Today’s Pickup: Electric scooters become a nuisance, livestock haulers petition to drive 15-hour days

Good day,

Electric bikes and scooters are dominating the transit scene in U.S. metropolitan areas, and residents are beginning to see them as less of a solution and more of nuisance. FreightWaves Staff Writer Vishnu Rajamanickam reported that this may be because more of the startups behind the bikes and scooters do not necessitate riders park in designated areas, making strewn about scooters problematic for drivers and pedestrians.

“As investors pour millions of dollars into e-bike startups helping them flush cities with their bikes, it is essential for the companies to have a measure of the impact their solution creates on the society at large, along with looking to increase revenue and market share,” he said. “Stricter control over who takes control of the bike would go a long way in improving overall safety and in creating a pleasant experience for both the users and the commuters who surround them.”

Rajamanickam explores the issue in detail in his story here.

Did you know?

ACT research reported 58,200 trailers ordered during September, which it described as a “never-seen-before” number.

Quotable:

“HOS has become a political football. Each administration seems to come up with their own set of rules. This administration will try and take the ball across the goal line soon.”

—Scopelitis Transportation Consulting President Dave Osiecki

In other news:

Sears seeks to repair fraying supply chain in bankruptcy

Sears (NASDAQ: SHLD) says it faces “catastrophic consequences” as it struggles through bankruptcy if it can’t repair its unraveling supply chain and keep merchandise flowing to stores and warehouses. (WSJ)

IBM takes cybersecurity training on the road

Two years ago, IBM opened one of the nation’s first commercial cybersecurity ranges to let companies practice responding to simulated cyberattacks. (New York Times) 

U.S. industrial production climbed 0.3 percent in September

U.S. industry expanded again in September despite the impact of Hurricane Florence. (Associated Press)

U.S. tariffs hang over China’s biggest trade fair

Yesterday saw the start of the three-week long Canton Fair in Guangzhou, where Chinese exporters gather to sell their wares. (The Loadstar) 

How robots and drones will change retail forever

Amazon’s one-million-square-foot distribution center in Baltimore is a massive fulfillment machine. (WSJ) 

Final Thought:

Groups representing livestock, bee and fish haulers have petitioned the Department of Transportation to allow them to drive up to 15 hours each day, as opposed to the 11 hours allowed under current federal HOS regulations.

FreightWaves Managing Editor Brian Straight reported the group cited strong safety records as the reason for their petition, sent yesterday to FMCSA Administrator Ray Martinez. The petition noted crash data from 2013-2015 that it said showed livestock haulers accounted for 6.6% of all commercial drivers but less than 1% of all crashes involving large trucks during that time period.

The petition states that current HOS regulations do not consider modern fatigue management research, and points to Australia as an example, noting that the country’s rules for livestock haulers are focused on “safety outcomes and not prescriptive limits.”

The request, if approved, would apply for 5 years.

Hammer down, everyone!