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TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2024.06.01

TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2024.06.01 is the trucking commentary on news affecting professional truck drivers for the week ending June 1, 2024, written by Vicki Simons.

We welcome your comments, thoughts and feedback on the items of your choice below.

TDMST Weekly Round-Up

1. Regarding fireworks, waivers, and weather:

Fireworks

Perhaps I’m being overly sensitive, but I do not think that “fireworks” to be set off over the Independence Day holiday carries the same weight of necessity as, say, heating oil in the winter.

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Frankly, I don’t care if the “FMCSA granted exemptions to 32 of the American Pyrotechnics Association’s member companies” in 2022 or not.

According to the last paragraph in the article linked below, there is an “exemption request to public comment” that is open for 30 days.

If you feel strongly about this, please write and submit your thoughtful response.

Waivers

According to the article linked below, there are solid reasons for giving exemptions to these folks for 2 years.

Do you have strong feelings about this, either pro or con?

If so, please share your thoughts through the form below.

Weather

The third article in this section states:

… the National Weather Service is predicting “above-normal” hurricane activity from June 1 through Nov. 30.

Fuel analysts say if there are 17-25 named storms as predicted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, disruptions of crude oil production and refinery operations are a distinct possibility.

Here are articles about this topic:

2. Regarding booting, OOS, operations, parking, towing, and truck stops:

Booting

For a definition of a “vehicle boot,” please see the glossary on this website.

OOS

OOS = Out Of Service

Operations

Parking

Towing

Predatory towing is very bad and should never be practiced!

Truck stops

The addition of new truck stops will help alleviate some of the parking shortage in the targeted areas.

But is it enough and in the right places?

3. Regarding ATRI, business, CDL, efficiency, ELDs, and vehicle age:

ATRI

On May 28, 2024, the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) released their new research priorities for 2024, which included (my top 3 picks from their list of 5):

  • Comprehending the Scope of Cargo Theft in the U.S.;
  • Calculating the Cost of Truck Bottlenecks; and
  • Federal Excise Tax (FET) Cost-Benefit Analysis.

Please read the rest of their press release for more info — and the articles below.

Business

CDL

I cannot help but wonder if — in order to try to keep driving as a trucker anyway — will this person:

  • move to another state to try to get a driving job;
  • falsify his employment application; or
  • shift to a type of truck driving that does not require a CDL?

He could always try getting a different kind of job.

Efficiency

ELDs

Is anyone else tired of seeing ELDs yanked off and then be restored to the “official list” of approved ELDs?

Vehicle age

4. Regarding brakes, containers, parts, ports, and raised bed:

Brakes

Containers

Parts

Ports

Raised bed

I’ve been saying this for quite some time.

5. Regarding budget, cheap freight, economy, inflation, leasing, rates, taxes, and tolls:

Budget

Cheap freight

Economy

Inflation

Leasing

Rates

Taxes

Tolls

All of these articles refer to the “congestion pricing” scheme that part of New York either has implemented or is trying to.

6. Regarding border, bridges, and roads:

Border

Bridges

Roads

7. Regarding autonomous vehicles, electric vehicles, emissions, EV challenges, and fuel:

Autonomous vehicles

I most strongly oppose the operation of autonomous, self-driving, or driverless commercial motor vehicles on the same roads as the motoring public — but I share articles on this topic with our readers to help us stay current on the topic.

Electric vehicles

Before you buy an all-electric Commercial Motor Vehicle, please do your due diligence by asking some questions and getting answers.

Emissions

EV Challenges

Fuel

8. Regarding crashes, drugs, fatalities, fraud, smuggling, and theft:

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.

Drugs

Never ever haul or take illegal drugs.

Fatalities

I express my deep sympathy — and offer my 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?

Fraud

Never attempt to deceive, misrepresent something, intentionally pervert the truth, or pretend to be someone else for the purpose of trying to get something valuable.

Smuggling

Never ever transport people made in the image of God as if they were cattle or cargo — no matter how big a “payoff” you’ve been offered.

Theft

Again, never take something that doesn’t belong to you, unless you have permission.

In our day, there are many types of surveillance cameras, so be on guard!

9. Regarding inspections, legal, and litter:

Inspections

If you keep yourself and your rig in a perpetual state of readiness for an inspection, you will never be caught off-guard.

Legal

Litter

Littering is a nasty habit.

If you didn’t find something somewhere, don’t leave it there unless it is properly disposed of.

10. Regarding employment, safety, security, and shortage:

Employment

Safety

Security

This article addresses the different places along one’s route where theft can take place.

Shortage

According to OOIDA, there is no shortage of people getting their CDLs in the USA; the trouble is lack of retention in the trucking industry.

11. Regarding sustainability, technology, and Tesla:

Sustainability

Technology

Tesla

12. Regarding awards: championship, competition, drivers of the month, recognition, skills, and Trucker of the Month:

Congratulations are due all of these folks:

Awards: championship

Awards – competition

Awards – drivers of the month

Awards: recognition

Awards: skills

Trucker of the month

I wish you — and all professional truck drivers — safe travels and lots of money saving opportunities on the road.






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