TheTrucker.com

Walmart offers supply-chain workers a chance to drive trucks

NEW YORK — Walmart workers who once unloaded trucks now have a chance to drive them. The nation’s largest retailer has launched a training program that gives employees who work in its distribution or fulfillment centers a chance to become certified Walmart truck drivers through a 12-week program taught by the company’s established drivers. Walmart, based in Bentonville, Arkansas, also said it is raising pay for its 12,000 truck drivers. The starting range for new drivers will now between $95,000 and $110,000, according to Walmart spokeswoman Anne Hatfield. The retailer said that $87,500 had been the average that new truck drivers could make in their first year. The moves announced Thursday come as the pandemic has made trucker shortages more severe as demand to move freight reaches historic highs. The American Trucking Associations, a large industry trade group, estimates that the nation is short about 80,000 drivers. Walmart said about 20 workers in Dallas and Dover, Delaware, have earned their commercial driver’s licenses. About 400 to 800 workers in the company’s supply-chain network are expected to complete the truck-driving program this year, Hatfield said.

Keep up with the times: New FMCSA training requirements change process of earning a CDL

The process of training to obtain a commercial driver’s license (CDL) — or to add hazardous materials (H), passenger (P) or school bus (S) endorsements to an existing CDL — has been changed by new Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations that went into effect Feb. 7, 2022. Gone are the days when an applicant could simply study a state’s CDL manual and test at the local department of motor vehicles. The days when a relative or friend could provide training are also, for the most part, gone. The new entry level driver training (ELDT) regulations require specific training, delivered by a provider that has registered with FMCSA. The training provider must forward the driver’s information to the FMCSA, who then issues a training certificate in the driver’s name. Without that certificate, individual states are prohibited from issuing a new CDL or adding endorsements to an existing CDL. For drivers who are looking to get a CDL or add an H, P or S endorsement, the first step is to find a training provider. The FMCSA has a web page, tpr.fmcsa.dot.gov/search, with a search feature that allows users to find the nearest registered providers. Before choosing a training provider, it’s important to know that the training is broken into two parts — “Theory” and “Behind the Wheel.” The applicant can choose one training provider for both or can choose different providers for each, and it doesn’t matter which part is taken first. For example, the FMCSA registry lists more than 200 online training providers that can be used for the Theory portion of the training — in lieu of actual school attendance. The driver can then attend another program in person for the Behind the Wheel portion of the training. The Theory portion of the training consists of subjects students can learn in a classroom or online environment. The regulations do not specify how much time must be spent on each topic; however, they do require that the student pass a written test with a score of at least 80% in order to be certified. The regulation lists a number of items that must be included in the training. These include learning the dashboard and control systems of the vehicle, how to conduct pre- and post-trip inspections, basic control, shifting, backing and docking, coupling and uncoupling. Also included are modules on communication, distracted driving, speed and space management, operation at night or in extreme driving conditions, and conducting a visual search. Advanced operating practices that are taught once the basics are mastered include topics such as hazard perception, skid recovery, railroad crossings and maintenance. Non-driving activities are covered, too, with training in the handling of cargo, environmental compliance, hours of service, fatigue, post-accident procedures, trip planning and more. The “range,” or behind-the-wheel portion of the training contains specific topics, too. Students must learn and demonstrate pre- and post-trip inspections and then successfully perform maneuvers such as straight-line backing, alley backing (45- and 90-degree angles), offset backing and parallel parking on both the sight and blind sides of the vehicle. The Behind the Wheel portion of the training also includes training on public roads. The topics taught in the Theory portion of the training are put into practice on the highway. Students will learn how to safely execute turns, lane changes, entering and exiting a controlled-access highway and more. Basic vehicle operation is taught and practiced, including shifting, signaling, visual search, speed and space management, safe driving behavior, hazard perception and distractions. A comprehensive list of the training topics, as published in the Code of Federal Regulations, can be found at ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-III/subchapter-B/part-380#subpart-F. That’s a long URL to enter, but the information provided is worth the effort. The selected training provider must forward a record of the training, including test scores, to the FMCSA within 48 hours of a student’s completion of training. When the driver goes to the state’s department of motor vehicles to test for a CDL or additional endorsements, the state must verify completion of training through the FMCSA. As with any new government program, it may take some time before all of the states are incompliance. Each will have its own requirements for testing and record-keeping, so the driver will need to understand the requirements in the state that issues the CDL. The FMCSA allows students to train in a different state than the one that ultimately issues the CDL or adds an endorsement. Each state, however, has the authority to require training or testing beyond the FMCSA requirements. Training received from a provider in another state may not adequately cover the CDL issuing state’s requirements. It’s always best to check with the state DMV before training in a different state. It’s also important to remember that most carriers of any size will require additional training in the form of a “driver finishing program” before allowing the new driver to take out a truck alone. This valuable training helps reinforce the CDL training already received and allows the carrier to validate the new driver’s skills. Additionally, rookie drivers will have the opportunity to learn about day-to-day life on the road and topics that aren’t taught in the training such as using fuel cards, dealing with customers and company policies. Driver finishing also helps the new driver get a start under the mentorship of a more experienced driver, who can help prepare the student for solo operation. The finishing program is not required by the FMCSA, however, and many drivers have begun successful careers in trucking by getting a CDL and going directly to work. For those attempting to add a hazardous materials (H) endorsement to their CDL, it’s important to note that the new training requirements do not change the requirement for background checks. Finally, there’s a “grandfather” clause in the regulations that may exempt a driver from the new requirements. Drivers who already had a learners permit on the effective date of Feb. 7 may not have to comply. Other exceptions exist, and would-be drivers are advised to check with their state department of motor vehicles to be sure.

Love’s offering discounts on inspections ahead of CVSA’s roadcheck

OKLAHOMA CITY – Love’s Travel Stops is helping professional drivers prepare for this year’s Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) 2022 International Roadcheck by offering discounts on select services. Throughout April and May, drivers can receive $1 TirePass inspections and $10 off DOT inspections at more than 400 Love’s Truck Care and Speedco locations across the country, according to a news release. During this time, drivers can also get a complimentary visual inspection with the purchase of any truck care service. “Love’s team members want to help drivers get back on the road quickly, safely and legally as they continue to deliver essential goods across the country,” said Gary Price, executive vice president of truck care, hospitality and facility maintenance for Love’s. “Our team will help professional drivers be prepared for this year’s CVSA International Roadcheck and save them time by offering TirePass inspections while they fuel up.” The CVSA Roadcheck takes place May 17-19, and inspectors will be out across the U.S. inspecting commercial motor vehicles and drivers. It’s the largest targeted enforcement program on commercial motor vehicles in the world. The focus of this year’s roadcheck is on wheel ends. Violations involving wheel end components historically account for about one quarter of vehicle out-of-service violations discovered during International Roadchecks. For more information on services offered at Love’s Truck Care and Speedco locations, visit loves.com/truck-services. For more information on this year’s CVSA International Roadcheck, visit cvsa.com/news/2022-roadcheck.  

Yellow Corporation seeing benefits from apprenticeship challenge, opening new academy

CARLISLE, Pa. — Yellow Corporation is opening the company’s 17th permanent truck driving academy as it expands its partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor. The latest school to open is in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, a major freight crossroads for shipments from the Northeast to the Midwest and onward. On March 29, Yellow executives celebrated the launch of the company’s newest academy at a ribbon cutting ceremony with U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf, and International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 776 President Ed Thompson. “Our new academy will provide career opportunities for Americans while strengthening our partnership with the Department of Labor (DOL) apprenticeship program,” Darren Hawkins, CEO of Yellow, said. “We’re thrilled that our academies are receiving this recognition. Our commitment to safety and training is unparalleled in the industry, and we’re proud that government leaders are investing in these programs for new drivers.” Yellow has participated in DOL’s apprenticeship program, a public-private partnership that enables companies to offset a portion of the costs associated with training new drivers, for the past five years. The federal program helps supply paid on-the-job training for student apprentices as they prepare to earn a commercial driver’s license and launch a highly skilled career. The partnership is designed to address the nationwide shortage of qualified professional truck drivers. “The success of Yellow’s CDL Academy in producing some of the safest drivers on the road reflects the great power and promise of apprenticeship to be a proven workforce tool in the trucking industry,” Walsh said. “Apprenticeship programs prepare workers for success by equipping them with the skills to compete for good jobs that offer family-sustaining wages,” Wolf said. “The investments we’re making in apprenticeships and other forms of hands-on and on-the-job training are already helping us get more Pennsylvanians into careers where they can succeed. This is more important than ever as Pennsylvania’s economy continues to rebound following the COVID-19 pandemic.” In 2021, Yellow announced its support for the Biden administration’s Trucking Action Plan, which intends to ease current supply chain constraints. The White House identified the expansion of apprenticeship programs as a key component of its plan. Earlier this month, Walsh launched the 90 Day Trucking Apprenticeship Challenge. Walsh added, “The 90-Day Trucking Apprenticeship Challenge has shown that joint labor management programs and public-private partnerships are critical, and that we succeed when we work together.” “We look forward to continuing this partnership with Secretary Walsh and Governor Wolf and are standing by to help other companies establish similar apprenticeship programs,” said Yellow’s Hawkins. With the addition of the Carlisle facility, Yellow has 17 permanent driving academies nationwide; each is certified as a Department of Labor apprenticeship program. Other Yellow Corporation driving academies are located in Atlanta/Marietta, Charlotte; Chicago; Cincinnati; Cleveland; Denver; Fort Worth, Texas; Hagerstown, Maryland; Indianapolis; Kansas City, Kansas; Memphis; Nashville; Pico Rivera, California; Portland; Salt Lake City and South Bend, Indiana. The company plans to open additional locations throughout 2022.Learn more about the Yellow driving academies at https://www.myyellow.com/us/en/careers/driving-academy.  

