Mar 23, 2017 • Community

President Trump Discusses The Trucking Industry

President Trump Discusses The Trucking Industry

President Trump met with executives from the trucking industry as well as representatives from the American Trucking Association on Thursday at the White House, including ATA President and CEO Chris Spear.

Topics of the discussion included the new health care bill which repeals the Affordable Care Act as well as infrastructure and other important topics facing the trucking industry.

“Trucking is the backbone of the nation’s economy. We employ 1 in 16 people in the U.S. Driving a truck is the top job in 29 states. Trucking moves 70% of the nation’s freight and 56% of GDP. To grow our economy, we need to take care of the people that move America forward,” said ATA President and CEO Chris Spear.

ATA Supports President Trump’s Healthcare Plan

The Affordable Care Act was established by the Obama Administration seven years ago to the day. A vote by the House on a new health care bill was expected today but has since been delayed.

“The Affordable Care Act is just plain unaffordable,” Spear said. “Replacing this law will help trucking employees, their families and our customers by lowering insurance costs, decrease mandates, liabilities and administrative burdens, and provide access to quality care and patient choice.”

Provisions that will remain:

Dependent coverage up to the age of 26
Pre-existing conditions are protected
No lifetime limits
Keeps cap on maximum out-of pocket expenses

New provisions:

Eliminates employer mandates
Subsidies include refundable tax credits
Medicaid would be overhauled and more responsibiities would be left to states

Trump ❤ Trucks

If he promised not to tweet anything crazy today, we told him he could wear his "I ❤Trucks" button. pic.twitter.com/zTdCxOpatK
— Trump Social Intern (@TrumPenceSocial) March 23, 2017

Truckers Sentiments on Updated HOS Rules [p]As the new HOS Rules have been updated, <a href="http://www.truckerpath.com">Trucker Path</a> users have brought in mixed comments via it’s in-app forum. Here are some of the comments we gathered from our users. [/p] <h2></h2> [img src="https://truckerpath.com/uploads/2020/11/trucker-2946821_640.jpg" alt=""] [p]Some users welcomed the idea, like DANZ63. He said <em>“Experiencing the new 30 minute break allowed including the on time duty into it. Honestly, the 30 minute break should be removed completely because it’s really no break at all because it completes the break while I didnt even intend to take a break. Also my pre trip doesn’t even start my day, which can actually be beneficial.”</em>[/p] [p]User, Tachyon said that <em>“This benefits owner operators and fleet owners by giving them greater flexibility. The seventy hour clock should have increased to allow employees the opportunity to make more money to justify the additional fatigue this is likely to cause.”</em>[/p] [p]<em>“I think it’s a good change and the first in a decade that will actually mitigate driving fatigue. Forcing a driver to take 10 hrs in one sitting does not necessarily reduce his fatigue. Everyone is different. A full 10 hours make me more tired sometimes!”</em> said user Tarzammond.[/p] [p]All good, said user Shuttleman. <em>“I’m good with it. I’ve been doing ELD’s. For 15 years I did all the whining back then and didn't do any good so I just got used to it, worked with it. Just hang in there a few years, all of this will be water under the bridge and life will go on.”</em>[/p] [p]While there is a mix of feedback. The common denominator is the request to remove the 14-hour rule altogether. [/p] [p]<em>“Glad to see the first step in a good direction, but the 14hr day is a huge hindrance. Like when last week, I spent 5.5hrs waiting to get loaded just chipped away at my drive time. Extended delivery to another day, turning 2-day delivery into 3 days.”</em> Another one stated.[/p] [p]8sEx4eCoSP said, <em>“I just wish they would drop the 14-hour rule. I think that’s why there are more mistakes being made because we don’t have a long enough time to actually get a shower or take a nap or like some of us take the time out to eat right and not so much on the go. Plus some of us only need 6 to 7 hours of sleep and we’re rested. And there’s a lot of us that always take a break more than 30 minutes a day anyway if we get the chance to. But with this 14-hour rule, it hinders all of us.”</em>[/p] [p]OpClgdA9Jc was also not in favor of the 14-hour rule. <em>“Like with anything, it has its pros and cons. The 14-hour rule is the problem if they’re not going to get rid of it, they should at least make it 16 like in Canada.”</em>[/p] [p]Even though one user was okay with the change, he still had something to say about the 14-hour rule. <em>“I’m in favor of the change. But they should scrap the 14 hour rule. I mean no driver likes it and it hurts drivers on making appointments.”</em>[/p] [p]<strong>Conclusion </strong>[/p] [p]While most of the truckers were in favor of the said changes and the added flexibility in schedule, there were also some that pointed out the need to remove the core 14-hour rule. The updated rules have been in place for more than a month now and gathering of public feedback is now over. The FMCSA has yet to give an update based on the feedback gathered but as one commentator said, life goes on.[/p] <h2></h2> [img src="https://truckerpath.com/uploads/2020/09/hos2.jpeg" alt=""] <h2></h2> <h2></h2> [p][b]By Trucker Path[/b][/p]

