Primary Feature Archives

US diesel averages see increase across nation

John Worthen - February 7, 2024

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The average price for a gallon of diesel in the U.S. is up to $3.899 per gallon as of Feb. 5, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA). That’s an increase from Jan. 29’s average of $3.867 and Jan. 22’s $3.838 per gallon. The only area that saw a decrease in the average price is in the Lower Atlantic region, where the price dropped to $3.929 from $3.949 on Jan. 29, according to the EIA. The highest price is found in California at $5.121 per gallon, while the lowest is in the Rocky Mountain region at $3.650 per gallon.

DAT One stats show load numbers fell nearly 17% in early February

John Worthen - February 6, 2024

BEAVORTON, Ore. — The number of loads on DAT One fell 16.7% the week ended Feb. 3 to 951,931, 47% lower compared to the same week in 2023 and 33% lower than the same week in 2020. Van loads: 448,964, down 19.8% compared to the previous week and 43% lower year over year Reefer loads: 188,723, down 20.7% week over week and 50% lower year over year Flatbed loads: 314,244, down 8.7% week over week and 50% lower year over year Truck posts dipped by 3% There were 309,855 trucks on the network last week, down 3% compared to the previous week. That’s 24% lower year over year and down 25% compared to the same week in 2020. Van equipment: 210,141, down 1.3%. Pre-pandemic Week 5 average: 239,717 Reefer equipment: 58,706, down 7.8%. Pre-pandemic Week 5 average: 67,252 Flatbed equipment: 41,008, down 5.8%. Pre-pandemic Week 3 average: 36,357 Load-to-truck ratios declined for all three equipment types Vans: 2.1, down from 2.6 the previous week Reefers: 3.1, down from 3.7 the previous week Flatbeds: 7.5, down from 7.9 the previous week Line-haul van and reefer rates decreased The van rate is $1.70 net fuel, down 3 cents. Broker-to-carrier rate: $2.14 (fuel: 44 cents). Contract rate: $2.07 net fuel Reefer rate: $2.03 net fuel, down 7 cents. Broker-to-carrier rate: $2.50 (fuel: 48 cents). Contract rate: $2.40 net fuel Flatbed rate: $1.97 net fuel, up 2 cents. Broker-to-carrier rate: $2.50 (fuel: 52 cents). Contract rate: $2.58 net fuel DAT benchmark rates are calculated based on $150 billion of invoice data submitted to DAT directly and exclusively by more than 1,300 freight brokers and other contributors. Load posts, truck posts, and load-to-truck ratios are sourced from DAT One, a marketplace for spot truckload freight.

Class 8 tractor orders see uptick from December to January, ACT Research reports

John Worthen - February 5, 2024

COLUMBUS, Ind. — January preliminary North American Class 8 net orders were 27,000 units, up 600 units from December and 45% from a year ago, according to ACT Research. Complete industry data for January, including final order numbers, will be published by ACT Research in mid-February. “Weak freight and carrier profitability fundamentals, and large carriers guiding to lower capex in 2024, would imply some pressure in the North American Class 8 market’s largest segment, U.S. tractor,” said Kenny Vieth, ACT’s president and senior analyst. “While we do not yet have the underlying detail for January orders, Class 8 demand continuing at high levels at the start of 2024 suggests that over-the-road US truckers are still buying.” With the third largest seasonal factor of the year, 11%, seasonal adjustment pushes January’s Class 8 intake to 24,300 units, up 17% from December. “North American Classes 5-7 net orders were 20,300 units in December, up 16% year-over-year,” Vieth said. “Unlike Class 8, medium duty seasonality is modestly positive in January, boosting the seasonally adjusted order tally to 20,800 units, down 21% month-over-month from a tough best-month-of-2023 December comp.”

Memphis Mayhem: Protesters cause closure of I-40 bridge across Mississippi River

John Worthen - February 3, 2024

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — For more than an hour on Saturday, there was no way to drive from Memphis across the Mississippi River into Arkansas and vice-versa. Around 300 people protesting Israel’s war against Palestine blocked the Interstate 40 Hernando de Soto bridge from around 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. This came as the only other bridge across the river –a bridge that carries Interstate 55 — was closed for repair work. Both bridges are now open. The protest was organized by Memphis Voices for Palestine and Palestinian Memphians who have relatives in both Gaza and the West Bank, according to a report from the Memphis Commercial-Appeal. Jana Abuirshaid, the spokesperson for Memphis Voices for Palestine, told the newspaper that the protesters assembled Saturday to demand a ceasefire in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. She said she felt a sense of guilt and obligation to speak on behalf of Palestinians who were in Gaza and the West Bank, while her own family had come to the U.S., according to the Commercial-Appeal’s report. At first, protesters left the westbound lanes open, but at around 3:45 p.m., when the Memphis Police Department arrived, both lanes became blocked. Cars and semi-trucks backed up for miles. By 4:30 p.m., most of the protesters left the bridge, and by 5 p.m., the incident was over.

