Linda Garner-Bunch

WASHINGTON — The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) went into effect at 12 a.m. today (Wednesday, July 1), replacing the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). In a June 30 statement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said the new agreement will facilitate more efficient trade, stronger enforcement and more economic opportunities for North America. The USMCA includes updated rules regarding origin, customs administration and trade-facilitation provisions, intellectual property rights protections and fair labor conditions. “The USMCA completely replaces NAFTA and marks the beginning of a new era of American prosperity,” said Mark Morgan, acting commissioner of CBP. “Thanks to President Trump’s leadership and his ability to secure the bipartisan support of Congress, the USMCA delivers a tremendous win for American businesses and consumers.” Brenda Smith, executive assistant commissioner of CBP Office of Trade, described the new trade rules as “the new global standard,” adding that USMCA will help CBP carry out its mission of trade facilitation and enforcement. “CBP will continue to work closely with the trade community, our U.S. government partners and our Mexican and Canadian counterparts to ensure a smooth transition from NAFTA and support the prosperity of the U.S. economy, American workers and public safety,” Smith said. In the months before the implementation of USMCA, CBP has worked to prepare the U.S., Canada and Mexico for the transition. In March, CBP launched the USMCA Center, an online resource that provides an overview of the agreement along with information about regulations and implementation, compliance guidance and more. Compliance guidance is available in a variety of mediums, including videos, webinars and fact sheets. The USMCA Center website also offers “smart” search engine chatbot to will help users find answers to common questions. CBP’s Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee (COAC) launched two working groups to hear concerns and recommendations from the private sector on USMCA implementation and the specific new criteria for the automotive rules of origin. USMCA has drawn support from organizations representing the trucking industry. Jim Hoffa, general president of the Teamsters union, praised the agreement, saying he believes USMCA will ensure safer roadways and increased labor rights for workers. “For the first time today, Teamster truckers will have protections on the job that they haven’t had in at least a quarter century thanks to the enactment of this new trade pact,” Hoffa said. “From the get-go, securing an overdue fix to the cross-border trucking provision that threatened highway safety and the competitiveness of the American trucking industry was essential for this union,” he continued. “The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) had made roadways less safe due to allowing older, Mexican-domiciled trucks on them.” Todd Spencer, president of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) also applauded the implementation of USMCA. “The USMCA creates a thorough review process to identify and remove Mexico-based carriers and operators that pose material economic harm to American truckers. This means greater scrutiny of entities in cross-border trucking and enforcement of labor provisions,” Spencer said. “This will hopefully prevent or reduce Mexico-domiciled carriers that are exploiting our laws from operating on U.S. highways, which has significantly lowered wages for American drivers across numerous segments of trucking.” USMCA establishes a federal review process that would restrict unsafe carriers from operating beyond the Border Commercial zones. In addition, the agreement requires the inspector general of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) to review actions taken by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation to ensure that each Mexico-domiciled motor carrier with operating authority complies with federal motor carrier safety laws and regulations. The USDOT is required to conduct a survey of all existing grants of operating authority to, and pending applications for operating authority from, all Mexico-domiciled motor property carriers for operating beyond the Border Commercial Zones, including OP-1 (MX) and OP-1 operating authority. Chris Spear, president and CEO of American Trucking Associations (ATA) described USMCA as “the first significant revision in our nation’s trading relationship in nearly three decades,” adding that he believes the agreement will foster growth in all three countries. USMCA is expected to increase annual U.S. exports to Canada and Mexico by a combined $33 billion above the current NAFTA baseline. The agreement is also expected to increase the U.S.’s gross domestic product by $68 billion, stimulating broad sectors of the economy that the trucking industry services such as agriculture and manufacturing, according to ATA. Information from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative describes USMCA as “a mutually beneficial win for North American workers, farmers, ranchers, and businesses,” noting that the agreement is designed to create balanced, reciprocal trade that will support American jobs and improve North American economy. To read the full agreement between the U.S., Canada and Mexico, which was signed Nov. 30, 2018, click here.

