May 2010

Trucking Freight through Disasters

Submitted by Courtney on Mon, 05/03/2010 - 18:30

Over the past couple of weeks, two large disasters have occurred in the Southern United States resulting in dozens of deaths and billions of dollars worth of damage: an oil spill in the Gulf Coast and devastating storms in Mississippi and Tennessee. Throughout the two occurrences, trucking professionals have been affected in two very different ways, and we’re dedicated to providing up-to-date coverage of the direct effects on our industry,

The Deep Water Oil Spill

CSA 2010 BASICs: Fatigued Driving

Submitted by Courtney on Fri, 05/07/2010 - 17:59

Our coverage of the CSA 2010 Behavior Analysis Safety Improvement Categories (BASICs) continues today with Fatigued Driving (Hours of Service). Although the FMCSA announced an HOS waiver for drivers carrying freight to the Deep Water Oil Spill through May 14, transportation professionals should be ready for stricter enforcement when CSA 2010 rolls out in November.

Are New Highway Tolls on the Way?

Submitted by Courtney on Wed, 05/12/2010 - 11:06

On May 10, Virginia’s Governor, Bob McDonnell, applied to add tolls to Interstate 95, just inside the state’s North Carolina border. At $1 to $2 per axle, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) estimates the tolls could generate between $30 and $60 million per year. VDOT would use the money to increase the Interstate’s safety and infrastructure, which has one of the state’s highest accident rates. If approved, the new toll could cost $10 for trucks with five axels, a hefty price that would add up quickly for drivers who frequent this major North-South corridor.

Spot on with the Spot Freight Market - Part 1

Submitted by Timothy D. Brady on Thu, 05/13/2010 - 16:30

We all anticipate truck freight volumes to be lackluster until the third quarter of this year. As we move into that third quarter in July, many companies’ inventories will have been depleted to such a level they’ll need to start manufacturing products. Stores will need to start stocking their shelves and planning orders to be delivered for the holiday season. Now whether this is short-lived or not remains to be seen, as most companies are not sure what consumers will do after the next holiday season.

CSA 2010 BASICs: Driver Fitness

Submitted by Courtney on Fri, 05/14/2010 - 15:53

Of all the CSA 2010 BASICs, Driver Fitness is probably the most hotly debated among transportation professionals. From maximum body mass indexes to neck size disqualifications, rumors and anger abound. To help make sense of the regulations, and hopefully cool down the debate, we’re detailing the specifics of what to look out for, and how these new criteria matter on the road.

Like the Fatigued Driving BASIC, Driver Fitness is calculated using an equation that compares the:

Trucking Freight in the Age of Twitter

Submitted by Courtney on Tue, 05/18/2010 - 14:06

Do you remember the good ole days, before technology started taking over our lives? When staying on top of road delays or weather-related problems meant relying on traffic reports, AM radio, truckstop hearsay and CB radio warnings?

Do you remember the difficulty of finding freight before online load boards existed, and when deadheading was hard to avoid?

Finding and Keeping Quality Truckers

Submitted by Timothy D. Brady on Tue, 05/18/2010 - 17:22

With the economy on the mend, with freight availability increasing almost daily, many trucking companies’ thoughts are turning to adding more drivers. However, with recruiting, training and being sure new hires are ready to follow the incoming CSA 2010 way of doing trucking, the investment of both time and dollars bringing on new truckers has increased.

Breaking News on Cross-Border Trucking

Submitted by Courtney on Thu, 05/20/2010 - 12:14

Mexican President Felipe Calderón is in Washington, D.C. this week to discuss issues and opportunities that exist between Mexico and the United States.

On May 19, Calderón and President Obama met to discuss a wide range of hot topics related to our shared border, including multinational criminal organizations, immigration, aviation security and trade. After the meeting concluded, the White House sent an official press release detailing the leaders’ shared goals for creating a Twenty-First Century Border Bilateral Executive Steering Committee.

CSA 2010 BASICs: Controlled Substances/Alcohol

Submitted by Courtney on Fri, 05/21/2010 - 17:44

CSA 2010 will roll out on November 30, and this week marks the halfway point in Getloaded’s coverage of the seven Behavior Analysis Safety Improvement Categories (BASICs), which detail the criteria by which all drivers and carriers will be judged.