May 03, 2019 • Carriers

Industry Update May 3, 2019

Industry Update May 3, 2019

By Jeremy Feucht

Did you Know?

On May 1, 1931, Herbert Hoover dedicated the Empire State Building in New York City. The tallest building at the time would not have been possible without the use of cranes, trucks and other specialized equipment. Demolition of the Waldorf hotel which stood in the spot where the Empire State Building would be built, began in 1929. Soon after, cranes and cement mixers were sent in to help with the construction of the 102 feet tall building.

Trucking tip of the Week

Allergies are a big problem for some this time of year. If you have any allergies, make sure you keep documentation in your truck. Bees, yellow jackets, wasps and hornets are all out beginning this time of year as are mosquitos and ants. Pollen counts are high as well which can bring on asthma systems. Know your body and make sure you are taking proper care to ensure your wellbeing.

Danger on the Road

A bad wreck in Denver last week cost the lives of four people during rush hour traffic. It is being reported now that the company involved, Castellano 03 Trucking, LLC out of Houston, TX, had a history of brake issues in their recent past. Since 2017, the company has been hit with at least 30 violations regarding their brakes.

General

In one of the worst stories you will hear, Falcon Transport abruptly went out of business last week leaving drivers stranded miles away from home. The company had recently been purchased by a private equity firm after having been run by its founding family for 115 years. 550 employees were immediately laid off. But that wasn’t the only company that shut its doors in the last week. Williams Trucking out of Alabama also notified its drivers it was shutting down as of May 1 leaving 50 drivers out of work.

Women in Trucking

Treana Moniz has been named Women in Trucking’s May Member of the Month. Moniz has held her CDL since 2007, she has over 675,000 safe driving miles to her name. In 2018, she was name Eastern Company Driver of the year. Find more on her story here.

TagsSemi-Truck dangerous roads Did you Know Trucking Tips Falcon Transport Allergies Women in Trucking Denver

Truck Sanitation Tips <h2></h2> During the last few months, the COVID-19 pandemic has begun to have an effect on everyone in the world. While truckers continue to deliver the vital needs of the country, there is continued risk in accumulating and spreading the virus in doing so. There is a lot that we can do to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Since truck drivers spend more time inside their trucks, it is important to make sure that it is a clean environment for you and for anyone who rides in it. In this article, we have put together a list of tips on how to clean and disinfect your truck. <h2></h2> <a href="https://truckerpath.com/uploads/2020/07/tst2.jpeg"><img src="https://truckerpath.com/uploads/2020/07/tst2-300x156.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="156" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-5233" /></a> <h2></h2> <h3><strong>1. Choosing Your Cleaning Materials</strong></h3> The first step to cleaning and disinfecting your truck is to choose the right cleaning agents and materials you will use. Isopropyl alcohol is a proven disinfectant, and is also safe to use on most truck interior surfaces. In fact, it is used in many production plants to put a final touch on interior components before they are shipped out. Isopropyl alcohol will remove many stains, smudges and residues, as well as kill bacteria and viruses. However, that stain removing quality can also cause problems with leather. <h2></h2> For leather components such as steering wheels, seating, and trim, a combination of soap and water is a safe and sufficient way to clean them. Avoid hard scrubbing when cleaning your leather interior, and avoid excess suds and water. Hand washing has been recommended as a primary way to protect oneself against infection by COVID-19, this holds true for washing your leather interior as well. <h2></h2> Another cleaning agent is chlorine dioxide (ClO2). It is a common disinfectant and odor eliminator, already prevalent in many shops. It is available in the form of tablets, and depending on the amount of water added, can be used in a vapor or liquid form. <h2></h2> It is recommended to use microfiber towels as cleaning material as it lessens the damage on any surface. Wash the towels thoroughly after each cleaning session. <h2></h2> <a href="https://truckerpath.com/uploads/2020/07/tst3.jpeg"><img src="https://truckerpath.com/uploads/2020/07/tst3-300x156.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="156" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-5234" /></a> <h2></h2> <h3><strong>2. Cleaning & Disinfecting Truck Interiors</strong></h3> While truck interiors are built to be tough, hard scrubbing or using a rough cloth can cause scratches or even discoloration. A wipe with alcohol on hard surfaces and gentle circular cleaning on upholstery are the best bets for both cleaning and maintaining your truck interior. <h2></h2> It is also very important not to use too much water on your seats. If cloth upholstery soaks through with water, it can get into the cushion beneath. This can cause the growth of mold and that musty smell you will recognize if you've left your windows open in the rain. <h2></h2> If washing the seats of your truck, it is best to wet a cloth or sponge with soap and water and wipe the seats. You do not want to leave excess soap or water, as it can take a long time to dry. Isopropyl alcohol can safely be used on non-leather seats. <h2></h2> <a href="https://truckerpath.com/uploads/2020/07/tst4.jpeg"><img src="https://truckerpath.com/uploads/2020/07/tst4-300x156.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="156" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-5235" /></a> <h2></h2> <h3><strong>3. Cleaning & Disinfecting Truck Exteriors</strong></h3> Truck exteriors should not be left behind. Wash you trucks regularly at truckstops. Pay attention to the parts which have frequent contact with your hands and shoes such as step boards and exterior door handles. You may clean these areas with soap. <h2></h2> <a href="https://truckerpath.com/uploads/2020/07/tst5.jpeg"><img src="https://truckerpath.com/uploads/2020/07/tst5-300x156.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="156" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-5236" /></a> <h2></h2> <h3><strong>4. Keeping Clean While on the Road</strong></h3> While you're out, you're exposed to germs and viruses that can follow you back into your truck. If you don't have enough time to do a thorough truck clean, keep in mind of the common contact points such as door handles and controls, keys or start button, steering wheel, gear shift, seats, CB radio, all buttons and knobs on your dash, sun visor, anything touchscreen, the console and cup holders. <h2></h2> You can use disinfectant wipes on most surfaces. Wipe your mobile phones while you're at it too. <h2></h2> <h2></h2> <h2></h2> <h2></h2> <h4>By Aldous Aldwin</h4> <h3></h3> <h3></h3>