As state and local governments across the U.S. continue with phased reopening plans, the nation’s truck stops and travel centers are keeping pace to help ensure commercial drivers and other travelers have easy access to prepared food while they are on the road. TA and Petro TravelCenters of America continues to reopen full-service restaurants across the country at TA and Petro locations as shut-down orders ease across the nation. All restaurant reopenings will comply with regulations set by local and state authorities. For a state-by-state status update on restaurants at TA and Petro facilities, click here. In addition, all TA and Petro travel center quick- and full-service dining facilities are following these guidelines to help ensure the health and safety of customers and staff: Buffets, soup bars and salad bar offerings have been removed from full-service restaurants. Menus at full-service restaurants are either disposable or limited use, and there is a reduced selection of food items. Social-distancing guidelines are being followed. Customers are asked to keep a 6-foot distance as they wait in line to order or check out. Tables are marked with signs or physically separated to maintain proper distancing. While condiments, such as ketchup, mustard, salt and pepper, may not be on individual tables, single-use containers are available upon request. Restaurant capacity may be limited. Commonly touched surfaces, including tables, counters, seats, booths and door handles, are frequently cleaned. If state and local jurisdictions have guidelines that vary from the above, restaurants will comply with local policies. Pilot and Flying J Team members at Pilot and Flying J travel centers throughout the country are working to ensure commercial drivers have access to a variety of dining and food options. Dining operations are reopening in accordance with state and local regulations, taking all precautions to maintain cleanliness, health and safety. Some self-serve items are back, including hot grill (250 locations) and fresh soup (200 locations), as permitted at select locations across the country. To see a list of reopened dining facilities, click here. The following precautions are being taken at all TA and Petro travel centers: Frequent and deep cleaning processes remain in place, and best practices for sanitation and hygiene are reinforced. All team members are required to wear masks while working in our locations, and all owned and operated locations have protective shields installed at the points of sale. Masks and hand sanitizer are in stock for guests to purchase. Love’s Travel Centers Food-service options continue to expand at Love’s Travel Centers as local and state regulations allow. Some stores have returned to self-service at roller grills, beverage fountains and delis; other locations continue to offer these options but with service provided by Love’s team members. Some stores have also replaced microwaves for customer use. In mid-May, Love’s locations in 28 states began to reopen restaurant dining rooms with limited capacity; select restaurants offer 24/7 service. Each reopening is further subject to any local mandates that may impose additional restrictions on our service or offerings. For a full list of locations and available services, click here. Love’s customers should keep the following in mind: Team members continue to implement heightened cleaning protocols. Team members are practicing social distancing to help ensure the health and safety of both customers and employees. Love’s locations that do not offer dine-in services will continue to provide take-out and drive-thru options until restrictions are lifted and broader food service is permitted. Most restaurants have modified business hours to allow for temporary overnight closure. Unless otherwise stated, restaurant hours are 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time. At Love’s facilities that have three restaurants, only two will be open until further notice.

In response to the national emergency resulting from the global COVID-19 pandemic, on March 28 the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) issued a three-month waiver that relaxes some regulations for commercial learner’s permit (CLP) holders. The two-pronged waiver is designed to facilitate the flow of essential products and personnel during the national crisis declared by President Trump and will continue until June 30 or until the president revokes the declaration of national emergency related to COVID-19, whichever comes first. The waiver states that because of the closing of many state driver licensing agencies (SDLA) in accordance to guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “some SDLAs may be unable to process and issue a commercial driver’s license (CDL) credential to eligible CLP holders who have passed the driving-skills test.” Because of the national emergency and the need for timely transport of essential supplies, equipment and personnel, the waiver provides relief from two regulations: First, the requirement that a CDL holder with the proper CDL class and endorsements be seated in the front seat while a CLP holder operates a commercial vehicle on public roads or highways is lifted; however, the CDL holder must be present in the vehicle, the waiver states. Second, states may now administer driving-skills testing to any nonresident CDL applicant regardless of where the applicant received training. Normal restrictions limit nonresident