Owner-operator pay will rise an average 4 cents to 6 cents a mile over the next 12 months, predicted Gordon Klemp, president of the National Transportation Institute.

Klemp spoke March 14 to Truckload Carriers Association members at TCA’s annual meeting in San Diego. Klemp’s firm surveys medium- and large-sized fleets quarterly.

He also predicted:

• Pay hikes tied more closely to freight rate increases.

• Company driver pay rising 3 cents to 5 cents per mile.

• Driver pay more closely tied to performance measurements, including driver scores under the new federal Compliance, Safety, Accountability program.

• More use of sign-on and referral bonuses, which virtually disappeared during the recession. Klemp said 40 percent to 70 percent of fleets now offer one or the other.

• Pay more closely tied to regions of the country.

• Expanded in-house driving training programs.

• Expanded truck lease-purchase programs.

Since the recession, carriers have found it difficult to rebuild driver forces because they have scaled back recruiting staff and training programs, Klemp said. Many former drivers are unwilling or unable to return to trucking because they enjoy generous unemployment benefits, they have found work in the underground economy or elsewhere, or they will not meet stricter hiring criteria under CSA. The proposed hours of service revision could reduce productivity as much as 15 percent, which would create demand for more drivers, he said.

“Supply’s not going to get better,” Klemp said. “Retention management, I think, is going to be huge.”

That will require not just good pay rates, but also finding new ways to recruit new drivers, to train them well, and to do a better job of explaining their total compensation package to prevent them from mistakenly leaving a good carrier during periods of high turnover, Klemp said.

— Max Heine

Charlie Daniels to perform at Super Show

Music legend Charlie Daniels will take the stage at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Oct. 7 during the 2011 Charlotte Diesel Super Show.

Country Hall of Fame singer Charlie Daniels first hit the country music charts in 1975 with his rebel anthems “Long Haired Country Boy” and “The South’s Gonna Do It.”

The 7 p.m. concert will be free with show admission, which is $20 for a two-day pass for adults. All events and parking are included in the purchase price.

Held Oct. 7-8 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway, zMax Dragway in Concord, N.C., the Charlotte Diesel Super Show offers equipment and truck demonstrations, industry-related exhibits and ride-and-drives and activities. Other events include truck drag races and the Custom Rigs’ Pride & Polish truck beauty contest. Additionally, drivers can do a test drive down the zMax Dragway.

— Staff reports

FMCSA sends CSA warning letters

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration sent warning letters to 23,000 carriers that need to address areas of compliance, Administrator Anne Ferro said.

The letters, which are less serious than an onsite audit, are part of the agency’s new Compliance, Safety, Accountability program, which outlines how FMCSA will intervene with carriers whose performance is sub-par. Ferro spoke to Truckload Carriers Association members at TCA’s annual meeting last month in San Diego.

She said CSA and other regulatory initiatives support FMCSA’s three basic goals of raising standards for those entering the trucking industry, ensuring high standards for those in it and “getting the bad guys off the road,” meaning trucks, drivers, carriers, brokers or others.

Among other pending FMCSA matters, Ferro mentioned:

• HOURS OF SERVICE. The agency received 25,000 comments, which are being analyzed for shaping the final rule.

• COMMERCIAL DRIVER LEARNER’S PERMIT. The agency is about a month away from issuing a final rule.

• DRIVER PHYSICAL QUALIFICATIONS. It will be 12 to 18 months before FMCSA seriously addresses how obstructive sleep apnea and other physical conditions affect driver licensing.

• REGISTRY OF CERTIFIED MEDICAL EXAMINERS. Prior to tackling driver health qualifications, the agency will act on establishing certification for doctors who can verify that drivers meet CDL health criteria. It’s an area that seriously needs “integrity” restored, Ferro said.

• DRUG AND ALCOHOL TESTING DATABASE. The agency is establishing this to ensure that carriers get current records of all driver applicants.

— Staff reports

SHORT HAULS

SPOT MARKET van freight rates nationwide in February remained stable, according to TransCore Trendlines. Flatbed rates increased 1.9 percent and reefer rates moved up 1.6 percent compared to January.

TRUCK FREIGHT as measured by the American Trucking Associations’ advance seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index increased 3.8 percent in January. Compared with January 2010, adjusted tonnage climbed 8 percent, which was the largest year-over-year increase since April 2010.

JANUARY TRAILER orders dropped 22 percent from December, said ACT Research Co. The January total of 17,800 units was 151 percent greater than a year earlier. Dry vans accounted for all of the month-to-month decline, while some specialty trailer types hit 4- and 5-year highs, ACT said.

Opposition builds against hours proposal

In comments submitted on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s proposed changes to the hours-of-service rule, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, the American Trucking Associations and a shippers’ group all opposed the proposal.

In addition, more than 1,800 truck drivers made comments at truck stops about the HOS proposal that were transmitted to FMCSA. The comments were scanned for free at Pilot Flying J and Love’s truck stops.

Congress also joined the opposition, as 122 House members and 23 Senators wrote to Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, urging retention of current rules.

Because truck crash rates have declined significantly while the current regulations have been in effect, CVSA contends FMCSA’s proposal does not appear to substantiate the need for the proposed regulatory changes. Instead, CVSA encourages enabling more tools for enhancing enforcement and additional exploration of the effect between hours of service, fatigue and performance.

“The consensus from our state and jurisdictional enforcement members regarding these proposed rules is that they are confusing and not easily understood,” said Stephen Keppler, CVSA executive director. “The proposed rules, in our view, will be more difficult to enforce roadside than the rules in place today.”

ATA said the proposed changes are politically motivated and that the current rules are based on science and have been proven to enhance safety.

“In its current HOS proposal, the agency has abandoned years of objective analysis in favor of speculation and internal ‘judgments’ of critical areas,” ATA said.

NASSTRAC, an industry association that represents freight shippers in all modes of transportation, urged FMCSA to preserve the current rule, which the group said has improved safety. Its filing also argues that under the proposed rule, an additional 180 drivers and trucks would be needed to maintain current service levels.

— Staff reports

SHORT HAULS

CLASS 3-8 used truck registrations increased 21.7 percent in 2010 over 2009 to a record level of approximately 672,000 units, according to Polk. The demand for clean used equipment was greatest for Class 8 vehicles.

DAIMLER TRUCKS North America announced it plans to add 628 new positions in its Mt. Holly and Gastonia, N.C., manufacturing plants to accommodate rising demand. Officials also confirmed the company will add about 1,300 total jobs at all of its truck and parts manufacturing facilities during the first half of the year.

CARRIER R.L. CARTER TRUCKING was ordered to cease operations and was liquidated by a federal bankruptcy judge in Indiana. The carrier filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last year.

TCA names Best Fleet for Owner Operators

Paramount Freight Systems of Ft. Myers, Fla., was selected as the Best Fleet for Owner Operators by the Truckload Carriers Association. Fremont Contract Carriers Inc. of Fremont, Neb., was selected the Best Fleet for Company Drivers.

In addition to providing steady miles and home time, said TCA’s announcement, Paramount works with its owner-operators by providing insurance options at reasonable rates, quarterly surveys to collect input on the effectiveness of company programs and a “buddy” system that ensures a smooth transition for new contractors. Paramount has 122 owner-operators and no company drivers.

The Best Fleets to Drive For program is sponsored by the TCA, CarriersEdge and Marsh Inc.

— Staff reports

EOBR comment period extended

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is extending the comment period to May 23 on its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking regarding electronic onboard recorders and hours-of-service supporting documents.

FMCSA said both the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance and the American Trucking Associations requested the extension. In granting the extension, FMCSA said it believes that others planning to make comments also would benefit from the extra time.

Under the proposal, all interstate commercial truck and bus carriers that now use log books to track hours compliance would have to use EOBRs instead. The proposal would relieve carriers of the current requirement to retain certain HOS documents, such as delivery and toll receipts, that are used to verify the number of hours the vehicle is in operation. About 500,000 carriers would be affected by the proposed rule, FMCSA said.

