North Dakota senator introduces bill to remove regulations affecting CDLs

North Dakota senator introduces bill to remove regulations affecting CDLs

U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) recently introduced legislation that would remove regulations for the agriculture, school districts, and trucking companies. Cramer says the existing Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) law that requires drivers seeking a CDL to complete the ELDT is “burdensome,” especially when the industry faces a driver shortage. Cramer says ELDT training classes range…

U.S. Trucking: How Artificial Intelligence could pave the way to the future

U.S. Trucking: How Artificial Intelligence could pave the way to the future

The trucking industry is at an inflection point. Electric trucks are starting to make inroads. Autonomous trucks are gaining traction. Global supply chains have been disrupted. An aging truck driver workforce is dwindling. The future profile of the industry is changing. Thefutureofthings.com recently looked at what’s coming in the trucking industry with many of these…

Rising diesel prices putting the pinch on small, independent truckers

Rising diesel prices putting the pinch on small, independent truckers

Diesel gas prices have soared to new heights across the country, putting the squeeze on small trucking firms and independent drivers trying to watch the bottom line. According to AAA, the average price of diesel in California pushed past $6.60 per gallon. “Gasoline prices have continued their rally in the last week with oil prices…

Inflated used truck prices adding to the woes of mom-and-pop firms

Inflated used truck prices adding to the woes of mom-and-pop firms

Runaway inflation has hit most Americans right in the pocketbook – but small, independent trucking firms are taking the brunt of the blow. The price of a used commercial truck has doubled in the last year, affecting the bottom line of hundreds of thousands of small trucking firms. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Administration…

Trucking industry steps up to help people of Ukraine

Trucking industry steps up to help people of Ukraine

When Russia invaded Ukraine, it triggered a humanitarian crisis of monumental proportions. Cities have been devastated and millions forced to flee from their homes. Thousands of innocent civilians have lost their lives. As expected, international relief agencies such as Save the Children, International Red Cross, and the United Nations Children’s Fund, among others, have rushed…

Connecticut looks to former inmates to fill trucking jobs

Connecticut looks to former inmates to fill trucking jobs

Desperate for truck drivers, Connecticut’s state Senate recently passed legislation creating a public-private partnership that would require the Department of Correction to make space and technology available to administer CDL testing to inmates scheduled for release within six months. Transportation Committee Co-Chair Will Haskell said the prison-to-work pipeline bill addresses both high recidivism and the…

Facing a driver shortage, DOL sponsors apprenticeship program

Facing a driver shortage, DOL sponsors apprenticeship program

According to the American Trucking Associations (ATA), the industry is facing a shortage of 80,000 drivers. The U.S. DOT says roughly 300,000 drivers a year leave the profession. Nick Geale, vice president of workforce policy at ATA, said opening the industry to women, veterans, and younger drivers, who are currently largely restricted from entering the…

ATA responds to EPA proposal on heavy-duty truck emissions

ATA responds to EPA proposal on heavy-duty truck emissions

The American Trucking Associations (ATA) is reviewing the Biden Administration’s proposal to reduce heavy-duty truck emissions to ensure that new rules result in “usable, reliable and cost-effective equipment.” Last month, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed new, stronger standards to promote clean air and reduce pollution from heavy-duty vehicles and engines starting in model year…

Freedom Convoy protests paralyze Canada’s capital and largest cities

Freedom Convoy protests paralyze Canada’s capital and largest cities

A Jan. 22 federal requirement that travelers entering United States ports of entry at the Canadian and Mexican borders be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 sparked strong reaction from some Canadians. Dubbed the Freedom Convoy, the protest movement leaders are saying they will not leave until all mandates and COVID-19 restrictions are gone. They are also…

Parking continues to be a national trucking issue

Parking continues to be a national trucking issue

Last fall, the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI), reported that truck parking remains one of the key industry concerns identified in a national survey of trucking companies. Truck parking joined driver shortage, driver retention, driver compensation, and lawsuit abuse in the top five issues facing the trucking industry. “The ATRI list of top industry issues…