‘Take Our Border Back’ vehicle convoy rallies near US-Mexico border

The Associated Press - February 2, 2024

EAGLE PASS, Texas — As a ceremony with the blaring horns of mariachi musicians and rhythmic click-clack of horse hooves was about to begin, Mayor Rolando Salinas took a moment to reflect that his Texas border city is “more than just the immigration crisis that you see in the media.” The rally, which began with a trucker convoy in Virginia, was the latest sign of how an unprecedented migrant surge has shaken Eagle Pass, a sprawling town of warehouses and decaying houses that many big retailers have overlooked. Two truckers who led legs of the convoy — Vincent Saben of Massachusetts and Kip Coltrin of Louisiana — estimated between 70 and 300 vehicles had participated as of Thursday morning. Reuters reported that it could not independently verify the figures. Cowboys and cowgirls from Eagle Pass and Piedras Negras, Mexico, met Friday on one of their two international bridges to begin a weeklong ride to the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo. The annual ritual is a point of local pride even as Eagle Pass draws wide attention for a showdown between Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and the Biden administration over policing the border for illegal crossings. “It shows you the connectivity between the United States and Mexico,” Salinas said as he observed final preparations for the annual ”La Cabalgata Internacional La Grande.” A few hours later, about 200 advocates were in a festive mood in the nearby town of Quemado ahead of a “Take Back Our Border” rally on Saturday. Connie Hinton, 56, said she showed up with her father from Austin, Texas, because “they need to get the people that are here illegally under control.” Mission: Border Hope, a group that helps migrants with travel plans after they are released by the Border Patrol with notices to appear in immigration court, has seen daily arrivals plummet to about 20 in recent days from highs of about 1,200, director Valeria Wheeler said. The group’s shelter closed ahead of Saturday’s rally out of fears of unrest, even though rally organizers said they planned a peaceful protest. Since early January, when Texas seized control of city’s Shelby Park on the banks of Rio Grande, Eagle Pass has been at the center of an extraordinary turf war between Texas’ Republican governor and the Democratic White House. The park, made up of playing fields and a boat ramp at the end of the downtown business district and next to a golf course, is closed. U.S. Border Patrol agents are denied entry. U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said Friday that the governor’s actions were “unconscionable.” “It is unconscionable for a public official, to deliberately refuse to communicate, coordinate, collaborate with other public officials in the service of our nation’s interests, and to refuse to do so with the hope of creating disorder for others,” Mayorkas said in an interview with The Associated Press. Eagle Pass, with about 30,000 people, has become a major corridor for illegal crossings in recent years, making it a target for Abbott’s enforcement. The community lies in the Border Patrol’s Del Rio, Texas, sector, which is often the busiest of the agency’s nine divisions on the Mexican border. In a record-high month of nearly 250,000 arrests for illegal crossings in December, Del Rio tallied 71,095 arrests, second only to Tucson, Arizona. San Diego in California was a distant third. Visitors have struggled to find hotel rooms as the state law enforcement presence surges, with budget chains charging more than $200 per night, said Jorge Barrera, president of the Eagle Pass Chamber of Commerce. “Obviously everybody likes growth,” Barrera said. “But when it’s a little too fast, it’s little bit hard for the community to be able to keep up.” On Friday, there were no migrants to be found on the grassy fields of Shelby Park as Texas National Guard members unspooled razor wire atop train containers dotting the riverbanks. About 200 migrants arrived Thursday, according to the mayor, a sharp drop from December. A divided U.S. Supreme Court allowed the Border Patrol to cut razor wire that Texas installed, for now, but the state continues to erect more. The federal government argued the wire impedes its ability to patrol the border, including aiding migrants in need.\ The Biden administration told the Supreme Court that “Texas has effectively prevented Border Patrol from monitoring the border” at Shelby Park. The state has defended the seizure, with Attorney General Ken Paxton saying he “will continue to defend Texas’s efforts to protect its southern border” against the federal government’s attempts to undermine it. At a ranch outside Eagle Pass where Abbott sympathizers gathered ahead of Saturday’s rally, vendors sold Donald Trump-inspired MAGA hats and Trump flags. A homemade sign read, “The federal government has lost its way. Their job is to protect the states.” Julio Vasquez, pastor of Iglesia Luterana San Lucas in Eagle Pass, said Abbott’s campaign is a waste of money because migrants “come with empty hands asking for help.” Alicia Garcia, a lifelong Eagle Pass resident who avoids Shelby Park but attended Friday’s annual rodeo-themed festival at the nearby international bridge, questioned the value of Abbott’s efforts because many asylum-seekers are released by U.S. authorities to argue their cases in immigration court. “What’s with the show?” said Garcia, 38. “Better to just break everything down if they are still crossing.” The Trucker Staff contributed to this report.

US Bank Index: Truck freight market ends ’23 with drop in volume, spending

John Worthen - February 2, 2024

MINNEAPOLIS — The U.S. truck freight market ended 2023 with further declines in both shipment volume and spending, according to the latest U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index. Compared to the same period in 2022, fourth quarter shipment volume was down 15.7% while spending by shippers contracted 13.5%. The year-over-year drop in volume was the largest in the history of the Index. “The truck freight market is feeling the impacts of companies reducing inventories significantly as well as consumers continuing to spend more on experiences over goods,” said Bob Costello, senior vice president and chief economist at the American Trucking Associations. “We’ll watch carefully in coming quarters if companies complete their inventory reduction efforts and begin to restock, which would help boost trucking.” All regions in the fourth quarter felt the slowdown in volume versus the same quarter in 2022, but it was most acute in the Southeast (-25.4%) and Northeast (-23.8%). Spending also dropped in all regions year over year, with the most significant in the Midwest (-17%). “Throughout 2023, our Index has consistently revealed significant declines in spending by shippers. While spending dropped again in the fourth quarter, we are seeing indications that might suggest trucking supply is coming into balance with demand,” said Bobby Holland, director of freight business analytics, U.S. Bank. National Data Shipments Linked quarter: -10.9% Year over year: -15.7% Spending Linked quarter: -1.4% Year over year: -13.5% Regional Data West Shipments Linked quarter: -2.9% Year over year: -16.3% Spending Linked quarter: 0.2% Year over year: -7.4% The West was one of two regions to see an increase in spending on a quarter-over-quarter basis, though spending by shippers was still down -7.4% compared to a year earlier. Improved West Coast import volumes may have helped the region’s shipment volumes, which were still down, but less so than most other regions. Southwest Shipments Linked quarter: -18.2% Year over year: -15.9% Spending Third quarter: -2.7% Year over year: -10.4% After slowing in the third quarter, the Southwest truck freight market contracted significantly in the fourth quarter. The region, which was the best for truck freight in 2022 and the first half of 2023, experienced slower retail and home sales in the first half of the fourth quarter, which weighed on truck freight volumes. Midwest Shipments Linked quarter: -8.6% Year over year: -8.9% Spending Linked quarter: 1.2% Year over year: -17.0% Midwest shipment volumes contracted the least among all regions compared to the fourth quarter 2022. Soft manufacturing, consumer spending and housing activity in the region have likely contributed to depressed freight volumes, which have persisted for the last few years. Northeast Shipments Linked quarter: -9.4% Year over year: -23.8% Spending Linked quarter: -2.5% Year over year: -12.5% The Northeast was one of the most challenged truck freight markets in 2023. Headwinds for the market include consumer spending moderation and manufacturing activity softening. Southeast Shipments Linked quarter: -14.5% Year over year: -25.4% Spending Linked quarter: -4.1% Year over year: -11.4% The Southeast had the largest year-over-year drop in volume among all regions. The region has had consistent volume contractions – as well as spending declines – in recent quarters.

