The Nation

CHICAGO — Access to health care on the road is always a concern for truck drivers and the current COVID-19 crisis has only emphasized the shortage of available options. To help drivers stay safe and healthy, TruckPark Inc. and GenieMD have announced a new partnership that promises to provide more telehealth solutions to the transportation industry. Through this strategic partnership, TruckPark and GenieMD provide an opportunity for truck drivers and carriers to receive accessibility to on-demand doctors. Through the partnership, users of the TruckPark app (available from the Apple App Store and Google Play) will have access to health care providers and can have prescriptions sent to a nearby pharmacy, and can also access their personal health records and communicate with doctors via text and video. Truckers experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 — including fever, cough and shortness of breath, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) — can easily access GenieMD’s telehealth services from the TruckPark App’s Services page. There will be a $49 fee, payable by credit or debit card, for using GenieMD’s telehealth service. “We are excited to partner with TruckPark to offer our service to hardworking drivers, who play a critical role in our transportation industry,” said Dr. Soheil Saadat, founder and CEO of GenieMD. “Most of these drivers spend many days at a time on the road and away from home, and often, when they need medical help, they are in unknown territories during off hours,” Saadat said. “By using our telemedicine platform, these hardworking individuals can have easy access to medical professionals who can provide expert care and, if necessary, prescribe medication to the nearest pharmacy.” GenieMD has more than 350 providers and offers services in all 50 states. The provider accepts major credit cars and HAS/FSA cars; it does not accept medical insurance. According to the GenieMD website, patients using the GenieMD app can receive telehealth services free of charge to help combat the spread of the new coronavirus when they enter a special promo code at checkout. TruckPark’s partnership with GenieMD is the parking providers’ latest effort to help ensure drivers have access to health care and safe parking. At the end of March, TruckPark Inc. co-founders Anthony Petitte and Joshua Walls announced a partnership with UrgentCare Travel through the TruckPark Inc. website and provided a convenient link to a list of other health care providers through the DOT Mentor directory. “Providing telehealth services to truckers is the future for the transportation industry,” Petitte said. “Drivers are not getting adequate rest, exercise and nutrition,” added Walls. “Drivers with back pain or chronic conditions (that) we have talked to said they would like to have access to on-demand doctors, and we’re going to give it to them.” In addition, TruckPark is offering 25% off parking at its secure lots when drivers book through the TruckPark app and use the code “PARK25” at checkout.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Last week the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) and its Communications & Image Policy Committee launched a new Highway Angel microsite to spread the word about TCA’s Highway Angel program. This dynamic, robust website showcases the program’s recent and historic recipients, as well as its annual Highway Angel of the Year recipients. Since 1997, more than 1,250 professional truck drivers have been recognized through this program for their courtesy and courage. The public can now read recipients’ stories, view dashcam footage, listen to sound bites from driver interviews, and more. In addition to the interactive driver stories, TCA has streamlined the nomination form so it is easier to nominate a professional truck driver in recognition of a good deed. To recognize a driver for his or her heroic deed, simply visit www.highwayangel.org. As always, the program looks to highlight the industry’s heroes and shine a light on those who not only keep goods and services moving forward each day, but who also lend a hand to those in need.