New York reminds active military, veterans of option to expedite, simplify process of getting CDL

ALBANY, N.Y. — The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and the Division of Veterans’ Services on Thursday encouraged active military members and veterans to apply for a waiver of the commercial driver license (CDL) skills road test when they apply for a CDL. Those who have military experience driving commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) may be eligible to skip the CDL road test. The waiver has been in place since 2012 and has helped more than 2,000 active-duty military and veterans get a CDL. “DMV is proud of the hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers who have served, and it is our duty to help them transition back into the civilian workforce,” DMV Commissioner Mark J.F. Schroeder said. “This waiver allows them to put their valuable skills and experience to work while also helping to address the critical shortage of commercial drivers.” “We are grateful for the opportunity to continue this successful collaboration with our partners at DMV to provide this licensing opportunity for as many service members and veterans as possible,” New York State Division of Veterans’ Services Director Viviana DeCohen said. “We will continue to inform New York’s veterans and service members of their ability to access the waiver for their CDL so they can continue to serve their communities in this important role.” To be eligible, applicants must have a valid New York state or out-of-state driver license, meet all requirements for a New York state CDL and have experience operating a military CMVs. The waiver must be applied for at a DMV office. Applicants must also pass all applicable written tests. To see all the requirements for a military skills test waiver, visit the DMV website. Those who meet the requirements will be issued a CDL after passing the written exams. The license class, endorsements and restrictions will depend upon the type of CMV the driver operated in the military. Recently, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a variety of state actions to increase the number of truck and bus drivers, including a plan to allow qualified third parties to offer the road tests. This would create more testing locations statewide and expand capacity at existing state-run sites, reducing the time it takes to get qualified CDL drivers on the road. The DMV is now actively working to roll out the first phase of the governor’s initiative. In addition, in September, Hochul introduced a variety of measures by multiple state agencies to get more drivers into school buses. “Under the governor’s leadership, the DMV expedited the process for obtaining a CDL for those who do not qualify for a road test waiver by removing the 14-day waiting period between the permit test and the road test,” a news release stated. “The DMV also increased testing capacity for written exams and opened new CDL road test sites. For school staff who held an existing CDL, the state set up expedited testing to obtain a permit that allows them to drive vans and buses temporarily. Those interested in obtaining a CDL can find more information at https://dmv.ny.gov/commercial-drivers. For more resources for active military, veterans and their families, visit the New York State Division of Veterans’ Services.  

Safety Series: Reduced speed, increased attention and following distance are keys to navigating construction zones

For an over-the-road driver, there’s rarely a day without a route that passes through least one construction zone. Most drivers accept that dealing with construction is just part of a day’s work — just an annoyance to deal with. Most drivers know to pay closer attention when they see the orange barrels, cones and signs. Construction zones, however, can represent the most hazardous part of a driver’s day. In some cases, drivers can identify work zones in advance and route themselves on another road. Unless you have a source providing the latest construction information, however, it’s difficult to predict every construction area you’ll come to. Smaller projects, such as county crews working on guard rails or trash collection teams may not publish any warning at all. Some hazards, such as damage from an accident or a weather-related issue such as a landslide can result in unpredictable lane closures. Construction zones can be anywhere. Another consideration every driver deals with is transit time. It makes no sense to add an hour to your trip taking a detour when navigating the construction zone will take far less time. Nearly every driver can recount times when the signs leading up to a construction zone were confusing. In fact, some are completely inaccurate, for example, signs indicating that the left lane is closed ahead fail to mention that there are actually three lanes are closed. In the worst situations, signs may indicate the left lane is closing when, in fact, it’s the right lane. Experienced drivers know to look far ahead and be ready for anything. Many construction zones result in long traffic backups, and there are always a handful of motorists who think they’ll gain time if they can get ahead in the line. It’s common to see drivers changing lanes frequently, trying to find the one that’s moving just a little faster. Some drivers even ride the shoulder if the road, trying to force their way into traffic farther ahead. The end result is that these drivers increase the risk of accidents for everyone in the area. Then, there are hazardous conditions and new traffic patterns created by work crews. Lanes can be narrow and curve sharply as traffic is routed around construction obstacles. Differences in pavement height can result in drop-offs that can suddenly tilt your vehicle to one side or the other. Construction personnel and equipment can also pose hazards. Cranes or loaders can suddenly swing out across a travel lane, and workers may step out in front of traffic without warning. Dump trucks or other equipment can also pull out into traffic without warning. Rocks or dirt in the roadway, dropped by equipment, pose a hazard, too. However, the biggest issue in construction zones for most drivers is, quite simply, other traffic. Motorists who don’t want to get trapped behind a big truck through a construction zone may take unreasonable risks trying to get ahead, including trying to pass in an unsafe area or waiting too long to merge. Even when lanes are marked with solid white lines — indicating that lane changes are unlawful — some motorists will weave in and out of traffic, trying to achieve just a few more miles per hour. Monitoring your blind spots can be critical in these situations. Reduced lane width can bring adjoining vehicles closer, putting them in an area that’s extremely hard to see from the cab of the truck. Four-wheelers jockeying for position often change lanes rapidly, disappearing from view as they move. Waiting in a long line of traffic for a construction zone can be a frustrating experience for everyone. If you move to the correct lane far in advance, it can be frustrating to watch smaller vehicles repay your politeness by passing your truck and quickly merging in front of you. Oddly enough, traffic engineers have concluded that the most efficient way to merge lanes together is for everyone to stay in their lane until just before the construction zone. Traffic then takes turns moving to the correct lane in a maneuver known as the “zipper.” Most state departments of transportation advise this method of merging, and some even have signs directing motorists to a “zipper zone.” A YouTube video published by the Colorado Department of Transportation advises drivers to “Just wait. Use both lanes. Take turns. Merge late.” Of course, waiting to merge a tractor-trailer at the last minute, especially when shifting to the right, can be an exercise in frustration if other motorists aren’t keen on taking turns. No matter how you merge, be aware of changing road conditions and other motorists. You’ll need to keep your eyes moving constantly to avoid missing something. Speed limits are usually reduced in construction zones, so it’s important to pay close attention to road signs. Slower speeds allow more time to react to hazards and could mean the difference between an accident and a safe trip through the zone. Road surfaces can be tricky in construction zones, especially during inclement weather. While the finished roadway may be constructed to allow water to run off quickly, the temporary pavement in a construction zone may not have the same ability. Standing water can collect in the driving lane, and can freeze in winter months. Additionally, dust, dirt and gravel on the road surface can cause a loss of traction. Slower speeds can help you deal with less than perfect traction conditions. Another common hazard in construction zones is reduced visibility. Dust and dirt stirred up by construction equipment can drift across the roadway, obscuring visibility. At night, lighting used by workers can be angled to create a blinding glare at the worst possible time. In addition, as traffic gets more congested, larger vehicles in front can block large areas of your field of vision. Allowing increased following distance is always a good idea in construction zones. As traffic slows, the tendency is to close up the gaps — but the likelihood of a vehicle in front of you suddenly stopping increases as they deal with hazards you may not be able to see yet. Encountering construction zones can’t be helped, but you can increase your chances of navigating them safely by paying close attention starting far in advance, slowing down, increasing your following distance and paying close attention to blind spots around your vehicle.