TCA’s David Heller says lack of truck parking is industry’s No. 1 issue

Cliff Abbott - February 1, 2024

WASHINGTON — It’s difficult enough to keep track of the myriad regulations that impact the trucking industry, but monitoring the status of proposed legislation and rulemakings complicate the process further. That’s one reason why the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) offers a monthly webinar to explain what’s happening and TCA’s position on each issue. The January webinar, conducted by David Heller, TCA’s senior vice president of government affairs and safety, covered a large number of issues in the allotted hour. The first topic covered was fatality crashes involving large trucks, which rose to 5,370 in 2021, the last year for which data is available. A total of 872 truck drivers were killed in those crashes. “It kind of gives us a wakeup call as to where we are and what we need to do when it comes to improving safety on our roadways,” Heller remarked, noting that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is reviewing crash data. “And 555 of those drivers were not wearing their seatbelt,” he added. “It’s one of those situations where certainly we need to reverse the trend and some of those talks are going on right now in DC as we speak.” Truck parking has been in the headlines for a while now and is considered one of the industry’s biggest headaches. “This is the No. 1 issue that the professional truck driver has out there,” Heller said, displaying a heat map showing trucks parked in unauthorized locations, such as side streets and freeway ramps adjacent to truck stops. Another slide showed an average loss of $5,000 per driver due to time lost finding parking. “We’ve made some headway recently,” Heller said. “There is a bill on Capitol Hill, two bills actually — House Bill 2367 and Senate Bill 1035 — that call for $755 million over three years to address the issue. Working with our lobbyists on Capitol Hill, we’re probably about five to six co-sponsors away from actually getting something moving on truck parking that would really make a difference.” The U.S. Department of Transportation just announced more than $300 million to address the national truck parking crisis, so some headway is being made. Turning to infrastructure spending, the $110 billion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed in 2021 has helped greatly, but there are still issues. “What happened between 2021 and when the infrastructure bill passed is that there was a tremendous increase in the cost of construction and that increase rose dramatically,” Heller explained. “The funding that was passed in the infrastructure bill, doesn’t equate to 2023 prices that it cost to actually build roads and bridges.” Supply chain solutions and other trucking bills are still in the works, according to Heller. “There are several pieces of legislation that are currently being talked about on Capitol Hill,” he said. “The Highway Accident Fairness Act, which is lawsuit abuse, anything size and weight certainly has crept into the conversation, autonomous vehicle centric legislation, along with employee-driver-centered legislation like the license acts or veterans or truck driver incentive acts. There’s also an anti-speed limiter bill we’re going to talk about.” Other current bills include a Motor Carrier Safety Selection Standard Act, a bathroom access bill and the Workforce Improvement act. “The question is, is where does it go after they’re talking about it?” Heller asked. He pointed out that the 2024 November presidential election could impact legislation as the parties maneuver for political points. The Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse is still an issue, as the numbers of drivers testing positive for alcohol or controlled substances and declining the return to duty process continues to grow, Heller said. “Marijuana, by far, at 57.2% is the No. 1 substance identified in these drug tests,” Heller noted. “You do have to look about where you are in the United States in terms of legalized recreational use states.” Oral fluid and hair follicle testing remain active topics. The U.S. Department of Transportation announced a rulemaking that allows oral fluid testing but, as yet, there are no certified laboratories to test samples. Hair testing has proven effective but has not been approved. “It’s one of those situations that we continue to talk about with the agency hoping that we get some movement in 2024, getting the results of those hair tests and putting it into the Clearinghouse,” Heller said. A speed limiter rule has been in the works for some time now but has now been postponed until at least May. “A supplemental Notice of Proposed Rulemaking was supposed to come out Dec. 29, 2023,” Heller said. “It never came out.” The initial proposal received over 15,000 comments but, as yet no final ruling has been issued. Heller also covered the topics of changes to the compliance, safety and accountability program, the carrier fitness determination process, the young driver apprenticeship program, proposals for trailer side underride guards, automatic emergency braking, lawsuit abuse and electric vehicles.

FMCSA proposing changes to CDL licensing requirements

John Worthen - January 31, 2024

WASHINGTON — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is proposing several changes in an effort to “increase flexibility” for state driver licensing agencies (SDLAs) and commercial driver’s license (CDL) applicants. According to the FMCSA’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), the changes would: Allow applicants to take a CDL skills test in a state other than their state of residence; permit a commercial learner’s permit (CLP) holder who has passed the CDL skills test to operate a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) on public roads without having a qualified CDL holder in the passenger seat; and eliminate the requirement that an applicant wait at least 14 days to take the CDL skills test following initial issuance of the CLP. The NPRM also notes that the FMCSA proposes to remove the requirement that CMV drivers must have a passenger endorsement to transport CMVs designed to carry passengers, including school buses, when the vehicle is being transported in a driveaway-towaway operation and the vehicle is not carrying any passengers. Additionally, FMCSA proposes to require that third-party knowledge examiners be subject to the training, certification and record check standards currently applicable to state knowledge examiners and third-party knowledge testers be subject to the auditing and monitoring requirements now applicable to third-party skills testers. “Because these drivers have already met all the requirements for a CDL but have yet to pick up the CDL document from their state of domicile, their safety performance would be the same as a newly credentialed CDL holder,” the FMCSA wrote in the NPRM. “Additionally, having a CDL driver accompany the (permit holder) who has successfully passed all required CDL skills testing and prerequisites provides some additional supervision that is otherwise not required for newly credentialed CDL drivers in physical possession of the CDL document.” The public will have 60 days to comment on the proposal once it’s published on the Federal Register, which is expected to happen in the next few days,

Used Class 8 tractor values saw declines in November 2023

John Worthen - January 31, 2024

COLUMBUS, Ind. — According to the latest State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks by ACT Research, the used Class 8 tractor average retail sale price dropped 2.6% month-over-month to $58,000 in December 2023. Retail prices last saw that level in April 2021, the report notes. “On a year-over-year basis, used retail prices were 28% lower,” said Steve Tam, vice president at ACT Research. “Our pricing expectations remain steady, with a return to month-over-month growth toward the end of 2024 as the most likely course.” Regarding volumes, Tam explained, “Combined, the total market same dealer sales volume 24% in December. For the full year, total sales were up 40% compared to 2022. Auctions led the growth, improving 78%, with the wholesale market expanding by 75%. Growth in the retail market was more reserved at 12%.”

FMCSA signals May as target date for speed limiter mandate notice

John Worthen - January 30, 2024

WASHINGTON — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) intends to proceed with a motor carrier-based speed limiter mandate by preparing a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking (SNPRM) that’s scheduled to be released in May. This is according to the February edition of the Department of Transportation’s Significant Rulemaking Report. A supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking is a notice and request for comment published in the Federal Register when an agency has made significant substantive changes to a rule between the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and the final rule. The supplemental notice advises the public of the revised proposal and provides an opportunity for additional comment. It may also be issued if considerable time has elapsed since publication of a notice of proposed rulemaking. The proposal to require truck owners and fleets to implement an engine control unit — also known as a speed limiter — in all trucks manufactured after 2023 has created somewhat of a stir in the trucking industry. The FMCSA was expected to make its final ruling on the issue by the end of December 2023, according to Dave Heller, senior vice president of safety and government affairs for the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA). Unfortunately, December came and went without the agency issuing a ruling. “The timeline, of course, is interesting, as it seems as if the agency always issues its most contentious rulemakings over the holiday season,” Heller said. “That being said, we will be on the lookout for it when it hits the Federal Register so that we can comment appropriately. At this point, we expect the agency to announce what their speed limiter target could be and whether or not they have allowed for some flexibility in the proposal. The ‘set it and forget it’ mentality is long gone, replaced by tech that can be adaptable to drivers and their safety performance.” Whatever rule ends is issued, not everyone will be happy with it, said TCA Chairman Dave Williams. “At the end of the day, the rule needs to be simple, and it needs to be soundly based on data and science,” Williams said. “As an industry, we have done a great job over the years improving safety. I do believe, as unpopular in some circles as this may be, that speed limiters will help us get to the next level of safe operations. Rather than speculating further, let’s see what comes out and go from there.” The FMCSA did not say exactly what number it plans to choose as the governed speed. In September 2023, the agency published information indicating the chosen speed would be 68 mph, but that report was quickly removed. As of this writing, the agency has said nothing else about the matter. The 2023 proposal is a follow-up to a 2016 joint proposal between the FMCSA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for commercial motor vehicle speed limiters. The 2016 proposal did not gain traction. During its initial review on the Federal Register as part of a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking, the most recent proposal garnered about 15,000 comments. Many commenters opposed the proposal. A representative of Beyond Dirt LLC wrote on the comment page: “Limiting speeds in trucks will not make them safer. All it will do is impede traffic in places where the truck speed limit is higher, making driving a truck more dangerous for the truck driver because the cars around it will be making aggressive maneuvers to get around it. This law is an overreach, if there is a problem with a few trucks speeding, you need to use the state patrol to in force the speed limit on those law-breaking drivers and not make this job more dangerous for the rest of us.” Heller counters this argument, saying: “The reality is that this assumption can be used for just about any speed — 45, 55, or 65. Wouldn’t that be the same concern on roads that have a speed limit of 25 mph? It is the ‘get out of the way’ theory that likely causes problems on the road in the first place. Speed limiters, coupled with new safety technology, will only serve to help improve the industry and its safety record.” Speed limiters can improve fuel efficiency, which is better for both the environment and a carrier’s bottom line. Greater fuel efficiency means lower CO2 emissions and fewer stops to fuel up, resulting in lower operational costs for carriers. Limiters can help reduce the severity of crashes and can even help prevent some crashes in the first place, making the roads safer for everyone. However, limiters also have the potential to create longer travel times depending on how the maximum allowed speed relates to mandated speed limits. Above all, Heller said, the trucking industry will need flexibility when looking at speed-governing devices. “It is fair to point out that we don’t just support a limit of 65 mph on Class 7-8 rigs,” Heller said. “We also support raising that number to 70 mph if the truck has other safety improvement technology such as adaptive cruise control and automatic emergency braking. Speed has been noted as a primary factor in fatal crashes that involve commercial trucks, and we continue to emphasize the use of technology that will help make our roads safer.”

