Trucking news and briefs for Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025:
Drug, alcohol testing rates unchanged for 2025
The Department of Transportation announced Tuesday that the minimum random drug and alcohol testing rate for safety-sensitive employees will remain unchanged in 2025 from 2024 for most agencies.
For Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration-regulated workers, the random drug testing rate will remain at 50%, while the random alcohol testing rate will remain at 10%. FMCSA’s random testing rate last changed in 2020.
This means that carriers are required to perform random drug tests at a rate equivalent to half their number of drivers in the calendar year. This includes the number of leased owner-operators a carrier contracts with, as well as owner-operators in a testing consortium.
[Related: Buttigieg: Marijuana rescheduling won’t impact DOT drug testing]
Iowa 80, Joplin 44 truck stops fined by EPA
The Environmental Protection Agency announced Monday that it has reached settlements with the Iowa 80 Group for alleged Clean Water Act violations at the Iowa 80 and Joplin 44 truck stops.
According to EPA, Iowa 80 Group will pay a combined $390,784 to resolve the alleged violations.
EPA alleged that, during inspections of the truck stops in 2023, inspectors found that the truck stops “failed to adequately develop and implement Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) plans, as required by the Clean Water Act.” Facilities that store 1,320 gallons or greater of oil products in aboveground storage tanks are subject to SPCC regulations. Such plans require, among other things, proper containment to control petroleum releases, inspections of tanks and piping, and integrity testing of petroleum storage equipment.
Iowa 80 Group said in a statement Tuesday that during the 2023 inspections, EPA “alleged several deficiencies with our Spill Prevention Control and Containment plans and certain [Facility Response Plan] paperwork, which we had paid an outside firm to prepare.”
As a result, the company said it agreed to a settlement with EPA. “Our SPCC plans are updated, and our paperwork is now prepared correctly. This was not related to a spill or leak of any kind.”
Pitt Ohio acquires Sutton Transport
Midwest LTL carrier Sutton Transport has been acquired by Pitt Ohio Transportation Group and will be merged with subsidiary Dohrn Transfer, an integration the company said "will be carried out in phases."
Comprised of Pitt Ohio, Dohrn Transfer Company, Ross Express, and US Cargo, the Pitt Ohio Transportation Group is projected to become the 12th largest LTL carrier in the United States following this latest acquisition.
“Over the next several months, we’ll work behind the scenes to align our strengths and prepare for a fully integrated future,” said Robert Howard, president and Chief Operating Officer at Dohrn Transfer. “During this time, our focus remains on delivering exceptional service and providing transparency on every step we take in our journey to enhance the customer experience with greater flexibility, reliability, and efficiency.”
The companies will operate as two independent but complementary brands during the transition, with the goal of ensuring “a smooth and seamless experience for our customers,” according to Dohrn Transfer Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer Heather Dohrn. “From faster and more flexible deliveries to a steadfast commitment to damage-free quality, you can continue to rely on the premier Midwestern service that prioritizes our customers' needs," she added
Sutton Transport President Cliff Sutton, who is leaving the company to become CEO of Envoy Logistics, noted ongoing consolidation in the LTL market, adding after thorough consideration, roughly 400-truck Sutton Transport determined that the Pitt Ohio Transportation Group "was the most suitable entity to purchase our company, ensuring the interests of both our customers and our employees are protected."
[Related: Atlas Canada acquires customs brokerage | OOIDA hosting broker transparency 'fireside chat']
FTR hosting free 2025 freight outlook webinar
FTR will host a free State of Freight webinar later this week looking ahead at the transportation market for 2025.
Specifically, the webinar will focus on “Transportation Challenges in a Shifting Political Landscape.”
The event will be held Thursday, Jan. 9, at 11 a.m. Eastern. The webinar is free, but registration is required to attend.
As the transportation landscape evolves amidst shifting political dynamics, staying informed is more critical than ever for decision makers, FTR noted.
The webinar will address:
- Truckload, rail, and intermodal rates: Understand trends impacting your bottom line
- Tariffs: Gain clarity on potential disruptions and opportunities
- Strategic forecasts: Prepare for market shifts influenced by the evolving political environment