Mississippi providing CDL training for homeless people

“Eventually, I think I want to get my Class A and get on the road, drive big trucks.” — Montresa Harney, a formerly homeless woman who is now a trained Class C CDL holder JACKSON, Miss. – The Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) is working with community partners to eliminate homelessness and help alleviate a truck driver shortage that is facing transit agencies within the Magnolia State. Through a program called D.R.I.V.E. (Developing Responsible Individuals with Valuable Education), MDOT and its partners are providing housing assistance, job training and employment for the homeless, according to an MDOT news release. Participants in the program are completing commercial driver’s license (CDL) training and obtaining employment through MDOT’s Public Transit Division. “MDOT’s Public Transit Division and Mississippi Home Corporation have teamed up with community partners to reduce homelessness and help alleviate the serious driver shortage that is facing transit agencies within the state through the D.R.I.V.E. service,” the news release stated. Montresa Harney was homeless with her seven children but was able to turn her life around through this very program, which assisted her with job training, employment and housing assistance. Harney recently obtained her Class C CDL through the program, and MDOT connected her with a job in public transit. “I can drive anything under 26,000 pounds, so like a school bus, light transit, driving elderly people to their appointments,” Harney said. “It was very rewarding especially the patients I met. I love talking to them, they love talking to me it was very rewarding.” Harney said she now has a new lease and outlook on life. “Eventually, I think I want to get my Class A and get on the road, drive big trucks,” she said. “I would encourage people to do it, if you’re thinking about getting your license, class A,B,C — go ahead and do it you know because you get to meet a lot of people who will support you.”

FMCSA grants Werner’s driver training request

WASHINGTON – Certain commercial learner’s permit (CLP) holders driving for megacarrier Werner Enterprises, Inc. will be allowed to operate without a commercial driver’s license (CDL) holder in the passenger seat, according to a new ruling from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), which granted the ruling this week. The exemption has been previously granted to other trucking companies, including CR England, CRST and New Prime and only applies to permit holders who have passed the CDL skills test but have not yet obtained the CDL document from their home state. The CDL holder also will have to remain in the vehicle but will not be required to sit in the front seat. A filing on the Federal Register states that the FMCSA “has analyzed the exemption application and the public comments and has determined that the exemption, subject to the terms and conditions imposed, will likely achieve a level of safety that is equivalent to, or greater than, the level that would be achieved absent such exemption.” Werner contends that an exemption from this regulation will benefit the company and trucking industry in three ways: Improving efficiency of freight operations by maximizing driver employment during an historic driver shortage; creating immediate employment and compensation opportunities to qualified drivers; and improving the overall safety of the new driver experience, according to the Federal Register posting. “Werner believes it will face a significant burden in all three areas if this exemption is not granted,” the post states. “Werner asserts that 49 CFR 383.25(a)(1) has created a significant burden on its operations. Prior to the implementation of the regulation, a new driver’s State of domicile issued temporary CDLs to drivers who passed the CDL skills test. The temporary CDL made it possible for Werner to place the new driver as ‘on duty’ and route him or her to the state of domicile to obtain a CDL without entering a second driver into an ‘on duty’ status, thus allowing productive freight movement for Werner and compensation for the new driver.” Werner officials said they believe that applying the exemption only to drivers who have passed the CDL skills test, hold a CLP, and operate the CMV under supervision of a CDL holder who is somewhere in the vehicle, will ensure an equivalent level of safety. “Werner believes that there is no difference between the CLP holders who have passed the CDL skills test and other truck drivers on the road,” according to the Federal Register post. “In fact, Werner notes that by allowing a CLP holder who has passed the CDL skills test out of State to drive en route to their State of domicile with a CDL holder present in the vehicle, safety will be improved over current regulations, which allow a new CDL holder to drive unsupervised immediately after receiving his or her CDL documentation. Werner will ensure this level of safety by maintaining proper, up-to-date records for all drivers in possession of a CLP who have passed the CDL skills test.” The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) opposed the measure, calling it “another example of large carriers using the false premise of a driver shortage to get around safety regulations.” OOIDA argues that there is not a driver shortage and contends the issue is a driver retention problem that could be fixed by improving pay and working conditions. “In reality, evidence from the federal government and industry analysis show that driver turnover is the problem,” OOIDA wrote in comments signed by President Todd Spencer. “For one, FMCSA estimates that over 400,000 new commercial driver’s licenses are issued every year. On top of that, the U.S. Department of Labor did not find any indications of a driver shortage when examining the issue in 2019. Instead, they identified the high turnover experienced by large carriers as one reason for the perception of a shortage.” The Agriculture Transportation Coalition (AgTC), American Trucking Associations (ATA), Idaho-Oregon Fruit and Vegetable Association, Truckload Carriers Association, truck drivers and some individuals submitted comments supporting Werner’s application for exemption. For example, AgTC said, “The AgTC supports Werner’s application for exemption to allow commercial learner’s permit (CLP) holders who have successfully passed the commercial driver’s license (CDL) skills test to be able to drive a CMV without having a CDL holder seated beside them in the CMV.” The ATA stated, “Given the ongoing driver shortage, ATA is vitally interested in removing employment barriers to increase efficiency without hindering safety. As such, ATA appreciates the opportunity to comment on this important petition. Specifically, ATA believes that granting Werner’s exemption would achieve an equivalent or greater level of safety, mitigate the impact of state driver’s licensing agency (SDLA) processing delays, address the needs of a mobile workforce, and minimize costs and burdens for the trucking industry.”

FMCSA nixes 2 proposed CDL rule changes

WASHINGTON — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is dropping two proposed commercial driver’s licensing (CDL) rule changes that were introduced as part of efforts to streamline the credentialing and testing process for new drivers. According to a listing on the Federal Register, the FMCSA is withdrawing a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that would have allowed states to use a third-party skills test examiner to administer the commercial driver’s license (CDL) skills test to applicants to whom they had also provided skills training. FMCSA is also withdrawing an NPRM that would have allowed driver applicants to take CDL general and specialized knowledge tests in a state (the testing state) other than the applicant’s home. This NPRM also noted that the applicant’s home state would have been required to accept knowledge test results from the testing state. The FMCSA wrote in the Federal Register filing that the decision to remove the rule change considerations was based on comments received from industry stakeholders. Regarding out-of-state test taking, Pennsylvania noted that there is currently “no way to verify the person taking the knowledge test in another jurisdiction is in fact the same person taking the skills test later in the process,” adding that “(the Commercial Skills Test Information Management System) does not provide a mechanism for verification with other jurisdictions.” Virginia also noted security concerns, stating that “the requirement to issue a CLP (commercial learner’s permit) remotely undermines the current processes Virginia has in place to ensure that a credential is securely issued to the applicant.” California also expressed concern over the proposed remote delivery requirement, questioning how secure delivery could be assured if the CLP credential was sent to an address outside their state. Montana noted “grave concerns about the real and substantial threat of fraudulent activity” if Montana is required to issue a CLP to an applicant who does not personally appear at a Montana driver license location. Minnesota and Virginia cited ongoing difficulties in the processing of out-of-state skills testing results, which could carry over to the processing of knowledge testing results. Regarding third-party testing, the FMCSA Federal Register post noted that most commenters opposed the NPRM, citing concerns about fraud, conflict of interest or examiner bias. These commenters argued that allowing the same individual to train and test the applicant could undermine the integrity of the skills testing process, thereby negatively impacting safety. As one individual noted, “The proposed rule removes the necessary impartiality of the CDL examiner, allowing the instructor to fail or pass student drivers with whom they have developed a relationship. This is not a fair assessment of the candidates’ abilities.” A commenter identifying as a trainer with 22 years of experience expressed a similar concern, explaining that “the reason another trainer has to test my student is to prevent bias or just passing them along.” Another commenter said that, while some companies “will do due diligence to make sure drivers are trained properly,” lifting the restriction would remove necessary checks and balances from the skills testing process. The Minnesota Trucking Association stated that lifting the restriction “would cause an increased risk of intentional and unintentional bias in testing results.” One individual observed that current alternative approaches to detecting fraud in CDL testing, identified in the NPRM, “rely on the principle of deterrence rather than prevention . . . which allows unqualified drivers to obtain their CDLs and legally operate [commercial] motor vehicles on public roadways without proper training—at least until the fraud is discovered.” All of the states that commented on the NPRM (Virginia, Oregon, Washington, Minnesota and Missouri) also raised concern that lifting the prohibition could negatively impact safety by undermining the integrity of skills testing. As Washington stated, the NPRM “adds substantial risk” to third party testing “by introducing an apparent conflict of interest.” Additionally, three states voiced concerns about accepting skills testing results for applicants tested in states that had lifted the restriction. Oregon stated that, while the proposed change is “permissive in nature, given the requirement to accept out-of-state CDL skills test results, adoption by other jurisdictions will pose a risk that we have deemed unacceptable.” Similarly, Virginia noted it would be “unable to guard against fraud in these situations and that unsafe drivers will be licensed to drive interstate impacting safety in Virginia and elsewhere.” Washington expressed “strong concerns with accepting skills test results from other jurisdictions allowing (third party skills test examiners) to test the individuals they train.”

