Truck Driving Job News Archives

Time change can mean dangers on the road with drowsy driving

John Worthen - March 8, 2024

DALLAS — Daylight saving time begins Sunday morning, April 10, and with it comes an increased risk of drowsy driving. Traffic safety experts cite drowsiness as a significant factor in crashes nationwide that kill more than 5,000 people on our roads and highways every year. The National Road Safety Foundation cautions drivers to be especially aware of driver fatigue as daylight savings begins, since the time change can disrupt normal sleep patterns and lead to drowsiness. “Drowsy driving can be as dangerous as drinking and driving,” said Michelle Anderson of The National Road Safety Foundation, a non-profit organization that produces and distributes free driver safety education materials. Drowsy driving is a factor in more than 300,000 crashes every year, causing 109,000 injuries and more than $30 billion in losses, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Studies show nearly two-thirds of motorists have driven while fatigued and more than a third admit to having fallen asleep at the wheel. The Governors Highway Safety Association estimates more than 83 million sleep-deprived Americans are behind the wheel on a typical day. Sleep experts say the brain may compensate for fatigue by taking micro-sleeps for a few seconds or longer. During a three- or four-second micro-sleep, a person’s eyes may remain open, but the brain is not processing the eyes’ vision signal. A car at highway speed can travel the length of a football field during those few seconds, veering out of its lane and into oncoming traffic or off the road. Sleep-induced crashes often cause very serious injuries, since a dozing driver may not take evasive or corrective action as the vehicle leaves its lane. Drivers should recognize the signs of drowsiness: Difficulty focusing; Frequent blinking; Not remembering the last few miles driven; Head nodding; Repeated yawning or rubbing eyes; and Drifting out of lane, tailgating or going over rumble strips. “Some commonly held reliefs for drowsiness, like rolling down the windows or blasting the radio, simply don’t work if you are sleep-deprived,” Anderson said. “The best thing is to find a safe spot to pull over and take a break and, if possible, take a 20-minute nap. Have a cup or two of coffee or a caffeinated snack and allow 30 minutes for the caffeine to enter the bloodstream. Don’t drink alcohol or take medications, which can bring on drowsiness.” Information about drowsy driving, including a personal “Sleep Diary,” is available at no charge from by clicking here. WHERE DID DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME COME FROM? How we came to move the clock forward in the spring, and then push it back in the fall, is a tale that spans over more than a century — one that’s driven by two world wars, mass confusion at times and a human desire to bask in the sun for a long as possible. There’s been plenty of debate over the practice, but about 70 countries — about 40% of those across the globe — currently use what Americans call daylight saving time. While springing the clocks forward “kind of jolts our system,” the extra daylight gets people outdoors, exercising and having fun, says Anne Buckle, web editor at timeanddate.com, which features information on time, time zones and astronomy. “The really, really awesome advantage is the bright evenings, right?” she says. “It is actually having hours of daylight after you come home from work to spend time with your family or activities. And that is wonderful.” Here are some things to know so you’ll be conversant about the practice of humans changing time: HOW DID THIS ALL GET STARTED? In the 1890s, George Vernon Hudson, an astronomer and entomologist in New Zealand, proposed a time shift in the spring and fall to increase the daylight. And in the early 1900s, British home builder William Willett, troubled that people weren’t up enjoying the morning sunlight, made a similar push. But neither proposal gained enough traction to be implemented. Germany began using daylight saving time during World War I with the thought that it would save energy. Other countries, including the United States, soon followed suit. During World War II, the U.S. once again instituted what was dubbed “war time” nationwide, this time year-round. In the United States today, every state except Hawaii and Arizona observes daylight saving time. Around the world, Europe, much of Canada and part of Australia also implement it, while Russia and Asia don’t currently. INCONSISTENCY AND MASS CONFUSION After World War II, a patchwork of timekeeping emerged across the United States, with some areas keeping daylight saving time and others ditching it. “You might have one town has daylight saving time, the neighboring town might have daylight saving time but start it and end it on different dates and the third neighboring town might not have it at all,” says David Prerau, author of the book “Seize the Daylight: The Curious and Contentious Story of Daylight Saving Time.” At one point, if riders on a 35-mile (56-kilometer) bus ride from Steubenville, Ohio, to Moundsville, West Virginia, wanted their watches to be accurate, they’d need to change them seven times as they dipped in and out of daylight saving time, Prerau says. So in 1966, the U.S. Congress passed the Uniform Time Act, which say states can either implement daylight saving time or not, but it has to be statewide. The act also mandates the day that daylight saving time starts and ends across the country. Confusion over the time change isn’t just something from the past. In the nation of Lebanon last spring, chaos ensued when the government announced a last-minute decision to delay the start of daylight saving time by a month — until the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Some institutions made the change and others refused as citizens tried to piece together their schedules. Within days, the decision was reversed. “It really turned into a huge mess where nobody knew what time it was,” Buckle says. WHAT WOULD IT BE LIKE IF WE DIDN’T CHANGE THE CLOCKS? Changing the clocks twice a year leads to a lot of grumbling, and pushes to either use standard time all year, or stick to daylight saving time all year often crop up. During the 1970s energy crisis, the U.S. started doing daylight saving time all year long, and Americans didn’t like it. With the sun not rising in the winter in some areas till around 9 a.m. or even later, people were waking up in the dark, going to work in the dark and sending their children to school in the dark, Prerau says. “It became very unpopular very quickly,” Prerau says. And, he notes, using standard time all year would mean losing that extra hour of daylight for eight months in the evenings in the United States. A NOD TO THE EARLY ADOPTERS In 1908, the Canadian city of Thunder Bay — then the two cities of Fort William and Port Arthur — changed from the central time zone to the eastern time zone for the summer and fall after a citizen named John Hewitson argued that would afford an extra hour of daylight to enjoy the outdoors, says Michael deJong, curator/archivist at the Thunder Bay Museum. The next year, though, Port Arthur stayed on eastern time, while Fort William changed back to central time in the fall, which, predictably, “led to all sorts of confusion,” deJong says. Today, the city of Thunder Bay is on eastern time, and observes daylight saving time, giving the area, “just delightfully warm, long days to enjoy” in the summer, says Paul Pepe, tourism manager for Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission. The city, located on Lake Superior, is far enough north that the sun sets at around 10 p.m. in the summer, Pepe says, and that helps make up for their cold dark winters. Residents, he says, tend to go on vacations in the winter and stay home in the summer: “I think for a lot of folks here, the long days, the warm summer temperatures, it’s a vacation in your backyard.” The Associated Press contributed to this report.

JK Moving’s Cooksey honored as Super Van Operator of the Year by ATA

John Worthen - March 7, 2024

STERLING, Va. — The American Trucking Associations (ATA) named JK Moving’s Glen Cooksey as Super Van Operator of the year during its Moving and Storage Conference (MSC) in New Orleans. Cooksey has been with JK Moving Services, the nation’s largest independently owned and operated moving company, for more than two decades, according to a news release. “We are very proud of Glen. He embraces JK Moving’s values of care and respect, places a premium on happy customers, is a great driver, works hard, and gives back,” said David Cox, president of JK Moving. “Glen has won many, many awards during his career, from Driver of the Year to Safest Driver, all recognizing his commitment to being the best in his field.” The ATA MSC Super Van Operator contest honors exemplary drivers and owner-operators based on excellence in safety, reliability and customer-oriented truck transportation in service to the nation’s household goods carriers. This contest was open to drivers that operate trucks with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,001 pounds or more, drive 25,000 miles or more in a year, haul 30 shipments or more in a year, and drive for a moving and storage company. “Cooksey represents this level of excellence and exemplifies JK’s values of care and respect in his work and life,” the news release states. “Demonstrating his commitment, he often remarks: ‘Care about what you are doing and everything else works itself out.’” Over the years, he has moved presidents, dignitaries, generals, celebrities and many others while receiving accolades and maintaining a great driving record. In fact, JK has recognized Cooksey numerous times for his stellar driving record, including: Driver of the Month 10-plus times Driver of the Year four times Driver of the Year runner up three times Safest Driver Award 2014 Received 25 years accident-free award in 2023 ATA also noted citizenship as a factor in his win, including Cookey’s efforts to help a fellow traveler who was in trouble. After witnessing a car catch fire, he helped the driver out and used a fire extinguisher to put the fire out. He also volunteered with Boy Scouts of Winchester, Virginia.

