The Trucker News Staff

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Saturday hailed Congress’ passage of his $1 trillion infrastructure package as a “monumental step forward for the nation” after fractious fellow Democrats resolved a months-long standoff in their ranks to seal the deal “Finally, infrastructure week,” a beaming Biden told reporters. “I’m so happy to say that: infrastructure week.” Others, especially in the trucking industry, also heaped praise on the massive spending bill. Ellen Voie, the president and CEO of the Women In Trucking Association (WIT), said: “Women In Trucking is ecstatic and grateful for the bipartisan effort that culminated in the passage of an infrastructure bill that will rebuild America’s highways, roads, and bridges. In addition to helping truckers get goods to markets, the bill contains specific provisions to address the shortage of truckers facing the nation.” Voie added that “as America struggles with logistic issues and a shortage of truck drivers nationwide, the bill will bring more women behind the wheel and protect those who have made truck driving a career. We want to thank Sen. Tammy Baldwin and Rep. Mike Gallagher and others for their leadership on this issue and look forward to this legislation becoming law.” The House passed the measure 228-206 late Friday, prompting prolonged cheers from the relieved Democratic side of the chamber. Thirteen Republicans, mostly moderates, supported the legislation while six of Democrats’ farthest left members opposed it. Approval of the bill, which promises to create legions of jobs and improve broadband, water supplies and other public works, sends it to the desk of a president whose approval ratings have dropped and whose nervous party got a cold shoulder from voters in this past week’s off-year elections. “Roads and bridges are not political—we all drive on them. A majority in the House realized this today and did what’s right for the country, not themselves,” said American Trucking Associations President and CEO Chris Spear. “From farmers to truckers, the millions of hard-working people who make this country great won today. Those lawmakers who put their constituents before themselves to help seal this achievement have cemented a lasting legacy that the American people will now see, feel, and use for many decades to come.” The Truckload Carriers Association said in a statement that its members are “excited that this language provides an opportunity to expose a younger demographic to an industry that welcomes them and are pleased with the commitments the bill makes to establishing long-term improvements for infrastructure. Even more importantly, Congress has heard our message concerning threats to the independent contractor business model and opted not to include any language regarding the PRO Act that would have jeopardized a business practice that has a long history of success in our industry.” The infrastructure package is a historic investment by any measure, one that Biden compares in its breadth to the building of the interstate highway system in the last century or the transcontinental railroad the century before. He called it a “blue collar blueprint to rebuilding America.” The president’s reference to infrastructure week was a jab at his predecessor, Donald Trump, whose White House declared several times that “infrastructure week” had arrived, only for nothing to happen. Simply freeing up the infrastructure measure for final congressional approval was like a burst of adrenaline for Democrats. Yet despite the win, Democrats endured a setback when they postponed a vote on a second, even larger bill until later this month. That 10-year, $1.85 trillion measure bolstering health, family and climate change programs was sidetracked after moderates demanded a cost estimate on the measure from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. The postponement dashed hopes that the day would produce a double-barreled win for Biden with passage of both bills. But in an evening breakthrough brokered by Biden and House leaders, five moderates agreed to back that bill if the budget office’s estimates are consistent with preliminary numbers that White House and congressional tax analysts have provided. The agreement, in which lawmakers promised to vote on the social and environment bill by the week of Nov. 15, was a significant step toward a House vote that could ultimately ship it to the Senate. Elated by the bill’s passage, Biden held forth with reporters for over a half hour Saturday morning, joking that his chances of getting the bill done had been written off multiple times, only for him to be able to salvage it. He said he would wait to hold a signing ceremony until lawmakers — Democrats and Republicans who voted for it — return to Washington after a week’s recess. The president acknowledged uncertainty surrounding his larger social and