testing to applicants who received training in that state. Click here to view the entire waiver. “FMCSA finds that the granting of this waiver is in the public interest, given CDL and CLP holders’ critical role in delivering necessary property and passengers, including, but not limited to, shipments of essential supplies and persons to respond to the COVID-19 outbreaks,” the waiver states. “This waiver is in the public interest because it would allow drivers covered under this waiver to deliver essential supplies and persons across state lines to address the national emergency. This waiver will also reduce the administrative burden on CLP holders during this national emergency.” FMCSA says the waiver should not impact highway safety, citing the “limited scope of this waiver and the ample precautions that remain in place.” The agency emphasizes that “this waiver does not alter any of the knowledge and skills testing requirements for a CDL, a CLP or a necessary endorsement.” Veteran OTR drivers and trainers expressed concern to The Trucker about the first prong of the waiver — allowing CLP holders to operate a commercial vehicle without a CDL holder in the passenger seat — but agree that ultimately the decision should be made on a case-by-case basis depending on the skill level of the trainee. “There’s a lot involved with driving a truck, like keeping your safe distance, making sure that the driver can make turns — that they get in the habit of swinging the truck wide — lane control and more. If at any time as a mentor, if I feel like the student is not ready to be up in the seat by himself, I will continue to stay up there,” said Orlando Roberts, a driver-trainer for Phoenix-based Swift Transportation. “I personally believe that giving the permit holders the ability to drive unsupervised is not necessarily a good thing,” said Jonathan Markum, a Tennessee-based OTR driver with more than 20 years of experience and two million safe miles with his current carrier. “I believe it actually could endanger lives, depending upon the individual’s skill level, and I have to specify, also depending upon the level of training they’re receiving from their trainer.” Markum added that he believes the purpose of the waiver is to help drivers move freight faster by allowing students and trainers to operate like a team, allowing each other to rest while staying on the road. “It takes quite a bit of practice to sleep when the truck’s going down the road, hitting all the potholes and sways of the road, the wind, the noise, all the rest,” he said. “I don’t think [the students] will get proper sleep because it takes time to break into that rhythm; you can’t just start out and drive like a team operation overnight.” Roberts and Markum agree that allowing states to issue CDLs to nonresident CLP holders, regardless of where they obtained their training, could be a good way to expedite licensing and keep drivers on the road. “Because we do have an emergency situation right now with the coronavirus, it is going to help the industry move freight a lot faster, because of the simple fact that these people don’t have to go back to another state to get their license,” Roberts said. Markum said he believes that, regardless of what state issues a CDL license, the most important thing is to make sure that drivers are adequately trained before receiving their license. “First off, it’s the call of the company: Have they trained the trainer correctly? Second, it’s the call of the trainer,” Markum said. “And third, these new drivers should be truthful enough to say, ‘I’m ready’ or ‘I’m not ready.’”  

Almost anyone who grew up in the U.S. in the 1960s or later will remember watching television series and cartoons that showed visions of life in the future. High-tech cars were often part of the storyline, such as The Jetsons’ flying car or KITT, the AI-driven Pontiac Trans Am that assisted hero Michael Knight in his fight against injustice in “Knight Rider.” But all that took place in the future, or in some alternate universe, right? Not necessarily. Progress in artificial intelligence exploded in the last decade, and AI “assistants” such as Amazon’s Alexa, Apple Inc.’s Siri and Google Assistant are now commonplace in homes around the world. Online retailers such as Amazon are planning to use automated drones to deliver packages to homes and businesses sometime this year, and larger automated drones that can carry passengers are also in development. Self-driving cars have been traversing the roadways for several years, including the Google car, which shoots visual images for the Google Maps app, and for-hire transport vehicles from companies such as Lyft and Uber. While there have been some accidents, a few resulting in fatalities, the technology continues to advance, with added safety features and enhanced sensors. Autonomous vehicles are classified from Level 0 to 5. Level 0 vehicles require constant supervision by a licensed driver but offer cruise control as well as lane-departure and proximity alerts, and driver interaction slowly decreases until Level 5, when the vehicle’s AI system is responsible for all driving maneuvers. Several manufacturers have partnered with AI specialists to bring this technology to the trucking industry, and self-driving tractor-trailers are being tested around the U.S., as well as in other nations. In 2016, Budweiser safely delivered more than 50,000 cans of beer along a 120-mile stretch of highway in Colorado via an