Jul 29, 2020 • Carriers

Trucker Terms [p] If you're going to make it in trucking these are the trucker terms you'll want to remember along with some good ole trucking slang you'll hear on the CB radio. [/p] [h2] Trucker Terms [/h2] [p] Being a trucker is not only a unique way of life, it also comes with a unique way of communicating that only those in the trucking industry probably can decipher and understand. [/p] [p] <strong> 10-4 - </strong> acknowledging something [/p] [p] <strong> 10-6 - </strong> busy right now [/p] [p] <strong> 10-8 - </strong> en route [/p] [p] <strong> 20 -</strong> location [/p] [p] <strong> 4-Wheeler -</strong> automobile [/p] [p] <strong> APU -</strong> authorized pick-up [/p] [p] <strong> Backhaul -</strong> retuning load to home location [/p] [p] <strong> Bear Trap - </strong> speed radar trap [/p] [p] <strong> <a href="https://truckerpath.com/blog/freight-contracts/">Bill of Lading</a> - </strong> document that details information regarding the goods being hauled by a carrier from a shipper [/p] [p] <strong> <a href="https://truckerpath.com/blog/what-is-a-weigh-station/">Chicken Coop</a> - </strong> Weigh Station [/p] [p] <strong> Chicken Lights - </strong> Added lights on and around a truck [/p] [p] <strong> Chocks -</strong>blocks placed in front and behind wheels to prevent truck from rolling [/p] [p] <strong>Cosignee - </strong>person who receives the goods [/p] [p] <strong>Cosignor - </strong>person who ships the goods [/p] [p] <strong> County Mounty -</strong> - county sheriff [/p] [p] <strong> <a href="https://truckerpath.com/blog/what-is-deadhead/">Deadhead -</a></strong> miles driven with no load [/p] [p] <strong> Dry Van -</strong>standard enclosed truck trailer [/p] [p] <strong> ETA -</strong> estimated time of arrival [/p] [p] <strong> Freightshaker -</strong> Freightliner truck [/p] [p] <strong> GCW (Gross Combined Weight) - </strong> combined wieght of tractor/trailer and load [/p] [p] <strong> Gear Jammer -</strong>speeding driver [/p] [p] <strong>Hammer Down -</strong> drive faster [/p] [p] <strong> Hopper -</strong> truck that empties load through bottom that opens [/p] [p] <strong> HOS -</strong>hours of service [/p] [p] <strong> Intermodal -</strong> shipping container freight [/p] [p] <strong>Jack-Knife -</strong>when trailer is pushed to the side of the tractor [/p] [p] <strong> K-whopper - </strong>Kenworth truck [/p] [p] <strong> Kingpin - </strong> pin where the axel wheel pivots [/p] [p] <strong> LTL (Less Than Truckload) -</strong> load less than 10,000 lbs. [/p] [p] <strong> Motor Carrier -</strong> person or company that is responsible for transporting goods via a commercial motor vehicle [/p] [p] <strong>P&D Driver -</strong> pickup and delivery driver locally [/p] [p] <strong>Payload - </strong>weight of the load [/p] [p] <strong>Peddle Run - </strong>route with lots of deliveries [/p] [p] <strong>Pete - </strong> Peterbilt truck [/p] [p] <strong>RC (Rate Confirmation) -</strong> the rate shipper or broker agrees to pay carrier to haul a load [/p] [p] <strong> Reefer -</strong> refridgerated truck trailer [/p] [p] <strong> Shiny Side Up - </strong> top of truck; don't crash or roll over [/p] [p] <strong> Sliding Fifth Wheel - </strong> fifth wheel that can be slid back to redistrubute weight on the axels [/p] [p] <strong>Trucking Authority -</strong>FMCSA approval to haul loads [/p] [p] <strong>Willy Weaver - </strong>drunk driver [/p] [h2] Using Trucker Path Along Your Route [/h2] [p] Now that you know the trucker terms and are talking like a real driver, it's time you use a tool that most truckers rely on to help them save time and money - the <strong>Trucker Path app. </strong> [/p] [p] Trucker Path is free to download and helps drivers: [/p] [ul] [li] Find truck parking with real-time updates [/li] [li] Browse through the list of amenities a location offers [/li] [li] Check to see if a weigh station is open or not [/li] [li] View Walmart locations and know if they allow truck parking [/li] [li] Compare diesel prices to save on fuel[/li] [li] Plan their route to show locations along their trip [/li] [li] Read through fellow drivers reviews of a location [/li] [li] Find restaurants near truck parking locations and much more! [/li] [/ul] [button-green href="https://truckerpath.com/trucker-path-app/?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=truckerterms "]Try Trucker Path Today![/button-green] [video id="EIs5Rk6xpm4"]

