Profile For DaveW

In answer to the proposed new FMCSA hours of service rules, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association has given the FMCSA a 15-page letter to digest that is compiled from a survey conducted among some of the 160,000 members who collectively own and operate more than 240,000 individual heavy-duty trucks.

OOIDA makes final push for better HOS rules

Over the past several years, the number of large trucks on our roadways has continued to increase. Along with the growing number of miles driven by truckers has come an overall increase in crash rates and truck-related crash deaths.

Car-truck crash fatalities continue to increase

In this Friday Short Haul Amazon orders a fleet of new day cabs, a legislator is under fire for lack of disclosure with trucking insurance bill, and a Washington trucking group petitions the FMCSA.

Friday Short Haul - Amazon's fleet of day cabs, legislator's disclosure, WTA petition

American Trucking Associations President and CEO Chris Spear is fed up with exorbitant lawsuits against trucking companies and their drivers, and is asking trucking industry leaders to join him in lobbying Congress for tort reform legislation.

ATA chief takes on truck-accident lawyers

"In trucking, 20 pounds can make all the difference." That's the catchy phrase headlining the top of the Mutts4Trucks website announcing a new campaign pairing truck drivers with dog companions.

Lonely on the road? Get a furry friend

In this Friday Short Haul: Is the sky falling for ag haulers? Man pleads guilty to fraudulent freight brokering, FMCSA committee discusses HOS changes, FMCSA opens the Clearinghouse to registrations.

Friday Short Haul - Lab-grown meat, fraudulent freight brokering, FMCSA HOS committee, FMCSA Clearinghouse

Edging out its competition in the race for commercial drone deliveries, the drone subsidiary for UPS became the first in the field to receive Part 135 Standard certification from the United States Federal Aviation Administration.

UPS takes giant leap in its drone delivery program

I was telling my adult daughter that I'm doing an article on women being safer truck drivers than men.

Her immediate response was, "Well, yeah-ah," said in that tone and body language that people use to emphasize the ridiculously obvious.

But, here's the thing. Why should it be so obvious?

I think the notion that women are kinder and gentler in combative situations has been totally debunked. Just watch a few YouTube videos about mob action, and you'll see that women are prominently in the thick of things. Women are certainly capable of expressing extreme anger.

So, why are women statistically safer drivers of big-rig trucks than men?

Carriers hoping to ease the driver-shortage burden would be well-served to look at what it would take to recruit more women drivers. And, from the latest survey co-partnered by FreightWaves and Women in Trucking, that's what it appears trucking companies are doing. The number of female over-the-road drivers reportedly working this year compared to last year has increased by almost 30 percent – from 7.89 percent to 10 percent. Besides filling drivers' seats, carriers are benefiting from an added bonus by hiring women – it appears that they are safer drivers than their male counterparts in most categories.

Female drivers are safer bet for trucking companies

In this Friday Short Haul Embark expands and adds LA and Phoenix hubs, FMCSA announces safety grants, Covenant exits Mexico routes, and some interesting trucking stats.

Friday Short Haul - Embark gets financing, FMCSA announces safety grants, Covenant exits Mexico routes, and trucking statistics

In a looming battle between Federal supremacy and States' rights reminiscent of the Obama administration campaign against the State of Arizona a few years ago, but on opposite ends of the ideological political spectrum, the Trump administration has all but declared war on the State of California.

Emissions standards battle heats up between the EPA and California

As if California truckers didn't have enough to worry about with the signing of the independent contractors law by Governor Gavin Newsom on Wednesday, a proposed new law that mostly flew under the radar got signed into effect by him on Friday that requires smog testing on heavy-duty diesel trucks.

Smog checks in the future for California truck drivers

In this Friday Short Haul Volvo introduces its dynamic steering, Meals for 18 Wheels seeks volunteers, trucks nabbed in speeding crackdown, OOIDA opposes trucking legislation.

Friday Short Haul - Volvo Dynamic Steering, Meals for 18 Wheels, speeding crackdown, OOIDA opposes legislation

I don't know about anybody else, but watching Volvo's video gives me goosebumps. I don't know if it's that song by Enya that gives me goosebumps every time I hear it anyway, or if it's because of the amazing talent of Jean-Claude van Damme. But, wow!

As a side note, I'm betting the video was reversed, and it was originally filmed moving forward. Doesn't matter. Still wow!

Continuing Trucking Truth's unofficial series on telematics and other advanced technologies in the trucking industry we take a look at how the insurance industry is reacting to this new dynamic, and how that interest by insurers benefits carriers.

Telematics could be insurance-premium-saving boon for fleets

Despite its many advantages, a significant number of fleets don't intend to implement new telematics technology beyond what is required by the electronic logging device mandate – which has a final full-compliance deadline of December 16 of this year.

54 percent of survey respondents still not impressed with telematics technology

In this Friday Short Haul Walmart promotes a Driver Appreciation Week video, expert says it is churn, not driver shortage, California passes an independent contractor bill, and hemp drivers accept pleas.

Friday Short Haul - Walmart video, it's churn, not shortage, California's independent contractor bill, hemp drivers plea>

It's time for Trucking Truth to again highlight some caring truck drivers who were honored last week by the Truckload Carriers Association as Highway Angels.

TCA honors three Highway Angels

While Class 8 tractors are getting smarter, and even learning to drive themselves -- and getting all of the media attention – there's one other element in the trucking supply chain that is getting a boost in smarts as well, but still riding relatively under the radar.

Now they're talking about "smart" trailers

In this Friday Short Haul FMCSA deadline for comments coming up, truck orders are on the decline, and new maritime law will affect diesel fuel price and availability.

Friday Short Haul - Detention-time comments, truck orders decline, diesel fuel shortage

A recent ruling by the National Labor Relations Board not only kicks the teeth out of the independent contractor/employee controversy, but sets the stage for some major head-butting with California authorities if that state's latest attempt to force employee status on independent truck drivers is successful.

Berkeley study says reducing independent truckers can alleviate climate change