TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2024.07.13 is the trucking commentary on news affecting professional truck drivers for the week ending July 13, 2024, written by Vicki Simons.
I welcome your comments, thoughts and feedback on the items of your choice below.
1. Regarding EPA and weather:
EPA
According to Article I, Section 8, of The Constitution of the United States — the Environmental Protection Agency is unconstitutional and its “duties” (according to the Tenth Amendment) need to be covered by the States or the people.
- EPA considering waiver for California’s diesel ban regulation
- EPA taking comments on California waiver for Advanced Clean Fleets rule
- U.S. EPA heavy truck GHG rule drawing legal fire
Weather
While the weather system known as Hurricane Beryl has now moved on and dissipated, it is worthwhile to see what transpired as far as the trucking industry is concerned.
The acronym ALAN stands for “American Logistics Aid Network.”
Based on information from their website, “We’re an industry-wide organization…” and I gather that that “industry” involves “logistics” although it may not necessarily be limited to the trucking industry.
You may wish to do more research on ALAN for yourself.
Weather-reltaed articles about topics other than Hurricane Beryl are also in this section.
- ALAN activates for Hurricane Beryl relief
- Beryl leaves hot misery in its wake as still-dangerous storm churns into US interior
- Beryl makes landfall in Texas as Category 1 hurricane, knocks out power to more than 1 million
- Beryl unleashes high winds, heavy rains in Texas, stranding residents and leaving 2M without power
- Beryl’s aftermath
- Extreme weather blocks vessel traffic around South Africa
- Hurricane Beryl effects linger
- Hurricane Beryl emergencies in effect in Texas
- Hurricane Beryl hits Texas; 75% increase in truck crash fatalities since 2009 |
- Hurricane Beryl shutters Texas coastal shipping lanes
- Hurricane hammers Houston; weakened storm expected to head northeasterly
- Independence Day holiday and threat of Hurricane Beryl impact freight movements
- Maersk Warns of Shipping Delays Due to Extreme Weather
- South Dakota flood emergency extended
2. Regarding autonomous vehicles, batteries, CARB, electric vehicles, emissions, fire, fuel, fuel cells, hydrogen, and oil:
Autonomous vehicles
I decisively 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 my readers to help us stay current on the topic.
- California lawmakers again eye driverless truck ban
- Driverless Car Hits Person Crossing Against Light in China
Batteries
CARB
According to Wikipedia and as it concerns the trucking industry, Zonar is “an electronic fleet-management software program.”
- CARB certifies Zonar in its Clean Truck Check program
- Zonar Receives First CARB Certification for Emissions Telematics
Electric vehicles
Before you buy an all-electric Commercial Motor Vehicle, please do your due diligence by asking some questions and getting answers.
- ATA Applauds Feenstra, Crapo Effort to Roll Back Electric Truck Mandate
- CAA-Quebec to deploy first electric tow truck
- EIA forecasts rising electricity demand, natural gas prices
- Hexagon Agility and Brudeli Green Mobility to Deliver NZEVs
- Miss. government joins opposition to CMV EV mandate
- NACFE electrification report findings show BEV tech advancing rapidly
- NACFE electrification report findings show BEV tech advancing rapidly
- Report Finds Opportunities, Obstacles for Electric Vehicles
- Scaling Electric Trucks: NACFE Reveals Key Findings on Cost, Infrastructure
- Volvo to Get Energy Grants for EV Trucks
Emissions
- Amazon Says Its Carbon Emissions Fell in 2023
- California Requiring Zero-Emissions Forklifts
- California to crack down on forklift emissions
- DHL Supply Chain reduce carbon emissions with biomethane trucks across Tesco Ireland network
- DHL Supply Chain reduce carbon emissions with biomethane trucks across Tesco Ireland network
- Westport, Volvo HPDI joint venture provides compelling way to eliminate emissions
Fire
- Semi truck fire along Tennessee interstate deemed ‘suspicious’
- Suspect in custody following overnight fire at Oklahoma City trucking company
- Tennessee trucking facility destroyed by fire
Fuel
- Benchmark diesel up 4 straight weeks, at highest price since early May
- Biden Faces Frustration From US Farmers Over Biofuel Policy
- Circular Economy of Biodiesel
- Diesel fuel prices continue to rise
- Diesel Price Rises 5.2¢ to $3.865
- Weekly Fuel Report: July 09, 2024
- Weekly NTI Update: July 08, 2024
Fuel cells
Hydrogen
Oil
- Global Oil Demand Growth Slows Further as China Cools
- OPEC Data Shows Oil-Cut Laggards Still Exceeding Limits
3. Regarding border, brokers, business, Carrier Assure, inspections, insurance, and violations:
Border
Brokers
- Broker transparency proposal maintains October target date
- Freight ransom allegations rock brokerage industry
- The staffing revolution in freight brokerage
Business
- 6 Tips for Buying a Refrigerator Truck for Your Business
- Access to key industry data and insights is key to success for business owners
- Analysis: SBA disaster loans propped up carriers, prolonged Great Freight Recession
- BCB Transport Sees 19.6% Increase in Revenue Per Truck After Embracing Decision Intelligence
- How high will Class 8 truck prices go with EPA’s 2027 regs?
