TDMST Weekly Round-Up: 2020.07.11

This is the TDMST Weekly Round-Up of news affecting professional truck drivers, written by Vicki Simons for the week ending July 11, 2020.

We welcome your comments, thoughts and feedback on the items of your choice below.

 

1. Regarding Operation Safe Driver and Brake Safety Week:

There are two upcoming events about which professional truck drivers need to be aware.

The first is Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance's Operation Safe Driver Week 2020, which runs:

• from Sunday, July 12
  
  
• through Saturday, July 18.

The emphasis this year will be speeding.

You can read more in these articles:

• Enforcement Blitz Begins Next Week
  
  
• Enforcement Blitz Begins This Weekend, Will Focus on These 8 "Dangerous Driver Behaviors"
  
  
• CVSA Operation Safe Driver Week to place added focus on speed
  
  
• Operation Safe Driver enforcement push starts July 12
  
  
• Upcoming Operation Safe Driver Week puts drivers, equipment in the spotlight
  
  

Speaking of speeding, yet another article was written about North Carolina creating a team to catch speeders.

 

The second event is CVSA's Brake Safety Week, which will run:

• from August 23
  
  
• through August 29.

Articles about that event include:

• Truck brake blitz scheduled for August
  
  
• Brake Safety Week inspection blitz set for August
  
  
• Brake Safety Week scheduled for August 23-29, CVSA says(1)
  
  
• CCJ Daily Dispatch, July 9: Brake-focused inspection spree set for late August
  
  
• CVSA says Brake Safety Week 2020 will proceed
  
  
• CVSA Schedules Brake Safety Week for Late August
  
  
• Mark your calendar: Brake Safety Week is Aug. 23-29
  
  
• Putting the brakes on brakes
  
  
• Week-Long CMV Brake Inspection Blitz Coming as Scheduled

 

2. Regarding insurance:

A July 3, 2020, article opened with this statement:

Just one day before the House approved a bill that would require double insurance coverage, an Illinois carrier filed for bankruptcy protection citing skyrocketing insurance rates.

Other articles about insurance that were recently published include:

• Ensure your independent drivers are covered as well
  
  
• How a $1.25 million insurance liability hike may affect owner-operators
  
  

 

3. Regarding politics and regs:

Articles published this week cover various angles of politics and regulations concerning trucking:

• Louisiana Moves to Stop Nuclear Verdicts
  
  
• THUD subcommittee approves $158.3 billion FY 2021 bill
  
  
• Small-biz truckers could land larger voice on regs committee
  
  
• DOT invests more money in safety technologies
  
  
• DOT makes $60 million available to 'unleash technological potential' that will improve transportation efficiency and safety
  
  
• New Bill Requires USDOT to Withhold Highway Safety Funds From States Defunding Police

 

4. Regarding truckers and business:

Various articles published this week that focus on truckers and business include:

• Have You Ever Seen a Copy of Your PSP? Here's What It Looks Like
  
  
• Partners in Business tip: Keep your records
  
  
• How Truckers, Motor Carriers Can Build Good Relationships With Shippers
  
  
• J.B. Hunt Agrees to $6.5 MILLION Settlement in Driver Misclassification Lawsuit
  
  
• 6 helpful trucking tips for the summertime
  
  
• EKA Announces Real-Time Visibility Platform for Carriers, Brokers and Shippers

 

5. Regarding fuel:

A few articles published this week address fuel:

• Factoring fuel savings: TK7 Products offers finance option
  
  
• For trucking, a 'polyfuel future' awaits
  
  
• Participating merchants now offer fuel discount for truckers using WEX account

 

6. Regarding border crossings and privacy:

If you're a trucker who crosses back and forth from the USA into Canada or vice versa, be aware of the content of these and other similar articles:

• More border crossings collect contact information from drivers
  
  
• Agents collecting truckers' personal information to track COVID-19

 

7. Regarding economy:

Some articles about how the economy and trucking industry have been impacted include:

• Auction volumes soar for used trucks
  
  
• Could tolls soon be coming to Michigan roads?
  
  
• How will resurging COVID-19 cases affect supply chains?
  
  
• New COVID-19 outbreaks add volatility to truckload markets
  
  
• Survey: 50% Support Mileage Fees, 75% Support Gas Tax Increase
  
  
• Survey: COVID-19 Cut Business for 70% of Fleets in May
  
  
• Trucking technology put to work in Covid-19 fight
  
  
• Truck orders begin to climb as freight volumes improve

 

And where hiring and jobs are concerned:

• Bill Would Increase Carrier Hiring Standards
  
  
• Lawmakers reintroduce trucking company hiring standards
  
  
• Reefer jobs disappearing, trucks to be sold in Odwalla closing
  
  
• Study confirms trucking job losses
  
  
• Technology Helps Flatbed Carrier Grow
  
  
• Trucking adds jobs for second straight month
  
  

 

8. Regarding meanness, protests and police:

You may be able to avoid trouble and trouble spots reported in the news this week:

• Someone's throwing stop spikes on Texas highways - dozens reporting flattened tires
  
  
• FMCSA Considers Unprecedented Action Amid Rise in Violence and Highway Protests
  
  
• More Protests Force Shutdowns of U.S. Interstates, 1 Protester Killed by Motorist
  
  
• UPDATE: Criminal Charges Could Soon be Filed Against I-35 Trucker, Authorities Confirm
  
  
• Outspoken Trucking Exec Warns Cities Defunding Police..."You're Going to Run out of Food!"
  
