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A Bull’s Eye Hit: Rail Deal is a Tasty Treat for Indiana
Allow all stale and routine things to get washed out of our mind and let us concentrate on a fresh tantalizing subject. Ah yes, a man who is an employee of the Canadian National Railroad compensated for my burrito and beer. He was unaware at that time that this column was written by me and hence had a huge, significant audience. Similarly, I was unaware at the time that he had a scheme to represent.
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We Believe that We Know the Road Rules, is it True?
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Significant Decline in Truck-Related Fatalities Cited
A study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration concluded that fatalities related to large trucks dropped 4.4% in 2007 with 4,808 people as compared to 5,027 in 2006. This has been the lowest number since 1992.
A reduction of 0.4% was also noted for truck occupant fatalities, 5.2% for fatalities of the occupants of other vehicles and 4.7% for those of cyclists and pedestrians.
So what caused the remarkable drop? Experts say that a big factor for this decline is that people are simply driving less. In addition, people are also slowing down. These two things ...<< MORE >>
Nominations for Good Stuff Trucking Image Award Now Open
For the second time around, the American Trucking Association is seeking for nominees for the annual Mike Russell "Good Stuff" Trucking Image Award. This award commends those that create positive awareness of the industry by means of artistically implementing the "Good stuff. Trucks Bring it." campaign. It also celebrates the importance of the role that the truckers play in American society.
"The expression ‘Good stuff. Trucks Bring It.’ relates how important the trucking industry is for America. The men and women who work in this industry are proud of their role in keeping the country moving. ...<< MORE >>
Truck Drivers with Physical Impairments Drive on Highways
The licenses given to drivers of business trucks and buses should make sure that they are capable of handling such a huge responsibility.
But a novel research done by the Government Accountability Office discloses ignorance regarding CDL medical standards, therefore, rising the jeopardy on the highways.
In accordance to the U.S. Department of Transportation, 5,300 people died and an additional 126,000 were injured in the year 2006 due to the accidents caused by huge business vehicles. Among those 12 percent of the crashes, the drivers ...<< MORE >>
Truckers from the Buffalo Region: Making their way to the Countrywide Driving Challenges
Regardless of lengthy winters packed with snow and frost, a number of Western New York’s truck drivers are still among the best; both in state and nation.
Three local truckers will make their way to Houston Aug. 19-23 for displaying their talents and skills at the National Truck Driving Championships, after gaining success in the state competition.
“For us, it’s like making the Super Bowl,” said David May, a Con-Way Freight employee who lives in West Seneca. “It’s the biggest game of the year.”
May, the 2008 New ...<< MORE >>
Government Study Claims Medically Unfit Drivers Raises Road Risk
A study was conducted about the health of commercial vehicle drivers, including trucks and buses by the U.S. Government Accountability Office says over half a million drivers nationwide are hampered by a medical illness that could qualify them as disabled. The GAO maintains that these disabilities may or may not make them incapable of doing their jobs as drivers, but highway safety advocates are not convinced.
Commercial vehicles that carry goods and people all over the country are strictly regulated by federal and state laws to make sure they are in tip top shape, driven ...<< MORE >>
Bill will Augment Tow Truck Charges
City Councilman Bob Curran said non-medallion truckers who have been taking note of the police scanners have been hitting medallion towers who are chosen by the police to help the motorists.
He said their rates are ridiculous hundreds of dollars for services that licensed drivers must offer for $105.
"The towers arriving on the accident scene before the designated medallion tower assigned by the police callboard gets there, and they're towing these cars away to their own lots and charging exorbitant prices," ...<< MORE >>
Truck Driver Fined for Poor English Speaking Skills
In Birmingham, AL (WERC-AM), a business truck driver has been hit with a highest fine in Alabama for being unable to communicate in correct English with a policeman.
Manuel Castillo had been carrying onions throughout the state and was made to stop by a police officer. Even before the entire conversation was done, the truck driver was handed a $500 ticket for speaking English poorly.
