The Nation

Truck drivers have received a lot of media attention in recent weeks. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many people are realizing how essential drivers are to the nation’s economy, society’s way of life and even our survival. For a change, nice things are being said about truckers in the nontrucking media. Restaurants are finding ways to feed drivers whose trucks can’t fit in the drive-thru lanes, food trucks are serving truckers at rest areas, and ordinary people are giving free lunches to truckers. However, drivers in one segment of the driving population say they are feeling decidedly unappreciated. Owner-operators, who depend largely upon loads they find on the spot market, are fed up with low freight rates. Tensions came to a boiling point April 20 when an estimated 75 drivers staged a protest on Houston’s East Loop Freeway, a portion of Interstate 610. The drivers were cited for obstruction of traffic, and one was charged with inciting a riot. A few days later, on April 24, a group of more than 100 drivers participated in a “slow roll” along several Los Angeles and San Bernardino County freeways. Several of these drivers were cited for obstruction of traffic. A similar protest took place in Phoenix. More protests are scheduled for Friday, May 1, in the Los Angeles area, Chicago, Washington and elsewhere as disgruntled drivers call “mayday” on the traditional May Day. A lot of owner-operators depend on loads found on the spot market for their business, since many aren’t large enough to swing their own contracts with customers. Most of those loads are posted by brokers, who arrange for the haul, track the shipment, bill the customer, pay the owner-operator and keep a percentage of the load revenue for their efforts. After an initial rise in the first part of March, spot-market freight rates have steadily fallen. Part of the reason for this is simply supply and demand. Throughout 2018 and most of 2019, trucks sold at near-record levels, causing capacity — the supply of trucks available to haul loads — to increase dramatically. This increased supply of trucks pushed rates downward. Then, after the initial surge of products shipped as people locked down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, shipments declined. Shipments from overseas fell dramatically as China and other countries shut down manufacturing, followed by domestic manufacturers doing the same. The end result was a double whammy of fewer shipments (reduced demand) combined with higher capacity (increased supply). Another cause of declining rates is the cost of diesel fuel. Spot rates usually include any fuel surcharge amounts, so when the cost of fuel drops, so do rates. The national average price for diesel fuel, reported on Monday, April 27, by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, was $2.44 per gallon. A year ago it was 73 cents higher. As business owners and managers, most owner-operators understand how fluctuations in freight rates and price can impact their earning potential. However, they are frustrated that rates have dropped further than market forces dictate and that unscrupulous brokers are taking advantage by keeping too large a percentage of what the loads pay. Rick Santiago said he has heard enough. The Carteret, New Jersey-based owner-operator is organizing May 1 protests in Chicago and Washington. “Enough is enough,” he said in one of the numerous live videos he has posted on Facebook. The videos are wildly popular. One has more than 130,000 views and has been shared thousands of times on the social-media platform. And interest continues to grow. “What I would like to push is for legislation to have these brokers regulated with a just percentage, a small percentage,” he said in an April 27 video. “There is no room for price gouging during a pandemic,” he said in another video the following day. “We understand that it’s supply and demand. We understand there’s less freight, but it doesn’t give any broker the right to monopolize the freight.” OOIDA, the Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association, weighed in on April 28, with Media Spokesperson Norita Taylor telling The Trucker, “Brokers have always been adept at getting as much as possible from shippers and giving as little as possible to carriers, with or without a national crisis.” That’s what brokers do. It can be a lucrative part of the trucking business — so much so that most larger carriers have opened a separate brokerage department of their own, at times with profits large enough to overcome a bad financial quarter by other segments of the company. While there are several regulations that regulate broker conduct and brokers’ relationships with carriers, there are no regulations that specify how much money the broker can keep or how much they must pay an owner-operator. “My only objective is to bring awareness and bring resolve, now, during a pandemic,” Santiago claimed in an April 28 video. “Our only objective is to be treated fair. In no way am I trying to say, ‘Eliminate brokers.’ Our problem is, during a pandemic, they have exposed themselves by price gouging.” OOIDA’s Taylor noted, “Truckers are generous. They like helping in disasters, but they need to make money.” Editor’s note: This story is the first installment of a three-part series. Check TheTrucker.com tomorrow for Part II about owner-operators’ issues and upcoming protests. Photo Credit: Rebecca Doty from The Disrespected Trucker Facebook group of Crystal McIntosh and her husband’s truck as they head to Washington D.C. to take part in the mayday protest planned for May 1.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — In an effort to ensure the flow of essential supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Missouri Department of Transportation announced April 28 that the agency is extending the time frame for trucks to be able to carry heavier loads on the state’s interstates and highways. The special overweight permit — which allows haulers to transport up to 100,000 pounds on any state-owned highways, including interstates — will be available until June 15. Movement under this special permit is authorized 24 hours per day, seven days per week. “This extension will continue to support the vital flow of goods at this critical time,” said Patrick McKenna, director of the Missouri DOT. “We offer this option to ensure food and emergency supplies move across Missouri and the nation.” The following criteria must be met: A copy of the special permit and a bill of lading must be in the possession of the operator of the overweight vehicle during its operation and shall be produced for inspection upon request to any Missouri law enforcement official and/or any MoDOT employee. Motor carriers can find this document at modot.org/mcs. The load must carry supplies and/or equipment in the direct effort to prevent, contain, mitigate and treat the effects of the COVID-19 virus. This includes shipments of livestock, poultry, feed, fertilizer and fuels. Any fuels being transported can be hauled at 100,000 lbs. or up to the manufacturer’s specifications of the tank type being operated, whichever results in the lower weight. Undertaking movement is evidence that both the owner and operator of the equipment agree to abide by the conditions of the special permit and all other nonexempted requirements for overweight loads. Carriers may haul up to 100,000 lbs. gross weight on semi-trailer configurations with five or more axles. The axles must meet the minimum distance requirement stated in the special permit. Carriers using trucks or semi-trailers with fewer axles are allowed to haul up to an additional 10% heavier than licensed weight. Carriers and vehicle operators must obey all structure postings and size and weight restrictions. Violation of any of the conditions of the special permit will void the permit and subject the owner and operator to penalty.  

ARLINGTON, Va. — As professional truck drivers continue to serve on the front lines during the COVID-19 crisis, American Trucking Associations has partnered with Protective Insurance Co. to expand the availability and supply of hand sanitizer to truckers along major U.S. freight corridors. “Crossing the bridge from crisis to recovery hinges on the integrity of our supply chain and its ability to keep moving. Protecting America’s truck drivers and ensuring they can stay safe and healthy while on the road is paramount. While we continue to work with federal agencies on the strategic distribution of PPE (personal protective equipment), we’re also taking our own initiative — partnering with industry allies — to build supply networks for drivers to tap into,” said Chris Spear, ATA’s president and CEO. “As drivers remain behind the wheel, delivering the essentials of life around the country, travel centers, truck stops and distribution centers remain open to support these drivers. Helping supply sanitizer to keep everyone healthy and safe is one small way we can support the transportation industry and say, ‘Thank you for everything you’re doing,’” said Jeremy Johnson, CEO of Protective Insurance. ATA and member company ABF Freight are hauling ten 55-gallon drums of hand sanitizer, purchased by Protective Insurance, for distribution in eight states, where drivers will be able to refill their personal supplies at no cost. “We are extremely proud of all the hard work and effort our drivers have been putting in to keep America moving forward during these trying times, and it is an honor for us to partner with the ATA and Protective Insurance to keep our front-line heroes safe and deliver hand sanitizer for truck drivers across the country,” said Seth Runser, vice president of linehaul operations at ABF Freight. As of April 28, drums