The Nation

BILLINGS, Mont. — A trucking company and its owner were convicted of more than a dozen federal charges filed after a 2012 explosion destroyed an oil processing plant in eastern Montana. Woody’s Trucking and Donald Wood Jr. of Baker were found guilty Tuesday of conspiracy, wire fraud, mail fraud, transporting hazardous materials without proper documentation and obstructing an investigation. Sentencing is set for October, The Billings Gazette reports . Woody’s Trucking and Wood Jr. must forfeit nearly $645,000, prosecutors said. The case began when a Woody’s truck hauling natural gas condensate caught fire while a tank was being unloaded at Custom Carbon Processing Inc., a slop oil recycling plant near the town of Wibaux. Three workers were seriously injured and the fire burned for days. Woody’s Trucking hadn’t notified its insurance company it was hauling hazardous materials and did not have insurance coverage for that risk, prosecutors said. Witnesses testified that Wood Jr. told the truck driver to place a false bill of lading in the burned out truck to cover up the fact that the company was hauling natural gas condensate without placards, prosecutors said. The jury deliberated for three hours before finding the defendants guilty of 13 of the 14 charges against them. They were acquitted of one placarding violation. The truck driver was convicted in 2015 of transporting hazardous materials without a placard and was sentenced to three years on probation and ordered to pay a $2,000 fine. The injured workers sued Woody’s Trucking and Custom Carbon Processing. Woody’s submitted the lawsuit to its insurance company, which paid $250,000 to the injured men based on the belief the truck was hauling non-hazardous materials. The insurance company is suing Woody’s Trucking over the claim. Federal charges are pending against Custom Carbon Processing for not installing explosion-proof wiring and failing to mitigate other dangers at the processing plant.

By GARY D. ROBERTSON RALEIGH, N.C. — A method to accelerate local and regional road-building projects in North Carolina by authorizing up to $3 billion in debt has made it through the General Assembly. The legislation that permits the borrowing is heading to Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s desk following Tuesday’s House vote of 94-21. Cooper is expected to sign the bill, which passed the Senate unanimously last week and would represent a rare moment of bipartisanship between the executive and legislative branches. Cooper’s Department of Transportation asked the Republican-controlled General Assembly to permit the issuance of up to $300 million annually in what’s called “special indebtedness” from 2019 through 2028. This borrowing is not subject to a voter referendum and could commit the state to additional debt payments until the early 2040s. Any debt, which would actually be issued by the state treasurer and subject to the approval of the Council of State, would be repaid through dedicated transportation revenues — particularly state gasoline taxes and vehicle sales taxes and Division of Motor Vehicles fees. The borrowing is similar to “GARVEE bonds” that North Carolina already issues and are backed by anticipated funds from the state’s share of the federal gasoline tax. The state DOT has said “Build NC Bond” legislation would help road construction spending remain at its current high levels into the 2020s, resulting in tens of thousands of jobs. Proceeds would go to local and regional projects that have received high grades on the state’s 10-year rolling transportation blueprint. Cooper spokesman Ford Porter praised its passage, as did Transportation Secretary Jim Trogdon, who said in a release “critical infrastructure communities across the state have been waiting for will be delivered sooner than they would be if Build NC was not available.” Rep. John Torbett, a Gaston County Republican shepherding the measure in the House, said it also will give legislators time to ultimately locate new transportation funding sources. Cars are getting more fuel-efficient — meaning less gasoline taxes — and car ownership may give way toward self-driving vehicles operated by fleet services rather than individuals. “It’s an aging funding model that inevitably will not last indefinitely,” Torbett said before the bill passed. All 21 “no” votes came from Republicans, several of whom criticized the measure for failing to require the debt be subject to a statewide vote before it could be issued. Interest rates on special indebtedness are slightly higher than traditional bonds, which when issued obligates the state to repay them by raising taxes if state government is unable to do so. But the use of transportation fees and taxes essentially places the same burden upon taxpayers, said Rep. John Blust, a Guilford County Republican. Blust wanted to vote on an amendment requiring a referendum, but House Speaker Tim Moore said the amendment was out of order. “I think the people can be trusted if that argument is taken and made to them,” Blust said. Torbett and other bill supporters cited constraints on the debt. State Treasurer Dale Folwell couldn’t issue the debt, for example, unless he recommended it and believed it would keep the state under state debt limits set by a panel he already leads. Folwell, a Republican, also wanted a referendum on the debt as well. He said in a phone interview later Tuesday he would follow the new law and make sure the state doesn’t exceed debt limits that could jeopardize the state’s cherished top credit ratings, which keep borrowing costs low.

SAN ANTONIO  — Dozens of people, including some children, were discovered in a tractor-trailer in San Antonio, The Associated Press reported. KSAT-TV reported that authorities from several agencies were called to a North Side neighborhood around 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday and found 55 people suspected of entering the country illegally in and around a tractor-trailer. Homeland Security Investigations spokeswoman Nina Pruneda confirmed that the agency is investigating. San Antonio Fire Department chief Charles Hood says all the people appeared to be in good health. “This truck was air-conditioned, thank God,” Hood said. “This truck had water. So they were hydrated.” Hood says five individuals were treated for minor injuries. They were transported to a hospital. Except for the five injured, all of the trailer’s occupants were taken to a detention center after they were searched. Hood said many of the individuals were hungry, so firefighters ordered pizza and fed the people at the scene. About 5 people had minor injuries from running from the trailer or from getting out, Hood said. He added that they were taken to a local hospital to be treated.