Last year, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ordered FMCSA to issue a NPRM on hours-supporting documents by yearend. In December, the court gave the agency another month – until Jan. 31 – to comply. The court order stemmed from a lawsuit ATA filed in early 2010 to compel FMCSA to move forward with a regulation as mandated by Congress in the mid-1990s.

— Staff reports

Report: FMCSA should study wait time

Without more data on the extent detention time contributes to hours-of-service violations, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration may lack key information to reduce these offenses.

That was the conclusion of a Feb. 18 Government Accountability Office report, based on more than 300 trucker interviews and other research.

U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) on Feb. 17 introduced H.R. 756, which directs the U.S. Department of Transportation to research trucker wait time and report results within a year of the bill’s passage. It was referred to committee without co-sponsors.

The DOT would issue a rulemaking within a year of that report on maximum hours drivers can be detained without compensation and set penalties for violations.

In that rule, the agency is to consider correlations between detention time and HOS violations and establish procedures for reporting violations, including the use of electronic onboard recorder data.

Wait time costs are “largely born by truckers,” the report said. About 4 percent of drivers said they misrepresented hours in their log books and kept multiple log books to disguise hours violations due to detention time.

Some carrier officials said not all carriers collect, even if fees are in the contract, for fear of alienating customers. Also, shippers and carriers sometimes disagree on the amount of time, which complicates collections.

— Jill Dunn

Stronger underride guard rules sought

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has asked federal officials to require greater rear impact protection for commercial trailers.

On Feb. 28, the group of insurance companies and associations petitioned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to upgrade Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards for underride guards, which are meant to prevent a car sliding under a truck or trailer in a crash.

The institute wants the agency to require underride guards strong enough to remain in place during a crash and to mandate guards for more large trucks and trailers than currently stipulated.

The institute released crash tests that indicated underride guards on tractor-trailers can fail in relatively low-speed crashes. It analyzed the Large Truck Crash Causation Study, a federal database of about 1,000 crashes in 2001-2003. Underride, was a common outcome of the 115 crashes involving a four-wheeler striking the back of a truck or semi-trailer.

— Jill Dunn

HIGHWAY HAPPENINGS

ARKANSAS. A bridge on U.S. Highway 63 over the Black River Bridge in northeast Arkansas has been restricted to 66,000 pounds. The bridge is due for replacement, which will begin in 2013.

CALIFORNIA. Since April 1, owners of 2003 model year reefers face new emissions standards. All model year 2003 refrigerated engines must comply with new emission control standards under the state’s Air Resources Board’s Transportation Refrigeration Unit regulation.

KANSAS. The state is developing the Kansas Truck Routing and Intelligent Permitting System. The web-based software routing system, which will be ready in about two years, is intended to streamline the permit process for trucking companies hauling oversize and overweight loads. Being developed in conjunction with ProMiles software, the system will automatically generate and evaluate alternate routes for large loads.           

MICHIGAN. Road and bridge construction work is under way on M-84 and I-75. Lanes will be closed intermittently. The project is scheduled for completion in November.

NEW HAMPSHIRE. Gov. John Lynch is considering closing half of the state’s 16 rest areas to save money. If the facilities are closed, the number of truck parking spaces would be cut to 93 from 116. A final decision will be made when the fiscal 2012-2013 budget is ready July 1.

OREGON/WASHINGTON. A proposed I-5 bridge over the Columbia River between Portland and Vancouver, Wash., would require tolls to help pay for the $4 billion structure. The U.S. Department of Transportation supports congestion pricing on the proposed bridge, which would replace the current bridge in 2018.

TEXAS. The state is considering changing its law that limits truck idling to five minutes. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality in scheduled to decide on a change June 22 that would permit idling for drivers using the sleeper berth for a mandated rest period and not within two miles of a facility offering shorepower.

WEST VIRGINIA. A bill would impose tolls to complete a 14-mile section of U.S. 35. The proposed toll would be $1.21 a mile for a five-axle vehicle.

WISCONSIN. Expect significant delays as work continues on 18 miles of I-43. The project will continue until August 2012.

WYOMING. Higher fines for oversize and overweight trucks are in a bill awaiting the governor’s signature. Minimum fines for oversize trucks would increase to $100 from $50, while overweight truck fines would go to $25 to $1,000 from the current maximum of $750.

Willie’s Place to reopen as a Petro

TravelCenters of America will convert Willie’s Place into a Petro Stopping Center, expected to open this month.

TA bought the Dallas-area property March 1 after it was posted for foreclosure, said company spokesman Tom Liutkus. TA had the winning bid of $6.4 million, according to a March 8 story in The Hillsboro (Texas) Reporter.

“We have a team of people assessing the property as we speak so our detailed plans are not yet final,” Liutkus said. “We are currently interviewing former employees and new candidates for the projected job positions we will need.”

On Jan. 11, Judge Harlin Hale of U.S. Bankruptcy Court for Northern District of Texas permitted the business’ financial backers to foreclose on the truck stop after rejecting its Chapter 11 reorganization plan.

The Carl’s Corner convenience store and truck stop opened Willie Nelson’s Truck Stop, DBA as Willie’s Place, in late 2008, off of U.S. 35. Carl Cornelius is president and Nelson is an equity holder, court documents stated.

New Jersey-based SBL Capital Funding financed completion of the truck stop in February 2008. It employed nearly 80 people but was never profitable, according to the court.

Cornelius founded the town of Carl’s Corner in the late 1980s to house Carl’s Corner Truck Stop. In 2005, Cornelius and Nelson opened the concert theater Willie’s Place at the truck stop, located 15 miles from the singer’s Abbot, Texas, birthplace.

— Jill Dunn

Oakland port truckers seek emissions rule delay

Drayage trucking companies that serve the Port of Oakland, which use primarily owner-operators, are seeking support to delay a California Air Resources Board mandate that requires trucks to be retrofitted with nitrogen oxide-reduction equipment by 2014.

A trade group representing port truck operators estimates that without a postponement in the NOx requirement, 4,400 1994-2006 model year trucks would have to be replaced with 2007 or newer models by January 2014. In December, CARB voted against a proposal to push back NOx emissions compliance to 2020.

The West State Alliance has contacted Oakland city officials and port executives for meetings to discuss the situation and to appeal to CARB to reconsider the deadline. “We want CARB to be responsive,” said Ron Light, West State executive director.

Light said the drayage truckers face a series of deadlines that are expensive and could put several operators out of business. By January 2012, 700 trucks of 2004 engine model year would require retrofits under a Phase I diesel emissions reduction mandated by CARB. By January 2013, another 1,700 trucks of 2005-2006 engine model years would require retrofits.

Light said many operators could meet the deadlines by purchasing diesel particulate filters.

— Max Kvidera

SHORT HAULS

CLASS 8 TRUCK net orders for February dropped 12 percent from a strong January, according to preliminary data from FTR Associates. Class 8 orders of 23,998 units were up 210 percent from February 2010. The figure includes orders from Canada, Mexico and exports.

AN ECONOMIC indicator that measures of the flow of goods to U.S. factories, retailers and consumers fell 1.5 percent during February. However, February marked the 15th straight month of year-over-year growth for the Ceridian-UCLA Pulse of Commerce Index, which is based on diesel consumption by over-the-road trucks.

SURFACE TRANSPORTATION trade between the United States and Canada and Mexico rose 13.8 percent in December over December 2009 to $66.5 billion, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics of the U.S. Department of Transportation. BTS reported the value of trade fell 2.2 percent in December from November. 

Industry challenged to find drivers

“There’s a tsunami coming,” Robert Low, president of Prime Inc., said March 15 during a panel discussion at the Truckload Carriers Association annual meeting in San Diego. Low referred to a looming driver shortage that will keep capacity tight and force up rates.

“But what is a higher rate going to do for you if you can’t get a driver?” he asked.

