Around Trucking
It’s a great time to be in trucking! It’s midsummer, the economy is on the rebound, and there are plenty of miles for motivated drivers. With it being so busy you might have missed some interesting industry news. So, grab a cup of coffee and catch up on what’s happening in trucking.
Truck Parking
Drivers Find Truck Parking Signs Useful – While 70% of drivers surveyed by the American Transportation Research Institute in 2019 indicated they’ve seen message signs with truck parking information, just about 66% of long-haul drivers indicated that they were useful for finding parking.
Ontario truck parking initiatives an ‘insult’, says study author – The author of a report into Ontario truck parking is accusing the Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) of a “decade of inaction” on the issue – and is calling recent initiatives nothing less than an insult to truck drivers.
Minneapolis leaders ban truck parking with fines beginning in 2022 – Beginning Jan. 1, 2022, any vehicle weighing more than 26,000 pounds or with a registered gross weight over 26,000 pounds will not be allowed to “stop, stand or park on any street” in the city.
Truckers are not happy about the closure of 10 NY service areas for the summer – The New York State Thruway Authority announced that a $450 million construction project will start at the end of this month. And, while the prospect of healthier food options and updated rest services has truckers looking forward to the upgrades, drivers still aren’t sure what they will do for the next year as they await the reopening of the long-standing service areas.
Wellness
Here’s what truckers need to know about heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke – As temperatures rise during the summer, truckers are often exposed to dangerously hot conditions that can lead to heat-related illnesses — here’s what you need to know to protect your health in sweltering weather.
States with the worst traffic and highways, ranked – Any driver who spends enough time on the interstate highway system can speculate about which cities and states have the worst traffic and road conditions, but a recent report from TRIP, a nonprofit that researches transportation trends and needs, reveals its calculation of the worst offenders.
Green shift? How the trucking sector is exploring ways to power big rigs into the future – Large trucks brimming with freight make their way up and down the highway between Calgary and Edmonton at all hours of the day. They’re part of a continental network of transport trucks carrying everything from blue jeans to steel beams.
Regulation & Enforcement
Nebraska weigh stations deploy tech that can detect a semi’s flat tire at 75 MPH – On June 25, NSP announced the deployment of a new technology system designed to detect safety issues with commercial vehicles traveling on I-80 near the Waverly and North Platte weigh stations.
Unannounced brake inspection blitz sidelined over 1,100 trucks – “Inspectors conducted their usual inspections and reported brake-related data to CVSA for Brake Safety Day,” said CVSA President Sgt. John Samis with the Delaware State Police. “We are sharing the results to call attention to the importance of commercial motor vehicle brake safety.”
Nearly 90% of Trucks Pass CVSA Brake Inspections – The out-of-service rate for this year’s unannounced Brake Safety Day, conducted July 19 across North America, showed a nearly 4% improvement over 2019 (the last year there was a inspection blitz). The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance reports 1,273 trucks were sidelined because of brake-related critical vehicle inspection items this year compared to 1,667 trucks in 2019.
Study: The Dangers of Distracted Truck Drivers – The most distracted truck drivers are nearly 72% more likely to be involved in a “near collision” than other drivers, according to new data insights released July 22 by Omnitracs.
Message from CTA Team Canada ELD Vendors: The State of Canada’s Third Party ELD Certification Process – CTA Team Canada ELD vendors want to assure the carrier industry that they are diligently working through the process and, although it is taking longer than initially anticipated, the third-party ELD certification regime is working as it was designed to operate.
On the Lighter Side
Here’s what REAL truckers are saying about the Netflix movie ‘The Ice Road’ – If you haven’t gotten around to watching yet, the plot centers on three truckers tasked with hauling wellheads over melting ice roads in April to a Manitoba mine in order to rescue a group of trapped miners.
