TDMST Weekly Round-Up: 2020.11.14

This is the TDMST Weekly Round-Up of news affecting professional truck drivers, written by Vicki Simons for the week ending November 14, 2020.

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

 

1. Regarding trucker strike and Thanksgiving:

There have been numerous reports of a proposed strike among independent truckers lasting one day over Veterans Day (November 11) and several days around Thanksgiving.

The purpose of the strikes seem to be political in nature (as the articles listed below show).

Back in 2011, the price of diesel in the USA had climbed to over $4 per gallon, which prompted some truckers to threaten to protest by parking their rigs -- if only for an hour.

I wrote an article entitled: "Trucker Protest: 10 Reasons Why Parking Your Truck Can Be Costly."

While I certainly understand trucker frustrations, there are (in my opinion) much better ways to make your voice heard than parking your truck and doing yourself out of at least part of a paycheck.

Are you calling your elected officials on the state and federal levels?

If you are not making phone calls, I urge you to start calling them every week and addressing the issues on your mind.

List in your phone the following for easy access:

• your state Representative / Assembly member / Delegate,
  
  
• your state Senator,
  
  
• your U.S. Representative, and
  
  
• both of your U.S. Senators.

If you're open to learning about a 60+ year old organization that helps people advocate for Constitutional principles, contact us and ask.

Strike

• Truck drivers may be threatening to strike in wake of election, coronavirus regulations
  
  
• Trucker group plans to 'shut 'em down' Wednesday in nationwide protest
  
  
• StopTheTires2020 founder hopes to gain understanding, support of trucking industry issues from government
  
  
• Supply chain reports no disruption after trucker protest
  
  Quote: "Despite thousands of posts by members of a truckers' group calling itself StopTheTires2020 promising to turn off their rigs Wednesday, few did."
  
  

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Thanksgiving

• Idaho truck stop to give truckers a free Thanksgiving dinner
  
  

 

2. Regarding spotlight on veterans and the military:

Free Breakfast

• Starting today, Pilot Flying J is offering free breakfast for veterans
  
  Quote: "From November 9 - 15, Pilot Flying J is offering a free breakfast combo to all veterans at participating U.S. Pilot and Flying J Travel Centers."
  
  

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Finalists

• U.S. Army veteran Gail Losee named a finalist for Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence award
  
  
• U.S. Army veteran Ivan Hernandez named a finalist in Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence award
  
  

 

3. Regarding politics and lawsuits:

As of this writing (on November 13, 2020), there is no clear-cut winner for President of the United States as a result of the General Election held on Tuesday, November 3, 2020.

Even though the media may have declared one candidate to be the President-elect, the decision is not up to them.

There have been numerous allegations of fraud and vote-flipping in this election.

I wrote a 100-page research report in 2008 which revealed how easy it is to flip votes when ballots are cast by electronic voting machine with no paper back-up.

Meanwhile, if there is no clear-cut winner and no candidate concedes, the next President of the USA may be decided according to what is written in the 12th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

Meanwhile, the ATA has jumped the gun by congratulating one candidate, as if he will become President.

What will they do, I wonder, if that candidate doesn't actually become President?

Hmm...

Politics

• ATA congratulates Biden, will work with him on infrastructure
  
  
• Trucking industry group congratulates president-elect Biden
  
  
• What a Biden presidency means for zero-emission and autonomous vehicles
  
  

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Lawsuits

• The Daily Dash: Teamsters push for delay in California meal and rest break lawsuit
  
  

 

4. Regarding economy, future, pay, theft and pilfering, tolls, employment, and recruiting:

Economy

• Carriers reigning supreme this peak season
  
  
• DAT: October Spot Market's Record-Breaking Rates
  
  
• ECONOMIC WATCH: Freight TSI up 0.8%
  
  
• ECONOMIC WATCH: October third best month ever for trailer orders
  
  
• October Trailer Orders Soar to Third-Highest Level
  
  
• The Daily Dash: Strong freight demand to continue flowing into 2021
  
  
• US Consumer Sentiment Unexpectedly Declines on Economic Views
  
  

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Future

• The Future of Logistics
  
  

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Pay

• Associations seek relief from detention, demurrage fees in backed-up LA/Long Beach ports
  
  
• Carriers owed money after company files for bankruptcy
  
  
• Commentary: How the federal excise tax is shaping American transportation in 2020
  
  
• Does workers' compensation cover COVID-19 for truckers?
  
