WANT TO TOSS YOUR BOSS OR CO-WORKER OFF A BUILDING FOR CHARITY?

LONDON, Ont. — Trucking for Wishes, in partnership with Make-A -Wish Southwestern Ontario, is encouraging those in the trucking industry to nominate your boss or co-worker to rappel of the iconic 26 storey TD Tower in London, Ont. on June 17.

MISSING DRIVER FOUND DECEASED IN TRUCK WITH HIS DOG

Trucker James Peterson, 57, of Wisconsin was on a run from New Jersey bound for La Crosse, Wis., according to press reports, when he suffered an apparent heart attack at the Love’s Travel Stops location in Mifflinville, Pa., and passed away last week. His ridealong companion, reported to be a black Lab, was found dead beside him, apparently succumbing to recent hot and humid temperatures in the area.
After reports surfaced last week of Peterson’s apparent disappearance, the Press-Enterprise of Bloomsburg, Pa., reported (subscription required to read), another trucker who’d read about him made the discovery of Peterson’s truck Monday.
A source familiar with the situation stated that Mr. Peterson had suffered from COPD and was under a doctor’s care. He had been missing for three days when found.
Todd Dills ,May 31, 2016
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STATE TO LOOK AT FINING TRUCKERS WHO USE TRICKY VERMONT ROAD

CAMBRIDGE, Vt. — Gov. Peter Shumlin's administration says staff will look at a plan to levy hefty fines against tractor-trailer drivers who unlawfully try to take a northern Vermont road known for ensnaring large trucks.

DROP IT: SAFETY FITNESS PROPOSAL ‘PREMATURE’ IN EYES OF TRUCKING

The proposed change in the way the DOT rates carriers defies the will of Congress, is based on a flawed foundation, and simply doesn’t improve on the current system—that’s the trucking industry’s near-unanimous assessment, based on formal comments filed on the Safety Fitness Determination rulemaking docket.

DRIVER PUNCHES POLICE DOG AND GETS TAZED FOR IT

Police from Indiana and Michigan chased a truck driver, shot out one of his tires, stunned him with a Taser and then dragged him out of his cab and placed him under arrest Sunday, May 29. The guy even punched out a police police dog sent into the truck as part of an effort to subdue him.

TTSAO APPROVES DRAFT TRAINING STANDARD FOR MELT

HAMILTON, Ont. — The Truck Training Schools Association of Ontario (TTSAO) has announced it is finally endorsing the Ministry of Ontario’s draft standards on Mandatory Entry Level Driver Training (MELT) in Ontario.

TWO SAY SHIPPERS HAVE ROLE TO PLAY IN PARKING CRISIS

Speaking at a recent trucking conference, two industry experts disagreed on some issues, but were on the same page when it came to solving the problem of too little truck parking on major freight corridors and other heavily truck-traveled highways.

FTR WEBINAR ON JUNE 9 ASKS: “CAN INTERMODAL RISE TO THE CHALLENGE?

With carload railroad volume down sharply so far this year, the rails are counting on intermodal growth to help fill the volume hole. Can intermodal rise to the challenge? Join Larry Gross, intermodal expert at FTR, as he takes a look at the intermodal situation during this State of Freight webinar scheduled for 11 a.m. (EDT) Thursday, June 9.

TRAFFIC MOVES MORE BY NOON THAN SPACE STATION HAS FLOWN

New information released by the Department of Transportation (DOT) shows that U.S. driving reached 746 billion miles in the first three months of 2016 — surpassing the previous record of 720.1 billion miles set last year.
For a sense of scale, 746 billion miles is roughly 286.9 times as far as the International Space Station has traveled since it began orbiting in 1998. In fact, Americans drive twice as far on any given day before noon than the space station has ever flown.

NEW LOGO DEBUTS FOR NATIONAL TRUCK DRIVER APPRECIATION WEEK

The American Trucking Associations (ATA) has revealed the official 2016 National Truck Driver Appreciation Week logo and announced key sponsors for the weeklong celebration, which is scheduled Sept. 11 through 17.

TA OPENS A NEW TRAVEL CENTER IN TENNESSEE

TravelCenters of America has opened an upgraded TA location off of Interstate 75 in Caryville, Tenn., offering truck service, parking, fuel, and driver amenities.

The Carryville location has undergone extensive remodeling and changes to make it a full-service travel center for truck drivers and the traveling public. The new location offers a five-bay truck service center for preventive maintenance,and tire and repair services.

DIESEL PRICES NEAR $2.40 PER GALLON

The average price of diesel fuel has risen about 40 cents from a near $2 low earlier this year, according to the latest numbers from the Energy Department.

