The Nation

ROUND ROCK, Texas — Footage of a tornado skirting over Interstate 35 in Round Rock, Texas, is circulating social media Monday evening, with reports that an 18-wheeler was overturned due to the high winds. There were no reports on the driver’s condition as of this writing. A round of dangerous storms is moving its way through Texas Monday night and into the Mid-South overnight and into Tuesday. Motorists are urged to use caution and stay close to weather reports while traveling. Below is video of the twister. Amazing @KXAN_Weather video of on the ground tornado crossing I-35 in Round Rock @ 45 just north of Austin pic.twitter.com/eJvCsYnsCN — Evil MoPac (@EvilMopacATX) March 21, 2022

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Country music star Clay Walker will headline the 2022 Mid-America Trucking Show’s (MATS) free concert for all attendees on Friday, March 25. The concert is sponsored by DAT Freight & Analytics. Walker multi-platinum selling artist Clay Walker is set to headline the show. Walker has had 39 charted singles, 17 top 10 hits, 11 number one hits, two certified gold albums, four certified platinum albums and over one billion career streams throughout his career. The free tickets for the concert will be distributed by DAT Freight & Analytics during show hours on Thursday, March 24, and Friday, March 25, at Booth 65216. The Freedom Hall Coliseum doors open at 6:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time , immediately following the Friday session of MATS and the concert begins at 7 p.m. For up-to-date information regarding the concert, visit Concert Info.

