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The Trucker News Staff

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About The Trucker News Staff
The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Posts by The Trucker News Staff

Updated Tesla Semi spotted ahead of major Cyber Rodeo event

By The Trucker News Staff -

AUSTIN, Texas — Tesla founder Elon Musk is planning a major event surrounding the opening of his new Gigafactory in Austin on Thursday. Dubbed Cyber Rodeo Giga Texas, there is much speculation that the event will feature an updated version of the hotly-anticipated Tesla Semi, an all-electric Class 8 tractor. Electrify News, which covers all things Tesla, featured a recent photo from a drone operator showing the Tesla Semi, along with a staging area, at the Austin Gigafactory. The website notes that the semi in the photo appears to be an updated version of the original concept. The factory is enormous, spanning 4 million square feet. It will manufacture Tesla vehicles, including the Semi and Cybertruck.  

ATRI calls for motor carriers to take part in operational costs data collection

By The Trucker News Staff -

ARLINGTON, Va. – The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) has issued a call for motor carriers to participate in its annual update to its Operational Costs of Trucking report. Now in its 14th year, ATRI’s annual Operational Costs of Trucking collects cost information derived directly from trucking fleets and owner-operators, and it is among the most requested ATRI research studies. This annual analysis is used as a key benchmarking tool by motor carriers of all sizes. Public sector agencies also utilize this ATRI operational cost analysis to make better-informed transportation planning and infrastructure investment decisions. This year for the first time, participating motor carriers will receive a customized report that compares their fleet’s operational costs to those of peer carriers of the same sector and size. “ATRI’s Operational Costs report has been a long-standing tool for evaluating our operational efficiencies and identifying where we need to improve,” Harold A. Sumerford, Jr., J&M Tank Lines CEO, said. “The new customized fleet report will be a tremendous value for participating fleets, and I encourage carriers of all sizes to contribute data and take advantage of this great offer from ATRI.” Among the for-hire fleet metrics requested by ATRI are driver pay, fuel costs, insurance premiums and lease or purchase payments. Carriers and owner-operators are asked to provide 2021 cost per mile and/or cost per hour data using the easy-to-use online data entry form. For-hire motor carriers are encouraged to provide operational cost data to ATRI by Friday, May 13. ATRI’s data collection form, which protects all confidential information, is available here. Participating motor carriers will receive an advance copy of the full report and the new customized fleet report.

Bestpass launches new citation payment service  

By The Trucker News Staff -

ALBANY, N.Y. – Bestpass announced Tuesday an expansion of its service capabilities outside of toll with the launch of a new product, citation payment services. Citation payment services will help fleets simplify the payment process and identify opportunities for training for fleet employees who receive multiple citations, according to a news release. Longtime customer of Bestpass, National Seating & Mobility, piloted the new citation service. “The addition of citation payment services further simplifies the payment of associated costs involved with managing a large fleet of vehicles,” Charlie Capps, fleet manager with National Seating & Mobility said. “Bestpass makes it simple to manage the payment of citations so that I can focus on optimizing the performance of my fleet.” Bestpass already offers toll violations management, but with the addition of citation payment services, Bestpass will be able to give customers a complete view of the hidden costs of operating a fleet. The new citation payment service will allow Bestpass customers to upload their citations to the Bestpass portal. From there, they will be given a complete view of the vehicle and associated costs. When the monthly statement is sent out, customers will receive summaries of all citations and the cost per vehicle for toll and citations. “We are incredibly excited to launch this new service to our customers,” Tom Fogarty, CEO of Bestpass, said. “Service fleets with multiple vehicles on the road know the headache of managing all the bills. Having one place they can view payments and be sure all the payments are happening on time is important, saving fleets time and helping them understand the costs associated with running a fleet.”

Trailer loses axle assembly on I-55 in Illinois

By The Trucker News Staff -

LEMONT, Ill. – Illinois State Police are investigating after an 18-wheeler’s trailer lost its tandem axles Tuesday along Interstate 55. Police said the incident happened at around 10:30 a.m. The driver, who wasn’t named, was able to maneuver his rig and the wheel-less trailer to the side of the road safely; however, the axles, which still had all of its eight wheels attached, struck an unloaded school bus. No serious injuries were reported. It’s unknown why the trailer lost its axles.  

Indiana man dead after stealing semi, assaulting police officer

By The Trucker News Staff -

WAYNE COUNTY, Ind. – An Indiana man who police say led them on a chase while driving a stolen 1985 Peterbilt assaulted an officer then shot himself in the cab of the truck. According to an Indiana State Police (ISP) report, Troy M. Lewis, 40, of rural Randolph County, Indiana, was pulled over Tuesday afternoon by Richmond Police Department officer Austin Adams, who was off duty, after Adams spotted the stolen semi traveling on U.S. 27 near Union Pike. Adams “was traveling in his personally-owned vehicle (and) followed the stolen semi while attempting to get uniformed officers to the area,” according to the ISP report. The report stated that Lewis then pulled to the side of the road, allowing Adams to approach the cab on foot. Just after Adams announced himself as a police officer, Lewis assaulted him and fled the scene, according to the ISP. Deputies from the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department and officers from the Fountain City Police Department located Lewis a short time later, but he refused to stop the Peterbilt. Lewis eventually pulled the semi over on Base Road south of County Road 850 South but wouldn’t get out of the cab. Police said they heard a gunshot and found that Lewis had shot himself. The ISP report stated that there were no rounds fired by officers. Both Lewis and Adams were transported by medical helicopter to Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, Ohio, where Adams is being treated for serious injuries. Lewis was pronounced dead by medical staff as a result of the self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to the ISP report. Adams is a four-year veteran of the Richmond Police Department, where he currently serves on the second platoon patrol division. There are currently no additional updates on his status.

