TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2023.11.11 is the trucking commentary on news affecting professional truck drivers for the week ending November 11, 2023, written by Vicki Simons.
We welcome your comments, thoughts and feedback on the items of your choice below.
1. Regarding brokers, low clearance, loads, pay, prediction, and theft:
Brokers
Quotes from the fourth article in the section just below:
Two carriers spoke to Overdrive about TQL withholding tens of thousands of dollars on loads that had no claims against them. The common issue among all of them, as well as Scott’s, stems from language in TQL’s carrier contract that stipulates their right to “offset” cargo claims.
…
Attorney Hank Seaton has warned against this kind of clause, telling carriers to avoid it like the plague and suggesting some brokers use it for a little free hauling, as it were.
So, please be on your guard against this!
- Broker Lays Off Most Staff, Leaving Carriers with Unpaid Loads
- Failing brokerages, asset-based lending imperil carriers, says OTR Solutions
- Montana-based brokerage, trucking affiliate file for bankruptcy liquidation
- TQL, other brokers ‘offsetting’ their way out of paying carriers?
- What Happens if a Freight Broker Can’t Pay its Motor Carrier Bills?
Low clearance
Please refer to this resources on our website:
- Low Clearance Bridges and Overpasses: How to Watch for and Avoid
- Truckers Atlas: Compare Cost Savings of Trucker Maps
Now, for the most recent articles on this topic…
- New York news crew happens to catch video of semi hitting Tonawanda bridge
- New York state cracking down on CMV low bridge crashes
- New York State Police To Beef Up Patrols To Prevent Big Rig Bridge Strikes
- NY raising awareness of bridge strikes; 91 so far this year on Thruway
- NY targets bridge strikes with enforcement campaign
- Turner Turnpike bridge severely damaged by too-tall truck, according to Oklahoma Turnpike Authority
- Video shows truck striking Arkansas interstate highway sign on I-40 near Conway
- Watch as a motorist flags down a big rig driver to prevent bridge strike in Glenville, New York
Loads
While J.B. Hunt is free to pursue the kinds of business it wants, I anticipate that this move may eventually backfire on them.
When Mike and I were in long haul trucking, it was common knowledge that the only thing that could beat a train was a team.
So, we’ll take a “wait and see” approach on this.
- J.B. Hunt and BNSF launch service that could move millions of loads from OTR to intermodal
- J.B. Hunt Yanks Millions of Loads from Truck Drivers
- J.B. Hunt, BNSF launch new intermodal service
- J.B. Hunt, BNSF launch premium intermodal service Quantum
- J.B. Hunt, BNSF Launch Quantum Premium Intermodal Service
- J.B. Hunt, BNSF removing millions of loads from the highway
Pay
From time to time, the topic of trucker pay comes up.
The article entitled How does the Fair Labor Standards Act affect truck driver pay? states:
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Included in the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is an exemption that applies to interstate trucking allowing employers to avoid paying drivers for overtime work.
The exemption was established in 1935 with the intent of preventing drivers from taking on too many hours, but some in the industry believe the law has evolved into an excuse for keeping driver pay low.
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A November 10, 2023, article entitled “Bipartisan bills would guarantee overtime for employee truck drivers” quoted ATA President Chris Spear as saying, OTR drivers in truckload today “are earning nearly $70,000 on average plus benefits”.
He made it sound like it was such a huge amount of money!
However, when this article was posted in a trucking group on Facebook, Vicki responded to provide some perspective on this issue (edited below to provide the reference links):
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Questions:
1. Are all OTR truckers — including all company drivers — earning this much money?
2. When one divides $70,000 per year by all of the hours truckers work (on and off the clock), what does that come down to on an hourly rate?
3. When one considers that truckers were cited as earning $500 per week in May 1977 and that adjusting for inflation, that pay rate should be (as of September 2023) $2,552.15 per week, truckers should be earning $132,711.80 per year, should they not?
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Now bear in mind that that $132K figure is just keeping up with inflation, not a pay increase!
On one of the pages of our site, we provide the calculation regarding how much money ($300,000) one would have to have sitting in a bank account earning 2% interest in order to earn $500 per month in interest income.