No Barriers: Knight-Swift driver Richard Boehrer soars above challenges to drive big rig

Kris Rutherford - March 7, 2024

When Richard Boehrer, one of the Truckload Carriers Association’s (TCA) five 2023 Drivers of the Year, was a youngster, he dreamed of someday becoming a truck driver. For many years, however, it seemed that dream would remain unfulfilled. Even Boehrer’s uncle, who was a professional driver, couldn’t offer encouragement to the aspiring driver. “Impossible,” he told his nephew when asked about the possibility of driving a truck for a living. You see, Boehrer is deaf, and in those days, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulations required that all drivers be able to hear. Eventually, those restrictions were loosened, requiring the hearing impaired to pass a “whisper test.” Even this concession did Boehrer no good, because he is completely deaf. So, one might ask: How did Richard Boehrer become a TCA Driver of the Year? In 2011, Deaf Truckers United was formed, and the organization went to bat for people like Boehrer. Its argument was that the technology involved in trucking made concerns about deaf drivers immaterial. Their argument did not fall on deaf ears, so to speak. Two years later, the FMCSA created exemptions to the hearing portion of the CDL test, paving the way for Boehrer and others to prove their skills and become commercial drivers. Today, Deaf Truckers United has grown to an organization of over 1,000 drivers. Communication on the job requires a small adjustment, according to Boehrer, who says his carrier, Knight-Swift Transportation, has been quick to offer assistance. “My terminal manager and I communicate through a video relay service,” he said. “Another way we communicate is by texting.” But what about the nuances of driving a truck that one would think would require hearing? “I can’t hear air leaks,” Boehrer said. “I use a spray bottle to see if there’s any bubbles. If there’s a blowout, I can feel the vibration on the road.” Boehrer explained that when there is a problem, something just feels different in the truck. That “feeling” is something many people who are deaf describe. It’s a way the body compensates for lacking the sense of hearing. “My body can feel in a way I don’t think hearing people can,” Boehrer said. “Deaf people can feel things and know that something is wrong.” One area the FMSCA doesn’t give deaf drivers a pass on is safety. Deaf drivers must be just as safe as any other driver on the road. Boehrer says that he, like any other driver, is expected to follow regulations and conduct thorough pre-trip checks. “We have a lot of responsibility to take care of our trucks and to check everything and make sure everything is safe,” he said. “Safety is the most important thing.” In addition to support from his carrier, Boehrer says he is appreciative of the community provided by other drivers, as well as the support of Deaf Truckers United. “There are a lot of truckers with the Deaf Truckers United organization,” he said. “We’re focused on teamwork and communication and helping each other learn. Deaf Truckers United has a deaf truck show where we get together twice a year.” Unlike his uncle, Boehrer is able to encourage deaf people to reach for their goals. “I would like to let deaf people know that they can get involved,” he said. “They can become truck drivers. It just depends on people. You can’t discriminate against people. You have to let people do what they can do. The most important thing we need to do is work together, the deaf and the hearing. Communication is what it takes to have successful teamwork.” Boehrer adds that everyone faces different challenges. “There’s different kinds of challenges that hearing and deaf people who work this job have,” he said. “They can’t make any mistakes. I used to drive dry vans, but now that I drive reefers, I have more responsibility. There’s food, frozen goods, and meats. It’s a bigger responsibility to take care of the product for the customer.” Boehrer also said that driving reefers carries him across the country. “It keeps me going to different states,” he said. “I’ve been to 48 states and Canada. I’ve been working with Knight Transportation for 10 years.” As for the accolades he receives for a job well done, Boehrer is especially proud of achieving one goal in particular. “I was really happy to become a million miler,” he said. “And I’m just gonna keep going. I’m not gonna stop. I’m gonna keep going until I retire.” Boehrer is also glad to have added TCA Driver of the Year to his resume. “I feel really inspired to be a TCA professional driver of the year,” he said. “I’m real happy about that.” During the 2023 TCA Driver of the Year awards ceremony, held in Orlando, Florida, last March, Boehrer drew a standing ovation from the audience, complete with thunderous applause that he undoubtedly could feel through the planks of the banquet hall stage. “What I really enjoy is I get to go everywhere,” he said. That’s quite an accomplishment for someone who overcame the “impossible.” This article originally appeared in the March/April 2024 edition of Truckload Authority, the official publication of the Truckload Carriers Association.

Cliff Abbott’s lyrical storyteller style shines through in ‘How Much Longer?’