The price of a gallon of on-highway diesel fuel increased 2.5 cents last week, bringing the average of diesel fuel to $2.382 per gallon. Despite the increases, that price is still 52.7 cents cheaper than it was a year ago.

SLEEP APNEA SURVEY: 53 PERCENT OF DRIVERS PAY OUT OF POCKET

A survey released by the American Transportation Research Institute says more than half of truck drivers who have been referred to a sleep study have incurred some or all of the test costs.

The survey, which was released Thursday, May 26, includes data from more than 800 commercial drivers to help quantify the costs and impact on truck drivers as they address diagnosis and a potential treatment regimen for obstructive sleep apnea.

BTS NUMBERS SHOW TRUCKING CARRIED 1.1% LESS IN MARCH

All five transportation modes carried less U.S. freight by value with North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners Canada and Mexico in March 2016 compared to March 2015.
The total value of cross-border freight carried on all modes fell 5.8 percent from 2015 to $90.5 billion in current dollars, according to the TransBorder Freight Data released Thursday by the Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS).

CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT ALLEGES ILLEGAL TOLL COLLECTION IN ORANGE COUNTY, CALIF.

A California man has filed a class action lawsuit against California’s Transportation Corridor Agencies for illegally issuing toll fees. The lawsuit alleges toll roads are not clearly marked, resulting in motorists unknowingly traveling on toll roads.

Attorneys for Ebrahim Mahda accuse TCA of operating toll roads that mislead the public, which is against California law. Specifically, the lawsuit claims the roads are poorly marked, and unsuspecting motorists are subject to “improper and unlawful fines” since their vehicles are not equipped with FasTrak transponders.

IN OBSERVANCE OF MEMORIAL DAY

Like many across the country on Monday, Heavy Duty Trucking is observing Memorial Day and closing our offices. However, many of our readers will still be working hard that day, so we have filled our newsletter with some of the most popular online articles from the past few months.

GOOGLE PATENTS “STICKY” HOOD TO CATCH … PEDESTRIANS?

The folks at Google are leaving no stone unturned when it comes to safety features on their autonomous vehicles. The California-based tech juggernaut was recently awarded a patent for an “adhesive vehicle front end” that the company says will “mitigate” secondary impacts for pedestrians.
If you think it sounds as if they’ve basically just turned the hood of a car into a human flypaper trap, well, that’s about the nut of it. According to the patent, once an object strikes the hood, it breaks a special coating that covers the adhesive layer. Once the coating is broken, the system will protect “a colliding object” from a secondary impact by causing the object to stick to the hood.

JBT TRANSPORT STUFFING TRUCKS FOR FORT MAC

AYR, ON – JBT Transport has partnered with the Edmonton Emergency Relief Services Society and Edmonton Food Bank to ship relief supplies to Fort McMurray, AB.

The Stuff-a-JBT-Truck campaign is collecting everything from children’s clothing to non-perishable food and blankets, and is even supplying corporate donors with bins to collect contributions. Everything collected by June 30 will be shipped.

CAN YOU BEE-LIEVE IT? POLICE FIND TRUCK COVERED IN HIVE

MISSISSAUGA, ON – A Mississauga, Ontario truck driver had to deal with some unusual stowaways on Sunday, when a swarm of bees descended on his cab.
Peel Regional Police arrived at Ordan and Meyerside drives at 12:20 pm, but there was clearly going to be a challenge for any related paperwork. “He couldn’t read their licence plate,” says Const George Tudos, referring to the wriggling mass that stretched across the bumper.

TIRE SAFETY WEEK RUNS MAY 29 TO JUNE 4

WASHINGTON, DC – The role of tires in vehicle safety is receiving some added attention this week, as the Rubber Manufacturers Association recognizes Tire Safety Week from May 29 to June 4. And only days after that public awareness campaign comes to an end, tires will be a key focus during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s Roadcheck inspection blitz from June 7 to 9.

CONTINENTAL LAUNCHES 2016 VDO TPMS REPLACEMENT PARTS CATALOG

Continental Commercial Vehicles & Aftermarket, manufacturer and supplier of VDO OE-engineered instrumentation and replacement parts, just released its new 2016 VDO TPMS Replacement Parts Program catalog.

According to Continental, in addition to the latest application validations for VDO REDI-Sensor Multi-Application TPMS sensors and VDO TPMS OE sensors and service kits, the catalog features an application section and an illustrated Buyer’s Guide with individual listings for REDI-Sensor multi-application sensors, OE sensor assemblies and service kits. Also included are torque specifications, installation tips, service kit guide, make/model index, OE cross reference, REDI-Sensor cross reference and product information and contact information.

ANALYSIS: DURING LOW OIL PRICES, FLEETS WITH OWN CNG STILL SAVED

The price of crude oil, and by extension gasoline and diesel, dipped lower and lower before just recently starting to climb again. And the whole time, fleets using natural gas could save money — if they were getting their fuel a certain way.

