TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2024.08.03 is the trucking commentary on news affecting professional truck drivers for the week ending August 3, 2024, written by Vicki Simons.
I welcome your comments, thoughts and feedback on the items of your choice below.
1. Regarding congestion pricing, exemption, disabilities, legal, towing:
Congestion pricing
I could not help but laugh when I read the first part of the article in this section.
In the past, I have mentioned the conflict between various parts of governments, particularly actions taken by the federal government that — according to The Tenth Amendment — are in the jurisdiction of the States or the people.
Well, according to the article in this section:
Environmental groups, New York City residents and public transit riders have filed two separate lawsuits challenging Gov. Kathy Hochul’s decision to pause the nation’s first congestion pricing program. …
Although the two lawsuits differ in their main arguments, both claim the governor overstepped her authority by unilaterally stopping congestion pricing, which was directed by the state legislature.
So, this is a fight between the legislative and executive branches of New York government!
This will be very interesting indeed!
I wonder if the New York judicial branch will have to get involved to settle it!
Bahahahaha!
Exemption
I could be wrong, but I don’t think that exemptions are a good thing in some cases.
I mean, if the “exemption” is good for one entity, why isn’t it good for all entities?
Hmm…
- Covenant’s CDL exemption approved over trucker objections
- FMCSA allows Covenant’s CLP holders to operate without a CDL holder in passenger seat
- FMCSA grants exemption to thousands of commercial learner’s permit holders
- FMCSA grants pre-CDL exemption to another fleet
Disabilities
While I would not “discriminate” against a driver with a disability, if I were in the position of hiring a driver with a hearing disability, I would need proof that he/she has the means by which to overcome it.
For example, how would a trucker with a hearing disability overcome not being able to hear:
- either the horn on an oncoming train;
- or the siren on an emergency vehicle?
If you know the answer to this question, please comment through the form below.
Legal
- HDTX Keynote to Focus on Stopping Nuclear Verdicts in Trucking
- Legal Challenges Ahead for Truck Speed, Hours-of-Service Rules?
- Ohio police cite dozens of truckers in multi-agency commercial vehicle operation
Towing
- Lawmaker shines light on predatory tow bills at House hearing
- Towing fees should be fair, OOIDA tells FMCSA
2. Regarding autonomous vehicles, CARB, electric vehicles, fuel, hydrogen, lithium fire:
Autonomous vehicles
I am 100% against the operation of driverless, self-driving, of autonomous 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.
Please note that one article below refers to a “driverless truck,” but it doesn’t say that the truck was autonomous.
- Autonomous driving partnership between Hesai, Westwell promises to improve logistics operations at terminals, sea ports
- Driverless semi crashes into Kansas home
- Tesla in Fatal Washington Crash Was Using Self-Driving System
- Tesla Tester Nearly Crashes While Using ‘Full Self-Driving’
CARB
The definition of CARB is on my glossary.
Electric vehicles
Before you buy an all-electric Commercial Motor Vehicle, please do your due diligence by asking some questions and getting answers.
- Building an electrification business in reverse
- Electric truck charging roadway to undergo testing in Indiana soon
- Senate hearing on electric vehicles highlights substantial obstacles
- Uber Partners With BYD on Putting Drivers Into 100,000 EVs
Fuel
- After 4 increases, benchmark diesel price down third week in a row
- BP to Hand Shareholders $7 Billion on Stock Buybacks
- Chevron, Hess Merger Faces Long Delay
- Clean Energy opens new clean-fuel RNG station in Florida
- Diesel Price Dips 1.1¢ to $3.768 a Gallon
- Diesel prices continue downward trend for third straight week
- EPA Issues Emergency Fuel Waiver in Midwest
- FBX Report: August 02, 2024
- NACFE Report Explores Fleets Fueling With Natural Gas
- OOIDA Foundation updates alternative fuel education series
- The Differences Between Diesel 1 and Diesel 2
- US Trucking Embraces Renewable Diesel for Cleaner Operations
- Weekly Fuel Report: July 30, 2024
- Weekly NTI Update: July 29, 2024
- Where do propane powered trucks fit in the energy transition? Ask New Jersey
Hydrogen
- British Columbia Investing in Hydrogen Hub on Highway 16
- City of Prince George gets federal funding to build hydrogen hub
- Could hydrogen internal combustion help solve trucking’s emissions problems
- High Hopes for Hydrogen in Trucking
Lithium fire
According to Wikipedia, “A lithium-ion or Li-ion battery is a type of rechargeable battery that uses the reversible intercalation of Li+ ions into electronically conducting solids to store energy.”
