Archive for April, 2012

There always have been a lot of reasons for drivers to do effective pre- and post-trip inspections on trailers and power units. Starting in 2010, we’ve had another: Compliance, Safety, Accountability better known as CSA.

Last week marked the 20th anniversary of an ugly event in American history — the LA race riots.

There are two types of carrier reactions when it comes to navigating the new Compliance, Safety, Accountability program launched by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, better known simply as CSA.

Several New Jersey Congressmen asked the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to delay a second round of toll hikes scheduled for December until the agency can prove it has its finances in order, reports New Jersey’s Star-Ledger.

“The planned toll hikes should be suspended until an external audit determines that the audit recommendations have been addressed,” wrote U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg in a letter

(UPDATED) Most carriers are reporting positive first quarter financial results, and some are setting records with their numbers. Paccar, P.A.M, UPS, Old Dominion, Ryder, Celadon, Knight, Landstar and Universal Truckload all reported increased revenues for the first quarter of 2012.

The Mack Driving Skills Safety Challenge, scheduled for May 1-2 at Waste Expo 2012 in Las Vegas, allows drivers to show off how to safely operating refuse and recycling routes while competing for prizes.

A new rule from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration makes it tougher for carriers that have been sanctioned to reincarnate themselves under a new identity.

The agency last week posted a final rule that changes its procedures in several areas affecting truck lines, intermodal equipment providers, brokers, freight forwards and hazmat proceedings.

Boosted by booming sales for Daimler Trucks and Mercedes-Benz cars, Daimler reported positive numbers for 1Q 2012 despite higher spending.

The Illinois DOT says during the NATO Summit in Chicago May 20-21, it’s best to avoid the city, especially downtown and South Loop, during that week. It’s also placing certain restrictions (with no permit loads) on oversize and overweight loads.

Arpin International Group has opened a new branch office in Phoenix, the company’s first in Arizona, to accommodate its growing operation in the Southwest. The office is at 11225 N. 28th Drive.

Is selling in the trucking industry nothing more than pricing?

Volvo’s European Bio-DME project, which aims to assess whether there is a market for Bio-DME (Di-Methyl-Ether) for commercial vehicles, shows promise, the company says.

In an approved settlement for a lawsuit over hot fuel, Costco Wholesale Corp. has agreed to convert gas pumps in some states during the next five years to automatically compensate for expansion in fuel due to changing temperatures, reports the Kansas City Business Journal.

The House and Senate have chosen their conferees for negotiations on the highway bill. They have until June 30 to work out a deal or pass another extension.

The conferees’ toughest challenge will be to agree on the duration and funding of the bill, but their portfolio includes numerous important policy issues, including truck safety and program reforms at the Department of Transportation.

A report released by Florida state investigators Thursday is faulting the Florida Highway Patrol for reopening a foggy stretch of I-75 that was later the scene of of a series of crashes that killed 11 people on Jan. 29.

Most carriers are reporting positive first quarter financial results, and some are setting records with their numbers. P.A.M, UPS, Old Dominion, Ryder, Celadon, Knight, Landstar and Universal Truckload all reported increased revenues for the first quarter of 2012. Covenant Transport reported some decreases, but its numbers were an improvement over 1Q 2011.

March saw Class 8 used-truck pricing slip for the second consecutive month.

Azure Dynamics Corp., the British Columbia-based specialty vehicle builder now struggling through the Canadian equivalent of a managed bankruptcy, says it might not be able to honor warranties it reinstated last week.

Volvo AB reported record first-quarter sales for 2012, boosted by North American numbers for the strongest numbers recorded in this period despite a 2% drop in profits in the first quarter.

Two major carriers, Schneider National and Covenant Transport, have announced large bonuses to help attract teams.

TravelCenters of America and Petro have come up with a couple of burger creations and want drivers to help name them.

“Save a tree,” environments preach. That’s not an option when you’re building anything with wood, like a hardwood-composite floor for a van trailer.

The firing of a Texas-based flat-bedder for refusing to haul an improperly secured and unsafe load illustrates how CSA and the courts are failing truck drivers.

Significant job losses directly attributable to California Air Resources Board’s fuel policies, says a new study by the California Trucking Association. Goods movement and agriculture sectors will be especially hard hit if the policies are allowed to go into effect as currently designed.

Net orders for trailers fell 11% month-over-month in March, but were almost identical to orders in March 2011, according to State of the Industry: U.S. Trailers published by ACT Research Co.

In advance of the upcoming conference committee meetings on the surface transportation bill, the American Trucking Associations and the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association are urging passage or rejection (respectively) of the Senate’s EOBR requirement.

This week at the Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, Navistar continued to demonstrate its global growth capabilities with new product opportunities for the Chinese market.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is conducting research to determine whether onboard monitoring systems will improve driver safety performance and reduce risky driving behavior. The agency is hosting a webinar on May 9 to discuss the details of the study for carriers that would like to participate.

Transcraft, a subsidiary of Wabash National Corp. and producer of platform trailers, is expanding its Trigg County operations in Cadiz, Ky.

Dana Holding Corp. announced strong results for the first quarter of 2012 with a fourth straight quarter of positive net income. The company’s net income for the quarter was $70 million, compared to a net loss of $30 million for the same period in 2011.

Accuride Corp. says its on track for 2012 after releasing first quarter financial results.

TWT Refrigerated Service is increasing its owner-operator (solo, team and multi-fleet owners) pay package to $1 per mile effective May 1.