Kris Rutherford - March 6, 2024

Cliff Abbott is a storyteller who thumps an upright bass and strums an acoustic guitar. This combination, along with the words to the self-penned stories he writes, makes Abbott a lyrical storyteller in the vein of Tom T. Hall and Roger Miller. Abbott’s songs can swing between country, folk and rockabilly — or, as many like to call it, “Americana.” If the name Cliff Abbott sounds oddly familiar … well, it should. Abbott is a regular news writer for TheTrucker.com. He’s also a veteran of the trucking industry, having spent 13 years as an OTR driver (five of them as an owner-operator) and 25 years as a driver trainer, recruiter and safety manager. And, as if those accomplishments weren’t enough, he’s also a singer-songwriter with six CD releases under his belt. His latest collection, “How Much Longer?” firmly fits into the Americana genre. Abbott’s acoustic music and unpolished vocal style could easily make him a bluegrass performer. That bluegrass style is evident in several of the dozen songs on his latest CD. Each song is an original, never before recorded. His recording studio, BB Wolf Recording — billed as the “Best Little Studio in Rock Creek, Alabama — must have been made for Cliff Abbott. After all, it claims to specialize in country, bluegrass, rockabilly and, yes, Americana. A listen to the title track from “How Much Longer?” will remind you of the idyllic days of Norman Rockwell and how much America has lost since. No matter on which side you stand on the state of America in the 21st century (Abbott takes neither), his question of “How much longer?” will resonate. It’s a song of tradition and glamorous pastimes left behind, with a message that if we don’t clean up our act, it may be over far too soon. In the ballad “Tell Maureen (I won’t be coming home),” Abbott tells a touching story, set on the battlefields of the Civil War, of two solders from opposing sides laying aside their differences at a pivotal moment. Abbott reminds us that division within a nation is costly, and the ironic ending is enough to give anyone pause (you’ll just have to have a listen). This song is also a reminder that the story told in “How Much Longer?” could result in repeated history. Abbott also entertains with a couple of humorous songs to which almost any red-blooded Southerner can relate. “Dr. Whiskey (Dr. Beer and Nurse Tequila)” will point us in the right direction to cure our ails, while “That’s Gotta Hurt” reminds us of that friend we all have who just can’t seem to stay away from trouble. And, as Abbott sings, we recall with a little bit of fortunate glee that the shoe is not on the other foot. “I don’t claim to be a great performer or singer, but I do it to share my writing,” Abbot says. And he does so regularly on “The Dee Ford Show” on Talladega, Alabama’s WOTM TV 21. He’s also a frequent guest and emcee at the Sugar Creek Music Club in Hayden, Alabama, a venue he immortalizes in his newest CD’s opening number, “The Club on Sugar Creek.” What’s more, he’s co-founder of the Sugar Creek SongCrafters, a mentoring group for budding artists who want to learn about songwriting . With influences like Bobby Bare, Bob Dylan and John Prine — all storytellers in their own rights — Abbott is keen on what is going on around him. In his tune, “My Next Breakup Song,” he says, he was inspired by arguably the world’s most popular current entertainer, Taylor Swift, and her songs about her own exes. For one whose tastes lean a bit more to the country music side (apologies to Taylor Swift, as she is actually rooted in country), the song brings up memories of George Strait’s classic, “All My Exes Live in Texas.” Speaking of the Lone Star State, Abbott latest album includes a requisite for pretty much every country music collection — a song about Texas: “Long Gone to Texas.” Of course, he throws in an also-requisite gospel song, “I’m Not Resting,” and one paying homage to his mother in “Mama’s Silvertone.” As a trucker, one might expect Abbott to include a trucking song or two on his CDs — and he often does. In the case of “How Much Longer?” he skips that expectation, although previous songs from other CDs like “Lines on the Highway,” “Big Wheels Rolling Home,” “American Trucker” and “Highway State of Mind” can all be heard and downloaded on his website, www.cliffabbott.com. But “How Much Longer?” doesn’t pass up the transportation industry altogether. Perhaps my favorite song on the new CD is “Run Before the Wind.” One could say the tune covers intramodal shipping on the high seas. The singer’s ghostly encounter with “an ancient sailor” leads to a little advice, much like what Kenny Rogers picked up in “The Gambler.” “Some days the wind’s behind you, and the wake trails from the stern, Some days the wind’s against you, you must tack from turn to turn, Some days the wind is calm, it’s to the oars you must attend, And when the tempest roars, you must run before the wind, While the storm is raging, you must run before the wind.” “Run Before the Wind” is a song to which anyone can relate if they stop and think about the various curve balls life has thrown them. We must all adjust to life based on our daily circumstances. For Cliff Abbott, “Run Before the Wind” offers the perfect moral to a group of tales that spring from a lifetime of living. That’s what Americana is all about, isn’t it? Photo by Sara Elizabeth Hall

Support to repeal government’s independent contractor rule growing

John Worthen - March 6, 2024

WASHINGTON — A Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution has been filed over the Biden administration’s new labor rule that aims to prevent the misclassification of workers as “independent contractors.” The rule is scheduled to go into effect March 11. On Wednesday, Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-Calif., and Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., introduced the CRA joint resolution of disapproval. The CRA provides Congress with special procedures, in the form of a joint resolution of disapproval, under which to consider legislation to overturn rules. The American Trucking Associations is among national transportation organizations speaking out in favor of the CRA. “More than 350,000 truckers choose to work as independent contractors because of the economic opportunity it creates and the flexibility it provides, enabling them to run their own business and choose their own hours and routes,” said ATA President and CEO Chris Spear. “The Biden administration’s IC (independent contractor) rule eliminates this freedom and intentionally undermines the livelihoods of truckers and their families across the country by replacing a clear, straight-forward standard with a tangled mess that will weaken our supply chain.” The trucking industry has relied on independent contractors since the inception of interstate trucking, and court decisions over the last nine decades have continually reaffirmed the legitimate role independent contractors play in the economy, Spear said. “That freedom of choice has been an enormous source of empowerment for women, minorities and immigrants pursuing the American Dream,” he noted. In 2021, the Department of Labor issued a rule supported by ATA clarifying the definition of employee under the Fair Labor Standards Act as it relates to independent contractors. The department’s new rule, which ATA has sharply criticized, replaces the 2021 standard with an opaque and deliberately confusing standard designed to fuel frivolous litigation and deny self-employed individuals the freedom of choice to work as independent contractors. This week, ATA joined a broad coalition of organizations in filing a lawsuit challenging the rule. “The rule was crafted under the leadership of Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su, who has repeatedly failed to recognize the importance of independent contractors and implemented California’s disastrous AB5 as the head of the state’s labor and workforce development agency,” Spear said. “The ATA remains staunchly opposed to Su’s nomination to serve as secretary of labor.” Spear said that “Had Julie Su actually spoken with drivers — not just big labor bosses — she would know this firsthand. The ATA stands firmly behind Representative Kiley and Senator Cassidy’s effort to defeat this ill-advised rule, and we will continue to work alongside them and other Members of Congress to protect Americans’ right to earn a living in the way that they choose.” The Labor Department rule, which the administration proposed 15 months ago, replaces a Trump-era standard that narrowed the criteria for classifying employees as contractors. Such workers are not guaranteed minimum wages or benefits, such as health coverage and paid sick days. Labor advocates have supported the rule, saying employers have exploited lax rules to misclassify workers and avoid properly compensating them. In a report, the left-leaning Economic Policy Institute said construction workers, truck drivers, cleaners, landscapers, security guards and call center workers are among the most commonly misclassified workers. It estimated that misclassified construction workers lose between $10,177 and $16,729 per year. The rule directs employers to consider six criteria for determining whether a worker is an employee or a contractor, without predetermining whether one outweighs the other. That’s a change from the Trump-era rule, which prioritized two criteria: how much control a company has over its workers and how much “entrepreneurial opportunity” the work provides. Advocates say the new rule offers a more comprehensive approach to determining whether workers are truly in business for themselves. In a briefing with reporters earlier this year, Su said misclassified workers “sometimes work side by side with individuals who are properly classified, doing the same work.” “But misclassified employees don’t get paid for all of their hours,” Su said. “They’ve seen their economic security eroded because of misclassification.” Jessica Looman, administrator of the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division, said that the final rule isn’t intended to apply specifically to certain industries or type of work. Asked about enforcement, Looman said the department will focus on the “most vulnerable workers,” particularly those who are being unfairly deprived of minimum wages and overtime pay. The rule does not carry the same weight as laws passed by Congress or state legislatures. Instead, it offers an interpretation of who should qualify for protections under the 1938 Fair Labor Standards Act. Financial markets appeared to shrug off news of the new rule Tuesday. Shares of Uber gained 2.2%, while Lyft slipped about 0.5%. When the administration unveiled the proposed rules in October 2022, they dropped 10% and 12% respectively. Like the ATA, the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA) expressed its support for the CRA resolution, saying in a news release that it threatens the livelihood of millions of independent contractors, including the vast majority of intermodal truck drivers, who could be involuntarily reclassified as employees. “The intermodal industry serves as an important pillar of our nation’s economy, ensuring the safe and efficient transportation of cargo, ranging from industrial materials and agricultural products to consumer goods,” said IANA President and CEO Joni Casey. “For decades, more than 80% of intermodal drivers have chosen to carry out this important work as independent contractors. DOL’s recent rulemaking threatens to eliminate their freedom of choice and the opportunity to invest in and operate their own businesses. Without Congressional action, the DOL’s new regulations will negatively impact the nation’s supply chain by deterring qualified drivers from the industry and worsening existing driver shortages, which will ultimately slow the movement of goods and increase costs for consumers.”