WASHINGTON — Sens. John Hoeven, R-N.D., and Michael Bennet, D-Colo., Tuesday introduced the Modernizing Agricultural Transportation Act, bipartisan legislation they said is designed to reform the Hours of Service and electronic logging device regulations. Further, the enforcement of the ELD rule would be delayed until the reforms required under the bill are formally proposed. “Improving highway safety is an important goal, but the rules we put in place must recognize the very real challenges faced by those who haul livestock and other perishable commodities,” said Hoeven said. “Our legislation would delay enforcement while ensuring that the HOS and ELD rules are reformed with the concerns of all impacted stakeholders taken into account. That means providing a permanent, flexible solution that both strengthens safety and ensures the humane transportation of livestock.” “Our bipartisan legislation will provide Colorado’s farmers and ranchers a seat at the table to help develop sensible rules around the transportation of agricultural goods,” Bennet said. “It is important that we maintain safe roads for all, while also recognizing the unique flexibility needed for the transportation of Colorado’s agriculture products.” Specifically, the Hoeven-Bennet bill would establish a working group at DOT to identify obstacles to the safe, humane and market-efficient transport of livestock and, within one year of the group’s establishment, develop guidelines for regulatory or legislative action to improve the transportation of these commodities. The working group would be comprised of representatives from the transportation and agriculture industries, as well as the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and is required to consider: The impact, incompatibilities and other challenges and concerns of existing HOS rules and ELD rules under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration on the commercial transport of livestock, insects and agricultural commodities. Initiatives and regulatory changes that maintain and protect highway safety and allow for the safe, efficient and productive marketplace transport of livestock, insects and agricultural commodities. Other related issues that the transportation secretary considers appropriate. Within 120 days of receiving the working group’s report, the bill requires the transportation secretary to propose regulatory changes to the HOS and ELD regulations, taking into account the findings and recommendations of the working group. The Modernizing Agricultural Transportation Act is supported by the National Pork Producers Council, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, United States Cattlemen’s Association, Livestock Marketing Association, American Farm Bureau Federation, the American Honey Producers Association and the Rocky Mountain Farmer’s Union.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Pilot Flying J will open four Pilot Travel Centers in Bunkie, Louisiana, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Monument, Colorado and Hempstead, Texas, throughout the month of June. The travel centers feature full amenities for area residents and the traveling public, while adding 205 truck parking spaces, approximately 220 local jobs and other economic benefits to the communities. “We’re thrilled to serve the communities of Bunkie, Cedar Rapids, Monument and Hempstead with the expansion of our travel center network this month to deliver convenience, quality, great service and added value to local residents and professional drivers traveling the nation’s highways,” said Ken Parent, president of Pilot Flying J. “Our goal at Pilot Flying J is to connect people and places with comfort, care and a smile at every stop. The addition to our footprint of 4 new locations will bring the best service and amenities available on the road to travelers passing through these areas.” The Pilot Travel Centers offer many amenities, including: Pilot Travel Center #1105, 7349 LA-29, Bunkie, Louisiana — PJ Fresh, Subway, 52 truck parking spots, eight diesel lanes and eight gas fueling positions, four showers, public laundry, CAT scale and Western Union. Pilot Travel Center #1092, 8950 Earhart Lane, Cedar Rapids, Iowa —PJ Fresh, Dunkin Donuts Express, Arby’s, 35 truck parking spots, six diesel lanes and 10 gas fueling positions, three showers, public laundry, CAT scale, Western Union and a driver’s lounge. Pilot Travel Center #1110, 15455 Terrazzo Drive, Monument, Colorado — PJ Fresh, Dunkin Donuts Express, Arby’s, 72 truck parking spots, eight diesel lanes and 12 gas fueling positions, five showers, public laundry, CAT scale, Western Union, driver’s lounge. Pilot Travel Center #573, 2000 Farm to Market Road 488, Hempstead, Texas — PJ Fresh, Dunkin Donuts Express, Subway, 46 truck parking spots, eight diesel lanes and 16 gas fueling positions, four showers, public laundry, CAT scale and Western Union. The new facilities will bring Pilot Flying J’s network of stores in Louisiana to 11 locations; Iowa to 18 locations; Colorado to six locations; and Texas to 77 locations. Cumulatively, the new travel centers are expected to contribute $11.4 million annually in state and local tax revenues and will grow Pilot Flying J’s footprint to 791 locations. Parent said Pilot Flying J guests could make the most out of their experience by saving time and money with the myPilot app. Using the myOffers feature in the app, guests can save in-store with valuable weekly deals on food and beverages. MyPilot app users also have access to trip planners and features for professional drivers including mobile fueling, parking and shower reservations. The combined network of more than 750 Pilot and Flying J Travel Centers across North America serves more than 1.6 million customers daily. For more information on Pilot Flying J, visit www.pilotflyingj.com.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – NATSO, the national association representing the travel plaza and help fuel retailers leverage the resources necessary to learn about and incorporate alternative fuels into their supply offerings. The Alternative Fuels Council will work with members of the truckstop and travel plaza community and other fuel retailers to navigate the litany of state and federal fuel regulations, and to utilize available government incentives for alternative fuels, including the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The Alternative Fuels Council will also help its partners implement profitable strategies related to alternative fuel supply options and fuel infrastructure. “The Alternative Fuels Council is designed to satisfy our industry’s need for expert, convenient and cost-effective solutions that help fuel retailers bring alternative fuels to market,” said NATSO President and CEO Lisa Mullings. “The alternative fuels market is an important growth opportunity for many fuel retailers nationwide; and both the fuel retailing industry and their customers will benefit from the collective resources and benefits of this endeavor.” Among its initial offerings, NATSO’s Alternative Fuels Council today unveiled a new Biodiesel Fuel Quality Plan designed to help those who blend, market, and distribute biodiesel blends ensure the final product that they sell to consumers meets a minimum standard of quality. As part of this plan, the Alternative Fuels Council will help facilitate fuel testing and analysis for marketers. “Maintaining fuel quality is increasingly important to today’s fuel retailers amid the growing number of fuel offerings and renewable fuel blending options,” said NATSO Fuel Specialist Jeff Hove. “While certain accreditation and quality assurance can be provided by biodiesel producers and suppliers, it is imperative that fuel retailers remain vigilant regarding the quality of the finished product.” As NATSO’s Fuel Specialist, Hove will be the primary liaison between the Alternative Fuels Council and its fuel retailing partners. Through the Fuel Quality Program, those who blend, market and distribute biodiesel can access a step by step guide to the blending process. The guide directs users through fuel quality management, including sampling procedures, protocols and proposed schedules, to help ensure that alternative fuel meets the required ASTM fuel quality standards. To learn more about the Alternative Fuels Council and the Biodiesel Fuel Quality program visit NATSOAltFuels.com and read a one-pager here.      