Intermodal freight infrastructure set to receive millions from feds

John Worthen - January 29, 2024

CALVERTON, Md. — More than $728 million is on the way to communities around the nation to bolster intermodal freight infrastructure. The money is coming through the U.S. Department of Transportation, which has selected 37 projects to be given funds made available by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s (BIL) Mega Program and the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) Grant Program. Multiple members of the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA) were the recipients of the funds. The Mega Program, also known as the National Infrastructure Project Assistance program, funds large, complex projects that are difficult to fund by other means and likely to generate national or regional economic, mobility or safety benefits. Congress established the program in 2021 through the BIL and dedicated $5 billion to the program over a five-year period. The most recent awards were the second round of funding, worth roughly $2 billion. INFRA is a competitive grant program that provides funding for multimodal freight and highway projects of national or regional significance to improve the safety, efficiency and reliability of the movement of freight and people in and across rural and urban areas. The most recent annual program funding amount is $3.1 billion and the annual award amount is $1.5 billion. “Every American relies upon and benefits from a safe and effective intermodal freight network,” said IANA President and CEO Joni Casey. “We applaud Congress for allocating these funds through the BIL and the Administration for awarding projects that will support and spur economic growth.” Four IANA member projects were successful in this round of Mega and INFRA funding: America’s Green Gateway: Pier B Rail Program Buildout, Long Beach, California IANA Member: Port of Long Beach; Port of Los Angeles The project will complete the Pier B On-Dock Rail support Facility Program by significantly enhancing container-on-rail service to and from the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. St. Lucie River Railroad Bridge Replacement Project, City of Stuart, Florida IANA Member: Florida East Coast Railway The project will replace the existing 100-year-old St. Lucie River Railroad Bridge with a new double-track structure. By diverting freight traffic to rail, the project will increase safety for marine traffic, decrease the potential for blocked grade crossings and vehicle collisions and shift single occupancy vehicles to safer passenger rail travel. East River Berth Replacement Project, Garden City, Georgia IANA Member: Georgia Ports Authority The project will replace a port berth and two vessel berths at the Port of Brunswick’s East River Terminal and will also reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by supporting a modal shift from truck to rail for the transportation of commodities to the Port of Brunswick. Louisiana International Terminal Project, St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana IANA Member: Port of New Orleans The project will construct a new container terminal on the Gulf Coast for the Port of New Orleans that is not air-draft restricted and can accommodate larger vessels.

Group protesting nation’s immigration policy calls for massive convoy

John Worthen - January 28, 2024

SAN ANTONIO — A group calling itself “Take Our Border Back Southern Border Convoy” is aiming to form a convoy of more than 700,000 vehicles, including big rigs, to protest the federal government’s border policies. The coalition alleges the President Joe Biden administration has violated Article 4 of the Constitution, which mandates the federal government protects states against invasion. According to group officials, the proposed convoy would stretch from Virginia Beach, Virginia, to San Diego between Monday, Jan. 29, and Saturday, Feb. 3. The group says it hopes to urge federal officials to enforce the Constitution and halt human and drug trafficking. “Fellow citizens and compatriots … I call on you in the name of liberty, of patriotism and everything dear to the American character to come to our aid with all dispatch,” Pete Chambers, one of the coalition’s commanders, wrote. “If this call is neglected, we are determined to sustain ourselves as long as possible and act like soldiers who never forget what is due to our own honor and that of our country.” Chambers claims Americans are “besieged on all sides” by evil “dark forces.” “We have sustained continual bombardments of tyranny and have maintained our honor, prestige and esprit de corps,” he wrote. “The enemy has demanded the surrender of Lady Liberty and her children. Tyrannical actors have tortured and oppressed without cause, without mercy and without reprieve.” Group members are warning of “irreversible consequences” against the U.S. if officials fail to control the border. Additionally, the group calls on active and retired service members, “freedom-loving Americans, including lawmakers, business owners, ranchers, truckers, bikers and mama bears” to join its cause. Chambers asserted: “We, the sons of God, shall never surrender or retreat. It is time for the remnant to rise. It is time for the remnant to stand. It is time for We The People to stand in the gap.” Meanwhile, Biden offered fresh assurances Saturday night that he would be willing to close the U.S.-Mexico border if lawmakers would only send him a bill to sign. Biden — also eager to disarm GOP criticism of his handling of migration at the border — said at a political event in South Carolina that he would shut down the border ’“right now” if Congress passed the proposed deal. The framework hasn’t been formally agreed to by Senate Democrats and Republicans and would face an uncertain future in the GOP-controlled House. “A bipartisan bill would be good for America and help fix our broken immigration system and allow speedy access for those who deserve to be here, and Congress needs to get it done,” Biden said. “It’ll also give me as president, the emergency authority to shut down the border until it could get back under control. If that bill were the law today, I’d shut down the border right now and fix it quickly.” The deal being negotiated in Congress would require the U.S. to shutter the border if roughly 5,000 migrants cross illegally on any given day. Some one-day totals last year exceeded 10,000. Former President Donald Trump has been pressuring Republicans for weeks to kill the negotiations. He’s loathe to give a win to Biden on an issue that animated the Republican’s successful 2016 campaign and that he wants to use as he seeks to return to the White House. Negotiators had appeared to be closing in on a deal, but it started to fray after Trump’s admonitions to conservative lawmakers grew stronger. In a written statement on Friday evening, Biden said the deal would allow him “a new emergency authority” to close the border. He added: “And if given that authority, I would use it the day I sign the bill into law.” It was a stark claim from a Democratic president that was met with astonishment and shock from immigrant advocates who have said his policies do not reflect the progressive approach they had expected. “Voters want to see our elected leaders do the hard work to fix our frayed immigration system,” said Deirdre Schifeling, chief political and advocacy officer at the American Civil Liberties Union. “President Biden and Congress must abandon these proposals and heed voters’ demands for fair and effective immigration policies that manage the border and treat people seeking safety with dignity.” But Biden is struggling across multiple fronts, dealing with an influx of asylum seekers even as he cracks down on those who cross into the U.S. illegally. Democrats are increasingly frustrated because asylum seekers are streaming into cities that lack the resources to care for them. In a letter Saturday responding to Biden’s comments, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., insisted that Biden doesn’t need congressional action to close the border and called on him to “take executive action immediately to reverse the catastrophe he has created.” Immigration remains a major concern for voters in the 2024 election. An AP-NORC poll earlier this month found that those voicing concerns about immigration climbed to 35% from 27% last year. Most Republicans, 55%, say the government needs to focus on immigration in 2024, while 22% of Democrats listed immigration as a priority. That’s up from 45% and 14%, respectively, in December 2022. Arrests for illegal border crossings from Mexico reached an all-time high in December since monthly numbers have been released. The Border Patrol tallied 249,785 arrests on the Mexican border in December, up 31% from 191,112 in November and up 13% from 222,018 in December 2022, the previous all-time high. Mexicans accounted for 56,236 arrests in December, while Venezuelans were second with 46,937, erasing much of the decline that followed the start of deportation flights to Venezuela in October. Arrests of Guatemalans surged, with Hondurans and Colombians rounding out the top five nationalities.