National Work Zone Awareness Week set to kick off April 11

By The Trucker News Staff -

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — This year’s National Work Zone Awareness Week (NWZAW) is slated for April 11-15. In Washington State, officials are taking the entire month of April to remind drivers about the importance of being hyper aware in work zones. According to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), Washington averages around 626 highway work zone injuries each year. Almost 94 percent of the people injured or killed in work zone collisions are drivers and their passengers, according to WSDOT. The top three causes of work zone crashes are following too closely, speeding and distracted/inattentive driving. Nationally, from 1982 through 2019, 28,636 people (about 774 per year) lost their lives in work zone crashes, according to the Center’s For Disease Control. Since the peak year of 2002 – when 1,186 died in construction and maintenance zones – the number of deaths declined steadily to an average of 591 from 2008-2014, then increased to an average of 782 from 2015-2019. Texas recently released their own grim stats related to work zone deaths. In 2021, traffic crashes in the state’s work zones claimed the lives of 244 people, a 33% increase over the previous year, according to a Texas Department of Transportation news release. Work zone safety tips Slow down – drive the posted speeds, they’re there for your safety. Be kind – our workers are out there helping to keep you safe and improve the roadways. Pay attention – both to workers directing you and surrounding traffic; put your phone down when behind the wheel. Stay calm – expect delays, leave early or take an alternate route if possible; no meeting or appointment is worth risking someone’s life. History of work zone awareness In 1997, a group of Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) staff members, located in southwestern Virginia, wanted to dedicate a week to raise awareness about work zone safety among all district employees before construction projects picked up during the warmer months. Following the successful promotion of this first event, VDOT brought the idea of raising awareness to other DOTs, and in 1999 the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) began its statewide public awareness campaign, “Slow for the Cone Zone.” However, it was 1998 when VDOT first presented the idea to create a national campaign to ATSSA officials. In December of 1999, ATSSA approached the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) to launch the first official NWZAW. They developed an agreement between the organizations, that outlined goals for NWZAW efforts: Initiate efforts to raise awareness of the need for more caution when driving through work zones to decrease fatalities and injuries; establish and promote a uniform set of safety tips; the value of training and importance of best practices in regard to work zone safety would be promoted among individuals in the private sector, industry, and roadway workers; reach out to both roadway workers and contractors to communicate possible effects of motorists’ behavior in response to traffic delays, and advise on what steps might possibly be taken to lessen negative behavior; and outreach efforts would be made to work with entities involved with work zone safety and to form partnerships. The first official NWZAW kick-off event was held in 2000 in Springfield, Va. The site where the kick-off event is held now alternates each year from being hosted in the Washington, D.C., area to different locations across the United States. State transportation departments can submit applications to host the event on those alternate years. Go Orange Day History National Go Orange Day, designated to help raise work zone safety awareness, celebrates its seventh year on Wednesday, April 13, 2022. The event has become a staple of NWZAW and is a time for individuals and organizations across the country to express their support for work zone safety by wearing orange. In an effort to stop work zone crashes, this nationwide effort was first introduced by the Federal Highway Administration as a new component of NWZAW in 2016.

Louisiana tractor-trailer driver killed after load enters cab

By The Trucker News Staff -

PARADIS, La. – A truck driver is dead after the load he was carrying crashed through his tractor’s cab in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana on Tuesday morning. Troopers with Louisiana State Police Troop B responded to a single-vehicle crash at 8:30 a.m. on U.S. Highway 90 at Louisiana State Highway 306 (Bayou Gauche Rd). Jason Gilbert, 52, of Gray, Louisiana, was driving a 2007 Kenworth east on U.S. 90 with a trailer that was carrying a heavy load. Police didn’t say what the load was. As Gilbert approached the LA 306 intersection, he slowed for a red light, according to police. As the Kenworth came to a stop, the load on the trailer shifted and broke the straps holding it in place, causing it to move forward and crash into the cab. Officers said Gilbert was properly restrained at the time of the crash but suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. Impairment on the part of Gilbert is unknown and routine toxicology results are pending. “An unsecured load can be just as dangerous as any other roadway hazard,” TFC Kate Stegall, Louisiana State Police – Troop B public affairs officer said. “Louisiana state law requires the load of a vehicle to be securely fastened to prevent it from becoming loose, detached, or a risk to other highway users. Taking just a few extra minutes to check the securement of a load could prevent tragedy.”  

