TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2025.04.12

TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2025.04.12 is the trucking commentary on news affecting professional truck drivers for the week ending April 12, 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 distracted driving, inspections, operations, and weather:

Distracted driving

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

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Inspections

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

Operations

Three of the four articles in this section all point to the need for truckers to be careful:

  • entering and exiting their tractors,
  • doing pre-trip inspections that cover tires and wheels; and
  • backing their rigs into docks.

Please take the time that is needed to do tasks safely!

Weather

2. Regarding 3PLs, AB5, ATA, ATRI, FMCSA, and UPS:

3PLs

The definition of “3PL” on the glossary on this site begins, “A third-party logistics company…”.

AB5

In my opinion, this law should never have been passed in California and I hope that it will be repealed.

ATA

ATRI

Both of these articles are about truck parking, a separate section about this being below.

FMCSA

UPS

3. Regarding alcohol, crashes, fatalities, theft, and violence:

Alcohol

Never ever consume/use products containing alcohol prior to driving a commercial motor vehicle.

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.

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?

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.

4. Regarding autonomous vehicles, electric vehicles, emissions, fuel, fuel economy, green, oil, and Run on Less:

Autonomous vehicles

I completely oppose the operation of self-driving, driverless, or autonomous commercial motor vehicles on the same roads as the motoring public — but I share this article 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

I sense that the emphasis on emissions has grown less urgent with the new administration in Washington, DC.

Fuel

Fuel economy

This article includes 5 “key habits that can help reduce fuel consumption and lower carbon emissions.”

Green

I gather from this article that “green trucks” are those that

  • either run on alternate-fuel;
  • or have all-electric engines or drivetrains.

Please due your due diligence before you invest.

Oil

Run on Less

The first article in this section says:

“The Messy Middle is a time when fleets can choose from a variety of powertrain solutions and other efficiency enhancing technologies,” said Mike Roeth, NACFE’s executive director. “In this, our fifth run, we are featuring tractors powered by diesel, natural gas, batteries and hydrogen fuel cells. These four powertrain solutions represent currently available options for fleets today.”

I am extremely interested in learning the results of this year’s Run on Less event.

5. Regarding brokers, future, technology, and vertical integration:

Brokers

According to one source:

In the trucking industry, “double brokering” is an illegal practice where a freight broker, who has secured a load from a shipper, subcontracts that load to another broker or carrier without the shipper’s knowledge or consent.

Not only is there potential for fraud, but there are legal ramifications involved.

Future

Technology

Vertical integration

According to one source:

In the trucking industry, vertical integration involves a trucking company taking ownership or control of multiple stages in the supply chain, moving beyond just transporting goods.

6. Regarding congestion pricing, employment, inflation, lottery, pay, and rates:

Congestion pricing

As I’ve said in the past, I don’t think that “congestion pricing” should have ever been put into place.

I wrote this on March 22, 2025:

Back in 2005, when I spoke during a press conference regarding state property tax reform as it would affect the county in which I live, I described that:

“…decreasing taxes in one area [is like] the ‘waterbed effect’: when you push down on one end of a waterbed, the displaced water has to go somewhere else.”

So it is with congestion pricing.

Assuming the same number of vehicles actually travel on the roads, lowering the number of vehicles traveling at one point in time automatically pushes those vehicles to traveling at other times.

Employment

Inflation

One source (pages 17 and 18) says that inflation is:

  • both “an increase in the amount of currency, resulting in rising prices”;
  • and “theft.”

Lottery

Let’s hope that this trucker has financial discipline.

Pay

See the section in the article called:

“Carrier Pay Cycle: A Return to Normal Patterns.”

Rates

7. Regarding Freedom Convoy, language, and leasing:

Freedom Convoy

I saw no mention in the article as to what the “punishment” for this is.

Language

As I wrote on March 15, 2025:

If a professional truck driver is driving in the United States of America — where road signs are in English — I believe that he/she must be proficient in English.

Do you agree or disagree?

Please comment through the form below.

Leasing

While I understand that numerous truckers have been financially burned by lease-purchase agreements, based on what is written in Article I, Section 8, of The Constitution of the United States — and in The Tenth Amendment — Congress does not have the authority to pass laws on the topic of transportation.

That is a matter strictly for the states and the people to decide.

8. Regarding politics, politics – speed limiter, politics – states, politics – towing, and tariffs:

Politics

Politics – speed limiter

Politics – states

Politics – towing

Tariffs

Although I don’t listen to or agree with everything this content creator says, the title of his April 10, 2025, video speaks volumes (emphasis added):

Brighteon Broadcast News, Apr 10, 2025 – TARIFF WHIPLASH as Trump cancels rug pull but doubles down on ECONOMIC WARFARE with China

9. Regarding parking, polls, and roads:

Parking

Polls

Roads

10. Regarding staged, legal, regulations, and weight:

Staged

In the likeness of what I wrote above, while I understand the gravity of staged truck crashes, based on what is written in Article I, Section 8, of The Constitution of the United States — and in The Tenth Amendment — Congress does not have the authority to pass laws on the topic of transportation.

That is a matter strictly for the states and the people to decide.

Legal

The articles in this section cover a number of different kinds of legal situations.

Regulations

If you want to see fewer trucking regulations, please contact your federal elected officials.

Weight

11. Regarding maintenance and tires:

Maintenance

Tires

12. Regarding appreciation, awards, and recognition:

Appreciation

While I’m glad that truckers are “appreciated,” I described in my May 9, 2020, TDMST Weekly Round-Up that what may seem to be a reward or measure of appreciation by one trucker may not be considered the same way by another.

I wrote:

I feel that it is very important to say that each trucker needs to be “appreciated” in the way that is meaningful to him or her — and I will share a true account from my life to illustrate this.

So, I hope that these “trucker appreciation events” are seen as successful by the truckers themselves!

Awards

Most of the articles in this section deal with those who have been named as “Driver of the Year.”

Congratulations to all truckers who have earned this designation through skill and achievement!

Recognition

I recognize the trucker who helped out his fellow human being in a time of need.

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: 2025.04.12 to our TDMST Weekly Round-Up Trucking Commentary or our Truck Drivers Money Saving Tips home page.



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