TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2023.12.16 is the trucking commentary on news affecting professional truck drivers for the week ending December 16, 2023, written by Vicki Simons.
We welcome your comments, thoughts and feedback on the items of your choice below.
1. Regarding autonomous vehicles, Barbie Truck Driver, parking, speed limiter, summit, and Yellow:
Autonomous vehicles
If you’ve been following my weekly TDMST trucking commentaries for any length of time, you know that I am definitely opposed to the operation of self-driving, driverless, or autonomous Commercial Motor Vehicles on the same roads as the motoring public, but share articles to help keep our readers informed.
The majority of the articles in this section have to do with the recall of Tesla vehicles regarding “autopilot” or “auto-pilot” issues.
One article says that the recall does not affect semi autonomous trucks.
As I opined on Facebook, this is another reason why I do not trust driverless technology at this time.
Please be careful about any investments you make.
- Company announces 2M+ Tesla recall over autopilot issues regarding driver safety
- Daily Infographic: Kodiak Robotics makes autonomous pickup for military
- How will insurers respond to autonomous trucks?
- Tesla Recalls Most Cars Sold in US for Monitoring Defect
- Tesla’s Semis aren’t part of massive recall
- TuSimple Shutters U.S. Operations
- Virginia officials say Tesla was running on Autopilot before tractor-trailer crash
Barbie Truck Driver
This section of articles is not about saving money, per se, but it certainly has to do with helping to shape the future of trucking from a gender point of view.
We address this issue on our site through the following:
Feel free to look at these articles:
- Does trucking need a Barbie; Supply Chain Bingo; freight theft trends – WTT
- Petition · Help Us Launch Truck Driver Barbie!
- Petition calls on toymaker Mattel to sell a Truck Driver Barbie
- Put Barbie in a truck
- Recruiter thinks Truck Driver Barbie could lead girls into trucking jobs
Parking
- Arizona’s plan to address truck parking exceeds available funding
- ATA heralds feds’ investments in truck parking
- Drilling Deep: Is the truck parking squeeze easing?
- How Freight Ninja is changing the game in truck parking
- Indiana DOT highway plan includes truck parking
- Indiana truck parking plan will bring over 1,000 spots to the state
- Love’s opens four new truck stops, adds 377 truck parking spaces
- New truck stops bring parking to four states
- New York asks drivers where in the state truck parking is most needed | Truckers News
- Openings of 4 new Love’s add 377 more truck parking spaces
- Truck parking in Florida could soon get boost
- Truck parking survey in New York needs input
- WYDOT awarded federal grant for hundreds of new truck parking spaces
- Wyoming to Add 365 Truck Parking Spaces on I-80
- Wyoming to build 365 truck parking spaces near I-80 and Utah border
Speed limiter
From the last article in this section, we read:
… OOIDA Vice President Lewie Pugh at a House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee [was] asked what upcoming action from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is most likely to make it harder for truckers to do their jobs and keep the supply chain moving safely.
Pugh quickly responds that the DO’s push for speed limiters is the biggest risk looming on the horizon for truckers today. He explains that mandated speed limiters will result in dangerous speed differentials between cars and trucks while also decreasing daily driving efficiency for truck drivers.
I feel as though it is important to understand how speed limiters in Commercial Motor Vehicles could affect you.
- Congressmen take aim at speed limiters during infrastructure hearing | Truckers News
- FMCSA on the hot seat in Congress over speed-limiter mandate
- FMCSA on the hot seat in Congress over speed-limiter mandate
- House Subcommittee Grills FMCSA on Speed Limiters, Younger Driver Pilot
- Republicans pan truck speed limiter proposal at House hearing
- Speed limiters: ‘Listen to the truckers,’ lawmaker says
- Watch as OOIDA VP tells Congress exactly why speed limiters are such a terrible idea
Summit
Someone posted in a Facebook trucking group an article about the “truck driver summit” scheduled to take place at Iowa 80 later this month.
