Wireless Roadside Inspections Promise Productivity Gains for Carriers
Carriers could achieve substantial productivity gains and fuel savings if all goes as hoped in a long-awaited field test of a wireless roadside inspection (WRI) system to be conducted in five southern states starting this December. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) will engage 1,000 commercial trucks and buses in the test, which is […]
Why You Need to Protect Your Business Against Commercial Fleet Theft
Two-thirds of business owners who have commercial auto fleets say they don’t install car alarms in all of their vehicles. Reasons for this range from the fact that the risk of auto theft is low to the expense of arming the vehicles are more than the average annual losses incurred from theft. Car theft and […]
Retirement of Drivers Points Toward Supply Chain Disruptions
The need to replace retiring drivers is the largest factor driving a shortage of drivers that could become so serious by 2024 that it causes “severe supply chain disruptions,” the American Trucking Associations (ATA) warns in a new report. If current trends continue, the nation’s trucking industry could face a shortage of 174,500 drivers by […]
Transportation Hiring Practices: Driver Shortages and Female Operators
In August, the U.S. unemployment rate fell to 5.1 percent—the lowest since April 2008—when employers added 173,000 jobs. However, that percentage could be even lower. Today, there are many, albeit it too many, driver positions open within the trucking industry. In fact, the Driver Shortage category rose to the 2nd place ranking in the American Transportation […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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. […]
New FMCSA Beyond Compliance Initiative – Now Open to Public Comment
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has issued a request for public comment on its exploratory initiative to find ways to reward carriers who deploy safety technologies or implement safety programs that exceed regulatory requirements. In an April 23 Federal Register posting, FMCSA asked stakeholders to answer specific questions and offer any supporting data the […]
Home Office Tax Deductions for Owner Operators
There are two requirements to claim a deduction for an office in your home. The first requirement is that the area you claim must be used exclusively and regularly for conducting business. Additionally, you must show that you use this space in your home either as your principle place of business or, if you have an additional […]