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Love’s Travel Stops open in Alabama and Mississippi adding total of 109 truck parking spaces

OKLAHOMA CITY —  Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores is now serving customers in Smiths Station, Alabama, and Walnut, Mississippi, thanks to two travel stops that opened Thursday, May 7. The Smiths Station store, located off U.S. Highway 280, adds 50 jobs and 51 truck parking spaces to Lee County. The Walnut store, located off U.S. Highway 72, adds 32 jobs and 58 truck parking spaces to Tippah County. Both locations are open 24/7 and offer many amenities, including: Smiths Station, Alabama More than 11,000 square feet. Chester’s Chicken and Godfather’s Pizza. 51 truck parking spaces. 60 car parking spaces. Three RV parking spaces. Six diesel bays. Six showers. Laundry facilities. Bean-to-cup gourmet coffee. Brand-name snacks. Fresh Kitchen concept. Mobile to Go Zone with the latest electronics. CAT scale. Dog park. Walnut, Mississippi More than 7,300 square feet. Godfather’s Pizza. 58 truck parking spaces. 55 car parking spaces. Two RV parking spaces. Five diesel bays. Four showers. Laundry facilities. Bean-to-cup gourmet coffee. Brand-name snacks. Fresh Kitchen concept. Mobile to Go Zone with the latest electronics. CAT scale. Dog park. “Love’s is proud to open two new locations for our customers in the south,” said Tom Love, founder and executive chairman of Love’s. “Opening our 15th and 16th locations in Alabama and Mississippi, respectively, means giving more customers the products and amenities they love to help get them back on the road quicker.” In honor of the grand opening, Love’s will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony at each location and donate $2,000 split between the Phenix City and Lee County Board of Education in Smiths Station and $2,000 to an organization that will be named soon in Walnut. Visit https://loves.com/covid19 for updates regarding temporary changes to the company’s operations.

Price gouging against truckers in North Carolina

  David Compton: North Carolina attorney general, Josh Stein has filed the state’s first price gouging lawsuit of the coronavirus crisis against Charlotte based A-1 Towing Solutions Inc and owner David Satterfield. The AG’s office accuses A-1 Towing and Satterfield of price gouging and engaging in deceptive trade practices and unfair debt collection practices during the COVID crisis. The lawsuit claims A-1 Towing improperly and predatorily booted and towed trucks hauling food, water, bleach, and needed medical supplies, in spite the fact the truck drivers had obtained permission from the property owners to park. Apparently some drivers were forced to pay fees up to $4,400 just to get the rigs back. The attorney general has obtained a restraining order keeping A-1 Towing and Satterfield from booting any more vehicles until a court hearing. If you’ve been a victim of price gouging in the state of North Carolina during the COVID-19 crisis, you’re asked to contact the link below.

Kenworth training program gives college engineering students real-world experience

KIRKLAND, Wash. — For the past 33 years, engineering students at Seattle University have been applying their education and training to real-world solutions. It’s part of a program with Kenworth in which senior-year mechanical and electrical engineers participate in capstone projects with local companies. Capstone enables students to put much of their knowledge to work in an academic year-long class to create something tangible that one day might be commercially produced. “It’s a win-win program,” said Jean Jacoby, associate dean of the College of Science and Engineering at Seattle University. “Our students look forward to their senior year, where they’re handed a project from Kenworth and can explore and create solutions. Kenworth has been a great partner in providing opportunities for students to get to the know the trucking industry and Kenworth while giving them worthwhile projects that can be critiqued and possibly produced down the road. It’s been exciting.” Over the years, the Seattle University students have completed 44 Kenworth projects — everything from how to couple tractors to trailers automatically, to autonomous truck technology. “These aren’t easy projects,” said Reid Nabarrete, who graduated from Seattle University in 1987, one year before Kenworth began working with the school. Today, Nabarrete heads up the program for Kenworth in his role as assistant chief engineer-operations. “The students are totally engaged and bring new ideas to the table,” Nabarrete continued. “Most have never been exposed to the technology that goes into designing trucks. We open their eyes and they get excited about the industry. “Throughout the program, we work with the Seattle U students to mentor and answer any questions they might have. They present their findings to Kenworth engineers at the end of the year, then later to faculty and students at the university,” he said. “We’re often amazed at what they produce. Some of their ideas were so good that patent applications were submitted. That tells you something right there.” This year, the students are facing the added challenge of the social-distancing environment caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. “We’re especially proud of these very resilient Seattle U seniors, who have seen their last year of college get disrupted. Yet, here they are, still able to participate remotely and contribute in a meaningful way for their capstone project,” Nabarrete said. The early exposure to Kenworth and the trucking industry in past years has led many of the students to pursue careers at Kenworth. “We now have 14 graduates from Seattle U working in engineering at Kenworth,” said Nabarrete. “There is a nice bond among the group. They all started off with a senior project with Kenworth.” Nick Outlaw, a 2014 Seattle University graduate and now member of the Outerbody Group at Kenworth, said he had an open mind as to what he wanted to do when he was at Seattle University. “My wife worked at Boeing, and I knew about Kenworth and PACCAR,” Outlaw said. “I always enjoyed anything automotive-related, so it was great that I got the early exposure to Kenworth during our senior project. “During our capstone project, we looked at converting the cooling system on a Kenworth from mechanical to electrical. We learned you have to pull horsepower from an engine to power the cooling system, so Kenworth wanted us to see if that could be accomplished electrically instead,” he continued. “I remember we came up with an array of ideas, theories and then next steps, which we presented to Kenworth. It really allowed us to apply all our education to a real-world problem.” For Caroline Hofgaard, the road to Kenworth actually began in Norway. She came to the Seattle area in 2009 and earned an economics degree from nearby Pacific Lutheran University before enrolling at Seattle University to pursue her passion in engineering. She joined Kenworth after graduating in 2017 and is now a design engineer in the Suspension Group. “I was always interested in science and my family has a long history in engineering, so I followed along in those footsteps,” Hofgaard said. “When I came here, I didn’t know much about trucks other than what I saw in Norway — cabovers are used there due to the narrow roads. I wasn’t sure what to expect when my senior project was with Kenworth,” she said. “I remember being surprised and overwhelmed when we learned about all the technology that was built into a Kenworth. The project Kenworth gave us — how to couple tractors to trailers automatically — really built my interest in finding ways to make something work. It allowed us to use our critical thinking.” According to Jacoby, that’s what the program is all about. “We want to challenge our students, and yes, have them use their critical thinking,” Jacoby said. “The projects we do with Kenworth get our students excited about putting their knowledge to work. They get to apply what they’ve studied. The capstone project we have here is something they’ll never forget. And, for many, it was their stepping-stone to a career in the trucking industry.”