The word “fire” or “fires” occurs in that article some 28 times.
- Battery fire nightmare on 15 Freeway traps truckers
- Battery fire shutdown on I-15, I-40 | Groups call for finance-crimes’ biz-reporting delay
- Fire in truck carrying lithium-ion batteries closes California freeway
- Lithium battery fire forces almost two-day shutdown of I-15
- The lithium batteries are still burning on I-15
3. Regarding trailers, trips, trucking industry:
Trailers
Trips
Trucking industry
4. Regarding alcohol, clearinghouse, crashes, death, drugs, fatalities, road rage, smuggling, violence:
Alcohol
Never ever consume alcohol prior to driving a vehicle of any kind.
Clearinghouse
Is this clearinghouse making the trucking industry better and if so, how?
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.
- After a stroke and crash, former trucker Lanny Weaver stays positive for his grandsons
- Four hurt after wrong way truck driver failed to get off at nearest exit because “she did not think of that”
- ‘Lost’ driver mangles semi truck and trailer on low railroad bridge
- Semi-truck slams into vehicle in DeKalb County in dramatic video
- Tank falls off flatbed on San Antonio interstate
- Tennessee traffic cams catch truck jackknifing, crashing off I-40 mountain road
- Tractor trailer hauling hay smashes through highway wall
- Weekend traffic to Las Vegas stalled nearly 48 hours because of truck crash, battery fire
Death
I extend my condolences to the family of the man who died as a result of the action described in the article just below.
Please review it to see if you can learn anything to help prevent a future death.
Drugs
Never ever haul or take illegal drugs.
- Man caught smuggling drugs inside Buc-ee’s plushies
- Truck busted with $835K in marijuana in load of auto parts
- Undercover agents intercept $10.5 million in cocaine from semi truck during sting operation
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?
- Driver dead after dump truck with raised bed hits I-70 overpass
- Driver deported 16 times pleads guilty to fatal Co. crash
- Investigators say semi-driver failed to slow down in fatal crash in Indiana
- Lawsuit brought against JB Hunt for fatal crash involving one of their drivers
- Three dead in I-24 multi-vehicle crash after truck driver failed to slow for traffic, Kentucky troopers say
Road rage
Learn how to help prevent road rage from escalating out of control.
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.
- Driver admits to previous transportation of migrants after speeding away from checkpoint
- South Texas smugglers, ringleaders sentenced for transporting nearly 2,500 people in $2.9 million conspiracy
- Trucker charged in Texas after 17 migrants are found in his trailer
Violence
Seek to protect yourself from being involved in violence in the first place.
You may wish to review the information on my self-defense post.
- Attempted murder charge for trucker who shot at second semi with female driver, sleeping child in cab, New York cops say
- Co-driver left with critical wounds after in-cab machete fight
- Police searching for truck stop shooters who killed clerk
- Trucker shot in head and shoulder on I-40 in North Carolina
5. Regarding border, brokers, inspections, insurance, optimize, owner-operator, safety, security:
Border
- Borderlands Mexico: Werner marks 25 years of operations in Mexico
- Laredo to require carriers using border bridge to have $100 in account
- Modernization Set for North Dakota-Canada Border Crossing
- Proposal hopes to reduce delays for commercial vehicles at border crossing
- Texas point of entry adds new commercial lanes between US and Mexico
- US arrests at Mexico border are expected to drop 30% in July to a new low for Biden’s presidency
Brokers
- Carrier ‘vetting’ services: Good for brokered-freight markets or unreliable?