are in place at locations in Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, with the remaining load in transit for delivery this week. Announcements will be made on ATA’s COVID-19 Update Hub as deliveries happen and each refill station becomes available. Truckers will have access to refills at the following locations: Alabama: Scale house on Interstate 20 eastbound, Heflin. Colorado: Travel Centers of America, 5101 Quebec St., Commerce City. Indiana: Stoops Freightliner-Quality Trailer, 1851 West, Thompson Road, Indianapolis. Iowa: Iowa 80 Truckstop Fuel Center, 390 W. Iowa 80 Road, Walcott. Ohio: Jet Express, 4518 Webster St., Dayton. Pennsylvania: Sideling Hill Rest Stop off the Pennsylvania Turnpike at mile marker 172.4, eastbound and westbound, Waterfall. New Jersey: Molly Pitcher Rest Area, Exit 8A off the New Jersey Turnpike. Texas: Loves Travel Center #719, 1610 Cotton Gin Road, Troy, AND Flying J #726, 7425 Bonnie View Road (Exit 472 off Interstate 20), Dallas. “Americans across the country are finding ways to give back to these unsung heroes,” said Elisabeth Barna, ATA’s executive vice president of industry affairs. “Our focus is on ensuring drivers have the supplies they need to stay safe and healthy on the road, and these refill stations are but a part a broader effort to increase the supply of PPE throughout the freight network.”  

Last week The Trucker reported that about 800,000 masks have slated for distribution to U.S. truck drivers along the nation’s high-volume trucking lanes. While distribution dates have not yet been released, more than 30 distribution points have been added to the original six locations in California, Georgia, Illinois, Nebraska, New York and Texas: California: Interstate 5 northbound in Los Angeles, mile marker 203. Georgia: Interstate 75, southbound, mile marker 179 just north of Macon. Illinois: Interstate 80/Interstate 294 eastbound, mile marker 1 in Chicago. Nebraska: Interstate 80 westbound, mile marker 431 near Omaha. New York: Interstate 87 northbound, mile marker 33 just north of New York City. Texas: Interstate 35 northbound, mile marker 362A about 5 miles south of Hillsboro. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has confirmed the addition of the following rest areas, weigh stations and inspection sites as distribution points, according to Landline Media. ARKANSAS Alma: Interstate 40 eastbound and westbound at Arkansas-Oklahoma border. Bridgeport: Interstate 55 westbound at Arkansas-Tennessee border. Hope: Interstate 30 eastbound and westbound at Arkansas-Texas border. Social Hill: Interstate 30 eastbound and westbound, mile marker 93.2. Riverside: Interstate 40 westbound at Arkansas-Tennessee border. GEORGIA Bryan County Inspection Station: Interstate 16 westbound from Savannah Port Area, mile marker 144. Catoosa County Inspection Station: Interstate 75 southbound at Georgia-Tennessee border, mile marker 343. Chatham County Inspection Station: Interstate 95 southbound at Georgia-South Carolina border, mile marker 111. Columbia County Inspection Station: Interstate 20 westbound at Georgia-South Carolina border, mile marker 188. Douglas County Inspection Station: Interstate 20 westbound at Georgia-Alabama Border, mile marker 43. Forsyth/Juliette: Interstate 75 southbound, mile marker 179. Franklin County Inspection Station: Interstate 85 southbound at Georgia-South Carolina border, mile marker 169. Lowndes County Inspection Station: Interstate 75 northbound at Georgia-Florida border, mile marker 23. McIntosh County Inspection Station: Interstate 95 northbound at Georgia-Florida border, mile marker 55. Troup County Inspection Station: Interstate 85 northbound at Georgia-Alabama border, mile marker 23. ILLINOIS Williamsville Scale: Interstate 55 southbound, mile marker 108. INDIANA Intestate 65 northbound, mile marker 72. Interstate 65 southbound, mile marker 150. Interstate 70 eastbound, mile marker 65 Interstate 70 eastbound and westbound, mile marker 107. NEBRASKA Day 1 Fremont: Highway 77/275 northbound and southbound, mile marker 123. Hebron: Highway 81 northbound and southbound, mile marker 4. Melia Hills rest area: Interstate 80 westbound, mile marker 431. Nebraska City: Highway 2 eastbound and westbound, mile marker 501. North Platte: Interstate 80 eastbound, mile marker 180, and westbound, mile marker 181. Waverly: Interstate 80 eastbound and westbound, mile marker 415. Day 2 Goehner truck parking area: Interstate 80 westbound, mile marker 375. Waverly: Interstate 80 eastbound and westbound, mile marker 415. North Platte: Interstate 80 eastbound, mile marker 180, and westbound, mile marker 181. Nebraska City: Highway 2 eastbound and westbound, mile marker 501. Fremont: Highway 77/275 northbound and southbound, mile marker 123. Hebron: Highway 81 northbound and southbound, mile marker 4. TEXAS All Texas inspection sites. Mount Pleasant: Interstate 30.  