WASHINGTON — The Journal of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) reports that following Maryland’s plans to add toll lanes to the entire length of the Capital Beltway within its borders, Virginia is now considering extending its existing Beltway toll lanes northward to the Maryland line. The idea is to lengthen the I-495 Express Lanes in Virginia by about 3 miles, from the Dulles Toll Road interchange to the American Legion Bridge, the Journal article stated. The project will be developed in conjunction with Maryland’s to ensure they are compatible, but Virginia’s plan will also be able to stand alone, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation. VDOT launched a $6 million environmental study of its project in April. The study is expected to be finished in late spring of next year, after a public hearing planned for early spring.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — For the third consecutive year, the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) and the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility (Responsibility.org) are awarding grants to help states combat the growing challenge of drug-impaired driving. In 2018, five states — Idaho, Minnesota, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont — will receive nearly $100,000 to provide advanced training, information and skills to detect drivers under the influence of drugs. This year’s grants come on the heels of a new report from GHSA and Responsibility.org examining the impact of marijuana and opioids on traffic safety. The report finds that 44 percent of fatally-injured drivers with known test results were positive for drugs in 2016, up from 28 percent a decade prior. To combat these alarming statistics, the report recommends increased training for law enforcement and better tools to assess drug impairment. New York is taking a unique approach to this grant by developing a first-of-its-kind training on oral fluid testing in drug-impaired driving cases. The training, which will occur June 14 and 15, is geared toward not only law enforcement but also prosecutors and toxicologists, bringing traffic safety partners together to encourage use of oral fluid testing in the state’s drugged driving investigations. “The lack of a universally-accepted testing method for drug impairment makes it difficult to understand the full scale of the drugged driving problem,” said GHSA Executive Director Jonathan Adkins. “Integrating oral fluid testing has tremendous potential to improve detection, and we hope New York’s training will serve as a model for other states to take this step.” Through this funding, four other states will train more than 500 officers in advanced drug-impaired driving recognition. Idaho’s grant will support three Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) courses and an Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) course, while Rhode Island plans to hold two ARIDE courses in 2018 and an additional four in 2019. Meanwhile, Vermont plans on expanding its existing DRE and ARIDE training programs to reach a larger number of law enforcement officers. Minnesota will focus its funds on providing DRE training across a larger geographic area to maintain sufficient coverage throughout the state. “Law enforcement officers are our boots on the ground when it comes to ending impaired driving,” said Ralph Blackman, President and CEO of Responsibility.org. “More frequently we’re seeing drivers not only impaired by one drug but by multiple drugs or both drugs and alcohol. We need to make sure officers are able to detect and evaluate these drivers, which is why Responsibility.org is proud to continue supporting state efforts to expand and enhance training.” Twelve states and territories applied for these competitive grants. To date, this partnership has trained more than 1,000 officers in drug-impaired driving detection. A selection committee comprised of law enforcement and drug-impaired driving experts from around the country reviewed the applications and determined the winners. For more information on the grants and previous state program results, visit ghsa.org/resources/partner-initiatives/FAAR.      

