Trucking News Round-Up

Don’t have time to keep up with the latest in the trucking industry? No worries, we got you covered. Check out the stories you might have missed!

Trucking People

Highway Angel – Our very own long-time driver, Kirk Szecsodi, was named a Highway Angel by the TCA! “Fate was shining its face on Szecsodi the day he saw a Silver Alert on a digital highway sign on U.S. 287 near Waco, Texas. Silver Alerts help locate vulnerable adults who go missing. “It said it was an elderly man driving a black Dodge Charger,” recalled Szecsodi. He jotted down the vehicle make and model and the license plate number.”

Read the story and listen to his interview!

Survey: Young Women Will Consider Autonomous Trucking Careers – “While nearly 47% of women in a recent survey conducted by Swedish autonomous and electric trucking Einride indicated that they would not be in interested in a career in trucking, nearly 52% of them said they would be interested if they could do it autonomously.”

Trucking Biz

Experts Warn of Spiking DEF Prices – “We haven’t really seen a month-to-month change like this before,” Alex Wood, a senior analyst at Argus Media, told Transport Topics. “I think if you look at urea prices, in particular, this type of increase on a monthly basis probably hasn’t happened in five years. It’s certainly a noteworthy increase in price levels. But it’s all driven by urea prices.”

Minnesota Proposal Would Tax Electricity as Fuel – “Gas tax revenue in Minnesota will decline as more people buy electric vehicles. That means the state needs to find a way to replace the gas tax money it uses to pay for roads and bridges, said Central Minnesota Sen. Jeff Howe, R-Rockville.”

Connecticut Governor Proposes Trucking Mileage Tax – “Under the proposal, tractor-trailers would be taxed based on the truck’s weight and the miles travelled within in the state, information that will be collected monthly through a new tax system by the Department of Revenue Services, the Journal Inquirer reported.”

Pennsylvania Turnpike named world’s most expensive toll road – “In the ranking of the most expensive toll roads in the world, the Pennsylvania Turnpike came in at #1, with the New York State Thruway making an appearance at #8, the Florida Turnpike at #9, the Ohio Turnpike at #14, Texas State Highway 130 at #17, and the New Jersey Turnpike at #18.”

Trucking Regulations

Trucking associations oppose mandatory COVID testing at Canada-US border – “Canadian trucking associations have stood up against potentially mandatory COVID testing for truck drivers at the Canadian-US border due to concerns over shipping delays and access to the required technology.”

Trucking associations question new Covid-19 requirements at the border – “Canadian trucking associations are pushing back against plans to require border-crossing truck drivers to submit contact information and travel details through the ArriveCAN app, as well as any proposal to require drivers to submit recent Covid-19 test results.”

Canada pumps brakes on ELD deadline amid registry bottleneck, June 12 now a soft enforcement date – “After months of speculation about just what Canadian regulators would do with respect to the June 12, 2021, enforcement date for Canada’s version of the electronic logging device mandate, Transport Minister Omar Alghabra today announced an intent to work with industry and others on details of a “progressive enforcement period” to begin with “education and awareness” exclusively.”

Truck stop owners, others oppose commercializing interstate rest areas – “In a recent letter to congressional leaders, the National Association of Truck Stop Owners and 14 other business groups asked lawmakers to reject proposals to allow exceptions to the ban that prohibits states from selling food, fuel or offering other commercial services, including electric vehicle charging, at rest areas.”

On the Lighter Side

WATCH: A giggle-inducing take on a how-to trucking tutorial

We should all enjoy nature like this