U.S. designates future I-27 part of interstate highway system

WASHINGTON — The designation of future Interstate 27 became official on March 15 as President Joe Biden signed into law the appropriation bill. The designation recognizes the Ports-to-Plains Corridor from Laredo, Texas, to Raton, New Mexico, as an addition to the Interstate Highway System. “I am very excited that the I-27 highway expansion project is now written into law with the passage of the FY22 omnibus appropriations bill,” Henry Cuellar, U.S. Rep. for District 28, said. “This designation will make Texas and New Mexico eligible for increased federal funding to complete the I-27 highway expansion project, creating economic growth, jobs, trade opportunities across those two states. The I-27 expansion will grow the Texas GDP by $17.2 billion and create 178,000 construction jobs. It will also add 17,000 long-term employment opportunities in the new I-27 corridor. With this project, Laredo will also become the only port of entry that has three corridors:  I-35, I-69, I-27—a boon for our trade economy. As a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, I will continue to fund projects in south Texas that bring good-paying jobs and ease quality of life for my constituents.” “Establishing a four lane, federal highway for I-27 is a game-changer for our economy and quality of life in West Texas for decades to come and will strengthen our food security and energy independence for the entire country,” Jodey Arrington, U.S. Rep. for District 19, said. “I had three big goals for a better and stronger West Texas when I took office in 2016 – get cotton back in the farm bill, secure the B-21 bomber at Dyess, and establish a federal highway for West Texas.  I had a lot of help from colleagues on both sides of the aisle, and I’m humbled by the opportunities this will provide for generations of West Texans.” Receiving the future interstate designation is the first step to begin fundraising for the extension of I-27. As TxDOT’s feasibility study determined, the extension of I-27 impacts the state of Texas in improving the safety of the roads by reducing the annual crash rate by 21% and providing more access and opportunities for rural America. “I am ecstatic we received the future interstate designation for I-27 which will allow for the necessary infrastructure improvement to bring growth to our region and the state of Texas,” Dan Pope, mayor for the City of Lubbock, said. “As with most momentous achievements, our thanks are due to many in their support of this project. From the Governor to our U.S. Senators and Representatives, as well as our State Representatives, this will be a changing moment in Texas for decades.” The corridor represents three of the eight border crossings along the Texas-Mexico border: Laredo, Eagle Pass and Del Rio. As the next steps to fund and construct the extension of I-27 begin, the economic benefit for the U.S. is the addition of 1.7 million jobs and a $287 billion increase in GDP along the Corridor. “The impact of this designation is tremendous as it allows for the enhancement of infrastructure for domestic and international markets, creates safer roads for leisure and business travels, and connects underrepresented communities throughout the Corridor with outside markets,” John Osborne, chairman of the board for Ports-to-Plains Alliance, said. “We would not be celebrating this historic moment without the support of Congressman Arrington and Cuellar and Congresswoman Granger, Senators Heinrich and Lujan, as well as our team of advocates at Hance Scarborough. We are grateful for their leadership and support of this project.”

Operation Safe Driver Week set to saturate North America with cops on patrol

WASHINGTON — This year’s Operation Safe Driver Week is scheduled for July 10-16 and will see law enforcement personnel in Canada, Mexico and the United States fanning out in force on thousands of miles of roadways. According to a news release from the Commercial Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, officers will be issuing warnings and citations to commercial motor vehicle and passenger vehicle drivers “engaging in unsafe driving behaviors, such as speeding, distracted driving, following too closely, improper lane change and drunk or drugged driving.” Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) released its latest annual traffic crash report, showing that 38,824 lives were lost in traffic crashes nationwide in 2020 – the highest number of fatalities since 2007. And while the number of crashes and traffic injuries declined overall, fatal crashes increased by 6.8%. Among the alarming statistics in NHTSA’s report was the key finding that speed-related fatalities increased by 17%. Consequently, speeding, in particular, will be a dangerous driving behavior that officers will identify and target during Operation Safe Driver Week. “The rising fatalities on our roadways are a national crisis; we cannot and must not accept these deaths as inevitable,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. The CVSA Operation Safe Driver Program was created to improve the driving behaviors of all drivers and reduce the number of crashes involving commercial motor vehicles on our roadways through educational and traffic enforcement strategies. Operation Safe Driver Week was created by CVSA with support from federal agencies in Canada, Mexico and the U.S., the motor carrier industry, and transportation safety organizations. “This safe driving initiative and campaign focuses specifically on drivers’ actions – whether it’s something a driver did, like speeding, or something they didn’t do, such as not paying attention to the driving task,” said CVSA President Capt. John Broers with the South Dakota Highway Patrol. “This focus on drivers’ behaviors is our effort to identify and educate drivers who are operating dangerously on our roadways, with the goal of preventing crashes from occurring.” To find out about Operation Safe Driver Week enforcement events in specific areas, drivers should contact the agency or department responsible for overseeing commercial motor vehicle safety in their area.

GHSA, GM collaborate to combat distracted driving

WASHINGTON, D.C. – With Distracted Driving Awareness Month kicking off on April 1, the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) and General Motors (GM) announced Tuesday the development of a report that will take a new look at distracted driving, with expected publication this summer. The goal of the report is to reduce preventable driving behavior and change the social norm so all road users get home safely, a news release stated. Supported by GM, GHSA will release the comprehensive report, which will examine data collection and other distracted driving challenges and identify actions that State Highway Safety Offices (SHSO) and their partners can take to effectively address them. Through GM grant funding, GHSA will also offer competitive grants to SHSOs to help them implement the recommended actions in the forthcoming report. Grants will fund distracted driving prevention activities in several awarded states and will also serve as a model for other states and their partners seeking to expand their anti-distraction efforts. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported earlier this month that 3,142 people died in distraction-related crashes in the U.S. in 2020, accounting for 8.1% of roadway fatalities. Additionally, another 400,000 people are injured each year in distracted-related crashes. However, the true numbers are likely much higher due to underreporting. Distracted driving is especially dangerous for people walking, biking or otherwise outside of a vehicle. Non-motorists accounted for nearly one in five distracted driving crash deaths in 2019, according to NHTSA. “General Motors is committed to helping create a future with zero crashes, and we’re thrilled to support GHSA as they aim to reduce distracted driving and unsafe behavior on the road,” Regina Carto, Vice President of Global Product Safety & Systems at GM, said. “GHSA’s efforts to identify actions that communities can take to reduce this unsafe behavior can help GM’s vision become a reality.” Additionally, GM’s recent proprietary “Future of Safety Research Study” found that while hand-held texting and driving can increase your risk of a crash, so can elevated emotional states. The study found that drivers believe that stress is a key factor influencing their focus on the road with most respondents admitting that their emotional state impacts their driving and one-third reported they have pulled over because they felt too emotional to drive. Changing the social norm about distracted driving is critical for reducing and ultimately eliminating the crashes, injuries and deaths caused by this risky behavior. A 2021 survey by AAA found that more than half of drivers (51%) admitted they text and/or email on their phone while alone in the vehicle. National and state driver surveys indicate that distracted driving is a top road safety concern, but observational studies affirm that mobile phone use behind the wheel is rampant. “Look around and you’ll see distracted drivers everywhere – it’s a safety epidemic,” GHSA Executive Director Jonathan Adkins said. “This unique collaboration will shine a light on this problem and help advance one of the core principles outlined in the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Roadway Safety Strategy, which calls for safer people by encouraging safer behaviors. Making attentive driving the norm will benefit everyone on the road.”

