June 25, 2018
Hours of service violations, as a percentage of total inspections, havebeen cut by about half since the electronic logging device mandate tookeffect in December, according to data released Friday by the FederalMotor Carrier Safety Administration.
June 11, 2018
Trucking industry stakeholders are invited to participate in a publiclistening session next week about regulations relating to the design,development, testing and integration of autonomous trucks, or automateddriving systems (ADS), as they are referred to in a Federal Registernotice to be published Monday, June 11.
June 7, 2018
A bill filed last week in the Senate would overhaul hours of serviceregulations for livestock and insect haulers. Chief among the changeswould be the expansion of livestock/insect haulers’ available drivetime, potentially allowing them to drive up to 18 hours in a 24-hourperiod if operating within a 300-air-mile radius of the start of theiron-duty period.
June 2, 2018
Most autonomous efforts in trucking today, including platooning testing and Freightliner’s 2015 Inspiration concept truck, involve Level II automation (partial automation) as defined by the Society of Automotive Engineers. These trucks simultaneously use a combination of advanced driver assistance systems to control steering, acceleration and braking. The driver is still required to maintain situational awareness of road conditions and traffic and be ready to assume control instantly, similar to the way we use cruise control on the highways today.
May 31, 2018
Effective immediately, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administrationwill allow drivers to enter into personal conveyance status, whether thetruck is loaded or not, to find the nearest safe parking or restlocation after their hours of service are exhausted by ashipper/receiver or off-duty periods are interrupted by law enforcement.
May 28, 2018
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration this weekend issued an emergency declaration that suspends hours of service regs for truckers hauling relief loads and emergency supplies to states in the potential path of Subtropical Storm Alberto, which is expected to make landfall on the Florida panhandle late Monday.
November 14, 2014
With the abundance of online advice, company assistance, and “legal alternatives”, does today’s savvy commercial driver still need legal protection? Legal plans have long sold that the career driver needs to have CDL protection lined up, to guard against job-threatening citations. Well, believe it or not, the answer would seem to be, “more than ever.”
August 15, 2012
It still amazes me how difficult the CSA scoring formula is becoming! Don’t get me wrong, I am quite impressed with the overwhelming task that was taken on with the attempt to categorize the severity of a light burning out, or a tire that has gone low, but it seems that there will always be a group or individuals who will point out the wrong and truly fail to see the right!
I know that I am walking a thin line here, we serve many great carriers who seem to get the short end of the stick when it comes to CSA, but this new system in the long run will benefit us all on the road! My good friend David Saunders of CSS says it best; “fix the truck, you’ll fix the score!”
February 29, 2012
There are many websites that offer useful information for truckers. So, I am taking a break from discussing policy issues to feature some of those resources for you While your time online is limited while you are on the road, most truck stops and hotels will offer you WIFI internet connection. This is a great time to go online and check traffic, find a truck stop, compare fuel rates, get info about staying healthy on the road and interact with other truckers. This list is just a ‘scratch of the surface’ of what is available to you online. I’m interested […]
February 3, 2012
The reality of commercial trucks running on clean energy advanced this week with a partnership between Navistar International Corp. and Clean Energy Fuels Corp. Navistar, a leading truck manufacturer, will offer a wide range of vehicles that run on compressed natural gas. Clean Energy Fuels, owned by energy magnate T. Boone Pickens, has committed to establishing 150 CNG fueling stations across the country. They will have 70 stations opened this year. “Natural gas has clearly emerged as the most realistic alternative fuel option for the trucking industry,” said Dan Ustian, Navistar chairman, president and CEO. “Together, Navistar and Clean Energy […]