Trucking news and briefs for Thursday, March 16, 2023:
FMCSA proposes further cuts in UCR fees
Following recommendations from the board of the Unified Carrier Registration program, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is proposing further reduction in the annual UCR fees collected from motor carriers. After last year's cut from $59 annually to $41 for a one-two-truck carrier, the proposal is to reduce the annual registration cost for those carriers further to $37 for the 2024 plan year.
Annual-fee reductions are on the order of approximately 9%, the agency said, ranging from $4 at the low end of the carrier-size spectrum up to $3,453, "depending on the number of vehicles owned or operated by the affected entities."
With the proposal, FMCSA opened a 30-day comment period set to close April 17, 2023. Comments can be made in the docket at Regulations.gov via this link.
Carriers looking ahead might expect a UCR-fee hike in 2025. Though the UCR board hasn't made any official recommendation to the FMCSA, the agency said, when it comes to 2025-plan-year fees, reductions in recent years mean some likelihood of "an increase in fees for 2025, following the large fee decreases in the previous years."
The official website of the UCR plan is Plan.UCR.gov.
[Related: Thousands of trucking companies getting checks from FTC in fraud case]
DAT offering 30-day free load board subscription to MATS attendees
DAT Freight & Analytics announced that it will offer a 30-day free subscription to its DAT One load board to attendees of the Mid-America Trucking Show, which will be held March 30-April 1 in Louisville, Kentucky.
DAT One product demonstrations and sign-ups for the free 30-day subscription will be available at the DAT booth (#65216) in the West Wing of the Kentucky Expo Center. DAT will host a range of educational and celebratory events at the show:
- Friday Night Concert featuring Elvie Shane and Tony Justice: As the exclusive sponsor of the MATS Friday Night Concert, DAT will give away 15,000 tickets to see Shane and Justice at the Expo Center’s Freedom Hall. Visit DAT’s booth for a free concert ticket and a chance to win an Elvie Shane-signed Gibson 60s J-45 Original guitar.
- DAT at the Pro Talks Education Series: DAT industry analyst Dean Croke will present a “Truckload Market Update,” including an analysis of spot rates, on March 31 at 11:45 a.m. DAT senior product manager Robert Rouse will be joined by Echo Global Logistics vice president Jeff Starr to deliver a presentation on “Leverage Broker Relationships to Get Higher Rates” on March 31 at 1:45 p.m. Croke will also discuss “The Flow of Money in Trucking,” including strategies for finding profitable loads and improving cash flow, on April 1 at 11 a.m.
[Related: Owner-operator income took a big hit in 2022]
Shell Rotella auctioning autographed baseball bat for St. Christopher Fund
Shell Rotella has teamed up with the St. Christopher Truckers Fund (SCF) through an online auction for a customized, Louisville Slugger baseball bat, signed by the legendary Hall of Fame shortstop Cal Ripken Jr.
The auction will run from 12 p.m. Eastern on March 21 through 11:59 a.m. Eastern on April 5, with all proceeds going to SCF. The bat will also be displayed at MATS in Louisville, Kentucky, in the Shell Rotella booth (#34180).
The St. Christopher Fund’s mission is to help aid over-the-road and regional truck drivers and their families when an illness or injury prohibits them from working.
“We are proud to be building a program of engaging activities throughout 2023 with the St. Christopher Fund to support hard-working truck drivers across the U.S.,” said Annie Peter, Shell Rotella Brand Manager. “It is important for us to support this tremendous trucking community through a charity that understands the trucking industry and can give back during times of need in an impactful way.”
Supporters are encouraged to head to the auction’s landing page for a chance to swing big for the cause. The winner of the auction will be announced on the Shell Rotella social media channels on April 6 and will receive the autographed bat with a premium display case and wall mount.
Trucker Path integrates with BrokerWare TMS
Trucker Path on Thursday announced that users of BrokerWare Transportation Management Software from 3PL Systems can post loads directly on the Trucker Path TruckLoads digital load board, giving carriers using Trucker Path access to more available loads.
The Trucker Path integration with 3PL Systems allows companies using BrokerWare TMS to post available loads on TruckLoads with a single click. Drivers using the Trucker Path load board can quickly and easily view and book loads digitally or communicate with the broker to negotiate rates or ask questions.
“The ability to quickly interact on the TruckLoads digital freight exchange will streamline freight matching and help generate additional revenue for both drivers and brokers,” said Chris Oliver, CMO at Trucker Path.
[Related: Transportation Management System platforms: Not just for large fleets]
