CCJ Innovators profiles carriers and fleets that have found innovative ways to overcome trucking’s challenges. If you know a carrier that has displayed innovation, contact CCJ Chief Editor Jason Cannon at [email protected] or 800-633-5953. Podcasts have made multi-millionaires out of the likes of Joe Rogan and Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark, but not everyone gets into it for the money and fame (at least initially). A podcast is basically a series of audio episodes, each focused on a particular topic or theme. The modern and technologically savvy community equivalent of the ham radio, podcasters and listeners collide in hoards on Spotify and iTunes, among other platforms, to share opinions on everything from sports, to politics and everything in between. FreightWorks, a 100-plus truck, hazmat, high-security and temperature-controlled freight hauler based in Rutherfordton, N.C., debuted a podcast last September – just one more podcast trying to stand out in an ocean of more than 2 million worldwide. "We started this by acknowledging among ourselves that none of us were podcast experts, but we had a strong conviction that telling the story of professional drivers and reinforcing for a broad marketplace of people that would have specific interest in trucking and logistics – and beyond that, folks that are drivers have been drivers, drivers, families – reinforcing the professional nature of what they do, the fact that they have unique stories and the fact that the three-and-a-half million-plus drivers in America represent a broad tapestry of colorful stories," said Butch Maltby FreightWorks communications director and host of Life by the Mile. "We went into this saying, 'we don't want this just to be a FreightWorks infomercial.'" The bi-weekly series is now up to 77 episodes. It went on a break following season 1 in February and kicked off season 2 at the Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS) in March, where the production team recorded 18 episodes. Not just another infomercialMaltby said the podcasts are purposely absent of recruiting pitches that tout FreightWorks' home time and driver pay, rather its focus is on news and events that affect the industry as a whole, telling the stories of the men and women who keep it moving, and the people trucking touches along the way. "The supply chain stories that became national news only reinforced what people in the industry have known for a long time," Maltby said, "which is a penetrating look into the obvious – our economy is so dependent on people suiting up and showing up every day and getting in the truck and 24/7 traversing the ribbon arteries of highway." Yet, even while the podcasts don't focus on FreightWorks, Maltby said there are corporate benefits, even if they are accidental. "We can't prove this quantitatively but, intuitively, we believe that it's having some impact on recruitment because the anecdotal evidence comes through new drivers who say, 'I watched a couple-three episodes before I filled out an application' or, 'It helped me better understand what the company was all about,'" Maltby said. "So, it doesn't have the discipline of direct response marketing that would say this channel resulted in X number of inquiries that resulted in Y number of applications, but we're starting to see anecdotal evidence that it helps there." Maltby added the company will soon start tracking the podcasts' impact on retention, "with a belief that everybody's got a story, and when you give them the opportunity to tell their story it's a deposit in the equity bank that on hard days, or hard weeks, or hard months, they'll remember that they were featured here," he said. "It's not been set up with all the pre-launch analytics that a regular broadcast platform would be, but we are assembling more and more data and intuitively believe that telling the story helps our FreightWorks brand. It helps support recruitment efforts. It helps create better internal communication, and it's opening up some strategic relationships for us. We're industry focused more than unilaterally focused and believe that the residual benefit of that will be seen on a number of fronts: recruitment, retention, current employee morale and getting the FreightWorks name out there." The number of podcasts downloads vary across all the platforms but Jordan Kidd, FreightWorks' director of business intelligence, marketing & IT, said the range falls between several hundred to over 1,000, including YouTube views. However, it's not all about building a sprawling reach. It's more about becoming a resource, and the audience will follow. "We're motivated to see it grow, just not just because of the numbers, but because of the impact," Maltby said. "A lot of the things that might be used to get clicks or initial views aren't things that are part of our culture. The goal is to see measured growth with committed subscribers. And we went into MATS and we added 400 [subscribers] there." Going all-in on qualityLast year, the company built a podcast studio adjacent to its sprawling driver's lounge where it produces Life By The Mile. Being adjacent to the lounge presents Maltby with opportunities to have impromptu discussions with drivers and "it's put me in the river of understanding a driver mindset," he added, "and that's been really helpful." Kidd, who also is the producer for Life by the Mile, said he's long had a passion for photography and videography, adding the company invested in excess of $100,000 into a studio and equipment that