RICHLAND, Miss. — When Linda Waterloo accepted a temporary position with Hartfield Academy in Flowood, Mississippi, she never expected to have one of the craziest semesters of her life. Having already been a teacher for what she described as “an eternity,” she said having to move to teaching entirely online due to the current pandemic, has been quite the experience. “I have really loved it,” she said. Waterloo teaches seventh-grade English at Hartfield Academy. Recently, she and her class sent more than 60 letters to truck drivers in the area. “My son, Trey, is the CEO of Capital City Trucking, and he told his dad, ‘The drivers are so discouraged,’ There aren’t any restaurants open, and there are a lot of places that didn’t even want truckers to come in,” she said. “I thought, ‘This is really awful.’” One night she woke up with the idea of having her students write letters to truckers as a way to serve the community and as an encouragement to the drivers. “The next day, in my online class, I told (my students), “This is what we are going to do.’ They were all in awe. They said, ‘We need to write these men and women and tell them how much we appreciate them, because not many people think of them.’ “We wrote letters and put a Bible verse on (each one) to encourage these drivers,” she said. “They are on the forefront, just like the first responders and medical teams. They are getting goods to the stores.” Waterloo said she didn’t tell her son about the class project, but the office manager at Capital City Trucking, Judson Cavanaugh, was energetic about it and was happy to give the letters to the drivers. She said Cavanaugh had the children’s letters on display at the terminal, and when drivers came in, some of them became emotional as they read them. “Some of the letters were just incredible, and so sweet,” Waterloo said. “A lot of them drew pictures. The office manager said some of the truckers cried and said it was so nice to be appreciated. “I’ve been encouraging other people to do (projects like this) and let (truckers) know they are appreciated,” she said. “I had no idea it would mean as much to them as it did.” Alan Stuckey, the chief financial officer for Capital City Trucking, said the drivers are appreciative of the letters. “We need that right now,” Stuckey said. “You need that appreciation and support that gives them the motivation to keep moving and to keep working, and to get up every day and do the job.” Stuckey said the drivers are viewing the letters, but because the company is also taking every precaution it can to follow sanitization practices, it is sometimes difficult find a safe way for all the drivers to see the letters. However, he said, the company is doing its best to make sure every driver has a chance to read the messages. Waterloo has 61 students in her class, and every student wrote at least one letter. She said she has no way of knowing if more letters have been written by other students, but she said her son has set up a website, capcitytrucking.com, that allows viewers to leave an encouraging message for drivers online. Waterloo said she isn’t sure if any of her students have received written responses from any of the drivers. “It was just precious, some of the things they wrote. They sent me their letters first before they sent them because I had to make sure they were correct,” she said. “For example, one person wrote, ‘Thank you for continuing to deliver and drive during these scary times,’ and ‘Thank you for being strong so everyone gets what they need,’” Waterloo continued. “I told them afterwards, ‘People are really interested in what you have done. You did a great job, and I’m so proud of you.’”

