Welcome to the land of ELD confusion

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The early days of enforcing a U.S. mandate for electronic logging devices (ELDs) have been marred by confusion over the workings of individual devices and more. Kerri Wirachowsky, director of the roadside inspection program for the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), refers to the example of one fleet that had installed Automatic On Board Recording Devices (AOBRDs) last February. Wirachowsky At first glance that device should be accepted, because it was installed before the mandate took hold on Dec. 18, and would be legal until Dec. 16, 2019. The problem is that the user hadn’t been able to reach the supplier to upload the related hours of service functions, she said during the Omnitracs Outlook user conference. That meant a ticket, and more frantic calls to the supplier.

Electronic inspection trial expected this year

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Electronic roadside inspections are moving closer to reality thanks to mandated electronic logging devices (ELDs) and inspection requirements defined by the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA).

Cyberattacks are a real threat to trucking: panel

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – It can begin with someone surfing porn on a fleet tablet, clicking on the link in an email from someone who appears to be a trusted customer, or even using a poorly designed ELD. But no matter how a breach in fleet systems is created, the cybersecurity threats in trucking are all too real.

Trucking is growing, but watch NAFTA and driver shortage

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Trucking activity is surging thanks to an array of economic factors in the U.S., but there would be a steep price to pay if U.S. President Donald Trump follows through on threats to pull out of NAFTA. “NAFTA trade via truck supports over 46,000 jobs in our industry, including nearly 31,000 truck driver jobs,” the ATA's Bob Costello observed during Omnitracs’ fourth-annual Outlook conference.

Four Canadians named to Kenworth Parts Council for 2018

KIRKLAND, Wash. – Kenworth Truck Company has named four Canadians to its 2018 Parts Council, three coming from Western Canada. Jo Frost of Edmonton Kenworth out of Leduc, Alta. will…

Let’s step things up and be more social

Social media is here to stay, and trucking companies would benefit if utilized properly

‘Reefer’ trucks to deliver groceries to GO stations in new program

BRAMPTON, Ont. – Refrigerated (“reefer”) trucks will soon be camped out at five Toronto-area GO Train stations to bring groceries to customers. Metrolinx, the Ontario agency responsible for providing transit…

More work to be done

Safety, training, and honesty keys to recruiting more women in trucking

Trailer order backlog now 7.5 months

COLUMBUS, Ind. – Trailer orders rose 24% year-over-year in January, marking the fifth best order month in history, according to ACT Research. “Reefers led the way booking that product’s strongest…

ExxonMobil to host seminar on technician shortage at MATS

LOUISVILLE, Ky. ‒ ExxonMobil has announced that it will host the Mobil Delvac 2018 Fleet Maintenance Forum, an exclusive event for fleet managers and maintenance executives, in Louisville, KY, on…

New TDG wording replaces summons with tickets

OTTAWA, Ont. – Transport Canada introduced a series of “short form wordings” to be used when enforcing Dangerous Goods offences, which allows tickets to be issued rather than a court…

Alliance continues to champion NAFTA efficiencies

TORONTO, Ont. – The Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) continues to hold out hope during…

Trucking faces greatest change since deregulation: Greer

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Ray Greer, the chief executive officer of Omnitracs, believes the trucking industry is undergoing its greatest period of change since deregulation.

Canadian hotline to help end trafficking to launch Fall 2018

Come Fall 2018 drivers traveling Canadian highways will have another tool to help in the fight against human trafficking. The Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking is launching a national hotline to connect callers with resources in an effort to end forced labor and sex work in throughout the country. Barbara Gosse, CEO of the center, says the primary responsibility of the line will be to connect those who are being exploited to resources to help them escape their current situation. Call-takers will be equipped with information not only for local police departments, but shelters, abuse centers and other places where those being sold can go to be safe.

ATA calling for improved infrastructure funding

ARLINGTON, Va. – The American Trucking Associations (ATA) is pulling out all the stops in an effort to get the government to invest in upgraded infrastructure in the United States.