- Illinois Trucking Company, Brokerage File for Bankruptcy Liquidation
- Landstar Q2 first look: Truck broker breaks 2-year string of revenue declines
- Seeing what the shipper paid: DAT does broker transparency?
- Survey: Brokers optimistic about near-term freight market
- White Paper– Don’t Let Inefficiencies Eat Your Bottom Line: 8 Areas to Improve Your Freight Brokerage
Inspections
If you keep yourself and your rig in perpetual readiness for an inspection, you’ll never be caught off-guard.
- 72 hour commercial vehicle blitz coming to Texas interstates
- CVSA promotes education, outreach and safe equipment during Brake Safety Week
- Texas Highway Patrol plans special enforcement push Aug. 6-8
- Trailer brake inspections can make or break your day
Insurance
Optimize
Owner-operator
This article may be about more than just buying a new or used truck.
Safety
Quoting the second article in this section:
He’s also an advocate of the safety side, urging truck drivers and the average motorist alike of the single thing all could do to improve conditions on-highway: increase following distance as much as you can. Virtually “nobody respects following distance anymore,” he said. “A huge percentage of people are driving within a second” of the vehicle in front of them.
You may wish to review these articles on my site:
- Maintain a Safe Following Distance Behind Other Vehicles, Trucker
- Stop Tailgating and Following Too Closely with Your Big Truck
Please bear in mind that your life and your livelihood may depend on how you operate your truck!
- Industry stakeholders weigh in on safety fitness determination
- Trucker of the Month Mike Nichols knows limits, hones strengths
- US Lawmakers Push for Safer Roads as Recess Begins
- Virtual listening session for safety fitness determination
Security
Quoting the first article linked below:
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association supports the Transportation Security Screening Modernization Act.
“This commonsense legislation streamlines the procedures for small-business truckers seeking background checks for several endorsements in one streamlined process, as well as one, lower fee, for TWIC, Hazmat and Pre-Check,” said Doug Morris, OOIDA’s director of safety and security operations.
Also, in looking at the second article, I have to wonder out loud:
- How many of these provisions and agencies are constitutional?
- How many of these credentials have actually helped to make “security” any better?
Please do your own due diligence about this.
- Transportation security provision passes committee
- Bill streamlining TSA credentialing advances in Senate
6. Regarding scam, testing, technology:
Scam
The article in this section refers to “smishing”.
According to this resource:
Smishing is a social engineering attack that uses fake mobile text messages to trick people into downloading malware, sharing sensitive information or sending money to cybercriminals. The term “smishing” is a combination of “SMS”—or “short message service,” the technology behind text messages—and “phishing.”
See this article regarding “How can you protect yourself from smishing?”
Testing
- Oral fluid testing final rule withdrawn after ‘adverse comments’
- USDOT withdraws rule allowing testing of oral fluids in Clearinghouse
Technology
- AI: The Ultimate ‘Plug and Play’ Technology for Trucking?
- Crackdown on BQE with WIM technology slashed overweight trucks by two-thirds
- Cybersecurity concerns with moving data to the cloud
- IdriveAI launches NEXUS fleet management platform
- Is your technology investment glass half full or half empty?