FedEx Freight Canada has opened its new Alberta service center.

Truckers News on EOBR's

As the FMCSA begins their listening session today concerning the issue of driver harassment by use of EOBR, the ATA continues its push for the mandate while OOIDA voices their opposition.

The listening session, schedule between 1:30 to 5:30 PM is said to be focusing on the possible harassment concern and welcomes comments by drivers.

To register for the “live” webcast and be provided the call-in number to participate in the session visit here:  FMCSA EOBR Listening Session.

Since the FMCSA listening sessions are basically useless for truck drivers since most are on the road, unable to attend, you can share your thoughts with the FMCSA concerning EOBR driver harassment by faxing your comments to:  1-202-493-2251.

Although the FMCSA seeks comments from drivers during the “listening” session, truck drivers seldom have the opportunity to comment due to one problem:  their driving.  OODIA will be present to represent drivers during the session.

The only real problem I have with mandating the EOBR in all trucks is the harassment issue.  More than once I have had dispatch send a message telling me to “get moving” when I was on my break or if I was just too tired at the time and was taking a quick 30 or 60 minute rest period.

With future EOBR usage, truck drivers must have a way to record any such messages to protect themselves from illegal dispatch orders.  Currently, drivers can only take a photo of the message.  Just as most EOBR’s have canned messages, technology should be available to the driver to maintain or retrieve such illegal messages which force them to violate FMCSA rules.

All messages sent or received through the EOBR are maintained for six months and furthermore, drivers should be allowed to request and receive any message from the EOBR by the carrier when the driver does so request.  By mandating EOBR’s, without any such protection provided to the driver, the FMCSA is simply handing motor carriers additional power to push drivers harder and continue the driver harassment that takes place within the industry.

The information that the FMCSA says it is looking for by drivers are:

• In terms of motor carriers’ and enforcement officials’ monitoring or review of drivers’ records of duty status (RODS), what would constitute driver harassment? Would that definition change based on whether the system for recording HOS is paper or electronically based? If so, how? As a starting point, the Agency is interested in potential forms of harassment, including but not limited to those that are: (1) not prohibited already by current statutes and regulations; (2) distinct from monitoring for legitimate business purposes (e.g., efforts to maintain or improve productivity); and (3) facilitated or made possible solely by EOBR devices and not as a result of functions or features that motor carriers may choose to purchase, such as fleet management system capabilities. Is this interpretation appropriate? Should it be broader? Or narrower?
• Are there types of driver harassment to which drivers are uniquely vulnerable if they are using EOBRs rather than paper logs? If so, what and how would use of an EOBR rather than a paper log make a driver more susceptible to harassment? Are there ways in which the use of an EOBR rather than a paper log makes a driver less susceptible to harassment?
• What types of harassment are motor carrier drivers subjected to currently, how frequently, and to what extent does this harassment happen? How would an electronic device capable of contemporaneous transmission of information to a motor carrier guard against (or fail to guard against) this kind of harassment? What experience have motor carriers and drivers had with carriers using EOBRs as compared to those who do not use these devices in terms of their effect on driver harassment or complaints of driver harassment?
• What measures should the Agency consider taking to eliminate the potential for EOBRs to be used to harass drivers? Are there specific functions and capabilities of EOBRs that should be restricted to reduce the likelihood of the devices being used to harass vehicle operators?
• Motor carriers are often responsible for managing their drivers and equipment to optimize efficiency and productivity and to ensure transportation services are provided in accordance with a planned schedule. Carriers commonly use electronic devices, which may include but are not limited to EOBRs, to enhance productivity and optimize fleet operation. Provided such devices are not used to coerce drivers into violating Federal safety regulations, where is the line between legitimate productivity measures and inappropriate oversight or actions that may be construed as harassment?
• FMCSA also seeks concepts, ideas, and comments from enforcement personnel on the HOS information they would need to see on the EOBR display screen at the roadside to effectively enforce the HOS rules and the type of evidence they would need to retain in order to support issuing drivers a citation for HOS violations observed during roadside inspections.

© 2012, Allen Smith. All rights reserved.

Technorati Tags: EOBR, EOBR mandate, FMCSA, FMCSA EOBR listening session, harassment, rulemaking, truck driver, trucking

To improve the efficiency of its Class 8 heavy-duty trucks, Walmart U.S. Logistics, in partnership with truck and component manufacturers, built the following prototype tractors, according to its 2011 Global Responsibility Report.

Despite the higher upfront costs for engines that run natural gas, The Conference Board of Canada says that converting fleets to natural gas could produce savings of approximately $150,000 per truck over a 10-year period.

Congress can’t do its job on the highway bill, so the public is going to have to take the lead, says a group of infrastructure experts including five former secretaries of transportation.

The federal highway program is now running on its ninth temporary extension because Congress will not compromise on how to pay for it, said the 60 experts brought together by the University Virginia’s Miller Center.

Don’t expect the rate of growth this year to mirror the last couple of years, said American Trucking Associations’ Chief Economist Bob Costello, referring to the 5.8% growth in both 2010 and 2011.

Megadealer Rush Enterprises announced that for the first quarter of 2012, the company’s net income was $15.9 million, or 40 cents per diluted share, compared with net income of $7.3 million,

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the availability of up to $20 million in FY 2012 grant funding to establish clean diesel projects aimed at improving air quality and Americans’ health.