November’s U.S.-NAFTA Freight Flows Dip 8.4%; Trucking Down 0.4%

The value of U.S.-NAFTA freight totaled $88.2 billion in November 2015 as all modes of transportation carried a lower total value of freight than a year earlier, according to the TransBorder Freight Data released Thursday.
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) said Canada regained its historical rank as top North America trade partner after falling behind Mexico in total trade value for the first time in October. Large decreases in the value of commodities moved by pipeline and vessel in November were due to the reduced unit price of crude oil.

Volvo Group changes business, organizational structure

GOTHENBURG, Sweden — The Volvo Group is introducing a brand-based organization with clearer commercial accountability for the group’s various truck brands, the organization announced in a news release.
Four separate units will be created, including Volvo Trucks, UD Trucks, Renault Trucks and Mack Trucks, each with profit and loss responsibility for their respective business.

VERMONT FUEL TAX INCREASE EYED FOR NON-ROAD USE

An effort underway in the Vermont Legislature would boost the state’s excise tax rate by a couple of cents – and would not use the revenue for roads and bridges.

Vermont now charges a 31-cent fuel tax on gas and diesel bought in the state.

A bill from Rep. Curt McCormack, D-Burlington, in the House Transportation Committee would increase the excise rate by 2 cents per gallon starting July 1, 2016.

VOLVO SEPARATING TRUCK BRANDS INTO FOUR SEPARATE UNITS

Volvo Group has announced it is shifting to a brand-based organization.

Four separate units will be created: Volvo Trucks, UD Trucks, Renault Trucks and Mack Trucks, each with profit and loss responsibility for their respective business. Volvo’s Group Executive Board will be changed to include representatives from some of the Group’s business areas, the company says.

Finalists in ‘2016 Best Fleets to Drive For’ named

The Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) and CarriersEdge today (Tuesday, Jan. 26) announced the 2016 Best Fleets to Drive For.

Senate to take another crack at S.C. road funding this week

COLUMBIA, S.C. — A pair of senators — a Republican and Democrat who are not seeking re-election — plan to spend this week trying to shape a bill to get more money to improve South Carolina roads and get the rest of the Senate to finally go along.
Both senators warn the process is going to take a few weeks if not longer. But they are confident they can pull together a bill that business leaders and pothole-hitting drivers have been clamoring for.

Slow return to normal routines for cities hit by snowstorm

WASHINGTON — After more than three days with life at a virtual standstill in the nation's capital and elsewhere up and down the East Coast, the cities hit hard by a massive snowstorm were getting closer to their normal routines.
In the Washington area, the Metro subway system was scheduled to be close to fully operational Tuesday morning after it gradually lurched back into service throughout the day Monday. Trains were expected to still run less often, though.

6 states issue hours-of-service waivers for emergency loads in wake of Winter Storm Jonas

North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia have issued temporary and limited hours-of-service exemptions for certain relief load haulers in the wake of the historic winter storm that impacted about a third of the U.S. population.

Recruiting, Retaining Female Truck Drivers Topic of Feb. 4 Webinar

AudioSolutionz will host a webinar on Effective Recruitment and Retention of Female Truck Drivers with expert speaker Ellen Voie on Thursday, Feb. 4, in a session that provides practical strategies for the trucking industry to attract, hire and retain female drivers to deal with the present truck driver crisis.

SEVERAL STATES ISSUE HOS WAIVERS BECAUSE OF EAST COAST BLIZZARD

North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia have issued temporary and limited hours-of-service exemptions for certain relief load haulers in the wake of the historic winter storm that impacted about a third of the U.S. population.

Jay Leno’s Harley-Davidson Ford F-150 Truck on Auction Block Friday

Ford Motor Co. and Jay Leno, renowned auto enthusiast and star of Jay Leno’s Garage, are teaming up to auction the TV legend’s personal one-of-one 2000 Harley-Davidson F-150 at the 45th Anniversary Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction at WestWorld of Scottsdale.
All proceeds will benefit National Multiple Sclerosis Society, the country’s leading organization helping people affected by multiple sclerosis through cutting-edge research, advocacy and education. Live TV coverage of the auction of this custom F-150 will air on Velocity this Friday.

Driver health a key component of mitigating driver shortage, TCA says

The trucking industry has lost more than 150,000 drivers because of medical reasons since the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners was established in May 2014, says Bob Perry, president and founder of Rolling Strong. But carriers can reverse this trend, he says, with simple changes that focus on driver health.

Pete's Blog&Grille: Where 2 Eds Are Better'n One

A long time ago, I told my second-year university room-mate Vince the story about my role in my uncle Ed’s abrupt departure from this world. When I finished, Vince–now a lawyer—said, “That’s probably why you’re so weird.”

LARGE CARRIER ANNOUNCES PAY INCREASE FOR SAFE DRIVERS

U.S. Xpress, the country’s 12th largest carrier, recently announced a pay increase for drivers with good safety records.

The company said it will increase the base mileage pay by an average of 13.5 percent for over-the-road solo drivers who remain accident and ticket free with no CSA violations for a year, effective March 1.

Can You Ask For A Waiver For Workers’ Compensation Claims?

Today Federated Insurance is sharing one our "HR Questions of the Month" regarding employment-related practices liability issues.

Question: Can the company request an employee, including a pregnant worker, to sign a waiver from liability, due to potential danger of on-the job injury sustained or harm sustained, at the hands of a mental health patient who is a resident of our facility? Would a request for waiver of liability expose the company to pregnancy discrimination, based on terms of employment, work conditions, or any other employment terms?