he said "wouldn't hold a candle against mainstream cable channels studios, but for a trucking company, I would have to say it's probably more advanced than what you'd expect." "Essentially it's a warehouse and cross dock facility," Kidd added. "We just took part of the warehouse space and built a studio inside of it." When the equipment isn't in use for external communications like Life by the Mile, it's deployed for internal communication, producing native content for FreightWorks and internal broadcasts. "We want this studio to stay," Maltby added. Being busy isn't likely to be difficult. Maltby said the company is seeking to grow its offerings and is currently looking into the development of a faith-based show, adding the company has already registered the name Faith by the Mile. "We're really trying to create a more formal multi-channel integrated marketing effort," he said, "and we see the podcast as being an important tool in the toolbox." Kidd and Maltby expect Life by the Mile to take its next break – between season 2 and 3 – following episode 100, which at the current publication cadence would be around September. Maltby noted that while the company wasn't actively in the market for sponsorship, they were in the process of sketching out a business plan that would bring one on board, taking the podcast from a function of branding and marketing to viable diversified revenue stream. "If there was an entity that had compatible mission, vision and values – where there was clearly a win-win – that's certainly the kind of conversation that we would expect to get into at some point," he said. "We've wanted to have enough content and enough direction so that a conversation like that would be fruitful, and somebody could catch the vision of growing with us." "And I think we're right on the doorstep," Kidd added. The CCJ Innovators program is brought to you by Comdata, Freightliner Trucks, Omnitracs and Valvoline. https://ift.tt/xpdPF4D
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Trucking news and briefs for Friday, July 1, 2022: Suspected truck driver in deadly human smuggling operation faces life in prison, possible death penaltyThe suspected driver in the grisly human smuggling operation in San Antonio in which 53 undocumented immigrants died has been charged for his involvement in the case. Homero Zamorano Jr., 45, was charged with alien smuggling resulting in death, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1324. According to court documents, on June 27, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) responded to the scene of a human smuggling event involving a tractor-trailer and 64 individuals suspected of entering the United States illegally. Laredo Sector Border Patrol provided HSI agents surveillance footage of the truck crossing through an immigration checkpoint, and the video showed the driver wearing a black shirt with stripes and a hat, which is the same clothing Zamorano was wearing when he was found in a field near where the truck was found. Zamorano is charged by criminal complaint with one count of alien smuggling resulting in death. He is originally from Brownsville, Texas, but resides in Pasadena, Texas. If convicted, he faces up to life in prison or possibly the death penalty. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Also charged by criminal complaint is Christian Martinez, 28, who was arrested on June 28, in Palestine, Texas. He has been charged with one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens resulting in death. According to court documents, a search warrant was executed on a cell phone belonging to Zamorano, and through investigation, it was discovered that communications occurred between Zamorano and Martinez concerning the smuggling event. If convicted, Martinez faces up to life in prison or could face the death penalty. In addition to arrests of Zamorano and Martinez, Juan Claudio D’Luna-Mendez, 23, and Juan Francisco D’Luna-Bilbao, 48, both citizens of Mexico, were also arrested. According to court documents, the registration for the tractor-trailer used in the attempted alien smuggling event came back to a residence in San Antonio. SAPD officers set up surveillance on the residence and observed two males leaving in separate trucks. After traffic stops on both trucks, the drivers were identified as D’Luna-Mendez and D’Luna-Bilbao. D’Luna-Bilboa was in possession of a handgun that was found in the center console of the truck he was driving. A search warrant was executed at the residence where additional firearms were located. Both individuals were determined to be in the U.S. illegally and were charged by criminal complaint with one count of possession of a weapon by an alien illegally in the U.S. in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(5). If convicted, both defendants face up to 10 years in prison. Yellow opens 3 new Driving AcademiesYellow Corporation (CCJ Top 250, No. 5) is expanding its company-sponsored Driving Academies with three new locations. The latest Academies to open are in Columbus, Ohio; Tracy, California; and Maybrook, New York. These facilities are home to Yellow’s largest regional distribution centers, making these ideal locations for student apprentices to learn, the company said. Once enrolled, students will learn the operations side of the business, complete an initial 160 hours of training, and spend an additional month honing their driving skills with a Yellow-certified safety trainer to best position them for their commercial driver’s license (CDL) exam. After graduating and obtaining a CDL, each qualified driver will be offered a position behind the wheel at Yellow. “We’re thrilled to own and operate a total of 20 permanent Driving Academies, which are free to all students,” said Tamara Jalving, vice president of safety and talent acquisition at Yellow. “In the last year, we have opened eight new Academies, with more scheduled to open later this year in other parts of the country. Training our own drivers is simply the best way to tackle the driver shortage in America.” Yellow’s Driving Academy program is tuition-free, which makes the Academies valuable for students and their local communities. “We plan to bring in new drivers and certainly more diverse candidates as we aim to train 1,000 new drivers this year,” said Darren Hawkins, CEO of Yellow. “We’re introducing a wider and broader audience to the trucking industry, not just recruiting talent from other trucking companies.” Each of Yellow’s Driving Academies is certified as a Department of Labor apprenticeship program, which is designed to provide paid on-the-job instruction for workers as they prepare for a highly in-demand job. Bendix hosting ride-and-drive event in OhioBendix will hold a regional Ride-and-Drive technology demonstration in Elyria, Ohio, as part of the 2022 season of its popular demo program. The event will be held July 12-14 at Lorain County Regional Airport and will take place rain or shine, the company says. Any fleets and dealers in the demo area, as well as drivers and driver trainers, are welcome to attend and participate. Advanced registration is requested. During the event, participants will receive a firsthand view of advanced technologies in real-world scenarios that drivers encounter daily. Participants gain a better understanding of the performance and value these technologies can deliver, Benidx says. Following a short safety briefing, attendees will move to the track to log time in the trucks with Bendix demo drivers. Each demo closes with a question-and-answer period facilitated by Bendix’s technology experts. Bendix will demonstrate the full spectrum of its tractor- and trailer-based safety technologies, including the flagship advanced driver assistance system, Bendix Wingman Fusion; truck, tractor, and trailer stability technologies; and the industry-dominating Bendix ADB22X air disc brake. The 2022 program will also showcase the Bendix Intellipark Electronic Parking Brake technology, as well as SafetyDirect by Bendix CVS, updates to the Bendix BlindSpotter side object detection system, and more. Fleets and owner-operators should register using the links below:
https://ift.tt/xpdPF4D Hot temperatures aren't the only thing typically ushered in with the dawn of summer. Trucking's "peak season" runs typically from August to October as retailers go all-in on holiday shopping. However, early signs – a massive shift to ecommerce, dropping retail inventories and record inflation – are serving as early warning signs that transportation's peak season might not peak at all. Guillermo Garcia, co-founder and CEO of freight dispatch service SmartHop, joins Matt and Jason on this week's 10-44 to discuss what could be in store in the months ahead, and how carriers can use these lean times to refine their business. CCJ's 10-44 is a weekly video feature covering the latest in trucking news and trends, equipment and technology. Subscribe to our YouTube channel here. https://ift.tt/xpdPF4D The following is the second part of a multi-part series that addresses the issues surrounding attracting younger drivers. The first part of the series, focused on attracting students to the industry ahead of high school graduation, can be found here. The final piece of the series will include input from experts on how trucking companies can use technology to attract younger generations to a career in trucking. Shuie Yankelewitz said he can feel the steering wheel of his new car pulling him back to the center of the lane if he accidentally veers off. That – along with things like active braking, collision mitigation systems and dash cameras – is the type of technology more and more motor carriers are implementing in their trucks to improve driver safety. And it’s what many insurance providers are requiring in order to insure certain drivers like those under 21 years of age. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is working on a pilot program to allow 18-, 19- and 20-year-old drivers to operate commercial motor vehicles in interstate commerce, creating regulatory pathways for the conversation about insuring those drivers to come up. The pilot is part of larger efforts to close the gap between new drivers and aging drivers that are leaving the trucking industry faster than they can be replaced, creating a severe driver shortage in the U.S. that is having a significant impact on the economy. With a shortage of more than 80,000 drivers that is expected to continue to grow rapidly, trucking companies are looking to regulatory changes – making the driver interstate driver age 18 rather than 21 – to help bridge that gap. But a major roadblock stands in the way: insurance. And Yankelewitz, chief operating officer of Central Analysis Bureau (CAB), said that regulatory change isn’t likely to be very effective in reducing the driver shortage. “There will be very few to be insured. I don't think there's a chance that it makes enough of an impact because we're talking about a handful of drivers. In the absence of a real insurance program to underwrite