Personally, we don’t know of any truckers who:
– have that much money on the bank; or
– can survive financially on only $500 per month and nothing else.
Just so you know, there are other ways to earn this income — or even more — apart from truckers keeping their trucking jobs.
Learn more about how to earn a second income as a trucker.
Now, here are the most recent articles on this topic…
- Bill promises overtime pay for truck drivers
- Bill to guarantee overtime pay for truckers introduced in House and Senate
- Bills introduced in Senate & House guarantee overtime pay for drivers
- Congress weighing overtime for truckers with new bill
- Lawmakers intro bill guaranteeing truck driver overtime pay
- Overtime for truckers: ‘Let’s be fair’
- Truckers deserve overtime, OOIDA says
Prediction
The trucking industry has ever been a good predictor of the economy.
Some prognosticators say things will be good while others say that it will take time for the trucking industry to snap back.
Prepare yourself for hard times, perhaps by requesting my free report: “Protecting Your Purchasing Power with Silver Rounds: Pros, Cons, and Tips“.
- As economy motors along, trucking prepares to downshift
- BLS: Coming Decade to See Job Growth in Warehousing, Logistics
- Container Shipping Set for Downturn, Hapag-Lloyd Chief Says
- Driver Survey: 56% Optimistic About Freight Recession Ending
- Finance expert points to cautionary signals for US freight demand
- Forecast: Trucking to remain dominant freight mover for next 10 years
- Load posts surge ahead of holiday season, DAT reports
- More than 56% of drivers optimistic that end of freight recession is near, survey shows
- New ATA forecast projects continued truck freight growth
- Report: Trucking Enters Strong but Uncertain Holiday Season
- Truck freight volumes to grow over the next decade
- U.S. truck tonnage will grow to 14.2 billion tons by 2034, ATA says
- Why it’s a Good Time for Trucking Fleets to do a ‘Tune-up’ [Podcast]
Theft
Be proactive regarding the possibility of theft.
- Cargo theft on the rise in Q3: CargoNet
- Cargo theft up 59% in third quarter
- Cargo theft up 59% in third quarter; every category of theft increased
- F3 Day 1: TMS is dead; cargo theft scams; autonomous trucks; TaaS – WTT
- Prime Inc. dispatcher stole $300,000 from drivers
- Reported incidents of cargo theft soared 59% in Q3, CargoNet says
- Watch as a forklift driver puts a stop to a would-be thief in Akron, Ohio
2. Regarding emissions, fuel, fuel costs, fuel efficiency, and oil:
Emissions
- Advanced Clean Trucks is unconstitutional, brief argues
- Uber Freight Rolls Out Emissions Dashboard
- WSTA files two lawsuits in effort to halt CARB emissions regs
Fuel
- Average US diesel prices drop for 5th straight week
- Diesel Price Slides 8.8¢ to $4.366 a Gallon
- For the fourth time in 5 weeks, benchmark diesel price slides
- Fuel reports show price declines
- Weekly Fuel Report: November 07, 2023
- Weekly NTI Update: November 06, 2023
Fuel costs
Fuel efficiency
Oil
3. Regarding autonomous vehicles, electric vehicles, and Proterra:
Autonomous vehicles
I firmly oppose the operation of autonomous, self-driving, or driverless Commercial Motor Vehicles on the same roads as the motoring public, but share this article to help keep our readers informed.
Electric vehicles
Before you buy an electric commercial motor vehicle, please do your do diligence.
- Chinese Electric Truck Maker Windrose Will Seek US IPO in 2024
- Daily Infographic: Manufacturers announce investments of over $500 million in more than 40 American-made electric charger plants
- Freightliner sets sights on vocational segment with electric eM2
- Idealease to Offer International eMV Electric Trucks
- J.B. Hunt executive discusses challenges of electrifying trucking industry
- Joint Venture Starts Electric Truck Pay-Per-Use Pilot
- Lion Electric delivered 245 vehicles in Q3, 268 trucks on order books
- Mack Trucks introduces ElectriFi subscription
- Run on Less Electric — Depot shows BEVs are capable, improving
- Scania Will Offer Electric Trucks as Pay-Per-Use
- TeraWatt Infrastructure Breaks Ground on EV Charging Site for Port Operations
- Terraline to Test Electric Class 8 Truck with Florida Fleet
Proterra
- Volvo Buying Proterra EV Battery Business
- Volvo buys Proterra’s battery business
- Volvo Group wins bid for bankrupt Proterra battery assets
- Volvo to acquire battery business from Proterra
4. Regarding crashes, crashes – animal strikes, explosion, fatalities, and smuggling:
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.