CHP cracking down on CMV speed, lane violations

By The Trucker News Staff -

FORT TEJON, Calif. – The California Highway Patrol (CHP), from March 15-24, made nearly 700 enforcement contacts and issued around 500 citations to commercial motor vehicle drivers along Interstate 5 through the Grapevine corridor. A majority of the citations were for speeding and traveling in the wrong lane, according to a CHP-Fort Tejon Facebook post. “One of the priorities of the CHP Fort Tejon Area is to ensure the safe travel of the motoring public through the Grapevine,” the post read. “A major concern has been the increasing number of commercial vehicles and passenger vehicles towing trailers that are traveling at unsafe speeds and within the wrong lanes.” The post continued: “CHP Fort Tejon Area will continue to focus on the safety of the motoring public on the Grapevine through education and enforcement efforts. Remember to slow down, wear your seatbelt, and stay off your mobile devices while operating a motor vehicle.”

Phillip Hurte, Terry Harper earn ‘Highway Angel’ wings for helping others

By The Trucker News Staff -

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) has recognized professional drivers Phillip Hurte of Oklahoma City and Terry Harper of Wichita, Kansas, as Highway Angels for their heroism on the road. TCA presented each driver with a Highway Angel certificate, patches, lapel pin and truck decals. In addition, their companies received a letter acknowledging their drivers as Highway Angels. PHILLIP HURTE On Oct. 25, 2021, Hurte, a driver for Ryder, was driving his regular route for Acme Brick in Lubbock, Texas, when he saw a serious accident — vehicle ran a red traffic signal and crashed into an SUV, causing the SUV to flip. He quickly tapped the brakes of his truck to activate a Lytx recording of the event; then slowed down until he could safely stop. Hurte carefully approached the SUV, a Chevrolet Suburban, where he found two adults and two children trapped inside, upside-down. He helped extract the family from the damaged vehicle and stayed with them until emergency responders arrived at the scene. “It’s not every day that you see a serious accident like that, when I’m available to help,” Hurte said. “My thinking is, I’d want someone to be a good Samaritan if that was me and my family — to stop and see if I was okay.” The driver of the other vehicle, who was traveling with a toddler, was killed in the accident. According to officials, Hurte’s actions not only saved the family in the SUV from further harm, but his quick thinking to also trigger a dashcam recording of the incident helped law enforcement figure out what happened at the accident scene. “If I can help, I’m gonna do it, because I want somebody to do that for me,” Hurte said. TERRY HARPER One evening in late December 2021, Harper, a driver for ABF, was traveling on U.S. 54 near Texhoma, Oklahoma, on his way to Wichita when he came upon an overturned pickup truck in the middle of the road. “It was after 7 p.m., so it was dark out and the pickup was laying perpendicular to the road,” he said. “It was hard to see it. It was across both lanes, and vehicles were trying to go around it.” A woman was standing in the road, and flagged Harper down as he approached “She jumped right in front of me,” he recalled. “I had to move to avoid hitting her. It freaked me out.” The woman asked Harper to maneuver his truck to block traffic, because other drivers were narrowly missing the overturned pickup. “I wasn’t sure if I should do that,” said Harper. Instead, he pulled to the right lane and shoulder. The driver of the pickup was a young man whom Harper believed to be 17 or 18 years old. “He was sitting in another car with his father and appeared to be okay,” he said, adding that he noticed a 30-day tag on the pickup. “The kid was probably new to driving. Maybe his dad had been following behind him.” Harper says one of the bystanders at the scene told him the driver had reported feeling lightheaded when he was driving. “It was a really old pickup, so maybe there was an exhaust leak,” speculated Harper. “Or maybe there was something in the road.” Harper grabbed a flashlight and began to halt traffic to prevent other drivers from hitting the overturned pickup. “We had traffic pretty much at a standstill,” he said. An ambulance arrived in less than 10 minutes, and law enforcement arrived soon after to take over the scene. Harper says he’s thankful that the young man didn’t appear to have any serious injuries — although this day is one he likely won’t soon forget. Harper has been a professional truck driver for seven years says he enjoys the career. Before driving trucks, he worked as a school bus driver. He notes the differences with a chuckle: “Driving a semi is better, because the freight doesn’t talk back,” he shared. “I don’t need to yell that I’m going to pull over.”

