News

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) scheduled publication of new proposed hours-of-service (HOS) regulations for commercial truck drivers, originally set for early June, has been delayed until further notice due to additional review by the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB). “The timelines in the department’s regulatory updates serve as goals for…

Freight brokers and third-party logistics firms can expect another year of positive business growth before staring down a recession, according to Noel Perry, chief economist for Truckstop.com. Perry, speaking at an April 13 Transportation Intermediaries Association Capital Ideas Conference & Exhibition in Orlando, said the probability of an economic downturn in 2020 is at least…

A recent study by the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) addressed the growing issue of marijuana-impaired driving as an increasing number of truckers are sharing the roadways with automobile drivers operating under the influence of marijuana. ATRI’s research sought to document the most promising methods to identify and deter marijuana-impaired driving. The study recommends: increased…

It was inevitable. Someone would develop an app that allows truckers to rate retailers that hire them and the warehouses where they deliver. That someone is Uber Freight, the trucking division of the popular ride-sharing app. Launched in late 2016, Uber Freight matches shippers and truckers through an online marketplace. Typically, truckers must work through freight…

In September of 2018, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) officially changed its approach towards commercial vehicle operators with insulin-treated diabetes mellitus (ITDM). The final rule went into effect on November 19, 2018. The final rule replaces the former Diabetes Exemption Program with a new Medical Examiner’s Certificate (MEC). Under this new system, a…

U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao says the truck driver shortage in the United States is a real and growing problem for the country. Chao said the administration is working on pilot programs to potentially solve the problem, including a lower minimum age for drivers and more military transition drivers. An Indianapolis startup, DriverReach, is not waiting…

Historically, technological advances developed for military purposes find their way into the civilian sector in an organic fashion, taking years for the transfer. Now, the military and the trucking industry are comparing notes and building on current research in both camps. In September, the Army’s Tank Automotive Research Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC), hosted a…

Traffic congestion that delays trucking traffic now costs the industry $74.5 billion in lost productivity every year, according to a report by the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI). “Perhaps no other issue has as great an impact on this nation’s supply chain as traffic congestion. In the face of growing and pervasive congestion, not only…

In its annual survey among motor carriers and industry professionals, the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) found that an ongoing driver shortage and the number of hours drivers are allowed to drive per day are the top concerns. ATRI is the research arm of the trucking trade group, American Trucking Associations (ATA). “I’ve spent the…