TOBYHANNA, Pa. – Pocono Mountain Regional Police are investigating a collision with a tractor-trailer that killed two juveniles on Route 611 near Main Street in Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania, on Saturday evening. Police were called to the crash with an entrapment and upon arrival, Police found one passenger had been ejected and three others still trapped, according to WFMZ. An investigation showed that one of the vehicles, a Hyundai sedan, driven by an 18-year-old man, was traveling north and crossed the center line into the southbound lane and was struck by a tractor-trailer, driven by a 56-year-old man from Collegeville, Pennsylvania. There were three juvenile passengers from Tobyhanna in the Hyundai at the time of the crash, according to WFMZ. The impact from the tractor-trailer tore the Hyundai in half and a rear seat passenger and trapped the others. Both rear seat occupants were pronounced dead on the scene. The 18-year-old driver and the front passenger of the Hyundai were extricated from the vehicle and taken to CMC Geisinger and Lehigh Valley Hospital Center for treatment. Their conditions are unknown at this time. The driver of the tractor-trailer was uninjured. Police reported heavy precipitation at the time of crash. WFMZ reported that the accident is being reconstructed to determine causation and contributing factors. The investigation is ongoing.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Saudi Arabia said on Monday that it “won’t bear any responsibility” for a shortage in global oil supplies after a fierce barrage of attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels affected production in the kingdom, the world’s largest oil exporter. The unusually stark warning marked a departure from the giant oil producer’s typically cautious statements, as Saudi officials remain aware that even their smallest comments can swing the price of oil and rattle global markets. The state-run Saudi Press Agency quoted the Saudi Foreign Ministry as saying that the kingdom “declares that it will not bear any responsibility for any shortage in oil supplies to global markets in light of the attacks on its oil facilities.” The announcement comes as the kingdom remains in lockstep with OPEC and other oil-producing countries in a deal limiting production increases. Gulf Arab oil producers have so far resisted pressure from the Biden administration to pump more crude to help bring down oil prices that have soared amid Russia’s war on Ukraine. Already, gasoline prices have hit record highs around the world. Gas prices in the U.S. topped $4.25 on Monday, according to auto club AAA, just below the historic record of $4.33 reached earlier this month. “The international community must assume its responsibility to preserve energy supplies,” the Saudi statement added, in order to deter attacks that jeopardize “the kingdom’s production capability and its ability to fulfill its commitments.” The international oil benchmark Brent crude hovered over $112 a barrel in trading Monday, up more than 4% for the preceding session. The price remained below a peak of nearly $140 hit earlier this month, but still some $15 a barrel more than before the Russian invasion of Ukraine. On Sunday, Yemen’s Iran-backed rebels launched one of their most intense series of attacks targeting the kingdom’s oil and natural gas production, sparking a fire at a petroleum distribution center in the port of Jiddah, the country’s second-largest city, and disrupting production at a petrochemicals complex in Yanbu on the Red Sea coast. The overall extent of damage at the installations remained unclear. The Saudi Energy Ministry acknowledged a temporary drop in oil output at the 400,000-barrel-a-day Yanbu site, without elaborating. The government condemned the attacks as a threat to the security of global oil supplies “in these extremely sensitive circumstances.” Even before Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine, global energy supplies were struggling to keep pace with surging post-pandemic demand. The West’s punitive sanctions on Moscow, among the world’s largest oil producers and exporters, unleashed more turmoil on the market. The relentless wave of Houthi strikes began before dawn on Sunday and sporadically pounded sites throughout the kingdom’s south and west for hours, with the roar and thump of missile interceptors rattling residents in Jiddah until just before midnight. The attacks on installations run by the state-controlled national oil company Aramco, among the world’s most significant and valuable companies, exposed the gaps in Saudi defenses and recalled the dramatic attacks on two key oil installations in the country’s east that temporarily knocked out half of Saudi Arabia’s total oil production. The Houthis claimed responsibility for that sophisticated attack in September 2019, which the U.S. and Riyadh later blamed on Iran. Even after shrapnel blasted through the critical Abqaiq oil processing facility, Saudi Arabia delivered no such similar warning about its responsibility for global oil supplies and swinging prices. Instead, the kingdom stressed it would speedily return to normal levels of production. After Sunday’s strikes, the White House pledged to support Saudi Arabia’s defenses and denounced the Houthis as proxies of Iran. A senior administration official confirmed that the United States has transferred a significant number of Patriot antimissile interceptors to help Saudi Arabia thwart the barrage of Houthi drone and missile attacks.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — For the first time since the early 1980’s, the Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS) will host a truck and tractor pull as part of its event line-up for the 50th anniversary celebration. The MAC Trailers Winter Nationals Championship Pull will be held in Freedom Hall on Saturday, March 26, the final day of the show, which runs from March 24-26. Adding an element of power and noise, the Championship Pull will feature heavy hitters from the Hot Rod Semi, Pro Stock Tractor, Unlimited Super Stock Tractor and Mini Rod Tractor divisions. “This new event is sure to provide an evening full of excitement and top-flight pulling for MATS attendees and pulling fans alike,” a news release stated. Doors for the event open at 4 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time with pullers first hitting the track at 5 p.m. For more information, click here.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Veterans In Trucking (VIT), a new program focused on providing veterans with a new career path in the trucking industry, is coming to the 50th anniversary of the Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS), scheduled for March 24-26 in Louisville. MATS officials said that the event is a way to support partners and honor the nation’s “heroes and give back to the people who have given so much for their country.” The VIT event will include custom-tribute trucks, a people’s choice vote and special displays. Veterans are selected by the carrier they drive for and receive a custom-wrapped truck in honor of their service to our country. The initial recipients of the military themed trucks have been awarded. Ken Mateer is one of the VITs who has been selected. Mateer served nearly 22 years in combined military services before retiring and now drives with ACT. Larry Pope joined the military at age 17 and said he found discipline, structure and a purpose. After he left, Pope was looking for the same brotherhood and found trucking. Clean Harbor chose Pope to be the recipient of their custom-wrapped truck due to his sense of comradery, respect and sense of purpose, according to the company. Ted Kieffer served for 21 years in the military driving heavy haul equipment in Germany. Today, he drives for Unlimited Carriers and said he appreciates their commitment to giving him the home time he needs. For more information about these and other drivers who are VITs, click here. Admission to the program is free to all badged MATS attendees and will be located in The Pavilion. For all information regarding the 50th Anniversary of MATS, schedules and announcements, visit www.truckingshow.com.

CLARK COUNTY, Ind. — A tanker truck spilled hot sauce on an Indiana highway on March 16, in what may be a tragedy for those who love some extra heat with their food. Firefighters with the Monroe Township Fire Department (MTFD) were called to a semi tanker leaking hot sauce along an Interstate 65 on-ramp near Henryville, according to Firehouse.com. Another tanker truck eventually arrived, and its crew assisted with the clean up, transferring the spicy liquid from the leaking container to the fully-sealed unit. The scene was eventually cleared “without any of the runaway sauce for the next taco-Tuesday,” the MTFD said in a Facebook post. Officials from the Clark County Health Department were on-scene to monitor the cleanup. There were no injures, and authorities didn’t say what caused the leak.