CVSA asks FMCSA for clarity on personal conveyance

By The Trucker News Staff -

WASHINGTON — The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) is petitioning the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to more succinctly define the meaning of “personal conveyance” in its guidelines for commercial motor vehicles (CMV). According to a letter written by CVSA Executive Director Collin B. Mooney to the FMCSA, “to adequately clarify what the agency means by ‘personal conveyance,’ the term needs to be defined with the maximum distance and/or time a driver may operate for personal conveyance.” CVSA is a nonprofit association comprised of local, state, provincial, territorial and federal commercial motor vehicle safety officials and industry representatives. The current FMCSA guidance for personal conveyance states: “A driver may record time operating a CMV for personal conveyance (i.e., for personal use or reasons) as off-duty only when the driver is relieved from work and all responsibility for performing work by the motor carrier. “The CMV may be used for personal conveyance even if it is laden, since the load is not being transported for the commercial benefit of the carrier at that time. Personal conveyance does not reduce a driver’s or motor carrier’s responsibility to operate a CMV safely. “Motor carriers can establish personal conveyance limitations either within the scope of, or more restrictive than, this guidance, such as banning use of a CMV for personal conveyance purposes, imposing a distance limitation on personal conveyance, or prohibiting personal conveyance while the CMV is laden.” “Violations that are being documented likely represent only a small fraction of the instances where drivers have used personal conveyance to extend their driving or on-duty time. Establishing a maximum daily time or distance limit would allow inspectors to better identify the misuse of personal conveyance at any point in a driver’s record of duty status, improving the enforcement of the provision and reducing its use to conceal extra driving time.” — CVSA To be eligible to log personal conveyance time as off-duty, CMV drivers must meet several conditions as outlined in the regulatory guidance on the agency’s website and noted above. These include being relieved of all on-duty activities and responsibilities and ensuring that the off-duty trip is personal in nature. “While these conditions present certain parameters to drivers and enforcement, the guidance it offers is incomplete because it does not provide a maximum distance and/or time that a driver can travel under the personal conveyance designation,” the CVSA letter states. “This change adversely affects safety by allowing drivers to utilize personal conveyance to legally drive many hours beyond the hours-of-service limits and by making it difficult for inspectors to identify the misuse of the provision.” The letter continues: “To correct this, FMCSA should add a definition of personal conveyance to § 395.2 that includes a maximum daily distance or time limit and subsequently remove the existing guidance. “Under the current guidance, a driver could, in theory, drive hundreds of miles over the course of several hours all under the designation of personal conveyance. This presents the opportunity for increased driver fatigue and risk on our roadways, as drivers may decide to travel hundreds of miles in order to strategically relocate to an alternate location after driving a full day.” The letter goes on to say that “without a maximum daily distance and/or time limit, the guidance presents a legal way for drivers to significantly extend their driving time and the furtherance of their load while recording personal conveyance.” The hours-of-service limits exist to mitigate the impacts of fatigue on highway safety, Mooney wrote. “Allowing significant extension of driving time with the use of personal conveyance undermines the goals of the hours-of-service regulations,” according to Mooney’s letter. “In addition, the lack of a defined maximum daily time or distance makes it difficult for law enforcement to determine if a driver is genuinely operating under personal conveyance or attempting to circumvent the hours-of-service regulations.” In his letter, Mooney contends that the guidance provides some parameters for the use of personal conveyance, all with the goal of ensuring the trip is for personal use. He notes, however, that it is “extremely difficult to verify during a roadside inspection, particularly when the personal conveyance has been utilized on previous days and/or trips in the record of duty status, making enforcement of the misuse of personal conveyance very difficult. These challenges were exacerbated by the change in the guidance to allow laden vehicles to be used under personal conveyance. That change has opened the door for drivers to falsely claim the use of personal conveyance when they are really attempting to further their trip and extend driving time.” CVSA initially petitioned FMCSA to make this change on Dec. 17, 2018, but the petition was subsequently denied on Sept. 18, 2020. The CVSA says that since that time, “inspectors are seeing an increased misuse of this provision.” “In some instances, inspectors are able to identify this misuse and cite a driver for false record of duty status,” Mooney states in the letter. “As a result, the number of false log violations are increasing. In 2021, false records of duty status violations represented the 3rd most documented driver violation, as compared to it being the 6th most frequent violation in 2019.” In addition, in June 2021, the violation code 395.8E1PC (False Record of Duty Status-Improper use of Personal Conveyance Exception) was added to the roadside inspection software, allowing inspectors to specifically note when false record of duty status violations were a direct result of the misuse of personal conveyance. As of Jan. 28, there were already 3,041 violations cited under 395.8E1PC, indicating the misuse of personal conveyance, according to the CVSA. Of those violations, 61% resulted in the driver being placed out of service because their misuse of personal conveyance was an attempt to conceal extra driving time, Mooney states in the letter. “Although this data is preliminary, it demonstrates that drivers are in fact using the vague guidance for personal conveyance in an attempt to avoid hours-of-service violations. The violation data, however, only represents instances where inspectors were able to identify and prove this misuse,” Mooney wrote. “As noted above, it is very difficult for an inspector to prove a driver falsely claimed personal use of the vehicle if the driver is not actively operating under the personal conveyance designation at the time of inspection.” Mooney wrote that “because of this, the violations that are being documented likely represent only a small fraction of the instances where drivers have used personal conveyance to extend their driving or on-duty time. Establishing a maximum daily time or distance limit would allow inspectors to better identify the misuse of personal conveyance at any point in a driver’s record of duty status, improving the enforcement of the provision and reducing its use to conceal extra driving time.” In addition to drivers who intentionally misuse the provision to conceal hours, many drivers are unintentionally misusing personal conveyance because the definition and guidance are unclear, Mooney’s letter states. “This has resulted in many safety-conscious motor carriers prohibiting their drivers from using personal conveyance to prevent violations based on their confusion of the proper use or their driver’s misinterpretation of allowable uses,” the letter continues. “A maximum distance and/or time limit would help eliminate this confusion and allow more drivers and motor carriers to responsibly use the provision. Additionally, it would prevent drivers who misuse personal conveyance because they don’t understand the requirements from illegally extending their driving time. The CVSA contends that by establishing a maximum allowed distance or time for personal conveyance, FMCSA “will not only eliminate confusion and inconsistent enforcement among inspectors on this issue but will also ensure safer roads as commercial motor vehicle drivers and motor carriers are on notice that personal conveyance time cannot be used as a safe harbor for driving hundreds of miles after exhausting their hours of service.”