TOPEKA, Kan. — Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly signed legislation late last week to launch a new, 10-year transportation program she and other officials see as a $10 billion stimulus to counter the economic damage from the coronavirus pandemic. The program will use existing funds to pay for $1 billion a year in projects, with projects designated every two years. The measure allows the state to expedite $300 million worth of big projects with a fast-track, designing-while-building process. “Investing in Kansas’ infrastructure means putting people to work,” Kelly said, adding that the program will “help the Kansas economy recover when this public health pandemic passes.” The program commits $85 million over 10 years to improving the infrastructure for broadband service. The state also can build three toll roads, though it is likely to add toll lanes to existing congested highways. The program is named the Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program after President Dwight Eisenhower, a Kansan who pushed for the U.S. interstate highway system. Legislators and governors have regularly raided highway funds to patch holes elsewhere in the state budget, and there’s no guarantee they won’t again. But supporters said a new program at least creates “shovel-ready” projects that could be financed with federal dollars.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has issued a notice to State Departments of Transportation that the agency is suspending enforcement measures under the Federal-aid Highway Program for states that choose to permit commercial food trucks to operate and sell food, in accordance with state laws, in designated federally funded interstate highway rest areas. “America’s commercial truck drivers are working day and night during this pandemic to ensure critical relief supplies are being delivered to our communities,” said FHWA Administrator Nicole R. Nason. “I am grateful to our state transportation partners for bringing this idea to the Department and for their leadership in thinking outside the box. It is critical to make sure truck drivers continue to have access to food services while they’re on the job serving our nation during these challenging times.” By statute, commercial activity in the federally funded interstate right-of-way is prohibited with limited exceptions. The FHWA Administrator has the discretion to take any action deemed appropriate to bring a state into compliance with these federal requirements. However, given the extreme and unprecedented nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, Administrator Nason is choosing not to take remedial measures against states that allow food trucks to provided food in rest areas off the federally funded interstate right-of-way for the duration of the national emergency declared by the President in response to the COVID-19 public health crisis. Since these actions are temporary, states must come back into compliance with federal law once the national emergency ends. Any States that do not come back into compliance after the emergency is over may be subject to remedial measures designed to achieve compliance.

As President Trump and members of Congress tout the possibility of pulling together a national infrastructure investment package, several states are already gearing up to continue — and in some cases speed up — a variety of transportation projects. An article recently published in The Journal, the official publication of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), stated that the president supported a $2 trillion infrastructure-investment stimulus bill in a March 31 tweet; support echoed by Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore, chair of the House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, during an April 1 conference call with Democratic congressional leaders. Jim Tymon, executive director of AASHTO, pointed out in a video interview that as the temperatures turn warmer across the country, the highway construction season is “really starting in most states” and that most state departments of transportation are moving forward with planned transportation projects. The concern for state departments of transportation (DOTs), however, is that falling traffic volumes will reduce the motor-fuel-tax revenues they rely upon to fund such infrastructure projects. For example, most recent traffic-flow data compiled by INRIX shows that personal travel dropped between 38% and 44% nationally through the week ending March 27. As a result, preliminary projections from state DOTs show at least a 30% decline on average in fuel-tax revenues for the next 18 months, AASHTO’s Tymon noted. “This is why Congress should provide immediate revenue support to state DOTs as a critical backstop in order to prevent major cuts in near-term transportation funding to prevent canceling or delaying projects and to help stave off potential job losses both in the private sector and at state DOTs as well,” Tymon said. Yet states continue their work to keep the nation’s transportation network open and operational, some for the time being forging ahead with infrastructure projects. Connecticut, for example, is planning to move forward with more than $700 million in infrastructure projects aimed primarily at fixing the state’s aging highways, bridges and rail lines. “Even during this unprecedented pandemic, state government and its operations must continue to operate, and the state has an obligation to ensure proper investments are being made, and the timing could not be more crucial,” explained Chris McClure, spokesman for the budget office of Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont (D), in a news story on April 1. Meanwhile, the Florida DOT is accelerating work on $2.1 billion worth of critical transportation-infrastructure projects, in part due to a reduction in traffic throughout the state as a result of COVID-19, while also providing much-needed jobs to the construction industry, according to Kevin Thibault, the agency’s secretary. “The governor understands that Florida’s transportation system is the backbone of our economy, and FDOT is proud to accelerate projects, which will help expedite goods to market and provide much needed jobs throughout the state,” he noted in a statement. “Safety is our top priority, so we will continue to ensure that employees have the sanitation supplies needed to follow the guidance from the CDC [Center for Disease Control and Prevention] and work with our industry partners to implement these same precautions to keep workers safe and healthy,” Thibault added. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is making a similar move where the $35 million New Dixie Highway Project is concerned, as reductions in daytime traffic volume due to the COVID-19 pandemic are allowing work crews to move their work into daylight hours — a shift that will improve the quality of work, allowing crews to better see all indents and imperfections in the roadway surface. “We are so appreciative of all the work the crews are doing during this time, maintaining as much social distance as possible while also working to complete the project,” John Callihan, the project’s manager, explained in a news story. In the north, the Minnesota DOT noted on April 2 that it will undertake 188 road and bridge projects statewide during the 2020 construction season, while working on another 66 projects to make improvements to airports, ports, transit and railroads that are outside of the state’s road-construction program. “It is critical that MnDOT continue its work to maintain and improve our state’s transportation infrastructure,” said Margaret Anderson Kelliher, the agency’s commissioner, in a statement. “A safe, reliable and multimodal transportation system is essential to keeping our state running in times of crisis,” she added. “MnDOT construction projects will continue as scheduled and within the guidance set by state and federal health officials to prevent further spread of COVID-19. We are especially grateful to our employees and partners in labor and the private sector for working together and prioritizing safety for workers on project sites.” To read the full article published in The Journal, click here.  