BOISE, Idaho — Idaho Gov. Brad Little has signed into law a $252 million transportation funding bill that includes $200 million to repair bridges. The Republican governor signed the measure Wednesday that also includes $18 million to pay off previous transportation debt and $10 million for safe pedestrian crossings. The one-time money is enough to fix a third of deficient bridges. “We cannot continue our record economic trajectory if our logging trucks can’t get across old bridges or we can’t get our farm products to market,” Little said in a statement released Thursday. Little said he plans to sign in the coming days another bill with $200 million for road maintenance. Little’s Leading Idaho plan, announced in January in his State of the State speech, calls for improving transportation infrastructure. “I am unwilling to put Idahoans’ safety and the maintenance of our state’s roads and bridges at the whims of the feds,” Little said. “We must not look to Washington, D.C., to solve our problems. Leading Idaho means addressing our own state’s needs.”

ARVADA, Colo. – Interstate 76 eastbound through part of Colorado Friday was shut down after an 18-wheeler’s trailer collapsed under the weight of too much beer. According to the Arvada Police Department, the truck was overloaded with a large quantity of beer. “Too much beer is never a good thing,” the APD wrote on its Twitter page. There were no injuries reported. The highway was backed up for several hours.

HOBBS, N.M. — National Transportation Safety Board Vice Chairman Bruce Landsberg said Thursday that a 13-year-old was driving the pickup truck that struck a van in West Texas in a fiery collision that killed nine people. The truck’s left front tire, which was a spare tire, also blew out before impact, Landsberg said. One must be 14 in Texas to start taking classroom courses for a learner’s license and 15 to receive that provisional license to drive with an instructor or licensed adult in the vehicle. Department of Public Safety Sgt. Victor Taylor said a 13-year-old driving would be breaking the law. Although it was unclear how fast the two vehicles were traveling, “this was clearly a high-speed collision,” Landsberg said. The crash Authorities are trying to determine why the pickup truck the 13-year-old was driving crossed into the opposite lane before colliding head-on with the van, killing nine people including six New Mexico college students and a golf coach, as well as a 13-year-old boy. The University of the Southwest students, including one from Portugal and one from Mexico, and the coach were returning from a golf tournament. Also killed in Tuesday evening’s fiery crash was a man in the pickup with the boy. Two Canadian students were hospitalized in critical condition. The Texas Department of Public Safety identified the deceased as: Golf coach Tyler James, 26, of Hobbs, New Mexico; and players Mauricio Sanchez, 19, of Mexico; Travis Garcia, 19, of Pleasanton, Texas; Jackson Zinn, 22, of Westminster, Colorado; Karisa Raines, 21, of Fort Stockton, Texas; Laci Stone, 18, of Nocona, Texas; and Tiago Sousa, 18, of Portugal. Also killed were Henrich Siemens, 38, of Seminole County, Texas, and an unidentified 13-year-old boy who were in the 2007 Dodge 2500 pickup. Texas Department of Public Safety Sgt. Steven Blanco said Thursday that investigators have not yet confirmed who was driving either vehicle because of the severity of the crash and the fire that occurred afterward. Critically injured aboard the van were Canadian students Dayton Price, 19, of Mississauga, Ontario, and Hayden Underhill, 20, of Amherstview, Ontario. Both were taken by helicopter to the University Medical Center in Lubbock, about 110 miles to the northeast. “They are both stable and recovering and every day making more and more progress,” University of the Southwest Provost Ryan Tipton said Thursday of the two injured students. Underhill’s brother Drew said their parents, Ken and Wendy, flew to Texas. “Hockey was a big part of life for a while, but his true passion is golf,” Drew Underhill said. “From a small town in Ontario, he’s doing OK.” The Mexican Federation of Golf posted an online note of condolence to the loved ones of Mauricio Sanchez. Sousa was from Portugal’s southern coast, where he graduated from high school last summer before heading to college in the U.S., said Renata Afonso, head of the Escola Secundária de Loulé. “Any school would be delighted to have had him as a student,” she said. Stone’s mother wrote of her loss on Facebook Wednesday. “She has been an absolute ray of sunshine during this short time on earth,” Chelsi Stone said in a post. “We will never be the same after this and we just don’t understand how this happened to our amazing, beautiful, smart, joyful girl.” Stone graduated in 2021 from Nocona High School, where she played golf, volleyball and softball. She was a freshman majoring in global business management, according to her biography on the golf team’s website. James’ mother, June James, said she knew little about the circumstances of the collision. He coached the men and the women. “We don’t know what happened. It’s a huge investigation. We don’t have any idea as of yet,” James said during a brief phone interview. Team member Jasmin Collum had been scheduled to play but at the last minute decided instead to visit her parents in Houston, her mother said. “We knew all those people on board,” Tonya Collum said. “Basically, the whole team is gone or in the hospital.” The University of the Southwest is a private, Christian college located in Hobbs, New Mexico, near the state line with Texas. A memorial was set up Wednesday at the course near campus where the team practices. There were flowers, golf balls and a handmade sign with a cross and the initials USW. “It’s the very least we could to for the players, and of course Coach James,” said Rockwind Community Links Manager Ben Kirkes. “These kids were great kids, and they were great, great community members,” Kirkes said. New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said on Facebook that she is “deeply saddened” by the loss of life. “This is a terrible accident. As we await additional information from authorities, my prayers are with the community and the loved ones of all those involved,” she said. I am deeply saddened by news of a fatal crash involving students and staff from the University of the Southwest in Hobbs. This is a terrible, tragic accident. As we await additional information from authorities, my prayers are with the loved ones of all those involved. — Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham (@GovMLG) March 16, 2022 Texas Gov. Greg Abbott also expressed sympathy. “We grieve with the loved ones of the individuals whose lives were horrifically taken too soon in this fatal vehicle crash near Andrews last night,” Abbott said. Statement on fatal vehicle crash near Andrews in West Texas: https://t.co/a1QYDoekfO pic.twitter.com/GnxvAqAtFy — Gov. Greg Abbott (@GovAbbott) March 16, 2022 The teams had been taking part in a golf tournament at Midland College, about 315 miles west of Dallas. “We are still learning the details about the accident, but we are devastated and deeply saddened to learn about the loss of our students’ lives and their coach,” University President Quint Thurman said in a statement. The university said on Twitter that counseling and religious services would be available on campus. Midland College said Wednesday’s play would be canceled because of the crash. Eleven schools were participating in the event. “All of the players and their coaches from the participating schools met together early this morning,” Midland College athletic director Forrest Allen said in a statement Wednesday. “We were all shocked to learn of this tragedy, and our thoughts and prayers are with USW as they grieve this terrible loss.”