Feds doling out more than $300M to address truck parking

John Worthen - January 26, 2024

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has announced more than $300 million to address the national truck parking crisis, and industry reaction is pouring in. “As a truck driver, I can tell you firsthand that when truckers don’t have a safe place to park, we are put in a no-win situation,” said Todd Spencer, president of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA). “We must either continue to drive while fatigued or out of legal driving time, or park in an undesignated and unsafe location like the side of the road or abandoned lot. It forces truck drivers to make a choice between safety and following federal hours-of-service rules. OOIDA and the 150,000 small business truckers we represent thank the department for its increased focus on resolving an issue that has plagued our industry for decades.” Notable parking projects announced by USDOT $180 million for the Florida DOT to build more than 900 trucking parking spaces along Interstate 4 in Central Florida along four sites in Volusia, Seminole and Osceola counties. $40 million for a project at Lehigh Valley International Airport in Pennsylvania, which will include the creation of a safe truck parking area as an alternative to the current practice of parking off-site in unauthorized locations nearby. $8 million for Wisconsin DOT to reconstruct a Safety Rest Area along I-90 in Sparta, Wisconsin. This will expand the number of spots from 16 to 70 (a 430% increase). $12 million for Washington State DOT to deploy a regional truck parking information management system at 54 truck parking facilities along the I-5 corridor in WA, OR, and CA to connect truck drivers with available parking. $92 million for the Missouri DOT to improve I-70, which includes new truck parking facilities and truck parking information systems. “I often hear directly from truck drivers on the serious challenge of finding safe parking, and today, we are answering those concerns with more action,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “This major investment from President Biden’s infrastructure law will build new truck parking facilities and create smart systems to give drivers better information about available spots.” The funding stems from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and was allocated through the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) Program. Combined with previous awards to Florida, Texas, Tennessee, Louisiana, Wyoming and Iowa, the announcement brings the total number of truck parking projects supported by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to 11, encompassing roughly 2,000 additional spaces. “Florida Trucking Association is proud to have partnered with FDOT on this funding request — I-4 is one of the busiest corridors for freight movement in the country, with far too few parking options,” said Florida Trucking Association President and CEO Alix Miller. “Our state leadership prioritizes the trucking industry and the safety of our drivers, who often have no other choice than to park illegally when they are tired or for their federally mandated rest time. This project will make all motorists safer on our roads and improve efficient movement of freight as we drive the economy forward.” In November 2023, ATA sent a letter calling on all 50 state governors to make room for truck parking in their infrastructure spending priorities. The letter spelled out the numerous new resources provided by the federal government, including new funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, to improve and expand truck parking facilities. “The severe shortage of truck parking continues to rank among drivers’ highest concerns, which is why we appreciate that Secretary Buttigieg and a growing number of states are making these projects a top priority,” said American Trucking Associations President and CEO Chris Spear. “America’s highways are our shop floor. When drivers finish their shift, they deserve to know that they will be able to find a safe place to sleep that night. These significant investments in expanding parking capacity along some of America’s busiest freight corridors will help reduce supply chain bottlenecks, alleviate stress on truck drivers and make the roadways safer for all motorists.”

Feds giving $1B grant to replace vital bridge connecting Wisconsin and Minnesota

John Worthen - January 26, 2024

MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers welcomed President Joe Biden to Wisconsin on Thursday to celebrate the more than $1.05 billion federal grant jointly awarded to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) and the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) to replace the aging John A. Blatnik Bridge between Superior, Wisconsin, and Duluth, Minnesota. This funding is being awarded through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight and Highway Projects program (INFRA) as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, according to a news release. “I am glad to welcome President Biden back to Superior to celebrate the exciting future of the Blatnik Bridge,” Evers said. “It was a team effort that got us to this exciting point today—Senator Baldwin, labor to local leaders, (Minnesota) Governor (Tim) Walz and our Minnesota partners, and, of course, President Biden. With the help of this significant federal grant, we are building a safer, more efficient, and more reliable structure for the next generation. I look forward to continuing the positive partnership between our states and the Biden Administration as we work to build an even stronger future.” Built in 1961, the Blatnik Bridge has served as an essential link between Superior and Duluth via Interstate 535 and U.S. 53 for more than 60 years. Jointly owned and operated by WisDOT and the Minnesota Department of Transportation, the important freight and commercial connector reached the end of its service life. The bridge has been load-posted for 40 tons since 2019 and can no longer carry overweight freight loads. More than 33,000 vehicles cross the bridge each day, including commuters and visitors. Each year, more than 265,000 trucks transporting nearly $4 billion in goods pass over the Blatnik Bridge. Many businesses across the upper Midwest rely on the bridge to reach the Port of Duluth-Superior, the largest U.S. port on the Great Lakes. The bridge is also one of the largest marine links for U.S. trade with Canada, the top trade partner of Wisconsin, Minnesota, and the United States. Wisconsin and Minnesota each committed $400 million in program funding toward the project. In 2023, Evers signed the 2023-25 biennial budget, which authorized $47.2 million in funding and $352.8 million in transportation fund-supported, general obligation bonding authority to secure sufficient state support for the project. Additionally, the federal omnibus spending bill for Fiscal Year 2023 signed by President Biden included more than $255 million to support dozens of projects throughout Wisconsin, including $7.5 million for the Blatnik Bridge. The INFRA grant application was jointly submitted by both states in August 2023. The $1.05 billion grant equals the amount of federal funding needed to move the estimated $1.8 billion project forward. Design work for the project, which will determine specifications and shape the final project, is anticipated to begin in 2024. Once a final design is selected, construction could begin as early as 2025.