There’s a reason analysts call the price of oil and related products like diesel and home heating oil volatile. Today, the U.S. on-highway national average for diesel went down 1.9 cents a gallon to $3.266 after flirting with a decrease (three tenths of a penny) to $3.285 last week. Last week, six of the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) 10 reporting sectors showed diesel price decreases but this week all 10 regions saw diesel slide. Before the week of June 4, many analysts were predicting that oil prices were on a long soaring streak and that diesel was headed for $4 a gallon and above. That hasn’t happened yet, but still could, as California hit $4.003 a gallon the week of June 4 and is hovering at $3.990 today while EIA’s West Coast sector is at $3.769. The Central Atlantic region today went down 2.2 cents a gallon to $3.420 and the Midwest sector decreased 2.5 cents a gallon to $3.199. As they have been since two weeks ago, all 10 sectors report diesel prices above $3 a gallon. But it wasn’t so long ago that several EIA sectors were showing prices below $3 a gallon. Benchmark U.S. crude closed up 36 cents to $66.10 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, used to price international oils, was unchanged at $76.46 per barrel in London, The Associated Press reported. So, diesel may follow suit and head back up pretty soon. For more information on diesel prices by region, click here.

  ARLINGTON, Va. — Leaders of the American Trucking Associations and the Rhode Island Trucking Association (RITA) today pledged to continue fighting against what they called “the state of Rhode Island’s predatory and discriminatory truck-only toll scheme.” The state last week announced that two of its long-delayed truck tolls would go online today. The rest of the 14 tolls should be activated over the next 18 months. “By pressing ahead with her ill-conceived RhodeWorks scheme, Gov. Raimondo is violating the Constitution by interfering with interstate commerce,” said ATA President and CEO Chris Spear. “She and her administration were warned of this repeatedly by the trucking industry and we will continue to fight these unjust tolls by any means available.” Trucks make up just over 2 percent of the traffic on the highways being tolled under Rhode Island’s plan, and to place 100 percent of the burden for maintaining the state’s roads and bridges on those trucks will hurt Rhode Islanders and the entire New England region, stated an ATA news release. “By imposing these tolls, Gov. Raimondo and her profiteering allies in Providence are needlessly inflicting economic pain — 94 percent of the costs of these tolls will ultimately be borne by Rhode Island businesses — and worsening our state’s congestion problems as study after study has shown that when new tolls are imposed, traffic simply diverts away from them — thus taking traffic off of the interstates and putting it on Main Street,” said RITA President Chris Maxwell. “Tolls are as inefficient, with as much as 30 percent of revenue collected going to government overhead, as they are unsafe — putting needless choke points on our highways and pushing traffic off of larger, safer highways and on to smaller arterials,” Spear said. “Trucking is willing to pay our fair share — to pay more than we do now — for good roads and bridges. What we are not willing to do is foot the bill alone for an ill-conceived and illegal highway funding program that ultimately will become an unwatched slush fund for the governor’s office. “We warned Gov. Raimondo about heading down this road and it is unfortunate that she has chosen to attack our industry in this way,” he said. “We continue to explore all avenues — including the courts — to get this decision reversed and she and her administration should expect us to continue to fight for fair and equitable highway funding in Rhode Island.”

Drones are set to monitor traffic patterns and communicate with ground vehicle infrastructure in Ohio, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Journal reports. The drones will be relaying information on what’s going on along Ohio’s Smart Mobility Corridor, a 35-mile public testing ground on U.S. Route 33 for new transportation technologies. As part of the project, Ohio is upgrading the Route 33 testing corridor with road sensors and putting devices on more than 1,000 vehicles. The drones will interact with the senors and fixed-location traffic cameras, sending information to the existing ground traffic management system. Scheduled to begin July 1, the project will help “explore the intersection between autonomous and connected vehicles on land and in the air,” said DriveOhio Executive Jim Barna. Pilots will operate the aircraft beyond their visual lines-of-sight as part of a national drone system project. The AASHTO Journal reported a StateScoop story on the project, which has been under way in Ohio since 2016. The drone project is a partnership between the DriveOhio UAS Center in Springfield and the Ohio State University College of Engineering. Fred Judson, director of the DriveOhio center, said the research project will pave the way for a safety system allowing the eventual development of package delivery and air taxi services in the future.  