Detroit expands service training center to add EV courses

By The Trucker News Staff -

DETROIT – Daimler Truck North America announced Monday the opening of the expanded Detroit Service Training Center, which will be used to train technicians in electric powertrain service, battery maintenance and full truck repair. “For the trucking industry to successfully transition to zero-emission vehicles, technicians need to know how to diagnose, service and maintain new technology in order to keep our valued customers running with maximum uptime,” said Matt Pfaffenbach, head of operations, Detroit Powertrain. “The continued investment in our brand and the location are key to ensuring our unmatched service network is ready to deliver for our customers, and their electric trucks, well into the future.” Originally established in 2018 to provide service training on conventional Detroit powertrains, the center has been enlarged to accommodate eight new courses, including those to teach courses on the Detroit ePowertrain launching in the Freightliner eCascadia and eM2. Certified technicians will be able to travel to the facility to learn the latest techniques from the nation’s leading manufacturer of heavy-duty engines (10 liter and above) and ePowertrains. Courses in both diesel and electric vehicles are available at the facility and offered to the nearly 10,000 technicians who support 770 Detroit distribution and service locations. Dedicated onsite trainers instruct technicians on chassis-specific diagnostics and repairs, from basic truck maintenance and repairs to platform-specific advanced diagnostic training on the newest Freightliner and Western Star trucks. The Detroit Service Training Center is one of three corporate truck service training centers located in, or adjacent to, DTNA manufacturing plants. Additional training centers can be found at DTNA’s Portland Truck Manufacturing Plant in Oregon, which also serves as the assembly point for the Freightliner eCascadia and eM2, and the Cleveland Truck Manufacturing Plant in North Carolina.

Los Angeles, Long Beach ports imposing fees on diesel rigs to raise money for electric ones

By The Trucker News Staff -

LOS ANGELES — The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach on Monday began charging fees to drivers of loaded diesel-powered trucks entering or leaving container terminals in order to raise money for the development and deployment of zero-emission trucks and infrastructure. According to a news release from the City of Los Angeles, the fees are expected to generate around $90 million in the first year of collections. The program is dubbed the Clean Truck Fund (CTF).   “Funds from this program will be used exclusively to help incentivize the transition from carbon-based fuels to zero-emission technology” — Los Angeles Harbor Commission President Jaime Lee   “When it comes to confronting the climate crisis, Los Angeles doesn’t wait for solutions to show up on our doorstep – we forge a path for cities around the world to follow,” said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. “As we continue to move record-breaking cargo volumes through our port complex, the need for zero-emission solutions has never been greater, and I’m proud to see our region leading on this first-of-its-kind step to steer our port toward cleaner air, lower emissions, and healthier communities.” Under the CTF program, the ports will begin collecting a rate of $10 per loaded 20-foot equivalent unit on drayage trucks entering or leaving the terminals, according to the news release. Exemptions to the CTF rate will be provided for containers hauled by zero-emission trucks, and a temporary exemption for containers hauled by low-nitrogen oxide-emitting trucks. “The CTF spending plans, approved separately by each port, will move the region closer to meeting the goals of the Clean Air Action Plan (CAAP), an agreement championed by Mayor Garcetti that directs the nation’s largest port complex to reduce air pollution,” according to the news release. “The CTF will specifically help meet the ambitious goal to be 100% serviced by zero-emission drayage trucks by 2035.” The news release also stated that “the spending plans approved by the ports’ respective harbor commissions outline priority targets and pathways that will be used to disseminate the collected funds, including a truck voucher incentive program, which will provide a first-come, first-serve, point-of-sale for zero-emission truck vouchers for at least $150,000 to licensed motor carriers in the Port Drayage Truck Registry, which will be obligated to provide service to the San Pedro Bay Port complex for at least three years; and an infrastructure funding program, which will provide funds to help licensed motor carriers install or obtain zero-emission charging and fueling infrastructure.” Los Angeles Harbor Commission President Jaime Lee said that greenhouse gas emissions from transportation sources like heavy-duty trucks are a significant contributor to climate change. “Funds from this program will be used exclusively to help incentivize the transition from carbon-based fuels to zero-emission technology,” Lee said. Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka called the program “an important step forward, yet much more collective work needs to be done.” “Transitioning the fleet of trucks that serve this port complex is a $10 billion effort that requires all stakeholders to coordinate on funding, policy, and infrastructure,” Seroka said. “We need to accelerate the technology and develop investment streams – public and private – to support this effort.” The shift to zero-emission technologies at the port also includes a pledge to obtain 100% zero-emission cargo handling equipment by 2030. The Port of Los Angeles is currently North America’s leading seaport by container volume and cargo value, processing a record-breaking 10.7 million twenty-foot equivalent (TEUs) in 2021, a Western Hemisphere record – compared to 7.9 million TEUs in 2013. The port supports approximately 133,000 jobs in Los Angeles and one in 90 jobs throughout the United States.