- Tenstreet rolls out suite of AI-powered features
- White Paper: How technology expectations are changing the freight forwarding landscape
7. Regarding economy, employment, future, pay, rates, savings, tariff, taxes, tolls:
Economy
- Daimler Truck Cuts Outlook on Weaker Demand in Europe, Asia
- Despite positive signs, freight rates remained stagnant in June
- ECONOMIC TRUCKING TRENDS: Brokers see improvement around the bend, spot rates soften
- First look: ArcBest’s Q2 misses consensus
- Fleet Focus: CVSA inspection events present learning opportunities for truck owners
- Freight trends from DAT One and DAT iQ show declining load posts; spot rate drops
- June Used Class 8 Retail Sales Fall 3.7% Year on Year
- Sluggish Global Economy Weighs on Germany’s DHL in Q2
- Toyota First-Half Sales Fall Even as Hybrids Gain in US
- Truckload contracts still falling despite increasing spot pressure
- Truckstop and Bloomberg Intelligence survey shows stronger demand may be around the corner
- Tyson, JBS Set for Earnings Spike From Poultry Rebound
- Unprecedented Vocational Truck Demand Drives Allison Profits
- Used truck prices down 20% year-over-year
- Van spot rates ease as seasonally stronger period approaches, FTR report shows
- Werner first look: Revenues down, OR in truckload segment deteriorates
Employment
- Communication is key in driver satisfaction
- Driver Poll: How concerned are you about job security given the current state of the economy and freight market?
- Fourth consecutive month of decline in truck transportation jobs
- History matters: Drivers with clean backgrounds are more likely to land the best jobs
- Navigating the road to positivity: Understanding the ‘positive person cycle’ for truck drivers
- Stellantis Offers US Employees Buyouts in New Round of Cuts
- Taking Care of Your Drivers
- Transportation Jobs Up in July ADP Data; Overall Hiring Slows
- Trucking jobs continue to slide amid sustained low rates
- US Employers Added Just 114,000 Jobs in July
- While still high, trucking unemployment trends lower
Future
- DHL eyes freight recovery after subdued 1H
- Future of Combustion Engines Promises Efficiency, Green Fuels
- Landstar sees stabilizing trends, still awaiting TL market turn
- Schneider National sees “signs of market improvement” on the horizon
- Werner CEO Leathers says freight market inflection point may be close
Pay
Rates
- Fed Weighs Potential Rate Cut, First in Four Years
- Pennsylvania Turnpike rates to increase for commercial vehicles
Savings
Please note that this is a white paper and access requires filling out a form.
Tariff
Taxes
If you live/work in Connecticut, this will be of interest to you…
Tolls
- Delaware Bridge Tolls to Rise 20% on Sept. 1
- Optional toll lanes could be coming to a busy Tennessee interstate between Nashville and Murfreesboro
8. Regarding bridges, ELDs, operations, truckers, warning triangles:
Bridges
- Interstate 5 bridge rehab to cause delays through mid-September
- Newly dedicated Illinois bridge honors US military
- Penn. Ave truck-eating bridge deemed “cultural landmark”
ELDs
Whenever I read that a product/service is “free,” my analytical personality type automatically asks, “What’s the catch?”
Questions that come to mind are:
- How can something valuable be free to the end-user — especially on an ongoing basis?
- What is the user “giving up” in order to use the product/service?
According to the article linked below:
Trucking Hub on July 29 announced the launch of an industry-first — a free electronic logging device (ELD) solution.
So, I clicked through to Trucking Hub’s website.
I observed:
- “Everything you need for work, all in one place. Get started for free today.”
(“Get started for free” sounds like the “gotcha”); and - There is a pricing link at the bottom of the page.
So, please do your due diligence before taking the article’s author’s word for it that this “solution” is free.
Operations
Truckers
Quoting the first article in this section:
…what drivers want most of all is to be heard and understood.
This means that, along with a culture of safety and performance, you need to strive for a culture that treats drivers like individuals. How do you make this happen? By creating open lines of communication and keeping them open.
Do you agree with this?
Please comment through the form below.
- Do you know what drivers really want? I do.
- Texas ‘tech’: Southeastern Freight’s Kaitlyn Aiken embraces career as diesel tech
Warning triangles
Lights instead of triangles?
9. Regarding fire, parking, truck stops, weather:
Fire
I wonder if any of these fires — especially if they have been termed “wildfires” — have been deliberately caused by those using “directed energy weapons.”
