The Trucker News Staff

TACOMA — The Washington Department of Transportation (WDOT) is urging drivers, especially those of big rigs, to slow down during winter weather. On a Twitter post Wednesday, WDOT wrote: “Just to give you an idea of what closed I-90 at MP 95 near Elk Heights this morning – collisions. It’s still icy out there and we really need folks to slow down. We are out putting down deicer, but it’s not going to help if drivers keep thinking they can go 60 or 70. It’s not OK.” The message was posted along with several photos of jackknifed 18-wheelers. No serious injuries were reported.

LAREDO, Texas – The Texas Department of Public Safety found 28 undocumented immigrants jammed inside the cab and sleeper area of a bob-tail tractor on Wednesday near Laredo. There were 21 males, six females and one juvenile male found inside the truck after a traffic stop. Authorities arrested the truck’s driver, Dartavious Raytrell Dixon, of Houston, on 28 felony counts of human smuggling.  

COLUMBUS, Ind. – The world’s global supply, manufacturing and transportation sectors should prepare for continued COVID-19-related disruptions for the foreseeable future, according to a new report from Americas Commercial Transportation (ACT) Research Co. “COVID risks have increased materially as the highly contagious Omicron variant continues its global sweep, and reports indicate growing strains on staffing across the US and global economies,” an ACT news release noted. According to Kenny Vieth, ACT’s president and senior analyst, the world should be planning for a January of meaningful labor disruption, along with increased manufacturing challenges, both locally and globally. “Low-cost manufacturing countries with low vaccination rates have had trouble in previous COVID waves,” Vieth said. “The Delta variant knocked Indian steel production off-line and disrupted automotive sub-assemblers in Southeast Asia. To combat Omicron, the Chinese government has instigated shelter-in-place quarantines, continuing their strict lockdown policy. As China remains the world’s workshop, Chinese parts suppliers and ports going off-line is a real short-term risk.” Vieth continued, “Beyond the bad news, there is the silver lining that Omicron’s rates of serious infection and mortality are materially lower, especially for the vaccinated. And the Omicron has almost taken the more serious Delta variant off the map: On Dec. 10, there were 43 Omicron cases in the US. On Jan. 4, 95% of new US COVID case were the new variant.” Regarding the impact to the North American commercial vehicle industry, Vieth said that despite broad-based demand strength, traction on commercial vehicle build has been elusive. “The exception at year-end was better Classes 5-7 build rates related to the ability of the large pickup truck-based OEMs to move chips from smaller to larger GVW vehicles,” he said. “That allowed some additional incomplete units to be finished into year-end. With fewer components requiring semiconductors, trailer production also showed some modest traction into year-end, suggesting some easing in commodities capacity.” He concluded, “It appears that the industry will begin 2022 with still unfinished 2021 units. At the levels we suspect, this is an unprecedented situation. If your company has parts on all those ‘built, but not built’ units, some adjustment will be required to align your 2021-22 output with reported and forecast data.” ACT Research is recognized as the leading publisher of commercial vehicle truck, trailer and bus industry data, market analysis and forecasts for the North America and China markets.  

FORT WORTH, Texas — A Texas attorney who specializes in trucking safety says he’s worried about the uptick in 18-wheeler accidents, claiming that the pandemic is only making matters worse. Over the past year, the number of trucking accidents has been steadily increasing nationwide, resulting in hundreds of deaths and thousands of serious injuries. Although winter weather conditions can be blamed for a portion of these incidents, some legal experts point the finger elsewhere. Fort Worth attorney Seth D. McCloskey of the Law Offices of Steven Laird PC attributes the surge in commercial truck accidents across the country on supply chain pressures created by the COVID-19 pandemic and the way, he claims, that the major trucking companies have “mishandled the worker shortage.” The number of fatalities from truck crashes increased by 10.5 percent in the first three months of 2021 alone, according to the Associated Press. “We’ve seen an increased demand placed on commercial drivers as a whole,” McCloskey said. “Motor carriers and trucking companies are having a very difficult time keeping up with demand. The pandemic has really played a huge role in this labor shortage.” Because of the sheer size of 18-wheelers, truck crashes often result in serious injuries and deaths. A recent fiery collision in North Texas involving a fuel tanker not only caused major delays but resulted in one death and others injured. “The trucking industry is quite frankly allowing some of this to take place, putting profit over safety,” McCloskey said. “Safety is taking a backseat at this point in time. That’s the reason we are seeing more and more fatalities and serious injuries on roads in Texas and across the country.” McCloskey warns the end might not be near. “It’s probably going to get worse before it gets better. We are reading reports, we are seeing the studies. Everyone needs supplies,” he said. “The trucks are going to keep rolling, the danger is going to continue to be there as long as the pandemic is surging.”

