Trucking news and briefs for Friday, April 26, 2024:
FMCSA shuts down driver after crash, multiple DUI arrests
A New Jersey-licensed truck driver has been effectively shut down by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration after an accident in which he rear-ended a passenger vehicle and left the scene of the accident.
According to FMCSA’s Imminent Hazard Order, Gurpreet Singh rear-ended the vehicle on Highway 10 in Hillsboro, Oregon, on March 28. After being located after leaving the scene, an inspection of his truck revealed a bottle marked “vodka” inside the cab. Singh was placed out-of-service and directed not to operate.
Singh proceeded to disregard his out-of-service order and operated his truck later that same day in Clackamas County, Oregon. After attempting to evade a sheriff’s deputy, Singh was apprehended and found to be visibly impaired. Singh was arrested and testing showed he had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.07, well over the .04 threshold for a commercial driver.
Prior to the March 28, 2024, incidents in Oregon, on Aug. 31, 2023, Singh was operating his truck in an erratic fashion in Pinal, Arizona, when he was apprehended. A Preliminary Breath Test (PBT) revealed a quick capture of .111 and Singh was arrested.
Based on these incidents, FMCSA said, Singh will be listed as prohibited in FMCSA’s Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse, and FMCSA is working with the state of New Jersey to disqualify his CDL. He is charged in Arizona with one count of driving under the influence of alcohol and one count of operating a CMV while under the influence of alcohol. Singh is also charged in Oregon with one count of driving under the influence of alcohol.
FMCSA’s Imminent Hazard Out-of-Service Order states that Singh’s “blatant disregard for the safety of the motoring public demonstrated by these actions substantially increases the likelihood of serious injury or death to you and the motoring public if not discontinued immediately.”
Failing to comply with the provisions of the Federal Imminent Hazard Order may result in civil penalties of up to $2,304. Knowing and/or willful violations may result in criminal penalties.
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Allison transmissions now available in certain International trucks
Navistar is now offering Allison fully automatic transmissions in International trucks equipped with International’s S13 engine.
Through the partnership between Allison Transmission and International, the Allison 3414 Regional Haul Series (RHS) is now available to order in International RH trucks equipped with the S13 engine. Additionally, the Allison 4000 Series is also available to order with S13-equipped International HX trucks.
As part of the S13 engine launch plan, Navistar recognized the need for additional powertrain options. With the combination of Allison fully automatic transmissions, International's RH and HX platforms, and the Navistar S13 engine, customers are presented with two high-performance solutions with superior acceleration and optimized efficiency, Allison said.
"We are proud to collaborate with International Truck to pair both the 3414 RHS and 4000 Series fully automatic transmissions with the Navistar S13 engine," said Rohan Barua, Vice President, North America Sales, Global Channel and Aftermarket at Allison Transmission. "The 3414 RHS fully automatic transmission offers increased horsepower and a lighter weight, translating into more deliveries, more loads and more productivity."
Since launching with the Navistar A26 engine in 2020, 3414 RHS-equipped International RH trucks have been selected by some of the largest fleets in North America including leading wholesale food distributors. The transmission has also gained traction with regional food and beverage distribution fleets.
The 3414 RHS is designed to enhance vehicle handling and maneuverability in urban duty cycles. It provides superior performance and efficiency while improving fuel economy by up to 8% compared to the Allison 3000 Highway Series transmission. Additionally, it eliminates downtime associated with automated manual transmissions (AMTs) by avoiding the need for clutch replacements.
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Digital payments now possible at Cat Scales
Relay Payments launched an integration this week enabling carriers and truck operators to seamlessly pay with Relay's digital-payments service within the Weigh My Truck app from Cat Scale.
“We’re committed to being a fully digital, end-to-end payments provider for trucking,” said Emily Neuman, Relay’s EVP of operations. “Integrating with some of the most popular options to pay for scales allows drivers to use Relay to pay for all over-the-road expenses, while easily monitoring their cash flow."
Relay customers use the service to pay for a variety of expenses, including fuel and lumper fees. This new integration makes it possible to link any operator's Relay account within Weigh My Truck to pay for scales at more than 2,200 Cat Scale locations, providing nationwide coverage, the company said.
Carriers benefit by being able to leverage existing Relay accounts to consolidate fuel, lumper, scales, cash, and other over-the-road transactions, unify reporting and simplify back-office management.
[Related: Fuel-payments providers boost theft protection amid explosion in card skimming]
