DOT Report Rounds Up Truck Parking Solutions

A report on the first year's activities of the public-private National Coalition on Truck Parking presents suggestions from trucking stakeholders from several regional meetings held in 2016 on how best to address truck-parking problems across the country.

Published by the Department of Transportation, the report notes that the coalition launched with a kickoff meeting at DOT in November 2015. Then four regional meetings were held in 2016 to get input from key stakeholders on “creative and innovative approaches” to solve the nation's truck parking problem.

The meetings were conducted by the Federal Highway Administration with participation by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the Maritime Administration, and the five core Coalition partners:

Key suggestions developed for each of four discussion areas are described in the report, including the following points:

Parking Capacity

Technology and Data

Funding, Finance and Regulations

Truck Driver Accepts Fault in Skagit Bridge Collapse

Photo: NTSB

Truck driver William Scott of Mullen Trucking has admitted liability for the 2013 over-height truck collision that caused the Skagit River Bridge on Interstate 5 to collapse in Mount Vernon, Washington.

Scott, as well Mullen Trucking and Tammy Detray, his pilot driver during the incident, have all accepted responsibility for the bridge collapse as part of a 2015 lawsuit filed by the state, according to a report in the Skagit Valley Herald. The lawsuit is currently on hold pending an appeal by Mullen Trucking.

After reviewing the incident, the National Transportation Safety Board issued a report blaming the collapse on multiple sources, including Scott, Mullen and the pilot driver, but it also found problems with the Washington Department of Transportation and its permitting process for oversized loads. It was discovered that the permit for the oversized load was based on incorrect heights of the vehicle and that the driver failed to research the route ahead of time.

The Washington State Patrol's report also blamed the truck driver.

On May 23, 2013, the large tractor-trailer combination with an over-height load hit multiple overhead braces on the bridge, severely damaging the structure and collapsing the bridge into the river. Two other vehicles also fell into the water. There were no deaths as a result of the collapse and only three people suffered minor injuries. The bridge was later repaired at a cost of $19.8 million.

Related: Washington State Files Lawsuit Against Trucker, Carrier Over Bridge Collapse

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Economic Watch: Imports Could Hit New Record High Following Big Gains

July and August should be two of the busiest months ever seen for imports at the nation's major retail container ports, possibly setting a new record as merchants enter the back-to-school season and begin to stock up for the holiday season that will follow, according to a new forecast from the National Retail Federation, a retail trade association.

Ports covered handled 1.72 million twenty-foot equivalent units in May, the latest month for which after-the-fact numbers are available. That was up 7.3% from April and up 6.2% from May 2016. One TEU is one 20-foot-long cargo container or its equivalent.

“We're expecting retailers to import some of the largest volumes of merchandise ever,” NRF Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy Jonathan Gold said. “That's a good indicator of what could be ahead for consumer demand and retail sales, and it's a sign that retail is going strong despite what you might read in the headlines.”

June was estimated at 1.66 million TEUs, up 5.3% from the same time last year. July is forecast at 1.71 million TEUs, up 5.1% from last year; August at 1.75 million TEUs, up 2.2%; September at 1.66 million TEUs, up 4.3%; October at 1.71 million TEUs, up 2.2%, and November at 1.6 million TEUs, down 2.7% from last year.

The August figure would be the highest monthly volume recorded since NRF began tracking imports in 2000, topping the 1.73 million TEUs seen in March 2015. The 1.7 million-plus numbers seen in May, July, August and October represent four of the six busiest months in the report's history.

The first half of 2017 is expected to total 9.63 million TEUs, up 7.1% from the first half of 2016. Cargo volume for 2016 totaled 18.8 million TEU, up 3.1% from 2015, which had grown 5.4% from 2014.

NRF has forecast that ...Read the rest of this story

Fiat Chrysler Building Ram 1500 Diesels Again

Photo by Vince Taroc.

Fiat Chrysler has started assembling Ram 1500 pickups equipped with a diesel engine, even though the company must still resolve a dispute with regulators before it can sell the trucks, reports Automotive News.

Workers at the Warren Truck Assembly Plant told the media outlet the plant is producing less than 24 2017 Ram 1500 diesels per shift. The truck was sold as the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel until the middle of 2016.

