Trucking News
From an upcoming safety blitz to updates on pending regulations to a guy stealing a miniature-semi – we found trucking news you should know. So, if you’ve been too busy turning miles, grab a cup of coffee and catch up on what happened around trucking in June!
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Trucking Regulation & Compliance
Will Side-Underride Guards be Required for Trailers in the U.S.? – If commercial vehicle electrification and stiffer emissions regs aren’t enough to keep us awake at night, we may soon have another hurdle to contend with. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is looking at mandating side impact guards for tractor-trailers — specifically semi-trailers.
FMCSA to study seatbelt usage among commercial vehicle drivers – The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is launching a study to better understand seatbelt usage among commercial vehicle drivers.
$34.3 million CMV inspection station opens with weigh-in-motion, automatic vehicle identification, truck parking – On Thursday, June 13, BC Transportation and Infrastructure opened a new commercial vehicle inspection station off Highway 16 in northwestern B.C., east of Terrace.
CVSA’s Operation Safe Driver Week to focus on dangerous, reckless driving – This year’s Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) Operation Safe Driver Week is set to take place July 7-13 across North America.
448 vehicles placed out of service during one-day brake inspection blitz – Inspectors in 47 jurisdictions throughout the U.S., Canada, and Mexico conducted 4,898 commercial motor vehicle inspections in one day as part of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s brake-safety inspection and enforcement event.
Tentative agreement reached for more than 9,000 workers at Canada Border Services Agency, strike action averted – The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) and the Customs and Immigration Union (CIU) have reached a tentative agreement for more than 9,000 workers at CBSA, avoiding potential job action at Canada’s borders.
Truck Drivers
Image, respect a stumbling block in recruitment of women drivers, study finds – If trucking is going to make any headway in its ongoing quest to attract more women, the industry has its work cut out for them. According to new research from the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI), the negative perception of the industry tops a list of six challenges trucking faces in onboarding more female drivers.
Safe truck parking availability critical to retain women truck drivers – “As a new driver in my teens, my father instilled these parking safety reminders to me: Always park in visible and well-lit areas. Look for a spot under a bright light, and if available, near a security video surveillance. Be mindful of your surroundings and park near entrances or exits. Visibility is key. If something doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t.”
Here are 12 symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning all truck drivers should know – Earlier this month, a Washington State workplace safety group shared a report on the January 2023 death of a semi truck driver from carbon monoxide poisoning believed to have been caused by a single-burner butane cooking stove found in his truck.
Buttigieg says if DOJ reclassifies pot, it’s still off limits for truckers – Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg told the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure this week that even if the Department of Justice reclassifies marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III drug, the change will not preclude trucking companies and other transportation entities from testing for its use.
PA Turnpike toll booths to be removed in favor of ‘Open Road Tolling’ system – The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) will soon start to dismantle all toll booths as part of the switch to the “Open Road Tolling” system.
New York State DOT to switch to mile-based exit numbering – The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) has started the transition to mile-based numbering for exits along several roadways in the central part of the state.
I-70 runaway truck ramp at Mt. Vernon reopens with improvements – The I-70 runaway truck ramp at Mt. Vernon in Colorado has opened back up after a six month project to improve the ramp for truckers.
Truck Parking Club turns free spaces paid: Is this the future of parking? – Truck Parking Club, the social media-savvy “AirBnB of truck parking” startup that set out with the mission of helping land owners monetize vacant lots by turning them into truck parking, has “crossed the line” with some drivers as previously free spots at major truck stops become paid reservations in their system.
Texas DOT opens rest stops with dozens of truck parking spaces along I-10 – The Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) opened new rest area facilities over the weekend to provide more truck parking spaces along I-10.
CDC to Implement New Rules for Dogs Entering the U.S. as of August 1, 2024 – Starting on August 1, 2024, the U.S. Centre for Disease Control (CDC) will be implementing new measures to control the entry of dogs into the U.S. to combat the spread of rabies. The CDC’s new importation requirements apply to all travelers and all dogs entering the country, including for short trips, such as to visit family or friends, to receive veterinary care, or as a travel companion.
‘Fake safety audit’ phishing emails keep pouring in – “Owner-operator Wayne Bruene, mostly hauling grain today out of a home base of Ankeny, Iowa, alerted the Western States Trucking Association to what’s clearly a phishing email making the rounds. It purports to be a follow-up email to a prior phone conversation with a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration auditor about an “Entrant Safety Audit.”
From the Other Side
Man steals mini semi truck from auto parts store – Police are searching for the man responsible for the theft of a mini semi truck from an auto parts store in Washington on Thursday afternoon.
Truck thief caught after driving by truck owner’s daughter on highway by chance – A stolen semi truck was recovered earlier this month when the truck thief just so happened to drive it right by the truck owner’s daughter on a Florida highway.