Federal law needs business truck drivers who are fluent in speaking ...<< MORE >>
Truck Drivers Complain Against Sky Soaring Diesel Costs
Drivers of a number of 30 hardwearing trucks drove at a tortoise's speed down the right lane of Tahiti's chief throughway into business district Papeete for two hours Thursday morning, slowing down rush hour traffic to protest the high cost of diesel fuel.
The drivers want the Tong Sang government to decrease the tax on diesel in order to make it cheaper for the trucks used for massive constructions and public works projects. There was whooping nineteen percent rise in the price of gasoline and diesel done by the government on July 1 at service ...<< MORE >>
Decreased Sales force Sterling Plant to layoff 720 Employees
The workers of sterling truck and St. Thomas community were shocked after hearing the news that it is cutting 720 posts, totaling to more than 1,300 workers who lost their jobs at the assembly plant.
The deteriorating economic state of the U. S.A has resulted in reduction in the quantity of cargo hauled by trucks, and even reduced numbers of trucks are required to ship them said Dave MacArthur, chairperson of Canadian Auto Workers Local 1001 at the plant.
"This is ...<< MORE >>
Austere food safety rules govern harvesting and shipping of Mexican products.
Mr. Fry administers more than eight hundred workers who sow, crop and pack up lettuce, onions and broccoli for exporting it to the United States of America.
He often reminds his workers that their future lies in ...<< MORE >>
Brawny males, lethal work
Millions of viewers are glued to the television watching sweaty men doing masculine work! Let us dig into the reality television’s new emperor.
A truck forces down an iced highway on "Ice Road Truckers."
These heavy men are doing all sorts of daring stuff such as cutting tall and hefty trees, lashing big-rigs in snowstorms across iced up lakes. They are even killing rats, putting loads in the container ships; hauling up enormous crab pots in stormy seas. Most of all they are even drilling ...<< MORE >>
Hard Men on Reality TV
TESTOSTERO-REALITY SHOWS
Below there is a list of Thom Beer’s shows, with a short introduction of each. Shows with an asterisk are presently on a break.
You can see local schedule for nights and times. But the thing to be noted is that listed times can change on short notice.
DISCOVERY CHANNEL
“Deadliest Catch” — Go after the team of numerous crab boats in violent waters off Alaska.
“Verminators” – A pest-control SWAT squad wanders around in L.A., eradicating rats, roaches, etc.
“Lobster Wars”* - ...<< MORE >>
Clash for larger trucks: An unending battle of putting more LCVs on the highways
One must give Jimmy Hoffa and the haulers a credit. They really know how to fire off good sound bites. The above excerpt comes from the most recent Teamster broadside intended at heading off an effort to assess federal truck size and weight limit laws. The labor team also stated that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is suggesting the launch of a pilot program that would permit heavier and longer combination ...<< MORE >>
Arkansas Highway Officials Watch the Proposal to Increase Maximum Weight Limit Closely
State officials in Arkansas are concerned about the trucking industry's push to increase the 80,000-pound limit on the maximum weight on interstate highways to cover the huge demand for over-the-road transport. The Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department or AHTD is carefully watching their efforts since they are concerned an increase would speed up the deterioration of roads.
The trucking industry is citing a federal study that concluded a reduction of truck miles and accident exposure by 11% when 97,000-pound, six-axle trucks are allowed on the highways. Furthermore, trucking industry officials believe that an increase could reduce highway congestion, ...<< MORE >>
Trucking Firms Welcome US Veterans
After serving the country, former military personnel can start their post-military career in the trucking industry. Trucking firms are creating programs designed to attract former servicemen to their companies. Schneider National Truckload and Con-way Freight are just a few of the companies that are trying to recruit military personnel to their businesses.
Schneider National, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is implementing its Veterans Owner-Operator Program that gives former military personnel the training, mentoring, financial incentives and purchasing power so that they can become owner-operators. Both parties agreed to a Memorandum of Understanding that subsidizes the ...<< MORE >>
Increasing Fuel Prices: Pave Way for Rails to Haul Cargo
The consequence of the ever increasing fuel costs is seen on the cost of approximately everything, counting the companies that ship, receive or transport cargo.