- Police searching for driver after semi truck drags bridge debris through house
- Runaway Gravel Truck Strikes 32 Vehicles, Sets Off Massive Fire At Tooele, Utah, Auto Dealership
- Safety group identifies deadliest states for truck crashes, calls for action
- Truck Safety Coalition Releases ‘Deadliest Truck Crash States’ Report
- Trucker felt a ‘guardian angel on his shoulder’ during brake failure crash into car dealership
- Trucker, first responders sustain bee stings from out of control semi truck wreck
- Utah community ‘profoundly affected’ by horrific big rig crash, mayor says
- VIDEO: Car almost squashed by tractor trailer in harrowing dash cam footage
Crashes – animal strikes
Please feel free to review our article: “Avoiding Deer Collision, Other Animal Collisions in a Big Truck“.
Explosion
- Explosion at chemical plant in Shepherd, Texas, leads to shelter-in-place order
- Truck driver recalls fleeing from massive Texas explosion
- Trucker “just started running” at first sign of explosion at Texas chemical plant
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?
- 8 dead in crash after police chased a suspected human smuggler, Texas officials say
- I-10 in New Orleans Closed In Both Directions For Deadly Super Fog Pileup
- Man fatally struck by big rig turning into truck stop parking lot
- Marvel stuntman, 3 of his children killed after crashing into tractor-trailer
- Truck Stop Worker Killed In Accident In Truck Lot In Albuquerque, New Mexico.
- UPS tractor-trailer driver dies due to wreck caused by man fleeing police
- Washington state pedestrian killed in accident involving semi-truck
Smuggling
Never, ever haul humans made in the image of God as if they were cattle or cargo!
5. Regarding AB5, employment, operations, parts, and recalls:
AB5
- AB5 needlessly reclassifies genuine independent contractors, OOIDA says
- Lawyers will square off on California trucking’s latest AB5 exemption request
Employment
- Trucking unemployment rates dropped in Q3: report
- US employers pulled back on hiring in October; trucking loses 5k jobs
Operations
- How better inventory planning has offset the need for speed
- Police share footage of SUV’s egregious turn in front of semi truck
- Trucks and teen motorists a dangerous mix, NTSB panelists say
Parts
- Aftermarket Parts Costs Are Stabilizing
- ConMet acquires maker of tractor-trailer gap-closing TruckWings
Recalls
- Cruise Recalls Cars After Pedestrian Was Dragged
- Seat belt issue prompts recall of 3,800 Kenworths
- Seat belt issues triggers Kenworth recall
- Seat belt problem leads to recall of over 3,800 Kenworth trucks
- Stay Informed: Heavy Truck Recalls in October 2023
- W9s, T800s, other models recalled over seat belt issue | Cocaine in Mex driver’s trailer axles: Texas cops
6. Regarding drug testing and drugs:
Drug testing
Drugs
Never, ever haul illegal drugs!
- Input sought on possible addition of Fentanyl to DOT urine, oral fluid testing
- Texas police find $10 million worth of cocaine hidden on heavy machinery trailer
7. Regarding aerodynamics, business, economy, leasing, and taxes:
Aerodynamics
Business
Economy
- A founder’s journey: ‘You have to bootstrap, figure out how to make money’
- Class 8 catch-up largely over as replacement iron drives orders
- Class 8 Order Season Continues Below Year-Ago Surge
- Daseke seeing ‘flight to safety’ as competitors exit
- Economic Trucking Trends: Signs of life in spot market, but full recovery will take time
- Failure Of Bank In Iowa Caused By Bad Loans To Trucking Companies
- Freight sentiment indexes see carriers, brokers down in Q4 2023
- Iowa bank failure tied to bad trucking loans
- Key US lane shows soft freight market still vulnerable to shipping imbalance
- Reliance’s Albrecht sees capacity disappearing from market at rapid pace
- What downturn? US imports still rising, highest since boom
Leasing
You may wish to review the article on our site: Commercial Truck Leasing: Beware of Designed-to-Fail Schemes.