it, you're not going to see widespread adoption other than with the bigger carriers who have their own self-insured retention so they don't need to rely on that primary insurer,” he said. “Technology does help … There's no question about it. But at the end of the day, until you're dealing with a 100% autonomous vehicle, there's still a driver who's responsible for what's going on, and all the cameras in the world and all the technology in the world …” isn’t going to coax an insurance provider to cover that driver. Yankelewitz said the technology can even be an enabler for bad behavior because with lane departure warnings and automatic braking systems, drivers may begin to feel a little more comfortable taking their eyes off the road. Under the pilot program, carriers are required to have specific technology, including automated manual or automatic transmissions; an active braking collision mitigation system; a forward-facing video event capture system; and a governed speed of 65 miles per hour at the pedal and under adaptive cruise control. But when it comes down to insuring those drivers, insurers are likely to demand technology beyond that and require trucking companies to jump through additional hoops because of the lack of data surrounding drivers under 21. Larger companies that are self-insured like Werner and JB Hunt would be more likely to hire the 18-year-old driver, but Yankelewitz said because they are self-insured, they are not likely to share data with the insurance industry at large. “Basically, it comes around full circle where insurance companies are never really going to get enough information that's going to make them feel comfortable – at least not in the short term – that this is a business worth writing,” he said. “In order for there to be widespread adoption, there needs to be acceptance from the insurance industry, and the problem is that the insurance industry generally doesn't like to shoot in the dark. They need data in order to help them get somewhere, so it's a bit of a catch-22.” Stephen Mueller, managing director at Inact Insurance Accident & Health, said insurers interpret data to determine risk, and it all comes down to credibility of data and the information about a driver. He said insurers want to understand how a motor carrier is addressing onboarding, training and successive support for these young drivers as well as policies and protocols in relation. He said they also want to see driver-facing cameras and real-time driver coaching because those measures mitigate risks. “The age issue isn’t really the issue for us as we underwrite,” Mueller said. “It’s about experience at the end of the day. Do you have the experience, and can we trust that's going to work for us in the way we build the financials?” But Bryan Nelson, a partner at Taylor Johnson PL, said a jury isn’t going to look at the age of a driver or how much experience they have; it is going to focus on systemic issues within the motor carrier that has much deeper pockets than the driver, so a company’s infrastructure – its safety program, training program, people, etc. – is important. Jon Stanley, managing partner at Synergy-Solutions LLC, said it’s all about company culture. “If you don't have the fundamental things in place to make sure a 26-year-old doesn't get into an accident, it's not going to make a difference if you hire an 18-year-old. Fundamentally, you have to have things in place, proactive processes that are going to mitigate your risk,” he said. “If you're just doing the old mirror test: ‘You’re breathing in a truck, I’ve got loads for you today,’ then that's the wrong approach.” Stanley said trucking companies need to put heavy stock in their interviewing, orientation, training and transition processes. He said it is important for hiring managers to have good interview questions that identify driver behaviors instead of the yes or no questions that are most prevalent in the industry. Tell me about your driving experience. Tell me about your safety habits. If you saw someone doing something unsafe, what would you do? “If the person can't tell you what they think about safety, then don't hire them. I wouldn't hire a 50-year-old who can’t answer that question even if he had 20 years of experience,” he said. “The fundamental solution with an 18-year-old is do my hiring practices, does my training, do my safety policies, and does my continuous engagement with that driver sustain them for being a long-term driver for me. If it doesn't, then your answer is don't hire an 18-year-old; don't hire a 50-year-old; go back and fix your program so you can retain the drivers you currently have, and then go out and hire the drivers you need.” He said companies need to meet with their teams and stakeholders – from their drivers and safety departments to their brokers and insurers – to build a program that fits their culture. Because it’s not about the hours a driver has behind the wheel, he said; it’s about their competency and if the driver is meeting the program’s expectations. To do that, he said companies need to have the right person in the trainer’s seat that can gauge a driver’s competency while training them to improve. Teach that trainer how to coach, how to observe and document behaviors properly, and how to have the tough conversations with trainees, he said. And that driver trainer should never be a company’s top performer productivity wise but should be the driver that is focused on doing everything by the book, he said. “That trainer is your first person to stop