160 Driving Academy launches new Tulsa, Oklahoma, location

Erica N. Guy - March 6, 2024

TULSA, Okla. — 160 Driving Academy recently held a grand opening for its newest academy location in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The celebration kicked off with a ribbon-cutting ceremony from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 27. A The Tulsa Branch is located at 2323 South 49th West Ave, Suite B, Tulsa, Oklahoma, 74101. “Workers are retiring at a faster rate than they can be replaced. Earning your CDL now is a great opportunity to capture limitless earning potential in an industry that needs drivers,” said Michelle Brown, 160 Driving Academy’s Mid-South general manager. Video of the event is below.

Sheetz reducing truck diesel fuel prices in March

John Worthen - March 5, 2024

ALTOONA, Pa. — Restaurant and convenience store chain Sheetz will celebrate the return of Spring with a special “Truck Diesel Price Rollback” in March. From Wednesday, March 6, to Sunday, March 31, truck drivers can save 25 cents a gallon on truck diesel when they swipe their My Sheetz Rewardz card at a Sheetz pump, according to a news release. There will be no gallon limitations. Diesel exhaust fluid and other fuel grades are not included in this promotion. The offer will be valid at all of Sheetz’s 43 truck stop locations. To find a Sheetz truck stop, use the following link or visit “Find a Sheetz” at www.sheetz.com and filter by truck diesel.

FMCSA offering grants for National Association of Publicly Funded Truck Driving Schools members

John Worthen - March 5, 2024

WASHINGTON — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has opened grant applications for National Association of Publicly Funded Truck Driving Schools (NAPFTDS) members. The Commercial Motor Vehicles Operator Safety Training (CMVOST) Grant allows NAPFTDS members to use federal funding to pay for truck driving training for U.S. Military veterans, including National Guard members and Reservists and certain family members of veterans. Refugees and people from underrepresented communities are also eligible to have truck driving training paid for by this grant. Applications are due by 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on Friday, April 19. Applicants must be either an accredited institution or a non-accredited institution listed on an Eligible Training Provider List under the workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act program. “FMCSA’s mission is to reduce crashes, injuries and fatalities involving large trucks and buses,” agency officials state in a Notice of Funding Opportunity. “FMCSA’s program of awarding grants for operator safety training furthers that mission. The CMVOST grant program supports the Secretary’s strategic goals. Its purpose is to train individuals in the safe operation of commercial motor vehicles. This program will prioritize training for current or former members of the U.S. Armed Forces, including National Guard and Reservists.” FMCSA anticipates making approximately 15 awards. FMCSA will limit federal funding to a total amount of $200,000 per award.

Nussbaum Transportation flourishes by putting people first

Dwain Hebda - March 4, 2024

It’s not a particularly novel thing for a company executive to say investing in people is their company’s primary strategy for success — but relatively few back up those platitudes with real action. That’s not the case at Illinois-based Nussbaum Transportation. This company has earned a reputation for putting serving people at the top of the company’s priorities both internally and externally. “I don’t want to sound cliché when I say this, but our focus is really on people, and it shows,” said Brent Nussbaum, second-generation CEO. “I think if you focus your attention on your people, your people take care of your customers — and your customers recognize that, and they bring you more business.” Nussbaum, who took over as CEO in 2000, says keeping people foremost in the running of the business has paid off on several important metrics, not all of which show up directly on a balance sheet. The company’s turnover rate is low, and morale is high, in part due to the lengths management goes to communicate regularly and effectively with the front lines. That behavior is in turn modeled by employees to the outside world. “Constant communication with your customer sounds fairly normal, but you have to evolve your driver into that role,” Nussbaum said. “You can’t just say, ‘Our people in operations take care of that.’ “Our drivers need to feel like they’re a part of that process,” he explained. “One of the ways that we keep our people informed — and this drives everything else — is presence. Every quarter, we’re sharing our finances with all of our employees, including our drivers.” Nussbaum encourages employees at all levels to ask questions and provide valuable feedback. “We do what we call ‘Dashboard Radio,’” he said. “Every two weeks, we’ve got a Dashboard Radio program. It might involve somebody in operations, somebody in maintenance, somebody in human resources or safety, somebody in recruiting.” These programs do more than just provide information. “Drivers are allowed to call in, if they’re sitting still, and be a part of the conversation and ask questions,” Nussbaum explained. “That keeps them informed. I’m convinced that an informed driver wants to do better for their employer.” This kind of all-for-one buy-in has helped the 79-year-old company remain nimble in changing times, one of the most existential examples of which happened when Nussbaum took the reins. “We grew up in LTL. Up until 2001, LTL was two-thirds of our business, and the other third was full truckload,” he said. “We recognized the market was shifting away from LTL toward full truckload as big-box stores were coming into play back in the late ’90s. When they ordered, they ordered in truckload quantities. “The one thing that we were always really good at was servicing our customers on the LTL side — but we realized we couldn’t survive long-term as a niche LTL carrier,” he continued. “So, we exited LTL in 2001, downsized the fleet, started over again with a small truckload fleet, and grew it. Along the way, instead of just hauling irregular route loads, we began dedicated operations. Today, about a third of our business is dedicated and a third of our business is irregular route.” During the strategy’s build-back phase, company leadership spotted opportunities that fell between LTL and truckload categories. They capitalized on those opportunities using logistical innovation and creative strategy. “Our focus is going to be on manufacturers that need dedicated service between their plants,” Nussbaum said. “Sometimes we found manufacturers or distributors that don’t have dedicated operations and combined them into what I would call a semi-dedicated-type operation, where you’re using two one-way moves (and combining them) into a dedicated-type operation from two different customers.” The carrier also hasn’t shied away from adopting new technologies to help boost efficiencies and streamline operations. Nussbaum describes these new advancements as one of the biggest secret weapons in the company’s toolbox. “I would say the biggest change in transportation today has been in the growth in information technology,” he said. “Business analytics have transformed our business to drive more informed, quicker decisions, which drives greater productivity and efficiency. “We’ve got a huge IT department, and we build a lot of our own solutions. We are constantly using the data to help us to drill down into our costs and that’s another big piece,” he continued. “The setup of a data warehouse has put very detailed information into the hands of everyone from managers to frontline people and this helps push decisions to the frontline who can make decisions for the business rather than having to wait for a manager.” Nussbaum says the company’s experiences of the past two decades have illustrated the absolute necessity for technological know-how as a critical component of future success. “I would say that this industry is going to become more data-driven than ever before and I think the carriers that are able to do that will not only survive, but they’re going to thrive,” he said. “The people that are trying to run their companies by the seat of their pants, which is typically the way things have always been, are not.” These strategic and operational elements have combined to deliver great success. The company’s head count is up to 715,515 of whom are drivers moving 550 trucks and more than 1,500 trailers, the vast majority of it dry van. The spot market represents 10% of business volume at most, which helped insulate the firm from the recent slowdown in that sector, volatility that Nussbaum leadership rightly predicted. “We stayed in full truckload and just focused on manufacturers that were in the Midwest — and we’ve got a large number of them that allow us to keep our lanes static and allow us to build density,” Nussbaum said. “We actually had a pretty good year last year.” Nussbaum Transportation was founded by Brent Nussbaum’s father, the late Alden Nussbaum, in 1945. The younger Nussbaum grew up working for the family business, taking on miscellaneous tasks at age 13. “I started at the bottom — literally at the bottom — cleaning bathrooms and whatnot,” he said with a laugh. “I’m not embarrassed to say that.” In the years to come, Brent Nussbaum would serve in a variety of roles, graduating to be a driver after high school. After that, he spent 15 years in operations before stepping away from the company for a while. During this time, he earned undergraduate degrees in international management and business management, as well as a master’s in international management, before coming home to resume his career at the head of the family business. Nussbaum gives the lion’s share of credit for the positive momentum Nussbaum Transportation enjoys today to his leadership team and the company’s employees. Asked what separates consistency from complacency, Nussbaum, predictably, circled back to the importance of people. “(It) really comes down to, ‘Are your people really engaged in your business?” he said. “We literally just finished an employee engagement survey here, and for the second year in a row we have succeeded. This year we got 93% of all of our people to be a part of that survey. When we saw the results, 88% showed as completely engaged. When you’ve got that kind of engagement, that’s just absolutely best in class. “I think you’ve got to figure out a way to engage your people — and it isn’t just how well you execute externally,” he continued. “We are a faith-based organization. We call ourselves a ministry that happens to be in trucking. Our goal is to positively impact those we come into contact with. We do that not only with the way we treat our people but also through the programs we use to help a driver be not just a driver, but to give him a prayer path. I would say I think we do a pretty good job at it.” This article originally appeared in the March/April 2024 edition of Truckload Authority, the official publication of the Truckload Carriers Association.