Oct 05, 2017 • Carriers

Trucking Industry Update February 8, 2019 <strong><u>[p]</u></strong>By Jeremy Feucht <strong><u>[p]</u></strong> <strong><u>[p]Did you Know?</u></strong> <strong><u>[p]</u></strong>The average trucker spends nearly $60,000 in fuel each year! <strong><u>[p]Trucking tip of the Week</u></strong> <strong><u>[p]</u></strong>Be careful when using a GPS. Many truckers get stuck on roads that are not meant for semis due to GPS routing. Make sure your GPS is built for big rigs prior to purchasing. <strong><u>[p]Trucker’s Fees</u></strong> <strong><u>[p]</u></strong><a href="https://legislature.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/sessioninfo/2019/standingcommittees/190205_stra_0130PM-Agenda.pdf">Two potential pieces of legislation called Routing Slips</a>, have come forward in Idaho that could increase the financial burden placed on truckers driving through the state. The Routing Slips would add a weight-mileage charge to truckers. Although the wording of the potential bills has not been released to the public, it is believed that IRP and IFTA would remain in place if passed. <strong><u>[p]HOS Exemption for Cement Trucks</u></strong> <strong><u>[p]</u></strong><a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/02/06/2019-01267/hours-of-service-of-drivers-american-concrete-pavement-association-inc-application-for-exemptions">Cement truckers have been granted</a> an extension from a portion of the hours of service ruling and a new exemption on another hours of service rule. For the next five years, cement trucks will be allowed to continue to receive an exemption to the 30-minute break rule. Within the same ruling, companies operating cement trucks will be granted an exemption from a major stipulation of the short-haul rules. Instead of having to start and stop service at the same spot each day, cement truck drivers will now be allowed to start and stop service wherever necessary. They will not have to keep track of RODS when working within short-haul distances even though they are not starting and stopping in the same locations. <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/02/06/2019-01276/hours-of-service-of-drivers-national-cattlemens-beef-association-livestock-marketing-association">Cattle farmers</a> have requested a similar exemption. No word on when or if it will be approved. <strong><u>[p]Virginia Toll Legislation Denied</u></strong> <strong><u>[p]</u></strong>Virginia had toyed with the idea of adding tolls the <a href="https://www.gobytrucknews.com/virginia-cancels-plans-for-tolls-on-i-81/123">entire length of I-81</a>. The tolls would have cost a driver as much as $55 per day. Luckily, this legislation has been denied and will not be brought to life.

Feb 08, 2019