TDMST Weekly Round-Up: 2020.11.07

This is the TDMST Weekly Round-Up of news affecting professional truck drivers, written by Vicki Simons for the week ending November 7, 2020.

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

 

1. Regarding AB5 being overturned by Proposition 22

In my opinion, "finally some liberty prevails" was the key phrase in a November 5, 2020, article about how California's controversial AB 5 was overturned on Election day by Proposition 22.

The article states (emphases added) that Proposition 22:

• "protects the rights of drivers for various ride-sharing companies... to work as independent contractors, rather than employees..."; and
  
  
• "protects the ride-sharing companies' liberties to contract with drivers, rather then being forced to hire them as employees with expensive mandated benefits."

From other articles I've read, it was apparent that at least 3 of the gig economy companies were prepared to move out of California if Proposition 22 did not pass!

In other words, the entrepreneurial spirit in these companies was not going to be stifled! Yay!

Lawmakers who were supposedly concerned about the "rights of workers" to get certain employer-provided benefits -- and put AB5 into place -- were not listening to those in the gig economy who:

• wanted the freedom of working for themselves (not employers); and
  
  
• voluntarily chose to either be without employer-provided benefits or get them independently.

In my opinion, those lawmakers who tried to limit (or take away) the freedom of the people were acting in a blatantly unbiblical and unconstitutional manner.

The Biblical model is for people to work with their own hands for their sustenance:

• 1 Thessalonians 4:11: "and to aspire to live quietly, to attend to your own matters, and to work with your own hands, as we instructed you."
  
  
• Ephesians 4:28: "He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing good with his own hands, that he may have something to share with the one in need."
  
  
• 1 Corinthians 4:12a: "We work hard with our own hands. ..."
  
  
• Ecclesiastes 9:10: "Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, for in Sheol, where you are going, there is no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom."

Amendment XIV: Section 1 (emphasis added):

All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

However, now that Proposition 22 has passed, the people have spoken and this measure of freedom can continue.

Hurray!

Other articles about how Proposition 22 may affect the trucking industry include:

• Could Prop 22 Help Solve the Worker Misclassification Problem?
  
  
• Prop 22 wins in California; takes Uber, Lyft and other drivers out from under AB5
  
  
• Uber, Lyft Win in California Vote About Drivers
  
  

I look forward to reading more about wins for gig economy workers -- especially professional truck drivers -- in the days to come!

 

2. Regarding Veteran's Day:

Watch for freebies, discounts and special sales like this for military personnel and veterans:

• Free meal for current and former military members on Veterans Day at major truck stop chain
  
  

 

3. Regarding APU, technology, HOS, recall:

APU

• Green APU: A 10-Year Success Story That’s Not Standing Still
  
  

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Technology

• How the pandemic is accelerating freight digitalization (with video)
  
  
• ELDs and dashcams, unpopular with some, have improved safety (with video)
  
  
• Innovative companies cut waste, keep drivers safe with tech solutions (with video)
  
  

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HOS

• Drivers wade slowly into new HOS options, ELD makers report
  
  
• Truckers say hours of service flexibility helps them
  
  

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Recall

• Recall announced for 8,400 2020 VNL tractors
  
  

 

4. Regarding autonomous vehicles:

I am sharing these articles as a courtesy so that you may stay on top of this and contact your elected officials:

• ‘How Can We Roll Out Driverless Trucks As Quickly As Possible?’ Wonders FMCSA Out Loud
  
  
• FMCSA eyes autonomous trucks
  
  
• FMCSA hopes to gain ‘traction’ for automated-vehicle tech through hands-on demos, gathering input from industry insiders
  
  
• FMCSA looking to gain traction on autonomous trucking
  
  
• FMCSA Wants Fleet Perspective on Autonomous Trucks
  
  
• Self-driving trucks are almost here (with video)
  
  
• The Daily Dash: TIA on broker transparency; feds on autonomous trucks
  
  

 

5. Regarding accidents and Low Clearance Awareness Day:

Accidents

Learn from these accidents and seek to prevent them from happening to you and others:

• Driver cited after failing to report accident that seriously damaged bridge supports
  
  
• Railroad crossing snags big rig, RV, causing collision that ripped rig apart
  
  
• Semi trailer busts open, spills beer everywhere
  
  
• Three truck crash leaves highway littered with beer cans
  
  
• Train slams into stalled truck; driver escapes unharmed
  
  

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November 8 is Low Clearance Awareness Day

Remember that back in 2016, I named November 8 as "Low Clearance Awareness Day."

