The Nation

You never get a second chance to make a first impression. That old chestnut could have served as the title to Stay Metrics’ latest white paper. Instead, the analytics firm, which specializes in driver retention, engagement and training, went with a couple of cover-page questions: “Is Early Turnover Damaging the Business? How and What Can We do to Stop it?” The report, released July 13, is based on a statistical premise that would come as a surprise to no one in trucking: the industry has a turnover problem. It reached a “historic high” of 95 percent in the third quarter of 2017, the report says in its opening statement. It’s also isn’t exactly a revelation that most of that turnover – 72.6 percent – occurs within the first year, with almost half of those in and out the door in three months or less. “Considering the costs of recruitment and retention,” the report states, “one may wonder, what do we know about the leavers and what can we do to stop them from leaving?” A research team led by Stay Metrics Chief Science Officer Timothy Judge set out to determine whether early-stage job leavers share any common characteristics, and if they do can that be used to prevent some of the turnover. The team combined data from previous research with results obtained from Stay Metrics’ orientation surveys, which have been given to 62,000 drivers at seven days and 45 days into their employment; and its in-depth Annual Driver Survey, as well as driver turnover data provided by its 100-plus clients. Some interesting patterns emerged from the data, said Stay Metrics Chief Executive Officer Tim Hindes. “Every carrier’s different in terms of what the issues are, but there are some common issues,” Hindes said. “and what the hope is, is that the carriers glean through this and that they understand things like recruiter satisfaction and what that has to do with retention.” One finding that may at first seem to fly in the face of logic is that drivers who quit in three months or less, called “early leavers” in the report, are actually more likely to recommend that company to another driver than those who depart later. Among early leavers, 52 percent reported a positive attitude toward the company. This can be attributed what is known as the honeymoon period, Hindes said. When people start a new job, they approach everything with a positive attitude. Even if they decided to leave, it’s with more of a “no hard feelings” attitude, Hindes said. “It’s so early they’re willing to give the benefit of the doubt, a bit, to the company that some of it might be on them.” The Stay Metrics team also looked at which drivers tend to be early leavers. Specifically, they looked at whether age could be a predicter. Hindes said that even before this project began, he and Judge had talked about the supposed millennial problem, the popular dogma being that today’s young adults don’t have a strong enough work ethic or sense of loyalty. “The reality is there really isn’t much difference,” Hindes said. They broke early leavers into five-year age groups. Millennials, baby boomers and every group in between were within just a few percentage points of one another in their likeliness to leave within the first year. They also looked at whether industry experience made a difference. The study showed that veteran drivers – with “veteran” defined as a driver with more than one year’s worth of experience – were slightly more likely to be early leavers than rookies. “The experienced driver can smell the disconnect a lot quicker,” Hindes said. If they’ve been burned before, they’re apt to come in with an eye out for red flags. If a brand-new driver senses a problem, they can’t tell off the bat if it’s a problem with the company or the whole industry. They might even wonder if they’re the one with the problem. “The more experienced driver will be quicker to say, ‘yup, I’m cutting bait, I’m leaving,’” Hindes said. The study concluded that driver dissatisfaction can start practically out of the gate, and that a driver’s attitude toward their recruiter and their dispatcher by their 45th day of employment are a strong signal of whether that driver will be an early leaver. The recruiter’s role in shaping a driver’s opinion of a new company is especially crucial, Hindes said. According to the study, drivers who expressed high satisfaction with their recruiter have a 22 percent lower turnover rate in the first three months compared to those with low satisfaction. The importance of dispatcher satisfaction is nearly as pronounced. There was nearly a 16 percent lower turnover rate in the first three months among drivers who expressed high dispatcher satisfaction. The reasons for the influence of dispatcher and recruiter satisfaction on drivers’ attitudes are different, Hindes explained. Once a driver is on the road, the dispatcher is their most frequent connection to the company, and they remain an important influence throughout the driver’s employment. Data shows employees are much more likely to stay at companies where they have friends. While the dispatcher doesn’t have to be the driver’s best buddy, it makes a world of difference if they are at least work-friends. “One of things Stay Metrics does with its clients is gauge driver satisfaction levels with dispatchers so carriers can work with dispatchers who need to up their game,” Hindes said. “What we suggest on the dispatch side is using a psychometric tool, that you can actually pair a driver with the right dispatcher.” While the relationship with the dispatcher may be key to a driver’s long-term satisfaction, it’s the recruiter who makes that all-important first impression.  At first, that person is the face of the company to that driver, and they set the tone for everything that follows, starting with orientation. “A lot of carriers have underestimated the value of the first impression,” Hindes said. “A lot of carriers need to stop and ask, when was the last time they looked at their orientation process. Most of them are cookie-cutter, they’re orientating their drivers the same way they were 12, 15 years ago. “I tell carriers the most critical call a driver is going to make is the first call at break, when they’re out in the parking lot, they pick up the phone and they’re calling home. And they’re answering the most obvious question: ‘How do you like it? Did you choose the right company?’ At that point they only got experience with the recruiter, and about three hours with other people.” Orientation, Hindes said, is where the first impression with the recruiter is tested. One of the most important things that’s going to factor into that impression is whether the driver believes the recruiter has been honest. Are the things they’re hearing at orientation matching up with what they were told when they signed on? Something happened to driver recruiting, Hindes said, and he thinks it goes all the way back to when the CDL laws came into being in the mid-’80s. “We’ve stopped the traditional process of screening and hiring drivers,” he said. Instead, “some carriers are almost like used car salesmen. You look at some of the marketing literature out there, some of the billboards.” Carriers need to bear in mind that many drivers have been burned by falsehoods and misrepresentations at former jobs. You can’t even get cute with the truth, Hindes said. If they were told at recruitment they’d be driving a new truck, then at orientation they hear, “Yeah, you’re going to get a new truck, but that only kicks in after you’ve been here nine months,” drivers aren’t going to take that as a half-truth; that was a lie. They have to hear the same thing at recruitment that they hear at orientation, Hindes said, and then that better be the way it is once they get out there. While this report does not delve directly into the honesty-in-recruitment issue, Hindes believes the implications of the study bear out what he’s saying. “We as an industry have to be much more transparent with drivers,” he said. “We have to stop marketing practices that are misleading, because they’re not helping you. They’re actually hurting you. That’s the biggest takeaway I’d like to see come out of this.” To obtain a free copy of Stay Metrics’ new whitepaper, “Is Early Turnover Damaging the Business? How and What Can We Do to Stop It?” visit staymetrics.com.

