If you ask Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen about the potential for food shortages amid the new coronavirus outbreak that’s spreading across America, he’ll tell you what he and other retail executives told President Trump on March 15.
CVSA confirms hard enforcement of ELD transition
Taking its cue from federal regulators, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) confirmed it will begin fully enforcing the electronic logging device (ELD) rule on Dec. 17, with no “soft enforcement” grace period. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) previously has stated there will be no grace period allowed for carriers that have been […]
Trucks carried 70% of all U.S.-Mexico freight in September, up $400 million, according to data
Trucks again carried the majority of cross-border imports and exports during the month of September, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS). Cross-border truck freight between the U.S., Canada and Mexico totaled $64 billion, or 63.1% of all cross-border freight during September 2019.
Reefer Demand Spikes As Temperatures Drop
Refrigerated/temperature controlled or otherwise affectionately known ‘reefer’ trailer demand is on the rise this November as temperatures drop and produce harvests decline, which begs the question—what? The idea that a trailer equipped with a unit that is primarily designed to keep its contents cool is in higher demand than it was in June seems strange […]
Trailer technology and safety systems on the rise
A number of safety-related items for dry van trailers are growing in popularity among fleets, said Mark Schultz, dry van product director of Great Dane Trailers. “Rear bumpers like the Great Dane RIG30 are available to meet the 30% offset guidelines,” he noted. “There are high-mounted dual turn and stop indicator lamps on rear frame […]
ELD mandate’s hard deadline is here and adoption rates are still a concern
The trucking industry is finally on the precipice of what will be the final leg of the electronic logging device (ELD) mandate implementation, which will go into effect on December 16. With that, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) will expect every truck running on American roads to comply with the mandate and have […]
Freight volumes bounce back with a strong week
Outbound tender volumes (OTVI.USA) rose by 3.76% year-over-year this week, closing back in on the year-to-date high of 6.78% from a month ago. The prior three weeks had seen year-over-year volumes fall back down to the 1% range, so this is good news. This continues their upward trajectory and extends their multi-week winning streak dating […]
HOS regulations lifted, clearing road for wildlife relief
Mother Nature is scaring up plenty of bad Halloween weather today across the U.S., from wildfires and high winds to snowstorms and thunderstorms. Whether hauling a full load or less than truckload, bobtailing or deadheading, drivers will need to be extra careful.
DOT Announces Audit of FMCSA Oversight on Driver Disqualifications
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General has initiated an audit of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s oversight of truck driver disqualifications. OIG issued a memorandum announcing the audit Oct. 22. FMCSA’s oversight duties include annual reviews of state driver licensing agencies to make sure the agencies are complying with commercial driver […]
Truck Tonnage Index Sees Slight Increase in September
American Trucking Associations’ seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index saw a slight gain in September after falling 4% the month before. The Index increased 0.2% compared to August, equaling 117.6 and was up 3.5% compared to the same month in 2018.