Good intentions: Guaranteeing Overtime for Truckers Act would bring unintended consequences

Cliff Abbott - March 4, 2024

The November 9, 2023, introduction of simultaneous bills in the U.S. House and Senate that would repeal the section of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 excluding truck drivers from overtime pay generated considerable noise around the trucking industry. In the ensuing months, however, there hasn’t been much to make noise about. Senate Bill 3273, introduced by Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) and called the Guaranteeing Overtime for Truckers (GOT) Act, was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, where it remains at the time of this writing. Its counterpart, House Bill 6359, was referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce and has seen no movement since. About the Senate bill, Padilla said, “I think it is pretty simple and straightforward, for the same reason that a lot of other workers and a lot of other industries get paid overtime for their time and their work. Truckers deserve the same, but for reasons I don’t understand, the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 exempted many truckers from overtime protections, including overtime compensation.” Those reasons are all too familiar to those familiar with the inner workings of the trucking industry. “The proposed overtime bill would force additional costs on the carrier and hope the carrier finds a way to pass on those costs to the shipper,” said Dave Williams, chairman of the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) and senior vice president of equipment and government affairs for Knight-Swift Transportation. He calls the legislation, “a case of good intentions with unintended consequences.” Predictably, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters weighed in to support the bill. General President Sean O’Brien said, “Truck drivers have been denied overtime protections for nearly 100 years. The Guaranteeing Overtime for Truckers Act rights this wrong and would end this inexcusable abuse to hundreds of thousands of drivers across the country.” While advocacy groups have made it clear where they stand, what isn’t clear is how such a law — if passed — would be implemented across the trucking industry. TCA Senior Vice President of Safety and Government Affairs David Heller expressed some thoughts on the issue. Like Williams, he is concerned about unintended consequences. “When you start looking at the unintended consequences of such a bill, the reality is going to be in today’s market,” he explained. “Does that put carriers into a situation where maybe they start monitoring those hours and keep them at 40 hours?” A reduction of driver hours would have an adverse impact on the supply chain, Heller said. “Where does the cost come from, especially in today’s freight market?” he asked. George O’Connor, director of communications and government affairs for the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA, says it’s a matter of fairness and safety. “In addition to basic fairness and decency, our roads are more dangerous because truckers aren’t guaranteed overtime,” he said. “The system allows shippers and receivers to excessively detain truckers at loading docks.” Changes in drivers’ working hours, driver pay structures, and shipping and receiving procedures would be only the beginning. The dispatch process would change as carrier operations adjust schedules from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Hours-of-Service parameters to fit eight-hour days and 40-hour workweeks. Freight rates would have to be adjusted to reflect overtime pay, and contracts changed to alter transit times. O’Connor thinks safety would be improved if shippers and receivers paid more for detaining drivers. “The delays truckers face when waiting to be loaded or unloaded is proven to increase safety risks,” he explained. “If a truck spends just 15 minutes more than usual at a facility, it increases the accident rate by 6.2%. This results in over 6,500 more crashes per year.” But Heller, along with many in the industry, believes the unintended consequences of the GOT Act would impact safety in other ways. Limiting drivers to a 40-hour workweek would add traffic congestion to already crowded roads, increase the number of drivers looking for scarce parking spaces, and exacerbate the driver shortage, he explained. “More trucks, more drivers, and more parking,” he said. “We already don’t have enough parking spaces.” Unfortunately, the answers to these critical issues are not included in the GOT Act. When asked about the implementation of the legislation he introduced in the Senate, Padilla admitted, “This bill is not prescriptive onto how employers will be paying truckers.” The recent Department of Labor (DOL) announcement of its Final Rule on classification of independent contractors further complicates the matter. In the release announcing the ruling, Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su said, “Misclassifying employees as independent contractors is a serious issue that deprives workers of basic rights and protections. This rule will help protect workers, especially those facing the greatest risk of exploitation, by making sure they are classified properly and that they receive the wages they’ve earned.” While the trucking industry wrestles with implementation of the new rule, it’s clear that independent contractors now classified as employees would also be subject to a change in overtime law. “The DOL ruling, or even AB5 in and of itself, is a threat to that business model that has been so rewarding, specifically in the truckload segment,” Heller explained. “The majority of our industry started because one person had a dream to own their own business, purchased a truck, and started hauling freight. It’s that American Dream that these misclassification-type rules threatens.” To be clear, those on both sides of the overtime issue want to make sure drivers are compensated fairly. “I think it’s worth noting that nobody wants to see drivers get paid more than the industry itself,” Heller said. “I think you can look at recent history and see that salaries have gone up.” As the GOT bill continues to languish in committee, its future is questionable, especially this year, with the presidential races taking the spotlight. This article originally appeared in the March/April 2024 edition of Truckload Authority, the official publication of the Truckload Carriers Association.

Averitt workers donate more than $1.5M to St. Jude

John Worthen - March 1, 2024

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. –- Truck drivers and other Averitt associates recently donated $1,500,001 to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The contribution is a record amount for Averitt’s associates, and it marks the fifth consecutive year Averitt’s people have given at least $1 million to support St. Jude and its mission of curing childhood cancers, according to a news release. It’s also the ninth consecutive year Averitt associates have either matched or broken their fundraising record. The milestone was made possible through two avenues, the news release notes. First, the donation was funded by contributions from Averitt associates and retirees participating in Averitt Cares for Kids. More than 95% of associates are members of the charitable-giving organization. Second, the donation was made possible by a $1 million company contribution in honor of associate accomplishments, milestones, life events and participation in community service projects. “I’m humbled by the way our team comes together to help others, and partnership with St. Jude is one of the most important ways we do that. As has become the tradition for the last several years, the extra $1 in our donation represents what we call ‘The Power of One,’ showing the difference every person can make,” said Averitt chairman and chief executive officer Gary Sasser. “Donations like these provide life-saving care to children in need, and I look forward to seeing how we can continue to build our relationship with St. Jude in 2024 and the future.” Averitt Cares for Kids began in 1987 and has contributed more than $15 million to numerous charities, including over $12 million to St. Jude. Since 1990, Averitt Cares for Kids contributions have been designated to St. Jude as part of their special partnership. And in 1997, Averitt Cares for Kids completed a $1.5 million endowment to help fund the initial construction of the St. Jude Leukemia and Lymphoma Clinic — 80% of all St. Jude patients visit the clinic at some point during their treatment.