FREEDOM TRUCKS ROLL FOR MEMORIAL DAY

One of a kind “Ride for Freedom” tractors, one each from Volvo Trucks North America (VTNA) and Mack Trucks, will be joining the 29th annual “Ride for Freedom” rally in Washington, D.C., over the Memorial Day weekend; a rally that honors prisoners of war-missing in action (POW-MIA) from all U.S. conflicts overseas, as well as those currently serving in the armed forces. VTNA’s 2016 Ride for Freedom truck, a VNL 670 model, features custom-designed graphics that honor all branches of the U.S. military and will travel to Washington, D.C., over the holiday weekend with a motorcycle motorcade.

CONTINENTAL LAUNCHES 2016 VDO TPMS REPLACEMENT PARTS CATALOG

Continental Commercial Vehicles & Aftermarket, manufacturer and supplier of VDO OE-engineered instrumentation and replacement parts, just released its new 2016 VDO TPMS Replacement Parts Program catalog.

NAVISTAR SIGNS UP FOR 2017, 2019 AND 2021 NACV TRUCK SHOWS

The North American Commercial Vehicle Show (NACV Show) said Wednesday that Navistar has signed a commitment to exhibit at the inaugural NACV Show in Atlanta, Ga., from September 18-22, 2017.
Navistar also will exhibit at the 2019 & 2021 NACV Shows, demonstrating its International Truck brand at all three events. Navistar also joins the NACV Show exhibitor advisory committee.

FEDEX FINALIZES $4.4 BILLION DEAL TO ACQUIRE EUROPEAN CARRIER TNT EXPRESS

FedEx Corp. (No. 2 in the CCJ Top 250) announced May 25 it has finalized its roughly $4.4 billion deal to acquire European carrier giant TNT Express. FedEx announced the acquisition last April, and the U.S. Federal Trade Commission stamped its approval on the deal in November.

JUNE CALENDAR: A VARIETY OF TRUCK SHOWS NATIONWIDE

Start clearing that calendar because the month of June is a busy one for truck shows across America. Some must-see shows, including Shell Rotella SuperRigs, are just around the corner.

Huron, S.D., will be kicking off June shows with the Wheel Jam Truck Show on June 3-5. Like many shows, Wheel Jam is more than just trucks. Classic cars, motorcycles and stock cars will also be featured. This year will also include a virtual truck driving sequence, battle of the bands, and parade. For more information, visit WheelJamTruckShow.com or call Scot Marone at 605-354-2809 or Doug Flowers at 605-354-1324.

RECENT BUST SIGNALS HOPE IN FIGHT AGAINST TOW CORRUPTION

Earlier this month, four people connected to an auto body shop and tow company in Texas were arrested following a raid conducted by the Houston Police Department.

According to a story by the Houston Chronicle, Ricardo Gonzalez, 41; Andres Vasquez, 38; Ruben Barhona Rendon, 26; and Brenda Reyes Awawdeh, 34, were all charged for engaging in organized criminal activity. They were accused of using the business USA Auto Collision to charge motorists unnecessary repairs and fees.

BAKKEN OIL FIELD MURDER-FOR-HIRE MASTERMIND RECEIVES TWO LIFE SENTENCES

The man accused of masterminding a murder-for-hire scheme that claimed two lives will serve consecutive life sentences in federal prison.

James Terry Henrikson was sentenced May 24 in U.S. District Court in Spokane, Wash. In February, a federal jury found Henrikson guilty of 10 counts of murder-for-hire and conspiracy and solicitation to commit murder-for-hire, as well as one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin.

OTA COUNCIL SUMMIT TO FEATURE TWO PANELS ON CARGO CRIME

TORONTO, Ont. — The Ontario Trucking Association has rolled out a new workshop with the aim of preventing cargo crime.

The OTA said it has been estimated that cargo crime has cost the trucking industry more than $5 billion – too big of a cost for trucking to accept. The workshop is set to take place at the at upcoming OTA Council Summit on June 22 will give attendees the goods on the tools, trends and tips needed to secure and protect their operations.

TIRES FLY OFF PASSING TRUCK; ONE HITS JOGGERS

A truck driver was heading west on the Rickenbaker Causeway in Miami Monday, May 23, when two right rear tires came loose from his truck. One tumbled harmlessly into the parking lot of a business. The other crossed several lanes of traffic and hit two people out for their morning jog, hospitalizing one of them. The driver said he had no idea the wheels fell off his truck, according to The Miami Herald.
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TRUCK DRIVER SACRIFICES HIS SAFETY TO SAVE OTHERS AT ACCIDENT SCENE

Now THIS is a Knight of the Highway.

