READING TRUCK BODY RECEIVES COMMUNITY IMPACT AWARD

READING TRUCK BODY RECEIVES COMMUNITY IMPACT AWARD

Reading Truck Body, LLC, manufacturer of vocational truck bodies, was recently selected as the winner of the 2015 NAACP Community Impact Corporate Award by the local National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Reading chapter.

HUNDREDS OF RUSSIAN TRUCK DRIVERS HEAD TO MOSCOW FOR PROTEST

HUNDREDS OF RUSSIAN TRUCK DRIVERS HEAD TO MOSCOW FOR PROTEST

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia — Hundreds of the Russian truck drivers who have been protesting around the country were driving their rigs toward Moscow on Sunday to demand that the government cancel a new road tax, one protest leader said.
The truck drivers, many of whom own and operate their vehicles, say the hefty road tax for long-distance haulers threatens to put them out of business. They have little faith that the money will go toward maintaining Russia's notoriously bad roads.

3,000-MILE TOUR: TRUCKER DELIVERS 74-FOOT CAPITOL CHRISTMAS TREE

3,000-MILE TOUR: TRUCKER DELIVERS 74-FOOT CAPITOL CHRISTMAS TREE

John Schank still smiles every time someone suggests he resembles another white-bearded guy who makes deliveries at Christmas time.

“I’ve heard that comparison on more than one occasion,” Schank said. “I suppose if I wore a big bright red suit, I would probably get even more kids wanting to tell me what they want for Christmas.”

SHARE YOUR STORY OF CHRISTMAS SPENT ON THE ROAD

SHARE YOUR STORY OF CHRISTMAS SPENT ON THE ROAD

The list of the joys a truck driver’s life is a long and varied one for most.

Not on that list is one fact about trucking that looms large this time of year: the prospect of being on the road while others are gathered at home for family Christmas.

DEAL REACHED WITH SIX CONTAINER TRUCKING COMPANIES; TWO REMAIN UNSATISFIED

DEAL REACHED WITH SIX CONTAINER TRUCKING COMPANIES; TWO REMAIN UNSATISFIED

VANCOUVER, B.C. – Metro Vancouver container truck drivers have reached an agreement with labour union Unifor after several days at the bargaining table, with companies including AG, Aheer, Forward, Prudential and Sunlover all voting in favour of new collective agreements that will run until July 2019.

Where's the beef? Trucker steals 40,000 pounds of meat

Where's the beef? Trucker steals 40,000 pounds of meat

LOGANTON, Pa. — Where's the beef? That's what authorities would like to know after someone stole 40,000 pounds of it from a meat plant in central Pennsylvania.
State police say it happened Nov. 21 at Nicholas Meat near Loganton.

FAMOUS TRUCKERS: CELEBRITIES WHO SPENT TIME BEHIND THE WHEEL

Celebrities make all the money and have all the fame, but have you ever wondered what it took for some of your favorite movie stars to make it to the bright lights of Hollywood? Well, several of them started out just like you, as a truck driver behind the wheel of an 18 wheeler. This Thanksgiving as you gather around the table with your loved ones, or if you are rolling down the highway with nothing more than a CB radio for company, you’ll have some trivia to share with your comrades. Check out this list of famous, former truck drivers.

Women Working in the Trucking Industry

Famous Truckers: Celebrities Who Spent Time Behind the Wheel
Even in 2015, some industries are still male-dominated; and trucking is one of them. Auto mechanics is another. However, there are plenty of women who have the ability to get into these industries – and many have – to eventually make a career out of it. According to a survey conducted by University of Memphis students, there are few women who hold high-level positions in the trucking industry.

CARGO THEFTS TEND TO INCREASE DURING THANKSGIVING WEEK

Thanksgiving week over the last three years has seen thefts of $6 million in cargo, 44 semitractors and 51 semitrailers, according to crime analytics group CargoNet.

Texas has experienced the highest amount of theft during that period. Data shows 59 percent of all thefts occurred in Texas, California, Florida, Georgia and New Jersey. Thefts increased from Monday of Thanksgiving week before spiking on Wednesday, then decreasing to average levels of theft.

Travelers take to the roads and the skies for Thanksgiving

LOS ANGELES — The big Thanksgiving getaway went into full swing Wednesday with drivers delighted by the lowest November gas prices in years and many airline passengers undaunted by terrorism fears and long lines at security checkpoints.
At the White House, President Barack Obama said there is no "specific and credible" intelligence indicating a plot against the U.S. and assured anxious Americans: "While the threat of terrorism is a troubling reality of our age, we are both equipped to prevent attacks and we are resilient in the face of those who would try to do us harm."

Trailer Orders Solid for the Season, Despite October and Y/Y Declines

Trailer Orders Solid for the Season, Despite October and Y/Y Declines

Trailer net orders in October — while exceeding 33,000 units — were down 7 percent from September and 30 percent on a year over year basis. Nevertheless, according to the most recent State of the Industry: U.S. Trailers published by ACT Research Co. (ACT), the solid order season continues for this segment of the commercial vehicle industry.
“The solid order season continued for U.S. trailers in October, although month over month and year over year comparisons were both in the red,” said Frank Maly, director of commercial vehicle transportation analysis and research at ACT.