I responded that Vivek is not constitutionally eligible to be president.
I was told that this event is about trucking policy.
I appreciate that, but we must not forget certain necessities regarding the leaders whom we choose and why our Founding Fathers “were understandably apprehensive about the potential repercussions of divided loyalty.”
Just saying.
- GOP candidate Ramaswamy to talk trucking at Iowa 80 Truck Stop Dec. 21 | Truckers News
- Iowa 80 Truck stop to host unveiling of presidential candidate’s trucking policy
- Ramaswamy to roll out trucking policy at Iowa 80
- ‘Truck Driver Summit’ upcoming Dec. 21, with Vivek Ramaswamy
Yellow
- Bankruptcy judge: Yellow OK to sell shipping centers, other property
- Court Approves Sale of 128 Yellow-Owned Terminals
- Court okays sale of 130 Yellow terminals
- ‘Tremendous outcome,’ judge says in approval of Yellow terminal sales
2. Regarding holidays, predictions, top stories 2023, trends, and year-end:
Holidays
If you plan to drive professionally over the Christmas and New Year holidays, please be on your guard.
- 104 million holiday travelers expected; AAA offers best times to avoid them
- Holiday Crowds on Roads Expected to Be Bigger Than Last Year
- UPS, FedEx post solid holiday on-time delivery performance
Predictions
Toward the end of every calendar year, there are always predictions or prognostications regarding the future based on certain benchmarks.
These may or may not affect you personally or professionally.
- It’s beginning to look a lot like … 2021?
- Trucking fundamentals unlikely changed in first half of 2024, Hutto says
Top stories 2023
These articles look back.
- Biggest trucking fails, holiday-season edition
- The top US-Mexico business stories of 2023
- Top 10 FreightWaves Classics of 2023
- Your top 5 episodes of the year
Trends
- Commercial Vehicle Trends To Expect In 2024 & Changes From This Past Year
- The one pandemic-era trend that has stuck
Year-end
You may want to read through this post on our site:
Before Year End: What’s on Your Trucker To Do List?
3. Regarding capacity, economy, employment, lead times, pay, rates, and taxes:
Capacity
- Loaded and Rolling: RXO: Too much trucking capacity heading into 2024
- RXO sees ‘too much capacity’ in trucking heading into 2024
Economy
- ACT Research: Freight markets ‘still flatlining’
- Amid industry turmoil, picking right log tech partner more important than ever
- Changing winds: Study analyzes ongoing evolution of freight industry
- Class 8 Sales Fall for Fourth Consecutive Month in November
- Daily Infographic: Class 8 orders hit 14-month high in November
- Economic Trucking Trends: Class 8 orders remain strong, dry van rates lead spot market gains
- Economic Trucking Trends: Spot market improved in November, but remains ‘flush’ with capacity
- Freight cycle bottom continues to form in November
- Freight volumes see strong November closing, DAT reports
- Funding tighter but still ‘a lot of innovation’ in FreightTech
- Import Cargo Peak Later Than Expected
- Industry Signs Point to a Potentially Strong Trucking Sector in 2024
- Mullen Group’s 2024 business plan reflects resilient economy
- November Medium-Duty Sales Rise 6.1% Year-Over-Year
- OOIDA Foundation releases quarterly report
- Retail Sales Rise 0.3% in November as Holiday Rush Begins
- Rush Enterprises Boss Anticipates Truck Sales Slowdown
- Same dealer used truck sales see November slip
- State of Freight: Strong volume, stuck OTRI and caution for shippers in ’24
- Truck orders reach heights not seen in 13 months
- Viewpoint: Norwegian tanker attack signals new threat to global trade
Employment
- Coyote offers ‘voluntary separation’ program to high-level employees
- Cruise Lays Off 900, Multiple Executives as Fallout Worsens
- FourKites confirms 15% cut in global workforce, dismisses key exec
- UPS reinstates 35 union workers in Louisville, averts strike
Lead times
Pay
- Convoy truckers say startup owes them thousands of dollars
- Defunct trucking company under investigation for leaving drivers “waiting and waiting” for their paychecks
- Disbarred Attorney Under Investigation for Stiffing Truck Drivers
- Haulin’ for the Holidays; carriers say Convoy owes them cash; golf logistics – WTT
Rates
- Fed Keeps Rate Unchanged, Signals Cuts Coming Next Year
- Forward Air plans 5.9% general rate increase
- Van spot rates show declines, keeping with seasonal expectations
Taxes
- US Readies Guidance on Sustainable Jet Fuel Tax Policy
- What’s a Fair Way to Pay for Highways in an Age of EVs?