Different trailer types present wide range of job options for drivers

For those unfamiliar with — or new to — the industry, it may be easy to assume that all truck-driving jobs are the same. In reality, the business of trucking offers a wide range of job functions that make it easy for anyone to find something that satisfies. The following is a basic breakdown of the types of trailers and freight, and what drivers can expect when hauling them. DRY VAN The basic “box,” or dry van, trailer is where many drivers start. The most common type of cargo is boxed freight, typically stacked on pallets or “slip sheets” and loaded by forklift. For the driver, this often means backing into an assigned dock and waiting for a forklift to take care of loading or unloading. Sometimes the driver is asked to assist by counting freight, marking containers or even stacking boxes to make sure the quantity is correct for the load. Sometimes the driver loads or unloads the trailer by hand or pays a “lumper” to get the job done. Some carriers have a lot of customers that require help at the dock, while others offer a large percentage of “no touch” freight. It’s common for a carrier to maintain a pool of trailers at a customer facility. This allows the driver to drop a loaded trailer in the lot, where a yard tractor can bring it to the dock later. The driver simply hooks up to an empty trailer, often on the same lot, and moves on to the next pickup. TEMPERATURE CONTROLLED When a van trailer is equipped with a refrigeration unit, the chances of handling freight or being delayed can increase — but so can the opportunity to find a load. Usually known as “reefers” but more properly called “temperature controlled,” these trailers can haul freight that’s frozen or refrigerated, freight that needs protection from freezing in winter months, or standard freight that needs no temperature control at all. When temperature control is necessary, the driver is responsible for monitoring the load temperature, fueling the tank and reporting any issues. The weight of the refrigeration unit, fuel tank and accessories can reduce the weight capacity of the trailer. DOUBLES AND TRIPLES Other van trailers are designed to be hauled in combination with other trailers in configurations known as doubles or triples. Typically, two 28-foot trailers are pulled in a doubles configuration, but in selected areas there are other configurations that include full-size trailers. Doubles configurations are typically used on linehaul runs and are popular among drivers who want to get home often. FLATBED Some drivers opt for flatbed or “open-deck” work. Flatbed trailers can haul items that are too large or heavy to place in van trailers, but it’s important to note that the loads must be secured and protected properly. Drivers need to understand whether to use chains, straps or a combination of the two to secure the load. These securements must be checked periodically to make sure they haven’t come loose during travel. Drivers use tarps to protect the cargo against weather and other hazards. Securing and tarping the cargo can add work to the driving job, but many flatbedders say they wouldn’t have it any other way. Some trailers are equipped with side kits so a tarp can be pulled over the entire trailer. There are also tarping systems that store against the front of the trailer and expand accordion-style when needed to cover the entire trailer. The customers served by flatbed drivers are often located away from industrial centers and populated areas, offering the chance of less-crowded highways — another plus for some drivers. Open-deck trailers come in multiple configurations. A drop-deck trailer, as the name implies, has a lowered portion of the deck capable of handling taller cargo. A double-drop can have three different levels, while a reticulated gooseneck (RGN) trailer is another variation that’s capable of hauling extremely heavy loads. DUMP Drivers who prefer a minimum of physical labor when it comes to freight have a couple of options. Dump trailers are relatively easy to load and unload and can haul a wide variety of products, from dirt and gravel to food-grade products and everything in between. Most of these trailers dump their contents by raising up the front of the box and letting the product slide under the tailgate, but there are variations. Hopper-bottom trailers are often used for grain, and walking-floor trailers actually unload themselves. Dump trailers require some additional responsibility from the driver, who must ensure that tailgates or other openings are properly secured and sometimes must cover the cargo with a tarp. Depending on the application, dumping the trailer can be an adventure. When the front of the trailer is high in the air, the unit is extremely top-heavy and can tip over on uneven terrain or even because of windy conditions. TANK Tank trailers can also help reduce driver workloads — but they come with hazards of their own. Many liquid cargos such as petroleum products and chemicals are hazardous materials, requiring a hazmat endorsement and some special handling. There are also requirements for tank trailers to be washed out after certain cargos in order to prevent a reaction between a new product and remnants of the old product still in the tank. Hauling food products can require that the trailer be sanitized between loads to prevent contamination. Hauling tank trailers can be treacherous for several reasons. Most have a high center of gravity, making it easier for them tip over in a curve or turn. Liquids can also slosh, or “surge,” riding up higher on one wall of the trailer during a turn or creating a wave that can hit the front or rear with enough force to physically move the tractor-trailer unit, especially on slippery roads. Drivers who pull tankers learn quickly to slow down on curves and ramps and to accelerate and brake as gently as possible. Pneumatic tankers are used for dry, powder or granular products such as sand and sugar, as well as plastic beads used for injection molding, popcorn and more. They work by trickling the product into a strong stream of air, which carriers it into silos or other receptacles. SPECIALTY Specialty trailers haul cars, boats or other vehicles, sheets of glass and other cargos. Each has its own characteristics and cautions. Drivers who enjoy the road but want a change from their current job will find a wide variety of opportunities in the trucking industry.

Planning, communication offer the best chance of getting home for the holidays

While many truckers are accustomed to being on the road for days, weeks or even months at a time, a lot of them want to be home on holidays or other important days of the year. Others see holidays as a time to pick up some extra income or a chance for some stress-free driving while traffic is light. Whatever your view of the holidays, it’s best not to leave your holiday schedule to chance. There are actions you can take to help ensure you’re right where you want to be at holiday time. If you’re a company driver or an owner-operator who is leased to a carrier, it’s best to find out the company’s holiday policy before you sign on. Some carriers recognize only the major holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day. Others recognize more holidays. You might find a carrier that guarantees you’ll be home for Christmas or on certain other holidays of the year, but that’s a rare situation that can always change in the event of a breakdown or other unforeseen circumstance. More common is a policy that the carrier will “do its best” to get you home, often accompanied by a statement that a certain percentage of its drivers get home each year. The policy should include which holidays, if any, are paid holidays, as well as the amount of pay. Some carriers pay but attach provisions, such as you won’t be paid if the time off is used as a part of a 34-hour restart, or if you were also off the day before or after the holiday. These are questions to ask prior to starting, or at least far in advance of the holiday you want to take off. Communication is critical to avoiding problems at holiday time. You should discuss your desire to be home with your dispatcher or fleet manager several weeks prior to the holiday. The good ones will ask you; but don’t leave it to chance. Most carriers are more likely to work with you on getting the time off if you’re cooperative in helping them make it happen. Keep in mind that efficiency statistics like miles per truck are impacted when your truck is parked. If you’ve taken a lot of time off already in the month the holiday falls in, your carrier may be reluctant to give you more. An example of this is Thanksgiving Day, always the fourth Thursday in November. If you take a three- or four-day break the weekend before the holiday, your fleet manager may be reluctant to grant another long weekend for the holiday. You might work with the carrier by taking a shorter weekend, or even working through the weekend prior to the holiday. Or, you might be home for Thanksgiving and the following day, leaving on Saturday for your next road week. If you don’t celebrate a certain holiday, you might offer to work that holiday in exchange for another holiday that you do celebrate. For example, drivers who want to be home to celebrate Rosh Hashana (Jewish) or Eid-ul Fitr (Muslim) may choose to work on Christian holidays such as Christmas and Easter. Dispatchers and managers should be clear about which days are important for you as a driver to be home. Whatever holidays you choose to be home, you’ll want to get the big picture of how it fits into your schedule. You should have an idea of how many miles per day you normally drive. If you’re 1,500 miles from home the day before Thanksgiving, it’s obvious you won’t be home for the turkey and dressing. Generally, you should be close enough that you’ll deliver in time to be home as scheduled. In the case of Thanksgiving, you’ll want loads that take you in the right direction. If the load you pick up Tuesday takes you 500 miles in the wrong direction, it’s a good idea to discuss it with your fleet manager before you make the pickup. Keep freight flows in mind. Your dispatcher may know, for example, that it’s nearly impossible to get a load from the Atlanta area going towards your home. The solution might be to get a load to Chicago, where freight going your way is much easier to come by. You and your manager should have a plan in place days in advance. If you book your own loads through a load board, the same principle applies. Before you book a load, check for loads coming out of the destination of that load. The best-paying load may not get you to a place where finding a load home is easy, or even possible. Some families address the holiday issue by changing the days they celebrate. Some may choose to celebrate Thanksgiving on Friday, or even on Saturday, if that’s when the driver usually gets home. Drivers who choose to work through the holiday, may have an opportunity to earn some extra cash, but the dispatch is just as important as it is for those going home. It does you no good to accept a load that normally takes two days and then be stuck waiting over a four-day weekend for the receiver to open on Monday. Make sure the load you take has enough miles to be productive over the time period. Call to make sure the receiver will be open when you plan to deliver. Every Thanksgiving, drivers accept loads that deliver on the Friday after the holiday, only to find out that the receiver is closed until Monday. Or they make the delivery but can’t find a shipper that’s open for the next load. No one wants to spend a holiday sitting in a truck stop. Get the details and, hopefully, you’ll avoid this situation. Decide ahead of time what your expectations are for the upcoming holidays and communicate them well in advance with the necessary people. Doing so offers the best chance of being just where you want to be on that special day.