WASHINGTON — Imports at the nation’s major retail container ports are expected to set record numbers this summer and fall even as the debate over trade and tariffs continues in Washington, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released today by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates. “Consumers are buying more and that means retailers are importing more,” NRF Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy Jonathan Gold said. “Imports continue to be the primary source of high-quality, mass-produced necessities at affordable prices and will be for the foreseeable future. If tariffs are imposed on consumer goods, that will only drive up prices for American families while doing little or nothing to punish those responsible for unfair trade practices.” “Despite an environment where the U.S. administration is enacting measures that could well lead to a trade war with most of its Asian and European trading partners, we see imports continuing to grow,” Hackett Associates Founder Ben Hackett said, noting that manufacturers have seen increased orders that reflect solid consumer demand. “This suggests that neither industry nor consumers really believe that President Trump will push through with his proposed tariffs. Let’s hope that they are right.” Ports covered by Global Port Tracker handled 1.63 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units in April, the latest month for which after-the-fact numbers are available. That was down 5.8 percent from March and up 0.3 percent year-over-year. A TEU is one 20-foot-long cargo container or its equivalent. May was estimated at 1.77 million TEU, up 1.3 percent year-over-year. June is forecast at 1.78 million TEU, up 3.7 percent; July at 1.88 million TEU, up 4.1 percent; August at 1.91 million TEU, up 4 percent; September at 1.83 million TEU, up 2.3 percent; and October at 1.9 million, up 5.7 percent. The numbers forecast for July, August and October would each beat the previous record of 1.83 million TEU imported during a single month, which was set in August 2017. The first half of 2018 is expected to total 10.2 million TEU, an increase of 3.8 percent over the first half of 2017. The total for 2017 was 20.5 million TEU, up 7.6 percent from 2016’s previous record of 19.1 million TEU. Global Port Tracker, which is produced for NRF by the consulting firm Hackett Associates, covers the U.S. ports of Los Angeles/Long Beach, Oakland, Seattle and Tacoma on the West Coast; New York/New Jersey, Port of Virginia, Charleston, Savannah, Port Everglades, Miami and Jacksonville on the East Coast, and Houston on the Gulf Coast. The report is free to NRF retail members, and subscription information is available at www.nrf.com/PortTracker or by calling (202) 783-7971. Subscription information for non-members can be found at www.globalporttracker.com. The National Retail Federation is the world’s largest retail trade association. Based in Washington, D.C., NRF represents discount and department stores, home goods and specialty stores, Main Street merchants, grocers, wholesalers, chain restaurants and internet retailers from the United States and more than 45 countries. Retail is the nation’s largest private-sector employer, supporting one in four U.S. jobs — 42 million working Americans. Contributing $2.6 trillion to annual GDP, retail is a daily barometer for the nation’s economy. Hackett Associates provides expert consulting, research and advisory services to the international maritime industry, government agencies and international institutions.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration May 31 made good on its promise to issue a new guidance clarifying the 150 air-miles Hours of Service (HOS) agricultural commodity exemption and providing additional explanatory detail of the “personal conveyance” provision. “Due to input from commercial vehicle stakeholders and the public, the department has taken steps to provide greater clarity and flexibility regarding the intent and effect of these regulations for the agricultural and other sectors,” said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao. FMCSA in a news release stated the agency is providing clarity on the use of the agricultural exemption and personal conveyance to both industry and law enforcement while providing as much flexibility as possible for the industry and also maintaining safety. “We are dedicated to finding effective solutions to challenges, exploring new opportunities for innovation and constantly seeking ways to improve,” said FMCSA Administrator Raymond Martinez. Regarding the personal conveyance issue, FMCSA revised its guidance on this December 19, 2017, and requested comments. Of the nearly 400 responses received, some 240 were from individual drivers, with the remaining ones coming from companies, associations, safety organizations and two states, the agency said. FMCSA recognized that much of the pressure concerning hours result from delays in loading and unloading. The agency said that by its nature, personal conveyance of the CMV is an off-duty status and therefore, doesn’t impact 11- or 14-hour limitations for truck drivers, the 60/70-hour limitations or the 34-hour restart. FMCSA agreed that a truck’s movement from a shipper or receiver to the nearest safe resting area may be considered as personal conveyance “regardless of whether the driver exhausted his or her HOS as long as the CMV is being moved only to let the driver get to a safe place to take the required hours of rest.” The agency recommended that the driver also “annotate on the log” if he or she can’t park at the nearest location and must go on down the road to find a location that does have parking space. The coercion rule, the agency said, was intended to protect drivers from their carriers, shippers, receivers or transportation intermediaries “who threaten to withhold work from, take employment action against, or punish a driver for refusing to operate in violation  [of] the FMCSRs, Hazardous Materials Regulations and the Federal Motor Carrier Commercial Regulations.” The agency also said if a federal, state or local law enforcement official requires the driver to relocate the CMV during the 10-hour break period, it “does not require a restart of the rest period.” However, the agency added, “the CMV must be moved no farther than the nearest reasonable and safe area to complete the rest period.” They also said the driver doesn’t have to return to the previous on-duty location. “Enhancing operational readiness” is considered by the agency to be any movement of a CMV that provides a commercial benefit to the motor carrier and therefore isn’t considered personal conveyance. The guidance clarifies the agricultural exception on several points: drivers operating unladen vehicles traveling either to pick up an agricultural commodity or returning from a delivery point; drivers engaged in trips beyond 150 air-miles from the source of the agricultural commodity; determining the “source” of agricultural commodities under the exemptions; and how the exception applies when agricultural commodities are loaded at multiple sources during a trip. This regulatory guidance is issued to ensure consistent understanding and application of the exception by motor carriers and state officials enforcing HOS rules identical to or compatible with FMCSA’s requirements. FMCSA published Federal Register notices proposing regulatory guidance for the transportation of agricultural commodities and the use of personal conveyance in December 2017 and requested public comment. Nearly 850 public comments were submitted to the Federal Register dockets on the proposed guidance pertaining to the transportation of agricultural commodities and to the personal conveyance provision. The new regulatory guidance is presented in a question-and-answer format and explains the 150 air-mile radius agricultural commodity exemption and how the source of the commodity is determined. The new regulatory guidance also outlines and includes numerous examples of under what circumstances a commercial motor vehicle driver may operate the truck or bus for personal conveyance. In their comments on the guidance, both the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) and the American Trucking Associations (ATA) supported the ability of an agri hauler to be included in the 150 air-mile exemption whether or not the truck was loaded or unloaded, since even unloaded, the entire purpose of the trip is to complete the pick-up or delivery of an agricultural commodity. FMCSA agreed that the exemption should apply to all portions of a trip within the air-mile radius. The agency also noted in the new guidance that the 150 air-mile radius portion doesn’t apply during “planting and harvesting periods, as determined by each state … ,” nor do maximum driving and on-duty time for drivers during those periods. In the agency’s view, multiple commodity pick-ups are allowed but the 150 air-mile radius will continue to be measured from the first pick-up point regardless of the number of times agri goods are loaded or off-loaded. FMCSA added that the exception applies to transportation during the initial 150 air-miles from the source of the load, regardless of the distance to the final destination. But, they also said once the driver goes beyond the 150 air-mile radius he or she is then subject to the HOS rules. And that HOS continues to apply until the driver crosses back into the 150 air-mile radius.