Truck drivers can stream Road Dog Trucking Radio for free through May 31

SiriusXM’s Road Dog Trucking Radio, channel 146, is offering an exclusive free-to-air channel for professional truck drivers on the front lines, through Sunday, May 31. Road Dog Trucking Radio can be heard wherever truckers tune in — on SiriusXM radios, on the SiriusXM app and at home on a variety of connected devices and speakers. This channel is now available to subscribers nationwide and to everyone — including anyone who is not already a SiriusXM subscriber — as part of SiriusXM’s free streaming access period through May 31. For more information and to start listening, visit siriusxm.com/streamfree. For a listing of channel hosts and schedules visit siriusxm.com/roaddogtrucking.

Illinois DOT partners with local groups to provide free food for truckers at weigh stations

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — To help the public show appreciation to the trucking industry during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Illinois Department of Transportation will coordinate with groups that want to provide free food to truckers. Events that meet and follow specific safety requirements will be held at select IDOT weigh stations throughout the state. “We are proud to offer our assistance in saying thank you to truckers and giving them some encouragement in their travels,” said Omer Osman, the state’s acting transportation secretary. “All of us owe these men and women our gratitude for keeping the nation’s supply chain moving, making sure food is winding up in our homes, and getting medical supplies and equipment to the people that need them most.” The events will be held only at weigh stations, with a maximum time limit of three hours for each event. Illinois Department of Public Health criteria for handling food and other safety guidelines, which can be viewed by clicking here, must be followed at all times. Events will not be held at rest areas. Scheduling will be coordinated by IDOT and the Illinois State Police. Requests by organizations wishing to distribute food must be received at least five days in advance. The following weigh stations will be available between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays: Interstate 55 southbound at Williamsville in Sangamon County; Interstate 57 northbound and southbound at Marion in Williamson County; Interstate 64 eastbound at O’Fallon in St. Clair County; Interstate 70 westbound at Marshall in Marshall County; Interstate 74 eastbound and westbound at Moline in Henry County; Interstate 80 eastbound and westbound at East Moline in Rock Island County; and Interstate 70 eastbound at Brownstown in Fayette County. For more information or to schedule a group’s involvement, contact Keith Donovan, weight enforcement engineer, at [email protected] or 217-299-0934. Photo courtesy of the Illinois Department of Transportation.

Trucker Path app, Motel 6 join forces to help truckers find lodging

DALLAS — A new partnership between the Trucker Path app and Motel 6 is designed to help professional drivers easily find safe, affordable lodging while on the road. According to a May 4 press release, the Trucker Path app, which helps drivers find truck stops and available parking, will now also point drivers to the nearest Motel 6. This partnership is Trucker Path’s first with a hospitality provider. The release notes that truck drivers are “keeping the lights on” for America as they haul essential goods during the COVID-19 pandemic, echoing Motel 6’s well-known tagline: “We’ll leave the lights on for you.” Motel 6 has nearly 1,400 locations in the U.S, and Canada. Since the onset of the global health crisis, the lodging chain has launched enhanced protection protocols for guests and team members, including social distancing and increased cleaning frequency for common areas, so drivers can feel safe no matter where they stop along the road. “At Motel 6, we are committed to leaving the light on for drivers who are bravely continuing on their routes, bringing much needed medical supplies, food and goods to communities across the U.S.,” said Rob Palleschi, CEO at Motel 6. “These heroes are putting their own safety on the line to keep America moving, and we are pleased to work with Trucker Path to easily pinpoint our locations for drivers so they can take a break and get the rest they need.” To locate accommodations while on the road, users can download the Trucker Path app and then make reservations at Motel 6 locations directly through the app. “Trucker Path is excited to partner with Motel 6 to say thank you to all truckers and help provide convenient access to an economical and clean place to rest their heads so that they can get back on the road safely,” said Joe Chen, CEO at Trucker Path.  

Semi carrying hay bales catches fire in Monroe County

Courtesy: KCCI Transcription: Monroe County sheriff dash-cam captured this in Albia. Hay bales on fire on a semi-trailer. Deputies say the semi was on Highway 34 yesterday when the bales caught fire. Albia Fire, wow, and the DOD assisted and the Sheriff’s office says the hay bales will likely burn for a few days along that ditch.

Exclusive interview with D.C. protesters reveals group’s desire to present case, avoid ‘three-ring circus’