Time management is key to maximizing hours of service

With the mandate for electronic logging devices (ELDs), the method of recording a driver’s hours of service (HOS) has changed a lot. However, the principles behind getting the most from those hours hasn’t changed at all. It’s still all about efficiency — spending the most available time doing what you are paid the most to do. As a driver, recording your duty status can seem like an exercise in fighting the system. Let’s start with the 14-hour rule. Under this rule, once you have accumulated 14 total hours of any combination of driving and on-duty time, you must stop driving until you have completed a 10-hour rest break. Sometimes a driver might describe it as “14 hours per day,” but that’s a figure of speech and is not really accurate; the 14-hour period can fall across different days. Note that there is no requirement to stop working. You can work around the clock if you like — as long as you don’t get behind the wheel until you’ve had 10 hours of rest. That 10 hours can be logged as sleeper berth time or as off-duty time. There is no obligation to spend any certain number of hours in the sleeper berth, unless…. If you decide to split your sleeper berth time into two periods, one of them must be at least seven consecutive hours spent in the sleeper berth. The other three hours can be either “off duty” or in the sleeper. If you’re driving as a part of a team, there’s a limit to how much time you can log as “off-duty” while you’re in the passenger seat in a moving truck: At least eight hours of the 10-hour break must be spent in the sleeper. Of course, if the truck stops, so does the requirement for logging sleeper berth time. There’s another rule that has a severe impact on the 14-hour rule, and that’s the 60/70 hours in 7/8 day rule. Whether you work for a carrier or drive for yourself, if the business operates seven days a week, your working and driving hours together can’t add up to more than 70 hours over an eight-day period. Even though you’re allowed to work 14 hours a day, if you use all of those hours, your accumulated total will reach 70 hours after just five days. As with the 14-hour rule, you can work all you want, logging all the on-duty/not driving hours you can stand. But you can’t drive again until your hours for the eight-day period (think: today plus the past seven days) falls under 70. The answer most drivers choose is a 34-hour restart. If you log 34 consecutive hours off-duty — sleeper berth or any combination — your hours total resets to zero. The trick for most drivers and their dispatchers is spending that 34 hours somewhere the driver wants to be (such as home). Few drivers like killing off 34 hours stuck at a truck stop or a company terminal. If you know you’ll need a reset in the next day or two, try to find a load that’s heading towards home. If you’re paid by the mile, the 11-hour driving rule directly equates to your paycheck. Unfortunately, the number of miles you can drive in that period is impacted by traffic congestion, accidents, weather and other factors that are mostly beyond your control. In the “good old days,” drivers were able to take breaks during periods of heavy traffic, choosing to nap a couple of hours now and drive later, when traffic thinned out. Cruising down the interstate at 60 mph pays a lot better than averaging 20 mph in stop-and-go traffic. With the 14-hour rule, the driver’s ability to manage hours was curtailed. That two-hour nap still counts as part of the 14-hour driving/working period, so the driver will have used up two hours of driving time (if the total driving/working time exceeded 14). On June 1, 2020, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration issued a final rule that allows the driver to split the 10-hour break into two periods without counting against the 14-hour clock. One of the periods must be at least seven hours long, and it must be in the sleeper berth. The other period must be at least two hours long, but it can be either off duty or sleeper berth time. Split logging is easy for some drivers but confusing to others. Remember, the last TWO break period must add up to at least 10 hours, and the last TWO work/drive periods can’t add up to more than 14. The rule that expanded split logging hours also changed two other rules. One is the requirement for a 30-minute rest break. You must take a half-hour break once you have driven eight consecutive hours. You can take the break any time you want; but if you then drive for eight hours, you’ll need another break. The rule change allows you to use on-duty/not driving time for this requirement, so time spent fueling and inspecting your vehicle or performing other work can count. Perhaps the most confusing of the rules is the adverse driving conditions requirement that gives you an additional two hours if you encounter severe conditions. Before the change, you could drive an extra two hours but the 14-hour work/drive period stayed the same. Now you can also extend the 14-hour period. While the adverse driving conditions clause can be useful, be careful how you use it. You’ll need to be able to convince an inspector that the adverse conditions were legitimate. Citing an Oklahoma blizzard in mid-August might look suspicions, as might a claim of a huge traffic jam that the trooper has no knowledge of. Sure, you might be able to prove it in court, but do you really want the whole ticket and court routine? Hours-of-service regulations can certainly be a drain on your ability to get the job done and get paid for doing it. With some common sense and a little management, however, you can take maximum advantage of the hours allowed. In a business where every mile counts, it’s important to rack up all you can, while you can.

Technology on the road: Electronics make the job easier but can be less safe

Electronics have revolutionized modern vehicles. Today, drivers have access to more information than ever before, thanks to technologies such as GPS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and specialized phone apps. In fact, many drivers have multiple ways to access different forms of technology and can choose the method that is most safe and convenient. Perhaps the best example of this is GPS. Originally developed by the U.S. Department of Defense for military purposes, the Global Positioning System gradually became more accessible as the technology need to access it became cheaper. As the 21st century began, GPS became widely available for public use. Portable GPS units that mount to a vehicle’s dash or windshield became popular with drivers. In many cases, however, these units were quickly rendered obsolete as drivers chose phone and tablet mapping apps that provide the same information. At the same time, truck manufacturers were upgrading “information screens” on vehicle dashboards. Some of these contained similar GPS mapping programs, but also connected with the driver’s smartphone via Bluetooth to display phone programs on the larger screen. With so many options, every driver has access to GPS routing information these days, but there are some watchouts. First, make sure you can access the information in a safe manner. If your truck doesn’t have a dash display, devices are available to mount phones or tablets so they can be easily seen without the need to pick them up. Voice-recognition software, which comes with most phones, makes it easy to look up information, as well as respond to emails and texts, without taking your hands from the wheel. Second, never fully trust your GPS system without verifying the information it provides. Stories abound of drivers who were routed down roads that had low clearance or bridges with weight limits, and even of routings down roads that become dirt paths in mountainous terrain. It’s important to make sure the GPS programs you use contains truck-specific information. Some apps and programs allow you to enter vehicle dimensions. Some are made for recreational vehicles (RVs), but can work for trucks if the proper information is entered. There are also programs that integrate with GPS software and even with mapping programs such as Google Maps. It’s also important to make sure any GPS programs and units are updated regularly. Conditions can change overnight because of construction and other factors. Clearances can be reduced. For example, a 2-inch layer of new paving could raise the road surface enough to change a 13′ 7″ clearance to 13′ 5″. That’s enough to make a difference between a load clearing and hitting a bridge. No matter which mapping program or app you use, nothing can replace your eyes and ears. Always pay attention to warning signs and, when in doubt, don’t proceed until you’re sure it’s safe to do so. Another technological advance — one that isn’t popular among some drivers — is the electronic logging device (ELD). Use of these devices is now the “law of the land” for most drivers. Like the GPS system they depend on, ELDs come in a wide variety of options. Some are built into communications devices such as Omnitracs, while others have standalone units that are mounted within the vehicle. There are phone apps that serve this purpose, too. To meet the requirement of a connection to a vehicle’s electronic control module (ECM), phone apps usually come with a device that plugs into the vehicle’s diagnostic port, communicating with the phone via Bluetooth. Like GPS data, ELD information can be displayed on larger screens. To meet the requirement of being easily available to law-enforcement personnel, some logging apps can be displayed on the phone screen or tablet outside of the truck. Depending on the service used, an inspector may have to get into the truck, or information can be faxed or emailed to the inspector. No matter which system is used, the current and past seven days of duty status must be available to the inspector. The driver is required to carry instructions that explain how to access the information and can receive a citation if it isn’t produced on demand. Dash cameras are another item that many drivers regularly use. Video has proven to be valuable as evidence in insurance claims, especially when litigation is involved. After an incident, displaying the video to responding law enforcement can corroborate your version of events and save you from a citation. If you work for a carrier, video can help you avoid disciplinary action. Some drivers dislike video systems, especially those that have a driver-facing camera. Carrier-owned systems often have more than one camera and are often connected to the vehicle’s ECM. Many carriers install these cameras in their trucks for protection against frivolous lawsuits, as well as for driver training and disciplinary purposes. A key factor in video systems is this: Who owns the data? A driver who uses a personally owned dash camera owns both the camera and any video it saves. If the system is owned by the carrier, the driver may have no choice in whether the video is shown, what information accompanies the video and how the video is edited. Some drivers use a personal dash camera even if the carrier also uses a camera, just to make sure they can retain evidence in the event of litigation. Finally, it pays to become familiar with any electronic devices or programs before the truck is in motion. Drivers should know, for example, how to quickly reroute a trip if the planned route is blocked due to congestion or accident. Knowing how to save video so that the camera doesn’t overwrite it is important, as is knowing how to make, or correct, entries on an ELD — or how to explain to a DOT officer the process to access it. Trying to remember how to do these things while negotiating in heavy traffic can create a safety hazard. Becoming familiar with the technology built into your truck is vital, too. You should know how to operate lights, wipers, defroster, cruise-control and other features in your truck, especially if the truck is new to you. Technology has made doing the job of trucking (and day-to-day living) easier for everyone. Learning how and when to use it makes it safer, too.