TRUCKER ASSISTS WOMAN WHO CRASHED IN A CREEK

Truck driver Steve Elliot of Phenix City, Ala., has been named a Highway Angel by the Truckload Carriers Association for helping a woman search for her missing baby after she crashed her car into a creek.

U.S. XPRESS TIES DOUBLE-DIGIT PAY INCREASE TO DRIVER SAFETY

One of the country’s leading trucking companies is raising pay by double digits for exceptionally safe solo over its the road drivers.

U.S. Xpress recently announced it is increasing the base mileage pay by an average of 13.5 percent for over the road solo drivers who have remained accident and ticket free, with no CSA violations, for 12 months, effective March 1.

DEA, insurance won't pay for truck damaged in drug sting

DEA, insurance won't pay for truck damaged in drug sting

A federal court has ruled that the Drug Enforcement Agency does not have to pay a truck owner whose vehicle they commandeered in a botched drug sting operation – without his knowledge or permission – in which the agency's confidential informant driver was shot dead and the truck was damaged.

Says truck owner Craig Patty: "I took the federal government to court and lost. They refused to pay for my truck that was shot up and damaged because of their operation which I knew nothing about." He says that the insurance company wouldn't pay for damages either because it involved a criminal action. "It's in the fine print," he says.

CLEARING UP THE TRUCK SAFETY PICTURE

CLEARING UP THE TRUCK SAFETY PICTURE

While truck crash data continues to show a positive safety trend, the recently revamped Safety Measurement System (SMS) put in place by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration may only muddle the waters, leading many to believe the industry is not as safe as the data indicates.

“The problem with the new SMS is that there’s a lack of context, compared to the way it used to be,” Laura McMillan, vice president of training development for Instructional Technologies, Inc., explained to American Trucker.

FMCSA ISSUES RULE PROPOSAL TO TIE SAFETY RATING DIRECTLY TO INSPECTIONS, VIOLATIONS

FMCSA ISSUES RULE PROPOSAL TO TIE SAFETY RATING DIRECTLY TO INSPECTIONS, VIOLATIONS

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced Jan. 15 a rulemaking proposal designed to update FMCSA’s safety rating methodology by integrating on-road safety data from inspections, along with the results of carrier investigations and crash reports, to determine a motor carrier’s overall safety fitness on a monthly updated basis.

The proposed Safety Fitness Determination (SFD) rule would replace the current three-tier federal rating system of “Satisfactory, Conditional and Unsatisfactory” for federally regulated commercial motor carriers (in place since 1982) with a single determination of Unfit, which would require the carrier to either improve its operations or shut down.

Trucker Buddy promotes industry at Boy Scouts event

Trucker Buddy promotes industry at Boy Scouts event

Trucker Buddy International recently participated in the Circle Ten Xperience with more than 12,000 Boy Scouts, leaders and parents.

Trucker Buddy brought in four trucks and trailers for the Scouts to explore, sit in and ask questions of the drivers about technology and their careers.

Nation’s Truckers Enjoy an Average 3.4-cent Drop in Diesel Prices

Nation’s Truckers Enjoy an Average 3.4-cent Drop in Diesel Prices

Diesel fuel prices dropping nearly 6 cents a gallon in the Rocky Mountain states last week, and with smaller declines seen in all of the other regions of the nation, plenty of smiles could be seen on truck drivers’ faces at truck stops throughout the U.S.
The average per-gallon price for a gallon of diesel fuel dropped 3.4 cents to $2.177, a figure that is more than 87 cents per gallon less expensive than a year ago last week.

Cargo Thieves Operating from Behind Desks, says Security Expert

Cargo Thieves Operating from Behind Desks, says Security Expert

TORONTO, ON — In security circles, the Greater Toronto Area has come to be known as the “shopping triangle” for cargo thieves who continue to wreak havoc on the Canadian trucking industry to the tune of $5 billion per year, snapping up everything from electronics to metals, by any means necessary.

Canada’s cargo theft crisis continues to escalate, with reports to the Insurance Bureau of Canada doubling to 400 over 2015 alone, primarily in southern Ontario.

FTR Schedules Free ‘State of the Freight’ Webinar Thursday

FTR Schedules Free ‘State of the Freight’ Webinar Thursday

As the freight transportation industry gears up for the New Year, FTR’s truck and transportation expert Noël Perry will provide a broad overview of the freight outlook for 2016 for the three major heavy freight modes — truck, rail and barge —during this free State of Freight webinar scheduled for 11 a.m. (EDT) this Thursday.
Perry will explore a variety of topics including the base case forecast for economy and modal volume, capacity utilization for truck, pricing for truck and rail, and upside and downside risk.

Penalties for not having E-log still in the works

Penalties for not having E-log still in the works

The enforcement date of the freshly published federal rule requiring truck operators to use electronic logging devices to track their hours-of-service is just a little less than two years away — Dec. 16, 2017.
Assuming the rule isn’t held up in court – and at least one challenge, from OOIDA, has been issued to date – operators of post-1999 model year trucks not running a 395.15-compliant AOBRD-type e-log as of last month will need to have an ELD in place and in use by that date. Or else.

CALLING ALL FEMALE TRUCKERS: OVERDRIVE’S 2016 MOST BEAUTIFUL CONTEST NOW ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS

CALLING ALL FEMALE TRUCKERS: OVERDRIVE’S 2016 MOST BEAUTIFUL CONTEST NOW ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS

Entries for the fourth Overdrive‘s Most Beautiful contest, which highlights the accomplishments and inner and outer beauty of female drivers, are now being accepted.

Last year’s pool of more than 80 nominees included rookies, veterans, independent owner-operators, company drivers, regional haulers, over-the-road truckers — and this year, Overdrive hopes to see the field grow.