Day 5 of the owner-operator protest dawned in Washington on May 5, with rain on the way. That won’t be enough to deter protesters, who have resolved to remain in place on Constitution Avenue until they get their meeting at the White House. “I’m full of energy and ready to keep going,” said protester Janet Sanchez in an exclusive interview with The Trucker. “I came here to get a job done, and I’m staying until it’s finished.” In another interview, Jeremy Johnson, another member of the protest, said, “We’re standing strong.” Both Johnson and Sanchez are administrators and members of The Disrespected Trucker group on Facebook. The group, started in late July 2019, currently boasts more than 7,000 members. Many of those members joined the group in the past two weeks as the current protest unfolded. The protest continues to grow. “We had another six or seven more trucks join us today, and there are more on the way,” Sanchez said. “We’re not leaving until we get our meeting.” Protests involving large numbers of trucks are often at odds with the local population and government. That isn’t happening here, and protesters say they are surprised at the local support they have received. “Right here, where we are, the police, the Secret Service, the park police — they’ve all been nothing short of supportive,” Johnson said. “At noon they come in with 15 pizzas and another 20 at suppertime. We ask who is sending them, and it’s always ‘concerned citizens of Washington D.C.’” Sanchez agreed. “They’re great! We have police officers that come by and have dinner with us,” she explained, adding that even some of the local motorists are getting involved. “Some of the motorists are making ‘#MakeTruckingGreat’ signs and putting them on their cars; then they honk as they go by.” Protest participants are working hard to keep relations good, Johnson said. “You walk up and down the street past all of these trucks, and you don’t see a piece of trash anywhere,” he said.” We’re doing our best to protest peacefully, within the law.” The protest has achieved results. So far, the White House has acknowledged the group’s presence with the gift of a bag full of hats. Names have been recorded for the process of security clearance for a potential meeting. And President Trump himself thrilled participants with a Saturday-night tweet that began, “I’m with the TRUCKERS all the way.” However, the demonstrators are looking for more than attention from government or media. Being noticed is a first step, but action must follow. They want a meeting with the president, or at least with members of his administration who will hear their complaints. One of the first questions that must be answered if a meeting is granted is who will go to the meeting. “I’m on the list, but obviously, all of us can’t go to the White House,” Sanchez said. Johnson was a little more specific. “Janet Sanchez will definitely go,” he said. “Either me or Shawn (McIntosh, another member of The Disrespected Trucker), if we get the chance. And Mike Landis, CEO of the U.S. Transportation Alliance.” Johnson understands that the size of the delegation is important, too. “We have to be careful who goes,” he said. “Everyone has to pass a background check, and we don’t want the meeting to turn into a three-ring circus.” Once it is determined who will attend the meeting, if it happens, the question of what issues will be presented is critical to the cause. It’s also where Sanchez and Johnson differ — for now. “You can’t just walk in and demand regulation of brokers. What happens when someone else wants to regulate how much truckers are paid?” said Johnson, adding that that hours-of-service (HOS) reform is No. 1 on his list. “They lifted the HOS restrictions because we (truckers) were deemed ‘essential’ during the COVID-19 crisis,” he explained. “News flash: We’re essential 365 days of the year.” Johnson also thinks too many regulations are put in place without considering the input of drivers and small-business owner-operators. “We want immediate suspension of all HOS regulations until we get a seat at the table,” he said, explaining that the 14-hour rule is the first target. Sanchez, on the other hand, wants to target income. “The big issue is money,” she said. “I’d like to see the broker percentage (of load revenue) brought down to 10 to 20%, with at least 80% to the trucker. Trucking is a high-risk job, away from home, and the trucker bears all the expense.” Her reasoning looks to volume. A brokerage has multiple employees, and each one might book 10 to 15 loads a day, while the trucker can only book one, she explained. She also wants more transparency in broker-trucker dealings. “A lot of truckers would like to see the full amount the broker is paid before the load is accepted,” she said. “That way, everything is transparent, and the trucker knows if the broker is keeping too much.” Sanchez listed hours of service as the next item to be addressed, followed by the treatment of drivers. “We also want to see drivers protected,” Johnson said. “Too often, detention isn’t paid. Our time should be paid, too.” He listed access to restroom facilities at shipper and receiver locations as another issue. “It always seems everyone is protected except the trucker,” he concluded. While the protest continues, the group’s de facto leadership plans to continue polling the participants to make sure everyone is on the same page. “We’re trying to take opinions from the drivers, then the more experienced drivers are working to narrow it to the two or three main points,” Sanchez said. Keeping the demonstration peaceful is an important goal, too. “Janet, me and Shawn, wherever we can keep things calm and moving forward, we want to be there,” Johnson said, adding that it’s important that the group is together. “My message is one of unity between all of us,” Sanchez said. “Really, we can accomplish a lot of things if we’re all together.” Both Johnson and Sanchez are confident that persistence and unity are keys to achieving their objectives, and they’re asking for public support. “Truckers move America,” Sanchez said. “America needs to stand up for its truckers.” [Photo courtesy of Rebecca Doty via Facebook]

Louisiana extends commercial truck weight-limit waiver through May 31

BATON ROUGE, La. — The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) has extended the weight-limit waiver for commercial trucks assisting in COVID-19 relief efforts through May 31 or the end of the statewide stay-at-home order. The waiver allows commercial vehicles traveling on the state’s public highways to have a gross weight of 88,000 pounds. Shawn Wilson, secretary of the state’s DOTD, announced the extension of the waiver on April 30, citing the continued spread of COVID-19 cases in Louisiana. According to the Louisiana Department of Health, at the time of this writing, the state has a total of 29,673 reported cases and 1,991 deaths related to COVID-19. Commercial truck drivers should be aware that the weight exemption does not apply to bridges and other structures that have posted weight limits. In addition, the waiver does not apply to commercial vehicles that are not operating in support of COVID-19 support efforts or to vehicles traveling on interstate highways or non-state-maintained highways. To view the waiver extension, click here.  

