The Trucker News Staff

WASHINGTON — The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) has announced Aug. 21-27 as the dates for this year’s Brake Safety Week. Brake Safety Week is an annual commercial motor vehicle brake-safety inspection, enforcement and education initiative conducted by law enforcement jurisdictions in Canada, Mexico and the U.S. During Brake Safety Week, inspectors will conduct their usual North American Standard Level I and V Inspections and capture and report brake-related data to CVSA. The results will be released in the fall. Commercial motor vehicle inspectors in Canada, Mexico and the U.S. inspected 35,764 commercial motor vehicles during last year’s event. In Canada, 1,903 commercial motor vehicles were inspected last year. The brake-related out-of-service rate was 15.4%. The out-of-service rate related to brakes in the U.S. was 13.5% out of the 28,694 commercial motor vehicles inspected. And in Mexico, 5,167 inspections were conducted with a brake-specific out-of-service rate of 2.6%. Combined, for a North American total, 35,764 commercial motor vehicles were inspected last year. Twelve percent of those vehicles were restricted from travel because inspectors found brake-related critical vehicle inspection item conditions and placed those vehicles out of service, using CVSA’s North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria. That also means that 88% of the commercial motor vehicles inspected throughout North America during Brake Safety Week did not have brake-related critical vehicle inspection item violations. Brake-related violations comprise the largest percentage of all out-of-service vehicle violations cited during roadside inspections, according to the CVSA. According to last year’s three-day International Roadcheck data, brake systems and brake adjustment violations accounted for 38.9% of all vehicle out-of-service violations, the most of any category of vehicle violations. To address this, CVSA’s Brake Safety Week seeks to: Identify and remove commercial motor vehicles with critical vehicle inspection violation items identified in the North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria from roadways; Conduct inspections and identify and acknowledge commercial motor vehicles that do not have critical vehicle inspection violations by affixing those vehicles with a CVSA decal; Encourage proactive vehicle maintenance in advance of the week; Highlight the hard work and commitment to safety by inspectors, drivers and motor carriers; Remind drivers and motor carriers about the importance of proper brake maintenance and vehicle pre-trip and post-trip inspections; and Provide an opportunity for outreach and educational brake-safety efforts by inspectors. “During the brake portion of a vehicle inspection, inspectors will look for missing, non-functioning, loose, contaminated or cracked parts on the brake system, and non-manufactured holes (such as rust holes and holes created by rubbing or friction) and broken springs in the spring brake housing section of the parking brake,” a CVSA news release stated. “They will listen for audible air leaks around brake components and lines, and ensure the air system maintains air pressure between 90-100 psi (620-690 kPa). Inspectors will also check for S-cam flip-over and measure pushrod travel. They will check that slack adjusters are the same length (from center of S-cam to center of clevis pin) and the air chambers on each axle are the same size. They will also inspect required brake-system warning devices, such as ABS malfunction lamp(s) and low air-pressure warning devices. In addition, inspectors will ensure the breakaway system is operable on the trailer, and inspect the tractor protection system, including the bleed-back system on the trailer.” In addition to reporting total inspections and brake-related out-of-service violations, inspectors will also capture and provide data on brake hose/tubing chafing violations – the focus area for this year’s Brake Safety Week. “Poorly maintained brake systems can reduce the braking capacity and stopping distance of large trucks and motorcoaches, which poses a serious risk to driver and public safety,” said CVSA President Captain John Broers with the South Dakota Highway Patrol. “In those split-second emergency situations, the proper functionality of the brake systems on large commercial motor vehicles is crucial.”  