Low and panelists Richard Stocking, president and COO, Swift Transportation, and Kevin Knight, president and CEO of Knight Transportation, agreed the ability to hire qualified drivers is the biggest challenge carriers face. The panel was moderated by Todd Amen, president of financial services firm ATBS.

Factors such as the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Compliance, Safety, Accountability program and the possibility of mandatory electronic on-board recorders will further shrink the pool of drivers, panelists said. They also agreed drivers don’t earn enough to compensate them for the difficulties of life on the road. “Drivers need predictability in their lives, in their home time and their paycheck,” Stocking said.

Low and Stocking spoke positively about the long-term viability of using leased owner-operators to meet their capacity needs. The way carriers compensate owner-operators is “a natural incentive program,” Low said. Prime pays 72 percent of a load’s revenue to the owner-operator. “Our philosophy has been that if 72 percent doesn’t produce good earnings for the owner-operator, we don’t need another truck,” he said.

Having “skin in the game” is what drives owner-operators to be successful, panelists said. “They have a business owner mentality, so they run more miles,” said Stocking. Swift leases to about 4,000 owner-operators. They work harder and they watch costs closely, he said.

“Getting the worker to understand the concept of costs in a business is very powerful in terms of running an efficient business,” Low said.

— Linda Longton

A combination of the trucking industry trying to catch up with the economic recovery and adapting to government regulations that are still being developed will extend a capacity shortage through 2013, a trucking economist said at an online seminar Feb. 10.

FTR analysts foresee double-digit percentage increase in driver pay.

The shortfall will peak above 250,000 units in 2012 but continue at about 150,000 units in 2013, predicted Noel Perry, a senior consultant with FTR Associates and principal of Transportation Fundamentals. He said the industry is pursuing productivity increases through greater utilization of existing equipment, and miles per tractor were up more than 10 percent in 2010. Without that productivity improvement, “this crisis could be twice as bad, peaking at around 400,000 units,” he said.

Perry added that capacity utilization has recovered to above 90 percent, but rate increases haven’t kept pace. He said carriers are more productive and profitable, without increasing rates much. “From now on if a [carrier] wants to handle more freight, he is going to have to hire drivers and buy equipment,” he said.

Asked about the proposed hours of service changes and their impact on trucking, Perry predicted driving hours will be cut to 10 from 11. “We figure it’s going to cost the industry about 5 percent in productivity,” he said.

In response to a question, Perry projected that driver pay will increase by double digits in the second half of 2011 and continue “for at least another year.”

Perry forecast a 5 percent tonnage increase in 2011. He added that gross domestic product growth will be in the 3 percent range for the year, led by manufacturing and an improving retail market.

Larry Gross, an FTR senior consultant, said that rail and intermodal shipments were slowed during recent bad weather but will rebound in the next few months. Perry added that shipper demand will pick up and trucking also will recover from the weather slowdown.

— Max Kvidera

SHORT HAULS

JANUARY CLASS 8 truck total net orders for all major North American truck makers increased 1 percent over December to 27,009 units, according to FTR Associates. The order level is more than four times the figure in January 2010.

SPOT MARKET truckload freight movement in December increased 55 percent over a year earlier, according to TransCore’s North American Freight Index. TransCore said spot market freight volumes for the third and fourth quarters in 2010 were the highest since 2005, a peak year for spot market volume.

TRUCKING COMPANIES added 3,200 new employees on a seasonally adjusted basis in January, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics reported.

FREIGHT MOVEMENT as measured by the Freight Transportation Services Index rose 1.5 percent in December from November, the U.S. Department of Transportation reports. December’s figure was 0.4 percent higher than a year earlier. In 2010, the index increased 0.4 percent.

NAFTA SURFACE TRADE between the United States and Canada and Mexico rose 15.5 percent in November 2010 over November 2009, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

NET COMMERCIAL TRAILER orders rose to 22,915 in December, a 7 percent increase over November, ACT Research Co. says. ACT also reports December factory shipments were up 12 percent from November and 69 percent higher than December 2009.

Trucker wins inspection case

A federal judge has ruled the Minnesota State Patrol’s conduct during a 2008 fatigue inspection violated a trucker’s Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable search and seizure.

In May 2008, officers pulled over Stephen K. House, owner of Eagle Trucking Enterprises, for a Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance Level III inspection during a FIST patrol event. FIST is an acronym for fatigue impairment, seatbelt violations, and other traffic violations, which are checked most often at inspections at weigh stations.

Patrol officers made inquiries regarding House’s neck size, urination habits, financial affairs, allergies and family illnesses, according to the suit. Officers also asked if he had specific items in his cab, including Playboy magazines, food wrappers, food and a computer.

Law enforcement placed House, a trucker of 32 years with at least 3 million accident-free miles, out of service for 10 hours. The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association and House consequently filed suit.

On Jan. 28, Judge Donovan Frank, U.S. District of Minnesota, ruled the defendants’ investigation exceeded what the law entitles.

The parties were set to meet March 2 to mediate prospective remedies. Frank ordered House’s out of service record wiped clean, and OOIDA and House are also entitled to an award of attorney fees and costs.

– Jill Dunn

Congress mulls tax form’s impact

The U.S. House Small Business heard testimony Feb. 9 on a new tax requirement the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association says will burden its members, while Congress examines legislation to repeal it.

Congressional bills are aimed at repealing an IRS plan to require small business owners to file more Form 1099s.

Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-Mo.) said the hearing, “Buried in Paperwork: A 1099 Update,” examined the expanded 1099 reporting requirements in Section 9006 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

The impending rule would require companies to file a Form 1099 on every business with which they spend at least $600 a year.

Small business owners testified on the toll it would take for them in money and time. Rep. Daniel Lungren (R-Calif.), who is sponsoring one of the legislative efforts to repeal it, also testified. His bill, the Small Business Paperwork Mandate Elimination Act or H.R.4, was referred to committee Jan. 12 and has 270 sponsors.

Testimony submitted by Todd Spencer, OOIDA executive vice president, says a one-truck owner-operator will make at least 100 fuel purchases for $600 from 50 or more fuel vendors in a year. Owner-operators also deal with many businesses for equipment maintenance, with each purchase usually exceeding $600.

Some bills with the goal of eliminating the new rule have been introduced.

— Staff reports

Highway Hero finalists named

Four finalists have been named for the 28th annual Goodyear North America Highway Hero Award.

Truckers Jaime Avitia, of El Paso, Texas; Tilden Curl, of Olympia, Wash.; Bill Howard, of Litchfield, Neb.; and David Nelson, of Orlando, Fla., were selected for the heroism award.

“This program offers an opportunity for recognition of those who put their lives on the line to help others,” said Joseph Copeland, vice president for commercial tire systems for The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.

The winner will be announced March 31 in Louisville, Ky., and will receive a $10,000 U.S. Savings Bond, a plaque and a specially designed ring. The other finalists will receive a $5,000 U.S. Savings Bond and plaque.

— Staff reports

Cross-border talks progress

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton met with her Mexican counterparts in Mexico in January to discuss implementing a cross-border trucking program.

Government officials and business executives have held talks to revive a cross-border trucking program with Mexico.

In a Jan. 24 press conference, Clinton said she and Patricia Espinosa, Mexico’s foreign secretary, have reviewed methods of inspecting and clearing legitimate goods away from border stations.

“We are working with our counterparts in each of our governments to create trucking policies that reduce transit costs and enhance safety,” she said.

On Jan. 12, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood joined Trade Representative Ron Kirk for cross-border trucking discussions at the third annual Labor Advisory Committee for Trade Negotiations and Trade Policy. The trade representative and the labor department lead the LAC, which comprises 30 U.S. union representatives.

The day before, U.S. Sen. Patty Murray called Mexico’s plans to continue the 99 tariffs on U.S. goods “deeply unfair.” It imposed the measure when Congress voted to end its cross-border trucking program with the nation nearly two years ago. “The United States put a proposal on the table, and Mexico should have responded by ending all punitive tariffs immediately,” the Washington Democrat said.