Numerous media outlets, including People magazine, are reporting on how veteran truck driver Richard Hughes, 53, deliberately crashed his truck Monday, May 23, to avoid hitting people who were standing around an accident scene in Tulsa.

MACK TO DEMONSTRATE ZERO-EMISSION CAPABLE DRAYAGE TRUCKS

Mack Trucks will demonstrate two zero-emission capable Class 8 drayage trucks as part of a California-based heavy-duty truck development project designed to help reduce air pollution at freight-intensive locations throughout the state. The project, which will be led by the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), will receive funding through a $23.6 million grant from the State of California. The grant was announced during the Advanced Clean Technology (ACT) Expo 2016 in Long Beach.

REGULATIONS: A BOON TO TRUCKING?

Could the wide sweep of current and proposed regulatory initiatives now blanketing trucking actually help the industry achieve better long-term positioning on freight rates? That seemed to be the conclusion of more than a few of the speakers at the ALK 2016 Technology Summit held in Philadelphia this week.

CARRIERSEDGE ADDS FUEL ECONOMY COURSE TO DRIVER TRAINING

CarriersEdge announced at the Truckload Carriers Association 2016 Safety & Security Division Annual Meeting a new Maximizing Fuel Efficiency course. The course utilizes the CarriersEdge interactive learning approach to help drivers understand their role in reducing fuel costs.

ATRI: COST OF SLEEP APNEA TREATMENT HIGH FOR DRIVERS

Some 64% of drivers surveyed by ATRI say sleep study referral guidelines are “too broad.”
A new sleep apnea white paper issued by the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) and based on a survey of over 800 truck drivers finds that the cost of sleep apnea treatments is hitting them hard in the wallet, with out-of-pocket expenses for treatment averaging $1,220 or some 1.5 weeks of median drive pay.

‘GRANNY GLITTER’ AND HER HEART OF GOLD

Saturday, May 21, in Nashville, Tenn., was uncommonly cool and breezy, but there was no lack of warmth at the newly christened Candy Bass Travel Center as more than 100 people gathered to salute this 41-year trucking veteran.

TRUCKER KILLED WHILE DELIVERING TO PACKAGING COMPANY

A truck driver from North Carolina was killed when the cardboard material he was delivering fell out of the trailer and crushed him on Monday, May 23 at Greif Inc. in Gladstone, Va.

FIGURING OUT HOW TO FIND AND KEEP WORKERS IN TRUCKING

Fleets, drivers, and suppliers discuss recruiting and retention challenges at ALK summit.
Pay is far more important to drivers than trucking likes to admit. Motor carriers may need to create new job titles and emphasize breadth of responsibility in order to attract and keep Millennials in administrative roles. A major “generation gap” exists between older and younger truck drivers, especially in regards to technology, but both pools suffer from poor training and management tactics.

CARRIER OFFERS "HOME DAILY" DRIVING OPPORTUNITIES

Dry-van carrier West Side Transport has opened a terminal in Columbus, Ohio, that will serve as a base for its fleet of “home daily” drivers.

‘SHE DRIVES TRUCKS’ TO SERVE WOMEN DRIVERS

There was a time when almost all American truck drivers were men, but that’s changed. Today there are more than 200,000 women driving trucks, making up about 6 percent of that workforce.

WEX, QUIKTRIP EXTEND FLEET FUEL CARD DEAL

WEX Inc. has extended its existing fuel management program with QuikTrip for another five years so that the convenience store and gasoline marketer will continue to market their co-branded and proprietary commercial card programs.

FMCSA ISSUES RECALL OF CERTAIN PRESSURE RELIEF DEVICES

Impacted cargo tanks must be taken out of hazmat transportation service
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) issued a safety advisory concerning pressure relief devices (PRD) that were not manufactured or intended for use on cargo tank motor vehicles. PRDs are an integral part of the safety mechanisms for U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) specification cargo tank motor vehicles and are vital to ensuring the safety of hazardous materials transportation by highway.

AVERAGE DIESEL PRICES STILL ON THE RISE

The average price of a gallon of on-highway diesel had an increase of 6 cents from last week to $2.357 per gallon for the week ending Monday, May 23. This marks the seventh consecutive weekly increase after a short-lived one-week decrease and the highest national average since Dec. 7, 2015, when diesel prices were $2.379.

FINAL SLEEP APNEA LISTENING SESSION SLATED

The last of three public listening sessions about obstructive sleep apnea will be Wednesday, May 25 in Los Angeles.

On March 10, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and Federal Railroad Administration published an advance notice of proposed rulemaking to receive feedback about any potential sleep apnea regulations. The 90-day comment period is scheduled to end June 8.