WASHINGTON – Many in the trucking industry are lauding a new bill that would, if passed, require the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to standardize the enrollment and renewal system for individuals applying for or renewing multiple TSA Security Threat Assessment programs, including the Transportation Worker Identification Credential, Hazardous Materials Endorsement and TSA PreCheck programs. The Transportation Security Administration Security Threat Assessment Application Modernization Act, introduced by Sen Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., would enable drivers to use a single valid background check from TSA when applying for the above credentials. “This commonsense legislation will ease the burden on many hardworking men and women and allow them to focus on navigating the nation’s highways instead of government bureaucracies,” American Trucking Associations (ATA) President and CEO Chris Spear said. “Duplicative fees and redundant background checks are placing unnecessary costs – both financial and time – on truckers at a time when our economy is short more than 80,000 drivers. We thank Senators Wicker and Fischer for their leadership and urge the Senate to pass this much-needed legislation.” In a letter to the Senate, ATA Senior Vice President Edwin Gilroy called the bill “a tangible step toward a more resilient workforce and American economy.” “This legislation will result in significant financial and time savings for truck drivers. It also makes well-paying careers in the trucking industry more accessible for qualified drivers who are otherwise deterred by financial and/or logistical barriers to entry,” Gilroy wrote. Mississippi Trucking Association President Hal Miller said the legislation “would meaningfully ease the burden of duplicative and redundant background checks on many thousands of hard-working, patriotic Americans — allowing them to focus on delivering goods and moving our economy forward. I want to commend senators Wicker and Fischer for their commitment to the trucking industry and to improving the lives of truck drivers,” In Nebraska, the Nebraska Trucking Association President Kent Grisham, said: “We are very grateful that senators Fischer and Wicker have listened to pleas for help raised by the trucking industry. Across Nebraska and the nation, truckers are working every available hour to address the crisis in America’s supply chain. But we are often handicapped by red tape, particularly when it comes to obtaining the proper clearances from the TSA. By sponsoring this Act, the Senators are taking a critical step toward removing that handicap, allowing us to get vetted drivers in the trucks sooner, and getting much need freight moving safely and efficiently.”

LAS VEGAS — The Moving Authority Association (MAA) says new regulations that are soon to go into effect for the interstate moving industry stand to have negative impacts on trucking companies. The changes go into effect on June 27. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is implementing the new rules at the behest of Congress. The rules include: Allowing for virtual surveys of household goods; Requiring motor carriers to conduct surveys beyond a 50-mile radius; Removing the requirement for an order for service; Updating the requirements in the bill of lading; Requiring the bill of lading to be provided earlier in the moving process; replacing the requirement for a freight bill with an invoice; and Requiring all motor carriers that have a website to display prominently a link to either Ready to Move? on the FMCSA website or to a true and accurate copy of Ready to Move? on their own websites. These policy changes, however, stand to harm the industry, according to the MAA. MAA officials laid out a laundry list of problems they see with the new regulations, including: increased likelihood of audits and suspensions; new fines and suspensions for tariff-related infractions; stricter fines and penalties for companies or individuals supplying blank or unfilled moving documents; a more streamlined consumer complaint system; regulation revisions to the mandatory rights and responsibilities document; and increased license suspensions for hostage load violations. “In fact, a consumer shipment hostage situation can now lead to a suspension of between 12 and 36 months,” an MAA news release stated. “The apparent goal of the FMCSA’s policy changes is to fine non-compliant carriers out of existence,” according to the news release. “This should come as no surprise to moving industry professionals. They witnessed an increase of almost 8,300 complaints directed at carriers from 2020 to 2021. That increase led to a new record of more consumer complaints than were ever previously recorded by the government. The complaints took place amid the devastating 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, which was when millions of US citizens were depending on the assistance of moving companies.” Each of the estimated 8,300 complaints was added to the FMCSA’s consumer complaint database. The FMCSA reported that fines increased 62 percent during carrier investigations from 2020 to 2021. “There is strong speculation that the combination of increased fines and penalties led to the FMCSA adjusting its current policies,” the MAA opined in its news release. Rachel Weiss, the operations manager at Moving Authority, stated that “the whole team has been working overtime to keep all carriers compliant.” Weiss also commented that her organization has updated all contracts and tariffs so that carriers can be compliant with the policy changes. FMCSA officials said the changes “will result in benefits related to consumer protection and potentially motor carrier fuel savings.” “The final rule will result in shippers receiving accurate and clear information earlier in the process, enabling them to make more informed and better decisions regarding which household goods motor carrier to hire,” according to the FMCSA. “Additionally, the final rule will aid in obtaining more accurate estimates of moving fees based on physical surveys for those interstate moves that are beyond 50 miles from a motor carrier agent’s location.”  