Mexico has said it will not add additional retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods, Murray noted.

Also in January, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce led a two-day trade delegation to Mexico City. It said it would press for a “mutually agreeable solution” in the debate over cross-border trucking with Mexico.

— Jill Dunn

Detention time bill filed

Representative Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) Feb. 17 introduced legislation that directs the U.S. Department of Transportation to study how much time truckers are forced to wait at loading docks and to use those study results to establish a maximum number of hours drivers may be detained without compensation.

“I asked (Government Accountability Office) GAO to study detention time and quantify the results. It’s clear from the report that detaining truckers at loading docks is a significant problem that FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) needs to regulate,” DeFazio said.

The legislation, H.R. 756, would require shippers and receivers to pay a fee for detention of drivers beyond the time established by USDOT and authorize civil penalties against shippers for failure to pay for unreasonable detention time.

A 2009 study conducted by the FMCSA calculated that waiting for loading and unloading cost carriers over $3 billion annually.

Through driver interviews, the GAO found that detention time affects drivers’ ability to make a living, has an impact on hours-of-service and hampers owner-operators more than company drivers.

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association said the bill would make shippers and receivers accountable for their role in hampering productivity in the transportation supply chain.

OOIDA said its surveys indicate as many as 40 hours per week are spent by drivers waiting to be loaded or unloaded.

— Staff reports

TCA names 20 top fleets

The Truckload Carriers Association and CarriersEdge have named 20 North American for-hire trucking companies as winners of the 2011 Best Fleets to Drive For contest.

Company drivers and owner-operators were asked to nominate carriers that operate 10 trucks or more. CarriersEdge interviewed human resources representatives and executives of the nominated fleets about their corporate direction, policies and programs. Nominated fleets were evaluated in areas such compensation packages, health benefits, career path and advancement opportunities, and annual driver turnover rate.

Those selected are:

• 1st Express Inc. – Toledo, Ohio

• Best Cartage – Kernersville, N.C.

• Bison Transport – Winnipeg, Man.

• Boyd Bros. Transportation Inc. – Clayton, Ala.

• Con-way Truckload – Joplin, Mo.

• Dart Transit Co. – Eagan, Minn.

• Don Hummer Trucking – Oxford, Iowa

• Erb Group – New Hamburg, Ont.

• Fremont Contract Carriers – Fremont, Neb.

• Kennesaw Transportation – Rydal, Ga.

• Brian Kurtz Trucking – Breslau, Ont.

• MacKinnon Transport – Guelph, Ont.

• Paramount Freight Systems – Ft. Myers, Fla.

• Pride Transport Inc. – Salt Lake City, Utah

• Schneider National – Green Bay, Wis.

• Motor Carrier Service, Inc. – Northwood, Ohio

• Trimac Transportation – Houston

• Vedder Transportation Group – Abbotsford, B.C.

• WTI Transport, Inc. – Tuscaloosa, Ala.

• Yanke Group – Saskatoon, Sask.

In addition, five companies have been identified as “Fleets to Watch” (honorable mentions):

• Drive Logistics – Windsor, Ont.

• Hueneman Trucking – Garner, Iowa

• Tennant Truck Lines Inc. – Orion, Ill.

• Spirit Truck Lines Inc. – San Juan, Texas

• Turk Enterprises – St. Andrews, Man.

The next phase of the contest is to choose the highest scoring fleets from each of two categories: Best Overall Fleet for Owner Operators and Best Overall Fleet for Company Drivers, sponsored by Marsh Inc. These winners will be honored at the TCA Annual Convention, March 13-16 in San Diego.

— Staff reports

UCR enforcement begins

Roadside enforcement officers began Feb. 1 verifying if interstate truck operators have 2011 registration with the Unified Carrier Registration.

Individuals and companies operating commercial motor vehicles in interstate or international commerce must register and pay a fee annually. The revenues generated are used for commercial vehicle safety programs.

Fees are $76 for the smallest interstate operator to $73,346 for operators of 1,001 or more power units. Trailers are excluded from registration, but the UCR board raised truck fees to make up for the loss in revenue. Truckers are not required to carry proof of registration, but may want to, according to the National Conference of State Transportation Specialists.

– Jill Dunn

HIGHWAY HAPPENINGS

ARIZONA. The state is monitoring a pilot program that issues a permit for trucks from Mexico weighing 80,001-90,800 pounds to deliver fresh produce in a sealed container to the Nogales commercial zone. The state DOT says the permit may be tried in other Arizona ports.

FLORIDA. Tolls are now cashless on the Florida Turnpike’s 47-mile Homestead Extension. Drivers can pay using SunPass or receive a mailed bill under the toll-by-plate photo system. Mailed invoices include a $2.50 administrative fee. On south Florida highways, tandem trailers are allowed only on the Homestead Extension.

IDAHO. ConocoPhillips is transporting oversized loads of oilfield equipment 174 miles in nighttime routes through the state. The loads are traveling on U.S. 12 from Lewiston to the Montana border. The loads are permitted to travel between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.

KANSAS. A bill would raise the speed limit to 75 mph from 70 on rural sections of divided four-lane highways. The change wouldn’t affect highways posted with 55 mph and 65 mph speeds. Several Western states impose a 75 mph limit in certain areas.

MAINE. A bill would reopen two rest areas along I-95 closed two years ago because of budget cuts. Two Pittsfield sites were shuttered in 2009.

NEW MEXICO. The state is considering a bill to allow permits for trucks up to 96,000 pounds within a 6-mile radius of a New Mexico commercial border crossing.

NORTH DAKOTA. A bill that would create a regional permit system on excess size or weight vehicles has been approved by the state House. The state patrol and state Department of Transportation would be able to negotiate pacts with other states to allow oversize or overweight vehicles to move between states in the region under a single-trip permit.

TENNESSEE. The Department of Transportation has launched a major rehabilitation on the State Route 56 bridge over the Caney Fork River in Dekalb County. The bridge, commonly referred to as “Hurricane Bridge,” was constructed in 1954. Traffic will be maintained on the bridge during the project, which is slated for completion by 2013.

VERMONT. A bill would require that vehicles weighing more than 10,000 pounds could idle no more than five minutes an hour. First-time violators would get a warning. After that, fines could range from $150 to $500.

FMCSA official pleads not guilty to bribery

A Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration field supervisor has pleaded not guilty to a bribery charge, despite recordings of him agreeing to delay a carrier review or audit for cash.

On Jan. 19, U. S. Attorney William J. Hochul Jr., for Western District of New York, filed the criminal complaint in Buffalo federal court. The next day, Delevan resident James H. Wood, 44, entered a not guilty plea to the felony charge of accepting a bribe in his official duties.

A safety consultant for Canadian carriers recorded telephone conversations with Wood, who allegedly agreed to delay a compliance review or safety audit of a Canadian trucking company.

In January, officials from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General began working with a confidential informant. The informant estimated he had paid bribes of $60,000 to $70,000 over two years, in cash and through Western Union.

In return, Wood allegedly provided a list of Canadian companies targeted for inspection and initiated complaint audits to put a company out of business and a “friendly audit” to assist a company in getting satisfactory rating.

The charge carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both.

– Jill Dunn

SHORT HAULS

TRUCK TONNAGE calculated by the American Trucking Associations increased 4.2 percent in December from a year earlier. ATA said the December index was the highest since September 2008 and 2.2 percent above November. For 2010, tonnage rose 5.7 percent from the previous year. Tonnage declined 8.7 percent in 2009.

THE CALIFORNIA Air Resources Board is hosting events to help explain truck regulations, provide financial information and demonstrate truck inspections. Exhaust retrofit and SmartWay-approved equipment suppliers will attend, and financial grant application assistance will be available. Meetings are scheduled for 9 a.m.-5 p.m. March 5 in Riverside, March 19 in San Mateo and March 26 in Fresno. For information, call (866) 634-3735.