WASHINGTON  — The Trump administration says people would drive more and be exposed to increased risk if their cars get better gas mileage, an argument intended to justify freezing Obama-era toughening of fuel standards. Transportation experts dispute the arguments, contained in a draft of the administration’s proposals prepared this summer, excerpts of which were obtained by The Associated Press. The excerpts also show the administration plans to challenge California’s long-standing authority to enact its own, tougher pollution and fuel standards. Revisions to the mileage requirements for 2021 through 2026 are still being worked on, the administration says, and changes could be made before the proposal is released as soon as this week. The Trump administration gave notice earlier this year that it would roll back tough new fuel standards put into place in the waning days of the Obama administration. Anticipating the new regulation, California and 16 other states sued the Trump administration in May. Overall, “improvements over time have better longer-term effects simply by not alienating consumers, as compared to great leaps forward” in fuel efficiency and other technology, the administration argues. It contends that freezing the mileage requirements at 2020 levels would save up to 1,000 lives per year. New vehicles would be cheaper — and heavier — if they don’t have to meet more stringent fuel requirements and more people would buy them, the draft says, and that would put more drivers in safer, newer vehicles that pollute less. At the same time, the draft says that people will drive less if their vehicles get fewer miles per gallon, lowering the risk of crashes. David Zuby, chief research officer at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, said he’s doubtful about the administration’s estimate of lives saved because other factors could affect traffic deaths, such as automakers agreeing to make automatic emergency braking standard on all models before 2022. “They’re making assumptions about stuff that may or may not be the same,” he said. Experts say the logic that heavier vehicles are safer doesn’t hold up because lighter, newer vehicles perform as well or better than older, heavier versions in crash tests, and because the weight difference between the Obama and Trump requirements would be minimal. “Allow me to be skeptical,” said Giorgio Rizzoni, an engineering professor and director of the Center for Automotive Research at Ohio State University. “To say that safety is a direct result of somehow freezing the fuel economy mandate for a few years, I think that’s a stretch.” Experts say that a heavier, bigger vehicle would incur less damage in a crash with a smaller, lighter one and that fatality rates also are higher for smaller vehicles. But they also say that lighter vehicles with metals such as aluminum, magnesium, titanium and lighter, high-strength steel alloys perform as well or better than their predecessors in crash tests. Alan Taub, professor of materials science and engineering at the University of Michigan, said he would choose a 2017 Malibu over a heavier one from 20 years earlier. It’s engineered better, has more features to avoid crashes and additional air bags, among other things. “You want to be in the newer vehicle,” he said. An April draft from the Trump administration said freezing the requirements at 2020 levels would save people $1,900 per new vehicle. But the later draft raises that to $2,100 and even as high as $2,700 by 2025. Environmental groups questioned the justification for freezing the standards. Luke Tonachel, director of the clean-vehicle program at the Natural Resources Defense Council, said the risk from people driving more due to higher mileage is “tiny and maybe even negligible.” Under the Trump administration proposal, the fleet of new vehicles would have to average roughly 30 mpg in real-world driving, and that wouldn’t change through 2026. California has had the authority under the half-century-old Clean Air Act to set its own mileage under a special rule allowing the state to curb its chronic smog problem. More than a dozen states follow California’s standards, amounting to about 40 percent of the country’s new-vehicle market. Asked if he thinks a freeze in U.S. mileage standards is warranted, EPA acting administrator Andrew Wheeler told a small group of reporters at EPA headquarters last week, “I think we need to go where the technology takes us” on fuel standards. Wheeler did not elaborate. Agency spokespeople did not respond when asked specifically if the EPA acting chief was making the case that modern cars could be both fuel efficient and safe. Wheeler also spoke out for what he called “a 50-state solution” that would keep the U.S car and truck market from splitting between two different mileage standards. The Department of Transportation said in a statement that the final fuel economy standards would be based on sound science. The department cautioned that a draft doesn’t capture the whole picture of the proposed regulation. The draft said a 2012 analysis of fuel economy standards under the Obama administration deliberately limited the amount of mass reduction necessary under the standards. This was done “in order to avoid the appearance of adverse safety effects,” the draft stated.

