Hello and welcome to another edition of Lincoln’s Logs, where I point out some of my favorite datasets in SONAR that can empower you to make actionable decisions to help keep your trucks rolling and increase revenues.
Today I’m back in Chattanooga after another week on the road. Last week I was in Vancouver, Washington for the TPP TCO-3 Meeting at Gulick Trucking. That was followed by TPP customer visits in California. It’s always great to be on site with customers and learn how they operate their business.
As those California fires have intensified, they’ve started to have a real effect on the freight markets. What I’ve built in SONAR is a specific page to monitor the California markets and the volatility occuring due to the fires. Right now, we’re seeing large increases in Outbound Tender Rejects (OTRI) across the state, which makes sense as carriers don’t want to deal with the fire and therefore turn down contracted loads. We’re also seeing an increase in volumes out of most CA markets as shippers are trying to get their loads out before they are affected. Besides the market table, I’ve also added a social media tracker that is following tweets related to the wildfires, to be sure to stay on top of the latest news. Finally, on the right side of the page is the critical events map tracking the fires, power outages, and winds and assessing the risk of each area. The SONAR link below will build this exact page in your dashboard.
If you are running freight in California, be sure to stay safe, as the fires are growing in size and moving rapidly. Our resident Meteorologist here at FreightWaves, Nick Austin does have up to the minute coverage so be sure to check in daily for our weather coverage as well.
Although new guidance on mask wearing returns the industry to some semblance of normalcy after over a year of lockdowns and restrictions, employers should remain cautious in revising policies.
While Texans are accustomed to living life free of excessive state-level taxes, they were in for a shock when their own U.S. Senator, Republican John Cornyn, used his national platform to advocate for the establishment of a truck-only vehicle miles traveled tax.
As we discuss ways to improve the sales relationship between carrier and shipper, the term “commodity” always comes up. Most carriers feel being a commodity diminishes the services they provide. It doesn’t have to be that way.
The nation’s top trucking research group plans to update previous studies on the effects of legalized marijuana and other drugs on truck safety along with integrating 18- to 20-year-old drivers into the industry.
Throughout the entire 90-year history of trucking in the United States, excessive detention has been a scourge on the industry. An upcoming 90-minute immersive workshop will share tools and strategies to combat this issue and keep the wheels moving and profitable.
While a request for Supreme Court review of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision to overturn an injunction banning enforcement of California’s AB5 will almost certainly follow, at this time, motor carriers who operate in California must be prepared to act in accordance with AB5.
The word “safety” is everywhere in the trucking industry. It is talked about nearly every day in the press, Congress has zeroed in on it, and most carriers will say that it is their top priority. With all this attention, it’s easy to believe that safety has become cliché. But it’s not.
A day after Colonial Pipeline said there was light at the end of the tunnel for the line’s closure due to a cyberattack, the impact of the shutdown on the ground is being felt.
Truck drivers and fleets have two months to prepare for the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) annual Operation Safe Driver Week, which is set for July 11-17. Here is what inspectors will be looking for.