‘Mayday’ protesters garner presidential attention but end result of truckers’ efforts remains to be seen

On a news-filled day when protests erupted across the country to protest COVID-19 “shelter in place” restrictions, about 100 independent owner-operators accomplished something that other protesters routinely fail to do. They got the direct attention of a sitting U.S. president. At 9:42 p.m. on Sunday, May 3, President Donald Trump tweeted, “I’m with the TRUCKERS all the way. Thanks for the meeting at the White House with my representatives from the Administration. It is all going to work out well!” Earlier in the day, White House representatives showed up at the demonstration site bearing gifts — a cloth bag emblazoned with the presidential seal and filled with hats bearing the messages “USA Strong” and “Keep America Great.” The Trump tweet was the first official public acknowledgement from the government of awareness of the “mayday” protest that began May 1. The ruckus attracted the attention of 160,000-member OOIDA (Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association), which weighed in on Saturday with an informational letter from Lewie Pugh, the association’s executive vice president, to its membership that acknowledged historically low freight rates and provided a link to report broker abuse. Social media erupted with responses to the protest. Some people were jubilant at the movement’s success in attracting the attention of The Washington Post and other media outlets, culminating with a tweet from Trump himself. Others cautioned that the attention was only a first step and that the issue that could take more time, and more protest, to resolve. Still others cautioned participants to be careful what they wish for. Mark Rasmussen commented on The Trucker’s website, “I want to be an owner-operator and own my own business, but I want the government to take care of me. You can’t have it both ways.” A common sentiment expressed was that owner-operators who haul cheap freight are helping keep rates low for everyone. Brandon Montgomery, who posted that he’s been parked for seven weeks now, said, “If you haul cheap freight YOU are the problem. PARK THOSE RIGS.” The issue facing protest organizers and participants now is what they’ll do with the newfound attention, especially if, as expected, the result is a meeting with Trump himself — or at least with administration officials. The protest has been centered around low freight rates, but opinions diverge quickly from there. Should organizers ask for federal regulation of brokers with, perhaps, a mandated percentage of revenue brokers are allowed to keep? And, if so, what is a reasonable percentage? Another potential avenue is increased transparency. Brokers are already required to provide rate information to every party that participates in each load. Truckers are entitled to know how much the broker was paid by the shipper, any additional services the broker provided and more. All that is required is that the owner-operator ask for the information. The majority of owner-operators believe, however, that asking for this information will result in being “blacklisted” by that broker and being unable to conduct further business. A federal mandate that brokers must provide this information at the time of settlement with the trucker wouldn’t necessarily increase the percentage of revenue to the carrier, but it would increase broker transparency by eliminating the trucker’s responsibility to request it. Broker retribution would also be greatly reduced, since they would be providing the information to every carrier they contract with. OOIDA expressed support for this position April 28 when Norita Taylor, media spokesperson for the group, told The Trucker that OOIDA would like to require brokers to provide electronic records as soon as a haul is complete. A meeting with the Trump administration might be an opportune time to discuss financial assistance for owner-operators, too. As self-employed business owners, most don’t qualify for unemployment benefits in their home states. The U.S. Small Business Administration has been instructed to make an additional $50 million available for low-interest loans to small businesses. The funds, however, are distributed to the states, which then work with financial institutions to provide funding to small businesses. The process for obtaining the cash isn’t clear, and there’s a question of whether small trucking businesses would qualify for the loans since they aren’t officially “shut down” by government mandate. Suspending operation due to unprofitable freight rates may not be looked upon in the same light as a mandated closing. Some owner-operators may not be able to put together an application package to satisfy lenders, which depend heavily on business plans, profit-and-loss statements, and creditworthiness to decide who gets the money. Other complaints that have been made include elimination of the requirement for electronic logging devices (ELDs), regulations addressing detention conditions and pay, access to restrooms and break areas at shippers’ and receivers’ facilities, and even a ruling by the FMCSA that would allow interstate truckers to carry loaded firearms in all jurisdictions. A video posted on Facebook today (May 4) by one of the protest organizers, Rick Santiago, demands that the FMCSA be “eradicated” and antitrust laws be eliminated, although an explanation of how either action would come about — or how it would benefit owner-operators — was not provided. Hopefully, organizers will remain focused on a small number of key issues as they remain in Washington to continue pursuing their cause. [Photo courtesy of Rebecca Doty via Facebook]

Howes Hall of Fame announces Tony Justice as second inductee for inaugural class of 2020

NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. — Independent musician and truck driver Tony Justice has been selected as the second person to be inducted into the inaugural class of the Howes Hall of Fame for 2020. “It is just a huge honor,” Justice said. “Something I never would have dreamed about or thought about. It brings a positive light on the industry that we have gathered that much support. It is a really big honor.” According to a press release from Howes, Justice has sold more than 100,000 albums in the past nine years — in addition to averaging more than 2,500 miles per week as a professional truck driver for the past 20 years. Justice said a lot of his inspiration for his music has come from being on the road. “I probably do 90 percent of my writing on the road, because I spend a lot of hours on the road,” Justice said. “You see a lot of good things and good people driving across America and crossing the Rocky Mountains. There is so much to see out there. There is a lot inspiration.” When Justice is not on the road, he is recording his music. He is currently working on his fifth album for the independent label he owns. He said trying to juggle trucking and music can be pretty challenging at times. “I’ve been writing songs and playing music since 1991. I enjoy the creativity side of it such as the writing and putting the stories out there of what we go through on the road,” he said. “We started putting music to it, and it was something I wanted to record. To watch it come to life is something I have really enjoyed, and the performing side of it is a lot of fun as well — those are the two highlights.” Justice has performed all over the country, including venues in South Dakota; Louisville, Kentucky; Las Vegas; Texas; Atlanta; and Charlotte, North Carolina. He said he also played clubs for nine years on the east coast. “We just felt like (Tony) was such an inspiration and ridiculously hard-working,” said Erika Howes, vice president of business development for Howes. “He makes music about the industry and he is hands-on with everything he does. “He cares about people and he interacts with his fans, and listens to their story. He is a really down-to-earth guy, especially with his fellow drivers. He entertains and encourages people. He is so proud to represent America’s blue-collar working class,” she continued. “He embodies what we wanted to represent in the hall of fame.” Justice is a company driver for Everhart Transport Inc. out of Greenville, Tennessee. He said he has been fortunate that a lot of the company’s customers are considered “necessities.” “His songs are about this industry and what we represent,” Howes said. “He is hands-on with his own label. It is such a unique story that we found to be really interesting and inspiring.” Justice has been around trucking his whole life. When he was growing up in eastern Kentucky, he said, his dad had three trucks. Justice and his siblings would service the trucks and wash them on the weekends. He said he can never remember a time where trucks were not a part of his life. “I am still driving full time,” he said. “I like to tell people, ‘I haven’t quit my day job.’ I’m still putting up with it because I enjoy doing it. I have a great support group at home.” Justice said that right now his biggest challenge is trying to take care of his mom, Sharon, and his wife, Misty. Misty had breast cancer last year but is currently in remission. “My mom lives with me, and my biggest challenge is that I don’t bring anything (contagious) home,” Justice said. “I’m taking a lot of extra measures. We are used to going into stores and buying drinks or food, but now we have to get everything stocked in the truck and stay in my ‘bubble.’ I have to distance myself from things I normally do. It is a change from normal.” The Howes Hall of Fame is part of the company’s 100th anniversary. According to a press release, the Hall of Fame “serves as a platform for Howes to thank and acknowledge all the great work that has, and does, go on in the trucking and agricultural industries.” For more information, visit the website at www.howesproducts.com/HOF. Ellen Voie, president and CEO of the Women in Trucking Association, was the first inductee announced. A third inductee will be announced next month. “We started the hall of fame this year, and going forward we are hoping to induct a few people once or twice a year,” Howes said. “This year we sourced out people with the representation that we are looking for, but next year, we will open up nominations to the public. “We don’t want it all be about us,” she said. “We are looking to recognize the trucking and farming industry for their contribution and what they have done to keep the industry going.”