- Keys to truck owner-operators’ time management
- May Used Truck Sales Rise 18% From 2023
Carrier Assure
According to this website, “Carrier Assure is the first carrier performance scoring software that anticipates how the carrier will transport the goods.”
The “About Us” page on their website says:
Carrier Assure Inc. was founded in 2022 to provide clear visibility into the performance of carriers, brokers, and shippers. Our goal is to help you discover the industry unicorns and avoid the bottomfeeders without having to sift through FMCSA’s confusing data.
I’m just wondering how this organization became the defacto system for grading carriers, brokers, and shippers. Hmm…
Inspections
If you keep yourself and your rig in perpetual readiness for an inspection, you’ll never be caught off-guard.
- CVSA’s Operation Safe Driver Week is this week
- Operation Safe Driver Week is underway in North America through Saturday
- What is a Level VIII Electronic Inspection? Here’s what truckers need to know.
Insurance
Violations
I am confident that the trucker whose rig was overweight knew it from the very beginning.
This type of abuse needed to be caught and dealt with.
- Big rig that bypassed scales was 103,000 pounds overweight without permit, Connecticut troopers say
- Unpermitted load overweight by 103,300 lbs. fined $39,101 in CT
4. Regarding clearinghouse, crashes, death, drugs, fatalities, smuggling, theft, and violence:
Clearinghouse
According to the article in this section:
Thousands of truck drivers risk losing their commercial driving privileges in a matter of months due to violations recorded in a federal drug and alcohol database.
Please bear this in mind.
Crashes
Please look through these articles in this section to see if there is anything you can learn to help you prevent being involved in a similar crash.
Over the years, I’ve seen a lot of reasons/excuses for why truckers crashed their CMVs, but I’ve never before heard of a trucker’s glasses fogging up — obscuring his vision — being cited as a reason.
At the time that the crash took place — 2:43 a.m. — I wonder if the trucker was simply sleepy.
One way to help determine that is to check to see if his truck’s air conditioning system — and hence the dehumidifier portion of that — was broken at the time of the crash.
- Authorities seek driver of semi that struck Massachusetts fire truck
- Log truck overturns after near head-on collision with semi-truck in west Georgia
- Overturned truck spills milk on Ohio highway
- Parts of I-16 in Georgia closed after truck hits bridge
- Raised dump bed hits I-10 overpass, driver severely injured
- Stunning dash cam shows fiery semi crash on the Cimarron Turnpike caused by sleepy driver
- Truck hauling construction equipment strikes overpass, I-16 shut down
- Trucker says fogged glasses caused him to plow through a Wendy’s
Death
I express my deep sympathy — and offer my condolences — to the families of those whose loved ones died as described in this article.
Drugs
Never ever haul or take illegal drugs.
- $5.1 million in meth found in shipment of vegetables; 577 lbs. of drugs seized
- Produce inspection produces meth
- Produce inspection produces meth
- Texas truck driver sentenced for ‘large-scale cocaine conspiracy’
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?
- “Construction nightmare” on I-85 in SC causes deadly CMV sideswipe
- Fatal crash involving tractor-trailer occurs in southern Indiana
- Fatal crash involving tractor-trailer occurs in southern Indiana
- FMCSA orders California trucking company to shut down after deadly crash
- ‘Speed and flat tire’ contributed to crash that killed trucker in Texas
- Teen faces homicide charge for unsafe lane change that sent semi crashing into house
- Tesla driver dead after colliding with disabled big rig in the left lane of an Indiana interstate
- Two dead after ‘mini-bulldozer’ falls on pickup, Utah officials say
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
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!
- 4 Florida men get prison terms for $1.7 million worth of cargo thefts
- 51 arrested following multi-state raid on cargo and vehicle theft operation, CHP says
- Cargo theft surges 33% in Q2, yet dips 10% from Q1 highs
- Cargo Theft Traditionally Spikes During Fourth of July Weekend
- Chicago cops issue alert after multiple robberies targeting parked semi trucks
- Driver arrested for “fishy” job in stolen semi truck
- Four sentenced to prison for $1.7 million in cargo thefts
- Members of cargo theft ring sentenced
- Second quarter cargo theft up by 33% over 2023; down from first quarter
- Southeastern cargo theft ring members get jail time
Violence
How can violence be prevented against a trucker sitting in his/her truck?