Regulation process: Drivers have rights and responsibilities when new rules are made

Everyone knows the trucking industry is governed by government rules and regulations. Most drivers are familiar with a long list of acronyms representing federal agencies such as DOT, FMCSA, EPA, FHWA and so on. The Federal Register Agency List currently contains a total of 457 agencies and subagencies. What each agency does and how it creates, implements and enforces laws is a mystery to many — but it doesn’t have to be. It’s important that drivers understand their role in the rulemaking process and how to voice their opinions before rules that impact their work become effective. Agencies follow a prescribed process to enact rules and regulations, and every citizen should know how that process works. Without agencies, Congress would need to pass a new law for every new rule or regulation. By delegating some authority to agencies, the Senate and House of Representatives can focus their efforts on legislation that impacts the entire nation. Congress might not vote on rules issued by each agency, but they are involved just the same. The legislative branch of the government can (by vote) direct an agency to issue a specific rule or can impede a rule they don’t like by refusing to approve funding, or by passing legislation prohibiting implementation of the rule. The president can also direct an agency to take a specific action. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is the agency that has the biggest impact on the day-to-day operation of most drivers, but the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), among others, also issue rules that impact trucking. Each agency is required to publish a “Regulatory Plan” each year and an “Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions” twice a year. Together, these are often referred to as the “Unified Agenda.” Most of this information is published in the Federal Register. Any citizen can review these documents online to determine what progress has been made on current proposals and see what the agency plans to work on in the future. The Federal Register can be accessed at federalregister.gov. The visitor can click on links for current issues, proposed or final rules, and other information, or enter a specific topic, like “Hours of Service,” in the search box. By clicking on the “Sign Up” button, the user can choose to receive a daily email showing any action taken on rules from each agency. Those daily emails can be lengthy, but the agencies are listed in alphabetical order so that readers can scroll directly to the agencies they are interested in. For example, a driver might scroll directly to FHWA and then on to FMCSA. The rulemaking process is straightforward. The agency usually publishes an announcement that it has received a “Petition for Rulemaking” from a citizen or organization. When ready to move forward on a new rule or change to an existing one, the agency may publish an “Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking” in the Federal Register. Either notification may ask for public comment, usually specifying a time period for commenting and several methods for submitting statements. Comments can be submitted online, by mail and, in some cases, in person, if a “listening session” is held. In most cases, the time period for comments is 30 to 60 days. Everyone has the opportunity to state their view, and those comments become a part of the rulemaking process. Many comments are published in the Federal Register. Unfortunately, while many proposed rules receive comments from advocacy groups and other organizations, individual drivers don’t often take advantage of their right to comment. Too often, those who are quick to criticize new regulations forego their chance to contribute to the process. Proposed rules are often revised or even withdrawn based on input received from the public. The president can review each proposed rule and gets an assist from another agency, the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA). Costs and benefits of new rules are considered. Those that require the public to provide information to the government are also reviewed by OIRA, including an estimate of the paperwork burden and other considerations. Based on the comments received, the agency can revise its proposed ruling, extend the comment period, schedule hearings or take other action. If the agency feels it has all the information it needs to make the ruling, a “Final Rule” is published in the Federal Register. An effective date is also published, usually at least 30 days in the future unless the agency can show good cause for the rule to be implemented sooner. Agencies can publish a Final Rule without first publishing a Proposed Rule, but only when there is good cause that the comment process would be “impractical, unnecessary or contrary to the public interest.” Doing so, however, provides opponents of the rule with a cause to take to the courts and could harm the final implementation of the rule. In some cases, agencies publish an “Interim Final Rule.” In this case, the rule goes into effect immediately, with the understanding that it can be revised or revoked based on public comments. New rules must be sent to members of Congress and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) before they become effective. If rules are considered “major,” at least 60 days must be allowed for review before the rule become effective. The House and Senate have the option of passing a “resolution of disapproval,” which is then signed (or vetoed) by the president. This is rarely done and has happened only once since 1996. Congress can also decide to hold hearings on the rule or withhold funding or they can simply pass a new law that supersedes the ruling. Agencies sometimes issue “Interpretive Rules” that help explain to the public how a rule applies, but these may not change the rule itself. Once a rule is issued, an individual or group may file suit to stop implementation. Courts determine if the agency has the authority to make the rule, was improperly issued or is unconstitutional. Truck drivers are governed by a long list of regulations. Knowing how they are made and each individual’s role in creating them is both a right and a responsibility.

Use available tools and resources to understand freight rates

Many drivers begin their trucking careers working for a carrier that pays by the mile. Some pay different rates for loaded and empty miles, but you’ll have at least a general idea of the expected pay for each load you haul. Owner-operators who lease to a carrier for a per-mile rate have the same benefit. Whether you’re a company driver or an owner-operator, per-mile compensation removes the need of understanding how freight rates work. Your per-mile pay might be the same, regardless of load origin or destination, but the rates paid by shippers can vary widely depending on a number of factors. If you’re considering obtaining your own authority and becoming your own carrier, you’ll need to be familiar with how freight rates work. To begin, rates are generally classified as either “spot” rates or “contract” rates. Spot rates are “market” rates for loads posted “on the spot.” Shippers offer a load at a set price and carriers simply pick the loads they’re interested in. Rates for haulage fluctuate based on market conditions, seasonality, weather and other factors. The law of supply and demand rules, and rates can fluctuate quickly. Contract rates, as the name implies, are set by an agreement between the carrier and the shipper. Often, a commitment for a certain number of shipments is built into the contract. Sometimes specific lanes or destination points are built in. Contract rates allow both shippers and carriers to lock in commitments and help cushion both parties against fluctuations in the spot market. Many small carriers, especially new ones, depend on the spot market to find loads. After all, the work of driving and maintaining the truck and trailer is already a full-time position. There isn’t much time left over to make sales calls to customers. Additionally, dependence on the spot market leaves the owner free to accept the most profitable loads, whereas a carrier under contract might have to accept whatever load is available that gets the equipment back at the shipper for the next load. A trucker who gets most of his or her business from the spot market needs to understand how that market works. All loads are not the same. Both the location of origin and the destination can make a huge difference. The state of Florida is a good example. Carriers can often get excellent rates to haul freight into Florida. Nearly 22 million people live there, and since it’s a popular vacation destination, another 90 to 100 million people visit each year. That a lot of folks using a lot of groceries, paper products, clothing and everything else that people buy. The problem is, Florida doesn’t produce nearly enough product to balance out the number of loads coming into the state. There’s a huge amount of competition for loads coming out of Florida, driving outbound rates downward. For this reason, profits made on the trip to Miami can quickly disappear when the rate for the return load doesn’t cover operating costs. Carriers often demand a rate to Florida that’s high enough to cover the cost of making the trip back without a load at all. Another strategy is to accept a short load from a point in Florida to Atlanta or another city in the Southeast, hoping to find a better paying load there. Fluctuations like this occur all over the U.S. In some states, and even some cities, it’s easy to find high-paying inbound loads, but hard to find outbound loads once you get there. Other areas are the opposite, with plentiful outbound freight at good rates but hardly any inbound freight to get you there. To complicate matters, the freight mix in each area can change during the year as local crops come in or other seasonal factors come into play. Even weather can make a difference, as in the case of a hurricane leaving massive damage in an area, creating a short-term demand for building materials and appliances. This is why successful carriers consider more than just rates before accepting a load. The idea is to accept the best-paying load going to a destination where another good-paying load will be available. Many truckers use load boards to search for loads in their area and to research future loads. There are excellent load boards at dat.com, truckstop.com, 123loadboard.com and truckerpath.com. Some are subscription services that can help the carrier earn many times the subscription cost. By using a load board, truckers can sometimes work two or three loads ahead. For example, if a load moving towards the driver’s home isn’t available, there may be a load going to another area, where it’s easier to find a load towards home. Although loads can be posted on a load board by shippers, many loads are posted by brokers. Using a broker helps the shipper because the broker makes sure the carrier chosen has a good record for safety and performance and is trustworthy. At the same time, carriers benefit by knowing the broker has checked out the customer’s credit and payment history, reducing the risk of nonpayment. In many cases, brokers will advance a portion of the freight charges to the carrier for fuel and other expenses. Freight rates listed on load boards or offered by brokers are very often negotiable. It never hurts to ask for a higher rate. Knowing what other loads along the same lane are paying and what the outbound situation near your destination looks like can help in negotiations. Some drivers prefer to work with a single trusted broker, or perhaps a small group of brokers. Establishing a relationship with a broker can help the carrier navigate the complicated world of freight rates. A broker who works with dozens of loads every day understands the market and can help the carrier make sound decisions about which loads to haul and which to avoid. Unfortunately, there is no quick-and-easy method to understanding rates. Even the experts get it wrong at times. Using the best tools available, creating relationships with trusted peers and advisors, and thinking a couple of loads ahead will help any truck owner make business decisions that maximize earnings.

