Profile For DaveW

In this Friday Short Haul J.B. Hunt participates in Wreaths Across America, a self-driving truck makes a cross-country butter run, and states sign on to a zero emission goal for big rig trucks.

Friday Short Haul - JB Hunt's Wreaths Across America, Plus.ai butter run, states look for zero emissions

From among the stories of driver abandonment and hardship resulting from the largest truckload carrier bankruptcy in American history there are emerging heart-warming human-interest stories of just what it means to be a part of the truck driver community, where drivers take care of each other.

Carriers muster to pick up Celadon drivers, employees

Amazon is taking a revolutionary approach to paying drivers who will be hauling their cargo … changing the way drivers have been paid since about the 1930s. Amazon has been using a method for the past couple of years to pay drivers by the day, eschewing the almost century-long method of paying drivers by the mile.

Will Amazon's pay-per-day plan influence the industry?

There is no question that freight is down from the heydays during 2018 when commercial carriers were scrambling to find extra capacity, and experiencing a driver shortage with their need to put men and women behind the wheel to haul that expanded freight volume.

Freight volume and rates downturn turns into a 'bloodbath'

In this Friday Short Haul -- Fallout from California's AB-5 continues, winter weather resources, and Louisiana's ransomware attack affects trucking companies.

Friday Short Haul - Independent contractors getting booted out of CA, winter weather resources, ransomware attack

One would think that commercial carriers would want all the shipping customers they could handle, and would do anything to hang on to them. And, statistically, more than half of fleets surveyed by CCJ say they rarely give shipping customers the old heave ho. But that leaves the other nearly half of all carriers who are constantly evaluating the profitability of continuing with certain shippers.

Knowing when to say goodbye to an unprofitable shipper

With the driver shortage in view, and having an eye toward attracting prospective new drivers to its company, Schneider National, Inc., announced it is donating 10 used Schneider tractors to CDL training programs at four community and technical colleges. And two U.S. senators introduced a bill last week that would create a "Women of Trucking" advisory board reporting to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association.

Schneider donates trucks; Congress considers women-driver-friendly bill

In this Friday Short Haul the CTA files a lawsuit against California's AB-5, Highway Heroes seek nominations, and Iowa DOT posts a "Move Over" crash video.

Friday Short Haul - CTA files lawsuit against California, Highway Hero nominations sought, video of "Move Over" crash

Two years after rolling out a prototype Class 8 electric semi truck, appropriately named "Tesla Semi," Tesla will unveil this week a new version that incorporates autonomous features. While some Tesla Semis have been spotted on America's roads, full production will not begin for another year or so.

Tesla announces new electric Semi model

Not everyone happy with potential FMCSA clearinghouse delay

In this Friday Short Haul PBS examines AI and it's eventual effect on drivers' jobs, truckers are arrested for a CRV scam, truckers protest AB-5, and ELD quit working for thousands of drivers.

Friday Short Haul - AI taking driving jobs, CRV scam, Truckers protest AB-5, ELDs quit working

Trucking Truth News has reported recently on several high-dollar truck accident lawsuit settlements, with several of the high-profile lawsuits originating in the New Orleans area; which has been hard hit by what, for all intents and purposes, appear to be a rash of fraudulent lawsuits. That pattern of seeming insurance fraud has come to the attention of the United States District Attorney's Office investigators, and federal judges presiding over several Louisiana truck accident cases have put those cases on hold pending investigations into the "victims'" alleged fraudulent practices.

Investigators cracking down on truck accident fraudulent lawsuits

The mission of Trucking Truth is to help prospective new drivers make important decisions about starting their driving careers – like, which training/licensing method is best, and which are the best companies to begin driving for, among others. And, while many independent-minded new drivers initially believe they would be happier going on their own as owner-operators, Trucking Truth generally discourages new drivers from taking that route.

So you want to start your own trucking company?

In this Friday Short Haul the FMCSA declares emergency rules suspensions for wildfires and winter weather, Idaho transportation officials say to watch out for snow plows, and a FedEx employee is charged with receiving more than $1 million in bribes.

Friday Short Haul - FMCSA emergency exemptions, snow plows, FedEx employee bribery charges

United States Custom and Border Patrol agents say that increased security at the U.S. border with Mexico is resulting in more migrants taking the risk of being transported via semi trailers – sometimes with deadly consequences.

Human smuggling via big rigs on the increase

As the dust settles on the recently passed new California independent contractor law motor carrier companies and independent drivers are scrambling to make sense of the law and to decide what to do about it.

Carriers, drivers look at ways to deal with California's AB-5

In this Friday Short Haul simulator training should encourage millennial recruitment, Truckers Christmas Group ramps up, four fleets unhappy with Navistar settlement.

Friday Short Haul - Millennials and trucking, Truckers Christmas Group, Navistar settlement

It's probably safe to say that all truck drivers are aware that each of the 50 states has a "Move Over" law. However, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, it seems that 71 percent of other drivers haven't got the memo, and whoosh by dangerously close to law enforcement personnel, emergency vehicles and tow trucks.

Too many drivers still don't know to "Move Over"

Back when I was on Gordon's NCA fleet I was told that Gordon had 100 trucks a day running from Central Valley DCs down into the LA Basin. Heck, on one single memorable Sunday I made four trips across the Grapevine.

Another time I subbed for a dedicated driver on his route from the Tracy Costco DC to the Riverside Costco store. Every day for a week I delivered nothing but toilet paper to that Costco. Every single day!

I believe the threat of an economic standstill if truckers strike is very real, the economy would collapse and rioters in the streets would make Antifa look like kindergartners.

But I agree with the many comments here that public sympathy and support for the striking truckers would probably not last past the second day. I mean, Riverside would run out of toilet paper within 24 hours. That's brutal.

Also, like Brett says, the very characteristics that draw drivers to the lonely, relatively independent life on the road are the same ones that would make them not be drawn to organizing.

Others have made many good points here on this topic.

America's 1.8 million truck drivers haul some 71 percent of this country's freight, amounting to an $800 billion dollar chunk of the economy. So, the question remains: Why don't truck drivers wield this supposed influence and strike nationally, ending their grievances and bettering their situation?

Are trucker strikes a thing of the past?