Please comment through the form below.
- FreightWaves Infographics: Florida man arrested on charges of shooting Walmart delivery drone
- Washington troopers seek I-90 brick throwing suspect
5. Regarding blind spots, ELDs, events, holidays, HOS, Prime Day, and utilization:
Blind spots
Please be aware of this…
ELDs
In my opinion, ELDs should never have been forced upon truckers in the first place!
Events
- Drivers roll in to the Iowa 80 to celebrate 45th anniversary Truckers Jamboree
- Truckers Jamboree at Iowa 80 opens Thursday, runs through Saturday
Holidays
Hot dogs are not the healthiest food on the planet, so please bear that in mind before you engage in any related activity.
HOS
Personally, I think it works better for many people to be able to split their work sessions.
Prime Day
Utilization
6. Regarding collapse, Georgia, logistics, and roads:
Collapse
Two articles this week about matters concerning the collapse of the Francis Scott Key bridge in/near Baltimore, Maryland.
- Emergency HOS waivers for Baltimore bridge collapse extended
- HOS exemption extended again for drivers aiding Baltimore bridge cleanup
Georgia
Would that all states would make themselves business-friendly!
I read an article recently about a business that was moving from Illinois to Mexico. This made me sad and I wondered why they couldn’t move to a business-friendly state in the USA. Hmm…
- CNBC ranks Georgia fourth best state to do business
- Georgia infrastructure receives mediocre overall grade
Logistics
- Fragmentation of logistics tools leads to higher costs, system bottlenecks
- German startup grabs pre-seed funding for container logistics platform
Roads
- Arkansas’ Transportation Department announces highway closures for next week
- Big rigs banned from left lane on parts of I-70 in Colorado starting in August
- FreightWaves Infographics: DOT awards $1.8B for freight projects, other transportation work
- Lanes on Interstate 90 in Washington state to shift temporarily
7. Regarding economy, leasing, parking, pay, rates, and tolls:
Economy
- Class 8 outlook continues grim trend
- Class 8 Sales Continue Trending Below Year-Ago Period
- Class 8 truck orders fall below 2023 level for first time this year
- Class 8 Truck Orders Take Downward Turn in June
- Post-Fourth of July blues
Leasing
Parking
- House Fiscal 2025 Bill Allocates $200 Million for Truck Parking
- No truck parking or fueling as two West Virginia travel plazas shutter for construction
- Outpost claims new platform a ‘paradigm shift’ for trucking yards
- Outpost launches truck parking tech platform to improve visibility, security and booking
- Outpost taps modern tech for parking visibility
- Secretary Pete Buttigieg Promotes Truck Parking
Pay
- Former intrastate-only carrier settles overtime pay dispute with truckers
- Senate Republicans Push Back on Overtime Rule
Rates
Tolls
- Briefly: NYS Thruway warns of E-ZPass, Tolls By Mail phishing scam
- Toll hike now in effect on Indiana Toll Road
- Tolling reforms are focus of Michigan House-approved bill
8. Regarding guard: side, guard: underride, mirrors, recalls, tires, and truck parts:
Guard: side
Guard: underride
- Divided Final Report Issued on Side Underride Protection
- ‘Doomed’ underride committee under fire | Southeastern cargo theft ring busted
- Underride advisory committee recommends front, side and stronger rear guards
- Underride committee submits fractured report to NHTSA
Mirrors
Recalls
If your tractor or trailer is under a recall, please have that work attended to as quickly as possible.
Tires
Truck parts
As needed, I update a truck parts page on this website.
9. Regarding ports, speed limit, speed limiter, speeding, and technology:
Ports
- California Ports Invest $25 Million in Truck Charging Facilities
- Port of Los Angeles completes Pier 400 rail expansion project
- Port of Singapore congestion raising spot market prices, report finds
- Ports in Houston and Galveston remain closed in wake of Hurricane Beryl
Speed limit
Speed limiter
- Controversial commercial vehicle speed limiter mandate pushed to 2025
- FMCSA delays speed limiter rule to May 2025
- FMCSA delays speed-limiter rule until 2025 and more trucking news
- FMCSA pushes speed limiter proposal another year
- Speed limiter provision remains in appropriations bill
- Speed limiter rulemaking delayed again
Speeding
Technology
- Access to key industry data and insights is key to success for business owners
- Addressing third-party security risks
- Alternative delivery methods offer compelling options for e-commerce
- Drop the Data Silos: How Fleet Managers Can Find Actionable Insights
- Former trucking company owners launch software platform for freight brokers
- FreightTech Friday: p44 offers eBOLs for all LTL shipments
- Industry Groups Updating ADAS Adoption Information
- KC Scout website service has been restored
- ROTATE Recap: Knowing The ‘What’ & ‘Why’ of Data
- Seismos and Edison Partners team up to drive energy industry’s digital future
- Transportation a top 10 target of cyberattackers
10. Regarding employment, following distance, safety, shut down, and testing:
Employment
- Driver Poll: How long did it take you to find your current trucking job?