TRUCK PARKING LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE

Trucking and travel plaza leaders announced a new highway safety initiative to help professional drivers find available truck parking.

Beginning in late summer, truck drivers who need to stop and rest will be able to use a free mobile app called Park My Truck to locate an available space, according to the initiative’s leaders, the NATSO Foundation, NATSO, Inc., the American Trucking Assns. and the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI).

CITIZEN DRIVER HONOREE JON OSBURN ALL ABOUT HELPING OTHERS

If you’ve ever spent any time around Jon Osburn, you know he can talk to pretty much anybody about pretty much anything. Unless you’re trying to get him to talk about all the things he does to be of service to his fellows.
Osburn, an OOIDA Senior Member from Boise, Idaho, and the “skipper” of the Association’s Spirit of the American Trucker tour truck, is a 2016 TA Petro Citizen Driver honoree. At a ceremony on Friday, May 20, to rename the TA in Boise the J.D. “Doc” Osburn Travel Center, the normally gregarious driver kept his official remarks rather brief.

REPORT: CARGO THIEVES “NUTS” ABOUT NUTS

The upcoming harvest season for one particular type of food is expected to get increased attention again from cargo thieves following big jumps in stealing the previous two years.

Nuts have become a sought after commodity for organized cargo thefts because of their high value density per truckload and typically low security protocols, according to a new report by the logistics security services provider FreightWatch International.

ATA: DESPITE DECLINES, FREIGHT TONNAGE OUTLOOK IS BETTER

American Trucking Associations’ For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index decreased in the month of April, indicating a soft freight environment.

The advanced seasonally adjusted index fell 2.1% in April to a reading of 134.8, following a 4.4% decline in March. This came on the heels of an unexpected gain in February. Compared to last April, the index was up 2% and year-to-date tonnage was up 3.5% compared to the same period in 2015.

SO, INSTEAD SHE TURNED HER COWORKER INTO THE PROTAGONIST OF WHAT WOULD BECOME

Shelby Matthews is a woman truck driver determined to do what needs to be done to keep her family and home afloat.
So she got behind the wheel of a truck hauling sand in the Texas oil fields and beyond when holding down two jobs — teaching school and working the night shift at a convenience store — still wasn’t enough to pay the bills following her husband’s heart attack.

PROTECT YOUR CARGO THIS MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND, CARGONET WARNS

JERSEY CITY, N.J. — With Memorial Day weekend looming in the US, CargoNet is reminding drivers and carriers to be vigilant to prevent cargo theft.

CargoNet indicates over the past four years, there were 98 cargo thefts reported between the Wednesday before Memorial Day weekend and the Wednesday after. The highest rates came from Florida and California, however there were also significant losses reported in Texas, Georgia and New Jersey.

MORE THAN A THIRD OF US TRUCK PARKING AVAILABLE DURING PEAK TIMES: TRUCKER PATH

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — An analysis of truck parking availability in the US by Trucker Path has shed new light on the issue.

Trucker Path, which developed a widely used app that allows truck drivers to upload truck parking spot availability in real-time, says the shortage of truck parking will only get worse when the industry mandates electronic logging devices (ELDs) in December 2017.

ATA TRUCK TONNAGE INDEX FALLS IN APRIL

ARLINGTON, Va. — The American Trucking Association’s seasonally adjusted for-hire truck tonnage index decreased 2.1% in April after a 4.4% drop in March.

In April, the index equaled 134.8 (2000=100), down from 137.6 in March. The all-time high was 144 in February.
Year-over-year, the SA index was up 2%. Year-to-date, compared with the same period in 2015, tonnage was up 3.5%.

TORONTO TRUCKING ASSOCIATION MAKES DONATION TO HELP FORT MAC WILDFIRE EVACUEES

TORONTO, Ont. — The Toronto Trucking Association announced today that it has donated $5,000 to the Red Cross for the Fort McMurray wildfire relief.

Connie Burbidge, the executive director with the Toronto Trucking Association said the TTA’s Board of Directors voted unanimously to donate the $5,000 knowing that the federal government would match this donation. The Red Cross has over 80,000 people registered for relief.

The TTA said in a release that it wanted to help since it knows there are many transportation companies and employees suffering great personal and business losses because of the fire.
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NO PAUSE FOR FUEL PRICE INCREASES

Average retail prices for both diesel and gasoline increased yet again across every region of the U.S. this week, according to data tracked by the Energy Information Administration (EIA), though prices still remain well below the levels reached during the same time period last year.

SO, INSTEAD SHE TURNED HER COWORKER INTO THE PROTAGONIST OF WHAT WOULD BECOME

Shelby Matthews is a woman truck driver determined to do what needs to be done to keep her family and home afloat.
So she got behind the wheel of a truck hauling sand in the Texas oil fields and beyond when holding down two jobs — teaching school and working the night shift at a convenience store — still wasn’t enough to pay the bills following her husband’s heart attack.