FHWA announces millions in funds to repair US roads and bridges

Erica N. Guy - January 25, 2024

WASHINGTON — The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has announced that it is providing $729.4 million in emergency relief funds to 34 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico to help repair or rebuild roads and bridges following natural disasters. “As the climate crisis accelerates, more Americans are feeling the consequences in the form of extreme weather that devastates communities and destroys vital infrastructure,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “These funds will help restore critical transportation connections across the country as communities continue to repair and rebuild infrastructure damaged by extreme weather.” The FHWA’s Emergency Relief Program also supports the United States Department of Transportation’s priority of addressing climate change by providing funding to help states repair after natural disasters, according to a news release. The 2022 flooding in and around Yellowstone Park, 2022’s hurricanes Ian, Fiona and Nicole, 2023 flooding and mudslides in Vermont, along with other disasters across the country, are just a few examples of natural disasters that have devastated parts of the country. In many areas, ongoing efforts to rebuild continue. The given funds will allow the selected states to reconstruct highways and bridges damaged by the reasons mentioned, protect the traveling public from further damage and dangers and allow for resiliency improvements as damages are being repaired, the news release notes. “Climate change is devastating communities across the U.S., in every state. Our transportation system was not designed to handle the climate impacts we are seeing in the 21st Century,” said FHWA Administrator Shailen Bhatt. “Since January 2022, FHWA has distributed over $1.3 billion in Emergency Relief dollars to help states make repairs because of climate-related events. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is providing new programs and funding opportunities to help our transportation system be more resilient to climate change and get people and goods where they need to go safely.” The states and U.S. territories that will receive program funds include: Alabama — $10 million Alaska — $6.9 million Arizona — $36.8 million Arkansas — $5.3 million California — $124.2 million Colorado — $2.6 million District of Columbia — $133,944 Florida — $223.2 million Hawai’i — $24.4 million Idaho — $1.9 million Kentucky — $12.2 million Louisiana — $7.3 million Michigan — $2.2 million Minnesota — $ 3.9 million Missouri — $10,611.78 Montana — $28.2 million Nevada — $7.3 million New Jersey — $13.1 million North Carolina — $12.2 million North Dakota — $5.6 million Ohio — $2.6 million Oklahoma — $65,131.18 Oregon — $22.8 million Pennsylvania — $23.1 million Puerto Rico — $32.9 million South Carolina — $12 million South Dakota — $1.5 million Tennessee — $13.1 million Texas — $3.8 million Utah — $7.9 million Vermont — $37.7 million Virginia — $11.5 million Virgin Islands — $217,033 Washington — $23 million West Virginia — $6.8 million Wisconsin — $243,000 Wyoming — $1.3 million

ATA tonnage index shows 2023 as ‘worst year since 2020’

John Worthen - January 24, 2024

WASHINGTON — While the American Trucking Associations’ For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index rose slightly in December 2023, the year overall saw a drop of 1.7% for the worst reading since 2020. A report released Jan. 23 by ATA noted that the index rose 2.1% in December after falling 1.4% in November. In December, the index equaled 115.7 (2015=100) compared with 113.3 in November. “While 2023 ended on a better note, truck tonnage remained in a recession as it continued to fall on a year-over-year basis,” said Bob Costello, chief economist for ATA. “With that said, for-hire contract freight, which is what comprises our index, in December was 2.6% above the trough in April. For the entire year, tonnage contracted 1.7% from 2022 levels,” he continued. “This makes 2023 the worst annual reading since 2020 when the index fell 4% from 2019 — and the only year since 2020 that tonnage contracted.” Compared with December 2022, the seasonally adjusted index fell 0.5%, the tenth straight year-over-year decrease, albeit the smallest over that period. In November, the index was down 1.6% from a year earlier. The not seasonally adjusted index, which represents the change in tonnage actually hauled by the fleets before any seasonal adjustment, equaled 110.7 in December, 1.9% below the November’s level of 112.8. (Note: In calculating the index, 100 represents 2015.) ATA’s For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index is dominated by contract freight as opposed to spot market freight. ATA calculates the tonnage index based on surveys from its membership. The data contained in this release is preliminary and subject to change in the final report, which is issued around the fifth day of each month.

Better times could be ahead for freight volumes, rates in 2024

Cliff Abbott - January 23, 2024

At last, after months of “bouncing along the bottom,” the various forecasters and analysts are providing a bit of better news about the prospects for freight volumes and rates in the months to come. Caution is recommended, however, as those same analysts are advising that those improvements will be slow. Like returning a punt from your own 2-yard line, there’s a lot of distance to cover before putting points on the scoreboard. DAT Freight and Analytics, which operates the DAT One online freight marketplace and DAT iQ data analytics service, recently reported good news in the gap between spot and contract rates. Typically, spot rates react to market pressures much faster than contract rates, which lock in rates for a particular time period. When the market is moving rapidly, either up or down, the gap between spot and contract rates grows larger. When the market is stabilizing, the gap is smaller. “The price to move van freight under contract hit its lowest point in nearly three years,” noted Ken Adamo, chief of analytics for DAT in a Jan. 17 release. “Entering 2024, shippers are in a strong position as they negotiate contract rates, and carriers on the spot market have some optimism that the market will turn.” On the DAT Trendlines page, spot load postings declined 23.3% in December2023 from November 2023 and were down 57.2% from December 2022. Van spot rates, however, rose 1.6% from November average rates. Both refrigerated and flatbed rates declined 0.7%, and both were well below rates of a year ago. Now, just past the midpoint of January 2024, both dry van and refrigerated rates are up from December. “Spending continues to remain solid. We see growth we’re at record levels in both services and goods in spending,” said Avery Vice, vice president of trucking for FTR Transportation Intelligence in a Jan. 11 web presentation. “What we see is a dramatically larger amount of money that is in the system right now, to support consumption than we thought.” While Vise explained that the economy will likely achieve modest growth this year, the “elephant in the room” is truckload capacity. There are simply too many trucks to haul the available freight. Those numbers, however, are shifting. Truck sales are falling farther behind the corresponding month a year earlier. At the same time, for-hire revocations of authority have been setting records as carriers leave the market. FTR forecasts that trucking spot rates will trend upwards through 2024 but will do so gradually. The Cass Freight Index for December showed a 2.1% increase in shipments when adjusted for seasonality, while the amount of spend for those shipments increased a tick. The report, which is written by ACT Research’s vice president and senior analyst Tim Denoyer, noted, “The acceleration in real disposable incomes, supported by a surprisingly sharp disinflation, and the ongoing strong labor market suggest freight demand fundamentals will improve in 2024.” ACT Research released a report Jan. 18 entitled “Freight Cycle Poised to Enter New Stage in 2024.” In it, Denoyer wrote, “The new year begins with global shipping in turmoil, import freight shifting from East to West, and for-hire demand on the long side of a two-plus-year downturn. Changing ocean and inventory dynamics support an upturn in freight demand.” The “global shipping turmoil” comes from two intermodal lane routing “pinch points” — the Panama and Suez canals. In Panama, drought conditions have lowered the level of inland lakes to a point where water to operate the locks is limited. In addition, a growing population depends on Panama’s lakes for its water supply, and the recent widening of the canal to accommodate larger ships may use more water as well. The Canal Authority is limiting the number of ships allowed to transverse the canal, creating long waiting periods. On the other side of the globe, the Suez Canal is being impacted by the turmoil in the Middle East. Houthi rebels in Yemen, sympathetic to Hamas, have been attacking ships in the Red Sea, including intermodal shipping vessels. U.S. and British bombardment of Houthi positions have, to date, failed to halt the attacks. Shipping lines have announced that ships will be rerouted to avoid both canals. The result can impact trucking by sending ships to alternate ports, creating opportunities for loads in some areas while taking them away in others. The January report from Motive, which measures visits to retailer’s warehouses using GPS information received from fleets’ in-cab systems, predicted that 2024 will be “less volatile.” The Motive report also remarked that the trucking market continued to contract in December, pointing to high levels of carrier exits (authority revocations) and the low number of new carrier registrations. Market contraction is good for rates. As the number of available trucks becomes smaller, there is more competition for available freight, driving rates upward. A potential sticking point, however, may be “deflation.” With higher interest rates helping to slow inflation, the opposite can occur. As consumers spend less, there is less need to restock inventories, reducing the number of available shipments. The Motive report was less positive than some of the others. “Our data suggests that 2024’s freight market will continue to be depressed compared to the previous 24-month cycle. However, we also see signs that the market may stabilize in the second half of the year,” the release read. Beleaguered truckers have struggled to remain profitable during the poor market and won’t find any significant relief in the coming months, but any improvement in rates and freight availability will be welcomed. Diesel fuel costs have been stable, helping keep operating costs down. As capacity continues to shrink, rates should continue moving upward, despite the increases being small. Better days could be ahead for those who can hold out.