Uber officials said July 30 it is closing its autonomous trucks segment to concentrate on its self-driving cars. Uber told CNN, NBC and other news outlets that it wants to focus all its expertise and energy on deploying self-driving cars, adding the company had concluded that is “the best path forward.” Uber acquired the autonomous trucking startup Otto in August 2016 and shortly afterward began developing and testing self-driving trucks, including a test run in Colorado carrying Budweiser. However, its Otto acquisition set off a trade secrets firestorm with Google over autonomous vehicle technology after a former Google engineer who helped start Otto was accused of stealing trade secrets. Uber later fired the engineer, Anthony Levandowski, but media sources reported that Levandowski is involved in another self-driving truck company, Kach.ai. The case was settled out of court but hardly had that dust settled when one of Uber’s self-driving cars killed a pedestrian in Tempe, Arizona, and Uber said it had temporarily halted its entire self-driving vehicle program. Uber just recently returned its self-driving cars to public roads in Pittsburgh, but at present is using human drivers who are being monitored. The company noted, however, that Uber Freight, which helps connect truck drivers with shippers and loads, is still in operation and unaffected by the autonomous truck division closure. Uber Freight launched in May 2017. The self-driving truck portion of Uber was located in San Francisco while its self-driving car operations are in Pittsburgh. Uber trucking segment employees were given various options, including relocation to Pittsburgh, a separation package, or another Uber slot in self-driving technology if available.    

GREENBELT, Md. — During the week of August 27-31, each state’s commercial motor vehicle law enforcement department will choose one day of that week to capture data on rear impact guards, also referred to as underride guards, on tractor-trailers in the United States. As the leading organization devoted to improving commercial motor vehicle (CMV) safety and inspection and enforcement uniformity throughout North America, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) is often asked to weigh in on policies related to safety and enforcement, and to provide guidance to enforcement, industry and policy makers. As a data-driven organization, any decisions to support or oppose an issue must be supported by data analysis and strategic planning. Consequently, the Alliance is collecting information on rear impact guards to be well informed and properly equipped to assess and address rear impact safety requirements on CMVs. The event will also highlight this critical issue for motor carriers and drivers. Last year, the Stop Underrides Act of 2017 was introduced by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., and Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) to reduce the number of preventable deaths and injuries caused by underride crashes and to improve motor carrier and passenger motor vehicle safety. CVSA received a letter from Senators Gillibrand and Rubio on February 8, 2018, asking the Alliance to consider updating its current North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria to add rear underride guards. The data collected during the Rear Impact Guard Check safety initiative will be reported to the CVSA Vehicle Committee at the CVSA Annual Conference and Exhibition in Kansas City, Missouri, in September. Based on that data, the committee will make a recommendation to the CVSA Board of Directors on how to proceed with this important issue. “The Alliance uses data to support its decision-making process,” said CVSA President Capt. Christopher Turner with the Kansas Highway Patrol. “Using quality, verifiable data and analytics allows the Alliance to assess and analyze information that can be used to support our stance on various issues, topics and propositions.” “It’s important to note that inspectors will be conducting business as usual and will not be doing anything differently during Rear Impact Guard Check, other than filling out a data collection form that they’ll submit to CVSA,” added Capt. Turner. “Drivers and motor carriers should not be impacted by this initiative.” Rear Impact Guard Check is a one-time, one-day CVSA enforcement initiative. Data on rear-impact guards may be collected during Level I, II, IV or V Inspections. For more information, contact CVSA Director of Roadside Inspection Program Kerri Wirachowsky.    

ARLINGTON, Va. — The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) Tuesday released the update to its Crash Predictor Model that statistically quantifies the likelihood of future crash involvement based on specific truck driving behaviors (e.g. prior crashes, violations and convictions). ATRI’s analysis draws on data from over 435,000 U.S. truck drivers over a two-year time frame to expose nearly a dozen behaviors that raise a driver’s risk of being involved in a future truck crash by more than 50 percent. “ATRI’s Crash Predictor Model is a key input to our driver hiring and training practices,” said John M. Prewitt, president of Tideport Distributing. “Safety is our first concern and by understanding how driver histories relate to future crash probability, we can develop targeted solutions for minimizing safety risks.” Now in its third release, this latest ATRI crash predictor model includes analyses on the impact of age and gender on crash probability.  And to better understand the bottom line impacts of preventing crashes, this latest report includes industry average crash costs across six distinct crash types and severity. Among the key findings from the Crash Predictor Model Update are: The top two behaviors for predicting future crash involvement, each with more than 100 pecent increased likelihood of a future crash, are a reckless driving violation and a failure to yield right of way violation. Prior crash involvement continues to have a statistically significant relationship to future crash involvement with a 74 percent increase of the likelihood of being in a future crash. Women truck drivers were safer than male counterparts in every statistically significant safety behavior and men were 20 percent more likely to be involved in a crash than women. Several stable behaviors have emerged across all three ATRI Crash Predictor Models (2005, 2011 and 2018) as statistically significant predictors of future crash involvement including convictions for improper lane/location, reckless/careless/inattentive/negligent driving and improper or erratic lane change. Understanding that traffic enforcement, particularly those activities that target the crash predictor behaviors, is an effective tool for mitigating crashes, ATRI also provides a list of “top tier” states which emphasizes those states that have proven track records of maximizing their enforcement resources while minimizing their share of the nation’s truck crashes.  Indiana tops that list, followed by New Mexico, Washington, California and Maryland. A copy of this report is available from ATRI at www.TruckingResearch.org. ATRI is the trucking industry’s 501(c)(3) not-for-profit research organization. It is engaged in critical research relating to freight transportation’s essential role in maintaining a safe, secure and efficient transportation system.  