In January, th EPA issued a Notice of Violation that accused FCA of using a defeat device to evade emissions testing. The company has been working with regulators on a potential fix.

Related: Feds Sue Fiat-Chrysler Over Diesels

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TSA Workshop to Examine Security Threats at Fleet Safety Conference

Screenshot via TSA

The Transportation Security Administration will be providing a hands-on workshop focusing on transportation security at the upcoming Fleet Safety Conference.

The workshop will include a presentation on security threats against transportation fleets and an additional hands-on training session for attendees to improve their company's security posture as part of the TSA Intermodal Security Training and Exercise Program (I-STEP).

TSA Subject Matter Experts in Improvised Explosive Devices David Cooper and Daryn Frank will administer the session. Frank currently oversees a team of compliance inspectors at TSA's Chicago Field Office focused on surface and cargo. He has held an array of positions, inlcuding director of security of the John Hancock Building in Chicago, public safety director of the Illinois Institute of Technology, and director of internal affairs for Levy Security. Additionally, Frank served with distinction as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army Military Police Corps.

The Fleet Safety Conference will take place from July 24-26 at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel in Schaumburg, Ill. It is an industry event hosted by Bobit Business Media publications Heavy Duty Trucking, Automotive Fleet, and Work Truck and is designed specifically for fleet, risk, safety, sales, human resources and EHS professionals.

The Fleet Safety Conference will offer current and expert insights and practical education on a wide range of topics focused on improving fleet safety.

For register or find more information on the upcoming Fleet Safety Conference, including the schedule, sponsors, hotel, and travel info, click here.

Related: NTSB Hosting Driver Assistance Tech Roundtable at Fleet Safety Conference

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One20 Offers Roadside Assistance via RoadsideMasters.com

Photo: One20

One20 has announced a new program to give free roadside assistance to the 350,000 drivers who are members of the One20 community, offered through a partnership with RoadsideMasters.com.

RoadsideMasters.com is a membership program providing roadside assistance to commercial vehicles in the U.S. and Canada. The partnership between the two companies will create a large network of roadside service for members.

"We can now offer our members a benefit they might not otherwise be able to access and we're giving it to them for free," said Christian Schenk, CEO and president of One20. “Breakdowns are expensive, and this program will help ONE20 members get back on the road as soon as possible."

Starting in August 2017, One20 members will be eligible for free Silver Level service through RoadsideMasters.com. Benefits include truck and trailer towing, flat tire change, tire repair, mobile mechanic service and jump starts.

Drivers will also have options for added coverage under the Gold and Platinum programs, depending on what additional One20 products and services the driver is using. One20 members who purchase and activate a One20 F-ELD before Sept. 1, 2017, will get an automatic upgrade to Gold Level service and One20 Silver Level users will also have the option to opt into Gold coverage at a discounted rate.

Once registered, benefits are available at all hours and days of the week. For assistance, drivers call the support number listed on their membership card. They will then receive a text from RoadsideMasters.com, which allows the support team to geolocate the driver so dispatchers know exactly where to send a service team.

The program will officially launch on Aug. 1, 2017, but current One20 users can pre-register through the My One20 app by clicking here. Interested drivers who are not currently One20 members can download the My One20 App from the Google ...Read the rest of this story

FMCSA Takes Driver ELD Education on the Road

Photo: ERoad

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has announced a public education and outreach campaign to help commercial driver transition to electronic logging devices called the ELD Implementation Tour.

In cities across the country, FMCSA will present ELD experts to lead driver-focused presentations and panel discussions on ELD implementation.

The campaign precedes the ELD mandate, which will require all carriers to convert from paper logs or logging software to a registered ELD if they do not have an Automatic On-Board Recording Device by Dec. 18, 2017.

FMCSA agency staff at an interactive exhibit booth will answer questions, provide consumer-friendly resources and materials, and review drivers' and carriers' responsibilities.

FMCSA's ELD Implementation National Tour dates and locations are as follows:

For more information about ELDs, including the ELD Rule, frequently asked questions and other resources, visit FMCSA.dot.gov/ELD.

Related: ELD Certification - What Does it Really Mean?

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