SALTON CITY, Calif. – U.S. Border Patrol agents with the El Centro Sector have issued a notice to the public about smugglers attempting to use tractor-trailers to transport immigrants across the border. On March 20, agents reported that they stopped the fourth attempt of this type over the last four months. The incident occurred about 11:30 p.m. as agents conducted surveillance on a white 2012 International Prostar tractor-trailer traveling northbound on Highway 86. Subsequently, agents followed the tractor-trailer as it approached the Border Patrol’s immigration checkpoint on Highway 86. During inspection, while Border Patrol agents conducted an immigration check on the driver, a Border Patrol canine detection team drew the agents’ attention to the cab of the truck. Agents referred the tractor-trailer aside for further inspection. While in the secondary inspection area, agents reported, three people exited the truck cab and attempted to leave the area. Agents detained the three subjects, two adult males and one unaccompanied female juvenile, who were determined to be undocumented immigrants. The male driver, a 36-year-old Mexican national, and the three undocumented immigrants from Mexico were placed under arrest. All four subjects were repatriated to their country of origin. “The increase in tractor-trailer smuggling continues to illustrate the total disregard that smuggling organizations have for the well-being of the people they are smuggling,” said Chief Patrol Agent Gregory K. Bovino. “Our agents will continue to work tirelessly in protecting the safety and security of all human life.” In March, El Centro Sector agents discovered 42 smuggled immigrants packed inside a utility trailer near the border in Calexico, California. Similar events took place in January and February. Since January 1, El Centro Sector agents have removed 86 undocumented immigrants from potentially life-threatening human-smuggling situations.

LANSING, Mich. – Restrooms at five Michigan welcome centers closed April 25 after the state’s department of transportation laid off the workers responsible for cleaning and sanitizing the facilities. The restrooms are scheduled to reopen May 11. The temporarily shuttered facilities include: Sault Ste. Marie; Monroe; Coldwater; New Buffalo; and Detroit. During the facility closures, the ramps and parking lots will be closed as well due to security and sanitary concerns, with the exception of the Detroit location, which has a shared parking lot. MDOT previously closed restrooms at two additional welcome centers – Menominee, due to no separation between the restrooms and the information lobby, and Iron Mountain, because it shares space in a closed facility. Restrooms at the Marquette, Ironwood, St. Ignace, Mackinaw City, Dundee, Clare and Port Huron welcome centers will remain open. Restroom maintenance in those facilities is provided by private contractors. Most of the state’s other 63 welcome remain open, with the exception of five that are closed seasonally (St. Ignace, Topinabee, Hebron, Ludington, and Hart) and one that is closed due to drainage issues (Chelsea). MDOT’s roadside parks, which operate on a seasonal schedule, are currently closed. The information lobbies at all Michigan welcome centers have been closed since March 13 in accordance with recommendations from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services designed to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.  