"We've seen a reduction in the number of loads being shipped, mostly because people are trying to optimize shipments and waiting a few days until they have a full load to send," said Harry Conway with Pratt Industries, formerly Love Box. "They're trying to get the most for their money."
A very acute number of companies have seen ...<< MORE >>
Electric Trucks: A New Pollution Free Era
Trucks are infamous for being one of the main resources of causing air pollution. But revolution is a part of every invention. The ever increasing price of diesel is a main cause of concern for drivers. However, the invention of the electric trucks is rapidly changing the look of the transport industry.
Electric trucks take around three hours to charge and go up to 30 miles while dragging a 60,000-pound cargo container. They can go up to a massive range of 60 miles without load. The distance might not be ...<< MORE >>
Prices at the Pump Still Hurting Truckers
The Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported an average price of $4.69 per gallon of diesel nationwide, an increase of $1.88 from this time last year. And while everyone's complaining about getting only 22 miles per gallon, truckers are getting only a maximum of 5 miles per gallon of fuel, says Randy Winebrenner, vice president of Winebrenner Transfer Inc. in Hagerstown, Maryland. That's the 2006 Volvo tractor-trailer, the best in his fleet of 10 big rigs. Winebrenner Transfer hauls building materials to New England, North Carolina and South Carolina. Last week, his monthly fuel bill reached $60,000. "Your hand ...<< MORE >>
Wisconsin Trucking Companies Affected by the Rising Diesel Prices
Trucking companies in Wisconsin are placed in a difficult position by the sustained rising of diesel fuel prices in the market. Last week, MadisonGasPrices.com reported diesel fuel prices reached $4.89 per gallon as compared to the regular unleaded gasoline which cost about $4.00.
Trucking companies are placed in great financial pressure which lead to suspension of operations and layoffs in some firms.
WH Transportation Co. in Wausau announced a layoff of 340 employees in Wisconsin, Ohio and Georgia. The company is said to leave the van freight business and instead ...<< MORE >>
LB Port to Face Lawsuits Against their Truck Cleanup Program
Four months ago, the Port of Long Beach launched a plan to replace thousands of dirty trucks in the harbor. This program aims to decrease the amount of pollution in the area that causes high asthma and heart disease rates on the communities near the ports and railyards. The plan is to regulate the trucks that come and go to the port by banning old, polluting trucks and only allowing licensed motor carriers so that they can be responsible for hiring properly credentialed drivers and maintenance of their rigs to comply with Clean Trucks emission guidelines.
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Violations Found on Trucking Company Involved in Fatal Bus Crash
The Kentucky Vehicle Enforcement Agency investigated XXL Trucking’s involvement in the school bus crash that had twelve people injured and the 16-year old Daniel Wood killed. A dump truck operated by XXL crashed into a school bus in Falmouth on May 1, 2008. According to Kentucky Enquirer, eight federal and state violations were found during the safety compliance review conducted by the agency, three of which are labeled critical. These violations include not keeping time sheets and records of duty status, missing driver vehicle inspection reports and no scheduled inspection in any of their four trucks. The trucking company also ...<< MORE >>
Independent Truckers Not Welcome in LA Port by 2014
Last Thursday, the Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners decided to ban independent truck drivers from the Port of Los Angeles by the end of 2013. The phased-in schedule that they approved will still allow trucking companies to hire independent contractor drivers mixed with their employees on October 1, 2008 at the start of the $1.6 billion Clean Trucks Program, but they have to adhere to the board's series of annual hiring requirements for their company after that. By December 31, 2009, company employees must comprise at least 20% of the licensed motor carriers' fleets. By the end ...<< MORE >>
WSDOT Releases Results of Recent Truck Parking Survey
A total of 473 truck drivers and 99 trucking companies responded to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) survey on the state of truck parking in Washington. The conclusion is that there is an overwhelming clamor for more safe truck parking spaces. The results gathered will help them improve truck parking along the major truck corridors of I-5, I-90 and I-82. WSDOT prioritizes roadway safety and this is a huge step in giving truck drivers a safer place to park their rigs.