US sales of Class 8 trucks end 2023 on a downward trend that’s expected to continue

Cliff Abbott - January 22, 2024

December U.S. sales of new Class 8 trucks continued the trend of decline compared to last year, according to data received from Wards Intelligence. December sales of 23,390 trucks topped November’s 19,027 by 22.9% — but that’s expected every December as buyers close out their books for the fourth quarter and the year. The telling news in the statistics is that truck sales have been lower than their corresponding month in 2022 for five consecutive months, with the gap widening each month. August 2023 sales were only 1% lower than August 2022 sales, but September sales were 3.2% lower than September 2022. October was 6.3% lower, then a drop to 17.5% lower in November. December sales were 19.9% lower than December of 2022. For perspective, 2023 year-to-date sales were actually 34.1% ahead of 2022 sales at the end of February, with that percentage falling every month to end the year at only 4.6% ahead of 2022 sales. In its latest North America commercial vehicle forecast, ACT Research reported the market may be facing an “inventory surge” in the first quarter of 2024. “Something we marveled at, as late as this September, was the close correlation between build and sales that had kept Class 8 inventory levels … near perfectly positioned very late into the cycle,” said Kenny Vieth, ACT’s president and senior analyst. “If there is a silver lining, we assume that much of the end-of-2023 inventory build occurred in California because of expensive and complex CARB regulations that went into effect in January.’ Lower sales and higher inventories might be bad news for truck manufacturers and dealers, but they’re good news for the trucking industry in general. The current state of the market is that there are too many trucks hauling too little freight, holding freight rates down for everyone. With record numbers of carrier closings being reported by the FMCSA, the freight market is poised for a move into a growth cycle. More inventory usually means better bargaining positions for buyers, too. That’s true on the used Class 8 market as well. ACT’s State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks report summarized that there are 7% more available trucks on the used market for North America, with the average reported price of used trucks sold declining 28% since the same point of 2022. Despite the lower average price, the average odometer reading of sold used trucks dropped by 1% and the average age by 3%. “Look for sales to slow in January, especially with the bitter cold some of trucking’s hot spots are experiencing,” said Steve Tam, ACT’s vice president. For buyers, slower sales will result in more inventory and potentially better pricing. New Class 8 orders fell in December by 15,000 units in the North American market, according to ACT. Despite the increase in sales of new Class 8 trucks, orders for more of them fell by 7% year over year as the trucking industry adjusted to the current market. Everyone has their favorite truck brand, and Wards’ December report completed the 2023 picture of how each OEM did compared to 2022. Freightliner led the way again, reporting U.S. sales of 96,726 for the year and topping all other manufacturers. December wasn’t a good month, however, as sales of 7,718 were 27.6% lower than December 2022 sales of 10,660. The company finished 2023 just 153 trucks ahead of 2022 numbers for an increase of 0.2%. Freightliner also lost market share in 2023, finishing the year with 36.3% of total Class 8 sales compared to 37.9% in 2022. Freightliner-owned Western Star was at the other end of the sales spectrum, claiming just 3.1% of the U.S. Class 8 market with sales of 8,334 in 2023. On a percentage basis, Western Star sold 28% more trucks in 2023 than in 2022, growing its total market share by 0.6%. Together, the Daimler-owned truck builders took 39.4% of the U.S. Class 8 market in 2023. The next largest chunk of the U.S. Class 8 market went to the PACCAR companies. Kenworth finished the year with sales of 39,269, a 6.9% increase over 2022 sales. Peterbilt sold 39,726 trucks for a 2.4% gain. Kenworth gained 0.3% of the market while Peterbilt lost the same percentage. The end result is that the PACCAR companies together were responsible for 29.7% of new Class 8 sales in 2023, the same percentage held in 2022. When it comes to market share, International showed the largest sales growth on a percentage basis. International sales of 37,200 Class 8 trucks puts the company in fourth place among OEMS but represents an increase of 16.5% over 2022 sales. The builder seems to be doing much better after being acquired by the Traton Group. International finished 2023 with 14% of the U.S. Class 8 market, an improvement of 1.4% over 2022 market share. The Volvo siblings were also losers of market share in 2023, due entirely to sales woes at Volvo Truck. Volvo sales of 26,644 in 2023 lagged 350 trucks behind 2022 numbers or 1.3%, making Volvo the only major manufacture to see declining sales in a year when total truck sales by all manufacturers increased by 4.6%. The company ended 2023 having sold 10% of Class 8 trucks on the U.S. market, down from 10.6% in 2022. Mack Trucks increased its Class 8 sales in 2023 to 18,130 from 17,051 a year earlier. The Bulldog’s market share rose by 0.1% to 6.8%. Two other manufacturers that represented only a tiny number of trucks sold are still newsworthy. Tesla reported sales of 150 Class 8 battery electric vehicles, the first time electric trucks have been listed in the Wards data. Hino, known for its medium-duty offerings, reported sales of 47 Class 8 trucks, all day cabs. While truck sales have been on the decline, interest rates for the credit used to purchase them has increased and lenders have tightened up credit restrictions. Loans are harder to come by and the ones that are available cost more. The good news is that as inventories rise and dealers look to increase sales, better deals with more favorable financing could be coming later in the year. Expect sales to continue a downward trend until freight demand and truck capacity equalize.