Trucking industry workers point to ‘people’ as most important factor in business

John Worthen - March 1, 2024

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — People, whether they’re good workers or bad ones, directly affect any company’s success rate. So, when officials at Workhound — a web-based employee engagement platform that allows trucking companies to collect feedback from employees — compiled their 2024 Trends in Trucking Report, it came as no surprise that “People” was the most-talked about theme. The year-long survey of truck drivers, warehouse workers, logistics personnel and others who make up the industry is based on almost 100,000 anonymous worker comments across 100-plus logistics and trucking companies. The survey was conducted in 2023. “2023 was a year with significant challenges in the trucking sector,” said Max Farrell, co-founder and CEO of WorkHound. “Despite facing a freight recession and new NLRB (National Labor Relations Board) guidance, the industry demonstrated remarkable resilience. Federal initiatives began addressing the truck parking shortage, and the sector saw considerable mergers and acquisitions activity. Our latest workforce trend report leverages real-world feedback to illuminate the current state of the transportation industry, enabling employers to enhance the worker experience through a deeper understanding of their needs and concerns.” The report categorizes comments into themes to simplify the data before measuring sentiment. According to the report, “People” being the top theme underscores the crucial role of interpersonal connections in enhancing the work experience, particularly in roles where day-to-day interactions are not guaranteed. A majority of those polled (41%) said they have a negative sentiment regarding the people who make up their companies. A total of 37% had positive sentiments and 22% were neutral. “Many employees express gratitude and satisfaction with their colleagues and managers,” the report notes. “These commenters often say they feel supported and listened to, and appreciate the attentiveness of their superiors. The presence of effective communication and the willingness of management to address concerns and provide solutions are frequently mentioned.” However, operational issues, such as poor planning, inefficient load assignments and issues with maintenance and equipment, can drive a wedge between the workforce and management, according to the report. Workers often feel these inefficiencies impact their ability to work effectively and safely. “WorkHound’s sentiment analysis reveals positive relationships significantly boost morale and operational resilience,” Farrell said. “However, the breakdown of these connections leads to a ripple effect of dissatisfaction and challenges, emphasizing the profound impact of interpersonal dynamics on worker experiences.” Logistics saw a resurgence of priority in 2023, coming in as the second most popular theme. “In many cases, frontline workers end up at the mercy of efficiency,” the report notes. “When logistics run as intended, so can employees. When they don’t, it completely undermines the worker experience, disrupting even small tasks.” A majority of those surveyed (61%) said they have a negative feeling regarding logistics. A total of 13% had positive sentiments, while 26% were neutral. “Simply put, poor logistics cost workers time, money and morale,” according to the report. “In these cases, worker feedback highlights problems with load management, scheduling, technology issues, equipment and compensation concerns due to unnecessary wait times and poorly planned travel. Conversely, when things are managed well, problems are solved quickly, and work runs efficiently, workers share gratitude and praise for consistency, supportive dispatch, and effective management teams, often making an explicit connection between good logistics and their financial stability.” Equipment ranks as the No. 3 overall theme. “Feedback about equipment in 2023 reflects growing concerns from workers about the physical tools, technology and machinery essential for efficient workplace operations,” according to the report. “From manufacturing to transportation to logistics and even in-office administration, every workplace relies on well-maintained equipment.” A majority of those surveyed (56%) had a negative sentiment regarding equipment, while 32% were neutral and 12% were positive. “In this theme, we once again see demonstrated consistency from worker feedback on what they appreciate versus what creates frustration,” according to the report. “Positive feedback often centered on the quality and reliability of equipment, acknowledging the company’s investment in maintaining high standards. But when equipment problems developed, so did negative feedback, which pointed to reliability problems, maintenance challenges and the impact these issues have on work and morale.” One of the survey’s respondents noted that he felt like “a caveman on the highway,” referring to his truck as a “dinosaur.” “Driving the oldest trucks I’ve ever seen, my daily truck has racked up 1,500,000 miles, desperately needing various replacements,” the respondent wrote. “Lacking an inverter refrigerator/can’t plug things in, means relying on fast food, a struggle for anyone unfamiliar with long-haul trucking. Always getting the hand-me-downs makes it challenging for us. Driving in windy conditions with outdated equipment is no longer suitable for me. I’ll start exploring other job options ASAP.” Pay ranks as the No. 4 theme, with 65% of those surveyed saying they held negative sentiments about their compensation. A total of 25% reported neutral sentiments, while just 9% were positive. “Pay is a complicated theme in that it overlaps many of the other top themes, heavily prevalent as a sub-theme throughout feedback,” the report notes. “This also demonstrates that the conversation around compensation is not exclusively on a paycheck. Feedback about pay is often intertwined with company culture, both positively and negatively, where employees tie value and respect to their role in the company. Pay is a reflection not only of a job well done, but also how much the company values the employee.” The report also notes that pay can be confusing, especially in frontline work like trucking, where it can change based on mileage, route and other factors. Many of the raised issues centered on lack of transparency and clarity, with workers confused about payment amounts, frequency and more. Praise came in as the fifth-ranked theme, with everyone surveyed saying they had positive sentiments regarding praise in the workplace. “Employees appreciate the team dynamics and the sense of belonging and unity within their teams,” the report notes. “Collaborative and inclusive work environments make people happier at work, and they repeatedly say so in positive feedback. Many comments point out that their company is not just focused on work output but also cares about the well-being of its employees.” Farrell said WorkHound remains dedicated to empowering companies to actively listen to their employees. “Listening and communication are the keys to fostering better workplace environments and driving frontline industries toward a more inclusive, proactive and positive future,” he said. “The findings serve as a roadmap for industry leaders to build a culture of trust and improvement, offering a clear view of the workforce’s evolving needs and priorities in real time.”

FMCSA drops 5 ELDs from registered providers list

John Worthen - February 29, 2024

WASHINGTON — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has removed five electronic logging devices (ELDs) from its list of registered ELDs, according to a Feb. 29 statement. The following ELDs now appear on the FMCSA’s Revoked Devices list: CI ELD Logs by CV Options LLC (model CILGS, identifier CRS270) CN ELD by ELD Connection (model CNCTNOW, identifier CRS235) KSK ELD by KSK Group Inc. (model KSK1.0, identifier KSKA01) TT ELD 30 by TT ELD Inc. (model PT30, identifier TTAH47) TT ELD 1010 by TT ELD Inc. (model IOS-1010-WBG, identifier TTAH48) According to the FMCSA, these providers failed to meet the minimum requirements established in 49 CFR part 395, subpart B, appendix A, which requires that any ELD without a printer be designed so “the display may be reasonably viewed by an authorized safety official without entering the commercial motor vehicle.” Motor carriers and drivers who use the ELDs listed above must take the following actions: Discontinue using the revoked ELDs and revert to paper logs or logging software to record required hours of service data. Replace the revoked ELDs with compliant ELDs from the Registered Devices list before April 29, 2024.

