Truckload

For the fourth consecutive year, a shortage of drivers topped the Critical Issues in the Trucking Industry survey conducted by the American Transportation Research Institute.

The lack of participation in a program meant to address a shortfall of drivers entering the trucking industry is forcing regulators to adjust.

The Truckload Carriers Association member company and TCA Profitability Program Retention Project member, Steve’s Livestock Transport was honored during this year’s Top Fleet Employer awards gala.

Detention time has been a perennial thorn in the side of the truckload industry. Now, with capacity as tight as it is, shippers will feel the pinch if they make drivers wait unnecessarily for their appointments. But will a new FMCSA pilot program accurately determine the impact of the problem?

Federal regulators have denied a request by the Small Business in Transportation Coalition to ease regulations for drivers traveling with their pets.

The expectation for truckload (TL) contractual rates to increase by double digits in 2021 is growing. In a Wednesday note to clients, UBS transportation equities analyst Tom Wadewitz outlined the fundamentals supporting this projection.

While federal or state law may allow an employer to mandate specific medial procedures or drugs, the employer should still conduct a thorough analysis of the specific facts presented and the applicable controlling federal and/or state law in the jurisdiction before proceeding.

With the first presidential debate of 2020 in the books, I am reminded of our most basic right that we enjoy as free citizens of this country.: The right to vote.

The Department of Labor’s attempt to clarify and save the independent contractor model should be applauded.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order Wednesday that aims to end the sale of new gasoline- and diesel-powered passenger cars in the state by 2035, but while it also addresses trucks, it is unclear whether it also bans truck sales.

Every driver that stays with their current carrier is one less that has to go home and tell their families that they don’t have a job. Driver turnover is fixable, if we all start to take it more personally.

A couple of Uber Freight alumni have launched an on-demand employment platform that aims to boost opportunities for truckless CDL drivers, as labor market changes fuel interest in driver-only business models.

Looking forward, I believe the future is very bright for trucking while all the fundamentals are still in place for a tight capacity crunch. So, what are you doing to prepare yourselves for that?

Each year, unengaged workers cost U.S. companies between $483 billion and $605 billion. In today’s increasingly remote business world, your brand’s social media channels could be one of your company’s most important internal communication touchpoints.

California regulators have approved a new rule aimed at dramatically limiting emissions from slow-moving and idling trucks, arousing the ire of trucking groups.

Five years ago, Thomas E. Keller Trucking was dissatisfied with its carrier benchmarking efforts. That changed when Keller joined the carrier benchmarking initiative of the Truckload Carriers Association’s (TCA) Profitability Program (TPP).

TCA’s annual Fall Business Meetings will be held virtually for the first time, the association announced, taking place on Sept. 22-23.

Until adequate wages and a sense of community are achieved, drivers will continue to look for greener pastures.

Entry deadlines for two of the premier Truckload Carriers Association contests are quickly approaching. Nominations for the 2020 Driver of the Year contests and Best Fleets to Drive For contest are still being accepted, but only for a few more days.

Brian Fielkow, CEO of Houston-based Jetco Delivery and a noted safety expert, is offering an instructor-led safety program with special VIP opportunities for TCA members.

California’s AB5 has the potential to harm trucking companies of all sizes and TCA, OOIDA and others continue to push back ahead of a key court hearing.

Most truck drivers with a drug violation in the FMCSA’s Clearinghouse have not completed the steps necessary to return to work, and 80% haven’t even started the process, according to the agency.

President Trump signed an executive order deferring payroll taxes, but the money may have to be repaid at a later date, leaving questions on whether companies should continue to withhold the tax or not.

Truck drivers work around-the-clock to deliver essential medical supplies and food as coronavirus cases rose around the country, and it’s time to codify into law their essential status.

Changes to the HOS rule that would alter the 30-minute break and allow more flexibility in sleeper berth time could be under siege as FMCSA said it is considering a petition to delay the implementation date.

Shepard Dunn will lead TPP Best Practice Groups while Todd Davis will take over benchmarking for FreightWaves and the inGauge platform.