WASHINGTON — The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), working with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, has updated, improved and re-released its emergency declarations website. In addition to the up-to-date content previously available on the site, the emergency declarations website now also provides: Information on changes to allowable weights through a standard set of pertinent information, which includes contact information for each state’s overweight permitting office; An interactive map of declarations throughout Canada, Mexico and the U.S.; The ability to subscribe to notices of new declarations; Information on the issuer of the relief, the type of relief granted, and emergency declarations’ beginning and end dates; Comprehensive exemption details, including all relevant information for vehicle permits for size, overweight restrictions on interstates, waivers for overweight restrictions on state roads, and marking and lighting relief; and Contact information for the jurisdiction’s issuer. Previously, the emergency declarations website focused just on emergency relief of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations § 390-399 provided to motor carriers through the states or the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. CVSA has expanded the site’s offerings and capabilities and improved the user experience, according to a news release. “During an emergency, moving relief supplies efficiently to an affected area may require shippers to route through multiple jurisdictions,” the news release stated. “To facilitate speedy delivery of such supplies, jurisdictions may use emergency declarations to temporarily alter certain requirements for shippers and motor carriers. There may be multiple sources of information about waivers, amendments, extensions, exemptions, executive orders, etc., as well as changes to allowable vehicle weights issued during emergencies, which results in confusion among drivers, shippers, motor carriers and state departments of transportation. The emergency declarations website aims to eliminate that confusion by offering one easy-to-access, up-to-date public online repository that the commercial motor vehicle enforcement community and the motor carrier industry may reference at any time.” CVSA Executive Director Collin Mooney said that “providing necessary regulatory relief during emergencies is crucial to preventing loss of life and preserving critical transportation infrastructure. CVSA’s emergency declarations website is a reliable online source for emergency information, resulting in improved movement of critical relief supplies during national, regional and local emergencies.” CVSA will be offering a webinar on Friday, June 24, about the enhanced CVSA emergency declarations website and its new features. Drivers are urged to check out the CVSA emergency declarations website and bookmark it for quick and easy access to the site whenever you need it. The CVSA notes that “if the president should provide a major disaster declaration for any state, that state and any others may choose to issue special permits for trucks carrying divisible loads of emergency relief supplies in excess of federal weight limits to (or hauling debris from) the affected area on the interstate highway system up to the end of the 120-day period of availability of that declaration.” Permits are eligible for travel to and through a state for which a current declaration is active from any other state.  View presidential declarations  

MIAMI — Hurricane season officially starts this week, and with it comes challenges for the trucking industry with each new storm. According to DAT Freight and Analytics, “as always, expect the unexpected and be prepared to be surprised. As we’ve always said, stay tuned to the Weather Channel as supply and demand follow a predictable pattern before and after hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean.” Before hurricanes and or storms make landfall, inbound demand spikes as supplies are positioned in advance, capacity evaporates as carriers seek safer ground, and outbound demand surges as shippers look to move freight out of harm’s way. The reverse happens post-landfall. “We expect FEMA to be well-prepared this season and will continue to stage emergency equipment and supplies at sites including Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama, ideally located to ship emergency relief within hours of landfall,” according to DAT. In the week ending Aug. 21 last year, inbound flatbed and dry van load post volumes into the Montgomery freight market were almost five times higher before Hurricane Ida made landfall. There’s no reason to think this season will be any different. The Atlantic hurricane forecast calls for another above-average hurricane season in 2022, according to Forecasters at NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center.  