U.S.-NAFTA FREIGHT FLOWS DIP 8.8% IN SEPTEMBER; TRUCKING DOWN 0.1%

U.S.-NAFTA FREIGHT FLOWS DIP 8.8% IN SEPTEMBER; TRUCKING DOWN 0.1%

The value of U.S.-NAFTA freight totaled $93.2 billion in September 2015 as all modes of transportation carried less value of freight than a year earlier, according to the TransBorder Freight Data.
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) said year-over-year, the value of U.S.-NAFTA freight flows by all modes decreased by 8.8 percent. Large decreases in the value of commodities moved by pipeline and vessel in September were due to the reduced unit price of mineral fuel.
In September 2015 compared to September 2014, the value of commodities moving by truck decreased by 0.1 percent, while air decreased by 4.0 percent and rail by 12.2 percent. Vessel freight values decreased 38.9 percent and pipeline freight decreased 41.8 percent mainly due to the lower unit price of mineral fuel.
Trucks carried 65.7 percent of U.S.-NAFTA freight and are the most heavily utilized mode for moving goods to and from both U.S.-NAFTA partners. Trucks accounted for $31.7 billion of the $50.5 billion of imports (62.8 percent) and $29.6 billion of the $42.7 billion of exports (69.2 percent).

CHINA, INDIA, AFRICA, INDONESIA TO DOMINATE SALES OF MID-MARKET TRUCKS

CHINA, INDIA, AFRICA, INDONESIA TO DOMINATE SALES OF MID-MARKET TRUCKS

The convergence of premium and low-cost trucks has led to the evolution of a mid-market segment — referred to as value trucks, and these medium- and heavy-duty (MD-HD) value trucks will emerge as the fastest-growing segment globally, with sales volumes of more than a million units by 2022.
New analysis from Frost & Sullivan shows that about 80 percent of these sales are expected from China, India, Africa and Indonesia. Of these, 70 percent will be from China and India, prompting original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to focus on developing platforms for these two markets in the short-medium term. Additionally, OEMs to ensure the platforms feature attributes enabling global scalability in the long-term.

FedEx Delivering 18,000 Holiday Trees to U.S. Service Members, Families

FedEx Delivering 18,000 Holiday Trees to U.S. Service Members, Families

FedEx Corp. and the Christmas SPIRIT Foundation are joining forces again for a special delivery to America’s service members and their families with the Trees for Troops program.
Since the Trees for Troops program launched in 2005, FedEx has shipped more than 157,000 real Christmas trees to service members and their families — covering every branch of the military at more than 65 bases in 17 countries.

NTSB wants FMCSA to require drug testing for synthetic marijuana

NTSB wants FMCSA to require drug testing for synthetic marijuana

The National Transportation Safety Board sent two recommendations to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regarding the use of synthetic cannabinoids and related substances among commercial motor vehicle drivers.

These recommendations follow the investigation of a crash in which the driver of a tractor-tractor in Oklahoma struck a bus, killing four individuals and seriously injuring five others, after losing control of the truck while likely under the use of                                                                              synthetic marijuana, according to a NTSB news  release.

New Act in House to Support Alt-Fuel, Advanced Vehicle Tech

New Act in House to Support Alt-Fuel, Advanced Vehicle Tech

U.S. Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-12) introduced H.R. 4106, the Vehicle Innovation Act (VIA), in the House of Representatives. This legislation would earmark funds for research and development of alternative fuels and advanced vehicle technologies, and create truck-specific programs within the Department of Energy (DOE).

FMCSA shuts down carrier after 43 violations in single truck inspection

An Ohio trucking company has been shut down by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced on Thursday.

 The order was given following a safety inspection that revealed numerous violations, including continuing operations despite two separate out-of-service orders.

On Oct. 4, Missouri enforcement officers stopped a truck owned by Jefferson, Ohio-based Garfield Trucking for an unannounced safety inspection. More than 40 violations were found, including 13 out-of-service                                                         violations.

 Improper brakes, improper load securement and falsified hours-of-service logs were among the violations.

In addition to the inspection violations, inspectors exposed two separate out-of-service orders. Garfield Trucking had previously been directed not to operate a commercial vehicle at the time of the roadside investigation.

 FMCSA shuts down carrier after 43 violations in single truck inspection 

FMCSA Orders Shutdown of Ohio Truck Fleet With 43 Safety Violations

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has declared Jefferson, Ohio-based trucking company Garfield Trucking to be an imminent hazard to public safety and ordered that it immediately cease all intrastate and interstate operations.
Last month, a commercial vehicle operated by Garfield Trucking was stopped for an unannounced roadside safety inspection in Missouri. A total of 43 safety violations were recorded during the inspection, including 13 out-of-service violations such as multiple instances of improperly adjusted or inoperable brakes, defective brake components, cracked frame rails, load securement violations, and falsified hours-of-service log books.

It was further discovered that Garfield Trucking had been operating in violation of two separate out-of-service orders, one of which dated back more than a year.

FMCSA Orders Shutdown of Ohio Truck Fleet With 43 Safety Violations