Trucking News
September was a busy month in trucking. We celebrated National Trucking Week, the numbers were released from the CVSA Roadcheck, and some more news about new potential ELD regulations.
If you’ve been busy rolling down the road, we have collected some trucking news in one spot.
Roadcheck 2022
CVSA Roadcheck: Wheel Ends Account for Nearly 23% of OOS Violations – “Each year, CVSA highlights a certain aspect of the roadside inspection. This year, the focus was on wheel ends. Wheel end (tire and wheel) violations accounted for 22.8% of all out-of-service vehicle violations throughout North America. Out of the top 10 vehicle out-of-service violations, tires ranked second, and wheels came in seventh. Of the 18,213 total vehicle out-of-service violations, there were 3,374 tire out-of-service violations, accounting for 18.5% of all vehicle out-of-service violations, and there were 784 wheel out-of-service violations, which is 4.3% of all vehicle out-of-service violations.”
Canadian Roadcheck inspections ground 22.6% of vehicles – “Canadian enforcement teams placed 22.6% of inspected vehicles out of service during the international Roadcheck blitz that was conducted May 17-19, compared to a 23.8% out-of-service rate in the U.S.”
Brakes, tires account for most Roadcheck OOS vehicle violations – “Out of the top 10 vehicle out-of-service violations, tires ranked second and wheels came in seventh. Of the 18,213 total vehicle out-of-service violations, there were 3,374 tire out-of-service violations, accounting for 18.5% of all vehicle out-of-service violations, and there were 784 wheel out-of-service violations, which is 4.3% of all vehicle out-of-service violations. Combined, wheel end (tire and wheel) violations accounted for 22.8% of all out-of-service vehicle violations throughout North America.”
Trucking Regulations & Enforcement
One Kentucky weigh station has cameras that can see inside your cab — but they’ll be installed in 13 more locations soon – “Perceptics installed the “Driver Focus Camera” technology at the Laurel County I-75 Northbound Weigh Station to help the Kentucky State Patrol capture near real-time, high-resolution images of drivers as they exited the highway.”
FMCSA seeks feedback on potential ELD regs revisions – “An advance notice of proposed rulemaking and request for comments published in the Federal Register Friday morning seek feedback from the trucking industry and others on whether revisions should be made to certain parts of the ELD regs.”
Why do Brake Defects Put so Many Trucks Out of Service? – “The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance conducts two major brake inspection initiatives each year. Year over year, the brake defect out-of-service rate remains about the same. The puzzling question is, why aren’t we making progress in bringing those numbers down?
Will Schaefer, CVSA’s director of safety programs, has some thoughts on why the OOS rate isn’t improving. It’s got little to do with the brakes themselves, he says.”
Traffic Fatalities Decline for First Time Since 2020 – “Traffic fatalities on U.S. roads declined in the second quarter, halting an almost two-year rise even as Americans are driving more.”
Infrastructure & Truck Parking
Arizona rest area closing to the public until spring 2023, will remain open for truck drivers – “During the closure, AZDOT will allow commercial vehicle drivers to use the facility for overnight parking. AZDOT will also provide portable toilets and hand washing stations for commercial vehicle driver use.”
Caltrans: Project to widen I-80 will ‘help truckers’ – “The project will widen I-80 between Sacramento and the Bay Area by making 18 miles of express lanes on both the east and west sides of the interstate along the Vacaville-Fairfield corridor. Traffic in that area is expected to increase by ⅓ by 2040, but the area hasn’t been widened since the 1970s.”
Fall closures scheduled on Highway 1 for Kicking Horse Canyon construction – “From noon on Sept. 26, 2022, until 6 a.m. on Dec. 1, all through traffic on Highway 1 between Golden and Castle Junction will be routed via highways 93S and 95. This will add as much as one and a half hours of travel time. Destinations between Castle Junction and the construction zone, such as Lake Louise and Field, will continue to be accessible from the east throughout the closure. The highway will be reopened temporarily for the Thanksgiving holiday weekend from noon on Oct. 7 until noon on Oct. 11.”
Truckers asked to plan ahead for I-35 closures in Oklahoma City – “The detour will be westbound I-44 to southbound I-235/US-77 to southbound I-35 throughout the weekend. The interstate closure will allow crews to resurface the roadway.”
Trucking & Drivers
Big owner-operator revenue gains entirely offset by fuel, other costs – “The upshot of the presentation is that cost pressures outlined in the March session at MATS have delivered a blow to owner-operator net income, yet high earners among ATBS clientele suggest a few paths forward for those who would excel in a market getting tougher by the day.”
Judge orders Rhode Island to stop collecting truck-only tolls within 48 hours – “The trucking industry won a significant victory on Wednesday when a federal judge ordered Rhode Island to stop collecting tolls from trucks as part of the controversial “RhodeWorks” program.”
Survey finds truckers level of appreciation down from height of pandemic – “A survey of 500 U.S. truck drivers found 67% feel appreciated for the job they do. However, this sentiment is down from last year’s high of 96% during the height of supply and transport challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.”
5 ways to eat healthier on the road – “You are what you eat, as the saying goes, and eating well on the road isn’t always easy. It’s easier to find junk food than healthy food, although the availability of more balanced meals is increasing in restaurants, supermarkets and truck stops. Because trucking is generally a sedentary job, it’s even more important for truckers to get moving and eat as well as possible. Here are 5 tips for eating better on the road.”