NOAA’s outlook for the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season predicts a 65% chance of an above-normal season, a 25% chance of a near-normal season, and a 10% chance of a below-normal season. NOAA is forecasting a likely range of 14 to 21 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher), of which 6 to 10 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including 3 to 6 major hurricanes (category 3, 4 or 5; with winds of 111 mph or higher). NOAA provides these ranges with 70% confidence. For comparison, an average hurricane season in the Atlantic features 14 named storms, seven hurricanes, and three major hurricanes, making the forecast of up to 21 named storms approximately 50% higher than the 1991–2020 average. This hurricane season’s increased activity is attributed to several climate factors, including the ongoing La Niña that is likely to persist throughout the hurricane season, warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, weaker tropical Atlantic trade winds, and an enhanced west African monsoon. An enhanced west African monsoon often correlates with many of the strongest and longest-lived hurricanes during most seasons. In the Central Pacific, there is a 60% chance of below-normal tropical cyclone activity during the hurricane season this year, according to NOAA’s Central Pacific Hurricane Center and NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center. The outlook also indicates a 30% chance for near-normal activity and only a 10% chance of an above-normal season. According to Matthew Rosencrans, NOAA’s lead seasonal hurricane forecaster, “this year we predict less activity in the Central Pacific region than regular seasons. The ongoing La Niña is likely to cause strong vertical wind shear making it more difficult for hurricanes to develop or move into the Central Pacific Ocean.” According to NOAA, after the 2021 Atlantic hurricane officially ended on Nov. 1, the season produced 21 named storms (winds of 39 mph or greater), including seven hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or greater), of which four were major hurricanes (winds of 111 mph or greater). The above-average 2021 hurricane season was accurately predicted by NOAA in their May and August outlooks and was the third most active year on record in terms of named storms. In addition, the NOAA report noted that 2021 was the sixth consecutive above-normal Atlantic hurricane season and was the first time that two successive hurricane seasons exhausted the list of 21 storm names. The 2021 Atlantic season will likely go down as one of the most expensive in history. Total damages from last year’s Atlantic hurricane season are expected to cost over $67 billion, with four tropical cyclones exceeding $1 billion in damages. Hurricane Ida, which hit the Louisiana coast in August 2021, was the most destructive and deadly tropical cyclone last year, causing $64.5 billion in damage and 96 deaths. “Hurricane Ida spanned nine states, demonstrating that anyone can be in the direct path of a hurricane and in danger from the remnants of a storm system,” said FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell. “It’s important for everyone to understand their risk and take proactive steps to get ready now by visiting Ready.gov and Listo.gov for preparedness tips and downloading the FEMA App to ensure you receive emergency alerts in real-time.”  

WASHINGTON — A Houston-based carrier has been shut down by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) after the company changed its name to avoid a shutdown order issued by FMCSA just weeks earlier. JPL Logistics LLC (USDOT No. 346112) has been declared an imminent hazard to public safety by the FMCSA and has been ordered to immediately cease all interstate and intrastate operations. The carrier was served the federal order on May 31. JPL Logistics was declared to be an imminent hazard after the FMCSA determined the company began operations so Jaypur Logistics LLC (USDOT No. 3150073) could avoid the imminent hazard order issued to it on May 7, 2022. The imminent hazard order issued to Jaypur Logistics, which is still in effect, specifically notes that a motor carrier “cannot avoid this order by continuing operations under the name of another person or company.” However, the FMCSA says, Jaypur Logistics did just that by operating as JPL Logistics.  JPL Logistics used common ownership, common management, common control and/or common familial relationship to enable Jaypur Logistics and its principal to avoid Jaypur Logistics’ imminent hazard order. On May 7, the same day the imminent hazard order was served on Jaypur Logistics, a Jaypur Logistics driver was stopped for violating the imminent hazard order and placed out of service. Jaypur Logistics immediately provided the driver with the DOT number of JPL Logistics to complete the trip, according to the FMCSA. The FMCSA’s prior review of Jaypur Logistics found the motor carrier to be egregiously noncompliant with multiple federal safety regulations, including: Controlled substances and alcohol use and testing (49 CFR Part 382); Commercial driver’s license standards (49 CFR Part 383); Driver qualification (49 CFR Part 391); Unsafe driving (49 CFR Part 392); Hours of service of drivers (49 CFR Part 395); and Vehicle inspection, repair and maintenance (49 CFR Part 396). Failing to comply with the provisions of the FMCSA’s imminent hazard order may result in civil penalties of up to $29, 893 for each violation.  JPL Logistics LLC may also be assessed civil penalties of not less than $11,956 for providing transportation in interstate commerce without operating authority registration, and up to $16,864 for operating a CMV in interstate commerce without USDOT Number registration.  Knowing and/or willful violations may result in criminal penalties. A copy of the imminent hazard order issued to JPL Logistics is available here, and a copy of the imminent hazard order issued to Jaypur Logistics is available here.