Nuclear verdicts are on the rise, and two behind-the-scenes factors playing large roles are the emotional pleas plaintiffs’ attorneys are making to juries and the growing number of hedge funds that invest in civil lawsuits.

Out-of-control insurance premiums are driving trucking operations out of business, but leading insurance experts say something can be done about them.

Freight volumes, which traditionally rise heading into the July 4 holiday, climbed more than expected last week, rising 45% year-over-year, according to the latest FreightWaves SONAR data.

National Carriers’ Jill Maschmeier has been named the 2020 winner of the Clare C. Casey Award by TCA’s Safety & Security Division. The group also honored the nation’s top fleets last week at its annual safety conference.

Panelists from leading trucking carriers say a quick economic recovery could create concerns about having adequate labor to meet demand.

The 39th annual TCA Safety & Security Meeting kicks off today, but it is not too late for register for the three-day virtual event.

Large jury awards are crippling trucking fleets, but technology can help prevent some accidents from happening, and when they do, ensure liability is correctly assigned.

Transportation workers need access to PPE to remain safe, and ensuring they can acquire the protections should be a priority in any future stimulus bills.

The hours-of-service emergency declaration has been extended through July 14, but several freight categories, including food and fuel, are no longer eligible for the extension.

As the economy slowly bounces back, carriers are starting to regain some leverage in rate negotiations with shippers.

House Democrats proposed $494 billion INVEST Act requires DOT to complete an extensive safety review, potential delaying implementation of the new hours-of-service changes.

Independent contractor laws continue to evolve, and a recent decision by the NLRB further reinforces the need for proper legal advice on the matter.

Jim Mullen, acting administrator of the FMCSA, said that there hasn’t had a specific complaint about any broker failing to abide by a rule requiring transparency in financial data when the carrier has not waived that right.

As the first recipients face the end of the Paycheck Protection Program, the Small Business Administration has issued long-sought guidance on the program, including information on forgiveness.

Opponents of longer and heavier trucks say they cause more damage and are less safe, and while exemption have been issued for essential goods, they fear efforts to make those exemptions permanent.

Fleet Advantage is offering to cash out a fleet’s excess trucks at book value in exchange for a lease that could lead to a new truck sale later.

Applications are now being accepted for TCA Scholarship Fund, which hands out financial awards to merit-based college students with ties to the trucking industry.

Funds from the Paycheck Protection Program has allowed some fleets to remain in business despite low rates, but as the program ends, some companies may not survive and capacity will tighten as a result and rates will rise.

Recently, a longtime employee of a local car dealership was terminated, allegedly due to a dispute with a co-worker and a subsequent failure to appear at work, showing once again that employers should be careful in handling employment termination decisions which effect those in a protected class.

In trucking, where uptime can be the difference between making or losing money, major truck manufacturers are rolling out digital tools to speed parts ordering and improve the repair process.

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a closure of many truck driver training schools, and that worries some in the industry as the influx of new talent dries up.

Tender volumes are racing to the upside and are tracking positive year-over-year in May, albeit off a depressed 2019 comparison, and that is some positive news for carriers.

TCA and the larger trucking industry have been anxiously waiting to see what the final hours-of-service rule would include, and the initial reaction to it is positive.

Long-awaited changes to the federal hours-of-service (HOS) rules expected to provide additional flexibility to truck drivers and fleets were announced today, receiving some industry praise and plenty of criticism from safety advocates.

Payment management solutions provider Cass Information Systems’ freight index fell mightily in April as expected, but it may have represented the bottom of the market.

Changes to the Small Business Reorganization Act could make it easier for troubled trucking companies to seek bankruptcy protection and emerge better positioned for the future.

The current focus on the rate war distracts from the real issue at hand: how to build a profitable trucking business and control your own future.

FMCSA has expanded the types of crashes eligible for review under its Crash Preventability Determination Program, giving fleets and drivers more options to have non-preventable crashes removed from their record.