WSDOT Truck Freight Programs and Policy Manager Dale Tabat says this is ...<< MORE >>
ATA Calls for a Nationwide Slowdown
The company estimates that by setting the fleet’s speed limit back to 62 mph it will save 3.2 million gallons of diesel fuel a year, which translates into $12.8 million per year in today’s world of $4-per-gallon diesel ...<< MORE >>
CCSP Fights Truck Pollution at California Ports
Over the past year, the Teamsters, the National Resources Defense Council, and the American Lung Association ...<< MORE >>
Drivers Take Part in a Crime Watch Program
WM District Manager Jeff McMahon said that WM collection truck drivers will watch over eastside residents in the neighborhoods they service, observing any suspicious or dangerous activity and in turn reporting it to their dispatchers or directly to authorities.
90 WM Drivers received training sessions conducted by ...<< MORE >>
Retired Veterans in Illinois on the Road as Truck Drivers
The company estimates that by setting the fleet’s speed limit back to 62 mph it will save 3.2 million gallons of diesel fuel a year, which translates into $12.8 million per year in today’s world of $4-per-gallon diesel ...<< MORE >>
Breaking and Entering at the TA Truck Stop
The police reported that on the morning of April 13th five truck drivers complained that during the previous night someone had broken into their trailers, which were loaded with sinks, furniture, and rolls of paper, among others. While some drivers told the police that nothing they were aware of went missing, others could not confirm until they reached their destinations.
However, under one of those trailers, empty ...<< MORE >>
Trucking Industry Calls for Government's Help in Contending with Rising Fuel Prices
From July 2007 to January 2008, Diesel prices increased 40 cents per gallon and experts claim that a rise of 5 cents per gallon of fuel increases a trucker's annual costs by $1,000. This alarming increase has been hurting truckers all over America. 10 billion tons of freight are hauled annually consuming 58 billion gallons of fuel each year. The American Trucking Association projects a $22 billion increase in fuel expenses from last year.
"Considering that trucks account for the movement of 69 percent of all goods transported in the U.S. and are the only ...<< MORE >>
Fire in Columbian Trucking Company Amounts to $650,000 in Damages
According to Fire Chief Aubrey Jenkins, they made sure all the hotspots were out, but the fire was controlled by 7:00. They are still trying to determine the underlying cause, since nobody was there at the time of the fire. ...<< MORE >>
Truck Drivers Rally Demanding Increased Freight Rates
Truck drivers today are still getting paid the same to ship items across the country as they were years ago. In addition, the surcharge that consumers pay to offset the constantly climbing fuel prices does not get passed on to truckers, who pay their own fuel bills.
Truckers are left with no option but to strike in the face of high fuel prices and low freight rates.
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Fuel Technology: the American Public’s Top Priority
The survey shows that men, especially older men, crave cheaper gas. While 42% of men aged over 55 chose fuel technology as their top priority, only 31% of men aged between 18 and 34 did the same. ...<< MORE >>
Seat Belt Usage among Truck Drivers Reached Record Level
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters announced on March 25th that seat belt usage among commercial motor vehicle drivers jumped to a record high 65% in 2007. The figure reported showed significant improvement over the 48% and 59% reported in 2003 and 2006 respectively. Peters confirmed that, although this upward trend is a step in the right direction, the Department ...<< MORE >>
Rebates Awarded to Selected Trucking Companies from North Texas
The Texas Emissions Reduction Program awarded rebates to two trucking companies from Johnson County to replace their older trucks that emit higher levels of Nitrogen Oxide pollutants to newer ones that emit much less.
Two trucking companies, together with RD West Trucking of Godley and Valentine Trucking of Burleson were awarded $526,000 worth of rebates to assist them in purchasing newer, less pollutant trucks. RD West Trucking is purchasing a new haul truck, while Valentine Trucking is purchasing a new dump truck.