On-highway diesel prices continued to fluctuate by the smallest of amounts from week to week, rising to a national average of $3.22 as of July 30, an increase of only $0.006 from a week earlier and exactly 1 cent above where it was June 25, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). The national average diesel price has teetered like an anemic seesaw for 13 weeks now, rising seven times and falling six in that span, working out to a net gain of 5 cents since May 7. The price changed by less than 3 cents in 11 of those 13 weeks. In this past week, every region except the Rocky Mountain region experienced a small price increase, with the Midwest region having the only changed of more than a penny, rising by $0.014. The Lower Atlantic region saw a gain of $0.009. They were the only two regions that finished with a larger gain than the national average. Diesel prices on the West Coast were at a virtual standstill, rising by $0.002. Taking away California, the rise was only $0.001. The drop-off in the Rocky Mountain region was $0.008, leaving it at $3.361. The region’s year-to-year increase stands at $0.746, the highest outside the West Coast region, including California. Despite a gain of $0.004, the Gulf Coast region, is for the second straight week the only region where diesel prices stand below $3. The price for a gallon of diesel there is $2.997. Oil futures rose July 30 with the U.S. benchmark closed at $70.13, finishing above $70 for the first time since July 10. Brent crude rose 68 cents to $74.97 a barrel on London’s ICE exchange. Click here for a complete list of average prices by region for the past three weeks.

MEXICO CITY — Mexican and Canadian officials said last week that talks on the North American Free Trade Agreement will remain a three-way negotiation, despite suggestions by U.S. President Donald Trump that he might pursue separate trade deals with both countries. Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray said “Canada and Mexico not only share geography, history and friendship, but also principles and common goals, and we are a team and act as a team.” Visiting Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland said “Canada very much believes in NAFTA as a trilateral agreement.” “While the ultimate deal will be trilateral … it’s completely normal to have a bilateral meeting,” Freeland said. Freeland said Canada also opposes a “sunset” clause proposed by Trump that would allow countries to opt out of the pact every five years. Mexico shares the position that such a clause would hurt longer-term investment. Freeland also met with Mexican President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who will take office on December 1, and several of his aides. Marcelo Ebrard, Lopez Obrador’s choice to succeed Videgaray as foreign relations secretary, said discussions included NAFTA and other issues such as “migration and opportunities.” In a call with journalists, Freeland said she believes the Liberal Party government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and that of the leftist Lopez Obrador will find “very productive areas of collaboration” on a number of issues, including but not only trade. “I feel that the strong, effective collaboration we’ve had with Mexico hitherto on NAFTA is set to continue,” she added. Lopez Obrador earlier had released a one-page letter from Trump in which the U.S. president urged a speedy renegotiation of the agreement. Trump warned there could be a much different route should the discussions drag on. In the past, he has threatened to cancel NAFTA. Representatives from Mexico, Canada and the U.S. are set to meet in Washington on Thursday to resume the trade talks. The U.S. leader said in the letter that he believes a successful NAFTA renegotiation will lead to more jobs and higher wages for both Mexico and the U.S. “Both of our countries benefit from an economically prosperous North America,” Trump wrote. Videgaray and Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo are slated to participate in current talks, accompanied by Jesus Seade, a World Trade Organization veteran tapped by Lopez Obrador as his future chief trade negotiator. Lopez Obrador said members of his transition team will act as observers at the discussions. After reading the letter from Trump out loud, proposed foreign minister Marcelo Ebrard expressed hope that new trade terms can be reached reasonably soon, with all three countries in the agreement. The Trump administration lobbied in June for individual trade deals with Canada and Mexico after three-way talks fizzled. Sticking points in the talks include U.S. insistence on the sunset clause that would force renegotiation of the agreement every five years and disputes over parameters for the automotive industry. The U.S. is angling for higher North American content in vehicles and for production to favor jurisdictions that pay more than $16 an hour, which is over five times the hourly wage for most Mexican auto workers. Trump also wrote that he has directed his team to redouble efforts with members of Lopez Obrador’s team to address trade, migration, development and security, four priority issues for both countries. “Like you, I believe that meeting the challenge of illegal immigration involves more than just strong border security,” Trump wrote, referring to Lopez Obrador’s professed aim of improving economic conditions in Mexico and Central America so that fewer people feel the need to migrate.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) says supplies of distillate (including both diesel and home heating oil) are the lowest end-of-June level since 2004, largely attributed to the booming freight market, i.e. truck traffic. EIA in its latest energy report released Friday estimates that U.S. consumption of distillate fuel averaged 4.12 million barrels per day (b/d) during the first half of 2018, 190,000 or 5 percent higher than the same period of 2017. The agency added that the increase is mostly because of “an increase in trucking activity” and that the increase is because of current “economic growth and industrial activity.” Colder January temperatures in the Middle Atlantic and Northeast regions of the country — 25 and 27 percent respectively over January of last year — have led to increased heating oil consumption, the report added. EIA estimates that refinery production of distillate fuel in the U.S. averaged 5.0 barrels a day in the first six months of 2018, 1 percent or 30,000 barrels a day higher than the same period of 2017. That, in turn, has led to diesel prices rising by more than crude oil prices over the past year.