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The American Trucking Associations (ATA) and NATSO, which represents truck stops and travel plazas across the nation, are urging state and local governments to carefully consider the operational differences of essential businesses when implementing social-distancing guidelines to ensure that truck stops and travel plazas can safely serve commercial drivers without delaying the delivery of critical emergency relief supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic. In its “Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce,” the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) includes truck-stop workers and commercial truck drivers on the list of “essential critical infrastructure workers.” However, many local officials are exceeding the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) recommended social-distancing guidelines and enforcing strict occupancy limits in travel centers, severely delaying commercial drivers when they stop for food or fuel. Notably, some localities are enforcing occupancy limits of as few as five to 10 people, including employees, in these businesses. In certain parts of the country, this is resulting in drivers waiting in long lines to enter nearly empty truck stops to purchase food and use the facilities. These waits extend their delivery time for transporting goods in support of COVID-19 relief efforts. Truck stops and travel plazas frequently have a very large footprint and can average 28,000 square feet, offering ample space to safely serve truck drivers within the 6-feet social-distancing guidelines issued by the CDC without imposing extreme caps on the number of customers in a location at one time. “Varying interpretations of the CDC guidelines are creating exceedingly long wait times for truck drivers to buy food, use the facilities and get back on the road, hindering their ability to deliver medical supplies or keep grocery store shelves stocked,” said NATSO President and CEO Lisa Mullings. “What should be 20-minute stops are turning into more than two-hour layovers. It is imperative that local enforcement officials enforce occupancy caps in truck stops in a manner that adheres to CDC social-distancing guidelines without unnecessarily disrupting the efficient movement of essential supplies throughout the country.” NATSO and ATA expressed their concerns in a letter to the National Association of Counties; National Association of County and City Health Officials; the National League of Cities; and the United States Conference of Mayors. “Each day during this pandemic, truck drivers are out on the road making critical deliveries to markets, hospitals and consumers. If local governments impede them from making those deliveries, they are putting lives at risk,” said ATA President and CEO Chris Spear. “We urge officials at all levels of government to help our industry keep those deliveries rolling by keeping facilities open and accessible for drivers to use in a safe and efficient manner.” The travel plaza and truck stop industry is taking every precaution to protect the health and safety of its employees and customers. They continue to follow all recommended guidelines issued by the CDC and World Health Organization (WHO). As part of the supply chain, truck stops are committed to doing their part to keep truck drivers safe and on the road. “At Pilot Co., our top priority is protecting the safety of our team members and guests, while continuing to provide essential services and goods to keep America moving,” said Pilot Co. CEO Jimmy Haslam. “With professional drivers moving more than 70% of the goods consumed in the U.S., it is imperative that we keep our travel centers open, while following health and social-distancing guidelines, to ensure the movement of supplies throughout the country. The entire trucking industry is taking every precaution to ensure the health and safety of professional drivers on the road.” Frank Love, co-CEO of Love’s Travel Stops expressed concern about delays caused by some state and local restrictions. “The professional driver’s ability to deliver essential products to Americans from coast to coast in a timely manner is extremely important in the fight against COVID-19,” Love said. “Due to some state and local mandates, we have experienced issues that have created long delays for these professionals that have put their deliveries at risk. Any relief for these men and women would be greatly appreciated.”  