CTS files Chapter 11

A bankruptcy judge held a final hearing Feb. 9 on an emergency order issued to Cargo Transportation Services after the Florida-based trucking company filed for Chapter 11 protection.

On Jan. 21, Judge Michael Williamson of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Middle District of Florida, signed interim orders that included CTS’s motion use of cash collateral and granting post-petition financing, according to court records.

The truckload and less-than-truckload carrier’s services include distribution, warehousing and logistics. CTS, along with its non-debtor affiliates, CTS Tennessee and Cargo West, have 140 employees and annual gross revenue of $100 million.

In May, CTS and its affiliates executed a master revolving note for $10.15 million with Comerica Bank, a Texas-based financial services company. The company had amended and restated a $10 million promissory note from September 2009.

CTS charges that Comerica, because of “technical, nonmonetary defaults that are disputed by CTS,” seized its bank accounts and began collecting CTS’s accounts receivables, which totaled $1.7 million. When CTS petitioned the court Jan. 12 for Chapter 11, which allows reorganization of debts and a court-approved payment plan, $6.4 million remained on that debt.

The company plans to borrow $2 million from Comerica to pay for operating expenses and administrative costs. The bankruptcy will have no impact on daily operations, CTS said.

— Jill Dunn

SHORT HAULS

BILL G. POULOS, a driver for FedEx Freight of Portland, Ore., has been named a Truckload Carriers Association Highway Angel. Poulos found a 2-year-old toddler strapped to her seat inside a wrecked car on I-84 in Oregon. He reached through a broken window, cut the seat belt off the child and pulled her to safety.

THE U.S. DEPARTMENT of Homeland Security is replacing its five-color terrorist threat alert system with a two-level system expected to be implemented by May. Under the new National Terrorism Advisory System, the department and other federal entities will issue alerts, classified as imminent or elevated. It will identify the potential threat and recommend action for the public.

Speakers support hours status quo

Trucking industry executives and drivers speaking at a meeting to discuss proposed hours of service changes Feb. 17 urged the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to retain the current regulations. The Washington, D.C. area listening session was organized by FMCSA.

Owner-operator Rusty Wade of MM American called in to say, “If you put these rules in the name of safety, you’re going to cut my income by at least one-sixth.”

Referring to impact of the proposals on business, productivity would drop 4.72 percent, said Don Osterberg, senior vice president of safety and security at Schneider National. Schneider drivers would get home 25 percent less under the proposal, he said. The average daily mileage would fall from 501.7 miles to 478. To compensate for that loss, the company would have to increase driver pay by $3,000 annually, he said.

William Fields, president of William Fields Enterprises that is leased on to FFE Transportation, said mandating EOBRs would stop companies from pushing drivers to exceed hours limits. “In the long run that would force bad actor carriers, drivers and shippers and receivers to either get in line or lose business.”

On hours of service, he said the rules are working. “The only flexibility I feel that needs to see handed out would be to give the driver a two-hour off-duty window at either shippers or receivers to compensate for the time they force you to wait.”

Dave Osiecki, head of policy and regulatory affairs for the American Trucking Associations, said the HOS proposals aren’t the best way to address cost-beneficial solutions for fatigue among truckers. He pointed out FMCSA isn’t following sound safety research in making the proposed changes. He called the 34-hour restart change an “unjustified overreach” of the regulation.

“The current rules are working,” he said, adding FMCSA should withdraw the HOS proposals. “To better address the causes of fatigue in transportation and trucking, the FMCSA should focus its expertise, energy and resources on sleep disorder issues including screening and training and promote use of fatigue risk management programs.”

— Max Kvidera

Company drivers and owner operators were asked to nominate carriers that operate 10 trucks or more. CarriersEdge interviewed human resources representatives and executives of the nominated fleets about their corporate direction, policies and programs. Nominated fleets were evaluated on various categories, such total compensation package, health benefits, career path and advancement opportunities, and annual driver turnover rate.

Those selected are:
•         1st Express Inc. – Toledo, Ohio
•         Best Cartage – Kernersville, N.C.
•         Bison Transport – Winnipeg, Man.
•         Boyd Bros. Transportation Inc. – Clayton, Ala.
•         Con-way Truckload – Joplin, Mo.
•         Dart Transit Co. – Eagan, Minn.
•         Don Hummer Trucking – Oxford, Iowa
•         Erb Group – New Hamburg, Ont.
•         Fremont Contract Carriers – Fremont, Neb.
•         Kennesaw Transportation – Rydal, Ga.
•         Brian Kurtz Trucking – Breslau, Ont.
•         MacKinnon Transport – Guelph, Ont.
•         Paramount Freight Systems – Ft. Myers, Fla.
•         Pride Transport Inc. – Salt Lake City, Utah
•         Schneider National – Green Bay, Wis.
•         Motor Carrier Service, Inc. – Northwood, Ohio
•         Trimac Transportation – Houston
•         Vedder Transportation Group – Abbotsford, B.C.
•         WTI Transport, Inc. – Tuscaloosa, Ala.
•         Yanke Group – Saskatoon, Sask.

In addition, five companies have been identified as “Fleets to Watch” (honorable mentions):
•         Drive Logistics – Windsor, Ont.
•         Hueneman Trucking – Garner, Iowa
•         Tennant Truck Lines Inc. – Orion, Ill.
•         Spirit Truck Lines Inc. – San Juan, Texas
•         Turk Enterprises – St. Andrews, Man.
 
TCA attributes this heightened interest to more awareness of the Best Fleets program. John Kaburick, chairman of TCA and president of Earl L. Henderson Trucking Co., Salem, Ill., said, “After each contest and survey cycle, we compile and widely publicize the best practices of each winning fleet. The results are a snapshot of excellence. It’s only natural for drivers and fleets to want to be a part of this.”

The next phase of the contest is to choose the highest scoring fleets from each of two categories: Best Overall Fleet for Owner Operators and Best Overall Fleet for Company Drivers, sponsored by Marsh Inc. These winners will be honored at the TCA Annual Convention, March 13-16 in San Diego.

National Carriers Inc. announced Juan Cadenas as its 2009 Driver of the Year. He pulls a reefer for the Liberal, Kan.-based carrier that specializes in refrigerated and livestock services nationwide.

HONORS

Bekins Van Lines, based in Hillside, Ill., recently honored Scott Hostetler, Kurt Kloth, Jordy Jones and Robert Stanton as its 2009 Drivers of the Year . . . Company drivers Dennis Howard and Virgil Shell were recognized for driving 2 million miles safely, Boyd Bros. Transportation announced. The Clayton, Ala.-based carrier was recently selected as Best Fleet for Company Drivers by the Truckload Carriers Association and CarriersEdge. . . Perry Famularo, Harvey Penhollow and Pedro Vela were named Contractors of the Month for November at Dart Transit, based in Eagan, Minn. . . . Third-party logistics provider Greatwide Logistics Services, based in Dallas, won the Innovation Award from CHEP USA, which provides pallet and container pooling services. . . Jacksonville, Ill.-based Landes Trucking Inc. announced company driver Bob Oitker as the first recipient of its Customer Appreciation Award.

EXPANSIONS

Dedicated short-haul truckload carrier James Brown Contracting, based in Atlanta, purchased West Brothers’ Companies, a Durham, N.C.-based transportation, logistics and commercial fleet leasing services provider. . . Vitran Corp. Inc., a Toronto-based less-than-truckload transportation and supply chain firm, sold 794 Frontier trailers to On-Line Transport, based in Indianapolis. The proceeds and net working capital is about $5 million.

PAY

The tanker division at Schneider National, Schneider National Bulk Carriers, is increasing owner-operator compensation by 5 cents a mile. The new rate is $1.05 plus fuel surcharge, for loaded and unloaded miles. n

Shell said that he enjoys working for the Clayton, Ala.-based fleet. The carrier was recently selected as Best Fleet for Company Drivers by the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) and CarriersEdge.

The companies were given their awards at the TCA Annual Convention Feb. 28-March 3 in Las Vegas.