Southern California truckers organize for ‘slow roll’ looking to raise awareness of low freight rates

SAN PEDRO, Calif. — On the other side of the country from Washington D.C., southern California truckers held a protest echoing the concerns of other owner-operators from coast to coast regarding low freight rates. While the protests in Washington D.C. aimed to physically garner the attention of the federal government and the White House, one of the southern California event’s organizers, owner-operator Miguel Ramirez said this protest was a part of a nationwide effort to call attention the low rates truckers are being offered from brokers for hauling essential goods. “We are joining a national movement, and it is taking place from the east coast to the west coast as we speak,” Rameriz said, noting that he feels the rating system that determines how much a load pays should be changed or at the very least, analyzed. “We know it is not going to happen overnight, but we want a change in the pricing and ratings systems, and we just want to bring awareness to the general public,” Rameriz said. Gio Marz, another of the event’s organizers, echoed the sentiment that the southern California protest aims to be a “peaceful, slow roll for unity.” He said this legal and peaceful demonstration, which was assembled at the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro, California, will join another convoy coming from Fontana, California. The two groups combined have the potential to number more than 300 trucks, Marz said. Additionally, Marz said he and the participants see this protest as a way to show they are standing in solidarity with other truckers across the country who have selected May Day (May 1, 2020) for their symbolic ‘mayday’ distress call. “We want to bring awareness from politicians, to governors, to big corporations, to the everyday consumer,” Marz said. “If you have essential goods on your shelves at your house, it is because, most likely, the truckers brought it to you.” The planned protest at the port drew more than 60 trucks that lined up, blew their air horns and began a slow drive to Los Angeles City Hall, where they will be joined by the second convoy. Marz also noted that right now, truck drivers are risking their well-being to deliver goods throughout the nation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Other event organizers, who delivered an address in a mixture of English and Spanish, said, “The place is here, and the time is now,” to recognize the importance of truck drivers and their efforts in carrying the nation through the COVID-19 pandemic. “It’s a risk. Every single time we leave our house, we are at risk,” Marz said. “We’re on the front lines, and we are not getting paid what we deserve. Eighty percent of the truck port drivers [here in LA] are owner-operators like myself. If the rates for the loads are coming down, it does not make sense for us to keep running our trucks businesswise. Today the mission is for us to just unite across the board as truckers and say ‘no’ to cheap freight.” Marz said his message to brokers is to “stop being greedy,” but he also acknowledges that customers can deal directly with carriers instead of utilizing brokers, which would allow many owner-operators to eliminate another step in the logistics of the supply chain. The group offered T-shirts commemorating the event for free in exchange for donations that will be used to help pay the fines of other drivers who have received citations during other freight-rate-related protests in the area.

Arizona DOT extends raised weight limits for delivery of essentials through end of May

PHOENIX — The Arizona Department of Transportation has extended higher weight limits for commercial trucks hauling critical supplies and goods. In early April, in coordinating with Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, the state’s DOT raised the gross weight limit for commercial vehicles to 90,000 pounds without the need for an overweight permit, up from the normal 80,000 pounds. That temporary measure was set to expire on April 30 but has been extended to the end of May. “These temporary rules are helping ensure Arizona’s groceries, pharmacies and medical providers remain adequately supplied,” said John Halikowski, director of the Arizona DOT. The temporary weight limits apply to commercial vehicles that are providing direct assistance to COVID-19 relief efforts as outlined in a federal emergency declaration issued in March. This includes, among other essential items, medical supplies related to the diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19, supplies necessary for community safety and preventing the spread of COVID-19, and food and household items for emergency restocking of stores. Arizona DOT’s Enforcement and Compliance Division officers have implemented the new weight protocol at commercial ports of entry. Commercial vehicles will continue to be required to comply with state and federal regulations, and officers will continue to conduct safety inspections and issue permits as needed. Ports of entry at state lines and international borders remain open and staffed by ADOT officers and other staff to screen commercial vehicles to ensure the safe flow of commodities and supplies while supporting federal guidelines to keep America’s commerce moving. Photo courtesy of the Arizona Department of Transportation.  