In response to the national emergency resulting from the global COVID-19 pandemic, on March 28 the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) issued a three-month waiver that relaxes some regulations for commercial learner’s permit (CLP) holders. The two-pronged waiver is designed to facilitate the flow of essential products and personnel during the national crisis declared by President Trump and will continue until June 30 or until the president revokes the declaration of national emergency related to COVID-19, whichever comes first. The waiver states that because of the closing of many state driver licensing agencies (SDLA) in accordance to guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “some SDLAs may be unable to process and issue a commercial driver’s license (CDL) credential to eligible CLP holders who have passed the driving-skills test.” Because of the national emergency and the need for timely transport of essential supplies, equipment and personnel, the waiver provides relief from two regulations: First, the requirement that a CDL holder with the proper CDL class and endorsements be seated in the front seat while a CLP holder operates a commercial vehicle on public roads or highways is lifted; however, the CDL holder must be present in the vehicle, the waiver states. Second, states may now administer driving-skills testing to any nonresident CDL applicant regardless of where the applicant received training. Normal restrictions limit nonresident testing to applicants who received training in that state. Click here to view the entire waiver. “FMCSA finds that the granting of this waiver is in the public interest, given CDL and CLP holders’ critical role in delivering necessary property and passengers, including, but not limited to, shipments of essential supplies and persons to respond to the COVID-19 outbreaks,” the waiver states. “This waiver is in the public interest because it would allow drivers covered under this waiver to deliver essential supplies and persons across state lines to address the national emergency. This waiver will also reduce the administrative burden on CLP holders during this national emergency.” FMCSA says the waiver should not impact highway safety, citing the “limited scope of this waiver and the ample precautions that remain in place.” The agency emphasizes that “this waiver does not alter any of the knowledge and skills testing requirements for a CDL, a CLP or a necessary endorsement.” Veteran OTR drivers and trainers expressed concern to The Trucker about the first prong of the waiver — allowing CLP holders to operate a commercial vehicle without a CDL holder in the passenger seat — but agree that ultimately the decision should be made on a case-by-case basis depending on the skill level of the trainee. “There’s a lot involved with driving a truck, like keeping your safe distance, making sure that the driver can make turns — that they get in the habit of swinging the truck wide — lane control and more. If at any time as a mentor, if I feel like the student is not ready to be up in the seat by himself, I will continue to stay up there,” said Orlando Roberts, a driver-trainer for Phoenix-based Swift Transportation. “I personally believe that giving the permit holders the ability to drive unsupervised is not necessarily a good thing,” said Jonathan Markum, a Tennessee-based OTR driver with more than 20 years of experience and two million safe miles with his current carrier. “I believe it actually could endanger lives, depending upon the individual’s skill level, and I have to specify, also depending upon the level of training they’re receiving from their trainer.” Markum added that he believes the purpose of the waiver is to help drivers move freight faster by allowing students and trainers to operate like a team, allowing each other to rest while staying on the road. “It takes quite a bit of practice to sleep when the truck’s going down the road, hitting all the potholes and sways of the road, the wind, the noise, all the rest,” he said. “I don’t think [the students] will get proper sleep because it takes time to break into that rhythm; you can’t just start out and drive like a team operation overnight.” Roberts and Markum agree that allowing states to issue CDLs to nonresident CLP holders, regardless of where they obtained their training, could be a good way to expedite licensing and keep drivers on the road. “Because we do have an emergency situation right now with the coronavirus, it is going to help the industry move freight a lot faster, because of the simple fact that these people don’t have to go back to another state to get their license,” Roberts said. Markum said he believes that, regardless of what state issues a CDL license, the most important thing is to make sure that drivers are adequately trained before receiving their license. “First off, it’s the call of the company: Have they trained the trainer correctly? Second, it’s the call of the trainer,” Markum said. “And third, these new drivers should be truthful enough to say, ‘I’m ready’ or ‘I’m not ready.’”  

