Trucking news and briefs for Monday, Feb. 6, 2023:
Nebraska governor issues HOS waiver for fuel haulers through February
Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen has issued an emergency declaration as a result of fuel shortages due to high demand, prompting an hours of service waiver for fuel haulers in the state.
Drivers transporting gasoline or gasoline blends, diesel, fuel oil, ethanol, propane and biodiesel in Nebraska are exempt from the hours of service regulations in 49 CFR Part 395 through Feb. 28.
Pillen noted that the declaration was necessary because “commercial motor vehicles and motor carriers are engaged in the business of transporting fuel from further distances and waiting longer at terminals in order to meet needs.”
Nebraska was one of eight states included in a Regional Emergency Declaration issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration in January, effective through Feb. 15, for drivers hauling gasoline, diesel and jet fuel.
Concert, show trucks, educational sessions headline MATS 2023
The 2023 Mid-America Trucking Show will feature a number of events, including the annual PKY Truck Beauty Championship. Pictured is Kate Whiting's "Cherry Pie" 1973 Kenworth W900A that was shown in the 2022 event.
The show is being held March 30-April 1 at the Kentucky Expo Center in Louisville, Kentucky.
On Friday night, March 31, there will be a concert in Freedom Hall within the Expo Center headlined by Elvie Shane, a 2022 Academy of Country Music Male Artist of the Year nominee. Trucker and singer-songwriter Tony Justice is the opening act for the concert. Free tickets for the concert will be available at the DAT Freight & Analytics booth in the West Wing of the Expo Center.
Once again this year, Overdrive will host its Partners in Business seminar with business service firm ATBS, which will focus on owner-operator business practices, benchmarking revenue and costs against owner averages and more. There will also be numerous other educational seminars throughout the show, featuring a number of speakers from across the industry.
The PKY Truck Beauty Championship will also return to MATS, featuring more than 100 custom show and working truck builds.
For truckers planning to drive their rigs to the show, MATS also hosts an off-site Truck Parking Community, with free shuttles to and from the Expo Center.
Additionally, in the pavilion section of the Expo Center, Veterans in Trucking will have a display of patriotic-themed trucks honoring U.S. military veterans.
[Related: Custom champs: Heavy-oversize hauler's 1987 Peterbilt 359 wins big with iconic style]
Pilot launches annual Heart Month campaign
Pilot Company is kicking off its American Heart Month Campaign with its annual round-up campaign, encouraging guests to stop at one of their participating locations to support heart health.
This is the sixth year Pilot has supported the American Heart Association's Life is Why marketing campaign -- inspiring guests to celebrate their reasons to live healthier, longer lives by donating at participating Pilot, Flying J or One9 Fuel Network travel centers throughout February.
This year, the company is also advocating heart health and safety among its 30,000 team members, providing virtual, hands-only CPR training, resources to find nearby CPR classes, virtual cooking classes, and other health and wellness tips.
Pilot Company's fund-raising initiatives throughout the month include:
- Paper Hearts: $1, $3, and $5 paper hearts will be available for purchase at participating travel centers to benefit AHA in the U.S. and Heart and Stroke Foundation in Canada.
- Pin-Pad Round Up or Donation: Guests can round up their purchase to the nearest whole dollar or elect to donate other amounts on the pin-pad during checkout to the AHA at participating U.S. travel centers or Heart & Stroke in Canada.
100% of the proceeds from each effort will go directly to each organization, respectively.
"For the past six years, we've been honored to help support the life-saving work of the American Heart Association through paper hearts and round-up purchases," said Brian Ferguson, Chief Merchant of Pilot Company. "We're excited that this year's campaign also focuses on the importance of CPR. By rounding up your purchases at Pilot and Flying J stores during Heart Month, you are helping the American Heart Association and the Canadian Heart & Stroke Foundation save lives."
Participating Flying J travel centers in Canada will be extending their support of Heart Month Campaign throughout the entire month of February this year, with donations benefiting the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada (Heart & Stroke).
[Related: Trucking Law: What happens after a stroke or seizure]