CarriersEdge, a provider of online driver improvement programs, cosponsors the contest with TCA.

Long-term financial problems, followed by a weak freight market and unseasonably warm temperatures, forced IdleAire to shut down Jan. 29.

IdleAire pulls the plug

IdleAire, the major provider of shore power to truckers, closed Jan. 29 after its investment company owners of the past 18 months failed to find a buyer. IdleAire had 131 locations in 34 states.

IdleAire is owned by six investment management companies that were working together as Knoxville, Tenn.-based IdleAire Acquisition Co. LLC to sell the company, the owners said in a prepared statement.

“The company had made great strides toward profitability in the midst of a very challenging operating environment,” the owners said. “We believe IdleAire had strong growth potential.”

However, they continued, “Due to the economy, our customers had less freight to haul, resulting in reduced truck traffic and we have had extremely mild weather across the nation, reducing the demand for our climate control service.”

The current owners had acquired the company after it declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in May 2008.

The IdleAire closing leaves fewer truck stop electrification options. Shorepower, formerly Shurepower, offers services in Washington, Oregon and North Carolina and a partner site in California.

IdleAire’s closing affected 315 employees.

— Jill Dunn

Listen up: Truckers urge hours flexibility

At the last scheduled listening session for the proposed hours of service revision, many requested more flexibility in duty-hour and sleeper berth regulations.

At the fourth session organized by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Jan. 28, many speakers said existing rules are too restrictive and lead to increased fatigue, stress and log book cheating. The public sessions are part of another hours rulemaking FMCSA is conducting under a settlement with groups challenging the current regulations. A fifth session may be scheduled for March, officials say.

Instead of letting drivers sleep when they need it, log book demands are managing drivers’ sleep, said Brenda Neville, president of the Iowa Motor Truck Association.

Drivers often lose time in emergency situations such as bad weather or a traffic accident that count against their 14-hour duty clock, said Kathy Gillaspy, an over-the-road driver.

Tom Bower, a small fleet owner of four trucks and an operator from Kentucky, said the duty rule’s inflexibility causes him and his drivers to lose time. “Waiting can make you more tired than working,” he told an FMCSA panel at the session in Davenport, Iowa.

Ralph Pepper, who’s been driving for 36 years, said the 14-hour limit hurts his ability to make a living. “It’s coming down to a stranglehold on drivers out there,” said Pepper, one of dozens of who called in comments.

Chris Perry, who said he’s driven for more than 30 years with more than 3.5 million safe miles, called to say FMCSA treats all drivers the same with the existing regulations. “I know when I’m tired,” he said. “I don’t need a babysitter. Before the DOT took over, it seemed a lot easier because we were left alone to do our job, period.”

Attending the session in person, owner-operator Bob Kinsley of Toledo, Iowa, said that although he likes the 14-hour clock and the 11 hours of driving within that, he noted there’s no flexibility to take a nap or a break. “I don’t eat a meal in the truck stop,” he said. “I don’t have the time.”

— Max Kvidera

Short hauls

SCHNEIDER NATIONAL plans to hire an estimated 2,100 drivers to expand its regional driving force to 2,500 drivers by December. The drivers will serve short-haul routes in the company’s West, Southwest, Midwest, Southeast and Northeast regions.

IN RECENT MONTHS, 59 truck owners working the Port of Seattle have turned in their older polluting diesel trucks for a $5,000 scrap credit. About 85 percent of the trucks have been or are being replaced with a newer truck, according to Cascade Sierra Solutions. As of Dec. 31, 2010, no pre-1994 engine trucks will be allowed access to the port.

Analysis: Intermodal transport gains

Intermodal transport gained market share from trucking in 2009’s fourth quarter, according to analysis by transportation research firm FTR Associates.

Intermodal transport gained market share against trucks in the fourth quarter of 2009, reaching a new high in the process, an analysis by FTR Associates shows.

Intermodal’s share of U.S. long-haul (550-plus miles) movements of international and domestic containerized freight was estimated to be 13.3 percent in the fourth quarter, up 0.2 percent from the third quarter and slightly above the previous high-water mark achieved in the 2008 fourth quarter.

“Intermodal has gained share for three consecutive quarters since the freight meltdown late last year,” says Lawrence Gross, FTR senior consultant. “This latest increase has been driven by improvement in the international intermodal sector, an indication that imports and exports are rebounding faster than domestic traffic.”

The market share of the domestic intermodal sector, which had been growing earlier in the year, was flat in the fourth quarter, says Gross, who expects the overall positive trend to continue. “Provided that the railroads maintain their current high levels of service, we see a variety of factors leading to a resumption of domestic share growth even as the international sector continues to rebound,” he says.

— Staff reports

EPA revises DEF stance

Under legal pressure from Navistar, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency revised its 2010 engine emissions guidance for the number of miles and hours a vehicle using selective catalytic reduction technology can operate after the diesel exhaust fluid is exhausted.

The original guidance issued in February 2009 required engine performance to be degraded after a truck travels 2,000 miles or 40 hours on an empty DEF tank. The revision removes this provision and eliminates specific limits on mileage or time trucks should operate with empty DEF tanks. 

Navistar sued EPA over the February 2009 guidance, saying that the agency could not allow SCR without an opportunity for public comment. The truck maker, which is not using SCR to comply with 2010 emissions-reduction rules, argued that EPA’s regulation in 2001 stated that SCR would not be feasible.

In October, EPA asked a federal appeals court for a 60-day stay to halt legal proceedings. The court rejected EPA’s request, but the agency reissued the guidance anyway. In a Dec. 30, 2009, letter to engine manufacturers, EPA’s Karl Simon explained the revision as clarifying the intent of the original guidance, which was not intended as “binding requirements.”

In a supplemental brief filed last month, Navistar said the new guidance merely renames the previous “certification requirements” as “possible approaches” and substitutes the words “reasonably short” mileage for the specific mileage during which no NOx control is required.

EPA has until March 11 to respond to Navistar’s claims.

— Avery Vise

Short hauls

U.S. TRUCK TONNAGE calculated by the American Trucking Associations jumped 6.6 percent in December over the same month in 2008, the first year-over-year increase in 15 months, ATA said. ATA’s seasonally adjusted for-hire truck tonnage index increased 2.1 percent in December from November after a 2.6 percent decrease from October to November.

VIRGINIA is reopening 19 highway rest stops that were closed last year to save money. Twelve of the rest stops were scheduled to reopen by March 17, and the final seven by April 17.

NAFTA TRADE using surface transportation was 2.9 percent lower in November 2009 than in November 2008, dropping to $58.9 billion, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. The value of U.S. surface transportation trade with its North American Free Trade Agreement partners Canada and Mexico fell 4 percent in November 2009 from October 2009.

DIESEL FUEL will average $2.95 a gallon this year and climb to $3.16 in 2011, the Department of Energy predicts. Diesel averaged $2.46 in 2009.

Paccar’s engines due this year

Paccar announced the official introduction of its MX series diesel engines and the opening this summer of its new engine plant in Columbus, Miss., during a press event at the Paccar Technical Center in Mount Vernon, Wash., on Feb. 5.

Not many companies are taking such steps during “the worst economy in decades,” said Paccar Chairman and CEO Mark Pigott. He credited Paccar’s ability to invest more than $1 billion in its engine initiative over the last decade to “a conservative business approach and long-term focus.”

The MX series, which will be standard on all Kenworth and Peterbilt trucks, features an in-line, six-cylinder design with four valves per cylinder. Five separate engines make up the MX series, with power ratings ranging from 380 to 485 horsepower and 1,450 to 1,750 pound-feet of torque.

Paccar recently completed its 71st year of profitability and has paid cash dividends every year since 1941, Pigott said. “When markets are booming, every company looks good. But when you turn the lights off, only a few are still shining and that’s Paccar.”