WASHINGTON  — The U.S. economy surged in the April-June quarter to an annual growth rate of 4.1 percent. That’s the fastest pace since 2014, driven by consumers who began spending their tax cuts and exporters who rushed to get their products delivered ahead of retaliatory tariffs. The Commerce Department reported Friday that the gross domestic product, the country’s total output of goods and services, posted its best showing since a 4.9 percent gain in the third quarter of 2014. President Donald Trump is predicting growth will accelerate under his economic policies. But private forecasters cautioned that the April-June pace is unsustainable because it stems from temporary factors. The rest of the year is likely to see good, but slower growth of around 3 percent. Trump, who has repeatedly attacked the economic record of the Obama administration, pledged during the 2016 campaign to double growth to 4 percent or better. “It’s only going to get better,” the president said Thursday during a trip to Iowa and Illinois. The latest GDP figure was nearly double the 2.2 percent growth rate in the first quarter, which was revised up from a previous estimate of 2 percent growth. Consumer spending, which accounts for 70 percent of economic activity, rebounded to a 4 percent annual growth rate after turning in a lackluster 0.5 percent gain in the first quarter. Consumers began spending their increased take-home pay on autos and other big-ticket items, spurred by the $1.5 trillion tax cut Trump pushed through Congress in December. Forecasters expect healthy consumer spending in the second half of this year but a slower pace than in the spring. Another factor that bolstered the second quarter was a rush by exporters of soybeans and other products to get their shipments to other countries before retaliatory tariffs in response to Trump’s get-tough trade policies took effect. Exports rose at a 9.3 percent rate in the second quarter, while imports grew at a tiny 0.5 percent rate. The narrowing trade deficit added a full percentage-point to growth in the second quarter, though economists are concerned that a full-blown trade war between the United States and China, the world’s two biggest economies, will hurt growth going forward. Business investment grew at a solid 7.3 percent rate in the second quarter. Government spending also posted a solid gain, rising at a 2.1 percent rate. The result was boosted by a budget deal at the beginning of this year that added billions to defense and domestic spending. But housing, which has struggled this year, shrank at a 1.1 percent rate after an even bigger 3.4 percent decline in the first quarter. “The second quarter was a strong quarter, but it was juiced up by the tax cuts and higher government spending,” said Mark Zandi, chief economist Moody’s Analytics. Zandi forecast that growth for 2018 will hit 3 percent, the best annual growth rate in over a decade. In 2019, he expects a solid 2.6 percent growth rate. But in 2020 — a presidential election year — Zandi said he is forecasting economic growth of just 0.9 percent, a pace that is so slow that it will raise the threat of a recession. “We will come pretty close to stalling out in 2020 because the growth we are seeing now is not sustainable,” Zandi said. The GDP report released Friday included a benchmark revision of the past GDP numbers. That revision showed that growth in 2017 came in at 2.2 percent, slightly lower than the 2.3 percent previously reported. The current expansion, which began in June 2009 and is now the second longest in history, has also been the weakest. The GDP revisions did not change that story. Growth has averaged just 2.2 percent since mid-2009 through the end of last year, the same as previously reported.

JACKSON, Miss.  — Mississippi Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves said Thursday that a state agency director is backing off of accusations that Reeves and his staff used political pressure to push a highway project near his home. However, a letter from Department of Transportation director Melinda McGrath said Reeves’ staff took the “highly unusual step” of communicating directly with utility providers about the project. The project to widen Mississippi Highway 25, also known as Lakeland Drive, once included plans to build a frontage road connecting a shopping area to two gated subdivisions, including one where Reeves lives. The $2 million frontage road has not been built. Plans for it were put on hold after the Clarion Ledger reported in early July that McGrath said the Department of Transportation had received political pressure about the project from “the Senate side” of the Legislature. She didn’t name specific people, but Reeves, as lieutenant governor, presides over the Senate. Reeves has said he and his staff did not pressure the department, and he sent McGrath a letter July 11 asking her to specify any “unacceptable interactions” with the Legislature about the highway project. McGrath responded Wednesday, and Reeves publicly released her letter Thursday. “As acknowledged in your letter, the Lieutenant Governor communicates infrequently with MDOT,” McGrath wrote. “As a result, the Office of the Lieutenant Governor’s ongoing interest in the Highway 25/Lakeland Drive widening project assigned heightened importance and priority to this project.” She wrote that Reeves’ staff was told that utility delays could delay construction. “Your staff took the highly unusual step of communicating directly with utility providers and worked to resolve various issues to keep the project on schedule — using political authority that MDOT does not possess,” McGrath wrote. McGrath wrote that it is “perfectly within the duties and responsibilities of legislators” to inquire about transportation issues. She wrote that her definition of “political pressure” is any effort by the Legislature to put priority on projects that are not outlined in Vision 21, a state law requiring the transportation department to develop a statewide method to identify the need for highway and bridge projects. She wrote that legislators passed a bill requiring the Highway 25 widening project to begin immediately. Reeves said it’s not unusual for legislators to push for specific highway projects. He also said a budget bill passed in 2015 had $10 million for the Highway 25 widening and it made “absolutely no mention of the frontage road project.” “It has been reported that it was pressure by the Senate when she referred to political pressure,” Reeves said Thursday at the Capitol. “But let’s be clear: Laws that are passed in this building have to be voted on by the House of Representatives, they have to be voted on by the Senate and, short of a veto, they are signed by the governor.” McGrath said in her letter that “the frontage road option was pursued” as part of the highway expansion because, for safety reasons, adding a traffic signal was not a viable option for the two gated subdivisions. People who live in the subdivisions have said turning left onto Highway 25 is difficult because of heavy traffic. Reeves is expected to run for governor in 2019, as is Democratic Attorney General Jim Hood. Last week, Hood sent letters to lawmakers and transportation officials, telling them not to destroy electronic or paper records that show communication about the road project, which has been put on hold. Hood said he wants the records by Aug. 1, and he said he might ask the state auditor to investigate whether public money was spent to increase the value of any elected official’s private property. At his news conference Thursday, Reeves asked whether Hood has political motivations for seeking the records.    