My offer of a reward about a specific low clearance is still outstanding.

In the name of Truck-Drivers-Money-Saving-Tips.com, I will give a $50 Amazon.com gift card to

• the first professional truck driver who can document to my satisfaction
  
  
• that any GPS (Global Positioning System) unit that has specifically been configured for 13'6" commercial motor vehicles
  
  
• has routed him/her to go under any overpass that is shorter than 13'6" in the lanes of travel (not on the shoulders) within the continental USA.

 

6. Regarding bad operations, drugs and violence:

Bad operations

Protect yourself and your rig; don't do these things:

• This truck driver is the embodiment of ‘if it fits, it ships’
  
  
• Trucker drove 12 miles with that problem?
  
  
• Trucking companies’ illegal dumping destroys nearly 20 acres of sensitive wetland
  
  
• VIDEO: A truck driver tries to go through a McDonald's drive thru. It does not go well.
  
  

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Drugs

Never haul illegal drugs!

• $60M in meth was seized at the US-Mexico border last week
  
  
• More than 3,000 pounds of meth, worth more than $60 million, discovered in commercial rigs
  
  

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Violence

Watch out for things like this and protect yourself:

• Police say 'fake cops' pulled over and tried to rob a trucker
  
  

 

7. Regarding economy:

These are some of the most recent articles about the economy, as it affects the trucking industry:

• CBSA: Truck arrivals rose 2% last week
  
  
• ECONOMIC WATCH: Class 8 orders surge on renewed fleet optimism
  
  
• Growth slowed broadly, but spot freight rose in October
  
  
• Truck orders hit highest mark in two years
  
  

 

8. Regarding electric and fuel:

Electric

• California Allows Private Sales of Electricity as Motor Truck Fuel
  
  
• Electric Class 8 Volvo available for order next month
  
  
• Fleet orders 150 Tesla Semis; electric Peterbilt now available
  
  
• Math shows all-electric truck might not be greenest solution
  
  
• Volvo Trucks to Offer Full Range of Electric Trucks in Europe, Green Financing
  
  

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Fuel

• Daimler, Volvo Show Hydrogen is Here, Diesel Has a Sell-By Date | Trucks.com
  
  
• Hyliion CEO: Natural gas key to future of electric trucking (with video)
  
  
• Sales of Class 8 natural gas trucks dropped 15% year to date through August, ACT report shows
  
  
• Study: Natural Gas Refuse Trucks Versus Battery Electric...What's More Green?
  
  
• TA sees double-digit jump in diesel fuel pumped during 3Q
  
  

 

9. Regarding inspections, insurance, maintenance, operations:

Inspections

• CVSA Issues Bulletin to Mitigate False Inspection Violations From ELD Data Transfers | Transport Topics
  
  

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Insurance

• A Fleet Owner’s Survival Guide in a Hard Insurance Market
  
  

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Maintenance

• Don’t Let Vehicle Maintenance Get in the Way of Profitability
  
  

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Operations

• Conquering mountains is a downhill battle
  
  
• Driving truck operations into the cloud (with video)
  
  

 

10. Regarding money:

• What drives trucker compensation low?
  
  

 

11. Regarding routing, safety, sleep:

Routing

• Finding the Best Route: A Long-Term Strategy for Top Transportation Talent
  
  
• Neighborhood watch taking steps to ensure truckers have “no excuses” to cut through residential road
  
  

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Safety

• Don't risk personal safety to avoid fines for not removing snow/ice from trailer roofs
  
  
• FMCSA Just Removed An Important Safety Step, But Only For Knight-Swift
  
  
• Safety on the road: Driver health, safety, and security combine to provide a thriving industry
  
  

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Sleep

• Are Your Drivers Getting Enough Sleep?
  
  "Even though it's slightly overshadowed by that other big national event this week, the National Sleep Foundation reminds us that this week (Nov. 1-8) is Drowsy Driving Prevention Week. NSF says drowsy driving is reaching epidemic proportions in 2020, with an estimated 100,000 police-reported crashes involving drowsy driving every year in the U.S."
  
  

 

12. Regarding weather and winter:

Weather

• 3 kinds of weather perilous to driver health
  
  
• The best weather apps for truckers: Part 2
  
  

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Winter

• 5 items truckers should carry to survive winter storms
  
  
• 10 things you can do to have a safe trip this winter
  
  
• To avoid downtime, winterize your truck for added protection
  
  

 

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: 2020.11.07 to our TDMST Weekly Round-Up Trucking Commentary or our Truck Drivers Money Saving Tips home page.

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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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