Local, over-the-road, regional routes each offer pros, cons for drivers

Trucking provides a variety of opportunities for drivers, and each type of job has its own pros and cons. Many drivers begin their career with a large carrier, benefitting from available driver training and accumulating experience before moving on to a different driving job. When it’s time to make a change, it helps to know what types of driving jobs might be available — and what each type of job entails. Most truck-driving jobs are classified as either over-the-road (OTR) or local. Another option, regional jobs, have elements of each type. The biggest difference is when the driver gets home. Local driving jobs Local drivers, for the most part, go to work and then come home every day, just like workers in offices or manufacturing facilities. Local drivers might make a series of pickups and deliveries in an area, or they might make longer runs that still allow them to return home without a rest break. Pay for local driving positions is often less than what OTR drivers can make, because more drivers want the local jobs. Because drivers are home daily, road expenses for things such as meals, snacks and showers are greatly reduced. When it comes to local deliveries, it’s important to understand that many companies do not offer paid breaks or overtime pay. That’s because transportation workers, in general, are not covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act that guarantees these benefits. While some employers pay overtime, others do not. Some local jobs, like petroleum transport, are usually paid a per load rate that varies depending on the round-trip mileage and other factors. Some, like hauling feed, gravel or logs, might be paid based on the weight of each load at delivery. Drivers may be encouraged to load beyond legal limits to increase their earnings. Some local jobs require a good deal of physical labor. Grocery and beverage deliveries often require the driver to unload product and bring it inside stores or restaurant. In some cases, the driver is responsible for setting up and maintaining store displays. Among the more desirable local positions are terminal shuttle runs for LTL carriers. Drivers often travel from terminal to terminal, perhaps delivering one trailer and bringing back another. These jobs frequently involve hauling double trailers. In some cases, drivers are required to run “peddle,” or local pickup and delivery, routes before earning a more desirable shuttle run. OTR driving jobs OTR drivers have many choices as well. OTR drivers stay away from home for days, weeks or even months at a time. That’s because OTR carriers are often classified as “irregular route” businesses. That means the truck goes wherever freight is headed at a profitable rate. Empty miles are unprofitable, so once a delivery is made, another paying load is found. The ideal business scenario is when the truck takes the best paying load, regardless of destination, with the driver staying on the road for as long as there’s money to be made. There are, of course, other considerations, such as the need for driver home time, as well as repairs and maintenance to the truck. Some drivers (and carriers) prefer taking the longest-distance load possible. Doing so reduces the number of pickups and deliveries necessary, allowing for some days when the driver can simply drive the legal number of hours and then shut down. The downside is that the driver could be thousands of miles from home, and it could take days — or weeks — to find a profitable load going that way. Regional driving jobs Regional runs are popular with drivers because the truck is usually within a one-day drive of home. Regional positions often offer weekend time at home, although the amount of time can vary, depending on the carrier. The downside of regional work is that it often involves a delivery and a pickup on the same day. A common scenario is a morning delivery, followed by a short deadhead (traveling empty) run and a pickup of the next load. At carriers who pay by the mile, the time spent at receiver and shipper isn’t compensated. It isn’t uncommon for a driver to have six to eight hours or more invested in getting the trailer emptied and reloaded, followed by 10 or 11 hours of driving. Regional runs can also be much shorter than can be driven in an 11-hour shift. Drivers who are paid by the mile often find they get less rest and take home less money. “Dedicated” runs can be great — or not. Some dedicated runs entail picking up and delivering at the same locations every trip, while others might haul from a single location to multiple delivery points. Still others involve being dedicated to one particular customer, which may have multiple shipping locations and thousands of delivery points. Another term most drivers are familiar with is “backhaul.” A backhaul is simply a load that gets the driver back to the starting point, or at least, close to it. For example, after hauling a load across the country from Atlanta to Salt Lake City, the driver might look for a load going back to the Atlanta area. Unfortunately, backhauls often don’t pay well, so drivers who are paid by percentage won’t earn as much, and carriers who pay by the mile might look for a more profitable load, even if it’s headed in the opposite direction from home. In some types of trucking — including tanker, auto and livestock hauling — drivers return empty more often than they find backhauls. With all of the variables in trucking, it’s impossible to describe the conditions of every available job. The best advice for a driver looking for a change is to talk to drivers who hold or have held the position being considered. They have experienced the ups and downs and can explain the job without the “sales pitch” a company representative or recruiter might give. When applying for a new job, it’s important for the driver to have a list of priorities and to discuss them with every potential employer before accepting a job. For example, one driver might value getting home more often, while another wants to stay out longer in order to maximize earnings. Both should clearly communicate their expectations, and take the job that helps them achieve their goals.

Many roads to a driving career are soon to merge

A common argument among commercial truck drivers pits drivers who were taught to drive by a relative or friend, or who learned by bouncing around the farm while operating a variety of equipment, against those who graduated from a CDL training school. Whether it’s a discussion on the CB or comments on social media, every story of a hapless rookie making a mistake seems to be draw a wealth of criticism from drivers who learned “the right way” — either self-taught or from an experienced driver who passed on his or her considerable skills. The comments often accuse others of being “steering wheel holders” who are, of course, far beneath the professional driver status of the commenter. Whether self-taught or privately trained drivers received training that was superior to those who attend a CDL school has long been argued, but there are merits to both methods. Self-taught drivers learn from experience, sometimes driving a variety of equipment on a farm or other operation. Some states allow younger drivers to work in agriculture or other industries. Privately trained drivers often benefit from their relationship with the trainer. Whether a family member, spouse or friend, the trainer has an emotional bond with the trainee that can promote a greater interest in their performance. Without a specified course length, training can continue as long as necessary to make sure the trainee, in the trainer’s judgment, is ready. Some CDL schools, on the other hand, can be geared towards passing state testing requirements in the shortest possible time. Stories abound of schools that graduate students in as little as 10 days or two weeks, often teaching just enough to let students pass the tests — while skipping important information about the job. None of those scenarios are true of all situations, however. There are no qualification standards for private trainers. “Uncle Fred” might represent the epitome of highway professionals, but he could also be a highway menace — albeit an experienced menace — or he could be an excellent truck driver but have horrendous training and teaching skills. Qualification standards exist for CDL schools, but they are mostly voluntary. CDL training schools that are part of a community or technical college must meet standards set by the college or accrediting organization. Private schools, however, can range from the owner of a dilapidated semi operating in a rented parking lot to programs that rival college-level training in length and content. Some CDL schools are certified by the Professional Truck Driver Institute (PTDI), which issues standards for curriculum quality and standardization. PTDI schools are closely monitored to ensure compliance with set standards. Another organization, the Commercial Vehicle Training Association (CVTA), provides an instructor certification program. Larger carriers that hire graduates of CDL schools almost always provide additional training through a “driver finishing” program. These programs pair recent graduates with experienced driver trainers who help new drivers sharpen the skills learned in CDL school while learning the rest of the truck driver’s job. Training in route planning, company paperwork, dealing with customers and more are added until the new driver is judged to be ready to operate without supervision. Some carriers provide access to driver-mentors or special fleet managers for months after the training. On Feb. 7, 2022, the argument will officially end for most new drivers. That’s the date the new entry-level driver training (ELDT) requirements mandated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) will go into effect. Included in the MAP-21 highway bill passed in June 2012, the FMCSA ELDT rule became final in December 2016. Under the new regulations, those who want to obtain a Class A or B CDL for the first time, upgrade a Class B CDL to a Class A, or add a passenger, school bus or hazardous materials endorsement to an existing CDL will be required to complete a specified training program. Although the regulations don’t specifically state that training must be conducted by a CDL school, the training organization must be certified by the FMCSA and listed in the newly created Training Provider Registry. The training can be provided by a school, employer, union or even Uncle Fred — provided the trainer is certified. Certification is achieved by submitting an Entry-Level Driver Training Provider Registration Form through the TPR website and obtaining a unique TPR number. The ELDT requires specific training curricula that closely follows training presently required by PTDI certified schools. The curricula are listed in 49 CFR 380, Appendix A, and include classroom or “theory” subjects such as control systems, inspections, communication and maintenance. Behind-the-wheel (BTW) training includes range maneuvers and on-the-road driving. While the hours spent in training are not specified, training providers must report the number of hours spend on each listed topic. Instructors must have at least two years of experience as either a driver or a trainer, and must have a CDL with endorsements in the area being taught. The instructor’s CDL cannot be suspended or restricted. Training program graduates will be issued certificates that carriers will be required to verify before hiring. Some current drivers will receive a “Certificate of Grandfathering” from the carriers that employ them. Drivers who obtain a commercial learner’s permit (CLP) before Feb. 7, 2022 will not have to comply, as long as they obtain their CDL before the expiration date of the CLP. Drivers who are planning to train with a spouse, relative or someone else should make sure they obtain their permit in time. Current drivers who have never had a hazardous materials endorsement should know that training will be required once the ELDT becomes effective. Currently, drivers are required to pass a written test that they can study for online or using state CDL study materials. Drivers who plan to get the endorsement might want to take care of it before Feb. 7, 2022. The requirement to pass a background check to obtain the hazmat endorsement hasn’t changed. First-time passenger or school bus endorsements will also require training. It won’t be long before stories of learning to drive a truck on the farm at age 15 fade into history. Whether government involvement in the training process improve safety, creates more bureaucratic hurdles or a combination of both will be seen in coming years. And truck drivers will soon have to find a different topic to argue about.