Border agent canine sniffs out 548 pounds of liquid meth hidden in big rig fuel tank

By The Trucker News Staff -

EL PASO, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers working at the Port of Ysleta Cargo Facility in Texas recently intercepted 548 pounds of liquid methamphetamine with an estimated street value of $3 million from inside a big rig’s fuel tank. “This significant seizure is a perfect example of the work our CBP officers do on a daily basis to protect our communities and nation,” said CBP Ysleta Port Director Arnoldo Gomez. According to a CBP news release, on March 30, a 47-year-old male Mexican national driving a tractor-trailer applied for entry into the U.S. from Mexico via the Ysleta Port of Entry cargo facility. The primary CBP officer referred the driver for a secondary inspection of the commercial vehicle. CBP officers then conducted a non-intrusive inspection, where they identified anomalies located within the truck’s fuel tank. “A CBP officer with his drug-sniffing canine partner assisted with the inspection, resulting in an alert to the presence of a trained odor emitting from the truck,” the news release stated. “Further examination led CBP officers to discover the tank to be full of a substance that tested positive for the properties of methamphetamine.” The liquid methamphetamine, once safely extracted from the fuel tank and secured in containers, was seized by the CBP. No arrests were immediately made. The case remains under investigation.

Love’s offering discounts on inspections ahead of CVSA’s roadcheck

By The Trucker News Staff -

OKLAHOMA CITY – Love’s Travel Stops is helping professional drivers prepare for this year’s Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) 2022 International Roadcheck by offering discounts on select services. Throughout April and May, drivers can receive $1 TirePass inspections and $10 off DOT inspections at more than 400 Love’s Truck Care and Speedco locations across the country, according to a news release. During this time, drivers can also get a complimentary visual inspection with the purchase of any truck care service. “Love’s team members want to help drivers get back on the road quickly, safely and legally as they continue to deliver essential goods across the country,” said Gary Price, executive vice president of truck care, hospitality and facility maintenance for Love’s. “Our team will help professional drivers be prepared for this year’s CVSA International Roadcheck and save them time by offering TirePass inspections while they fuel up.” The CVSA Roadcheck takes place May 17-19, and inspectors will be out across the U.S. inspecting commercial motor vehicles and drivers. It’s the largest targeted enforcement program on commercial motor vehicles in the world. The focus of this year’s roadcheck is on wheel ends. Violations involving wheel end components historically account for about one quarter of vehicle out-of-service violations discovered during International Roadchecks. For more information on services offered at Love’s Truck Care and Speedco locations, visit loves.com/truck-services. For more information on this year’s CVSA International Roadcheck, visit cvsa.com/news/2022-roadcheck.  

Traffic deaths spike in Texas work zones

By The Trucker News Staff -

AUSTIN – As road construction projects ramp up statewide, Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) officials are asking motorists to slow down and stay alert when driving through the thousands of work zones throughout the state. This year’s National Work Zone Awareness Week (NWZAW) is slated for April 11-15. It’s a time for motorists to remember that slowing down and keeping their eyes on the road is especially critical throughout the nation’s work zones, according to transportation officials. In 2021, traffic crashes in the state’s work zones claimed the lives of 244 people, a 33% increase over the previous year, according to a TxDOT news release. Drivers and their passengers accounted for the majority of those who died in Texas work zone crashes last year: 195 motorists or vehicle passengers were killed, along with 38 pedestrians, four bicyclists and three roadside construction workers. Speeding and driver inattention were among the leading causes of crashes. With these statistics in mind, TxDOT’s “Be Safe. Drive Smart.” campaign is marking National Work Zone Awareness Week, April 11–15, by sharing safety tips to prevent work zone crashes and fatalities. “It’s cause for tremendous concern that the number of people killed on our roadways reached a 40-year high last year and fatalities in our workzones rose dramatically,” said TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams. “It’s important for drivers to remember that driving conditions in work zones can be especially challenging because of extra congestion, slow-moving heavy equipment, temporary barriers and vehicles that make sudden stops. That’s why it’s crucial for everyone to give driving their full attention and drive a safe speed in areas where construction and maintenance are underway.” The “Be Safe. Drive Smart.” campaign offers five tips for driving safely through a work zone: Slow down. Follow the posted speed limit and adjust your driving to match road conditions. Pay attention. Avoid distractions, keep your mind on the road and put your phone away. Watch out for road crews. The only protective gear they wear is reflective clothing, a hardhat, and safety boots. Always follow flaggers’ instructions and be mindful of construction area road signs. Don’t tailgate. Give yourself room to stop in a hurry, should you need to. Rear-end collisions are the most common kind of work zone crashes. Allow extra time. Road construction can slow things down. Count on it, and plan for it. Roadside safety also extends to complying with the state’s Move Over/Slow Down law that requires drivers to move over a lane or reduce their speed to 20 mph below the posted speed limit when approaching a TxDOT vehicle, emergency vehicle, law enforcement, tow truck or utility vehicle stopped with flashing lights activated on the roadside. Traffic fines double in work zones when workers are present and can cost up to $2,000. Failure to heed the Move Over/Slow Down law also can result in a fine up to $2,000.  

