Trucking news and briefs for Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024:
$3.50 per gallon -- diesel prices hover headed into holiday
After falling to the lowest national average in more than three years during the week ending Dec. 9, diesel prices climbed slightly during the next week to settle just below $3.50/gal, according to Energy Information Administration numbers.
During the week ending Dec. 9, fuel prices fell to $3.46, the lowest weekly average since the week ending Sept. 27, 2021, when prices stood at $3.40/gal. During the most recent week, the national average ticked up to $3.49, still well below the average of 2024 so far -- $3.77.
Van and flatbed rates were also up during the week to offset some of the rising fuel costs, according to spot market data from DAT for the week of Dec. 7-13. Both van and flatbed linehaul rates were up 2 cents over the previous week, while reefer rates dipped 4 cents.
Van load posts during the week fell 12% from the week prior, yet remain 24% higher than the same week a year ago. Last week’s reefer load-post volumes were 15% higher than last year’s pre-Christmas shipping surge.
According to data from the Truckstop load board and FTR Transportation Intelligence, refrigerated spot rates fell sharply week over week, as they typically do during the second week following Thanksgiving. Similarly, van rates fell, though the loss was the smallest for a comparable week since at least 2008. The decline in flatbed rates was broadly in line with historical changes, although flatbed has seen a few minor week-over-week increases during the second week after Thanksgiving in recent years, the firms noted.
Looking at diesel prices by region, most parts of the country saw increases during the last week, with California and New England being the only outliers. California’s prices fell 2.6 cents, while New England held mostly flat, falling by just a tenth of a cent.
The largest weekly increase was seen in the Gulf Coast region, where prices jumped 6 cents, followed by the Lower Atlantic, where prices increased by 5.5 cents.
California, despite the decrease, holds the nation’s most expensive diesel at $4.60/gal., followed by the Central Atlantic region at $3.76.
The cheapest diesel is in the Gulf Coast region at $3.19, followed by the Rocky Mountain region at $3.36.
Prices in other regions, according to EIA:
- New England -- $3.75
- Lower Atlantic -- $3.49
- Midwest -- $3.45
- West Coast less California -- $3.73
ProMiles’ diesel averages during the same week showed prices falling by 3 cents to $3.43/gal.
According to the ProMiles Fuel Surcharge Index, the most expensive diesel can be found in California at $4.73, the cheapest in the Gulf Coast region at $3.14.
CarriersEdge launches course for owner-operators
Online truck driver training provider CarriersEdge released a business training course for new and aspiring owner-operators.
The course, “Owner Operator Business Skills,” was created to educate current company drivers about skills and information they need to start their own business. The course can also be a resource for drivers who have recently transitioned to becoming owner-operators, providing insights into what it takes to run a successful trucking business.
“Owner Operator Business Skills” is available to CarriersEdge customers at no extra charge as part of the company’s subscription service. Individuals can also purchase this course without a subscription by visiting the CarriersEdge website.
[Related: Owner-operators see mixed income gains with costs down, but wait for a 'kickstart' on rates]
According to Jane Jazrawy, CarriersEdge CEO, the company identified the need for an owner-operator training course through customer requests and observations through the annual Best Fleets to Drive For program that CarriersEdge produces.
“What we’ve found is that while many fleets work with independent contractors or offer lease-purchase programs, there is a lack of resources available in the industry for these fleets to help educate drivers on what they need to know before and after they start their own business,” said Jazrawy. “Unfortunately, many new owner-operators see their business fail, often due to business management and planning challenges. This course helps fill that void by providing company drivers and owner-operators with essential information to help them understand business risks, how to mitigate them, and the steps they need to take to position them for success.”
The more than a quarter-century-running Overdrive/ATBS Partners in Business owner-operator business education program is sponsored for 2024 by Rush Truck Centers, with 150-plus full-service dealership locations in the United States and Canada. The current PIB book is available for download via this link.
The new course provides guidance on how to select and finance equipment, details on various registrations and compliance requirements, best practices for managing vehicle maintenance, and more. It also covers common problems owner-operators face when starting a business, how to avoid them, and how to navigate current industry challenges such as freight fraud and cybersecurity.
[Related: 2024 handbook for owner-operator business, start to finish, now available]
Drivewyze adds three states to free in-cab alerts system
Drivewyze has expanded its Smart Roadways service with in-cab “virtual alerts” for truck drivers hauling through California, Michigan and Nevada.
Twenty states now utilize Smart Roadways services, which extend the reach of state safety and enforcement messaging directly to commercial truck drivers.
Virtual messaging and traffic slowdown alerts are offered to the entire trucking industry free of charge through Drivewyze Free. This allows fleets and drivers -- using telematics devices, smartphones, or tablets -- to receive an essential set of in-cab safety alerts and advisories in advance of potentially risky areas on the roadway.
“When a participating state sees a problem that a commercial driver is about to drive through, they can let them know through a timely short message,” said Brian Mofford, Drivewyze’s VP of Government Experience. “Being aware of what’s ahead is a core component of the program and it will help drivers become safer.”
Patrick Morris with the Michigan State Police’s Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division said the agency plans “to use this messaging tool before peak holiday travel times or when there are particular driving hazards we want drivers to be aware of.”
In Nevada, “virtual alerts will help drivers navigate diverse terrain and challenging driving conditions,” said Nevada Highway Patrol Lieutenant Tappan Cornmesser. “Coupled with our position as a major transportation corridor, initiatives like this are essential. With increased truck traffic and vital interstates running coast-to-coast, these real-time in-cab messages will help prevent crashes and improve safety for all drivers.”
Cornmesser pointed out that targeted notifications for snowstorms, chain controls, and high wind advisories, particularly in areas like Reno, Carson City, and Tahoe, will keep drivers informed during harsh conditions.
Over Thanksgiving, California began sending safety alert messages through the Smart Roadways platform.
While Drivewyze Free includes access to agency-sponsored real-time traffic slowdown alerts and other alerts and advisories generated in partnership with select state transportation and enforcement agencies, it also offers core message sets, including Drivewyze-sponsored alerts and advisories for High-Rollover risk areas, Low Bridges, and Mountain alerts (steep grade ahead; chain-up/brake check stations; and runaway ramps).
[Related: Drivewyze testing work-zone alerts for truckers in Oregon]