ARLINGTON, Va. — Today, American Trucking Associations Chief Economist Bob Costello said the driver turnover rate at large truckload carriers rose in the first quarter of 2018. “The uptick in turnover is consistent with continued tightness in the market for drivers,” Costello said. “Anecdotally, carriers continue to struggle both recruiting and retaining quality drivers – leading to increasing wages. The tight driver market should continue and will be a source of concern for carriers in the months ahead.” According to ATA’s Trucking Activity Report, the annualized turnover rate at large truckload carriers – fleets with more than $30 million in annual revenue – jumped six points to 94 percent. The increase set turnover at these carriers 20 percentage points higher than in the first quarter of 2017. The turnover rate at less-than-truckload carriers rose two points to 10 percent. At smaller truckload carriers, the turnover rate sunk to 73 percent, but was still seven points higher than for the same period the previous year. “Turnover is not a measure of the driver shortage, but rather of demand for drivers,” Costello said. “We know that as freight demand continues to rise, demand for drivers to move those goods will also rise, which often results in more driver churn or turnover. Finding enough qualified drivers remains a tremendous challenge for the trucking industry and one that if not solved will threaten the entire supply chain.”

LEXINGTON, Ky. — An explosion damaged a UPS freight hub Wednesday morning in Kentucky’s second-largest city, sending multiple people to the hospital in what fire officials described as an accidental blast.Lexington Battalion Chief Jason Wells said a truck and trailer with an acetylene tank exploded in the building, news outlets reported. The cause of the explosion was not yet known, but the blast wasn’t suspicious. “Nothing leads us to believe this is anything other than an accidental explosion,” the fire department tweeted. The building on Blue Sky Parkway sustained significant damage, which was visible in the back of the building. The facility had been evacuated and everyone was accounted for, fire officials said. Eight people received medical attention following the blast, Wells said. Two people taken to the hospital suffered from burns and possible concussions, and six others in the vicinity of the explosion were taken to the hospital for observation as a precaution, Wells said. Fire officials initially said about a dozen people received medical attention. Lexington fire department spokeswoman Jessica Bowman said the building’s structural stability was being checked as part of an effort to determine what happened and how. Businesses near the site reported a loud explosion shortly before 8 a.m. EDT. Emergency crews rushed to the scene and restricted access to the area. The blast was felt inside other buildings.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Trucks will have to start paying tolls Monday when they drive through Rhode Island. The state announced that two of its long-delayed truck tolls will go online June 11. The rest of the 14 tolls should be activated over the next 18 months. The gantries were supposed to begin collecting tolls in December. The first two locations will be along Interstate 95 between Hopkinton and Exeter. They are expected to collect $7.2 million per year, which will go toward repairing bridges near the sites. Once that work is completed, the money can be used for other transportation ventures. The entire system would bring in $450 million over 10 years. Lawmakers authorized the toll system in 2016 as part of a $5 billion, decade-long plan to rebuild crumbling roads and bridges. Democratic Gov. Gina Raimondo said big rig trucks were targeted because they cause the most damage to roads. The trucking industry vigorously opposed the tolls and vowed Monday to sue the state. The Rhode Island Truck Association said it would challenge the state’s ability to only charge tractor trailers.