Nov 10, 2020 • Carriers

Everything Truck Drivers Need to Know About Deadhead [p]If you are a new driver or maybe just received authority as an owner-operator, understanding what deadhead is can be critical when searching for the right load.[/p] [h2]What is Deadhead?[/h2] [p]Deadhead in trucking is when a [a href="https://app.appsflyer.com/com.sixdays.truckerpath?pid=Social Facebook"]truck driver[/a] is driving with an empty trailer. Since loads aren't found in our backyards, deadhead is usually necessary for owner operators who must drive a certain distance to pick up a load.[/p] [h2]Does the Trucking Company Pay for Deadhead?[/h2] [p]Not necessarily. Some trucking companies will pay for deadhead mileage after the first 100 miles, although it isn't required. For example, C.R. England pays independent contractors $.80 per deadhead mile. While company drivers typically get paid for deadhead mileage, owner-operators aren't always as lucky and the cost could come out of pocket.[/p] [giphy]<iframe src="https://giphy.com/embed/I6aNrs9GW3xNm" width="480" height="269" frameBorder="0" class="giphy-embed" allowFullScreen></iframe>[/giphy] [h2]How to Limit Trucking Deadhead[/h2] [p]The more often you haul cargo, the more you generally will earn. It's a simple concept. In order to maximize earnings, it's important for a trucker to stay loaded and avoid driving back empty. With the national average diesel prices forecasted to be $2.71 per gallon in 2017 (according to Gas Buddy),driving empty can become a costly issue for owner operators. At that price, a 200-mile deadhead with a Peterbilt or Mack truck that gets around 5 mpg could cost over $100, cutting into the profit a driver might earn. Deadhead might be the last resort if there are no loads nearby.[/p] [h2]Dangers of Driving with an Empty Trailer[/h2] [p]Trucking deadhead can be extremely dangerous for truck drivers. Trucks with an empty trailer weigh half as much as full ones. This can be problematic if a trucker is driving through an area with especially high winds. Not only can an empty trailer sway around and be difficult to control, it can flip open, causing serious injury. Be sure to always check the weather reports and wind conditions before heading out to pick up a load with an empty trailer.[/p] [giphy]<iframe src="https://giphy.com/embed/OPSEsCZSJtnOw" width="480" height="269" frameBorder="0" class="giphy-embed" allowFullScreen></iframe>[/giphy] [h2]Find Freight With Truckloads Free Load Board[/h2] [p]Truckloads is a [a href="https://app.appsflyer.com/com.truckerpath.truckloads?pid=Social Facebook"]free load board[/a] connecting carriers with shippers. It features unlimited premium loads, customized search options and carriers can call brokers right from the app. Additionally, owner operators can search for over two million monthly loads nearby or based on deadhead. Carriers can also view the rate, days to pay and even view a brokers credit score.[/p] [video id="snyBYpnuhWw"] [button-green href="https://truckloads.truckerpath.com/?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=deadhead"]Try Truckloads Free![/button-green]

Jan 20, 2017 • Carriers

Top 10 Counties For Cargo Theft [p]Cargo theft is a growing concern for the trucking industry with driver safety at the forefront. Here's a closer look at the worst areas.[/p] [h2]Top 10 Counties for Cargo Theft in America[/h2] [p]Being a truck driver is the most dangerous job in America and the threat of cargo theft from potentially armed thieves looking to steal truck cargo escalates the risks for truck drivers.[/p] [p]According to CargoNet, there were 836 occurrences of cargo theft resulting in an estimated $172.9 million in losses during 2016. [a href="https://app.appsflyer.com/com.sixdays.truckerpath?pid=Social Facebook"]Los Angeles County had 329 thefts reported from July 2013 – July 2016, the most of any other county in America.[/a] The worst state for cargo thefts was California, with 228 thefts, an increase of 36 percent from 2015. The most common day of the week for cargo thefts was Friday with 164 incidents. There was a 5.1 percent decrease in total cargo thefts in 2016 compared to 2015.[/p] [ol-2] [li]Los Angeles County, CA[/li] [li]Dallas County, TX[/li] [li]San Bernardino County, CA[/li] [li]Chicago Cook County, IL[/li] [li]Miami-Dade County, FL[/li] [li]Houston Harris County, TX[/li] [li]Tarrant County, TX[/li] [li]Edison Middlesex County, IL[/li] [li]Bolingbrook Will County, IL[/li] [li]Riverside County, CA[/li] [/ol-2] [img src="https://truckerpath.com/uploads/2017/02/cargoNet.jpg" alt=""] [h2]Most Common Cargo Theft Locations[/h2] [ol] [li]Warehouse/Distribution Center – 329[/li] [li]Other – 295[/li] [li]Parking Lot – 170[/li] [li]Secured Yard – 166[/li] [li]Unsecured Yard – 120[/li] [/ol] [h2] Avoid Cargo Theft - Find Truck Parking with Trucker Path [/h2] [p] With over 8,000 locations to find parking in our app, you can find safe truck parking at the truck stop, rest area even Wal-mart of your choice. We even have a list of the <a href="https://truckerpath.com/blog/best-truck-stops/">best truck stops in America!</a> [p]Best of all you can see how many truck parking spots a truck stop has and see if there are any available in real-time. Download our free app today in order to save yourself time and provide you with the peace of mind you deserve.[/p] [button-green href="https://truckerpath.com/trucker-path-app/?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=cargotheft2015"]Learn More About Trucker Path![/button-green] [video id="NSSOwFRJaQw"] [quote]“Cargo theft continues to be a pervasive issue,” said Anthony Canale, general manager of CargoNet. “Our 2015 year-end report indicated 881 incidents of cargo theft took place across North America. That increased from 844 cargo thefts reported in 2014 and accounted for more than $175 million in goods. While thieves continue to get more tech-savvy with their approaches, there are measures that can be put in place to stop them, ranging from proactive deterrence tactics to extensive recovery assistance.”[/quote] [img src="https://truckerpath.com/uploads/2017/02/CARGO-THEFT-FB.jpg" alt=""]

Feb 03, 2017 • Carriers