Trucking leaders reflect on current, future market health

John Worthen - February 28, 2024

COLUMBUS, Ind. — ACT Research recently gathered trucking industry leaders to share insights and outlooks about the industry’s future. The event, hosted in early February, included Bill Kretsinger, chairman and CEO at American Central Transport, Joe Vitiritto, president and CEO at PAM Transport and Marshall Franklin, CEO and CFO at Highway Transport, among many others. Regarding the freight downturn, Kretsinger shared, “I’ve been in the industry 40 years, have seen many different cycles, and this downcycle has been the worst one.” The sentiment was mutual among the other trucker panelists: This downcycle has been one of, if not the, worst experienced in their careers so far; however, they are feeling optimistic about the road ahead. Their boots-on-the-ground perspective supports ACT’s thesis of a 2024 freight recovery. Tim Denoyer, ACT Research’s vice president and senior analyst, added, “Freight markets have been bouncing along the bottom for a while, but there are positive signs that this is turning. Conditions for a transition into early cycle are still not all in place, but rebalancing is progressing.” Across the board, panelists indicated a slight improvement in volumes so far in 2024, and this was confirmed in ACT’s For-Hire Trucking Index, with volumes up by 1.7 points in January. “Freight demand continued its gradual recovery in January with just the fifth reading at or above the neutral 50 level in the past 22 months. Though, the improvement may be partly temporary due to the cold snap,” he said. Regarding equipment purchases, all panelists shared that fleets generally didn’t get the allocation they expected during the pandemic, and now it’s time to catch up. Fleets are right sizing their fleets now, getting back to a regular trade cycle. ACT’s next seminar is scheduled for Aug. 21-22.

Load posts dip below 600K for 1st time since April 2020, DAT reports

John Worthen - February 28, 2024

BEAVORTON, Ore. — The number of weekly load posts on DAT One fell 8.6% to 598,674 for the week ended Feb. 23 and dropped below 600,000 for the first time since the pandemic lockdowns of April 2020. The total number of load posts was down 59% year over year, and the number of reefer load posts was the lowest for any full week since at least 2017, according to a news release from DAT. ▼ Van loads were at 226,887, down 15.0% compared to the previous week and 63% lower year over year. ▼ Reefer loads were at 97,696, down 16.6% week over week and 64% lower year over year. ▼ Flatbed loads were at 274,091, up 1.1% week over week and 53% lower year over year. Truck posts fell by 3%; down 18% year over year The total number of trucks on the network fell 3.3% to 323,274. That’s 18% lower year over year and down 20% compared to the same week in 2020. The pre-pandemic Week 8 average was 388,154. ▼ Van equipment was at 222,669, down 3.2% and 16% lower year over year. ▼ Reefer equipment was at 60,051, down 3.7% and 26% lower year over year. ▼ Flatbed equipment was at 40,554, down 3.4% and 13% lower year over year. Van load-to-truck ratio was 1:1 last week; flatbed ratio rose modestly ▼ Vans were 1.0, down from 1.2 the previous week. The four-week average was 1.4. ▼ Reefers were 1.6, down from 1.9 the previous week. The four-week average was 2.2. ▲ Flatbeds were 6.8, up from 6.5 the previous week. The four-week average was 6.9. Line-haul reefer rate fell 9 cents a mile; down 20 cents since the end of January ▼ The national benchmark van rate was $1.56 net fuel, down 4 cents week over week and 13 cents lower than four weeks ago. Broker-to-carrier rate: $2.04 (fuel: 48 cents). Contract rate: $1.97 net fuel ▼ The reefer rate was $1.84 net fuel, down 9 cents and 20 cents lower than four weeks ago. The broker-to-carrier rate was $2.36 (fuel: 52 cents). The contract rate was $2.33 net fuel ▼ The flatbed rate was $1.92 net fuel, down 2 cents and 4 cents lower than four weeks ago. The broker-to-carrier rate was $2.49 (fuel: 57 cents). The contract rate was $2.56 net fuel.

BNSF to pay $75 million to truckers to settle fingerprint case

John Worthen - February 28, 2024

WASHINGTON — Officials with freight rail company BNSF said they will dole out $75 million to settle a class action lawsuit over the collection of truckers’ fingerprints. According to court documents, the railroad operator is accused of violating an Illinois state law restricting collection of biometric information, such as fingerprints and eye scans. The deal requires a judge’s approval. A Reuters report notes that attorneys for 46,500 truck drivers disclosed the proposed deal in a filing on Monday, Feb. 26, 2024, in Chicago federal court. BNSF did not admit any liability. The lawsuit alleged Fort Worth, Texas-based BNSF unlawfully collected fingerprint scans without consent from thousands of drivers using automated gate systems at the company’s four facilities in Illinois, violating the state’s Biometric Information Privacy Act. The drivers’ attorneys said the settlement will bring “closure and valuable cash compensation to what has been contentious and costly litigation,” according to Reuters. Representatives for BNSF and the plaintiffs did not immediately respond to requests for comment. In 2023, BNSF lost a jury trial over its liability in the case, and a U.S. district judge said the company owed $228 million in damages for violating the Illinois biometric law. However, in June 2023 the court overturned the award and said a jury should determine damages.

Driver detention: FMCSA seeks input from carriers, owner-ops

Kris Rutherford - February 27, 2024

WASHINGTON — Detention time, a topic that regularly appears in the American Transportation Research Institute’s annual “Top Industry Issues” report is receiving attention at the federal level. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is requesting public comment on the issue of driver retention time. Ultimately, the information collected will be published in an FMCSA report, “Impact of Driver Detention Time on Safety and Operations.” Comments are due March 18, 2024. According to the Information Collection Request (ICR) posted in the Federal Register on Feb. 16, data through collected through the ICR will relate to the safety and operational impact of detention time, why detention time occurs and potential mitigation strategies that can be used to reduce detention time. The FMCSA defines detention time as “the extra time CMV operators wait at shipping and receiving facilities due to delays not associated with the loading and unloading of cargo.” It is noted that drivers are often not paid for this extra time. Sometimes called “dwell time,” detention time typically occurs after a driver has spent more than two hours at a facility. Drivers have long ranked detention time among the top problems in the CMV industry. According to reports from drivers and motor carriers, detention time occurs frequently, resulting in lost revenue for both drivers and trucking companies. If detention time can be reduced, the FMCSA says, it believes costs for carriers will be cut, pay for drivers will be increased and ability to make deliveries on time will be improved. Likewise, drivers experiencing reduced detention time may drive more safely to reach their destinations while complying with hours-of-service regulations. In 2014, the FMCSA completed a study on the impact of detention time on CMV safety. Although this study provided valuable initial insights, it had several limitations, according to the Agency. Data collected in the new study will be used to “fill the gaps” left by the 2024 report and will reflect a broader sample of carriers. The new study will evaluate the impact of driver detention time on safety and CMV operations and will address three primary objectives: (1) assess the frequency and severity of driver detention time using data that represent the major segments of the motor carrier industry; (2) assess the utility of existing ITS solutions to measure detention time; and (3) prepare a final report that summarizes the findings, answers the research questions, and offers strategies to reduce detention time. In addition to shedding light on safety, the data collected may contribute to private sector decisions that will lead to reduced detention time and improvement in safety and efficiency in the CMV industry. The FMCSA is seeking public comment on any aspect of this information collection, including: Whether the proposed collection is necessary for the performance of FMCSA’s functions; The accuracy of the estimated burden; ways for FMCSA to enhance the quality, usefulness and clarity of the collected information; and Ways that the burden could be minimized without reducing the quality of the collected information. Comments and recommendations on the current ICR can be posted here or emailed to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. The deadline for comment submission is March 18, 2024. At the time of this writing, six comments had been posted on the Federal Register ICR, including the following messages. Arctic King Express describes detention time as a “significant challenge” for drivers, noting that it impacts drivers’ compensation, safety and overall well-being. “We believe that addressing this issue requires a multifaceted approach, including changes to compensation structures, enforcement of regulations, and measures to improve safety,” the comment reads. “We advocate for a fair compensation system for drivers, based on an hourly rate. … Yet, even if this regulation is ultimately enforced, it will mean nothing if the FMCSA doesn’t strictly prohibit brokers from including clauses in carrier-broker contracts that encourage carriers to disregard the detention rule…. Small carriers, lacking leverage in the current market, are almost forced to sign such contracts. … Addressing detention time requires a comprehensive approach that includes fair compensation practices, strict enforcement of regulations, and accurate data collection. By prioritizing driver safety and well-being, we can improve the efficiency and sustainability of the trucking industry for all parties involved.” View the full comment here. Connor Spies wrote, “Long ‘detention time’ is not the biggest issue facing drivers today. There is little that can be done to prevent delays when hundreds of trucks per day arrive to certain delivery facilities. However, not having a law that allows owner-operators and other small carriers the right to easily collect a payment for excessive waiting after 2 hours, IS. As an owner-operator, I typically waited 4-6 hours to have the truck unloaded, and often the wait took upwards of 12-18 hours, impacted my ability to conduct the part of my job where I’m paid: driving. I would like to suggest that a law be created to ensure drivers and small owner-operators are guaranteed to be paid a fair wage for waiting. As a suggestion, $20/hour per driver, and $50/hour per truck. Not only would this guarantee rights to America’s largest group of under-represented workers, it would also ensure timely delivery of goods for the average American citizen, as warehouses take necessary steps to optimize the loading and unloading of trucks. Without this being written into law, truck driving will continue to become more about ‘sitting around and waiting,’ than ‘covering miles,’ and fewer qualified persons will be conducting the work.” FMCSA posted a preliminary request for comment on detention time on Aug. 24, 2023; this request garnered 171 comments.