  
• Drilling Deep: Analyzing the trucking earnings numbers from the third quarter
  
  
• NY ports tout $250,000/year driver pay in supporting under-21 CDLs
  
  
• Owner-operator pay has surprisingly climbed in 2020
  
  
• Port of NY & NJ says 'seasoned' drivers can make $250K in comments to FMCSA
  
  
• Spot Premium Ratio hits 2-year high. What does that mean for contract rates?
  https://www.dat.com/blog/post/spot-premium-ratio-hits-2-year-highs-what-does-that-mean-for-contract-rates
  (no longer online)
  
  
• TA Net Income Soars to $8.6 Million in Q3
  
  
• White House Leaves Stimulus to Congress After Failed Talks
  
  

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Theft and pilfering

• Covid-19 affecting cargo theft trends
  
  
• Fighting the double brokering ID theft scam
  
  
• Pilferages up, but industry takes note
  
  

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Tolls

• New I-90 cashless tolling is taking a toll on tandem trucking
  
  

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Employment

• Defining independent contractors and owner-operators
  
  
• Number Seeking US Jobless Aid Drops to Lowest Since March
  
  
• Southwest Warns Workers of First Layoffs in Company History
  
  
• The Daily Dash: Truckers get boost in AB5 fight; robust freight environment just getting started
  
  
• Trucking attorney: Proposition passage in California bolsters AB5 exemption case
  
  
• Trucking jobs experience significant growth in October
  
  

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Recruiting

• How U.S. Xpress is Using Artificial Intelligence to Recruit Drivers
  
  

 

5. Regarding accidents:

Learn from these accidents and endeavor not to recreate the same set-up:

• I-80 in Wyoming shut down for high winds, crashes
  
  
• Man dies after being pinned between trailers during backing accident
  
  
• Shifting load of hay bales crushes car in fatal, multi-vehicle crash
  
  
• Troopers issue warning after semi strikes elk on I-90
  
  

 

6. Regarding bridge strikes in New York

• New tough fines in NY for trucks hitting low bridges (Read the penalties in this article!)
  
  
• New York launches week-long trucker crackdown to stop bridge strikes
  
  
• NY takes aim at trucks hitting low bridges
  
  

 

7. Regarding technology, 5G, HOS, ELDs, Amazon, drowsy driving study:

Technology

• Arizona's dust detection and warning system performed well during inaugural 'monsoon' season
  
  
• When ransomware attacks hit, companies choose between pay and pain
  
  

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5G

• Call for GAO Study on 5.9 GHz Spectrum
  
  

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HOS

• 4 Ways to Know if Personal Conveyance is Being Used Correctly
  
  
• FMCSA submits 8,000 comments in HOS lawsuit
  
  
• OOIDA Granted Leave to Intervene in HOS Case
  
  

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ELDs

• Benefits of Using an Electronic Logging Device
  
  
• Details begin to emerge on ELD certification process
  
  
• ELDs Enhance Productivity, Driver Satisfaction
  
  
• Senate's DOT bill maintains ELD waiver for livestockers
  
  
• The Clock is Ticking on Canadian ELD Compliance
  
  
• Truck driver distracted by ELD facing life in prison for crash that killed one
  
  

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Amazon

• Amazon expands in-garage delivery service
  
  
• Amazon to Expand In-Garage Delivery to 4,000 US Cities
  
  

 

8. Regarding drowsy driving:

• NHTSA to conduct drowsy driving survey
  
  In response to this article being posted on Facebook, I wrote:
  
  -----
  
  It is absolutely ludicrous to conduct a drowsy driving survey in the middle of face mask wearing!
  