ROANE COUNTY, Tenn. — Sun glare is the likely cause of a deadly Monday morning crash along Interstate 40 in Tennessee involving an 18-wheeler and multiple other vehicles, according to the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP). An incident report noted that the tractor-trailer driver had slowed down due to another crash ahead of them when a Ford Transit slammed into the back of the semi’s trailer. Both people inside the Ford died at the scene, the THP said. Two people inside the semi were uninjured. The THP said that the sun was a likely factor in three separate accidents, including the fatality, that happened in this same area of I-40 about 50 miles west of Knoxville, Tennessee.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Love’s Travel Stops plans to open more than 40 locations and add more than 3,000 truck parking spaces and 3,000 jobs in 2022, the company announced Tuesday. This comes on the heels of the company opening 38 new locations and adding more than 3,000 truck parking spaces in 2021. The company also touts that it donated “several million dollars to support its core customer-professional truck drivers, sick and homeless children, veterans and more,” according to a news release. “This year, we will continue to improve the amenities and services our customers have come to love and expect when they stop at our locations, new features will also be added that we think will wow them,” said Shane Wharton, president of Love’s. “Our customers and team members made last year a great one, and we expect the same for this year, as we continue to get customers back on the road quickly and safely.” The company issued the following highlights for 2022. Love’s will: Open more than 20 Love’s Truck Care and Speedco locations, which continues to be the nation’s largest oil change and preventive maintenance network with the most comprehensive roadside coverage for professional drivers and 1,500 maintenance bays and 420 locations across the country; Continue to enhance the Love’s Connect mobile app with new features; Expand the Love’s-branded product line and introduce new fresh and hot food offerings, including salad, sandwich and breakfast items made fresh daily; Add new products to Love’s Mobile to Go Zone, the largest selection of today’s technology on the highway; and Increase fueling options across the U.S. through Trillium, a leading provider of alternative and renewable fuel supply, design, installation and operations.

RURAL GEORGIA — On a recent afternoon during a routine post-crash inspection of a commercial motor vehicle, Georgia Department of Public Safety (GDPS) officers noticed several other big rigs slowing down and taking photos. So they hopped in their patrol cars and made several stops. “These trucks and more were stopped because the drivers were driving by recording the crash scene,” a GDPS Facebook post stated. “For your safety and the safety of all drivers – Put the Phone Down, and Don’t Drive Distracted.” Several comments on the GDPS’s site were not in favor of the pullovers. “They sit on the side of the road with binoculars and whatever else they can come up with,” wrote Josh Pittman. “They go to extreme lengths to generate revenue.” “Safety is number one,” wrote Brian Bowen. “But officer’s should have to follow the same laws. I see them all the time on their phone and even using the computer in their vehicle. Don’t tell me that they can do it safely and then write tickets to the public.” Joan Pritchard had a different take, writing, “Good job. Need all these idiots of the road.”

