This is the TDMST Weekly Round-Up of news affecting professional truck drivers, written by Vicki Simons for the week ending September 21, 2019.
We welcome your comments, thoughts and feedback on the items of your choice below.
Tropical Depression Imelda has brought a lot of rain to southeast Texas, so much so that parts of Interstate 10 -- some 23 miles' worth -- were shut down and some drivers were left stranded.
One article stated that in 72 hours, more than 40 inches of rain fell.
Occasionally, someone thinks he can outsmart a flood and keep on driving, only to get stuck later or have to be rescued by others.
Commercial motor vehicles were designed to be driven on land, not through high water. So never attempt to drive into flood waters!
Numerous articles have been written about this storm, including those here, here, here, here, here and here.
For the most recent road information in Texas, click here.
Numerous articles were written this week about how California Governor Gavin Newsome signed into law Assembly Bill 5 (AB5) "that trucking interests in the state say will wipe out the ability to use owner-operators" and yet others say will not create a "doomsday" scenario.
This topic was also written about here, here, here and here.
Almost 47,000 citations were issued during the CVSA's Operation Safe Driver Week this past July according to articles written here, here, here, here and here.
The top 3 violations were:
Truckers were reported as receiving "nearly 1,500 tickets" during the event.
Ouch!
When one trucker made a triple mistake of trying to pass another trucker -- "in a no-passing zone, on a grade, and on a corner" -- another motorist lost his life in the resulting head-on collision.
This was totally preventable!
Although at times it is frustrating to be "stuck" behind a slower-moving vehicle, consider the cost of passing illegally in terms of both life and property.
Our condolences go to the family of the motorist who died.
The author of this article wrote:
After many conversations with these young men and women, I think I can safely say that, unless there's a bona fide likelihood of making $100,000 or so a year in trucking, these kids are not going to waste their time. They are simply not interested. They're not stupid. They look at the average cost of a home, the average cost of a new car, and so much more -- they know that if they do not want to be in debt for the rest of their lives, they need an income to match.
Of course, there's more to the issue of the trucker churn rate, like burnout.
But pay plays a big part of this lifestyle occupation.
You may appreciate the advice given in the column "Trucking Law: Protecting yourself during a traffic stop".
According to a September 17, 2019, article:
While there's a definite planning benefit to paid reservations that can serve to minimize time wasted hunting out a space in an unfamiliar or congested area, a relative few readers seem to actually use reservations to that effect.
The sentiments expressed ranged over this spectrum, which I summarize as:
According to a September 17, 2019, article, there are five federal trucking regulatory changes in the works:
Another article said that a coalition of 30+ trucking-related trade associations -- led by the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) -- is writing to Congress to oppose "four trucking mandates that have been proposed in Congress recently":
Starting on September 18, 2019, the cost of a "first weigh" at a CAT Scale will cost $12 and each subsequent reweigh will cost $2.50.
More on this was written here.
A September 16, 2019, article stated that "a drone attack struck oil plants in Saudi Arabia, shutting down production by half, [and] oil prices skyrocketed at a record rate."
According to a September 18, 2019, article, "The price of gasoline crept higher after a weekend attack devastated Saudi Arabian oil output, but if the disruption to global supplies is short-lived, the impact on the U.S. economy will probably be modest."
More on this topic was written here.
Several unrelated articles have recently been published that may help truckers:
A September 13, 2019, article stated that after 20 years of planning, "On the morning of Friday, September 13, Florida transportation officials officially opened the [new seven-mile long, four lane] Starke Truck Route (also known as State Road 223), which is intended to cut down on traffic congestion on U.S. 301."
Hurray!
My husband Mike and I wish you -- and all professional truck drivers -- safe travels and lots of money saving opportunities on the road.
Return from TDMST Weekly Round-Up: 2019.09.21 to our TDMST Weekly Round-Up Trucking Commentary or our Truck Drivers Money Saving Tips home page.