The rebate Valentine Trucking received covered half of the total ...<< MORE >>
Truckers Go on a One-day Strike over Record Diesel Prices
Everything people need on daily basis moves by trucks. Recent statistics provided by the trucking industry show that the majority of commodities and goods – 70% by volume and 80% by value - move by ...<< MORE >>
Truck Drivers Strike in Protest of High Diesel Costs
High diesel fuel prices drive some truckers, who are no longer able to make enough money, to abandon their trucks altogether and strike in protest. In fact, there were reports claiming that on April 1st some independent truck drivers at some stations across North Texas were putting their engines on hold.
On the ...<< MORE >>
Good News for Trucking Might Steer the U.S. Out of Recession
ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello found the fact that February’s truck tonnage managed to retain January’s strong 2.4% gain quite positive. This good news for trucking might suggest an end to the U.S. recession. Costello noted that truck tonnage is generally an indicator for overall economic activity. For example, in 2001, truck tonnage bounced back just as ...<< MORE >>
ATA Presses for a Cap on Diesel Fuel Prices
The ATA recommended the federal government to: stop filling and instead release oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, work with the states’ ...<< MORE >>
Safe Trucking Companies to be Awarded Fleet Safety Certification
SafeFleet Certification, developed by the company's trucking practice, is a performance-based safety certification. The safety performance of trucking companies is measured by comparing a fleet's safety performance to national averages for the trucking industry based on several safety performance criteria, including out-of-service violation percentage, DOT-crash rate per million miles, crash-related injury and fatality rate per 100 million miles, and injury rate that results in lost workplace time per 100 workers.
SafeFleet ...<< MORE >>
DRI Seminar to Discuss Trucking Legal Issues
The two-day program will take place on April 17th and 18th at the Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs, 11111 North Seventh Street, Phoenix, Arizona. Sessions of the seminar will be held from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on the first day and from 8:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on the second day.
DRI’s Trucking Law Seminar is designed to discuss recent trucking legal issues and provide helpful insight into the kind of challenges the trucking ...<< MORE >>
Doubt Cast over Mexican Truckers’ English Proficiency
Senator Bryan Dorgan, who has always been an opponent of the program, has expressed his concern over such a clear disparity between the legal requirement and that particular regulation, ...<< MORE >>
Saskatchewan Budget Focuses on Highways and Transportation Infrastructure
The $1 billion Ready for Growth Initiative will increase transportation spending to $513 million, the largest Saskatchewan's transportation budget on record. Currently, the Highways and ...<< MORE >>
Con-way Freight Awarded Top Safety Honors
Based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Con-way Freight is one of the leading less-than-truckload (LTL) carriers. It offers LTL freight delivery across North America as well as international less-than-container (LCL) ocean Freight delivery from Asia to the United States. Con-way Freight is a subsidiary of ...<< MORE >>
Trucking Stocks Plunge in First Quarter
According to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing on March 19th, truckload carrier Werner Enterprises Inc. predicted that its first-quarter profits will plummet considerably from a year ago.
Likewise, first-quarter earnings estimates across both truckload and less-than-truckload companies were slashed, as the severe weather continues to cause sharp increases in truck maintenance expenses and equipment costs. Although ...<< MORE >>
Talk of Renegotiating NAFTA Worries Truckers
ATA President and CEO Bill Graves spoke in favor of NAFTA and other free trade agreements, ...<< MORE >>
Will the Tax Stimulus Package Uplift the Trucking Industry?
Bob Costello, an economist for the American Trucking Associations, believes that the stimulus package will boost the overall economy, and consequently the ...<< MORE >>
Press Focuses on the Downside of Trucking
Between 1999 and 2005, the injury and fatal crash rate of large trucks in British Columbia has decreased by more than 16%. In addition, mechanical problems nowadays account for less than 5% of injury and fatal truck crashes.
