentative Agreement With UAW
- Mack Trucks settles with UAW on longer agreement
- Report: UAW members get 19% pay increase across 5 years
- UAW strike-caused losses rack up to nearly $4B so far
- UAW-represented Mack Trucks workers near strike deadline
Yellow
So, union membership helps some while previous membership in a union hurts others. Hmm…
5. Regarding electric vehicles, emissions, fuel, and taxes:
Electric vehicles
Before you buy an electric commercial motor vehicle, please do your due diligence.
- Big leap forward for fleet electrification: Prologis launches accessible EV charging infrastructure
- Brossard Leasing offering electric trucks, charging stations
- Cox Automotive to Service BYD Electric Trucks
- Daimler Financial partners with EV charging service provider
- Electric Truck Progress Report
- Eligible EV Buyers Will Get Tax Credits Immediately in 2024
- Greenlane to Break Ground on Charging Network in Early 2024
- In the Race to Electrification, Buses Are Leading the Pack
- Maneuvering multiple supply chains key to electric truck charging
- Rush Inks BEV Sales and Service Deal with Blue Arc
- Senators Propose EV Fee for Highway Trust Fund
- VMC lands Quebec dealer for electric trucks
- Volvo debuts service to help EVs find chargers
- What Penske is Learning at its Electric Truck Test Bed
Emissions
Fuel
- Big Automakers: Future Fuel Economy Rules Unfairly Target Us
- Daimler Fuel Cell Truck Logs 1,000-Kilometer Run on Single Tank of Hydrogen
- Diesel Price Nudges Up 0.7¢ a Gallon to $4.593
- Freightliner Offers Cummins X15 Natural Gas Engine
- Fuel price jump boosts rates but threatens trucking capacity
- Fuel prices flat nationally, varied by region
- Hydrolux plans truck hydrogen fueling station network in Quebec
- It’s Not Biodiesel — Busting Renewable Diesel Myths – Neste MY Renewable Diesel
- Knight Transportation ‘encouraged’ with new Cummins nat gas engine
- Knight Transportation Testing Cummins’ X15N Natural Gas Powertrains in California
- Most paying less for diesel this week, according to ProMiles
- Russia Lifts Diesel Export Ban
- Small move in diesel benchmark masks more volatile underlying market
- Up Close with Volvo’s Fuel Cell Truck in Sweden [Photos]
- Weekly Fuel Report: October 03, 2023
- Weekly NTI Update: August 02, 2023
- What’s Next for Alternative Fuels?
Taxes
This section is about fuel taxes in Georgia.
- Fuel tax holiday extension focus of Georgia state of emergency
- Georgia governor extends motor fuel tax suspension
- Georgia Governor Suspends Diesel Taxes For An Additional Month
- Georgia’s governor continues rollback of state gas and diesel taxes for another month
- Georgia’s Kemp Extends Suspension of Diesel, Gas Excise Tax
6. Regarding economy, future, rates, and returns:
Economy
- Census Bureau: Two Trucking Sectors Prospered During Pandemic
- Class 8 Orders Nearly Double as 2024 Build Slots Fully Open
- Class 8 Orders Season Launches Below Year-Ago High Point
- Class 8 truck orders hit year’s peak in September
- Economic Trucking Trends: Fleets jump at chance to place ’24 truck orders
- Factory Gauge Contracts at Slowest Pace in Nearly a Year
- Ford Electric F-150 Sales Drop 46% as Deliveries Delayed
- Loaded and Rolling: 70% of annual RFP lanes procured not materializing
- Logistics warehousing construction starts plunge to near 10-year low
- LTL estimates move higher ahead of Q3 reports
- US Automakers’ Sales Rose Sharply Over the Summer
Future
- ATA Leader Chris Spear Reflects on Gains Ahead of Conference
- FTR’s Jonathan Starks shares his forecast for the 2024 trucking economy
- The future of procurement
Rates
- Declines in transportation prices slow again in September
- DHL Express raises US rates by 5.9%
- State of Freight takeaways: Low rates, low OTRI mask market improvement
- UPS offers rebates to win back diverted volumes
Returns
Well, at least the returns aren’t free, but is $5 enough for each one?
7. Regarding pay, retention, tolls, and towing:
Pay
Retention
How often does your trucking company pay for your hotel/motel room?