  Every person who is wearing a face mask while driving is automatically reducing the amount of oxygen he/she inhales.
  
  Reduction in O2 intake > reduction of O2 to the brain > reduction in cognitive function, etc.
  
  -----
  
  

 

9. Regarding autonomous trucks:

I am posting these as a courtesy, so that you may stay up-to-date on this issue.

• Plus, FAW Self-Driving Truck Passes Certification Test in China
  
  
• Plus/FAW Joint Venture First to Certify Self-Driving Truck in China
  
  

 

10. Regarding electric, fuel:

Electric

• Daimler clicks collective 500,000 miles on electric truck odometers
  
  
• Ford E-Transit Starts Under $45,000, Has Estimated 126-Mile Range
  
  
• Freightliner reaches electric truck milestone
  
  
• PACCAR's zero-emissions trucks make 14,115-foot trek to top of Colorado's Pikes Peak
  
  
• Penske Deploys eM2 to Temco Logistics' Fleet
  
  
• Pride Group reserves 150 Tesla electric semis with option to increase order
  
  

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Fuel

• C.A.T.'s Natural Gas Trucks Get Boost with Hyliion E-axles
  
  
• Cummins, Navistar developing fuel cell truck for Werner testing
  
  
• Cummins, Navistar to collaborate on hydrogen fuel cell truck
  
  
• Make the most of fuel surcharges by squeezing the most from each gallon
  
  
• Panel Discusses What's Ahead for Greener Diesel
  
  
• Texas fuel tax eyed for increase by state lawmaker
  
  
• Weekly Fuel Report: November 9, 2020
  
  

 

11. Regarding operations, safety, violence, recall, inspections, deliveries, supply chain, detours:

Operations

• Alarmingly smoky semi caught on video on New Jersey Turnpike
  
  
• Determining freight-ton efficiency
  
  
• OOIDA: Don't let big fleets take advantage of young drivers
  
  
• Port of NY/NJ strives to keep cargo flowing
  
  
• Schneider CEO says only 'third inning' of trucking cycle
  
  
• Truck driver to pay maximum penalty for driving rig placed out of service
  
  
• VIDEO: 'This is why you never load a trailer heavy in the back'
  
  
• White Paper: The Future of Pharmaceutical Shipment Tracking
  
  

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Safety

• Despite drop in violations, fleets shouldn't stray from safety
  
  
• New insurance program rewards safe driving with savings up to 30%
  
  
• Owner-operators have until January 5 to register with Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse
  
  

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Violence

• Police arrest protester who busted semi windshield with traffic cone
  
  

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Recall

• Modest recall of Freightliner, Western Star trucks
  
  

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Inspections

• Expect to see more police patrolling next week during seat belt blitz
  
  
• NH troopers' inspections sideline 22 trucks, 7 drivers
  
  

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Deliveries

• Bikes and smart grids: How UPS manages urban delivery (with video)
  
  

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Supply Chain

• How COVID is Still Affecting the Supply Chain and Where We Go From Here
  
  
• Supply chain may see dark days ahead before it gets better
  
  
• The impact of COVID-19 on the food and beverage supply chain could be long lasting
  
  

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Detours

• Police beg truckers to stay off historic suspension bridge during Brent Spence Bridge shutdown
  
  
• Police shut down second Ohio/Kentucky bridge because too many truck drivers ignored the weight limit
  
  

 

12. Regarding weather and winter:

Weather

• America's best roads for truckers (weather permitting)
  
  
• Daily Infographic: Winter Storm Survival Pack
  
  
• Snowstorms slamming three freight regions this week (with forecast video)
  
  
• Tropical Storm Eta has semi trucks sliding off Florida highways, experts say there's more to come
  
  
• Truck drivers' favorite weather movies of all time
  
  
• Truckers rank the most dangerous weather conditions: Part 2
  
  

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Winter

• Winter Driving Tips For the Trucker | A Professional Driver's Safety Guide
  
  

 

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: 2020.11.14 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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