CORNING, Ark. — When Linden Massey (aka “The Crazy Pitmaster”), owner of Harold’s Bar-B-Que, put out a request on Facebook on March 25, asking the community to supply a few hamburger buns to help keep his business afloat during the COVID-19 crisis, he never expected the response he received. “I received a mountain of hamburger buns,” Massey said. He said once he received the buns, he decided to return the favor by giving out sandwiches to passing truck drivers. On the first day, he and his staff started by making 10 sandwiches at a time to give away. As news spread of the restaurant’s free lunch for trucker’s they soon broke the 100 mark, and by April 22 the crew had given out more than 1,100 lunches. “I probably give out 120 sandwiches a day, weather permitting. If I had the means, I would give out 500,” Massey said. “It is a community effort. I have to thank the community as much as I can. It is one of those things where I had to do something, and the community is behind me. I’m just the delivery boy.” Massey said he has received several donations since his plea for help. The local Wonder Bread bakery sent sandwich buns, and Frito Lay provided 18 boxes of snack-size bags of chips. He said he also received cupcakes from another donor, along with packages of snack cakes from Little Debbie. “I am just overwhelmed. It has been absolutely mind-boggling,” Massey said. “I have many people pick up buns and help me if I can. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would get the response I would. They have come out of the woodwork.” He said one elderly woman and her daughter pulled into the drive-thru and dropped off a package of hamburger buns, and another young customer handed him $3 to donate to the restaurant’s effort. “That just gets you in the heart,” Massey said. “That’s just what America is all about. It has been amazing, this small town of 3,000 people, helping each other.” Massey is a retired truck driver himself, having driven for Associated Wholesale Grocers. He said whenever he delivered supplies to a town that had been hit by a tornado or a snowstorm, he noticed the residents had nowhere to go for basic necessities. “To be able to hand out something, it is not much, but we want these truckers to remember this little town,” Massey said. “We have received thank-you notes and text messages, and (drivers have been) telling other truck-driving buddies that there is some guy standing in the middle of the highway handing out BBQ sandwiches and apple pies.” When handing out meals to truck drivers, Massey said he stands by the road, holding several bags in his arms and holding one bag up in the air. The restaurant is located at the intersection of U.S. 62 and U.S. 67. Massey said because there is a stop light at the intersection, passing traffic is not going very fast. “A lot of times, if I see the driver’s window go down, I will go up and hand it to them,” he said. “I usually try to look for trucks with sleeper cabs or someone from out of town, because usually they are working the hardest. “Nothing against any local drivers, but these out-of-state drivers are trying to find places to park and sleep, get a good meal or get a shower,” he continued. “A local guy can get in his bed and be with his family.” Massey, who has owned the restaurant for three years, said he has been able to keep the business open due to his drive-thru window and walk-in orders. “I think one of the most warming things that happened has been the words of encouragement I have received. It just builds me up,” Massey said.

IRVINE, Calif. — Taco Bell is offering a free lunch to truckers and other essential personnel at its headquarters, 1 Glen Bell Way beginning at 11 a.m. Pacific Time today (Friday, April 24). The event, which will be repeated next Friday, May 1, features a “truck-thru” lane that’s accessible to large trucks and other service vehicles and is aimed at truck drivers, emergency medical technicians, firefighters, law-enforcement officers and other essential works. During the event, the Taco Bell kitchen staff will serve custom Cravings Boxes; each includes a Crunchwrap supreme, a bean burrito, cinnamon twists and a Baja Blast beverage. Drivers taking advantage of the free lunch are asked to enter the Taco Bell property from Glen Bell Way and follow the signs. For more information about the event, click here.

Truck drivers are enjoying a boom in popularity as they deliver critical supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic and the industry receives positive media exposure. At the same time, drivers are experiencing increased exposure to health risks associated with the coronavirus — and personal protective equipment, including protective masks, is in short supply. To help protect these essential workers, about 800,000 masks are slated for distribution to truck drivers at six rest stops along the nation’s high-volume trucking lanes. The effort is coordinated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Department of Transportation, according to Landline Media, a news website operated by the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA). The six distribution points include the following rest areas: California: Interstate 5 northbound in Los Angeles; Georgia: Interstate 75, southbound at mile marker 179 just north of Macon; Illinois: Interstate 80/Interstate 294 eastbound at mile marker 1 in Chicago; Nebraska: Interstate 80 westbound at mile marker 431 near Omaha; New York: Interstate 87 northbound at mile marker 33 just north of New York City; and Texas: Interstate 35 northbound at mile marker 362A about 5 miles south of Hillsboro. Distribution dates have not been released, and more distribution points are expected to be added as need is determined. On April 3, OOIDA reached out to the White House asking President Donald Trump to provide truck drivers with personal protective equipment, access to COVID-19 testing along trucking routes, rapid test results, and treatment and quarantine facilities. “(The drivers’) hard work and personal sacrifice should not include their health or even their lives, if at all possible or preventable,” said Todd Spencer, OOIDA president and CEO, in the letter. “Once word spreads that drivers are testing positive, we could very well see a tremendous reduction in drivers willing to risk everything for the rest of us.” Doug Morris, OOIDA’s director of safety and security, said the move to provide masks for truck drivers “has been a long time coming,” according to a Landline Media story. “The distribution of this (personal protective equipment) is a direct response to OOIDA’s letter to the president asking for PPE for truck drivers,” Morris said. “They are continuing to work on other pressing needs, such as hand sanitizer and additional testing.” In an April 20 interview with CNBC’s Kelly Evans on “The Exchange,” Spencer said he believes the COVID-19 relief programs designed to help small businesses have, for the most part, “missed” many drivers, most of whom work in fleets of 20 or less trucks. “The rates that they receive for hauling goods have pretty much been cut in half. They’re facing a real economic crisis to be able to continue to operate, not to mention the fact that they actually are on the front line in the battle against coronavirus,” Spencer said. “Realistically, truckers are first responders,” he continued. “Our whole economy runs on trucks. Everything that we need, the vital things in the stores, they only get there by truck. … (Truck drivers) go everywhere. They go into hot zones. And we think there ought to be greater efforts made to provide PPE to them, because we really want to keep them on the job and we don’t want to get them infected.”

In the past month, there has been a plethora of efforts to show appreciation for the nation’s drivers. Free lunches are great, but some of those drivers who operate independently are worried about how they’ll keep their businesses afloat when rates are tanking, insurance rates are rising and regulations continue to tighten. Some owner-operators have become very selective of the loads they accept, with some parking their trucks until rates improve. Others are working but are complaining and attempting to make their voices heard via social media and other avenues. In Houston, 75 truckers were issued misdemeanor citations for impeding traffic on Houston’s East Loop Freeway on April 20. Another person was arrested and charged with inciting a riot and obstructing a highway. Both charges are misdemeanors, according to Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo. “Everyone that was blocking the highway in protest has been cited with a Class C misdemeanor,” Acevedo said in a media briefing following the incident. “These are independent drivers protesting nonpayment by companies that have hired them to move [freight]. We’ve explained to them that this is an ongoing problem, and this is no way to fix that problem by engaging in illegal activity.” Acevedo stressed that there is a “distinct difference between protected First Amendment rights and illegal activity.” Blocking the flow of traffic on a freeway falls into the latter category. No matter how they’re coping, truckers are feeling the pain of the COVID-19 economy. Unfortunately, it’s not going to get better any time soon. Rates that had begun to rise in March plummeted in April and are still falling as of this writing. According to DAT Trendlines, April 13-19 rates for van freight average 15 cents per mile less than the March average. The April average is $1.72 per mile. Flatbed fared worse, dropping 19 cents to a flat $2. Refrigerated dropped by 20 cents per mile to an average of $1.99 per mile. Rates for all three modes will likely continue falling for the remainder of the month. However, rates are only one part of the data to be considered. In the van market, for example, the load-to-truck ratio was 0.9. Anything below 1.0 means there are fewer loads on the DAT load boards than there are trucks. Good loads are taken up almost as quickly as they are posted, leaving the loads with less-than-average rates to pick from. It’s no secret that near-record buying of Class 8 trucks in late 2018 and early 2019 resulted in an overcapacity situation in the freight market. Throw in crashing oil prices, which actually traded at less than zero at one point, and the shutdown of oil fields, and the result is a large number of trucks looking for other freight to haul. Shut down shipping from the largest U.S. trading partner, China, and another group of truckers is looking for new freight. To all of this, add the closing of businesses all over the U.S. and the loss of freight those businesses would normally generate. Large carriers are scrambling to keep trucks moving and to keep drivers busy so they don’t leave. Many