Part of I-80 in Salt Lake City set to temporarily close

By The Trucker News Staff -

SALT LAKE CITY — As part of the Interstate 80 and 215 projects, a portion of Utah’s I-80 will be closed in both directions between 700 East and Foothill Drive in Salt Lake City while crews demolish the existing 1700 East bridge over I-80 and slide the new bridge into place, according to the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT). Depending on the weather, the closure is scheduled to occur from 9 p.m. Friday, April 8, through 1 p.m. Sunday, April 10. While the full closure begins at 9 p.m., lane closures will begin at 7 p.m., a UDOT news release stated. Drivers should use I-15 and I-215 as an alternate route. UDOT warns that the closure will result in heavy travel delays. Drivers should plan ahead and follow posted signage during the closure. For more information, visit the I-80 & I-215 Renewed project website by clicking here. For the latest on Utah road and traffic conditions visit the UDOT Traffic website or download the UDOT Traffic app. Drivers can also follow UDOT on social media including Twitter, Facebook, TikTok and Instagram.  

Police chase stolen ‘yard dog’ through 3 California cities

By The Trucker News Staff -

NORTH COUNTY, Calif. — A man suspected of stealing a tractor-trailer led police on a chase in that vehicle through three southern California cities before they arrested him in the early hours of April 2. The chase began in Carlsbad, California, when a car’s license plate reported back as stolen to Carlsbad police, according to KSWB. The stolen vehicle’s passing was reported about 11 p.m. on April 1 just south of a road that runs parallel to the east side of Interstate 5, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. KSWB reported that officers briefly caught up to that vehicle but called off the pursuit for safety reasons. The stolen car was found abandoned, and witnesses told officers they saw a man get out of the car and run across Interstate 5 into a commercial area, where he entered a tractor-trailer and drove off. The tractor-trailer was located at 11:15 p.m., and officers re-engaged the pursuit, which would take them through the cities of Carlsbad, Oceanside and Vista and involve multiple law enforcement agencies. Carlsbad police Lt. Ryan Opeka told the Union-Tribune that the truck was not a typical semi tractor-trailer, but rather a “trailer jockey” — also known as a “yard dog” — designed to transport trailers short distances in shipping yards but not intended for travel on city streets. The Union-Tribune reported that radio traffic indicated roadway spike strips were used to pop the vehicle’s tires. The trailer detached from the tractor and left a large, wheeled container sitting in the street. The driver continued to flee police after that, with the truck finally coming to a stop in a residential area, according to KSWB. Officers and sheriff’s deputies reportedly surrounded the vehicle and called for the man to surrender. After that, the man gave himself up to authorities without incident. As of the time of this post, investigators were still looking into how the man stole the vehicle in the first place. No injuries were reported in the pursuits. The man’s name was not given by authorities.

Yellow Corporation seeing benefits from apprenticeship challenge, opening new academy

By The Trucker News Staff -

CARLISLE, Pa. — Yellow Corporation is opening the company’s 17th permanent truck driving academy as it expands its partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor. The latest school to open is in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, a major freight crossroads for shipments from the Northeast to the Midwest and onward. On March 29, Yellow executives celebrated the launch of the company’s newest academy at a ribbon cutting ceremony with U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf, and International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 776 President Ed Thompson. “Our new academy will provide career opportunities for Americans while strengthening our partnership with the Department of Labor (DOL) apprenticeship program,” Darren Hawkins, CEO of Yellow, said. “We’re thrilled that our academies are receiving this recognition. Our commitment to safety and training is unparalleled in the industry, and we’re proud that government leaders are investing in these programs for new drivers.” Yellow has participated in DOL’s apprenticeship program, a public-private partnership that enables companies to offset a portion of the costs associated with training new drivers, for the past five years. The federal program helps supply paid on-the-job training for student apprentices as they prepare to earn a commercial driver’s license and launch a highly skilled career. The partnership is designed to address the nationwide shortage of qualified professional truck drivers. “The success of Yellow’s CDL Academy in producing some of the safest drivers on the road reflects the great power and promise of apprenticeship to be a proven workforce tool in the trucking industry,” Walsh said. “Apprenticeship programs prepare workers for success by equipping them with the skills to compete for good jobs that offer family-sustaining wages,” Wolf said. “The investments we’re making in apprenticeships and other forms of hands-on and on-the-job training are already helping us get more Pennsylvanians into careers where they can succeed. This is more important than ever as Pennsylvania’s economy continues to rebound following the COVID-19 pandemic.” In 2021, Yellow announced its support for the Biden administration’s Trucking Action Plan, which intends to ease current supply chain constraints. The White House identified the expansion of apprenticeship programs as a key component of its plan. Earlier this month, Walsh launched the 90 Day Trucking Apprenticeship Challenge. Walsh added, “The 90-Day Trucking Apprenticeship Challenge has shown that joint labor management programs and public-private partnerships are critical, and that we succeed when we work together.” “We look forward to continuing this partnership with Secretary Walsh and Governor Wolf and are standing by to help other companies establish similar apprenticeship programs,” said Yellow’s Hawkins. With the addition of the Carlisle facility, Yellow has 17 permanent driving academies nationwide; each is certified as a Department of Labor apprenticeship program. Other Yellow Corporation driving academies are located in Atlanta/Marietta, Charlotte; Chicago; Cincinnati; Cleveland; Denver; Fort Worth, Texas; Hagerstown, Maryland; Indianapolis; Kansas City, Kansas; Memphis; Nashville; Pico Rivera, California; Portland; Salt Lake City and South Bend, Indiana. The company plans to open additional locations throughout 2022.Learn more about the Yellow driving academies at https://www.myyellow.com/us/en/careers/driving-academy.  