environmental spending package, saying “time will tell” whether he can keep popular provisions like universal paid family leave in the final version. He wouldn’t say whether he has private assurances from moderate Democrats in the House and Senate to pass the nearly $2 trillion bill, but said he was “confident” he would get the votes. Biden predicted Americans would begin to feel the impact of the infrastructure bill “probably starting within the next two to three months as we get shovels in the ground.” But the full impact will probably take decades to be fully realized. He added that he would visit some ports that would benefit from the legislation in the next week, as his administration tries frantically to ease supply chain disruptions that are raising prices on consumer goods before the holidays. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said there’s a pent-up demand to get going on public works. He told CNN he’s already got $10 billion worth of applications for a certain program that’s only got $1 billion in it. “This is not just a short term stimulus bill.” Biden said the investment would be viewed in 50 years as “When America decided to win the competition of the 21st century” with a rising China. The president and first lady Jill Biden delayed plans to travel Friday evening to their house in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Instead, Biden spoke to House leaders, moderates and progressives. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., leader of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said Biden even called her mother in India, though it was unclear why “This was not to bribe me — this is when it was all done,” Jayapal told reporters. The lawmaker said her mother told her she “just kept screaming like a little girl.” In a statement, five moderates said that if the fiscal estimates on the social and environment bill raise problems, “we remain committed to working to resolve any discrepancies” to pass it. In exchange, liberals agreed to back the infrastructure measure, which they’d spent months holding hostage in an effort to press moderates to back the larger bill. The day marked a rare agreement between Democrats’ moderate and liberal wings that party leaders hope will continue. The rival factions had spent weeks accusing each other of jeopardizing Biden’s and the party’s success by overplaying their hands. But Friday night, Jayapal suggested they would work together moving forward. Democrats have struggled for months to take advantage of their control of the White House and Congress by advancing their priorities. That’s been hard, in part because of Democrats’ slender majorities and bitter internal divisions. “Welcome to my world,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters. “We are not a lockstep party.” Democrats’ day turned tumultuous early after a half-dozen moderates demanded the budget office’s cost estimate of the sprawling package of health, education, family and climate change initiatives before they would vote for it. Party leaders said that would take days or more. But with Friday’s delayed vote and lawmakers leaving for a week’s break, those budget estimates should be ready by the time a vote is held. The infrastructure measure cleared the Senate in August with bipartisan support. As for the social and environment package, House passage would send it to the Senate, where it faces certain changes and more Democratic drama. That’s chiefly because of demands by Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona to contain the measure’s costs. Moderates have forced leaders to slash the roughly 2,100-page measure to about half its original $3.5 trillion size. Republicans oppose it as too expensive and damaging to the economy. The package would provide large numbers of Americans with assistance to pay for health care, raising children and caring for elderly people at home. It’s got $555 billion in tax breaks for cleaner energy and electric vehicles. Democrats added recent provisions restoring a new paid family leave program and work permits for millions of immigrants. Much of the package’s cost would be covered with higher taxes on wealthier Americans and large corporations. “The strength of a country’s economy depends on the strength of its infrastructure, and with today’s vote, we have ensured that the American economy will remain strong for decades to come,” Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen said in a statement. “A once-in-a-generation infrastructure bill has been an ambition of policymakers for a long time. Its passage is an enormous achievement for our country.  By modernizing public transit, rebuilding our bridges and roads, and connecting every home in the country with broadband, this bill will grow our economy and make it more resilient and sustainable in the process.” The Associated Press contributed to this report.  