carriers are hitting the spot market more than usual for loads to supplement those from their own customer base. It all adds up to not enough freight to go around. Accusations of broker malfeasance are commonplace, but whether those claims have substance is sometimes questionable. Undoubtedly there are brokers who take advantage of their trucker clients, but brokerages are watching their revenue dwindle too, as shippers refuse to pay more in a market where supply exceeds demand. In the case of the Houston protest, claims were made that brokers weren’t paying owner-operators, but it wasn’t clear whether that meant some were not paying at all for loads hauled or they were simply offering lower rates than they did prior to the COVID-19 restrictions. Acevedo announced that the department will look into allegations of fraud by brokers, but he was also clear that truckers who participate in further obstruction will have their equipment impounded. Additionally, Acevedo urged the drivers to work with the police department to find other locations for them to exercise their First Amendment rights. “Theft of wages is inexcusable and a criminal offense,” the department tweeted following the event, noting that the department will be “initiating a criminal investigation into allegations of widespread theft of wages. We won’t tolerate exploitation of hard-working people, or unlawfully impeding the movement of traffic.” In the meantime, owner-operator Amet Borrego has organized a GoFundMe account in an attempt to raise $15,000 for Stephany Ramirez, another owner-operator who was charged with inciting a riot and obstructing traffic as a result of the protest. A DAT press release dated April 20 states that the last two weeks of April and first two weeks of May will be “crucial for small carriers and independent operators.” The release cautions of a significant impact to agricultural and food supply chains if rates become or remain too low to operate or even if trucking businesses don’t financially survive. Ken Adamo, chief of analytics at DAT, warned of continued rate declines in an earlier interview with The Trucker, saying, “I’m starting to think we’ll see a steep drop-off.” Adamo encouraged owner-operators to be as knowledgeable as possible and to use technology, such as DAT load boards, to make sure they’re getting the latest information. Add to this some standard business advice: Accounting for every penny and making sound decisions becomes more critical in a tough market. In the meantime, expect more grumbling — and possibly more protests — as independent truckers struggle to keep their businesses afloat in tough economic times. Truckers will continue to serve in the COVID-19 era, but will they survive economically? Time will tell. Photo courtesy of Houston Police Department Following a protest blocking Houston’s East Loop Freeway, Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo addressed the demonstrating truck drivers, advising them to protest in other ways than blocking city roadways. The drivers were cited for impeding traffic, but the police department has said it will investigate the drivers’ accusations of fraud by brokers.

ATLANTA – The American Transportation Research Institute is releasing new data that quantifies the continued impacts of COVID-19 business disruptions on the trucking industry. ATRI’s latest analysis looked at truck activity across six states from February 9 through the most recent week ending April 18, by converting its real-time truck GPS dataset into a truck activity index. “The GPS data we use is a valuable tool into what is going on in the economy and the trucking industry right now,” said ATRI President and COO Rebecca Brewster. “We knew from talking to drivers and carrier executives that there were significant impacts on operations as a result of COVID-19, but now, by analyzing this data we are able to put numbers and data to feelings and anecdotes.” From early February into March, the data shows a spike in initial truck activity in the analyzed states – documenting the response to high consumer demand for items such as non-perishable food and paper products, as well as the much-needed emergency medical supplies. The analysis further documents the impacts of the stay-at-home orders that shut down major segments of the economy, with a resulting decline in April trucking operations. Of the six states analyzed, California had the earliest stay-at-home order issued on March 19. California also experienced the earliest upward spike in truck activity, occurring during the week of March 1. However, truck activity in California is now down 8.3% from early February. In Florida, Illinois and New York, truck activity spiked the week of March 8 but is now down on average by over 10% from February 9. In Pennsylvania and Washington, truck activity spiked during the week of March 15, but is now down by an average of nearly 9% from February 9. There are initial signs of a return to normal, however. In New York, one of the earliest states to experience high numbers of cases, truck activity started a positive uptick during the week of April 12. “In these unprecedented times, we need to rely on science and facts, not anecdotes and speculation. This ATRI research is able to tell us in near-real-time what the pandemic is really doing to the trucking industry,” said American Trucking Associations Chief Economist Bob Costello.