PORTLAND, Ore. — Freightliner Trucks premiered two fully electrified commercial vehicles, a Freightliner eCascadia heavy-duty truck and a Freightliner eM2 106 medium-duty truck today, during the Daimler Trucks Capital Market and Technology Day here. Freightliner plans to deliver an Electric Innovation Fleet of 30 vehicles to customers later this year for further testing under real-world operating conditions. Both electrified Freightliner models are designed to fit specific applications, carefully identified through an extensive co-creation process with customers. The goal is to build and deliver commercial electric vehicles that support the business and sustainability goals of our customers. The eCascadia has up to 730 peak horsepower. The batteries provide 550 Kwh usable capacity, a range of up to 250 miles and have the ability to charge up to 80 percent (providing a range of 200 miles) in about 90 minutes. The Class 8 tractor is designed for local and regional distribution and drayage. The eM2 has up to 480 peak horsepower. The batteries provide 325 Kwh of usable capacity, a range of up to 230 miles and have the ability to charge up to 80 percent (providing a range of 184 miles) in about 60 minutes. The eM2 is Freightliner’s electrified solution for local distribution, pickup and delivery, food and beverage delivery, and last-mile logistics applications. The announcement comes as Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) explores proprietary solutions to meet the most promising target applications for electrified commercial vehicles, with the goal of starting production in 2021. “The Freightliner eCascadia and eM2 are designed to meet customer needs for electrified commercial vehicles serving dedicated, predictable routes where the vast majority of daily runs fall between 45 and 150 miles,” said Roger Nielsen, president and chief executive officer of DTNA. “These innovative trucks reflect DTNA’s commitment to bring practical, game-changing technology to market. The eCascadia, utilizing North America’s bestselling Class 8 platform, and eM2 106, based on one of the most in-demand medium-duty truck designs, are built on validated, series production trucks in extensive use by our customers every day.” The Freightliner eCascadia with 80,000 lb. gross combined weight rating (GCWR) and eM2 with 26,000 lb. GCWR are part of Daimler Trucks’ global electrified truck initiative. The Mercedes-Benz eActros, with a range up to 124 miles and a 55,000 lb. GCWR, is now entering testing for distribution applications with customers in Europe, while the E-FUSO Vision One, a Class 8 concept truck in Japan with a range of 220 miles and a 51,000 lb. GCWR, gives an outlook on the electrification of the Fuso portfolio. The FUSO eCanter, a light-duty truck, is already available in series model production as a fully electric truck from Daimler Trucks. “Our primary goal at DTNA is bringing vehicles to market that are safe, reliable and efficient. Heavy-duty electric vehicles present the greatest engineering challenges, but they also are the best learning laboratories,” Nielsen said. “We have decades of experience in successfully producing durable commercial vehicles in high volumes that stand up to the demands our customers place on them. We now bring this unmatched experience and expertise to the electric truck category.” “DTNA is striving to develop electric commercial vehicles that reduce emissions and enhance our customers’ bottom lines through improved uptime and lower operating costs,” said Richard Howard, senior vice president, sales and marketing, Freightliner Trucks. “With the largest dealer and service network in North America, we will offer unparalleled access to factory-trained technicians, parts and support. We will leverage this network to support the Freightliner Electric Innovation Fleet and, as more electric commercial vehicles are delivered to our customers, we will provide the superior support they expect from Freightliner.” DTNA understands the success of electric commercial vehicles requires extensive knowledge and support on the infrastructure side, and is leading the initiative to develop a commercial vehicle charging infrastructure for North America. Daimler AG, DTNA’s parent company, is a founding member of CharIN, the Charging Interface Initiative – an effort to develop a standard charging system for battery-powered vehicles. DTNA is heading a CharIN taskforce to develop a new electric commercial vehicle charging standard globally, collaborating with utilities and service providers to foster a supportive environment for high-voltage charging networks and serve as a trusted consultant for customers. Martin Daum, member of Daimler Board of Management for trucks and buses: “We are the undisputed global leader of the trucking industry and we want to remain in that position also with regards to electric trucks. We were first-movers on electric trucks and we strive to provide the leading electric truck in each relevant segment. With the foundation of the global ‘electric mobility group’, we maximize the impact of our investments in this key strategic technology field. Thus, we can go for the best solutions in batteries, charging solutions and energy management.” The eCascadia and eM2 join the Thomas Built Buses all-electric Saf-T-Liner C2 JouleyTM school bus and the FUSO eCanter to establish Daimler Trucks as the leader in North America with the widest range of commercial electric vehicle models. “DTNA’s electric truck initiative is a direct result of the global collaboration at Daimler,” said Frank Reintjes, member of the divisional board, Daimler Trucks. “We are shaping the future of road transportation, and no matter the drivetrain, we strive to be the undisputed global market leader in commercial vehicles – always focusing on the real needs of our customers. At the same time, we create valuable synergies for Daimler Trucks.” Daimler Trucks commercial electric vehicles breakthroughs already entering the market include: Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C2 electric school bus, Jouley, with a range of up to 100 miles that starts limited production in 2019. More than 100 electric vehicles built by Freightliner Custom Chassis Corp. in 2012 with supplier Electric Vehicles International (EVI) on the MT-55 walk-in van chassis are still on the roads today. The FUSO eCanter, a fully electric Class 4 light-duty truck in series production with electric urban delivery vehicles being delivered to various customers in North America, Asia and Europe. The fully electric Mercedes-Benz Citaro is based on the global bestseller Mercedes-Benz Citaro, going into series production in late 2018. The Mercedes-Benz eActros is a fully electrified heavy-duty distribution truck starting operations with the first customers in the second half of 2018. Daimler Trucks North America LLC, headquartered in Portland, Oregon, is the leading heavy-duty truck manufacturer in North America. Daimler Trucks North America produces and markets commercial vehicles under the Freightliner, Western Star and Thomas Built Buses nameplates. Daimler Trucks North America is a Daimler company, the world’s leading commercial vehicle manufacturer. Freightliner Trucks is a division of Daimler Trucks North America LLC, headquartered in Portland, Oregon, and is the leading heavy-duty truck manufacturer in North America. Daimler Trucks North America produces and markets Class 5–8 trucks.