MINNEAPOLIS – PeopleNet , a Trimble Company and provider of fleet mobility technology, announced the debut of the PeopleNet Display.5 (PD.5), an Android-powered fixed-mount display built specifically for the rigors of the commercial trucking industry. “The introduction of the PeopleNet Display.5 provides customers with additional choices and flexibility when selecting an in-cab display,” said Bryan Coyne, general manager, North America for Trimble’s Transportation Mobility Division, which includes PeopleNet. “The PD.5, much like our Android-based tablets, lays the foundation for the next-generation of fleet mobility and helps our customers transform their drivers’ experience.” The PeopleNet Display.5 gives customers the option to implement a ruggedized display that enables them to comply with the electronic logging device mandate as well as leverage other applications such as navigation and in-cab scanning. Through PeopleNet’s Managed Mobility service, fleets can also manage both business and third-party apps running on the display and provide drivers with remote assistance during support cases and troubleshooting other mobile applications. By harnessing the Android platform, the PeopleNet Display.5 allows customers to future-proof their investment and maximize productivity and visibility throughout their fleet. The PeopleNet Display.5 has the flexibility to pair with multiple in-vehicle gateways for a fully customizable solution that leverages 4G LTE connectivity to increase driver and fleet performance. “As we continue our migration to Android, the PD.5 can run both proprietary solutions alongside third-party apps, giving a fleet the ability to customize the driver experience to optimize productivity,”  Coyne said. “Android software also unifies all of our latest devices, so a fleet can run any combination of fixed-mounted displays, handhelds and consumer-grade devices to meet their business-specific needs.” The PeopleNet Display.5 is available now and will be showcased at the 2018 in.sight user conference + expo in Houston from September 9 – 12. To learn more about PeopleNet’s technology solutions, visit www.peoplenetonline.com/technology/hardware.  

We have all had those rough days at work. However, a dump truck driver in Henrietta New York recently took it to another level.   That is because as he was leaving the Rush-Henrietta High School parking lot, he forgot to lower the dump bed and in doing so, ended up taking out a dozen power poles. Because the power lines were live, the dump truck driver and five other vehicles  had to be rescued. No one was injured, However, 1,200 homes ended up without power. The driver faces charges of an over-height vehicle, a leak in the break line and not having a working warning light in the cab.      

The national average on-highway diesel price Monday went down for the second week in a row to $3.220, 1.9 cents a gallon less than the $3.239 it was selling for last week, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). The Gulf Coast region is back under $3 a gallon at $2.993, and California diesel prices have returned to below $4 a gallon at $3.943. The U.S. on-highway average is 71.3 cents over what it was this time a year ago. All 10 of the EIA’s reporting sectors showed a price decline, with the Midwest down 2.9 cents a gallon; California down 2.5 cents a gallon and the West Coast down 2.3 cents a gallon. Oil prices fell Monday, erasing gains from earlier in the day. Benchmark U.S. crude dropped 37 cents to settle at $67.89 per barrel in New York, and Brent crude, used to price international oils, slipped a penny to close at $73.06, The Associated Press reported. For more on diesel prices by region click here.

A semi-truck ended up dangling from a bridge over the Manatee River south of Tampa. The truck was traveling in the center lane of I-75 when a vehicle moved from the right lane to the center lane in front of the semi. The driver, a 49-year-old Sarasota man, tried to avoid the vehicle but lost control of the semi and trailer because of the wet roads. The tractor portion of the semi went over the concrete barrier, and ended up hanging over the edge of the bridge.The driver was able to get out safely and only had minor injuries.      

Trucking is still a dangerous occupation, with data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) listing truck drivers and sales drivers as having the country’s 7th most deadly job in the top 10. They’re behind logging workers, who placed as No. 1; fishing-related occupations, No. 2; aircraft pilots and flight engineers, No. 3; roofers, No. 4; trash and recycling collectors, No. 5; and iron and steel workers, No. 6. “Transportation accidents were the leading cause of job fatalities, resulting in 40 percent of all workplace deaths in 2016,” said a report from the Business and Labor Resources organization, which was quoting from a Time magazine article. Following behind truck and sales drivers were farmers and ranchers, (No. 8); first-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers, (No. 9); and grounds maintenance workers at No. 10. Workplace violence has surpassed slips, trips and falls as the second most-common cause of on-the-job death in 2016, the latest numbers available, according to the report. The BLS rated occupations according to fatal work injury rates per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers. Truck and sales drivers had the most deaths of all the occupations, 918, compared to No. 1’s fishing occupations, which only accounted for 91 fatalities. Farmers and ranchers/agricultural managers had 260 deaths followed by grounds maintenance workers (217); construction workers (134); and roofers (101). Logging, however, had 135.9 fatal work injuries per 100,000 workers while truck and sales drivers only had 24.7. Aircraft pilots and flight engineers had 55.5 fatalities per 100,000 workers and roofers were close behind with 48.6 fatalities; trash collectors with 34.; iron and steel workers with 25.1; ranchers with 23.1; construction workers with 18 and grounds workers with 17.4.