WASHINGTON — Many in the trucking industry have been grinding their gears over the COVID-19 vaccine mandate that’s set to take effect in early January. But in the late hour Thursday, U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh made a statement saying that truckers should be exempt from the mandate. “If you’re a truck driver and you’re outside, you’re in a cab driving by yourself, this doesn’t impact you. If you’re a worker outside working in the area, this doesn’t impact you,” Walsh told Philadelphia television station WPVI. Whether Walsh’s statement means that truckers are exempt remains unclear. In a statement on Friday, the American Trucking Associations said it was working to verify if what Walsh said will hold up against President Joe Biden’s vaccine mandate order for businesses. Meanwhile, nearly a dozen states have filed lawsuits to fight back against the order. Jan. 4, 2022, is the federal deadline for companies employing more than 100 people to require COVID-19 vaccinations for workers or mandate weekly COVID-19 testing. According to an order from the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), workers must have received their second shot of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine, or a single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine, by that date. Employers are required to pay workers for the time they spend receiving the vaccinations. Sick leave must also be made available for those who suffer side effects from the shot. Unvaccinated workers will be required to wear masks in workplace settings beginning Dec. 5, 2021, according to the federal mandate. Workers will be able to ask for exemptions on medical or religious grounds, according to the mandate. Failure to comply could result in penalties of nearly $14,000 per violation for companies. Federal officials also left open the possibility of expanding the mandate to smaller employers. The mandate does not apply to employees who do not report to a workplace where other individuals, such as co-workers or customers, are present, employees while they are working from home, or employees who work exclusively outdoors. The mandate is already drawing lawsuits and the ire of several industries. Officials in the trucking industry have been angry that truckers aren’t exempt from the measure, which Biden has said is key to stopping a virus that has killed more than 750,000 Americans. Biden said his encouragement for businesses to impose mandates, and his own previous requirements for the military and federal contractors, have helped reduce the number of unvaccinated Americans over age 12 from 100 million in late July to about 60 million as of early November. Those measures, he said, have not led to mass firings or worker shortages, adding that vaccines have been required before to fight other diseases. The Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) issued a statement on the issue, saying, “To the dismay of TCA and our partners across the transportation sector, trucking was not exempted. TCA is still analyzing the mandate and will follow up with additional information specifically relevant to our truckload carrier members.” TCA has also been warning the Biden administration that the mandates could have further negative impacts on the already-strained supply chain. A separate joint statement from TCA and the American Trucking Associations (ATA) said: “Our industries are committed partners in the fight against COVID-19, and we unequivocally support the use of vaccines to fight its spread. However, we are concerned a mandate will cripple an already strained supply chain. We estimate companies covered by the mandate could lose 37% of drivers at a time when the nation is already short 80,000 truck drivers. We ask for flexibility for transportation and supply chain essential workers, particularly truck drivers who spend most of their time in their trucks and have minimal contact with colleagues and customers.” Kentucky’s attorney general pushed back Nov. 3 against the mandate, filing a lawsuit claiming the requirement amounts to government overreach. The suit, filed in federal court in Kentucky, takes aim at the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate for federal contractors, according to Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron. Ohio and Tennessee joined in filing the suit, which claims the vaccination requirement is unlawful and unconstitutional. “The federal government contracts with private businesses and public agencies in states across the country, and the commonwealth is no exception, meaning that numerous Kentuckians are subject to the Biden administration’s unconstitutional vaccination requirement,” Cameron said. “We are taking the issue of federal overreach seriously and will protect the livelihoods of countless Kentuckians and Kentucky businesses from overbroad mandates,” he added. The attorneys general in the three states also claim the vaccine mandate violates state sovereignty by preventing the states from exercising power to establish laws regarding workforce vaccination policies. They also contend the mandate is unconstitutional because Congress did not give the president authority to issue such a broad mandate. “This rule is garbage,” South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, a Republican, said through a spokesperson Nov. 3. “It’s unconstitutional and we will fight it.” South Carolina’s governor, Republican Henry McMaster, said he is planning to issue an executive order keeping state agencies from enforcing the rule. The Associated Press contributed to this report.  