J.B. Hunt launches CLEAN Transport program

By The Trucker News Staff -

LOWELL, Ark. – J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. announced Monday the launch of CLEAN Transport™, a new program that will allow customers to acquire carbon offset credits equivalent to the emissions created by their shipments. “J.B. Hunt is committed to leading the industry toward a low-carbon future,” Craig Harper, chief sustainability officer and executive vice president at J.B. Hunt, said. “Many of our customers are working towards short-and-long-term sustainability goals, and CLEAN Transport will serve as a great extension of the efforts they’re already taking to reduce the carbon footprint of their supply chain.” J.B. Hunt says that CLEAN Transport will help customers offset carbon emissions based on lane-specific activity each quarter. “Working with credible third-party organizations, J.B. Hunt will provide program participants with data showing the amount of carbon offsets needed to achieve a carbon neutral shipment and obtain carbon credits supporting the project selected by the customer,” a company news release stated. “Carbon offset projects include reforestation, forest management, regenerative agriculture and clean power generation.” CLEAN Transport is currently available for J.B. Hunt Intermodal customers and will expand to additional service areas as part of the program’s growth. “Customers can select which lanes are part of the program, or J.B. Hunt can provide recommendations based on a carbon footprint evaluation of lane activity,” the news release stated. “Carbon offset projects available through CLEAN Transport are verified and registered with recognized organizations such as the American Carbon Registry, Verra, Gold Standard and Climate Action Reserve to confirm that the emission reduction or removal was successful and the intended environmental benefits were executed.” In addition to using energy efficient equipment and alternative fuels, J.B. Hunt officials said the company avoided an estimated 4.3 million empty miles in 2020 by using its technology platform J.B. Hunt 360°® to secure backhaul freight. J.B. Hunt recently announced it plans to expand its intermodal fleet to as many as 150,000 containers in the next three to five years as part of a joint initiative with BNSF Railway Company.

Brent Spence bridge repair named ‘National Project of the Year’

By The Trucker News Staff -

FRANKFORT, Ky. – Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear announced Monday that the emergency repair of the Brent Spence Bridge in northern Kentucky following a truck crash and fire has been selected the 2021 “National Project of the Year under $20 Million” by the American Society of Highway Engineers (ASHE). It is the fourth major award for engineering achievement to be accorded to the project, which involved repairing and reopening the bridge that carries Interstates 71 and 75 over the Ohio River between Covington and Cincinnati. “It is one of the most important commercial corridors in the eastern United States, which heightened the urgency of the project,” according to a news release from Beshear’s office. The project was nominated and co-sponsored by the Derby City and Bluegrass Sections of ASHE. Prior to the national award, it swept sectional awards and the Great Lakes Region ASHE Transportation Improvement Award in the category of Construction Cost $5 Million and Under. The project also has received national awards from the American Council of Engineering Companies, the American Public Works Association and Engineering News-Record. The Brent Spence Bridge, which carries 160,000 vehicles per day, was abruptly closed when two semitrailers collided and burned early on the morning of Nov. 11, 2020. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) quickly assembled a project team that included consulting engineers from Michael Baker International, Stantec, Palmer and Burgess & Niple, and a construction contractor, Kokosing Construction Co. An already aggressive schedule – to reopen the bridge in exactly six weeks, on Dec. 23, 2020 – was beaten by a day and the bridge reopened on Dec. 22. “The project team, knowing the importance of the Brent Spence Bridge, was laser focused on repairing and safely reopening it as quickly as possible. No one was thinking about awards at the time, but this recognition is well-deserved,” Beshear said. “Now, along with our partners in the Ohio Department of Transportation, we’re equally focused on building a companion bridge alongside the Brent Spence without tolls.” KYTC Secretary Jim Gray said the ASHE award was “a great credit to our engineers and a host of partners, all of whom worked day and night to restore one of the most important river crossings in the eastern United States.”