CONFERENCE TO EXAMINE INTERNET OF THINGS AND ITS EFFECT ON TRANSPORTATION

TORONTO, Ont. — The inaugural Internet of Things (IoT) Conference scheduled for June 21-22 plans to address the importance of IoT on the Canadian transportation sector.
The event will be held at the Sheraton Toronto Airport. It will feature a keynote address by Kia Canada COO Ted Lancaster. Scott Tilley, chairman of the Ontario Trucking Association, Mark Seymour, CEO of Kriska Transportation and Angela Splinter, CEO of Trucking HR Canada will also be speaking.

LOVE’S TRAVEL STOPS OPENS IN SIDNEY, NEBRASKA

OKLAHOMA CITY – Drivers in western Nebraska have a new place to park and access driver services, as well as enjoy made-to-order breakfast, lunch and dinner foods any time of day. The new Love’s Travel Stop, which includes an IHOP Express restaurant, opened for business May 19 along Interstate 80, Exit 59.

RESEARCH: ELD MANDATE PUTS SMALLER TRUCK FLEETS IN FINANCIAL BIND?

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) mandate that owner-operators, fleets and drivers must transition from paper logging their hours of service (HOS) to using electronic logging devices (ELDs) is beginning to make an impact.

ANG ACQUIRES TWO CNG STATIONS

American Natural Gas (ANG), a distributor of alternative motor fuels, announced that it has acquired two public compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling stations from an affiliate of Southwestern Energy Company in Conway and Damascus, AR. Service at both stations will continue uninterrupted as ownership and operations responsibilities shift to ANG, according to the company.

MONTROSE ANNOUNCING A NEW POWER TILT TECHNOLOGY FOR TRAILERS

Montrose Trailers announced a new product line featuring "Low Profile Power Tilt" technology for its high performance custom-built enclosed aluminum trailers.

TRUCK PARKING LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE

Trucking and travel plaza leaders announced a new highway safety initiative to help professional drivers find available truck parking.

Beginning in late summer, truck drivers who need to stop and rest will be able to use a free mobile app called Park My Truck to locate an available space, according to the initiative’s leaders, the NATSO Foundation, NATSO, Inc., the American Trucking Assns. and the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI).

OOIDA CALL TO ACTION: OPPOSE SPEED LIMITER MANDATE

Yesterday, Georgia Senator Johnny Isakson tacked an amendment onto a routine spending bill that would require the Department of Transportation to issue a rule mandating all commercial trucks to be mechanically speed limited within six months of the bill's final passage. As OOIDA has previously reported, a proposed speed limiter rule has been stuck within the Administration potentially because the numbers surrounding speed limiters simply aren’t adding up. There is no sound science indicating they make highways any safer. Additionally, there is reason to believe the costs of the potential rule far outweigh any benefits.

STATES STRUGGLE WITH SOLUTIONS TO SOLVE ROAD REVENUE CRUNCH

States around the country continue to struggle with reaching resolutions to raise revenue for transportation work while one state is doing away with a small portion of regular income.

Reasons cited for the stateside tax push include changing driving habits, more fuel-efficient vehicles, increasing construction costs, and fewer dollars available from the federal government.

BREAKING NEWS: OOIDA OPPOSES SENATOR'S PUSH TO MANDATE SPEED LIMITERS

In spite of obvious concerns over a speed limiter mandate with a virtually unprecedented yearlong review at the White House, one Senator is pushing to make the devices mandatory on all trucks, sooner rather than later.

FMCSA RESPONDS TO INQUIRY INTO VETERANS PROVISION

In response to a congressman’s inquiry, the acting administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration said the agency is working to implement a statute that will make it more convenient for military veterans to receive medical certification for the operation of commercial motor vehicles.

TRUCKING INDUSTRY STAKEHOLDERS URGE SENATE TO REJECT SIZE/WEIGHT AMENDMENTS

A dozen trucking industry stakeholders, including the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, have signed a letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations expressing their opposition to any amendments increasing truck size or weight.

WHO ARE THE LEAST POPULAR DRIVERS IN AMERICA?

You’re on the highway and see a car ahead of you driving like an idiot. As you roll up next to the car, you notice the driver is texting on a cellphone. If you think “That guy/gal is the worst,” you’re not alone.

TRUCKING FACES CAPACITY CRISIS, SHIFTING DISTRIBUTION PATTERNS, ANALYST SAYS

A regulation-driven capacity crisis will slam trucking sometime in mid-2017 to as late as 2018, John Larkin, managing director, Stifel Financial Corporation, told fleet executives at the CCJ Spring Symposium this week. Consequently, “shippers may think this is their last chance to push prices down before they get hit with all of the regulations that will hit capacity” and drive rates up, he said.

