Profile For DaveW

In this Friday Short Haul Schneider announces remote new-driver orientation, comments come in for FMCSA's 14-hour rule proposal, FMCSA extends CDL license renewal waiver, and ATA endorses the DOL's employee status review.

Friday Short Haul -- Schneider's remote orientation, 14-hour rule change comments, license renawal extension, ATA's DOL response

A major new player has joined the independent contractor fray that was created when California legislators passed Assembly Bill 5 last year mandating a strict definition of employee-contractor status that virtually eliminated independent contractor work for huge segments of the economy.

Feds come out with their own definition of independent contractor status

Hey Dave? I’m not sure if you’ve seen anything about it yet but Nikola just had 3 lawsuits filed and is being investigated by the SEC for fraud. Also, the CEO just stepped down all but admitting to defrauding investors and potential buyers. They’re also being investigated over the lack of having any of the tech they’ve been claiming.

Robert, thanks for the tip. I'll check it out.

As freight demand grows, especially in anticipation of an early holiday sales season, Amazon is finding itself losing its owner-operator line-haul drivers to the spot market, and is needing to find capacity elsewhere. And FMCSA creates a drivers advisory panel, and reminds owner-operators to register for the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse.

Amazon casts around for freight haulers; FMCSA news for drivers

In this Friday Short Haul WIT announces photo contest winners, Teamsters and other safety groups challenge FMCSA's new HOS rules, and $1 billion is added to states' infrastructure funding.

Friday Short Haul - WIT photo contest, Teamsters challenge HOS, $1 billion for infrastructure

While we await the compilation of results from International Road Check, which ran from September 9 to September 11 this year, it might be instructive to review the recently released results of Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance's Operation Safe Driver Week that was conducted earlier this summer.

Speeding was most-cited violation during Safe Driver Week

As part of its celebration of truck drivers during the 2020 National Truck Driver Week the American Trucking Associations has teamed up with Peterson Manufacturing to award 10 professional truck drivers $1,000 each for hardships they have undergone during the virus pandemic.

Carriers, others, honor drivers during National Truck Driver Appreciation Week

In this Friday Short Haul the FMCSA issues extension of its wildfire-related emergency declaration, hair drug testing published for comments, and an Iowa carrier tries a new driver pay structure.

Friday Short Haul - FMCSA wildfire declaration, hair drug testing, shift plus load pay

After examining 1,118 comments from last year's announcement of an under-21 commercial driver pilot program the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced on Friday a new pilot program testing the feasibility of allowing 18 through 20-year-old drivers to operate large commercial motor vehicles in interstate commerce.

FMCSA looking to put under-21 drivers on interstate hauls

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law on Friday a State Assembly bill that carves out more exemptions to Assembly Bill 5, commonly known as the independent contractor law, that went into effect this year. Unfortunately for California trucking companies and contract drivers, however, the changes brought by Assembly Bill 2257 do not help California independent contractor drivers, but instead double down on keeping them under the original AB 5 enforcement umbrella.

New AB 5 bill specifically targets truckers for enforcement

In this Friday Short Haul DOT creates a website for the public to track AV testing, the split-duty proposal comment period is open for comments, and mandatory hair testing is nearing the public review and comment stage.

Friday Short Haul - AV test tracking tool, split-duty proposal comments, and mandatory hair testing

The FMCSA's research and analysis department has helped to fund with just over $1 million a program created by Pulsar Infomatics to monitor and act on driver fatigue in near real time. Called the Trucking Fatigue Meter, Pulsar's program integrates with 90 percent of existing electronic logging devices and analyzes statistics using those streams of trucking data to evaluate a driver's condition and "provide actionable feedback in near real-time"

FMCSA helps bankroll Trucking Fatigue Meter to fight driver drowsiness

Last week, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced it was starting a pilot program to test whether it would be feasible to offer drivers relief from the agency's hours of service regulation restricting driving to 14 hours from when they first came on duty.

FMCSA looking at split-duty rule change; extending 14-hour day

In this Friday Short Haul Travel Centers of America, Pilot Company and Love's Travel Stops all announce driver specials to celebrate National Driver Appreciation Week, and the whole month of September.

Friday Short Haul - Travel centers announce special offers for drivers in September

The importance of this year's general election to the nation's health -- in many regards -- cannot be overstated. But, as drivers and others with a stake in the trucking industry we should recognize that there are also some dramatic implications for the transportation sector as well.

Trucking landscape could look different after Nov. 3

Several participants in a truck-accident insurance scheme that made the New Orleans area notorious for the scam have pleaded guilty – including the man that has been dubbed in news reports as the ringleader of the group.

More indictments in New Orleans area accident insurance scams

In this Friday Short Haul North Dakota is looking into allowing road trains on its highways, Brake Safety Week begins August 23, large number of drug and alcohol violators are not returning to duty, and OOIDA and Teamsters right joint letter opposing Mexican truckers.

Friday Short Haul - North Dakota road trains, Brake Safety Week, drivers not returning to duty, opposition to Mexican truckers

Passenger car drivers who happened to be on I-84 recently between Portland, Oregon, and Nampa, Idaho, might have found themselves griping about "those dang trucks" driving too close together – forcing them to have to pass two trucks at a time instead of just the one.

Platooning passes real-world tests; new company emerges as leader

Stopping to aid motorists during horrific crashes earn truck drivers awards as Truckload Carriers Associations Highway Angels

Helping victims of crashes earn drivers Highway Angel awards

In this Friday Short Haul a dying trucker gets his wish for a last ride in a truck, FMCSA extends HOS exemptions, and fully autonomous trucks won't be on the highways any time soon.

Friday Short Haul - Trucker's last ride, FMCSA extension, autonomous trucks