NATSO, International Franchise Association work together to feed truck drivers

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — NATSO, a national association that represents truck stops and travel plazas, has partnered with the International Franchise Association to provide truck drivers with information about available food options at truck stops and travel plazas across the U.S. Because many state and local governments have restricted sit-down dining due to the COVID-19 pandemic, thousands of restaurant franchises located within truck stops and travel centers have adapted to offer take-out and curbside delivery for truck drivers. “NATSO and its members are committed to ensuring that the heroic truck drivers serving America during this national pandemic have access to as many food options as possible,” said Lisa Mullings, president and CEO of NATSO. “We are proud to feed the nation’s truck drivers, and through this partnership, truck drivers can more readily find food and meals in specific geographic areas.” Travel centers remain committed to remaining open 24 hours a day to provide food, fuel, parking and the other essential amenities needed by professional drivers as long as state, local and federal governments permit them to do so. “Franchise businesses represent some of America’s most loved and trusted brands,” said Robert Cresanti, president and CEO of the International Franchise Association. “America’s truckers are keeping our economy moving during COVID-19, and we’re excited to partner with NATSO to increase their access to meals while on the road.” Restaurant franchises also remain dedicated to feeding travelers, especially essential truck drivers, during the current crisis. “The COVID-19 pandemic, and its impact on the restaurant industry, has resulted in more limited options for fresh, hot meals for truck drivers. Chester’s is able to fill that void, and we are committed to serving fresh fried chicken and homestyle sides in our truck-stop and travel-plaza locations whenever possible,” said William Culpepper, vice president of Marketing at Chester’s, a restaurant franchise that specializes in fried chicken. “During the COVID-19 crisis, we have worked hard and fast to support our operators by developing marketing assets uniquely suited to this new world where dining rooms are closed and purchasing behaviors are changing.” Culpepper continued. To help alert drivers to the availability of prepared food, Chester’s locations have posted signs at truck stops and travel centers noting that the restaurant is “open for chicken” and that curbside pickup is available. In addition, the franchise is running a special promotion offering 10 chicken tenders for $10. Kurt Kane, president, U.S. and chief commercial officer for The Wendy’s Co. expressed gratitude to the nation’s truck drivers. “We are grateful for our nation’s truck drivers (and) believe that they are vital to our economy. They need access to food while on the road delivering critical supplies to hospitals, retailers, restaurants and other essential businesses,” he said. “Several weeks ago, Wendy’s introduced a new walk-up curbside ordering procedure to accommodate customers with oversized vehicles, like truck drivers and first responders, while many of our dining rooms are temporarily closed.” A pop-up window in the Wendy’s mobile app notifies user of these options, making it easier for truckers and other drivers with oversized vehicles gain access to food. For a listing of travel-center food options visit the NATSO website or the International Franchise Association website.

‘Mayday’ protests begin; exploring the issues and looking at what can be done

Today’s the day. May Day. Or “mayday,” as protest organizers who have adopted the well-known international radio distress signal, have labeled May 1, 2020. Demonstrations have begun in Washington D.C. and in Chicago. In Washington, dozens of trucks are parked along Constitution Avenue, within view of the White House, blowing their air horns in unity with the cause. Reporters from several local television stations have covered the event, broadcasting coverage of the parked trucks and crescendo of air horns. Interviews with organizers and participants have been observed on sidewalks near the demonstration. Homemade banners proclaiming “Make trucking great again” hang from commercial motor vehicles, and American flags are everywhere. In Chicago, more trucks gathered at a Northbrook truck stop in preparation for a Chicago protest. Social-media venues have been flooded with photos, videos and comments supporting the demonstrating drivers. Protests were also scheduled in Houston, Phoenix and Los Angeles. All three cities saw “slow roll” protests last week, and organizers have promised to return for today’s “mayday” demonstration. Organizers are hoping to raise awareness of issues faced by small-business truckers, most of whom own their trucks. The most-expressed complaint is low freight rates, usually accompanied by complaints that brokers are paying truckers too little, keeping excessive amounts of the revenue paid to them by shippers. Other complaints are that drivers don’t have access to masks, gloves and sanitizer despite being categorized as essential workers; that the government hasn’t done enough to ensure adequate available food and parking; and that government regulations, especially the requirement for Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs), are overbearing and counterproductive. While it’s true that demonstrations can draw the attention of government, press and public, the publicity generated isn’t always positive. In some ways, these protests can harm the public’s perception of the protesters, in this case, truck drivers — and the trucking industry as a whole — at a time when help is needed. Protests that interfere with traffic, either by blocking lanes or “slow rolling,” can incite public annoyance and anger. There are also safety issues to consider as motorists are impeded by the parade of protesting truckers. Another issue is effectiveness. It seems that every year brings another protest or work stoppage that results in minimal actual change. Whether the public feels the issues faced by truckers this year are more serious than those in past years remains to be seen. There’s also the argument that at least some of the protesting truckers are suffering pain that is, at least in part, self-inflicted. Often, small-business truckers treat settlement checks as personal pay rather than business revenue, living from check to check just as employees of businesses sometimes do. Trucking businesses that don’t set aside revenue for maintenance, repairs, taxes and other expenses are vulnerable no matter how large or small. It’s a sad reality that many drivers who work hard and are excellent drivers are not quite as skilled at managing their businesses. Many owner-operators are one major repair, accident or cargo claim away from insolvency. Vehicle selection can be problematic too. Large carriers replace their trucks regularly, keeping a close eye on maintenance costs and replacing equipment as the costs are expected to rise. Owner-operators, for the most part, purchase used, older equipment that is less expensive to buy but more likely to suffer expensive mechanical problems. While the cost of repairs can hit the budget hard, the owner also loses revenue that could have been earned while the truck was in the shop, exacerbating the problem. How the trucks are equipped also matters. Owner-operators often want bigger engines, heavier components, larger sleepers and more chrome — features that well-run carriers eschew for economic reasons. The result is that big-name carriers can accept lower freight rates, helping drive down the average for everyone. Owner-operators can experience difficulty in contracting with regular customers because many of those customers prefer to deal with a few large carriers that can handle all of their freight rather than hundreds — or even thousands — of individual truckers. Most of the larger carriers have customers they contract with for set rates. The owner-operators who depend entirely on the spot market, where rates are much more volatile, can struggle when the rates decline. Those who depend on the spot market often find loads on Internet load boards, resulting in each operator dealing with a variety of brokers without developing a solid business relationship with any of them. One way truckers can help themselves is with a regulation that’s already in place. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations part 371.3 governs records that must be kept by freight brokers. For each brokered load, that record must show from whom the load was obtained, the carrier it was brokered to, the services provided by the broker, and the amount of compensation the broker received. The requirement in 371.3(c) is one that few owner-operators take advantage of. It states, “Each party to a brokered transaction has the right to review the record of the transaction required to be kept by these rules.” Truckers who believe a broker has retained excessive amounts of the load revenue can verify their suspicions by simply asking to see the record, which must be provided upon request. Since that record also includes compensation for nonbrokerage services, such as detention pay or performance penalties, the owner-operator can review those numbers, too. Since brokers must receive the authority to operate from the FMCSA just as carriers do, truckers have an avenue to submit complaints for brokers who don’t comply. A common complaint is that some brokers will “blackball” carriers who ask to see this information. That’s a legitimate concern for owner-operators who can’t afford to lose a source of loads. That’s one reason that OOIDA, according to media spokesperson Norita Taylor, supports the requirement for brokers to provide electronic records to the carrier as soon as the haul is complete, negating the obligation of the carrier to ask for them. “The cost of trucking is a little more transparent than the broker’s cost,” said Jeff Hopper, vice president and chief marketing officer for DAT. Requiring the broker to provide the information required in the regulations would undoubtedly increase the transparency of the broker’s business. Finally, there’s the power of simply saying, “No.” Brokers and shippers will always attempt to find the carrier who will accept the lowest rate, because it’s in their financial interest to do so. When rates are down and more truckers are looking for a load, negotiating becomes more difficult. And it’s true that some owner-operators will accept loads in order to keep cash, however little of it, flowing into their business. Some may accept a low-payload because the delivery positions them for a better one, a bigger-picture view that can be beneficial. There’s no question, however, that when no one accepts a low rate, that rate will rise. Growers, distributors and manufactures don’t profit by keeping their products. In any business, difficult economic times call for the best possible management practices. Owner-operators who know exactly what it costs to run their businesses and who remain acutely aware of which loads help them achieve their financial goals are the most likely to survive. [Photo courtesy of Rebecca Doty via Facebook]