SENATE CLEARS BILL THAT COULD INITIATE HOURS OF SERVICE REFORM

The U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passed a transportation funding bill Thursday, May 19, that could change hours of service rules for truck operators, should the House also pass the bill and the president sign it.

The bill’s hours of service-related provisions would tie the future of hours of service rules to the outcome of a pending Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration study in the works since early 2015.

COMMENT PERIOD FOR FMCSA’S PROPOSED REFORMS TO CARRIER SAFETY FITNESS RATINGS ENDS MONDAY, MAY 23

The comment for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Safety Fitness Determination proposed rule comes to a close Monday, May 23.

Comments can be made by searching Docket No. FMCSA-2015-0001 at www.regulations.gov, or click here to access the comment page directly.

FLEET TCO INDEX: 14% DROP IN 2015 VEHICLE COSTS

Lower costs driven by lower fuel prices
Element Financial Corporation debuted its first Element Fleet Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Index, a proprietary annual look at major cost categories affecting vehicle fleets, bringing greater clarity to company vehicle expense for businesses.

AZUGA NAMES TOP DRIVER AND FLEET MANAGER, GETS SOME AWARDS OF ITS OWN

Connected vehicle and telematics technology company Azuga recently named its top driver and fleet manager for last year and was recognized itself for its expanded fleet management offering.

SENATE PASSES BILL THAT WOULD PROMPT HOS REFORMS

The Senate overwhelmingly passed a transportation funding bill Thursday, May 19, that could change hours of service rules for truck operators, should the House also pass the bill and the president sign it.

The bill’s hours of service-related provisions would tie the future of hours of service rules to the outcome of a pending Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration study in the works since early 2015.

ATRI ANNOUNCES NEW APP TO HELP TRUCKERS FIND PARKING

The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) announced its involvement in a new trucking industry initiative to help professional drivers find available truck parking.

OKC BRIDGE STRUCK BY TRUCK COLLAPSES

Oklahoma City Police say a flatbed truck Thursday afternoon, May 19, struck the May Avenue bridge, which collapsed onto the Northwest Expressway. The driver was not injured in the crash.

WHEELTIME, FORSYTH TECH TO DEVELOP DIESEL MAINTENANCE PROGRAM

Now in its second year, WheelTime Network hosted its ‘Road to SuperTech’ competition in conjunction with Forsyth Technical Community College in Winston-Salem, NC.

DRIVER PLACED OUT OF SERVICE FOR NUMEROUS VIOLATIONS

A Kentucky-based truck driver has been placed out of service by federal authorities for numerous violations.

The U.S. Department of Transportation ‘s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration declared William R. Eichhorn to be an imminent hazard to public safety and has ordered him not to operate any commercial motor vehicle in interstate commerce. Eichhorn was served the federal order on May 13.

POLICYMAKERS GET A LOOK AT THE LATEST TRUCK SAFETY EQUIPMENT

Some less-than-ideal weather couldn't take the shine off of the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) ride and drive demonstration event at RFK Stadium in Washington this week, held to showcase the development and deployment of a host of vehicle safety systems, especially truck-focused safety technologies such as automatic emergency braking (AEB).

TRUCKERS ARE THE TRUE ‘SAFETY ADVOCATES,' ATA LEADER SAYS

LITTLE ROCK. Trucking needs to emphasize its contributions to highway safety and let federal policymakers know that the industry sees proactive investment in safety programs as good business, American Truck Assns. Chairman Pat Thomas told the annual meeting of the Arkansas Trucking Assn. here Wednesday.

NAVISTAR'S REMOTE DIAGNOSTICS SUBSCRIBERS REACH 200,000

LISLE, IL — Navistar has announced that subscriptions to its OnCommand Connection (OCC), the company's open architecture remote diagnostics system introduced in 2013, have surpassed the 200,000 vehicle mark.

PARK MY TRUCK APP HELPS FIND SPACES IN A CROWDED WORLD

WASHINGTON, DC — Nowhere to park that rig? No problem. Beginning late summer, truck drivers who need to stop, park and rest will be able to use a free mobile app called Park My Truck to find available parking spaces with the touch of a button.

OTA CALLS NEW DRIVER TRAINING DRAFT 'EXTENSIVE', 'RELEVANT'

TORONTO, ON — The Ontario Trucking Association (OTA) says the province’s draft proposal to require 103.5 minimum hours of instruction before a road test — with 58 hours of “hands on the wheel” one-on-one driver training — establishes a new bar for learning that rises above the current climate of single-day assembly line style learning.

