Hey everyone! It’s time for your Tuesday Daily Trucker News Update!
We have a lot of news to cover today, including:
- The trucking industry’s latest turnover rate.
- When you can expect to see the Mercedes eSprinter van hit the US.
- And what caused a destructive fire in Amarillo that destroyed 5 rigs.
So, let’s get trucking!
Carlin: The American Trucking Association has released the Quarterly Employment Report – and it shows the annualized turnover rate for over-the-road drivers held steady over the last three months of 2020. The turnover rate for fleets with more than 30 million in annual revenue was around 92-percent and around 72-percent for carriers who earned less. For the full year, the turnover rate at larger carriers was around 90-percent, down one point from 2019… And for smaller carriers it hovered around 69-percent in, down 3 points from 2019.
Isela: It’s a broken record at this point – the US infrastructure is in desperate need of help. Several states are working to generate funding for repairs and maintenance… Like Louisiana, where lawmakers were considering an increased gas tax to pay for infrastructure. But – that proposal has been withdrawn as the state is expected to get more than 3 billion dollars of coronavirus aid – that lawmakers say could be used for road and bridge work.
Carlin: FedEx announced in early March it was going fully carbon-neutral by 2040 – and now the company is pledging to help the 55-hundred US ground delivery contractors do the same. The company says it will work with the contractors to ensure all pickups and deliveries are done by electric vehicles within 20 years – but it did not say what that support looks like, however some industry experts say it will probably be some sort of subsidies written into the contracts.
Isela: Last-mile drivers listen up – Mercedes-Benz will begin production of its new electric delivery van in the second half of 2023. The next gen eSprinter will be built at the Charleston, South Carolina plant alongside a combustion engine model. The company is spending nearly 410 million dollars to convert 3 plants, the one in South Carolina and two in Germany, to make the new model.
Carlin: This next story is a lesson of why it’s always important to make sure your equipment is always in good shape. Five trucks were destroyed at an Amarillo truck stop after an early morning fire that was sparked by an equipment malfunction on the last day of March. According to first responders, one truck was hauling a pool cleaner – that acted as fuel and caused the flames to grow. Another truck was hauling recycled plastic and caused toxic smoke… Which made it even more difficult for firefighters. Eventually the fire was put out – and one driver was taken to the hospital with minor burns.
Isela: The Saint Christopher Truckers Relief Fund is hosting its first ever Highway to Hope benefit concert in May – and the headliner is country music singer Wynonna Judd! Other singers on the lineup include John Schneider, Billy Dean, Lindsay Lawler, and Heath Sanders. Some of the proceeds from the concert will go directly to the Saint Christopher Truckers Relief Fund… And everyone who purchases a ticket in the US will receive a free CD. Tickets for the livestream cost 20 dollars with a 2 dollar transaction fee. The concert is set for Sunday, May 16 – from 6 to 8 PM.
That does it for today’s update!
Tune in tomorrow for all the trucking news you need!
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