4. Regarding CARB, ELDs, legal, and NDAA:
CARB
ELDs
Legal
- POLICE: Motorist sexually harassed female trucker as they drove on Pennsylvania highway
- Sleeper berth time beyond eight hours is compensable
- STG Logistics faces employee misclassification lawsuit
- Truck driver who caused deadly Broncos crash loses latest bid to stay in Canada
NDAA
Please bear in mind what was written regarding a past version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA):
Finally, although the denial of due process to all persons and the retention of the totalitarian power granted the president to deploy the U.S. military to arrest citizens without charge are by far the most loathsome and illegal provisions of the 2013 version of the NDAA, there are other sections equally worthy of condemnation.
As of this writing, I do not know if these — or similar — provisions are in the current NDAA.
Furthermore, I’d be interested to see what other sorts of freedom- or liberty-restricting measures are in the new version of the NDAA.
So, in a nutshell, please be on your toes (so to speak) regarding what will be required of you as a trucker when it comes to the NDAA.
5. Regarding crashes, drugs, fatalities, and low clearance:
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.
- Dash cam video shows flatbed truck rear-ended by semi after it stopped suddenly on a bridge
- Mountain Dew and Pepsi litter highway after single rig wreck
- New video shows concrete truck ramming a car down a Texas roadway
- Pileup involving 15 cars and 3 CMVs reported in Modesto, California
- Semi truck crash spills lots of eggs, shuts down SR 18 in Issaquah, Washington
- Truck avoids head-on crash, still leads to egg-splosion
- VIDEO: Dummy car driver trying to reach his exit cut off two big rigs, got hit
- Washington troopers share trucker’s dash cam video from crash that spilled eggs all over Issaquah roadway
- WATCH: Pickup truck drives straight into flatbed trailer that ran red light
- Woman struck by semi truck while checking on animal in middle of road
- Wyoming DOT closes state Highway 28 to recover tanker that crashed
Drugs
Never ever haul illegal drugs in a commercial motor vehicle, no matter how lucrative it may sound.
- $10 million worth of drugs seized from semi’s shipment of jalapeño paste
- I-77 big rig traffic stop leads to North Carolina cops seizing $3.75 million in fentanyl, $100K in cash
- Iowa court says DOT weigh station search that led to trucker’s drug charge was illegal
- Iowa DOT search that led to drug charge deemed illegal
- North Carolina authorities seize more than $3.75M in fentanyl from big rig
- Officials Push For Fentanyl Truck Driver Testing, Marijuana Question Goes Unanswered
- Spicy stash: CBP agents seize $10M in drugs hidden in truckload of jalapeno paste
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?
- Big rig slams into 2 other 18-wheelers at Indiana toll booth, killing 1
- Indiana toll plaza crash leaves one trucker dead, another injured — medical emergency suspected
- One dead after car drives under semi truck’s load of steel beams
Low clearance
You may want to look at these posts on our site:
- Low Clearance Bridges and Overpasses: How to Watch for and Avoid
- CMV GPS Low Clearance Report Form; Low Clearance Awareness Day
Now for this article:
6. Regarding electric vehicles, emissions, fuel, and oil:
Electric vehicles
If you plan to buy an electric commercial motor vehicle, please do your due diligence ahead of time.
