Hey everyone! It’s time for your Tuesday Daily Trucker News Update!
We have a lot of news to cover today, including:
- Why there could be a fuel shortage during the summer travel months
- When New York State is looking to go all electric
- And an incredible story of driver walking away from a scary crash on a bridge
So, let’s get trucking!
Carlin: It looks like Pennsylvania’s bridge toll plan will be facing some hurdles in the state’s legislature. A bill was passed by the state’s Senate which would require the state Department of Transportation to have approval from the Legislature for projects. This is in response to the plan to toll 9 major bridges – which some lawmakers say is a violation of the law that founded the Public-Private Transportation Partnership Board in 2012. The bill now heads to the state House but it’s unlikely to get approval from the Governor. Right now, PennDOT hasn’t made the final decision on which bridges to toll – but it’s expected the tolls would be between 1 and 2 dollars, both ways.
Britnee: As the country begins the summer travel months, many Americans could be seeing major prices at the pump… But not because of a fuel shortage – but a driver shortage! According to the National Tank Truck Carriers group, about a quarter of all tanker trucks are parked because there aren’t enough qualified drivers to handle them. The reason for this shortage? The NTTC group says lot of driver schools were closed due to the pandemic and the Drug and Alcohol Clearing house.
Carlin: A bill has been passed by the New York State legislature that would mandate all new cars sold in the state run on electric power by 2035 – and would also have trucks and other heavy-duty vehicles do the same by 2045. The bill will direct the Department of Environmental Conservation to establish laws that will make sure the goal is met… The bill will now head to Governor Andrew Cuomo for approval or vetoing.
Britnee: Speaking of electric vehicles, one of the biggest concerns is lack of charging stations… Well now, the first of its kind heavy duty electric truck charging site – called Electric Island – has opened in Portland. The site is a joint venture between Daimler Trucks North America and Portland General Electric – and is across the street from DTNA’s Portland headquarters, less than a mile from Interstate 5. It has 8 charging stations – most are open for public use – and can be used for charging trucks, buses, vans, and cars. This is the first site designed for medium and heavy duty trucks as part of the West Coast Clean Transit Corridor Initiative, a plan to electrify 13-hundred miles of I-5 across 3 west coast states.
Carlin: Two truckers will face prosecution after U.S. Customs and Border Protection found 4 and half million dollars’ worth of marijuana at the U.S.-Canada border in North Dakota… Officers discovered the almost 3000 pounds of marijuana after a second inspection at the Pembina port of entry. The drivers have not been identified and the investigation is ongoing… But marijuana busts have been common since the border was closed for nonessential travel.
Britnee: A truck driver in South Carolina was able to escape their cab that was left overhanging the Black and Pee Dee Rivers in Georgetown after an accident. According to first responders, the truck ran into another vehicle, before smashing a barrier and hanging over the edge… Thankfully, no one had any major injuries.
That does it for today’s update!
Tune in tomorrow for all the trucking news you need!
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