The trucking industry is filled with efficient people, who do not make headlines. They quietly and safely push the ...<< MORE >>
O&S Trucking Inc. to Open in Ohio
Brian Underhill, vice president of Ohio operations for O&S Trucking Inc., spoke in a release of the company’s initial plan of opening a branch in Columbus. The company said that such a plan was later ruled out due to the 11-hour dispatch time from headquarters, which, if the law limiting 11 hours of driving in a 14-hour time period changes, could ...<< MORE >>
Driver Competence Essential to Safe Driving
Although a safe car or truck is vital to safe driving, it is inherently not to blame for accidents on the road. While most new vehicles are safe, within the parameters of engineering and design intent, too many drivers behind the ...<< MORE >>
Harbor Trucking Capacity in Southern California to be Cut in Half
Addressing the 8th Annual Trans-Pacific Maritime Conference, John Husing, a Southern California economist who studied the harbor trucking scene in 2007, said that at present nearly 16,800 trucks arrive regularly at the ports, but this capacity is expected to be cut in half by this fall for three reasons: many drivers will fail to qualify for the TWIC biometric identification card, Clean Trucks programs of the ports ...<< MORE >>
Owner-operators Struggle to Keep Business Afloat
The housing decline and less consumer spending have cut into loads, and the extra trucking capacity at hand is causing freight rates to spiral downward. In addition, diesel prices, which are always higher in winter, have experienced an astronomical spike, doubling over the past four years.
According to the Department of Labor, nearly 9% of the nation’s 3.4 million truck drivers are independent owner-operators. John Saldanha, who ...<< MORE >>
Truck Driving No Longer Canadian Males’ Top Drawing Job
In terms of absolute numbers, the retail sector was the fastest-growing occupation as it saw its numbers increase by ...<< MORE >>
Clean Truck Program Requested Agreement Opposed by the IMCC
Truck’s Loose Wheel Paralyzes Local Hockey Coach
On February 1st, two rear wheels came free from one of the company’s tractor-trailers, striking a pair of vehicles on Highway 15 north of Smiths Falls. While the first tire just bounced off some woman’s Ford Focus, ...<< MORE >>
Rising Fuel Costs Suspend General Delivery’s Trucking Service
As a result, the company had to shut off its over the road trucking service, which has been a part of its business since 1950, and the 29th February witnessed the company’s last ...<< MORE >>
Challenger Motor Freight Adds Top Awards to its Arsenal
Challenger has also won the prestigious Johnnie Walker Blue Award for the second year in a row. The award is presented to the overall Carrier of the Year, based on four performance criteria: timely pickup, timely delivery, ...<< MORE >>
Trucking Companies Hit by Elevated Diesel Fuel Prices
Rich Ferguson, terminal manager of Brilliant-based Fraley & Schilling Inc., conceded that, with elevated diesel fuel prices, the company’s ability to profit has been deeply affected. However, he said that his company has not resorted to cutting down the number of available trucks like other companies in the tri-state area have. Actually, the company is enjoying a very strong run in business in the area and is actively seeking more drivers.
Still, with diesel prices rising, it has become ...<< MORE >>
Transportation Infrastructure Improvement Plan Proposed
Tioga Hardwoods Inc., operating in Owego and Berkshire, uses trucks to transport wood from and to sawmills, averaging 250 truck loads per month. After drying and separating wood, the company eventually sells it. President and co-owner of Tioga Hardwoods Inc., Kevin Gillette, said that reliable transportation ...<< MORE >>
Truck Drivers Consider Issuing an Ultimatum on a Strike
With nearly half of their gross pay spent to fill up their trucks, truck drivers said if they are unable to charge more for
deliveries, they will eventually lose their business. Soaring gas prices may force them to strike unless someone comes up with a plan to control these fuel prices. Truckers may find themselves issuing an ...<< MORE >>
Between Clean Air and Truck Drivers’ Rights
On the 18th February, in its Clean Truck Program, Long Beach passed on a regulation concerning the standards and requirements for trucking companies dealing with the port and the general scheme of a grant program designed to help owner-operators and trucking companies pay for new trucks. This regulation, however, does not require port trucking companies to use only employee-drivers. It is entirely up ...<< MORE >>
Truckers All Around Protest the Rising Fuel Costs