- AT&T to Buy Rivian EVs as Part of Electrification Program
- B.C. pilots vehicle-to-grid bidirectional charging
- Battery Startup ONE Demotes CEO Amid Cash Crunch
- BMW Expects EV Sales to Keep Growing but at a Slower Pace
- DHL ‘ushering in a new era’ with electric big rigs
- EIA anticipates shift in electricity generation to wind, solar in 2024
- Electric drayage vehicles, terminal tractors can make intermodal cleaner shipping option
- Electric vehicles topic of Pennsylvania road funding bill
- EV Inventories Hit Record High in US as Cars Pile Up on Lots
- Ford Cuts Electric F-150 Plans in Ominous Sign for EV Market
- Greenlane to work with Uber Freight to identify EV charging needs
- Greenlane, Uber Freight Using Data to Accelerate Truck Charging Infrastructure
- Maine Considering California-Esque EV Sales Incentives
- More investment needed to meet electric truck charging requirements
- Perspective: As EVs Evolve, Don’t Overlook Aerodynamics
- Study: Electrification of Interstate Corridors Critical for Electric Truck Adoption
- Truck Manufacturer JV Opens First Heavy-Duty EV Charging Hub
Emissions
- ATA Leaders See Shared Emissions Challenges With EU
- NACFE: Increased Intermodal Transport Will Reduce Emissions
- Professor urges standardization for shippers to track truck emissions
- Rhode Island fleet owner sentenced for illegal emissions ‘tunes’
- RI trucking company owner fined for defeating trucks’ emissions controls
- Trucking company owner sentenced for scheme to tamper with diesel emissions controls
- Two trucking companies violate California emissions rules, ordered to pay $100,000 civil penalties
Fuel
- Average US diesel price drops below $4
- BP Asks Regulators to Aid in Venture Global LNG Cargoes Feud
- Daily Infographic: America’s energy boom: Crude exports soar to record high
- Diesel Price Falls Below $4 for First Time Since July
- DOE/EIA diesel price falls again; physical markets sagging also
- Fuel cell-powered mining trucks next up for GM Hydrotec
- Fuel prices are the focus of Washington state initiative
- GM, Autocar ink deal for hydrogen fuel cell HD trucks
- GM, Autocar Team Up on Hydrogen Fuel Cell-Powered HD Trucks
- Neste Expands Renewable Diesel Availability in Washington State
- Ramp up of electrolyzers short of midcentury hydrogen demand
- Reports say fuel prices down more than 10 cents in some regions
- Weekly Fuel Report: December 12, 2023
- Weekly NTI Update: December 11, 2023
- Westport Demonstrates Hydrogen Engine Technology in Sweden
Oil
7. Regarding IDs and technology:
IDs
I am glad that this has been postponed.
Personally, I would welcome the news that it never been taken up ever again!
Technology
- Acceptance Grows for Driver-Assistance Technology
- AEB technology not ready, lawmakers say
- AI will level the playing field for SMB warehouses
- Cheema Freightlines to use Platform Science’s Virtual Vehicle technology
- Consolidating fleet data for improved insights and security
- Daily Infographic: UK company develops shipping labels with built-in tracking device
- Data Collection and New Technology Bring ADAS Improvements
- Driver Poll: How do you stay informed about changes in industry regulations and policies that affect your work?
- Generative AI can be ‘quite powerful’ in supply chain
- How will generative AI impact the supply chain?