  
• Taxpayer lawsuit against California city, police department claims discrimination against minority trucking contractors

 

9. Regarding innovation:

Well, this is an interesting idea!

Grocery company looking to turn tractor trailers into traveling supermarkets

 

10. Regarding truck operations and maintenance:

Articles about this topic include:

• Mack, Volvo Enhance Uptime Packages
  
  
• Ohio is building an automated truck corridor along a major interstate
  
  
• OOIDA offers Truck to Success course online this fall
  
  
• New Lawsuit Alleges "Secret Permits" Discriminate Against Port of Oakland Minority Truckers
  
  
• How Well-Maintained Trailers Go Right to the Bottom Line

 

11. Regarding accidents, risky moves, and road rage:

I dreaded the time when I was going to start reading about truck accidents being on the rise.

This week was the first time since the "lockdowns" started that I noticed truck accidents being in the news in a noticeable way.

And so many of these were completely preventable!

• As many as 27 trucks in bizarre string of I-81 accidents
  
  
• Bridge buckles under the weight of truck's load
  
  
• Impaired Teen Driver Collides With Illegally Parked Semi-Trailer Killing Three, Survivor Files Suit
  
  
• Semi hauling chocolate milk loses entire load after slamming into underpass
  
  
• Semi-Tanker Driver Loses His Life in Collision With Disabled Car
  
  
• Tiny Truck Stop Post Causes A Lot of Damage
  
  
• Trucker caught nodding off while driving
  
  
• Trucker Headed to Prison and Facing Deportation After Deadly Hit and Run
  
  
• Trucker's "Rookie" Mistake Leads to "Circus" in Small Pennsylvania Town
  
  
• Wind picks up truck and tips it over

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The video shown on this page was not only a "risky" pass, but it was downright illegal!

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Two articles published this week covered road rage:

• Georgia Truck Driver Involved in Terrifying Road Rage Encounter
  
  
• Motorists Accuse Trucker of Racism

 

12. Regarding Paycheck Protection Program (PPP):

I still adamantly oppose the federal government stepping in to try to "protect" businesses that were harmed by government actions (whether federal, state or other).

Setting up a tilt -- in which some businesses "accept help" while others do not -- seems unfair in so many respects.

Still, here are some articles about the PPP, just so that you can keep up with what is going on and who got what.

• Autonomous trucking startups reap millions in PPP loans
  
  
• Breaking: More than 800 3PLs got $150k plus under PPP
  
  
• CCJ Daily Dispatch, July 7: Paycheck Protection Program resumes application process
  
  
• How long can PPP keep near-bankrupt carriers afloat? (with video)
  
  
• Over 3,000 Trucking Companies Received PPP Loans
  
  
• Paycheck Protection Program application period extended to August 8
  
  
• Paycheck Protection Program loans go to more than 3,200 trucking firms
  
  
• Paycheck Protection Program loans in manufacturing
  
  
• PPP loan can't save Alabama carrier from bankruptcy
  
  
• Senate vote would give PPP assistance program six more weeks
  
  
• Sorting through the data on PPP loans: A road map from FreightWaves
  
  
• Trucking Businesses Make Up Only a Fraction of Those That Secured PPP Loans of $150K
  
  
• Trump signs PPP extension, program lives until August 8

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And in case you were wondering about YRC, these articles may be helpful:

• Most YRCW debt ratings held steady by Moody's after Treasury action
  
  
• Trying to make sense of the YRC bailout
  
  
• YRCW won't face loan maturity payments for 4+ years under new deal

 

13. Regarding drug testing:

After all of that uproar about the FMCSA requiring drug and alcohol testing, it is amazing to me how lax -- oh, excuse me... "flexible!" -- enforcement may become (or may already be!).

• DOT to consider driver drug testing leniency for fleets
  
  
• Drug and alcohol testing discretion offered by FMCSA
  
  
• FMCSA May 'Exercise Discretion' Enforcing Random Drug Testing
  
  
• FMCSA temporarily relaxing random drug-testing requirements
  
  
• FMCSA to provide 'flexibility' for random drug testing
  
  
• FMCSA to use enforcement discretion on random drug testing during COVID

 

14. Congratulations!

Hurray!

There are some positive things in the news for truckers!

• Landstar System honors 143 owner-operators for safety, professionalism behind the wheel
  
  
• Nine carriers competing in Small Fleet Champ contest
  
  
• Overdrive's Small Fleet Champ semi-finalists for 2020
  
  
• Tennessee DOT celebrates I-440 project completion

 

My husband Mike and I wish you -- and all professional truck drivers -- safe travels and lots of money saving opportunities on the road.

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Return from TDMST Weekly Round-Up: 2020.07.11 to our TDMST Weekly Round-Up Trucking Commentary or our Truck Drivers Money Saving Tips home page.

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Reference:

1. https://www.thetrucker.com/trucking-news/equipment/brake-safety-week-scheduled-for-august-23-29-cvsa-says/ (no longer online)

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Recommended Trucker Accessories

• Portable Toilet
  
  
• Cold Food Storage Device
  
  
• Appliances to Cook in Your Truck
  
  
• Powering Your Appliances
  
  
• Navigation Tools
  
  
• Communication Tools

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