This is the TDMST Weekly Round-Up of news affecting professional truck drivers, written by Vicki Simons for the week ending July 25, 2020.
We welcome your comments, thoughts and feedback on the items of your choice below.
By way of background, in my Electronic Logging Devices Mandate Commentary -- which I delivered on December 4, 2017 -- I stated:
On November 29, 2017, Indiana Attorney General Curtis T. Hill, Jr. wrote a letter to the FMCSA "to propose an immediate delay in the implementation of new requirements currently set to take effect December 18, 2017, regarding the use of Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) by commercial drivers."
In that letter, we read:
"With manufacturers of ELDs currently responsible for 'self-certifying' their compliance with government standards -- with no effective procedures seemingly yet developed to provide oversight over such 'self-certifying' -- drivers and operators are left without any way of ascertaining which brands and models of devices ultimately will pass muster. They must 'fly blindly' into investing in products they are being required to purchase."
Also, in my Comments to FMCSA on Automated Driving Systems, which I wrote on August 27-28, 2019, I stated:
Anything that runs on technology is only as good as:
- The hardware (which can fail);
- The software and programming (which can be faulty); and
- Its inability to be hacked by hackers.
This week, we find out the ramifications of the FMCSA allowing ELD manufacturers to "self-certify" and finally, those of us who waved the red flag back in 2017 have been vindicated over our concerns regarding the potential for hacking.
Recent articles about this include:
A somewhat related article also states:
Truckers look for functionality, reliability as ELD mandate ages.
With the huge push by many to replace human truckers with machines (self-driving, driverless, and autonomous trucks), there have been many predictions as to when this technology will go mainstream.
News this week includes predictions as to how far off that will be:
Just so you can keep up with what's going on, here are related articles on this topic:
Recent articles about the trucking industry and the economy include:
I am very outspoken regarding the need for people to:
Numerous medical doctors have spoken out against the wearing of face masks for the simple reasons that their use can lead to:
In spite of the fact that there is no scientific justification for wearing face masks, this week:
Recent articles on this topic include:
In response to the NATSO CEO calling for a nationwide face mask mandate -- saying that it is a "patriotic duty" to wear one -- I have several things to say:
Do not fall for these fallacies or anything like them.
Learn to discern and follow the money trail.
Just curious: Is it possible -- just barely possible -- that the truck stops in NATSO's network sell face masks and have something to gain thereby?
Hmm...
This is an interesting article, particularly for those who have typically always resisted retreaded tires:
6 Things Top Retreaders Want Fleets to Know.
Smuggling humans and illegal products is never worth the promised price:
Well, the Pennsylvania Turnpike is back in the news with their announcement of approving its 13th annual system-wide toll increase in 2021, this one varying depending on whether or not one is on E-ZPass:
Please be careful about releasing your personally identifiable information over an app.
You never know how it will be used, tracked or hacked in the future.
Recent articles about apps include:
News about a past and future safety blitz include:
It is distressing that truckers have been and are being targeted for violence:
Please take the appropriate steps to:
Over and over again, we have addressed low clearance accidents and how to avoid them on our site.
I've even issued a reward to the first person who can prove that their commercial motor vehicle-specific GPS unit led them to a low clearance.
In spite of all of that, a trucker tried to take a 13'6" trailer under an 11'0" high bridge and did a lot of damage in the process.
This was completely preventable!
According to a July 22, 2020, article:
Ouch!
According to another article:
If you travel in this area with a big truck, please choose another route.
Several trucking related lawsuits have been filed, settled, or proposed:
I love it when truckers do what is right, and after they are punished, are later vindicated.
Such happened in this case:
Feds: Company must re-hire a driver fired for refusing to drive an overweight truck
You can't make this stuff up!
First the Protesters [Planned] to Shut Down "Multiple Checkpoints" Along I-490 During Rush Hour.
Then there was the report of how Protesters [Clashed] With Police After Shutting Down Stretch of I-490.
In an interesting turnaround (given that some protesters have been calling for the defunding and eradication of police departments), we read:
Group Cancels Interstate Protest, Blames Police for Not Helping Block Traffic!
The protesters want to get rid of the police and then blame them for not helping them carry out the protest?
Bahahahaha!
A portable toilet was one of the two indispensable packing list items that my husband Mike and I had in the trucks we drove for the 10 reasons we describe.
If only other truckers traveling through Wyoming had taken our advice to heart!
This is a larger version of the Thetford Porta Potti than we used in our trucks, the link being from Amazon.com, with which we have an affiliate relationship.
I have described over and over again why it is necessary for truckers to be able to use a truckers atlas in routing themselves.
Now we read: Garmin reports massive outage affecting its products.
That's right! A GPS unit will do you no good when there's a service outage!
I have listed here the Rand McNally Truckers Atlas that we recommend from Amazon.com, with which we have an affiliate relationship.
Rand McNally Motor Carriers' Road Atlas Deluxe Edition
(laminated and spiral bound for heavy-duty users)
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: 2020.07.25 to our TDMST Weekly Round-Up Trucking Commentary or our Truck Drivers Money Saving Tips home page.