- PLP Logistics, FreightSnap launch affordable dimensioner technology
- Ramp-up in tech investment critical for 3PL success in 2024
- South Dakota Port of Entry opens with electronic pre-screening of trucks and an indoor inspection bay
- Terminal raises $3.1M, wants to be the ‘Plaid of trucking’
- Ticket cameras are the topic of a new Pennsylvania law
- Trucking leaders expected to invest in AI in 2024
- Women With Drive sessions will focus on AI, tech, leadership
8. Regarding border, broker, and inspections:
Border
- Borderlands: Texas company aims to help keep returns out of landfills
- Donated Project at Mexican Border to Improve Cargo Processing
- GSA to Overhaul Remote Alaskan Border Facility
Broker
- Broker transparency fight rages as FMCSA investigates TQL
- Check Call: The brink of broker-carrier relationships
- GlobalTranz urges Supreme Court to ignore negligence case
- GlobalTranz wants Supreme Court to punt on broker liability issue
- Intersection of tech and fraud: Brokers, carriers must work together to secure supply chain
Inspections
9. Regarding operations, predatory towing, roads, and safety:
Operations
- Dash cam video catches big rig rolling on ramp in Portland
- Follow these tips to stay safe on icy roads
Predatory towing
- A-1’s in Memphis is just one of many predatory towing companies targeting truckers, study shows
- ‘Predatory’ tow company that boots trucks sued by North Carolina A.G. for racial discrimination
Roads
- “Chaos” hits RI streets as sudden Route 195 Washington Bridge closure affects commute
- Atlantic City road narrowing accelerates fears of worse traffic
- Briefly: PennDOT to close Interstate 83 South bridge Dec. 15-18 for repairs
- Canada to Spend $3.9 Million on Alaska Highway Intersection
- I-15 closure upcoming | These VN/VHD Volvos recalled over axle ratings
- Motorists stranded in traffic for hours after partial bridge shutdown in Rhode Island
- Pothole repair is topic of New Jersey Senate bill
- Rhode Island bridge closed suddenly after structural problem found
- Washington Bridge westbound closed indefinitely
- Westbound lanes of I-195 bridge in Rhode Island closed by ‘critical failure’
- Work continues to get westbound traffic flowing over I-195 bridge in RI
Safety
- ATA study outlines safety spending in trucking industry
- Feds investing millions to improve highway safety
- Fleets spending more on safety: ATA
- Peterbilt Model 579 Gets Enhanced Bendix Safety System Features
- Peterbilt offering new safety features on Model 579
- The Fleet Safety Operational Excellence Playbook
10. Regarding supply chain and weather:
Supply chain
- Daily Infographic: The supply chain of the Christmas tree
- Enhancing customer experience with supply chain technology
- How supply chain technology has become an essential tool
- Running on Ice: The government meets supply chain
- Shaping the future of supply chain management at FIU Business
- Supply Chain Coalition Presses Background Check Reform
- The Resilient Link: Strengthening U.S.-Mexico Supply Chains Through Diversification
Weather
- 6 killed, big rigs tossed over in central Tennessee tornado
- Tis the season for jackknifed tractor trailers
11. Regarding fraud and theft:
Fraud
Theft
Please do everything reasonable you can to help prevent theft of anything:
- on or in your tractor,
- on or in your trailer, or
- on your person.
Meanwhile, here are related articles from this week:
- Cybercriminals are only getting smarter: NMFTA’s Banks
- Rig full of Toys for Tots donations stolen from Northern Cali. warehouse
- The Light Load: Fresh clucking about pilfered poultry roils trucking
12. Regarding awards, poll, and recognition:
Awards
We congratulate every professional truck driver who has been nominated for — or been named — an award winner with respect to his/her job.
- CTA crowns Knowles 2023 National Driver of the Year
- Hiring Our Heroes Award Goes to Army Vet Brandon Meredith
- Tanker driver named Driver of the Year by Canadian Trucking Alliance
Poll
Recognitions
We are genuinely grateful for those people who help out their fellow human beings in a time of need.
- TCA names Michigan driver a Highway Angel for aiding a fellow trucker | Truckers News
- Trucker named TCA Highway Angel for resuscitating dying man
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: 2023.12.16 to our TDMST Weekly Round-Up Trucking Commentary or our Truck Drivers Money Saving Tips home page.