TWIN FALLS, Idaho — A group of professional base jumpers recently filmed themselves leaping from a moving 18-wheeler traveling on an Idaho bridge. Tucker Gott, one of the jumpers, posted the daredevil stunt on his YouTube account, stressing that no one is advised to try this on their own. The video is harrowing, but all jumpers made it to the ground safely.  

LOS ANGELES — A man driving a semi stolen from Individual FoodService Company Wednesday night in east Los Angeles led police on an hours-long chase through the city’s maze of freeways. The pursuit lasted about eight hours, according to the California Highway Patrol (CHP). At one point, police were able to puncture several of the rig’s tires, but the pursuit continued until the suspect stopped on the 55 Freeway in Santa Ana. After a standoff there, he surrendered, CHP said. No injuries were reported, and the suspect wasn’t named. The incident snarled traffic for hours. No further details have been released. “We’re grateful that he did come out peacefully and he’s being taken into custody right now,” CHP Officer Florentino Olivero told KTLA.

LORAINE, Texas — A Texas superintendent filling in as a bus driver is being hailed as a hero after evacuating the vehicle just before an 18-wheeler struck it. The accident happened on Oct. 27 along Interstate 20 about 10 miles east of Colorado City, Texas. Loraine ISD Superintendent Dustin Anders had just guided the stalling bus to the shoulder, but not all the way, before its engine completely died. He was driving that day due to a driver shortage. Anders quickly ushered the 27 students, ranging in age from pre-kindergarten to ninth grade, off the bus and away from the interstate – just in case something happened. He then began calling other school officials and parents to let them know the bus had broken down. Anders told the Colorado City Record that three or four minutes later, an 18-wheeler clipped the rear of the bus, completely destroying the back third of it. The right sleeper of the Kenworth tractor was dented and scraped, but the trailer took the brunt of the damage, ripping open to expose its cargo of dry goods. “We’re all in this world together, show some love to each other. I love my job and I am proud to say I love my students. I am not a hero, I will do whatever it takes to take care of our kids,” Anders told the Colorado City Record. Police said that there were no injuries, and there was no report of any citations issued.

GRAIN VALLEY, Mo. — The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) will launch its annual Truckers for Troops care package campaign the week of Nov. 8-15. According to a news release, the fundraising effort has been an OOIDA tradition since 2007 and is dedicated to sending care packages to service personnel stationed in combat zones. Truckers for Troops has also helped a variety of veteran’s facilities in the U.S., including those assisting or housing wounded, disabled or homeless service members. To date, the effort has raised $697,196. Truckers for Troops also benefits the Veterans Community Project (VCP), which provides housing for homeless veterans through a community of “tiny houses.” VCP also provides comprehensive services such as navigating the Veterans Administration and its benefits, identification services, mental and physical health referrals, along with financial counseling. In addition, veterans can receive hygiene kits and access to a food pantry. All services are free of charge. In December 2020, OOIDA donated $24,520 to VCP, the news release stated. During Truckers for Troops week, a broadcast is planned for each day on OOIDA’s Land Line Now satellite radio show on Sirius XM 146. During that week, truckers can join OOIDA or renew their membership for $35, with 10 percent of that money going toward care packages. OOIDA matches the 10 percent dollar for dollar. Individual tax-deductible contributions to the Truckers for Troops fund are also welcome and can be paid to the OOIDA Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. Donors can also visit the OOIDA tour truck, The Spirit of the American Trucker, during the campaign and sign up or renew memberships. Click here for more information.

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf has allocated $9.5 million to reduce diesel emissions, improve air quality and promote clean transportation technologies in the Keystone State. Dubbed  Driving PA Forward, the initiative includes two grant programs: The Fast Charging and Hydrogen Fueling Grant Program and the Marine and Rail Freight Movers Grant Program. According to a news release from Wolf’s office, funding for the grants comes from the Environmental Mitigation Trust Fund as a result of a settlement against Volkswagen. “Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is key to addressing climate change and to reaching our commonwealth’s Climate Action Plan goals,” Wolf said. “Supporting projects that reduce emissions and pollution is a step in the right direction to ensure a better quality of life for our communities and the environment.” Five programs were awarded $899,447 in funding from the Fast Charging and Hydrogen Fueling Grant Program, which is designed to improve Pennsylvania’s air quality by expanding the availability of electric vehicle charging and accelerating adoption of battery electric, plug-in hybrid electric and hydrogen fuel cell light-duty vehicles, according to the news release. Three programs were awarded $8,689,104 in funding from the Marine and Rail Freight Movers Grant Program, which aims to improve the commonwealth’s air quality by reducing nitrogen oxide emissions produced by non-road equipment like freight switcher locomotives, ferries and tugboats. “Descriptions were evaluated for being in a priority area, such as an Environmental Justice area, an Act 47 Financially Distressed Municipality, designated high-traffic and high-population density areas, along with high-pollution areas,” the news release stated. “The Driving PA Forward Program aims to permanently reduce lifetime nitrogen oxide emissions from mobile sources by as much as 27,700 tons.” Breakdown of funds In Allegheny County, $121,000 was allocated for the installation of four DC Fast Charge electric vehicle charging stations at a Sheetz convenience store and a re-fueling station in Pittsburgh. This proposed DC Fast Charging site is designed to be able to provide 100 kW-50 kW of charging capacity. EVgo plans to install, own and operate the chargers. The chargers will occupy four parking spaces at this location and will be publicly accessible for use.   In Lackawanna County, $222,263 was allocated for the installation of two DC Fast Charge electric vehicle charging stations at the Onvo Travel Plaza in Lake Ariel. Onvo Travel Plaza-Mount Cobb is a gas station property that is set to be redeveloped this year into a travel plaza with re-fueling services, convenience store shopping and food offerings, such as a Burger King restaurant. This site is situated right off of exit 8 on Interstate 84 approximately 0.1 miles from the exit.   In Luzerne County, $202,184 was allocated for the installation of two DC Fast Charge electric vehicle charging stations at the Onvo Travel Plaza in Mountain Top. Onvo Travel Plaza-Dorrance, currently known as Onvo Express-Dorrance, is a gas station property that is set to be redeveloped this year into a travel plaza with re-fueling services, convenience store shopping, along with food offerings, such as a Burger King restaurant. This site is situated right off of exit 155 on Interstate 81 approximately 0.1 miles from the exit.   In Montgomery County, $177,000 was allocated for the installation of four DC Fast Charge electric vehicle charging stations at a Wawa convenience store and re-fueling station. This proposed DC Fast Charging site is designed to be able to provide 100 kW-350 kW of charging capacity. EVgo plans to install, own and operate the chargers. The chargers will occupy four parking spaces at this location and will be publicly accessible for use.   In Philadelphia County, $177,000 was allocated for the installation of four DC Fast Charge electric vehicle charging stations at a shopping center. This proposed DC Fast Charging site is designed to be able to provide 100 kW-350 kW of charging capacity. EVgo plans to install, own and operate the chargers. The chargers will occupy four parking spaces at this location and will be publicly accessible for use.