automated truck developed by Otto Motors. That’s not to say there was no driver in the truck; however, the driver exited the driver’s seat once the truck, which was escorted by four Colorado state troopers and three Otto vehicles, entered the highway. In December 2019, an autonomous Level-4 semi, using technology developed by Plus.ai, made a 2,800-mile trip to deliver a shipment of Land O Lakes Butter from California to Pennsylvania. As in the case of the beer-delivering Otto truck, the truck had a human driver on board during the three-day trip; however, much of the journey was made in autonomous mode, according to Plus.ai. Self-driving rigs are making their way into heavy-duty trucking as well, with Class 7 and Class 8 trucks at various levels of testing. In January, trucking-manufacturing giant Kenworth quietly debuted its first Level-4 autonomous rig, a conventional T680 tractor outfitted with AI technology, in the PACCAR booth at CES in Las Vegas. “Kenworth and the PACCAR Innovation Center in Silicon Valley are working closely together to explore and develop the latest advanced driver-assistance systems and other new technologies that offer safety and efficiency benefits for truck fleets and drivers,” said Patrick Dean, Kenworth chief engineer. “The Level-4 Autonomous Kenworth T680 is a perfect platform to study this technology in real-world applications. Waymo, the self-driving car company that developed the Google car, started testing self-driving Class-8 trucks last year, first making freight runs to Google’s Atlanta data center and then testing the vehicles on highways in California, Michigan and Washington state. Last month, the company expanded its testing into New Mexico, as well as into heavily populated metropolitan areas of Texas such as Houston, Dallas and El Paso. Germany’s Daimler is also a contender in the arena, partnering with Torc Robotics to enhance its trucks with “Asimov” self-driving technology, which has been tested on public roads – so far with zero accidents. The company plans to expand its road testing in the U.S. “To keep our promise to always deliver the safest and most reliable products to our customers, we have to explore and deploy new technologies,” said Roger Nielsen, Daimler Trucks North America president and CEO. “Achieving our safety targets with highly automated driving systems requires extensive testing and building trust in the capabilities and benefits of these technologies.” Completely unmanned trucks could soon be a mingling with conventional vehicles on the nation’s highways. Last June, Starsky Robotics, an autonomous-trucking startup that recently made the news because of its loss of funding, became the first company to put a completely unmanned truck on the highway. The Volvo tractor, towing an empty trailer, was remotely guided nearly 10 miles along a closed portion of a Florida expressway at 55 mph, navigating merge lanes, a rest area and lane changes without incident. Real-time cameras mounted to the truck conveyed information to the remote driver, located in Jacksonville, Florida, who guided the truck using a video-game-style steering wheel. At the FTR Transportation Conference in Indianapolis last fall, Paul Schlegal, then senior vice president for Starsky Robotics, said he foresaw the role of truck drivers shifting, performing much of their work from remote monitoring locations. “Eventually, our vision is that the job of the truck driver is they go into an office that would be much like an air traffic control center,” he said, adding that a physical driver would still be needed to move autonomous trucks from pick-up points to the highway, where the remote driver would take the wheel. What does all this mean for the future of trucking? Time will tell.

“Yeah, a lot of people have asked me, over and over through the years, ‘Just why do ya drive that old truck? Why ya love shifting those gears?’” These lyrics from “That’s Why I Drive,” penned and performed by singer/songwriter Joey Holiday could well be applied to Holiday’s own career as he celebrates 25 years on the road, entertaining truckers across the nation. The song continues: “Ya see, I drive for my family, my wife and my kids. And I drive for my momma and my daddy, who taught me the life I now live. I drive for the truckers, all who have died. Yeah, that’s why I drive.” Instead of brightly lit concert stages, Holiday’s favorite venues are truck-stop parking lots along the open road, or at trucking expos and other industry events, where he and Vicky, his wife of nearly 30 years, delight in sharing their unique brand of music and comedy. The two, who operate Truck It Records in Nashville, travel the country in a tricked-out Peterbilt tractor (donated by Gully Transportation) that many say resembles the Transformer character Optimus Prime, hauling a trailer (donated by Manac Trailers) that holds their equipment and features a custom fold-out stage. While both have a CDL, Joey said Vicky does the lion’s share of the driving while on tour. “My claim to fame is that I have over 1 million sleeper miles,” he said with a laugh. During a typical show, Joey entertains the audience with songs, while Vicky engages attendees with game-show-style competitions and prize giveaways. All the while, the pair banters back and forth, bringing laughter to young and old alike. “It’s great how God has blessed me,” said Joey, who has written/co-written and recorded about 450 songs and produced a total of 40 albums. “I prayed for Vicky. (When we met) I was living on $50 a week, on a couch,” he said. “I said, ‘Please Lord, let me find the woman of my dreams, who’s going to love me for the rest of my life.’ I knew the moment I met her that she was the one.” The road hasn’t always been easy for the couple. After arriving in Nashville in 1992, Joey got a songwriting job and began to record music and perform in honky-tonks and nightclubs, including the Turf on Broadway, where he played from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. “Guess who had the 5-9 shift right before us? Kenny Chesney,” said Vicky. “All the big guys were down there trying to get a break. Kenny even sang backup on a couple of songs in the studio for us on our very first album.” Joey soon caught the attention of a scout for MTM Records, part of Mary Tyler Moore’s media empire, and the agency started scheduling his band in hotels and casinos, sometimes for four to six weeks at a time. It was steady money, but the casinos spelled temptation for Joey. One fateful evening, after receiving about $6k to distribute between himself and the band, Joey went out on the town, trying his hand at the gaming tables and drinking steadily. At the end of the night, he had lost it all. His band left, and Joey was at rock bottom. “I was so ashamed of myself,” he said, his voice cracking with remembered grief. “I got down on my knees at the end of the bed and I prayed. It was the most fervent prayer I’ve ever prayed in my life. I said, ‘God, I don’t want to do this. … Lord, let me write a hit song, let me produce a hit act — let me do something in the music business — but please, take me away from these bars and casinos.’” Emotionally and physically exhausted, Joey finally fell asleep. And he dreamed. “In the dream, a voice — I didn’t see anything; it was just a voice — said, ‘Do music for truckers,’” he said. “And I argued with this voice in the dream. I said, ‘I wanna be like Elvis Presley; I wanna be a star!’ And the voice said, ‘Do music for truckers.’ And I said, ‘I don’t wanna.’ And the third time, the very last time, the voice said ‘DO. MUSIC. FOR. TRUCKERS!’” This time, Joey said, the voice was so loud that it woke him from a deep sleep. “And I said OK,” he said. After fulfilling his contract with MTM Records, he set out to fulfill his new mission. Both his father and an uncle had been truck drivers, and Joey had a deep appreciation for those in the profession; and he was familiar with trucking songs. Joey had long been a fan of country greats such as Hank Williams Sr. and Hank Williams Jr., as well as rock ‘n’ roll icons like The Beatles, Paul Rogers of Bad Company, and Jimmy Paige of Led Zeppelin. These influences are evident in his many songs, which range in style from country to rock ‘n’ roll, blues, gospel and more. During his transition from casinos and bars to his newfound mission, money was tight, and it seemed the couple’s faith and determination were tested at every turn, from broken promises to missed connections. Finally, after a year, there was a light at the end of the proverbial tunnel. Desperate to find a way to get his songs on the air, Joey placed a couple of phone calls to the Interstate Radio Network in Chicago. One of those calls was answered by John Schaller, who was the station’s general manager at the time. “I said, ‘Sir, you don’t know who I am, but my name’s Joey Holiday and I’ve written this trucking album. It’s got rock ‘n’ roll, country, comedy and gospel, all on one album, for truckers,’” said Joey. “And he said, ‘What are you talking about?’ He was flabbergasted. No one had done this before.” Schaller was intrigued, and said he was planning to attend a conference at Opryland and would like to visit. Joey and Vicky were able to sit down with Schaller and his wife, Carole, and after hearing Joey’s music, Schaller invited him to tour with the Interstate Radio Network. The first day of the tour, at the Mid America Trucking Show in Louisville, Kentucky, was a disaster. “It snowed. They made us go inside and put our music on a Walkman and have people listen to it. We only sold two tapes that day, and Joey was devastated,” Vicky said. “The second day, Joey put on all his long johns and a ski mask, and he sang anyway, on a stage made of four milk crates, plywood and an apron skirt that my mother made. We packed the truck that day, and there was a line across the parking lot.” Since that day 25 years ago, the couple has become a fixture at events around the country, and Joey’s love for trucking music has grown by leaps and bounds. He has produced 30 CDs in 25 years, including several compilation albums. “I didn’t want to be a flash in the pan,” said Joey. “This was a life change for me, going from singing in bars and casinos to performing during the daytime in truck-stop parking lots. I have given my life and my music to the truck drivers, but I’m not out here on my own. God sent me here.” The couple’s plans for the next quarter century? To keep doing more of the same. “I’ve still got things I want to sing about and talk about and debate about,” said Joey. “I’ve gotten to do everything I prayed for that night — to perform, to record, to help others — and all just because I asked God to take me out of the bars and casinos,” he continued. The duo’s 2020 tour is expected to kick off in April. Joey’s music can be downloaded on iTunes and is available on various streaming services. For information about Joey and his music, visit www.truckitrecords.com.