APP TO LOCATE PARKING SPACES IN WORKS

Truck drivers having problems finding a place to park — so that would mean most of you — may get some relief in a few months.
The Truck Parking Leadership Initiative — a group of trucking industry organizations — is preparing an app that drivers can use to locate available truck parking space. Park My Truck will allow any parking provider – whether public or private – to report their parking availability. That information will be posted on the Internet and access with a free app on drivers’ smartphones.

RESTART FIX, TRUCKER PAY, SAFETY RATINGS ADDRESSED IN HOUSE BILL

A House Appropriations subcommittee on Wednesday easily approved a bill to fund the Dept. of Transportation for the coming year, but once again the annual appropriations package contains a handful of trucking provisions that are likely to prompt lively debate as the legislation moves forward.

SURVEY FINDS TRUCK RENTAL CLIENTS WANT BETTER CUSTOMER SERVICE

Record360, an industry-leading provider of asset condition software, has released the results of its first-ever truck rental customer survey. The survey findings point to an increasing need for truck rental companies to improve customer service and enhance vehicle condition reporting to protect customers against inaccurate damage and overuse claims.

SENATE COULD RESTORE 34-HOUR RESTART RULES FROM 2013

An amendment set to come to the Senate floor yet this week would, if made law, bring back regulations requiring truckers’ 34-hour restart to include two 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. periods and limit the restart’s use to once a week.

TRUCKING INDUSTRY ANALYSTS SEE NEW TRAILER ORDERS UP 15% IN APRIL

At 15,800 units, trucking industry analysts at FTR said U.S. trailer net orders for April met expectations, with activity up 15 percent month over month, but down 12 percent year over year. The industry forecaster said its data registers last month as the weakest April since 2010. Orders have totaled 289,000 units for the last 12 months, and backlogs are now down 7 percent year over year.

NEW REPORT FROM FTR GIVES TRUCK DEALERS ACTIONABLE MARKET INFO

FTR has launched the Truck Dealers Market Report, a monthly eight-page report that includes current information, statistics and analysis covering medium- and heavy-duty market trends that directly impact truck dealers.

221 CARGO THEFT INCIDENTS REPORTED IN FIRST QUARTER

The number of cargo thefts in the United States in 2016’s first quarter was up 8 percent, but the average value of the thefts was down 56 percent when compared to the first quarter in 2015, according to FreightWatch International’s quarterly report, released this week.

ARGON GAS SUPPLIER PLEADS GUILTY TO DOT HAZMAT VIOLATIONS

Three fatalities occurred due to asphyxiation, company agrees to $7M penalty
The Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) reported a distributor of packaged/cylinder gas based out of Florida pleaded guilty on May 5 to 14 criminal counts for offering in transportation several shipments of argon gas that failed to meet the provisions of the Federal Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) and Department of Transportation (DOT) Special Permit 11186.

OOIDA MEMBER AT APNEA SESSION: 'NO ONE MONITORS HOW MUCH I WEAR MY GLASSES'

There is no proof that sleep apnea increases the risk of crashes, and a rule requiring testing would be an unnecessary burden to truck drivers, a representative of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association said during a public listening session on Tuesday, May 17, in Chicago.

FREIGHTWATCH SAYS CARGO THEFT INCIDENTS ON THE RISE BUT LOSS VALUES DIPPING

      Reported incidents of cargo theft were up, but the average loss value of stolen merchandise fell dramatically compared to the same time frame in 2015, according to the latest report from FreightWatch International.

ENGINEERS BEHIND GOOGLE’S SELF-DRIVING CAR FORM STARTUP TO GET AUTONOMOUS TRUCKS ON US HIGHWAYS

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — A US startup called Otto believes that self-driving trucks are the next big thing in technology, a report in the Toronto Star discovered.

The company, consisting of former employees of Google, Apple, Tesla, and more began with the goal of turning regular commercial trucks into autonomous freight haulers.

NEW APP TO HELP TRUCK DRIVERS FIND PARKING SPOTS

ARLINGTON, Va. – The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) announced today that is participating in a new trucking industry initiative to help commercial drivers find available truck parking.

Beginning later this summer, truck drivers who need to stop and park his/her rig can use a mobile app called Park My Truck to find available parking spaces. The app is being developed by the Truck Parking Leadership Initiative, of which ATRI is a key member along with the NATSO Foundation, and the American Trucking Associations (ATA).

COMPANY DRIVER TURNED MILLIONAIRE TO BECOME O/O

Walmart Transportation just lost a driver … one who just became a multi-millionaire.

At a news conference Monday, May 16, the North Carolina Education Lottery announced that David Harris of Rocky Mount, N.C. was coming home from work one day last month when he stopped for a coffee and a $30 scratch-off lottery ticket.