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — As a “thank-you” to professional truck drivers for their hard work and dedication to keeping America moving, especially in these challenging times, Pilot Co. has launched Push4Points, a new loyalty program through the Pilot Flying J app that offers additional points per gallon on diesel-fuel purchases. These points can be used to save money on food, beverages and other items at participating travel centers. Beginning April 1 and continuing through June 30, drivers can activate Push4Points in the Pilot Flying J app to start earning up to four points per gallon on every diesel fueling transaction. After tapping the “activate” button in the app at the beginning of each month, professional drivers will start earning one point per gallon of diesel fuel and will automatically earn an additional half point per gallon, up to four points per gallon, with each qualifying fill of 75 diesel gallons or more at participating Pilot and Flying J locations. “Nothing is more important to Pilot Co. than the safety of our guests and team members, and keeping our travel centers open, clean and fueling to serve North America’s drivers,” said Jimmy Haslam, CEO of Pilot Co. “As our country continues to navigate this difficult time, the resolve and dedication of the trucking industry and professional drivers continues to amaze all of us. Our team has been working hard on our new Push4Points program and now, more than ever, we want to help drivers save money while they are away from their families and working overtime to supply our country. Thank you, drivers, for all you’re doing to help keep our country moving.” Points can be earned when fueling at more than 900 locations in the U.S., including Pilot and Flying J Travel Centers and the One9 Fuel Network’s variety of brands. When fueling in the One9 Fuel Network, including at Speedway commercial diesel lanes, drivers will earn an additional bonus point per gallon. Points can be redeemed at company-owned and -operated locations, including Pilot and Flying J Travel Centers, EZ Trip, Mr. Fuel, Pride, Stamart and Xpress, for in-store savings on essentials such as food, beverages, merchandise, Wi-Fi, showers, and Prime Parking. Pilot Company and its more than 28,000 team members are committed to keeping its team members and guests safe during this time, while continuing to provide the necessities professional drivers need to transport lifesaving medicines, tests, food and supplies. The company’s travel centers remain open and operational. For real-time updates, visit Pilot Company’s COVID-19 Resource Center.  

INDIANAPOLIS – In support of Governor Eric Holcomb’s Executive Order 20-02 declaring a public health disaster emergency in Indiana due to COVID-19, the Indiana Department of Revenue Commissioner Bob Grennes has waived several Motor Carrier Services requirements until May 22, 2020. The waivers affect: Out-of-state motor carriers who are delivering COVID-19 supplies do not need to obtain trip permits or register with the International Registration Plan (IRP) or the International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) before entering Indiana. Upon request, drivers must be able to prove they are hauling food, goods, medical supplies, other equipment and supplies to address the public health threat posed by COVID-19. This waiver will expire on May 22, 2020. IRP or Base Plate registrations (BPR) expiring on March 31, 2020, or April 30, 2020, will not expire until May 31, 2020. Also, an Indiana-based IRP or BPR registrant may delay a registration renewal and/or payment for registrations effective May 1, 2020, until May 31, 2020. Any delayed IRP renewal registrations and/or payments must have an effective renewed IRP registration submitted to DOR by June 1, 2020. Indiana-based IFTA licensees that file quarterly motor carrier fuel tax returns may delay the first quarter’s return (ordinarily due April 30, 2020) to May 31, 2020. Also, following IFTA’s recommendation, DOR waives the requirements to display or possess IFTA credentials until May 22, 2020.

SCARBOROUGH, Maine— A tractor-trailer truck carrying french fries overturned on a turnpike ramp in Maine, causing a traffic tie up in a state known for its potato crop. The truck was traveling too fast when it overturned on an on-ramp leading to the Maine Turnpike in Scarborough, police said. Driver Robert Skidget, 74, of Saco, was not charged in the Thursday crash. He suffered minor injuries. Police told the Portland Press Herald that a fuel leak brought the Maine Department of Environmental Protection to the scene. The truck’s owner was R.C. Moore Inc., a trucking company with offices near the ramp. Police said the crash closed the on-ramp during the evening commute. UPDATE: An earlier version of this article stated that the truck was carrying 80,000 pounds of french fries. This article was circulated by the Associated Press and once brought to our attention, The Trucker was unable to confirm the weight of the load being carried. The reference has been removed.