HARRISBURG, Pa. – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced Friday that it will no longer require weight class stickers on commercial vehicles. “Historically, trucks with a registered weight of 5,001 pounds or greater were required to display a truck weight class sticker on the inside of their vehicles windshield,” PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian said. “This was an antiquated and unreliable indicator for law enforcement and inconvenient for the industry/vehicle owners. The reliable way to determine the vehicle’s registered weight is for the law enforcement officer to review the current registration card.” A vehicle’s weight classification is printed on the vehicle’s registration card carried within a vehicle and produced during a vehicle stop. Eliminating weight class stickers will have no bearing on revenue as application fees are collected in accordance with established fee schedules. “Elimination of weight class stickers is a win-win for PennDOT and the trucking industry, saving costs and cutting needless red tape,” Rebecca Oyler, Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association (PMTA) President and CEO said. “PMTA has long supported this change and is pleased with this final rulemaking, which will benefit the owners of an estimated 1.6 million commercial and non-commercial vehicles.” All motor vehicle forms and publications related to weight class stickers are being updated to remove the reference of a “weight class sticker.” The updated forms will be available on our website at www.dmv.pa.gov. More information can be found on PennDOT’s Driver and Vehicle Service website under the Elimination of Truck Weight Class Stickers page. Customers may still obtain a variety of driver and vehicle products and services, including all forms, publications and driver training manuals, online through PennDOT’s Driver and Vehicle Services website, www.dmv.pa.gov.