Taxes
- Fuel tax holiday in Georgia extended through Thanksgiving
- Georgia extends fuel tax suspension again
- Georgia Governor again suspends diesel fuel taxes due to economic conditions
8. Regarding inspections and insurance:
Inspections
If you keep yourself and your rig in perpetual readiness for an inspection, you’ll never be caught off-guard.
Insurance
- How to fill the holes in your trucking insurance coverage
- Manage insurance costs in a rising rate environment
9. Regarding parking, routing, and technology:
Parking
- Addressing the Truck Parking Problem – Guest Voices
- ATA takes truck parking fight to Senate subcommittee
- Caledon makes progress against illegal truck parking
- Highway safety Senate hearing highlights truck parking shortage
- New TA Express opens in Louisiana with 50 truck parking spaces, casino
- Parking-only rest area in Iowa to close Nov. 13 for winter
- TravelCenters of America opens TA Express in Minden, Louisiana
- Truck parking discussed during Senate hearing
- Truck parking letter sent to Senate committee
- Trucker Path, We Realize Inc. to offer discounted, reserved truck parking
- Trucker Path, We Realize Offer Discounted Reserved Truck Parking
- Trucking industry, law enforcement warn Congress on safety risks of truck parking shortage
- Trucking sounds off to Senate about the need for much more parking
Routing
Please see the Truckers Atlas page on our site.
- Houston City Council considers banning big rigs from smaller city streets
- Study on truck routes aims to update Windsor’s network
- Windsor study aims to update truck route network
Technology
- 7 tips for easier making small business fleet management
- Canada Mandates New Dangerous Goods Transport Database
- Convoy’s collapse, legacy tied to ushering tech into volatile freight markets
- Daily Infographic: How AI can lead to safer roads
- Effective Driver Coaching: How In-Cab Technology Makes It Possible
- F3 Day 2: What FreightTech VCs are investing in; freight fraud; automation – WTT
- FleetDrive 360 streamlines driver onboarding and recordkeeping
- FreightWaves announces 2024 FreightTech 25 winners
- FreightWaves bolsters SONAR TRAC with more data, flatbed spot rates
- Investment in logistics technology still relevant
- Kodif demos customer support automation platform at Innovation Alley
- Logistics warehouse automation to continue apace despite construction slowdown
- Transport Canada launches Client Identification Database for dangerous goods
10. Regarding strike, supply chain, and weather:
Strike
Supply chain
Weather
- New study ranks states with most dangerous driving conditions
- Super fog blankets New Orleans again, as damp fires and smoke close interstate after deadly crash
- Wyoming to Alert Truckers at Risk for Blow-Over Crashes
11. Regarding tires, tolls, and training:
Tires
- Continental Slashes 2023 Truck Tire Sales Forecast
- EPA to study risks of tire-toughening chemical, 6PPD
- EPA Will Review Salmon-Killing Chemical in Vehicle Tires
- Truckers to save major money on tires at any Sapp Bros. Service Center
Tolls
Training
12. Regarding awards, freebies, and veterans:
Awards
- Goodyear Seeks Highway Hero Nominations
- Making the world a better place: Helping others comes naturally for TCA driver of the year Rose Rojo
- Online voting for Transition Trucking award now open
- Trucking award honors women in the industry
- Voting continues for Transition Trucking award for veterans who drive
Freebies
- Loves gives free meal to veterans, service members on Nov. 11
- Love’s offering free food to veterans
- TA Offering Free Meal For Military Members For Veterans Day
Veterans
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: 2023.11.11 to our TDMST Weekly Round-Up Trucking Commentary or our Truck Drivers Money Saving Tips home page.