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TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2025.01.18

TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2025.01.18 is the trucking commentary on news affecting professional truck drivers for the week ending January 18, 2025, written by Vicki Simons.

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

TDMST Weekly Round-Up

1. Regarding fires, snow chain violation fine, weather, and winter:

Fires

Articles in this section may cover 3 different kinds of fires:

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  • The so-called “wildfires” in California, which I do not believe are “wild,” as detailed in part by Peggy Hall;
  • Fires from batteries or electric vehicles (which are harder to extinguish than those from fuel-powered vehicles); and
  • Possible arson fires.

Please be a critical thinker, learn how to discern things, and do not believe everything that the mainstream media tells you. (More on this below.)

Snow chain violation fine

My summary (from reading the article) of the reasons for the stiff fine being called for are:

  • failing to “chain up” is a violation of the state’s chain law;
  • trucks without snow chains — that subsequently become stuck — cause road closures; and
  • the current penalties don’t seem to be sufficiently high enough to be taken seriously.

Here’s the article:

Weather

Continuing from the “critical thinking” thought above, please evaluate usage of terminology like “climate change.”

Consider who is using this terminology and for what end purpose(s).

Also, once again, I am going to question why the FMCSA:

  • is willing to “waive” Hours of Service regulations for some truckers during so-called emergencies,
  • but isn’t willing to trust truckers regarding Hours of Service “the rest of the time.”

Hmm…

Winter

Please be careful about driving in winter weather conditions:

Here are some articles on this:

2. Regarding Advanced Clean Transportation Expo, California, clean, and emissions:

Advanced Clean Transportation Expo

I would like to do some research on this…

California

This section goes right along with the “clean” section below.

Clean

According to the first article in this section:

California has been waiting to receive a waiver from the Environmental Protection Agency to enforce its new Advanced Clean Fleets regulation. With a new administration coming in less than a week and no waiver in sight, the state is pulling the plug on the electric mandate for large fleets.

Please note that of late, terminology like “clean fleets” and “clean trucks” — that point to electric commercial motor vehicles — is being used.

Before you start using this terminology, please do your due diligence regarding how “dirty” it is to create electric vehicles in the first place, particularly the batteries.

Also, bear in mind that electric vehicles have to get their “charge” from somewhere as they do not create and use their own supply of power.

Emissions

3. Regarding economy, employment, freebies, inflation, rates, scam, and trucking costs:

Economy

Employment

Freebies

While a BOGO (Buy One, Get One) deal may sound great, please consider what is being offered.

If the freebie does not nourish your body, you may want to rethink your original purchase.

Inflation

The article opens with this:

In December 2024, U.S. consumer inflation reached an annual rate of 2.9%, largely driven by a surge in gas prices. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) ticked up 0.4% from November, in line with economists’ forecasts.

Rates

According to the third article in this section:

According to data from Truckstop and FTR Transportation Intelligence for the week ending Jan. 10, spot rates are up for all equipment types.

Scam

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.”

Another scam of which I’ve become aware is when a shipper sends a package that you did not order or were not expecting, that has a QR code on the package, and once scanned, the hacker can access everything on your phone.

Please practice discernment!

Trucking costs

This article states:

The Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in March 2024 has introduced significant challenges for the mid-Atlantic trucking industry, with costs projected to increase by $92.8 million annually during its repair.

4. Regarding brokers, containers, length of haul, and microhubs:

Brokers

Containers

Length of haul

The opening paragraph of this article is:

The average length of haul for a truckload has plummeted in recent months, averaging nearly 8% shorter year over year to start 2025. This is a dramatic shift from what was happening this summer, when the load lengths were averaging 7% longer than the previous year. This may not seem like much to the outside observer, but the implications are quite dramatic from a supply chain management and carrier perspective.

Microhubs

See page 13 of 42 of this PDF resource for the definition of “micro-distribution center or microhub.”

5. Regarding Americas Commercial Transportation Research Co. and ATA:

Americas Commercial Transportation Research Co.

ATA

6. Regarding inspections, legal, parking, predictions, and safety:

Inspections

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

Legal

Parking

Predictions

Safety

7. Regarding autonomous vehicles, electric vehicles, fuel, fuel card, and hydrogen:

Autonomous vehicles

I completely 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.

Fuel

Fuel card

The second article in this section opens with:

Shell Rotella has launched the Shell Rotella Fuel Card in conjunction with the Multi Service Fuel Card, offering savings and benefits designed to meet the needs of fleet and owner-operator drivers across the United States and Canada.

Hydrogen

The article in this section opens with:

Hydrogen-powered trucks are rapidly proving their worth in clean transportation, and the H2Rescue truck has set a new benchmark. Developed by Cummins Accelera in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and Department of Defense (DoD), this innovative vehicle shattered a Guinness World Record by traveling 1,806 miles on a single tank of hydrogen.

Please read the rest of the article.

Now that is my idea of clean fuel and efficiency!

8. Regarding crashes, distracted driving, drugs, fatalities, Ice Pick Bandit, road rage, 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.

Distracted driving

You may wish to read my article:
Distracted Driving: Beware of Attention Diverters That Can Be Fatal.

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?

Ice Pick Bandit

The so-called “Ice Pick Bandit” is involved in vandalism.

If it is possible for you to do so, it would be wise to have the type of technology that records what is going on all around your truck at all times without draining your truck’s batteries.

This surpasses what I’ve written about regarding a truck cam.

Road rage

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.

9. Regarding overheight, routing, and securement:

Overheight

Please see these resources on my site:

Now for the articles:

Routing

The Irondale Police Department said:

Unfortunately a semi truck driver following their GPS got confused and lost their way on Janet Lane in Holiday Gardens, this confusion resulted in the semi overturning and sending two 20K pound coils of metal rolling into the neighborhood.

I can just about guarantee that the trucker was not using a GPS unit specifically made for commercial motor vehicles.

Securement

Three kinds of violations were described

  • no securement of any kind;
  • no required flags; and
  • no required oversize permit.

Before you move a single inch, make sure that:

  • your truck is legal and compliant,
  • you have all necessary paperwork,
  • your load is secure,
  • you feel well and able to drive; and
  • you have sufficient hours to drive.

Here’s the article:

10. Regarding politics, roads, security, self-defense, and tariffs:

Politics

Roads

Security

Self-defense

The first part of the first article in this section states:

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has issued a regional emergency declaration covering all 48 contiguous states and Washington, D.C.

The second part of the first article states:

… a U.S. Representative from North Carolina introduced a bill that would provide nationwide reciprocity for concealed carry license holders and for residents of so-called “Constitutional Carry” states, where permits are generally not required.

While I do not believe that someone should have to have a “permit” or “license” to own and use a firearm — because self-defense is a God-given right and because of what is written in the Second Amendment to The Constitution of the United States — I am in favor of a nationwide reciprocity law for people to be able to protect themselves with arms throughout the USA.

Tariffs

11. Regarding speed limiter, technology, and trucks:

Speed limiter

Technology

Trucks

12. Regarding driver of the year nominations, Freedom Convoy, recognition, and trucker skill:

Driver of the year nominations

Freedom Convoy

According to the article:

People looking to support the tribute in “recognizing its pivotal role in sparking a nationwide wave of freedom and awareness in Canada,” are encouraged to gather…

See the article for details:

Recognition

I recognize those who helped their fellow human beings in a time of need.

Trucker skill

The videos in these two articles show the skills of the truckers driving the trucks, for which I applaud them!

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: 2025.01.18 to our TDMST Weekly Round-Up Trucking Commentary or our Truck Drivers Money Saving Tips home page.



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