Massive slowdowns and rallies were conducted on different areas of the United States last Tuesday as truckers called for protest using CB radios and internet message boards. This protest aims to put pressure on the government to use the country's oil reserves as well as reduce the federal and state taxes to compensate for the unsustainable fuel costs. Truckers are saying that what they're being reimbursed doesn't cover the fuel costs anymore and it's hurting them really bad to the point they're unable to pay for their bills. Some truckers say it costs them about $1 per mile ...<< MORE >>
Large Trucking Companies Call For Nationwide Slowdown
One of the country's largest trucking companies, Con-Way Freight with 8,500 rigs estimates a reduction of almost 3.2 million gallons of fuel every year with this move equating to about $12.8 million worth of savings. This is definitely a significant amount after a huge drop of 27% on their operating income last year. This may not be the ideal situation for independent truckers as they prefer to drive faster to ...<< MORE >>
LA Port Plan to be Challenged by ATA in Court
The Commissioners of one of the most-polluted regions in the United States unanimously approved a plan for cleaner-running trucks last Thursday. The high truck traffic, they say is the main culprit of the pollution in the area, that's causing various health problems for locals. Although the plan must still be approved by the City Council, the American Trucking Association has already expressed their opposition to this move and even intends to challenge it in court if it pushes through. The main concern is that part of the plan is to put a stop to the use of independent ...<< MORE >>
A Trucking Company Lays Off Over Half of their Workforce due to Rising Fuel Costs
DRC Express, a trucking company from Scott County that hauls general freight, laid off 23 of their 41 employees because of the continually rising fuel prices. Randy Stephens, general manager of DRC Express said the increasing Diesel cost has been hurting their company and at one point even put them up for sale.
This has not been uncommon due to the simple fact that the increasing fuel costs have been greatly affecting the entire industry. Last Monday, the cost of Diesel rose to a record-breaking national average of $4.002 per gallon. Bill Graves, CEO of the ...<< MORE >>
Women In Trucking Reaches the 1000-Member Milestone
After only a year from its conception, Women In Trucking, a non-profit organization that encourages the employment of women in the trucking industry has just signed in their 1000th member. WIT also strives to provide more understanding of the challenges that women in the industry face, especially those that most people may overlook. Ellen Voie, chairwoman of WIT mentions, "Although encouraging women to consider careers in the trucking industry is one role of WIT, it's not our only focus. We believe that providing a greater understanding of the special challenges that women face on the road, under the ...<< MORE >>
Missouri Trucking Company Creates 50 New Jobs For a New Hub
O&S Trucking chose to be safe and opened a new hub in Springfield over the other option Columbus, in case the new law limiting 11 hours of driving in a 14-hour time frame is implemented. Brian Underhill, vice-president of their Ohio operations, said in a press release that they ruled out the Columbus site because the dispatch time from their headquarters to Springfield is an hour shorter than the 11-hour dispatch time going there.
Underhill, a fleet manager and a third employee would handle operations on this site targeting to hire 50 drivers ...<< MORE >>
Difficult Conditions in the Trucking Industry Leads to Workforce Reducton of TravelCenters of America LLC
TA supposes that this is a reflection of the economic problems that the country is experiencing right now. They're slowed down business of servicing long-haul trucks, they believe, suggests the decline of imports caused by the recession of the US economy. TA has also put a stop to some of their development and expansion plans until the industry conditions start to improve. ...<< MORE >>
Steadily-Climbing Fuel Costs Cause a Big Slowdown on Trucking Businesses
An estimate of 10% of the 161,293 Owner-Operated Independent Driver's Association or OOIDA members have decided to park their trucks because of the rising Diesel prices. According to Todd Spencer, executive vice president of the OOIDA, most truckers are spending half of their net income or as much as $70,000 -$100,000 a year on fuel alone. This has caused almost a crisis for most truckers across America. Government mandates to make diesel fuel cleaner paired with the slow economy has been causing too much pressure on Independent Truckers. Moreover, problems at other production sites as ...<< MORE >>
Baxter’s Unprecedented Run in Business after Record Petroleum Prices
The privately owned company, founded by Bert Baxter and based in Estevan, started off with a couple of trucks running from a hut in the mid 1950’s. It is currently operated by Graham Shirley and his sons