WESTLAKE, Ohio —  TravelCenters of America (TravelCenters), operator of the TA and Petro Stopping Centers travel center brands, is now accepting nominations for the 2019 Citizen Drivers. The program, launched in 2013, is designed to recognize professional drivers who evoke public respect for the truck driving profession through good citizenship, safety, community involvement, health and wellness, and leadership. Anyone — fleet owners and executives, co-workers, friends, family members, trucking organization members, trucking industry customers — may nominate a professional driver for the honor. Nomination forms, rules and other information can be found at www.ta-petro.com/citizendriver. Nominations will be accepted through September 30, 2018. The 2019 Citizen Driver honorees will be announced at a special ceremony. Over the course of five years, there have been 31 Citizen Drivers and each have had the TA-Petro site of their choice named after them in their honor. “We always enjoy this time of year, when the nomination period opens in search for our next set of Citizen Drivers,” said Barry Richards, President and COO of TravelCenters. “We encourage everyone that knows or works with professional drivers to think about who stands out and nominate them. It’s an honor, every year, to get to know the nominees and to read the stories that have made an impact on the people they interact with every day.” TA has released the dates and time where the 2018 Citizen Drivers will be honored; June 20, 6:30 p.m. — Danny & Cindy George — TA Wheat Ridge, Colorado — “Danny & Cindy George Wheat Ridge Travel Center” June 22, 1 p.m. — Ingrid R. Brown — Petro Oklahoma City  — “Ingrid R. Brown Oklahoma City Stopping Center” July 6, 1 p.m. — Carol Wolder-Nixon —  TA North Bend, Washington  —  “Carol Wolder-Nixon North Bend Travel Center” July 7, 1 p.m. — Roland Bolduc —  TA Branford, Connecticut  —  “Roland Bolduc Branford Travel Center” Each honoree will be featured in The Trucker in the coming months.    

GREENBELT, Md. — It’s here. Starting today commercial motor vehicle inspectors will conduct high-volume, high-visibility inspections of large trucks and buses for 72 hours as part of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) International Roadcheck annual enforcement initiative. Commercial motor vehicles and their drivers will be checked at inspection sites, weigh stations and roving patrol locations along major roadways in Canada, Mexico and the United States. Each year, International Roadcheck places special emphasis on a category of violations. This year’s focus is on Hours of Service compliance. While checking for compliance with HOS regulations is always part of a roadside inspection, CVSA is highlighting its importance as it coincides with this year’s April 1 full enforcement of the electronic logging device mandate that went into effect on December 17, 2017, throughout the United States. “Hours of Service violations is the leading category of driver-related violations cited,” said CVSA President Capt. Christopher Turner with the Kansas Highway Patrol. “HOS rules are designed to reduce driver fatigue, which can be a contributing factor in many commercial motor vehicle crashes. Enforcement of hours-of-service requirements is essential to ensuring compliance and combating driver fatigue.” During International Roadcheck, inspectors will primarily conduct the North American Standard Level I Inspection, a 37-step procedure that includes an examination of both driver operating requirements and vehicle mechanical fitness. The vehicle inspection includes checking brake systems, cargo securement, coupling devices, driveline/driveshaft components, exhaust systems, frames, fuel systems, lighting devices, steering mechanisms, suspensions, tires, van and open-top trailer bodies, wheels, rims and hubs, and windshield wipers. Additional items for buses include emergency exits, electrical cables and systems in the engine and battery compartments, and seating. Drivers are asked to provide their operating credentials and hours-of-service logging device (or documentation, as applicable) and will be checked for seat belt usage. Inspectors will also be attentive to apparent alcohol and/or drug impairment. International Roadcheck is sponsored by CVSA, North America’s leading commercial motor vehicle safety enforcement organization, with participation by the U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators and the Secretariat of Communications and Transportation in Mexico.

After several weeks of going up, the national average on-highway diesel price Monday took a slight dip (three tenths of a penny) to $3.285, and six of the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) 10 reporting sectors also showed diesel price decreases. But it turns out the three regions where diesel prices went up (California, the Rocky Mountain area and the Gulf Coast sector), were only up slightly (six tenths of a penny for two and one tenth of a penny for the third). California, which consistently has the most expensive diesel, finally broke the $4-a-gallon ceiling, hovering at $4.003. The West Coast reporting sector stayed the same as it was last week at $3.784, and truckers traveling through the area may be the next to see $4-a-gallon diesel. Diesel prices began creeping up March 26 when the on-highway average went from $2.972 the previous week to $3.01. From there, it continued on a more-or-less upward trajectory despite a few hiccups along the way. Energy companies traded lower as benchmark U.S. crude dropped 1.6 percent to $64.75 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, used to price international oils, fell 2 percent to $75.29 per barrel in London, The Associated Press reported. Wholesale gasoline lost 1 percent to $2.12 a gallon. Heating oil slid 1.1 percent to $2.15 a gallon. Natural gas fell 1.1 percent to $2.93 per 1,000 cubic feet. For diesel prices by area click here.