According to Wikipedia:
A directed-energy weapon (DEW) is a ranged weapon that damages its target with highly focused energy without a solid projectile, including lasers, microwaves, particle beams, and sound beams.
In her Substack article “D.E.Ws on Maui?!“, Peggy Hall wrote:
The photographic images depict obliterated structures and molten metal, while the surrounding vegetation, including grass and trees, remains relatively unscathed, and wooden picnic tables are still standing.
So, please pay attention and keep asking questions.
- California wildfires continue devastation, spread smoke across west coast
- Firefighters continues progress against massive Californian blaze ahead of approaching warm weather
- More than 100 active wildfires wreak havoc in the Western US and Canada
- Wildfires in Jasper National Park the largest in 100 years
Parking
- Get $755 million truck parking bill across the finish line: Truckers to Congress
- I-94 rest area near Jackson, Michigan to be closed until early September
- Love’s opens Ohio location with 86 truck parking spaces
- Nebraska troopers searching truck parking lots after fatal I-80 hit-and-run
- New Love’s in Valdosta, Georgia has 111 truck parking spaces
- New Pilot Travel Center adds 72 truck parking spaces in Ellabell, Georgia
- Pilot opens newest location in Georgia; has 72 truck parking spaces
- Senate committee approves DOT funding bill with truck parking, predatory towing provisions
- Truck parking coalition urges House to vote on parking bill
- Trucking urges Congress to move on $755 million truck parking bill
Truck stops
- British Columbia Opens High-Tech Truck Station
- Love’s opens truck stop near Georgia/Florida border
- Love’s reopens New Mexico truck stop after remodel
- Pilot opens Georgia travel center off I-16
- TA opens new location in South Carolina; adds 80 truck parking spots
Weather
- As global heat records shatter, cold chain carriers need to be prepared for the future
- FreightWaves SONAR and WeatherOptics partner for enhanced weather intelligence
- Increasing wind and heat plus risk of thunderstorms expected in fight against California wildfire
- Vermont gets respite from flood warnings as US senator pushes for disaster aid package
10. Regarding politics, ports, recalls, regulations:
Politics
- Left lane use for trucks is focus of new state laws
- Senate Panel Approves FY25 Bill With $965M for FMCSA
- Senate Panel Approves TSA Clearance Bill for Truckers
- Senate Republicans block tax bill benefiting trucking
- Truck drivers are the topic of multiple Pennsylvania bills
Ports
- Georgia Ports Authority sees decline in Savannah, growth in Brunswick
- Port Houston saw container exports surge in June
- Port of Long Beach ‘Supply Chain Information Highway’ gets $7.9M grant
Recalls
- Recall: Nearly 8,000 Paccar and Navistar Trucks May Have Steering Defect
- Tesla Deploys Fix to 1.85 Million Cars After Hoods Fly Open
Regulations
Before setting up to do business in trucking, please be sure to do your due diligence regarding regulations and business restrictions.
- Chevron to Quit California for Texas After Warning on Rules
- Covenant can allow drivers with CLPs to bypass regulations, says FMCSA
- FMCSA: Carriers’ CLP holders can drive without CDL holder in passenger’s seat
- H-2B truck driver application wrecked by lack of regulatory knowledge
11. Regarding bankruptcy, shut down:
Bankruptcy
Shut down
12. Regarding awards:
Awards
I congratulate all professional truck drivers who have achieved a measure of success in trucking, whether being recognized personally or by their trucking companies.
I also urge my readers to do their due diligence regarding what comes “after” being named as a finalist/winner of a an award.
Ask yourself what happens after you win something and for what you will be responsible.
- 10 semi-finalists named for Transition Trucking award for veterans
- Semi-Finalists announced for the 2024 Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence Award
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: 2024.08.03 to our TDMST Weekly Round-Up Trucking Commentary or our Truck Drivers Money Saving Tips home page.