WASHINGTON — The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) and General Motors (GM) released Thursday a new report with a singular goal: Change the social norm around distracted driving to make it completely unacceptable so all road users get home safely. The report, which the organizations say is one of the most comprehensive examinations to date of how to reduce driver distraction, examines the extent of the problem and provides more than two dozen recommendations to help state highway safety offices (SHSOs) and their partners combat what is deemed a deadly driving behavior. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, an estimated 3,142 people died in distraction-related crashes in the U.S. in 2020, the most current year for which data is available. Another estimated 400,000 people are injured each year in distracted-driving crashes. However, says a statement from GHSA and GM, the true numbers are likely much higher due to underreporting. The most visible form of driver distraction is the use of electronic devices, but distracted driving can take many forms, including grooming, eating and even daydreaming. A 2021 survey by AAA found that more than half of drivers (51%) admitted to texting and/or emailing on their phone while alone in a vehicle. Multiple national and state surveys indicate that distracted driving is a top road safety concern, but observational studies find that wireless device use behind the wheel is commonplace. “Distraction is rampant on our roads. Watch the passing cars the next time you’re waiting at a crosswalk or riding in a vehicle — odds are you’ll see someone not paying full attention to the road,” said Jonathan Adkins, executive director of GHSA. “Too many drivers are quick to point the finger at others driving distracted but refuse to look in the mirror and improve their own behavior behind the wheel. Everyone must do their part to help make distracted driving socially unacceptable or inattentive drivers will continue to kill people on U.S. roads.” The new 50-page report, Directing Drivers’ Attention: A State Highway Safety Office Roadmap for Combating Distracted Driving, examines data shortcomings and other obstacles impacting efforts to reduce distracted driving, and reviews SHSO initiatives and the challenges impacting those efforts. The report outlines 29 recommendations for the SHSOs that cover a wide range of factors that affect distracted driving, including state laws, data collection, education and public outreach, enforcement, infrastructure, safety funding sources, partnerships, and leadership. Some of the report’s key recommendations include: Invest more heavily in efforts to change the traffic safety culture around distracted driving, including public education, community programs and youth engagement. Encourage more leadership at the federal, state and local levels to prioritize distracted driving as a safety challenge, frame distracted driving within the Safe System approach and provide more resources to combat the problem. Collaborate to create a new national distracted-driving advocacy organization to give voice to distracted-driving crash survivors and focus on anti-distracted driving efforts. Expand partnerships with insurers, technology companies, safety advocates, employers, state and local infrastructure authorities, and others to expand the breadth of distracted driving programs. Promote the improvement of distracted driving laws to send a clear message to drivers that distraction is unlawful and deadly, and to empower police to stop dangerous driving when they see it. Support equitable, high visibility enforcement of state and local distracted driving laws, but also continue to reevaluate those efforts and explore the use of new, innovative enforcement strategies, such as safety cameras that can detect and cite inattentive drivers. Collect more effective data about distracted driving, including new prevalence data that may be gathered by technology and corporate partners. “General Motors is proud to have supported the Governors Highway Safety Association throughout the development of this action-oriented report,” said Regina Carto, vice president of global product safety and systems at GM. “We encourage SHSOs around the country to put some of these key recommendations into action in their communities as we work to reduce distracted driving and other unsafe behavior on the road.” The report’s findings and recommendations will be highlighted during a webinar on June 16 featuring Russ Martin, GHSA’s senior director of policy and government relations, and Jennifer Smith, founder of StopDistractions.org. Smith, a road safety advocate, lost her mother in a distracted driving crash in 2008, when a driver who was talking on a cellphone ran a red light. Hal Garling, senior manager of corporate grantmaking for GM, will provide welcome remarks at the start of the webinar. Through GM support, this summer GHSA will offer competitive grants to SHSOs to help them implement the recommended actions in the report. SHSOs will be encouraged to test new initiatives and/or expand successful programs, including working with survivor advocates to establish coalitions that can help put a face on the problem, advocate for stronger laws and jump-start a change in the social norm. These grant-funded distracted driving prevention activities will also serve as a model for other states and their partners seeking to expand their anti-distraction efforts. Distracted driving and the recommendations in the new report will also be the focus of a general session expert panel discussion at the GHSA 2022 Annual Meeting in Louisville, Kentucky, September 17-21.