Wyoming issues first food-truck permit for Interstate 25 rest area, more sites expected

JACKSON, Wyo. — The Wyoming Department of Transportation on April 30 approved the first food-truck vendor for operation at the state’s rest areas. G-Licious Catering of Cheyenne, Wyoming, is now offering burgers, sandwiches and breakfast foods at the Interstate 25 welcome center. The move means commercial truck drivers and other motorists traveling along interstates 80 and 25 will more options for purchasing prepared food. The I-25 Welcome Center is close to the intersection of I-25 and Interstate 80. Typically, WYDOT doesn’t allow food truck vendors or other businesses to sell items at the state’s rest areas. However, truck drivers and other motorists have found it difficult to buy food because restaurants have either closed or have restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic. As a result, WYDOT decided to allow businesses to apply for a special-event permit to help feed travelers. “We are pleased we are able to offer motorists this service at our rest areas,” said WYDOT Director K. Luke Reiner. “This service is for all motorists, but it is especially vital for our commercial truck drivers who are transporting critical supplies and food in our state and throughout our nation. Without those dedicated men and women, our nation would not be able to function.” WYDOT’s special-event permit for food trucks requires vendors to follow certain guidelines. Vendors will provide trash cans and remove any trash daily, may be required to remediate any issues that impact WYDOT property and land, will need to supply other necessary documents, and will set up business at a specific location at a rest area. Businesses that are interested in having their food-truck services at one of WYDOT’s rest areas are urged to contact department’s district offices for an application. A list of locations and office contact information can be found here.    

Highway Patrol distributes free masks to truckers at Arkansas weigh stations, some rest areas

SOCIAL HILL, Ark. — Truckers stopping at Arkansas’ Social Hill rest area along Interstate 40 received free protective masks Thursday, April 30. The masks were distributed by officers from the Arkansas Highway Police division of the Arkansas Department of Transportation. “We have individuals from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the Arkansas Highway Police and the Arkansas Trucking Association all out here trying to get PPE (personal protective equipment) to commercial truck drivers, making sure that they have masks, hand sanitizer and things that they need to keep them healthy while they’re out working,” said Shannon Newton, president of the Arkansas Trucking Association. The Arkansas Highway Police received protective masks to distribute to truck drivers as part of a coordinated effort by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide one million masks to truckers around the nation. “We’re part of a massive effort to issue right at one million masks to commercial truck drivers traveling the nation’s highways. Last Friday Arkansas Highway Police received 100,000 of the one million masks. We’ve started handing them out at all of our weigh station facilities as well as sites such as this rest area,” said Jay Thompson, chief of the Arkansas Highway Police. “We’ve issued probably close to 30,000 of them.” Randy Ort, deputy director and chief operating officer for the Arkansas Department of Transportation, said mask-distribution efforts in the state will be ongoing. “We’re handing out these masks at all weigh stations around the state,” he said. “We’re not really planning events. It’s about getting the truckers the masks that they need. I think as we’ve all learned through this event, it’s very important to keep our economy going. Yes, public health is extremely important, but it’s also important to keep the economy going. And one of the biggest parts to keeping the economy going is keeping commerce moving. We at ArDOT are very happy to be doing our part to keep that part of the economy going.” In another effort to help the nation’s truck drivers as they deliver essential goods during the COVID-19 crisis, the state’s DOT granted permits to food-truck operators to provide food for truckers at some Arkansas rest areas. “We are happy to be a part of this effort to support the commercial transportation industry in Arkansas,” said Lorie Tudor, director of the Arkansas Department of Transportation. “This emergency has truly opened the eyes of many about how important the role of a truck driver is to this country.”  