When Paccar realized the economy was slipping into a recession, the company made some “challenging decisions,” Pigott said. Those included closing down factories, reducing the company’s head count by 40 percent, going “line-by-line” through the capital budget and working with suppliers. “You have to align your business with the recession,” he said. “Every year we go in focusing: We’re going to make money. Let’s figure out how we’re going to do that.”

— Linda Longton

SuperTruck draws Navistar attention

A smoke stream glides over a Navistar ProStar and trailer during Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory testing at the NASA Ames Center in California.

At the March 25-27 Mid-America Trucking Show, Navistar will display a prototype of a system that will move the fifth wheel to adjust the gap between the back of the truck cab and the trailer to optimize aerodynamics.

This project is among other SuperTruck research that Navistar and other truck and engine makers are working on. The SuperTruck projects are receiving $115 million in U.S. Department of Energy funding.

Ron Schoon, the truck maker’s chief aerodynamics engineer, said the “radical” system would slide the trailer back and forth to minimize airflow at highway speeds. The system would operate independently of the driver but react almost instantly in an emergency.

“The key is safety,” Schoon said. “We’re testing exactly how far the device can move before its locking feature engages. Depending on your configuration and how your trailer is loaded, it will always run as close to the [truck] as possible.”

Schoon said Navistar is talking with fifth wheel makers and may partner with a company to hasten the product’s development.

Navistar has been testing for the last 15 months aerodynamic devices attached to a 53-foot trailer behind one of its ProStar tractors at NASA’s Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif., the truck maker announced.

NASA’s Ames and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory are conducting the tests under a $2 million U.S. Department of Energy grant with the purpose of increasing fuel efficiency by more closely integrating the tractor with the trailer.

In another DOE project, Navistar was awarded $37.3 million in matching funds over five years to develop systems to increase heavy-duty truck fuel efficiency by 50 percent.

Advanced Transit Dynamics, trailer manufacturer Wabash National, Swift Transportation, Safeway and a tire maker are collaborating on the project.

— Staff reports

Trucking, oil groups file Calif. lawsuit

The American Trucking Associations on Feb. 2 joined petroleum refiners and other end-users in a legal challenge to California’s recently enacted low-carbon fuel standard.

The regulation adopted by the California Air Resources Board requires annual reductions in the carbon intensity of gasoline and diesel over the next 10 years. The LCFS regulation falls directly upon fuel providers (refiners, importers and blenders of fuel), but is likely to impact end-users because of associated fuel price increases.

ATA says the legal challenge is based largely on the federal Commerce Clause with assertions that the “shuffling” of low-carbon fuel to California and away from other states will burden fuel providers and consumers significantly without any net change in fuel’s carbon intensity on a global scale, resulting in no reduction – and a likely increase – in greenhouse gas emissions.

“The LCFS would essentially ban imports to California of fuels derived from unconventional sources such as oil sands from Canada, oil shale from the Western U.S. or domestic coal supplies that can be converted into transportation fuels,” says Rich Moskowitz, ATA vice president. “Discouraging these fuels will simply increase costs while failing to prevent their export to and consumption by other nations.”

The complaint, filed in U.S. District Court in California, also challenged the regulatory scheme as discriminating in favor of California-produced fuels by assigning them lower carbon-intensity ratings because of shorter transportation distances to users. Others joining the suit include the Center for North American Energy Security, Consumer Energy Alliance and National Petrochemical and Refiners Association.

— Staff reports

TCA names Best Fleets

Seventeen carriers, including seven based in Canada, are winners in the Truckload Carriers Association’s second annual Best Fleets to Drive For contest.

Best Fleets to Drive For is an annual survey and contest identifying the North American for-hire trucking companies that provide the best workplace experiences for their drivers. To qualify, carriers operating 10 trucks or more had to be nominated by a company driver or owner-operator.

CarriersEdge conducted the survey and compiled the research data, evaluating each nominee on the range and depth of offered programs, the overall effectiveness of those programs across key areas, and the responses of surveyed drivers.

Mark Murrell, president of CarriersEdge, said, “For example, the survey reveals that fleet sizes went down overall last year, but a number of the best fleets actually grew in size. Many of the best fleets also took advantage of low prices and interest rates to invest in new equipment.”

In March, TCA will announce the names of the highest scoring fleets for owner-operators and for company drivers. These winners will be recognized at the TCA Annual Convention, Feb. 28 to March 3, in Las Vegas.

The winners are: Bison Transport, Winnipeg, Man.; Boyd Bros. Transportation, Clayton, Ala.; Brian Kurtz Trucking, Breslau, Ont.; CalArk Trucking, Mabelvale, Ark.; Central Hauling, Mabelvale, Ark.; Coastline Transport, Fowler, Calif.; Con-way Truckload, Joplin, Mo.; Dart Transit, Eagan, Minn.; Don Hummer Trucking, Oxford, Iowa; Kennesaw Transportation, Rydal, Ga.; Laidlaw Carriers Van, Guelph, Ont.; MacKinnon Transport, Guelph, Ont.; Melton Truck Lines, Tulsa, Okla.; MSM Transportation, Bolton, Ont.; Schneider National, Green Bay, Wis.; Shulist Trucking, Maple, Ont.; and Yanke Group of Companies, Saskatoon, Sask.

— Staff reports

DOT proposes drug test changes

The U.S. Department of Transportation has proposed amending provisions of its urine drug testing procedures, included testing for lower amounts of amphetamines and cocaine.

Some proposals will apply to collectors and medical review officers and are meant to create consistency with new requirements established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

HHS has estimated there might be 10 percent more users of amphetamine and cocaine identified using the lowered cutoffs.

The proposal would allow DOT employers to choose between a full service laboratory and instrumented initial test facilities.

The notice of proposed rulemaking makes changes to some confirmatory and initial drug tests. The confirmatory drug test is a second analytical procedure performed on a different portion of the sample. An initial drug test differentiates a negative specimen from one requiring further testing.

— Jill Dunn

CVSA to release out-of-service guide

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance will release the 2010 North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria April 1. The annually published guide provides law enforcement and the motor carrier industry with guidelines for promoting uniformity in compliance and enforcement throughout North America.

The CVSA has maintained, updated and published the guide for more than 20 years. The Out-of-Service Criteria guidelines are used by state, provincial, territorial and federal law enforcement personnel in identifying Critical Vehicle Inspection Item violations following a roadside inspection. Officials are trained to identify hazards, and they can prohibit a motor carrier or operator from driving until the defective condition is corrected. The OOSC is a component of the North American Standard Inspection Program, and is developed through a collaborative process that includes government and industry experts.

For more information on the North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria, visit www.CVSA.ort.

— Staff reports

CRST awarded fees in suit

In a Feb. 9 decision, a federal judge ordered the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission pay CRST Van Expedited Inc. more than $4.5 million of attorney fees, costs and expenses in an alleged EEOC Title VII sexual harassment case.

The EEOC filed suit against CRST in September 2007, alleging the carrier had engaged in a pattern or practice of tolerating sexual harassment of its female drivers. CRST denied the allegations.

On Oct. 1, 2009, Chief Judge Linda R. Reade of the Northern District of Iowa issued a final judgment dismissing all of the EEOC’s claims against CRST. In particular, Judge Reade rejected the EEOC’s claim that CRST management tolerated sexual harassment of the company’s drivers.

In her Feb. 9 decision, Judge Reade found the financial award against the EEOC was warranted because the EEOC, among other things, acted unreasonably by suing CRST without conducting a proper investigation.

— Staff reports

California fines reefer violators

The California Air Resources Board issued about 100 citations for violations of the Transport Refrigeration Unit Airborne Toxic Control Measure in-use performance standards during the first two weeks of enforcement.

Inspectors have issued citations carrying penalties up to $1,000 per violation for the new rule, which began Jan. 1. Any truck operating in the state is affected, regardless of where it is based.

CARB inspectors also are continuing to cite owners of California-based TRUs who have failed to register in the board’s Equipment Registration system. Penalties are up to $500 per violation. Registration is required for California-based TRUs, but it is voluntary for TRUs registered in other states but operating in California.