HOUSTON — Shell Rotella SuperRigs is set to mark a big honkin’ 40th anniversary June 9-11 at Branson Landing in Branson, Missouri. Truck drivers throughout North America are invited to enter this legendary truck beauty contest, which celebrates the hardworking trucking community each year. “We are commemorating the 40th anniversary of Shell Rotella SuperRigs, a tradition rooted in the celebration of dedicated truck drivers throughout North America,” said Annie Peter, North American brand manager for Shell Rotella. “Missouri is one of the leading host states for SuperRigs over its storied history, and Branson Landing is a perfect location to celebrate community and the big 4-0!” From the east coast to the west coast and more than 15 states in between, Shell Rotella SuperRigs events have seen more than 2,000 total entries since that first competition back in the 1980s. This year, Shell Rotella SuperRigs has mapped out two celebratory routes, with both in-person and virtual components to the event for fans to take part in. VIRTUAL HOT SPOTS Shell Rotella Ambassadors: Shelby, @HappinessbytheMile, Justin and Kate, @JustTruckin’ and Mike, @TheBostonTrucker will be bringing SuperRigs to life on social media throughout the three-day event. Be on the lookout for special Facebook/Instagram Live videos from the Judge’s Lane on the Shell Rotella social channels. Virtual Garage: Looking to get an exclusive SuperRigs experience? Be sure to keep an eye out for the link to the virtual garage, so you can learn more about the history of SuperRigs and be a part of the action from afar. People’s Choice: The People’s Choice Award will be taking place virtually, opening the competition to truck drivers across North America who can’t attend the show in person. Truck drivers were invited to submit their rig for a chance to win the Virtual People’s Choice award; voting is currently open but will close at 3 p.m. Central Time on June 10. The winner will be announced as part of the awards ceremony at SuperRigs. To vote for the Virtual People’s Choice Award, click here. ON-SITE ACTIVITIES Jimmy Houston Fishing Demos: Pro-angling champion Jimmy Houston will join Shell Rotella for on-site fishing demos June 9, 10 and 11.  Be sure to “take the bait”: Stop by Lake Taneycomo at Branson Landing to learn his tips and tricks to reel ’em in. Friday Night’s Big Honkin’ Celebration: When the sun goes down, the lights go on! To kick off the legendary light’s competition, Shell Rotella SuperRigs contestants are encouraged to take part in the truck parade, which starts promptly at 8 p.m. and winds through Branson Landing before returning to the South Parking Lot for the official judging of the lights. In addition, the Branson Fire Department will be joining in on the fun and allowing the community to take part in a Touch-A-Truck event, where attendees can explore the department’s Engine 1. The night will be capped off with fireworks set to illuminate Branson Landing and Lake Taneycomo. Contestant Dinner: The SuperRigs contestant dinner is back and will be held at The Paddlewheel on Thursday, June 9. The dinner is open to contestants and one guest. The Shell Rotella SuperRigs competition is a truck beauty contest for actively working trucks. Hardworking truck owner-operators from across the U.S. and Canada compete each year for more than $25,000 in cash and prizes. Twelve trucks will be selected to showcase in the 2023 Shell Rotella SuperRigs calendar. There is no fee to enter a truck in SuperRigs, but drivers must pre-register online at rotella.com/superrigs. Trucks entered in the Shell Rotella SuperRigs truck competition will be judged by experienced industry professionals who work for major trucking publications or broadcast companies. Judges will score the rigs on exterior appearance, design, detail/finish, originality and workmanship. For updates on the Shell Rotella SuperRigs competition, visit www.rotella.com/superrigs or follow Shell Rotella on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Join the conversation using the hashtags #SuperRigs and #SuperRigs40.