Please comment through the form below.
Tolls
- ATA’s Spear expects victory in fight over Rhode Island truck tolls
- Eastbound Blue Water Bridge will remain cashless for toll payment
- The Pros and Cons of Truck Tolling by Plate
- Unpaid Turnpike tolls target of Pennsylvania bill
Towing
8. Regarding distracted driving and operations:
Distracted driving
Operations
The infographic about red light running linked below states: “If a vehicle enters an intersection anytime after the light has turned red, the driver has committed a violation.”
- Daily Infographic: Red light running
- NYC trucker deals with double-parked van in this video saga
- Runaway semi truck avoids mass casualty on Seneca Skyway
- Video shows lane-splitting motorcyclist goes between two trucks, nearly causes crash
9. Regarding hot shots, parcel delivery, parking, truckers, and trucking:
Hot shots
Parcel delivery
Parking
- Atlanta wants parking expertise, Ohio input on U.S. 23 updates
- How Can Trucking Solve its Parking Shortage? [Video]
- New York City passes bill to create overnight, off-street truck parking
- Safety organizations announce support of proposed Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act
- Truck parking bill gets support from safety groups
Truckers
- ‘Drivers are the answer’: Grammer Logistics turns to innovation and driver-first solutions to fuel growth
- Husband and wife team drivers dish on the realities of working OTR together
- Husband-Wife Tandem Truckers Cut Expenses the Size of a Mortgage Payment
- Veteran trucker explains the sacrifices you have to make in trucking in funny video
Trucking
10. Regarding drugs, safety, and technology:
Drugs
Never, ever haul illegal drugs, no matter how large of an incentive you’ve been offered.
- Border officers seize 65 kg of cocaine from truck at Surrey crossing
- Customs officials seize more than $253k in cocaine from big rig at Texas border
Safety
- How Did Bison Transport Achieve its Phenomenal Safety Record? [Podcast]
- TCA accepting nominations for Fleet Safety Awards
- Veteran Trucker Shares Advice For Car Drivers On Commercial Vehicle Safety
Technology
- 5 Ways Carriers Overpower Tough Market Conditions with Custom Driver Apps
- AI is launching the transportation industry forward
- Carriers Face Growing Cybersecurity Challenges
- Dash Cam Video Shows Wrong Way Semi Truck On I-70
- Evolving AI Abilities Yield Advances in Predictive Maintenance
- FIATA Seeks to Deter Cyberattacks in Freight Forwarding
- Innovation is a State of Mind
- Maersk, Kodiak Robotics ‘digitizing the supply chain’
- Optimizing Compliance and Efficiency: A Comprehensive Guide to Electronic Logging Devices
- QuickBooks for Trucking: The Hidden Costs of Disconnected Software Systems
- Safety Panel: How 3 Fleets Are Approaching Technology and Safety in 2024
- The future of delivery management might revolve around schedules
- Thermo King Unveils AI-Powered Telematics Solution
- Uber Freight Using AI to Transform Logistics Business
11. Regarding insurance, legal, maintenance, and politics:
Insurance
- Per-load shipper’s interest insurance now available in McLeod TMS
- Trucker Path Launches Single-Trip Spot Insurance
Legal
- Accident Litigation Expert: Beware the Nuclear Settlement
- Amazon Violated Worker Rights Settlement, NLRB Says
Maintenance
Politics
12. Regarding awards, hall of fame / hall of honor, and recognition:
Awards
We extend our heartiest congratuations to all truckers who have been nominated for an award or actually been given an award!
- 2023 Road Warrior awards handed out to three OOIDA members
- Driver for Indiana grain company wins Pilot’s Road Warrior grand prize
Hall of fame / Hall of honor
- American Trucking Hall of Fame and Industry Leader Inductees Announced
- ATHS Hall of Fame induction ceremony set for Oct. 25
- Sherri Garner Brumbaugh inducted into Ohio Trucking Assoc. hall of honor
Recognition
We recognize those who have helped out their fellow human beings in a time of need.
- Bison driver named Highway Angel for aiding woman in Winnipeg crash
- Volunteers step in to harvest crops after farmer crushed while changing a semi truck tire
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: 2023.10.07 to our TDMST Weekly Round-Up Trucking Commentary or our Truck Drivers Money Saving Tips home page.
