Trucking news and briefs for Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023:
Michigan’s ‘Eyes on 94’ enforcement blitz ongoing this week
Michigan State Police (MSP) motor carrier officers will be focusing their enforcement on I-94 in a coordinated enforcement operation this week.
Michigan’s operation, dubbed “Eyes on 94,” seeks to reduce commercial vehicle crashes along the I-94 corridor. The statewide effort is taking place through Friday, Dec. 1.
During this initiative, motor carrier officers will focus on violations by commercial vehicles that are most likely to contribute to a crash, including speeding, following too close, improper passing, distracted driving and improper lane use.
“This enforcement effort is a great example of the commitment by the MSP to reach crash reduction goals while increasing traffic safety,” said Capt. Richard Arnold, commander of the MSP Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division. “We hope to increase awareness by means of high visibility enforcement on the I-94 corridor, which is prone to weather-related crashes involving interstate commercial vehicle drivers this time of year.”
The “Eyes on 94” initiative is part of a statewide Drive Toward Zero Deaths traffic safety campaign, which is based on a national strategy on highway safety that seeks to reduce the number of traffic deaths nationwide.
[Related: Brakes: Top Roadcheck OOS violation]
Thanksgiving week delivers another 2023 unicorn: Diesel prices slide, spot rates rise
Another week, another decline in the national average diesel price. That’s according to the Energy Information Administration’s weekly report, which noted a 6.3-cent decrease in fuel prices during the week ending Nov. 27. Spot rates, meanwhile, rose all-in nationally, with dry van and flatbed rates leading the way.
With the diesel decline, the national average for a gallon of on-highway diesel is now $4.15, down from $4.21 last week.
All regions across the U.S. saw declines during Thanksgiving week, with the biggest decrease being seen in the Midwest, where prices fell 9.2 cents.
California remains the only part of the country with prices over $5/gallon with an average price of $5.58 at the pump. The cheapest diesel can be found in the Gulf Coast region at $3.79 per gallon.
Prices in other regions, according to EIA:
- New England -- $4.45
- Central Atlantic -- $4.47
- Lower Atlantic -- $3.96
- Midwest -- $4.12
- Rocky Mountain -- $4.20
- West Coast less California -- $4.49
ProMiles’ diesel averages during the most recent week showed prices fall by 7 cents to $4.20 per gallon.
According to the ProMiles Fuel Surcharge Index, the most expensive diesel can be found in California at $5.75 per gallon, and the cheapest can be found in the Gulf Coast region at $3.80 per gallon.
On the rates front, Truckstop and FTR Transportation Intelligence charted an overall rates rise in the firms' most recent weekly report, analyzing data from the same week. That's in spite of a huge fall-off in both load and carrier availability given the holiday.
[Related: Pre-Thanksgiving rates bump nowhere to be found, yet diesel hits lowest average since summer]
I-10 lane closures planned
The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) has planned I-10 lane closures for Wednesday and Thursday this week in Baton Rouge.
The closures and operations are part of DOTD’s I-10 Widening and Reconstruction Project. The planned closures are as follows:
- Wednesday, Nov. 29: I-10 WB from S. Acadian Throughway to Louise Street will have the right lane open from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. Thursday. The left and center lanes will be closed for asphalt paving operations, weather permitting.
- Thursday, Nov. 30: I-10 WB from S. Acadian Throughway to Louise Street will have the left lane open from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. Friday, Dec. 8. There will be no closures on Friday, Dec. 1 and Saturday, Dec. 2. The right and middles lanes will be closed to allow crews to install temporary concrete barriers, weather permitting.