Trucking is an ever-changing industry. It’s important to stay abreast of the latest news. But doing so is easier said than done. With hours-of-service requirements to meet and so many days on the road, the last thing you want is to spend your free time reading the newspaper or catching up on trade magazines.
We get it. That’s why we’re making it easy on you. We’ve gathered the month’s biggest trucking industry news and boiled it down to easy-to-read snippets.
Catch up on the month’s trucking news now
IFTA Suspended for Trucking Hurricane Relief Efforts
Many states are suspending the International Fuel Tax Agreement and motor fuel use tax on trucks and other vehicles traveling for hurricane or natural disaster relief. Many in the industry have donated time, resources, and trucks to relief efforts across the South following Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma. States to announce IFTA waivers so far include
- Illinois
- New Jersey
- Texas
- Alabama
- Georgia
- Indiana
- Pennsylvania
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Florida
- Maryland
- Michigan
- among others.
ELD Penalties Held Off until April
The Electronic Logging Device (ELD) mandate is set to go into effort Dec. 18 of this year. Drivers won’t face penalties for noncompliance until April 2018. According to the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, the mandate will still be implemented in December, but drivers will have another four months to fully comply before facing potential fines. This new timeline is designed to “ease the transition” for drivers and carriers, according to Collin Mooney, executive director of the CVSA.
Senate Talks Self-Driving Trucks
The Senate’s Committee for Commerce, Science, and Transportation recently held a hearing to discuss self-driving, autonomous trucking technology — and the possibility of legislation surrounding it. According to committee chair Sen. John Thune, the tech could save thousands of lives and make the nation’s roads safer in the long term. It “holds great promise to transform transportation in this country,” he said during the hearing. Silicon Valley startup Embark has been working on self-driving trucks since 2016; its current model can handle up to two hours of continuous highway driving without any manual control.
Nation Celebrates Truck Driver Appreciation Week
The American Trucking Association kicked off National Truck Driver Appreciation Week to celebrate the efforts of trucking professionals across the country. Werner Enterprises offered free meals and gifts to drivers and honored accident-free drivers with a ceremony at its headquarters. ABF Freight hosted employee appreciation events at its 240-plus service centers. Roadrunner Temperature Controlled gave drivers free haircuts, hosted cookouts, and had giveaways for more than 500 drivers.
Check back next month for more trucking industry news. We’ll have the scoop for you.
Recent Comments