As societal shutdowns because of the COVID-19 pandemic dragged on into the middle of April, the food supply chain has started to center itself.

The Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) has opened up applications for its Scholarship Fund. The fund awards up to $6,250 per year, per full-time college student.

A group of 117 organizations, led by the American Truck Dealers, has written to leaders of Congress asking for a suspension of the 12% federal excise tax on new heavy-duty trucks and trailers.

The capacity picture is still lagging and continues to be at historically loose levels, but even though spot rates bounced in a few markets, overall rates are still horrible. The result is continued pricing power for shippers in the weekly DHL Supply Chain Pricing Power Index.

FMCSA has proposed a rule that would force states to stop issuing new, renewing or upgrading CDLs and CLPs, and in some cases even downgrading, for drivers until they complete the return-to-duty process following a positive drug or alcohol test result.

Even as states reopen, there is too much uncertainty ahead to predict boom times returning, but there is finally some optimism appearing.

Even though crude oil prices are collapsing, truckers will see lower prices at the pump, but maybe not historically low prices.

From quarantine, Canadian truck driver Nicole Folz detailed her saga of falling ill hundreds of miles from home.

The 12-year-old St. Christopher’s Development and Relief Fund has seen a rise on donations. It helps injured and sick semi-truck drivers cover household expenses.

Year-over-year declines in the Cass Freight Index accelerated in March, with the shipments index declining 9.2% and the expenditures index dropping 8.2% for the month.

Do you know someone who is going above and beyond to advance safety in the trucking community? If so, now is the time to nominate them for the 2020 TCA Safety Professional of the Year – Clare C. Casey Award.

Loans under the government’s Payroll Protection Program are being approved and money is starting to flow into the hands of trucking companies.

Government agencies and cybersecurity firms are raising alarm bells as companies shift to remote workforces without proper cyber protections in place.

Recent Truckload Carrier Association webinars on helping trucking fleets navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic are now available to watch.

Truckers are being hailed as heroes right now for delivering consumer goods and medical supplies during the coronavirus pandemic, and some believe the industry’s image may get a permanent boost.

The weekly DHL Supply Chain Pricing Power Index continues to favor carriers, but the index has fallen from last week’s high as freight volumes start dropping off.

TCA has seen our positive experiences with the federal government grow exponentially in the last few weeks. In the days that have followed the emergency declaration in response to the coronavirus outbreak, our partners in the federal government have leaped into action

FMCSA has issued a three-month waiver that lifts restrictions that require a CDL holder to be in the front seat of a vehicle under certain conditions when it is being driven by someone with a learner’s permit.

Fleets take many approaches to reining in maintenance costs, but not knowing which costs are out of line with industry norms complicates the process.

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act goes into effect on April 1, and businesses have many questions on how it affects them.

Roadside repairs on vehicles will be allowed to continue, despite rumors that truck drivers would be stranded if their vehicle broke down.

States are closing non-essential businesses and manufacturers are shutting down, creating uncertain freight flows now and in the immediate future.

The rapid expansion of telemedicine options provides another treatment avenue for truck drivers to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

For carriers with loads to haul, they now have an advantage in negotiating rates, as the weekly DHL Supply Chain Pricing Power Index has risen to 55.

BMO, one of the largest lenders to the trucking industry, will be offering undefined measures to assist its clients as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Pennsylvania has closed its 65 rest stops, drawing the ire of the industry, as officials say they may reconsider.

Travel plazas are balancing social distancing to prevent the possible spread of coronavirus with providing food and services to truckers, whose dining options in some cases are limited to drive thru and carryout.

Some segments of the freight markets are seeing bumps right now, but the long-term outlook is murkier than ever.

The FMCSA hours-of-service waiver has sparked confusion over what is considered emergency relief.

The Truckload Carriers Association continues to push for a broad-based infrastructure funding mechanism rather than a truck-only scheme that would increase taxes on the industry.

Lawmakers have proposed a bill that would dedicate $755 million over five years to build new truck parking spaces across the country.