The Trucking Alliance today issued a policy statement calling for the federal government to require ELDs in all CMVs regardless of commodity type or length of haul, and for state legislatures to require ELDs for all CMVs that operate exclusively within their borders. The Alliance, which has advocated ELD use since 2010, wants them used by intrastate drivers and by those operating in interstate commerce within a 100 air mile radius of their work reporting location, which is not now required. “Truck drivers no longer have paper logbooks to falsify,” said Alliance Managing Director Lane Kidd, “and state legislatures should consider doing what Congress has done and require all large trucks to install these devices to make sure drivers are obeying the law. ELDs should be as common in large trucks as seat belts are.” The Alliance said its reasons are that: ELDs will improve Hours of Service; they report safety-related data; the ELD mandate is working; they will improve the supply chain; and ELDs are the law, not necessarily in that order. ELDs are reducing driver fatigue, a large contributor to truck-related crashes, said the Alliance, citing Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration estimates that 1,844 large truck crashes will be avoided and 26 lives saved each year by use of ELDs. Data generated by ELDs will provide a more accurate picture of true trucking operations, including the accurate number of hours spent driving, the organization stated, not to mention how many hours of detention time is actually being spent at shippers’ and receivers’ locations. The group said the ELD-generated data can be used to “develop sound policies” on detention time; truck parking shortages; HOS rules; highway infrastructure; and time lost from traffic congestion, among other things. According to its website, The Alliance is a coalition of freight and logistics companies “that support the adoption of technology and regulations to improve safety in trucking, such as mandatory truck speed limiters, mandatory electronic logging devices, improved driver training and screening, and advanced safety assistance systems.”    

WALCOTT, Iowa — What better way to spend a July day than at the Walcott Truckers Jamboree? And that is exactly what 42,812 drivers and their families as well as local residents did July 12-14 as the Iowa 80 Truckstop — better known as the World’s Largest Truckstop — celebrated America’s truckers during the 39th annual rendition of the summer festival, which has welcomed visitors, rain or shine, since 1979. Visitors came from 22 different states and one Canadian province to display their trucks. “The Walcott Truckers Jamboree is our chance to thank all of the men and women who deliver the goods we need every day,” said Delia Moon Meier, senior vice president of Iowa 80.  “My family and all of the Iowa 80 team are proud to be able to serve them since 1964.” During the three days, guests enjoyed more than 150 exhibits; a Super Truck Beauty Contest with 91 contestants; an antique truck display with over 170 vehicles; an Iowa pork chop cookout; trucker Olympics; carnival games; and free concerts. Logan Mize performed July 12 courtesy of CAT Scale. Southern rock legends The Kentucky Headhunters hit the stage on July 13 to a crowd of thousands and were presented by Mobil Delvac. Both Thursday and Friday nights included fireworks displays, a truck light show and plenty of family fun. Saturday afternoon Eric Chesser entertained the crowd just prior to the Super Truck Beauty Contest awards ceremony and Antique Truck Plaque presentation. “The Walcott Truckers Jamboree celebrates America’s truck drivers,” said Heather DeBaillie, Iowa 80 Truckstop’s marketing director. “We are fortunate to be able to hold such an event that not only honors truck drivers and the trucking industry, but also showcases trucking in a positive light to the general public.” Iowa 80 Trucking Museum also celebrated the 100th birthday of its 1918 Independent truck (made in nearby downtown Davenport, Iowa) during the Jamboree with birthday cake and balloons at the museum. Next year’s 40th Anniversary Walcott Truckers Jamboree will be held July 11-13. For complete results of all the contests, visit www.truckersjamboree.com.

DETROIT — U.S. and Canadian officials touted the friendship between the two countries while acknowledging the economic benefits a new international bridge between Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, will bring. A groundbreaking for the advance construction of the Gordie Howe International Bridge was held Tuesday in southwest Detroit. The six-lane, cable-stayed Canadian-financed span over the Detroit River is expected to provide direct connections to existing highway networks in Windsor and Detroit. Construction could start in earnest by early October. The bridge is scheduled to open in 2020. “Make no mistake, we are starting to build this bridge and it’s going to be built and the people of the United States and Canada will be using it very soon,” Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority Chair Dwight Duncan said at Tuesday’s ceremony. The Windsor-Detroit trade corridor is the busiest commercial land crossing on the border between the U.S. and Canada, handling more than 30 percent of trade hauled by trucks. “The Gordie Howe International Bridge will play a vital role in supporting and growing the local economies on both sides of the border and will create opportunities for residents and businesses alike,” said Amarjeet Sohi, Canadian minister of Infrastructure and Communities. “This project is also an important symbol of our deep friendship and mutually beneficial relationship with the United States.” Currently, the privately-owned Ambassador Bridge and the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel are the only commuter crossings between the two cities. Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder called the Gordie Howe bridge an “economic engine” that will provide good-paying jobs. He also said a second span would provide economic security in the event of an Ambassador Bridge closing. The Detroit International Bridge Co. which operates the Ambassador Bridge has been unsuccessful in suing to stop the future construction of the new bridge. The company has been seeking permits to build a six-lane replacement span for the Ambassador Bridge. That span would be about two miles upriver of the Gordie Howe International Bridge. The Gordie Howe bridge is named after the late hockey legend, who was born in Canada and grew up in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Most of his 26 years in the NHL were with the Detroit Red Wings. He died in 2016. PHOTO CAPTION Associated Press: TODD McINTURF/Detroit News From left, Michigan Lt. Gov. Brian Calley, Dwight Duncan, chair of the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder, the Hon. Amarjeet Sohi, Canadian Minister of Infrastructure and Communities and Kelly Craft, U.S. Ambassador to Canada, shovel dirt during a ceremonial groundbreaking event for the Gordie Howe International Bridge in Detroit July 17.