WILLMINGTON, Conn. — A Connecticut State Police (CSP) trooper escaped serious injury Friday morning after his cruiser was struck by a set of tractor-trailer wheels and tires on Interstate 84 westbound at exit 70. The CSP wasn’t clear about whether the wheels came off of the 18-wheeler or if they were being hauled. The trooper was parked off the roadway in a dirt area at the time of the accident, according to a CSP news release. The big rig driver continued without stopping and has not been located, the CSP stated, noting that the trooper attempted to follow in pursuit but was unsuccessful. Anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact Sgt. Merrill at Troop C at 860) 896-3200.

NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. — Howes Products has added another level to its digital Howes Hall of Fame with the use of virtual reality (VR). The new technology provides visitors to the online “hall” with an immersive 360-degree panoramic experience. Howes, a developer of fuel additives and lubricants, introduced the Hall of Fame in 2020 as part of the company’s centennial celebration. The Hall of Fame, which began as a simple fly-through video with a few clickable “hot spots,” highlights people, places and things that have made positive impacts on the trucking and agricultural industries. “We were thrilled to build out the Hall of Fame to what it is today,” said Rob Howes, executive vice president of Howes Products. “It’s beyond important to us to have this platform dedicated to these amazing people, places and organizations,” he said. “Everyone should know what a tremendous role they play on these industries, and how imperative the industries themselves are to this nation. The more attention we can bring to them, the better.” With the addition of VR, the Hall now provides an interactive, “all-access” experience. Visitors can look up, down and all around from 12 points in the Hall to explore various exhibits. The Hall of Fame is packed with vivid graphics and interesting information about trucking, farming, the Howes company and, of course, the Hall’s honored inductees. While the updated version of the Hall of Fame will remain available to all, this year, Howes is taking things a step further. Visitors using virtual reality headsets with access to AltspaceVR, a social VR platform, will soon be able to dive into a remarkably immersive experience when visiting the site. This virtual experience is as close to the real thing as one can get, according to company. The Hall will offer plenty of places for AltspaceVR users to explore, along with items to examine and games to play. Visitors can even interact with each other in real time. “This is probably one of the coolest things we’ve ever had the privilege of creating,” said Erika Howes, vice president of business development at Howes Products. “Not only is it something new, fun and exciting, but (it’s) something that has a true purpose, something that calls attention to the industries that we are so proud to be a part of, industries that are the backbone of America, and most importantly, the heart of these industries — the people and places that keep them moving,” she continued. “Having a place to go to celebrate these folks is just awesome,” she added. “The fact that anyone can visit, at any time, from anywhere, makes it that much more special. Now, not only can everyone see (the Hall of Fame) in a super-cool way, but people can truly experience it, which is incredibly unique. We’re proud to be the pioneers of something this different.” This VR experience will be launched at the Howes booth (#14172) during the Mid-America Trucking Show, March 24-26 in Louisville, Kentucky. The booth will have a full Hall of Fame set-up, allowing visitors to preview inductee videos and Hall of Fame memorabilia while waiting to try out the VR. Those who prefer not to step into the virtual world were able to watch through the eyes of others via a big-screen television that broadcasts the user’s point of view. To top it all off, the first Howes Hall of Fame inductee of 2022 will be announced. “It’s great to finally be able to be around people again. We’ve wanted to announce inductees in person since the beginning, and this is the first time we’re going to be able to do it,” Erika said. “What a great combo package to be able to meet the newest inductee, then ‘step into’ the Hall of Fame world. Everyone is truly buzzing with excitement.” After the show, the virtual experience will be accessible to anyone with VR headsets that support AltspaceVR. Users with their own headsets will be able to create personalized avatars and meet fellow visitors from all across the globe, right inside the Hall. Visitors to the site who don’t have VR headsets will still be able to access the 360-degree panoramic version of the exhibit, which is quite a journey in and of itself. To date, inductees in the Howes Hall of Fame include: Ellen Voie, co-founder and CEO of the Women In Trucking Association; Iowa 80 Truckstop, known as “The World’s Largest Truckstop”; Tony Justice, a singer, songwriter, storyteller and truck driver; Truckers Against Trafficking, a nonprofit organization that fighting human trafficking; and Peterson Farm Brothers, “Depicting what it is to be a farmer today.” The newest inductee will be announced at MATS later this month. To nominate a candidate as a potential inductee for the Howes Hall of Fame, click here and fill out the entry form.