The board said it had received numerous calls mistakenly believing the TRU ATCM is on hold.

— Jill Dunn

CARB starts hybrid funding plan

The California Air Resources Board on Feb. 3 launched a $20 million funding assistance program designed to spur the purchase of hybrid trucks and buses to help reduce smog-forming pollution and address climate change.

Funding incentives range from $10,000 to $45,000.

The program is expected to put up to 800 vehicles on the road on a first-come first-served basis. CARB says it created the financial incentive program from funding that helps Californians purchase cleaner but more costly hybrid vehicles.

“California is taking an aggressive approach to getting lower-polluting vehicles on the road more quickly,” says CARB Chairman Mary D. Nichols.

Learn more about the program at californiahvip.org.

— Staff reports

Highway Happenings

ARIZONA. Eleven state motor vehicle offices have been closed to help reduce a budget shortfall. The closures follow last fall’s shutdown of 13 highway rest areas in the state.

FLORIDA. Lanes may close at night for the next few months on a six-mile segment of the Florida Turnpike Homestead Extension for road resurfacing. The work is ongoing from the Interstate 75 interchange (Exit 39) to the NW 57th Avenue/Red Road interchange (Exit 43).

INDIANA. The Department of Transportation has closed State Road 13 north of S.R. 67 for several months. The detour routes drivers from Fortville along S.R. 67 to Interstate 69 at Exit 22 and back to S.R. 13 at Lapel. 

MISSOURI. The state is using a sugar beet mixture to help keep roads clear and reduce the corrosiveness of salt. Beet juice mixed with rock salt or salt brine can keep ice from forming on roads before a storm, officials say.

OREGON. A replacement structure for the I-5 bridge that crosses the Columbia River between Portland and Vancouver, Wash., could carry tolls. Tolls would vary according to time of day for the bridge proposed for 2017.

SOUTH CAROLINA. South Carolina closed four rest areas to save more than $1 million. The locations are on I-95, both northbound and southbound at mile marker 17; on I-85 at mile marker 89; and on I-26 at mile marker 202. Last year, the state reopened several parking areas for trucks.

WEST VIRGINIA. Under a state senate bill, fines for drivers ticketed for violating out-of-service orders would more than double to $2,500 from $1,100. Subsequent offenses would result in $5,000 fines. Another provision in the bill would increase a driver’s suspension for violating an OOS order to six months from the current 90 days.

WYOMING. Drivers of heavy trucks caught topping the speed limit by more than 5 mph will face a $300 surcharge, formerly $100, on their speeding tickets.

West Virginia eyes idling limits, tolls

The West Virginia Legislature is considering bills that would limit truck and bus idling, allow tolling beyond the state turnpike and bring state commercial driver license laws into federal compliance.

Sentate Bill 183 would restrict idling to five minutes in any hour for trucks and buses weighing more than 10,000 pounds, but allow for some exceptions. Fines would range from $150 to $300. Many states and municipalities limit idling from three to 15 minutes.

— Staff reports

Mark your calendar

MARCH 13: BAYOU STATE CHAPTER Truck Show, American Truck Historical Society, Calvin, La., (318) 332-5547 or (313) 727-8833.

MARCH 25-27: MID-AMERICA TRUCKING SHOW, Louisville, Ky., (502) 899-3892, www.truckingshow.com.

APRIL 9-10: SMOKY MOUNTAIN CHAPTER 3rd Annual Truck Show, American Truck Historical Society, Chilhowee Park, Knoxville, Tenn., (865) 789-7771.

APRIL 10: YELLOW ROSE CHAPTER Antique Truck Show, American Truck Historical Society, City Park, Highway 71, Smithville, Texas, (830) 743-3179.

APRIL 16-17: EAST TEXAS ANTIQUE TRACTOR & ENGINE ASSOCIATION, American Truck Historical Society, Rusk County Youth Expo Center, Henderson, Texas, (903) 889-2671.

APRIL 23-25: CENTRAL CALIFORNIA CHAPTER Kirkland Show, American Truck Historical Society, Kirkland Ranch, Plymouth, Calif., (916) 381-6063.

APRIL 24: NORTHWEST CHAPTER Antique Trucks Show, American Truck Historical Society, Harold E. LeMay Marymount Museum, Spanaway, Wash., (360) 866-7716.

APRIL 24-25: OVERDRIVE PRIDE & POLISH AT 75 CHROME SHOP, Wildwood, Fla., (888) 349-4287, www.prideandpolish.com.

MAY 15: GREATER CINCINNATI CHAPTER 10th ANNUAL TRUCK SHOW, American Truck Historical Society, Howard Trucking, Fairborn, Ohio, howardtrk@yahoo.com, (937) 878-6154.

MAY 21-23: NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SHOW TRUCKS/Eau Claire Truck Show, Carson Park, Eau Claire, Wis., Bo Trout at (734) 323-3397.

JUNE 17-19: THE GREAT WEST TRUCK SHOW, Las Vegas, (888) 349-4287, www.prideandpolish.com.

JULY 8-9: WALCOTT TRUCKERS JAMBOREE, Iowa 80 Truckstop, Walcott, Iowa, iowa80truckstop.com, (563) 284-6961.

AUG. 26-28: THE GREAT AMERICAN TRUCKING SHOW, Dallas, (888) 349-4287, www.prideandpolish.com.

Best Fleets to Drive For is an annual survey and contest identifying the North American for-hire trucking companies that provide the best workplace experiences for their drivers. To qualify, carriers operating 10 trucks or more had to be nominated by at least one of their drivers (either a company driver or an owner-operator).

CarriersEdge conducted the survey and compiled the research data, evaluating each nominee on the range and depth of offered programs, the overall effectiveness of those programs across key metrics, and the responses of surveyed drivers.

Mark Murrell, president of CarriersEdge, said, “For example, the survey reveals that fleet sizes went down overall last year, but a number of the best fleets actually grew in size. Many of the best fleets also took advantage of low prices and interest rates to invest in new equipment.”

Murrell said many drivers noted the biggest area to get cut last year was employer matching 401(k) and RSPs in Canada. Many fleets dropped their employer match altogether, while those who kept it generally lowered the matching rate, he said.

Drivers also said their fleets are continuing to invest in green technology, even though fuel prices have stabilized. “More and more bonus programs seem to be tied directly to environmental initiatives like fuel efficiency and idle time,” Murrell said.

In addition to industry trends, the survey also provided a glimpse into some of the most innovative programs carriers are operating to recruit and retain drivers. Notable company initiatives include Don Hummer Trucking’s quilting club, through which drivers fill some idle time making quilts that are later raffled or donated to charity. Bison Transport created an extensive corporate intranet, which allows drivers’ family members to log in and see their satellite position. Boyd Bros. Transportation set up a seasonally adjusted mileage-based bonus program, and Kennesaw Transportation launched a starting pay program, which is based on the driver’s longevity at his previous employer.

In March, TCA will announce the names of the highest scoring fleets for owner-operators and for company drivers. These winners will be recognized at the TCA Annual Convention, Feb. 28 –March 3, at the Wynn Resort in Las Vegas.

The winners are: Bison Transport, Winnipeg, Man.; Boyd Bros. Transportation, Clayton, Ala.; Brian Kurtz Trucking, Breslau, Ont.; CalArk Trucking, Mabelvale, Ark.; Central Hauling, Mabelvale, Ark.; Coastline Transport, Fowler, Calif.;  Con-way Truckload, Joplin, Mo.; Dart Transit, Eagan, Minn.; Don Hummer Trucking, Oxford, Iowa; Kennesaw Transportation, Rydal, Ga.; Laidlaw Carriers Van, Guelph, Ont.; MacKinnon Transport, Guelph, Ont.; Melton Truck Lines, Tulsa, Okla.; MSM Transportation, Bolton, Ont.; Schneider National, Green Bay, Wis.; Shulist Trucking, Maple, Ont.; and Yanke Group of Companies, Saskatoon, Sask.