Editor’s Note: A critical issue facing the trucking industry is the driver and technician shortage. Gary Smith, professional driver and Trucking Moves America Forward member, discussed the importance of addressing the shortage and how communities across the country are working together to solve this critical issue in an op-ed piece in The Times Bulletin of Van Wert, Ohio. It is reprinted with permission. By Gary Smith With summer comes the planning of barbeques, water sports and road trips to spend time with family and friends. Tying your summer fun to how those deliveries arrive to your home or business is not typically top of mind but making those special summer days happen is due in large part to the trucking industry. In fact, most people don’t know that the trucking industry —from drivers to technicians to vendors and partners — serves 80 percent of America’s communities. Trucking is essential to our daily lives here in Ohio. It doesn’t just keep our communities supplied, it also keeps our economy and country moving forward. But, as the economy strengthens, and demand within the industry grows, the struggle to find qualified drivers in our industry is a significant challenge. The trucking industry has been facing a driver and technician shortage with the American Trucking Associations reporting an industry shortage of more than 50,000 drivers. Without truck drivers on our roads, our economy and daily lives would be so disrupted, that operations would literally shut down, which is why it’s critical that we address the job shortage. The fact is there are so many diverse jobs available for truck drivers. Flatbed, refrigerated, less than truckload (LTL) or truckload, are just a few examples of the many job opportunities available. These are jobs that offer great starting salaries and benefits, and provide the training needed to jumpstart a career. Thankfully, education starts early in some states with high schools talking about truck driver training programs and the opportunities available to them after graduation. When teens are taught about trucking career options, it has benefits for both the industry, by planting the seed early to fill the job pipeline, and for the student, offering them important choices. There are also other positions in the trucking industry that require specific technical skills. As technology evolves, it’s more important than ever to have a skilled and adaptable workforce, and we need to attract younger drivers. This job requires the ability to operate heavy equipment, patience, self-discipline, a good work ethic and personal responsibility. Personal values and loyalty go a long way in trucking and can really pay off. I chose to drive because I love the open road and the sense of pride I have in delivering important freight to families and businesses here in Ohio. I feel that I provide great value in making a difference in someone’s life. That’s true throughout the industry. From mechanics and technicians, to corporate and management positions, we all share the same sense of pride knowing how important our industry’s contributions are to our community and country. Trucking is a community of hard-working professionals and we need more qualified workers who can handle the task. Professional truck drivers have suffered from unfair stigmas, but the reality is that we’re hardworking members of society — 3.5 million of us, in fact — who love our jobs and are proud of our work and commitment to moving America forward. We’re committed to road safety and one of our highest priorities is the safety of all drivers on the road, because at the end of the day, we all want to get home to our families safely, too. By helping correct the misguided image of truck drivers and working to implement changes across the industry to recruit more well qualified drivers, including younger generations and veterans, we’re working to fill the shortage and keep the industry and America strong. So, when you are driving on the road this summer and you pass a truck, I hope you’ll remember that it’s more than just a massive vehicle beside you – we’re working to deliver everything our community needs. Truck drivers ensure your summer celebrations are stocked with all the items you need to turn those special occasions into memories. So, who is up for the challenge of helping to deliver memories for America’s families? Gary Smith, a professional truck driver who lives in Gomer, Ohio, drives for Garner Trucking of Findlay, Ohio. He is a member of America’s Road Team, a program of the American Trucking Associations.  

PORTLAND, Ore. — Joe DeLorenzo, director of the Office of Enforcement and Compliance for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will be a featured presenter at a July 24 webinar on how to use electronic logging devices with personal conveyance and agricultural exemption. The webinar is being sponsored by EROAD, a global technology provider of fleet management, electronic tax reporting and ELD compliance solutions for the transportation industry. The webinar will be led by Soona Lee, director, regulatory compliance and will focus on: • The new guidance on personal conveyance• Creating company policies around personal conveyance to protect fleets and their drivers • When and where the agricultural exemption applies • Best practices for agricultural exempt drivers to ensure continued compliance using ELDs “The FMCSA recently released official guidance on the definition of personal conveyance and provided regulatory counsel for drivers transporting agricultural commodities,” Lee said. “With the introduction of electronic logging devices, which capture all the times a vehicle is driven, these personal conveyance and agricultural exemptions have become more transparent than ever. This webinar will help carriers better understand ELD regulations and make sense of the new guidance and ensure they are operationally compliant in the new world of ELDs.” DeLorenzo, who has been with the FMCSA for over 25 years, is responsible for policy and program development for the agency’s enforcement and compliance program.In addition, he has oversight of the passenger, household goods and hazardous materials programs for FMCSA. Prior to assuming his current position, he served as director of FMCSA’s National Training Center, where he was responsible for a wide range of commercial vehicle safety training programs for federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. He started his career with FMCSA in field operations as an investigator, hazardous materials specialist and program manager, and has held several leadership positions at the regional level. As director of regulatory compliance at EROAD, Lee is responsible for understanding regulatory context and policies and technical requirements and translating them for development of the company’s suite of compliance products. She has deep subject matter expertise in electronic logging devices in North America and works closely with carriers, drivers and the enforcement community to improve industry outcomes of compliance, safety and efficiency through implementation of technology. How to use ELDs with personal conveyance and agricultural exemption is scheduled for Tuesday, July 24, 2018 at 10 a.m.