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TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2024.12.28

TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2024.12.28 is the trucking commentary on news affecting professional truck drivers for the week ending December 28, 2024, written by Vicki Simons.

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

TDMST Weekly Round-Up

This is the last TDMST Weekly Round-Up trucking commentary for 2024.

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Thanks you for joining me this year and reading my thoughts.

I always appreciate your feedback.

Also, I wish you a safe and prosperous 2025!

Happy New Year, just a little early!

1. Regarding ATRI, congestion pricing, FedEx, FMCSA, roads – I-40, roads – sinkhole, and top news:

ATRI

For the most recently released research from ATRI — the American Transportation Research Institute — visit TruckingResearch.org.

Congestion pricing

Based on what I see here, it looks like this “congestion pricing” plan in New York is going to go through.

If that’s the case, owner-operators and trucking companies are going to have a big task on their hands:

  • either put up with the higher prices during congestion hours;
  • or try to work around the most congested times of the day (which could prove tricky).

If you regularly take freight into New York, I’d like to hear from you regarding your viewpoint on this.

Please comment through the form below.

FedEx

How will this affect your work as a trucker?

Please comment through the form below.

FMCSA

I could not help but laugh out loud when I read this paragraph from the third article in this section:

Waymo and Aurora stated that the warning devices requirements listed in 49 CFR 392.22(b) were “not feasible for autonomous CMVs without a human on board.”

No kidding!

Then there was this paragraph:

The FMCSA ultimately opted to deny the rule exemption request because the companies “[did] not demonstrate that granting the exemption will likely achieve a level of safety that is equivalent to, or greater than, the level of safety that would be achieved absent the exemption.”

Read more in the article about the workaround that the autonomous trucking companies wanted to implement and how they didn’t measure up at this time.

Read more in my post
Autonomous Trucks Doublespeak; Legal Implications and Financial Repercussions.

Roads – I-40

According to the first article in this section:

The N.C. Department of Transportation (NCDOT) says that the reopening of a stretch of interstate damaged by Hurricane Helene has been delayed after a part of the roadway collapsed last week.

This seems similar to the “sinkhole” issue addressed in the next section…

Roads – sinkhole

Oh, boy! Please watch out!

One definition of a “sinkhole” is:

a cavity in the ground, especially in limestone bedrock, caused by water erosion and providing a route for surface water to disappear underground.

The problem is that even if the sinkhole is “filled” for a time, what is to prevent what caused it to happen in the first place from happening again?

Top news

Every year, various businesses provide a list of their top topics or articles based on various points (like the articles that got the most views or the most comments or what caused the largest impact).

2. Regarding alcohol, crashes, death, fatalities, fraud, smuggling, theft, and violence:

Alcohol

Please read the article in this section regarding California’s strict DUI laws for CDL holders.

Never ever consume alcohol prior to driving a vehicle of any kind.

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.

Death

I express my deep sympathy — and offer my condolences — to the families of those whose loved ones died as recorded in these articles.

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 large of an incentive you’ve been offered.

Theft

Never take something that doesn’t belong to you unless you have permission from the owner.

With as much surveillance equipment in place in the 21st century, it’s only a matter of time before the thieves are apprehended.

Violence

It is never right to perpetrate violence upon someone in an unprovoked manner.

All perpetrators of violence must be dealt with in a just legal manner.

3. Regarding economy, fines, and tolls:

Economy

Fines

According to the article in this section:

The Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 2015 requires all federal agencies, including the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, to increase fine amounts every year to account for inflation in order to “maintain their deterrent effect.”

If you are a trucker who will be affected by this, I would like to hear from you regarding how you will pass along the cost for these fines.

Tolls

4. Regarding border, brokers, and freight classifications:

Border

Brokers

Freight classifications

5. Regarding autonomous vehicles, electric vehicles, emissions, fuel, and oil:

Autonomous vehicles

I decisively oppose the operation of self-driving, autonomous, 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

Fuel

Oil

6. Regarding BOI, business, leasing, recalls, regulations, and standards:

BOI

These articles have seemingly contradictory titles.

If you are an owner-operator or independent trucker, please check with your tax professional to learn the most recent standing on this.

Personally, I feel as though it is another layer of government bureaucracy that needs to be struck down.

Business

Leasing

Recalls

If your tractor or trailer is under a recall, please have the work attended to as soon as possible.

Regulations

Standards

The opening paragraph in this article is:

The National Motor Freight Traffic Association recently launched a Digital Full Truckload (FTL) Council, bringing together the digital standards for less-than-truckload and FTL segments.

This is the first time that I recall seeing the acronym “FTL” that stands for “Full Truckload.”

7. Regarding immigration, legal, ports, and towing:

Immigration

There’s a huge difference between lawful immigration and illegal aliens who come across a nation’s borders without the legal right to do so.

Legal

Ports

Towing

The first article in this section says (in part):

The Federal Trade Commission last week announced a final Junk Fees Rule to prohibit bait-and-switch pricing and other tactics used to hide total prices and bury junk fees in the live-event ticketing and short-term lodging industries.

I was previously unaware of the “junk fees” situation until I read these articles.

8. Regarding incidents, inspections, and insurance:

Incidents

Whether you are a company driver, owner-operator, or independent trucker, it’s always good to regularly review what is needed ahead of time when one has a “road incident.”

One of the points in the article addresses “dash cams”.

You may wish to read my post:

How a Truck Cam, Smart Cam or Dash Cam Can Save Truckers Money

Inspections

If you keep yourself and your rig in perpetual readiness for an inspection, you’ll never be caught off-guard.

Insurance

According to the article in this section:

Litigation is more common than you might expect. More than half of owner-operators report having experienced post-crash litigation at some point in their careers.

Please protect yourself appropriately.

9. Regarding low clearance, parking, and speeding:

Low clearance

You may wish to read these posts on my website:

Remember that low clearance crashes are always preventable!

Parking

Speeding

10. Regarding technology and Tesla:

Technology

Tesla

11. Regarding safety and weather:

Safety

Weather

12. Regarding awards:

Awards

Congratulations to every professional truck driver who was nominated for or achieved an award for skill as a trucker!

Recognition

I recognize and applaud all of those who helped their fellow human beings in a time of need, whether that person is a trucker or someone who helped a trucker.

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: 2024.12.28 to our TDMST Weekly Round-Up Trucking Commentary or our Truck Drivers Money Saving Tips home page.



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