Drivers, other industry insiders weigh in on issue of dropping freight rates

The stories from owner-operators about low freight rates abound. Tony Filla commented on The Trucker’s Facebook page, “The bottom dropped out. They’re (carrier customers) not shipping, so there went 60% of my long-distance freight out the window.” Filla usually hauls rebar and other fabricated products on a flatbed trailer. Due to the reduction in loads, he’s now working in his carrier’s local fleet making shorter regional runs. Under normal operating conditions, he would use load boards to pick up a return load from a broker, but the rates are so low that he is deadheading back, adding that he is “surviving for now” and has no desire to haul freight for “free.” Kevin Kocmich is doing a little better. “I’m not going backwards,” he said. “Times are tough now, but my income hasn’t dropped too much.” In March, Kocmich was named the 2019 Owner-Operator of the Year by the Truckload Carriers Association. He is leased to Diamond Transportation System (DTS), which assigns oversize loads received from its contract customers. Kocmich depends on brokers to supplement the loads he receives from DTS. “Rates are down, but so is fuel, at least 25%,” Kocmich said. His advice to struggling owner-operators is to know their costs of doing business. “You gotta know the numbers of your business,” he said. “How can you protest when you don’t even know your own numbers?” Kocmich isn’t planning to join any organized protests. “I stay kind of neutral,” he said. “I agree on some stuff and disagree on some.” He was clear about how protests should be conducted, however. “I don’t think they should be slowing traffic and getting the police involved,” he stated. Norita Taylor, media spokesperson for OOIDA, talked numbers, too. “Know your cost of operations. Know your customers,” she said. “And, always, safety first.” While Taylor did not express support for any particular protest, she was supportive of the rights of the participants. “Our general take on any protest is that everybody has the right to legally protest,” she explained. “We wouldn’t support blocking roads and that sort of activity, but we support their right to protest so long as they do it legally and safely.” OOIDA, Taylor explained, doesn’t take an official position on broker rates paid to carriers, but the organization does support brokers providing electronic records to owner-operators as soon as the haul is completed. The group also supports waiving both Heavy Vehicle Use Tax (HVUT) and Unified Carrier Registration (UCR) fees for 2020. Jeff Hopper, vice president and chief marketing officer at DAT, recommended that owner-operators pay particular attention to rates. “Rates are negotiated between broker or shipper and the carrier,” he said. “The best time to address rates is in the negotiation process.” Hopper vehemently denied recent publicity that claimed DAT sets broker rates. “DAT does not set rates. All rates are negotiated between the parties involved,” he said. “We believe the DAT load board is the largest public marketplace for loads in the country.” That status as “the largest public marketplace” provides lots of data that can be useful. “We use anonymized data to identify trends in rates, regional activity and other factors,” Hopper continued. “We use past data to report on what’s happening in the market currently and also to forecast what we think will happen in the future.” Owner-operators and brokers who are subscribers to DAT can use the information found there, including summary reports produced by DAT, to determine average rates that they can then apply to their own loads. Hopper was clear, however. “We do not take a percentage of revenue and we certainly don’t set rates,” he said. Responding to suggestions that owner-operators cancel their subscriptions to DAT, Hopper said, “It’s everyone’s right to do so, but they’ll lose access to a lot of loads as well as information that helps them make good business decisions.” Good business decisions are especially critical when freight rates are down. “We should remember that we’ve never really seen an event with such an economic impact,” Hopper said. “There’s just not enough loads. After an initial surge for groceries, shippers aren’t shipping.” The general malaise that has impacted the trucking industry is worldwide, and other industries are also feeling the pain. On April 29, the U.S. Department of Commerce Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) announced an adjustment in the First Quarter 2020 U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to -4.8%. Most economists define a recession as two or more consecutive quarters of negative growth. Considering that major business closures didn’t take place until April, the beginning of the second quarter, it’s very likely that second-quarter GDP statistics will fit solidly into negative territory. Personal income has also declined, according to BEA, falling 3.1% in March alone. With skyrocketing unemployment, the April numbers aren’t expected to improve. FTR’s “Monday Morning Coffee” blog for April 27 presented some dire numbers. Orders for Advance Durable Goods such as cars, computers and other products dropped 14.4% in March and are expected to fall again in April. Total shipments fell 4.5%. FTR predicted that business investment will likely be weak for the rest of 2020, harming productivity. There’s little doubt in anyone’s mind that it is difficult to do business in the current economy. Companies of all sizes are struggling to stay in operation. A sad reality is that recessionary conditions can cause weaker players to drop out of the market. Most carriers, including owner-operators, benefited from the plentiful freight and higher rates of 2018 and the first half of 2019. The market is tougher now. Some trucking businesses, especially smaller ones, will not survive this economy. Claims of broker malfeasance — and plans to physically protest it — can be debated. Are economic problems faced by independent owner-operators caused, at least in part, by broker profiteering, as protest organizers claim? Are current conditions, the supply and demand that governs trucking and every other market, entirely to blame? What share of the blame, if any, do the small-business owners who chose to invest in trucking deserve? And, what can be done to increase each carrier’s chances to survive what is now generally accepted to be an economic recession? We’ll address some of those questions in tomorrow’s series wrap-up. Editor’s note: This story is the second installment of a series. Check TheTrucker.com tomorrow for another installment about the owner-operators’ issues and upcoming protests.

Great America Trucking Show canceled for 2020

DALLAS – The 2020 Great America Trucking Show, which was scheduled for Aug. 27-29 and presented by Randall-Reilly, has been canceled according to a release on the show’s website. “The same fears and uncertainties that have led entities as diverse as Facebook and Major League Baseball to cancel or severely curtail in-person events have informed a very difficult decision: Randall-Reilly is canceling the Great American Trucking Show, scheduled for Aug. 27-29, 2020. This decision has been made with the health and well-being of all participants first and foremost in mind,” the release said. The release continued to say that the show’s presenters “will use the coming months to determine what form future events take and assess the safeguards needed to ensure your health.” “This pandemic has underscored how critical the industry and drivers are to the well-being of America. The fleets, owner-operators and drivers are what’s kept the flow of food and other goods in stores and homes. We are thankful to you, proud of you and will keep you posted on what’s next for GATS so we can celebrate you at a future event,” according to the website.