SEATTLE — The latest winter storm to hit the Pacific Northwest brought a halt to travel across Washington’s Cascade mountains, flood warnings, school closures and icy roads Thursday. Meanwhile, things aren’t looking any better in the east, where a major winter storm is pressing down hard on the region. Truckers are feeling the effects in a major way, as truck stops up and down snowy interstates in Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia are overflowing capacity. “It’s a nightmare right now,” said Kay Stephens, a tanker truck driver based in Kentucky. “There’s no parking, it’s cold, the roads are bad. There are going to be a lot of delays.” The major route across Washington’s Cascades — Interstate 90 over Snoqualmie Pass — was closed Thursday due to high avalanche danger, heavy snow and low visibility. Stevens Pass on U.S. 2, White Pass on U.S. 12 and Blewett Pass on U.S. 97 were also closed Thursday. Transportation officials said Thursday evening that the four mountain passes likely would remain closed until Sunday. “Conditions are too dangerous for crews to be in the pass areas,” Washington Department of Transportation officials said. “Snow and debris continue to slide onto the highways. Crews are working in areas where it is safe to plow, clear catch basins and do other work to have those areas ready when we can reopen.” It’s unusual — and maybe unprecedented — to have all four passes close simultaneously for more than a few hours, The Seattle Times reported. The ports of Seattle and Tacoma said exporters from eastern Washington and beyond are not able to get their cargo to the docks. Puget Sound Energy said Thursday that crews were responding to power outages in mountain pass regions because of heavy snow weighing down trees and branches and that the communities of Hyak, Easton, Greenwater and Skykomish were especially hard hit. Heavy rain and snowmelt additionally caused flooding concerns in western Washington and Oregon as the latest atmospheric river moved into the region. Flood advisories were in place Thursday with some in effect through Saturday. In Centralia, Washington, south of Olympia, cars on Thursday evening were driving through water over the road on some streets. Residents in that area near the Chehalis River were told to prepare to evacuate because of expected major flooding starting Thursday afternoon. A shelter opened Thursday at Centralia Middle School. BNSF Railway reported a landslide south of Centralia that prompted a 48-hour stoppage of Amtrak train service between Portland and Seattle. Major flooding was also expected along sections of the Newaukum and Skookumchuck rivers in Lewis and Thurston counties, the National Weather Service warned. Mason County was urging residents Thursday in the Skokomish Valley area to either evacuate or shelter-in-place for several days as flooding and road closures were expected. After days of rain and snow in Oregon, a Thursday morning slide in the Columbia River Gorge forced the closure of Interstate 84 in both directions between exit 17 in Troutdale, Oregon, and exit 62 in Hood River, Oregon. Both directions of I-84 reopened around 7 p.m. Thursday. “Smaller slides continue in the #ColumbiaRiverGorge & we’re still monitoring the freeway. Conditions remain volatile w/ continued rains & temps dropping below freezing in many parts of the state,” Oregon Department of Transportation officials said on Twitter. In Eastern Oregon, OR 334 was closed Thursday by heavily drifting snow. In Central Washington, Yakima got about 8 inches of snow Thursday, while Ellensburg saw over a foot. Steve Bodnar, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Spokane, said Wenatchee could receive 20 inches of snow Thursday, with nearby Leavenworth receiving 22.5 inches. At least 4 inches of snow fell early Thursday in Spokane, and the snow had turned to light freezing rain by late Thursday afternoon, the Weather Service said. Numerous school districts in Spokane County and other counties around the state canceled classes Thursday, while others delayed the start of classes. “If you don’t have to go to work or you don’t have to be out on the roads, try not to be,” said Washington State Patrol Trooper Ryan Senger in Spokane. WINTER STORMS TRACKING EAST In the east a winter storm that has already left areas of the South with more than 6 inches of snow moved into the Northeast on Friday during the morning commute and prompted many school districts to close for the day. Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker urged people to stay off the roads and take public transportation if possible, as the storm was forecast to drop as much as a foot of snow in coastal areas of the state. There were already 12 inches of snow in Hebron, Connecticut and 10 inches in Burrillville, Rhode Island by 8 a.m., according to National Weather Service spotters. Schools in Boston closed, and Providence, Rhode Island, public schools switched to distance learning, but New York City kept the nation’s largest public school system open. “Children need to be in school. We don’t have any more days to waste” after the many closures and remote-learning days of the pandemic, said New York Mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat dealing with his first major storm after taking office Saturday. He said he was also mindful of children who rely on in-school meals and working parents who can’t stay home. Officials urged caution on the roads and reduced speed limits in some areas. A commuter bus spun out of control and wound up blocking multiple lanes on the Massachusetts Turnpike just outside Boston early Friday. No injuries were reported, but the bus caused a huge traffic jam. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy on Thursday night declared a state of emergency for the entire state and delayed opening state offices for nonessential employees until 11 a.m. Philadelphia and Newark Liberty International airports reported many flights were canceled or delayed. Travelers were advised to check with their airlines. From late Thursday through Friday afternoon, 4 to 7 inches of snow were expected in parts of central and southern New Hampshire, and south-central and southwest Maine, according to the weather service. The storm brought record-setting snow to some areas of the South on Thursday. Nashville saw 6.3 inches of snowfall Thursday, shattering the city’s previous Jan. 6 record of 4 inches  that had stood since 1977, the National Weather Service said. Freezing rain and sleet coated areas around the Tennessee-Alabama state border, said Scott Unger, a meteorologist for the service in Nashville. Tee Perkins, a truck driver from Ontario, said his rig was “slipping and sliding a little bit” along Interstate 40 near Nashville, so he decided to pull off at the nearest truck stop to rest for the night on Thursday. “It’s too damn bad to drive right now,” he said. “Just park it and wait it out. It ain’t worth a wreck.” Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear closed state offices at noon Thursday and later extended the closure through Friday. The largest snowfall in Kentucky by Thursday evening was 8 to 9 inches in a swath from Elizabethtown to Bardstown and Nicholasville to Lexington, said meteorologist Brian Schoettmer of the weather service’s Louisville office. Eastern Kentucky recorded 6 to 8 inches, and far western Kentucky had about 3 inches. The Trucker staff contributed to this report.

ALLENTOWN, Penn. – Due to a forecasted winter storm, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) will be temporarily restricting certain vehicles on Interstate 78 in east central Pennsylvania beginning at 8 p.m. on Thursday. Vehicle restrictions reflect Level 1 of the commonwealth’s weather event vehicle restriction plan, and will be in effect on the following roadways: Interstate 78 in Berks, Lehigh and Northampton counties. Under Level 1 restrictions, the following vehicles are not permitted on affected roadways: Tractors without trailers; Tractors towing unloaded or lightly loaded enclosed trailers, open trailers or tank trailers; Tractors towing unloaded or lightly loaded tandem trailers; Enclosed cargo delivery trucks that meet the definition of a CMV; Passenger vehicles (cars, SUV’s, pickup trucks, etc.) towing trailers; Recreational vehicles/motorhomes; School buses, commercial buses and motor coaches; and Motorcycles. Speed limits will be restricted to 45 miles per hour on these roadways for all vehicles while the vehicle restrictions are in place, and commercial vehicles not affected by the restrictions must move to the right lane. Additional speed restrictions on other interstates could be added depending on changing conditions. “The purpose of the restriction is to help ensure the interstates remain open during the most challenging conditions of the winter storm,” according to PennDot officials. “When conditions improve, PennDOT will remove the travel restrictions. “Although PennDOT crews are treating roadways, the department’s primary goal is to keep roads passable, not completely free of ice and snow. PennDOT will continue to treat roadways throughout the storm until precipitation stops and roads are clear.”