Van spot rates continue steady decline

John Worthen - February 27, 2024

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — As was the case in the previous week, total broker-posted spot rates in the Truckstop system rose during the week ended Feb. 23 (week 8) because higher flatbed rates more than offset lower dry van and refrigerated rates. Spot rates for van equipment have declined for five straight weeks while flatbed rates have risen in all but two weeks this year. Flatbed rates are tracking close to their five-year average while van rates are still seeing greater divergence to the downside. Total loads Total load activity eased 2.1% after rising about 6% in the previous week. Total volume was only about 0.5% below the same 2023 week but nearly 40% below the five-year average. Truck postings increased 1.5%, and the total Market Demand Index — the ratio of loads to trucks — declined. However, the MDI for flatbed equipment was the highest since May. Total rates The total broker-posted rate increased nearly 2 cents after rising nearly 4 cents in the prior week. Rates were about 5% below the same 2023 week and almost 5% below the five-year average. The increase in flatbed rates bolstered total market rates because flatbed rates are higher than van rates, and flatbed volume was more resilient than dry van and refrigerated loads. Comparisons of dry van and refrigerated rates to the five-year average are still skewed by the extraordinary market strength in both 2021 and early 2022. Dry van rates Dry van spot rates fell about 5 cents after easing during the previous week. Rates were nearly 7% below the same week last year and almost 15% below the five-year average. Dry van rates were the lowest since May of last year. If rates fall 7 cents more, they will be lowest since June 2020. Dry van loads decreased 4.3%. Volume was 14% below the same 2023 week and almost 49% below the five-year average for the week. Refrigerated rates Refrigerated spot rates declined about 2 cents after falling 4.5 cents during the prior week. Rates were about 5% below the same 2023 week and about 12% below the five-year average. Refrigerated rates were lowest since the week before Christmas, but if they fall 8 cents more, they will be lowest since May 2020. Refrigerated loads decreased 5.8%. As was the case with dry van, volume was 14% below the same week last year. Load postings were about 48% below the five-year average. Flatbed rates Flatbed spot rates increased more than 3 cents after rising more than 5 cents in the previous week. Rates, which were at their highest level since July, were 6.5% below the same week last year and more than 2% below the five-year average. Flatbed loads eased 1.5%. Volume was more than 12% above the same 2023 week but more than 28% below the five-year average for the week.

Wisconsin legislature passes ‘commonsense’ litigation reform

Erica N. Guy - February 26, 2024

WASHINGTON — The American Trucking Associations (ATA) on Feb. 23 praised the Wisconsin State Legislature for passing what the association describes as “a commonsense reform” to the state’s civil litigation system. Wisconsin’s S.B. 613 would cap noneconomic damage awards at $1 million. According to a statement from the ATA, the trucking industry believes capping these subjective, nonmonetary losses is critical to ensuring fairness and balance in civil litigation and will deter abusive and frivolous lawsuits that have perverted the system into a profit center for the plaintiffs’ bar. “When the plaintiffs’ bar perverts civil litigation into a casino game of ‘jackpot justice,’ the costs are borne by everyone — not just trucking companies, but consumers too, in the form of higher insurance rates and higher prices for everyday goods,” said ATA President and CEO Chris Spear. “This reasonable reform ensures justice and fairness drive accident litigation outcomes, not profits.” The legislation passed the State Assembly by voice vote and passed the State Senate 21-11; it now goes to Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers’ desk for signing. “This legislation has broad support in the state legislature and across the state,” said Wisconsin Motor Carriers Association President Neal Kedzie. “Wisconsin’s trucking industry is essential to everyone in our state, and rampant lawsuit abuse is impeding our ability to do our job safely and efficiently. We urge Gov. Evers to sign this bill into law.”

TA’s 300th store to bring 60 truck parking spaces to Walton, Kentucky

John Worthen - February 26, 2024

WESTLAKE, Ohio — TravelCenters of America Inc. (TA), a bp brand, will celebrate a milestone with the opening of its 300th travel center this week. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is planned for 10 a.m. Feb. 27 at the newly rebuilt TA in Walton, Kentucky. According to a company statement, this newest travel center is part of TA’s strategic network growth plan, which complements bp’s existing convenience and mobility business to offer all guests a seamless nationwide experience, both along the interstate and off. “Celebrating this achievement is very exciting for both our team members and guests, and we are committed to continued growth and innovation to provide an outstanding experience for all travelers who visit us,” said Debi Boffa, CEO of TravelCenters of America. “We look forward to welcoming guests into our newly rebuilt Walton, Kentucky, travel center, which provides a welcoming, pleasant atmosphere with excellent amenities.” TA’s new Walton, Kentucky, location at 145 Richwood Road, offers the following amenities: Store with hot and cold beverages, snacks and merchandise Convenience store with hot and cold beverages, snacks and merchandise; Dining: HWY Kitchen and KFC; 6 diesel fueling positions (DEF available at every pump); 12 bp gas positions; 60 truck parking spaces; 48 car parking spaces (RV parking available); TA Truck Service Center with four bays; Emergency roadside assistance services; Six Showers; Laundry facilities; CAT scales; Drivers’ lounge; and Pet area. To celebrate the opening of the TA in Walton, Kentucky, the company is donating $2,500 to the Freestore Foodbank of Cincinnati, the largest emergency food and services provider to children and families in Greater Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky and Southeast Indiana. During the grand opening celebration, TA is awarding 3,000 professional drivers with double fuel points when using UltraONE Loyalty. In addition, all TA customers are eligible to enter an Instagram contest for a chance to win one of 30 $100 bp gift cards. TA was acquired by bp in May 2023, adding around 290 sites to bp’s U.S. network at the time. This year, TA plans to open 20 new locations. Other 2024 strategic initiatives include: Adding 1,600 new truck parking spaces. The installation of biodiesel blending infrastructure and bp Pulse EV charging stations at select sites throughout the country. Improving guest touchpoints through enhanced store layouts and new benefits to its loyalty program. Upgrading TA Truck Service mobile maintenance and emergency roadside assistance vehicles to better serve its fleet customers and professional drivers.