- Freight-related firms across US hit with 218 layoffs
- Minor Decline in Truck Transportation Jobs Reported for June
- Trucking jobs remain flat in June, but further losses expected
- Trucking’s youth movement lagging
Following distance
Safety
- Fleet safety is focus of new partnerships
- Kinedyne LLC: Saf-T-Lok Bar (no longer online)
Shut down
Testing
11. Regarding future, language, legal, politics, towing, and union:
Future
- A new IDTechEx market report projects annual growth rate of 25.6% over the next 20 years
- Let’s Get Optimistic About Logistics
- Seismos and Edison Partners team up to drive energy industry’s digital future
Language
Even though The Constitution does not specify the “official” language of the United States, it is clearly written in English.
The matter of becoming a professional truck driver, in my opinion, needs to be in the language of the country.
And if that country is the USA, in my opinion, all CDL testing needs to be in English.
Legal
- Bid to block Biden independent contractor rule moves to federal appeals court
- Ex-Slync CEO Chris Kirchner sentenced to 20 years in prison
- Family awarded nearly $4M for accident involving driver who stopped in middle of interstate
- FTC Delays Chevron-Hess Decision to After Exxon Arbitration
- Future of federal regulations in wake of Supreme Court’s decisions
- Hard Drive Express settles retaliation lawsuit filed by former driver
- Kroger, Albertsons Unveil Stores to Be Divested Before Trial
- NFI CEO Brown absent from arraignment of co-defendants due to lawyer conflict
- NFI CEO not in court for scheduled arraingment
- Slync former CEO sentenced to 20 years for fraud
- TVC Pro-Driver: CDL Legal Services (no longer online)
- Western Global pilots seek federal mediation in contract talks
- Wife of slain Texas trucking magnate sentenced to probation in $9M fraud case
Politics
- Bridge, tunnel heights are topic of New York Assembly bill
- Colorado to allow motorcycle lane filtering starting next month
- Commercial vehicle liability is topic of new Louisiana law
- FMCSA delays closely watched trucking rulemaking until 2025
Towing
I am firmly against predatory towing!
According to Wordnik:
- one definition of “predatory” is “Living or characterized by the exploitation of others for personal gain”; and
- one definition of “exploitation” is “Utilization of another person or group for selfish purposes.”
Why do I believe that predatory towing (and predatory booting) is wrong?
Because predation and exploitation are the opposite of the second commandment to “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
- ATA commends House committee’s support against predatory towing
- ATA supports efforts in combatting predatory towing in U.S.
- Philly tow drivers must provide photo proof of violation under new law
Union
12. Regarding awards, recognition, and recovery:
Awards
I congratulate all professional truck drivers who have:
- demonstrated skill and safety in their work;
- achieved a milestone and been recognized for it; and/or
- won a trucking championship.
Numerous articles about these topics were published this week:
- Big week for Trucker of the Year Jay Hosty, now a Roadstar
- Grand Champions announced for Arkansas Trucking Championship
- Ryder awards three truck driver with prestigious award
- Ryder names three Drivers of the Year; they’ve driven 11.3 million miles
- Texas crowns FedEx Ground driver grand champion of skills contest
Recognition
Thanks to all truckers who helped their fellow human beings in a time of need!
- “I was afraid if I looked in, I was gonna see something I couldn’t unsee.”
- ACT driver Mark Wilson earns TCA Highway Angel wings for pulling trapped driver from wreckage
- Eagle-eyed trucker spots baby in I-10 ditch, leading to rescue
- TCA Highway Angel named after helping victims at a fatal crash scene
- Truck driver rescued by California firefighters after tumbling down steep embankment
- Trucker describes finding ‘miracle baby’ by the side of a highway in Louisiana
- Trucker hailed as hero for rescuing ‘miracle baby’ after Beryl in Louisiana
- Trucker’s quick action earns TCA Highway Angel award
Recovery
By adding this article here, I am not recommending that folks contribute to this cause, only that there is an opportunity to do so if you do your due diligence and find the need to be legitimate and worthy.
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: 2024.07.13 to our TDMST Weekly Round-Up Trucking Commentary or our Truck Drivers Money Saving Tips home page.