Take the Time to Recognize the Unsung Heroes of the Road
Millions of trucks and their drivers travel across the country to deliver essential goods and services. Everyone depends on trucks to deliver food, medicine, office supplies, technology, and a zillion other products that we use every day. Most Americans don’t consider the important role truck drivers play in their lives until a catastrophe or severe […]
New Phase 2 Greenhouse Gas Rules Will Reduce Pollution and Save Money
Administrators of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced their proposal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and extend fuel economy in the commercial trucking industry. The regulations would apply to 2021 to 2027 model trucks and tractors and 2018 to 2027 MY trailers; separate rules for engines […]
Plan Ahead to Eat Healthy While Hauling on the Road
The lifestyle of a trucker can be very stressful; time pressure and tight deadlines are the norm. Most truck drivers resort to eating food they can easily grab and eat while driving, and that usually means fast food. Unfortunately, fast food as a steady diet is not good for anyone’s health. Waiting until the last […]
Research Pinpoints Semi Truck Rollover Locations in the U.S.
The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) has released a comprehensive report that identifies the locations throughout the United States that have the highest number of truck rollovers. The information was gleaned from more than 50,000 crash records from a 9 year period (from 2001-2009.) The information was gleaned and then entered into a database based […]
Trucking Industry Improvements Need to Consider Industry Divisions and Variances
The trucking industry is the central nervous system of America’s economy; without a highly functioning national freight system U.S. commerce would come to a standstill. Over 85% of domestic cargo is shipped by the commercial truck drivers; even other means of transportation (i.e. air, railroad and seaport) all depend on trucks to provide access to […]
Health Care Access Important for Truck Drivers in America
Long-haul trucking is one of the highest-risk occupations in the United States (US Dept. of Labor.) Truck drivers often experience a great deal of on-the-job stress which places them at-risk for social, psychological and psychiatric issues such as depression, substance abuse, risky sexual behaviors and even suicide. Occupational stress is even higher for truck drivers […]
Public Views on Minimum Insurance Requirements for Truck Drivers Wanted
Should the U.S. raise the minimum mandatory commercial truck insurance coverage levels? There are proponents on both side of this issue. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) launched a public poll on the minimum financial responsibility for motor carriers in December 2014. FMCSA is seeking public comments on these topics. The public investigation is focusing on […]
Minimize Transportation Risk by Improving Hiring Practices
Truck transportation in the U.S. is a major portion of our economy. According to the Council for Supply Chain Professionals, the U.S. spends $635 billion each year on truck transportation. $635 billion is more than the GDP of all but 16 countries in the world. The cost related to the high number of accidents and […]
Trucking Workers’ Compensation: Controlling Your Ex Mod
Workers’ compensation costs play a role in any trucking business. These costs can prove substantial, and often seem uncontrollable. But this is actually not the case. Workers’ compensation costs are assessed based in large part upon a company’s experience modification factor. This is the multiplier applied to the standard policy rate for your business size, […]
Short-Term Highway Bill Passed by U.S. House This Week
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a short-term, temporary extension of the current Highway Bill on Tuesday, May 19th. The measure will extend the current transportation funding and programs through July 31st if passed by the Senate. A May 31st deadline to keep transportation programs operating and necessary funds available drove lawmakers to pass the two-month extension. […]