American Trucking Associations launches compensation survey

Erica N. Guy - January 22, 2024

WASHINGTON — The American Trucking Associations (ATA) has announced the opening of its 2024 ATA Driver Compensation Study. “The Driver Compensation Study is an invaluable and one-of-a-kind benchmarking tool,” said ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello. “In order to get as accurate a picture of industry trends as possible, we rely on input from a large cross-section of motor carriers to provide detailed information about the many pay structures, benefits packages, incentives and bonuses provided to the industry’s most valuable resource: professional drivers.” Previous versions of the Driver Compensation Study saw more than 180 fleets representing more than 135,000 employee drivers and almost 20,000 independent contractors participating. Data collected is broken down by industry segment to show a clear view of how trucking companies pay their drivers and how much they pay. Participants in the survey are eligible for a 93% discounted copy of the 2024 ATA Driver Compensation Study and other benefits. To participate and review the benefits that come with participating, please visit https://www.trucking.org/driver-compensation-study. Participants should complete and return the survey to [email protected] by March 29.

Truckers dealing with brutally cold weather — even down South

The Associated Press - January 20, 2024

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Arctic weather brought more misery to much of the U.S. on Saturday, especially for people unaccustomed to such bitter cold in places like Memphis, Tennessee, where residents were urged to boil water and some had no water at all after freezing temperatures broke water mains across the city. Temperatures weren’t expected to rise until after the weekend. About two hours west of Memphis in Little Rock, Arkansas, truck driver Lacey Daniels let out a long “Brrrrr” as she filled up her tanks for a trip out west to California. The diesel islands felt like icebergs as the wind whipped through. “I never knew the south could be so cold!” she exclaimed. “This is crazy!” Daniels, who is originally from Wisconsin, said she had hoped the trip down south would mean warmer weather. “I guess I won’t be needing my bikini,” she said, laughing. Daniels stopped along Interstate 40 in Arkansas’s capital on Saturday night along with dozens of her fellow truck drivers — all doing their best to stay warm as they stepped out of their toasty cabs into the frigid air for fuel and other necessities. Kevin Barnhardt said he just drove in from Michigan, where his in-cab thermometer read -15 that morning. “When it’s this cold, you really have to be careful,” he said. “It can be deadly, especially if you aren’t prepared. The bracing cold followed a week of storms blamed for at least 67 deaths around the U.S., many involving hypothermia or road accidents. At the Four Way Grill in Memphis, owner Patrice Bates Thompson said the water problems have closed their soul food kitchen for days. “This is our staple, and this is what basically drives the force of my family financially,” Thompson told Fox-13 Memphis. “We depend on business, and we have been at home.” So many pipes broke in Memphis that water pressure fell throughout the city. Concerned about possible contamination, Memphis Light, Gas & Water urged its more than 400,000 customers to boil water for drinking or teeth-brushing or use bottled supplies on Saturday while crews worked around the clock to make repairs. “Our production and treatment of water is working well,” the utility said in an email. “We cannot give restoration estimates until all leaks are identified.” The utility said more than 100 employees volunteered Saturday to identify breaks, and residents were urged to report leaks in the street, at homes and in unoccupied buildings. Without water since Thursday morning, Pamela Wells was visited Saturday by a worker who asked whether they had a leak. “My husband said, ‘How can we have a leak, if we don’t have any water?’” she said. They had filled a bathtub with water to flush toilets with when they noticed the pressure dropping, Wells said. For everything else they were using a dwindling supply of bottled water until their street became passable on Saturday and friends brought in fresh supplies. “It’s been a struggle,” she said, recalling how they lost water for a 10-day stretch in December 2022. “You don’t know how long it’ll be out.” Meanwhile, the Memphis City Council opened seven bottled water distribution stations on Saturday, one in each council district. Two others were operating at fire stations. One had 300 cars lined up when it opened on Saturday, Shelby County Emergency Management Director Brenda Jones said in a telephone interview. “You have people with absolutely no water, people with low water pressure, and you have the boil water advisory,” she said. A huge swath of the U.S. was under wind chill advisories, from Montana into central Florida. It was particularly harsh in the Midwest. The wind made it feel like minus 16 degrees in Iowa City on Saturday, and overnight wind chills hovered around zero in Oklahoma City, where David Overholser sought shelter at the non-profit Homeless Alliance. “Being 63 and from Florida originally, I don’t like cold. I can’t handle it,” Overholser told The Oklahoman. “It’s been very, very rough and painful and I just, you know, try to hang on one day, one hour at a time … it’s definitely scary.” Wind chills dipped to minus 20 Fahrenheit early Saturday in Vermont, where the Stowe Mountain Resort urged hardy skiers to “bust out all the stuff you need to hang on the mountain safely, take frequent warm up breaks inside, and keep a close eye on each other for signs of frostbite.” Snow tapered in the Northeast after blanketing a large area including Washington and New York City. In New York, aid groups distributed food and clothes near an elementary school Saturday to migrants who bundled up in thick coats and knit caps to ward off the freezing temperatures. More snow was coming to West Virginia, where the weather service predicted up to 4 more inches (10 centimeters) Saturday, along with winds gusting to 40 mph (64 kph), driving wind chills down to 20 below zero. More lake-effect snow pounded northwestern Indiana Friday into Saturday, creating near white-out conditions near Lake Michigan and making the busy highway corridor in and out of Chicago treacherous. “We’re kind of taking a chance — rolling the dice,” Frank Finney told WBBM-TV. Finney and his family were navigating Interstate 94 through Michigan City to La Porte, Indiana. Tennessee alone recorded 26 deaths, including a 25-year-old man found dead on the floor of a mobile home in Lewisburg after a space heater overturned and turned off, said Bob Johnson, chief deputy for the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office. “There was ice on the walls in there,” Johnson said. On the West Coast, more freezing rain was forecast Saturday in the Columbia River Gorge and the area was expected to remain near or below freezing through at least Sunday night. Trees and power lines already coated with ice could topple if they get more, the National Weather Service warned. “Stay safe out there over the next several days as our region tries to thaw out,” the weather service said. “Chunks of falling ice will remain a hazard as well.” Thousands have been without power since last weekend in parts of Oregon’s Willamette Valley because of storm damage. Despite work by repair crews, about 25,000 customers were without electricity in Oregon on Saturday, according to the website poweroutage.us. The weather service forecast above-average temperatures across most of the country next week. Meanwhile, not everyone hated the white stuff. “It’s fun right now,” Michigan City resident Andrew Smith told WBBM-TV. “We haven’t had this much snow in a minute, and Christmas wasn’t snowy, so it’s fun to do this. I can play with the kids, make snowballs, make a snowman.” The Trucker Staff contributed to this report.