FMCSA audit finds weaknesses in cross-border program

FMCSA audit finds weaknesses in cross-border program

A recent U.S. DOT Office of the Inspector General audit of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) found the agency lacking in inspection resources at the U.S.-Mexico border as well as having a computer glitch that has prevented U.S. states from uploading Mexican driver conviction reports into CDLIS. The audit also found that FMCSA…

Truck drivers offer safety tips for winter road conditions

Truck drivers offer safety tips for winter road conditions

Recent heavy winter storms across the nation have underscored the need for all drivers, including truckers, to take extra precautions when traveling during the winter months. The American Trucking Associations (ATA), the nation’s largest trucking association, has released a set of winter driving tips from America’s Road Captains, elite professional drivers who have literally weathered…

Will autonomous vehicles threaten truck driving jobs?

Will autonomous vehicles threaten truck driving jobs?

Much of the attention focused on autonomous or self-driving vehicles has centered on testing by companies such as Google, BMW and Lexus for the passenger vehicle market. However, there is a good argument to be made that autonomous vehicle technology will first affect industry and commerce – and that means the trucking industry. Trucking involves…

Trucking industry looks to polish its image

Trucking industry looks to polish its image

Facing a national shortage of 30,000 drivers and truckload of negative public perceptions, the American trucking industry realizes it has to polish its image. With that in mind, trucking industry companies have launched the “Trucking Moves America Forward” campaign. “The goal of this movement is simple — to effectively relay the essential nature of the…

Truckers seek relief from U.S. Supreme Court on cross-border trucking

Truckers seek relief from U.S. Supreme Court on cross-border trucking

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Stymied at the lower court level, the Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review a decision that allows Mexican commercial driver’s licenses to be recognized as valid in cross-border trucking operations. OOIDA has argued that the cross-border trucking program violates U.S. DOT regulations requiring valid…

Truckers get HOS waivers to deal with propane shortage

Truckers get HOS waivers to deal with propane shortage

Unusually heavy rains in the Midwest this year have left cornfields soggier than usual, creating a shortage of propane used to power the giant, oven-like dryers used to dry the corn before it is stored to prevent rot. Consequently, governors in Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Montana have issued executive…