LANSING — As northern lower Michigan receives the first significant snowfall of the season, and with the Thanksgiving holiday just around the corner, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is reminding drivers to slow down and be cautious on wintry roadways. “MDOT and our local agency partners have been busy getting our snowplows ready, stockpiling road salt, and ensuring our maintenance crews are well-trained and have advanced road weather technology to make the best decisions on winter road maintenance,” said MDOT North Region Traffic, Safety and Operations Engineer Krista Phillip. “We’re ready to do our part to keep roads safe this winter, but drivers are responsible for maintaining control of their vehicles regardless of conditions.” More than 101,000 total crashes were reported in northern lower Michigan from 2016 to 2020, 22.7 percent (22,981) of which were winter weather-related, according to the Michigan State Police (MSP) Criminal Justice Information Center. During this period, 44 people were killed and 455 seriously injured in crashes on icy, snowy or slushy roads. “If you don’t have to be out on the road during a weather event, please stay home and wait it out to give crews time to clear the roads,” Phillips said. “If you must be out on snowy roads, remember to take it slow on ice and snow, leave extra distance between vehicles, and don’t crowd the plows.” MDOT and the MSP have launched several resources to help drivers prepare to meet winter safely. MSP’s Office of Highway Safety Planning has launched a website (Michigan.gov/WinterDriving) packed with tips and useful resources. Drivers can find timely advice there on planning a safe route, how to control their vehicle, what to do in an emergency, passenger safety, tire tips, and more. MDOT’s Mi Drive website gives users access to hundreds of cameras showing state highway conditions in real time, as well as road backups or closures due to weather, crashes or other incidents.  

PORTLAND, Ore. — Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) is discontinuing the Western Star 5700 XE at the end of the year. DTNA spokesman Fred Ligouri wrote in an e-mailed statement to The Trucker that “an official announcement and additional details regarding an all-new, state-of-the-art successor product for the 5700 XE will be shared in the near future.” The 5700 XE has been in production since 2015, “successfully answering the market need for the previously unaddressed premium on-highway segment … Western Star will continue to serve that segment and our valued customers well into the future,” Ligouri’s statement read. Ligouri didn’t say why the company will no longer manufacture the model. The discontinuation of the 5700 XE has hit hard for at least one would-be customer. In a report by Freight Waves, owner-operator Alex Kholb said his order for a Western Star 5700 XE was abruptly cancelled, with no options for a replacement given. Kholb, whose family owns AKA Trucking in Southampton, Pennsylvania, told Freight Waves that he was refunded his $1,500 deposit on the $165,000 tractor. He, like many owner-operators, is having difficulties finding tractors due to supply chain and chip shortages. There is often a year-long wait or more for new rigs to be delivered. Ligouri did not respond to questions about the remaining orders for the 5700 XE model. A search of Daimler’s Western Star web page shows that four of those models are available for sale at separate dealers across the country.