a behavior, correct it and mentor that driver into being the driver you want them to be,” Stanley said. “I see it all the time. I'll go out to a company, and we dissect the program, and it's like, ‘I’ve got my top performer training. Great! You’re teaching my (new) guy how to cut all the corners! … He'll probably be the guy that's been lucky for the last 10 years not having an accident and is a ticking time bomb.” https://ift.tt/xpdPF4D The Supreme Court has denied the California Trucking Association’s petition for certiorari in the case regarding California’s AB 5 independent contractor law, putting an end to a years-long legal battle and, likely, the traditional leased owner-operator model in the state. The law, which went into effect Jan. 1, 2020, has not applied to trucking due to an injunction issued just before the law took effect. With SCOTUS denying CTA’s request to review the case, the injunction will be lifted, and the law will apply to the trucking industry. Greg Feary, president of transportation legal firm Scopelitis, Garvin, Light, Hanson & Feary, said the injunction will have to be lifted by a trial court, and he expects that to happen in “the next day or two.” The California Trucking Association said in an email that the decision "will have a negative impact on the state's supply chain," adding that now that the petition has been denied, the injunction will be lifted within seven days. “In addition to the direct impact on California’s 70,000 owner-operators who have seven days to cease long-standing independent businesses, the impact of taking tens of thousands of truck drivers off the road will have devastating repercussions on an already fragile supply chain, increasing costs and worsening runaway inflation," CTA said. "We are disappointed the Court does not recognize the irrevocable damage eliminating independent truckers will have on interstate commerce and communities across the state. The [California] legislature and [California Gov. Gavin] Newsom Administration must immediately take action to avoid worsening the supply chain crisis and inflation.” The Western States Trucking Association was also disappointed in the Court's decision. "Clearly, we along with most everyone else in the trucking industry are disappointed by this rejection," said Joe Rajkovacz, director of governmental affairs and communications for WSTA." AB 5 instituted strict criteria for determining a worker’s classification status -- employee or contractor -- known as the ABC test. In the case of trucking, the ‘B’ prong of the ABC test effectively bars motor carriers from contracting with owner-operators -- such as those who lease their equipment to a carrier and run under their authority or independent operators/fleets with their own authority that contract to haul freight for a larger carrier. CTA filed a lawsuit against the law in late 2019, arguing the 1994 Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act (FAAAA), which preempts any state-level laws that would “interfere with prices, routes and services” of motor carriers. The 'B' prong of the test is particularly problematic for traditional leasing arrangements with owner-operators classified as independent contractors, given it requires a contractor to be outside the normal course of business of the entity contracted to. In April 2021, California’s Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the injunction that had been in place since the law took effect, but the injunction was allowed to remain in place through CTA’s appeal to the Supreme Court. When the injunction is lifted, Feary said the law will take effect retroactive to Jan. 1, 2020, meaning it will legally be viewed as having been in effect since that date. Effectively, any lawsuits regarding contractor status during a time period since Jan. 1, 2020, will use the ABC test to determine the worker’s status, Feary said, even though the law did not technically apply to trucking during that time. "This rejection by the Supreme Court means any motor carrier leasing an owner-operator under federal leasing regulations in California is severely at risk -- they cannot pass the ABC test," Rajkovacz said. "Relationships involving carriers and brokers contracting with single truck operators that have incorporated and have their own operating authority will come under the microscope, too." Rajkovacz added that the legal industry will be the biggest winner as a result of the denial. "The only winners here will be the legal profession in my opinion, as many motor carrier and brokers will need to 'lawyer up,' and frankly for the majority of small business[es], they can’t afford the legal fees to try and defend themselves against a state determined to do the bidding of organized labor, who believe they will financially benefit by increased membership." Rajkovacz noted that WSTA has been working with "a growing number of members" to relocate to other states due to AB 5, as well as CARB emissions rules. "They just don't see a future here," he said. "That's likely to accelerate." In addition to CTA, the American Trucking Associations, Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, Western States Trucking Association and a number of other groups were all part of the lawsuit fighting AB 5. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates as they come available. https://ift.tt/xpdPF4D Trucking news and briefs for Thursday, June 30, 2022: Police: Suspected driver in Texas human smuggling operation 'very high on meth'Authorities have arrested three men in connection with Monday's discovery of numerous bodies found in a tractor-trailer abandoned on a remote road in San Antonio, Texas. Monday evening, authorities were alerted to an abandoned tractor-trailer and arrived to find 46 people deceased inside the trailer, along with 16 others who were sent to hospitals. The number of deaths has since risen to 53, as seven people who were found alive in the sweltering trailer have since died at area hospitals, according to reports. The San Antonio Express-News reports that the suspected driver, Homero Zamorano, 45, was taken into custody in a field near where the tractor-trailer was abandoned. An unnamed police officer told the Express-News that Zamorano "was very high on meth when he was arrested" and had to be taken to the hospital. Investigators reportedly also traced the truck's registration to a residence in San Antonio and detained two men from Mexico -- Juan Francisco D’Luna-Bilbao and Juan Claudio D’Luna-Mendez -- for possession of weapons. Ashley C. Hoff, United States Attorney for the Western District of Texas, confirmed in a statement that the people in the trailer were apparent victims of human smuggling. “San Antonio first responders and law enforcement discovered a tragic and disturbing scene [Monday] evening on the southwest side of San Antonio," Hoff said. "Dozens of immigrants were found dead or incapacitated in and around a tractor-trailer with over a dozen others hospitalized in critical condition. All were the apparent victims of human smugglers indifferent to the well-being of human life. The South Texas heat is brutal this time of year, especially given the recent record-high temperatures. We will continue to work with the Homeland Security Investigations and the local responders to identify and bring those who were responsible for this tragedy to justice.” FMCSA renews Prime’s pre-CDL waiverThe Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced it has renewed Prime Inc.’s (CCJ Top 250, No. 15) exemption that allows drivers who have passed their CDL skills test but not yet returned home to obtain their CDL to drive in team operations. The waiver still requires a CDL holder in the truck with the commercial learner’s permit holder, but not necessarily in the passenger seat while they are driving. The exemption is effective through June 27, 2027. Prime first requested the waiver in December 2016, and FMCSA granted the exemption in June 2017. The fleet requested the renewal for 10 years, but by statute, FMCSA may only grant the renewal for a maximum of five years. In its renewal request, Prime said it has not discovered any safety issues while operating under the exemption and that it will continue to monitor its safety data. The company added that its “lead seat” trainers commonly own their trucks and are therefore interested in ensuring that the CLP holder operates the truck safely. In addition, Prime said that once its CLP holders have passed the CDL skills test, they continue into their second phase of training, in which they typically log more than 30,000 miles before becoming a solo driver. Prime is one of several companies that have received similar exemptions, including C.R. England, CRST and more. Hyzon adds Yadon to leadership teamHydrogen fuel cell truck maker Hyzon Motors Inc. announced Wednesday that Shawn Yadon has been appointed President, Commerical, effective July 1, 2022. Yadon has most recently served as CEO of the California Trucking Association. With Hyzon, Yadon will be responsible for commercialization of the North American market while supporting Hyzon's strategic position of the production and sales of its hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Yadon has served as CTA’s CEO since 2014. In that role, he has been an industry strategist, thought leader and ambassador for the trucking industry across the U.S., working directly with state legislators and regulators in California and beyond, the U.S. Congress, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), as well as the commercial trucking industry throughout the country as an industry leader and advocate. Prior to his role at CTA, Yadon was the vice president of corporate affairs in the office of the CEO at Copart, Inc. (CPRT), a worldwide online remarketing leader with sales of over two million vehicles per year. Yadon spent seven-and-a-half years at Copart, and during his time there, also served as the company's principal government affairs officer. "I look forward to leading Hyzon Motors' commercial activities and advocating at all levels alongside the trucking industry for the governmental support, commitment and investments necessary for Hyzon to optimize the deployment and delivery of cutting edge zero emission commercial vehicles in addition to essential hydrogen infrastructure requirements," Yadon said. Saia opens two new Georgia locationsSaia Inc. (CCJ Top 250, No. 20) announced Monday that Saia LTL Freight has opened two new terminals in Georgia -- one in Macon and another in Valdosta -- as the company fills in geography within the state, getting closer to customers located along the I-75 corridor south of Atlanta. “Since the end of last year, we’ve been working to add capacity to our network in Georgia,” said Saia Vice President of Operations, East, Jared Mull. “These two new facilities, coupled with the terminal we opened in Calhoun in December, supports our strategy of expansion within markets where we’ve long had a strong presence and customer base, but needed to improve efficiencies, shorten transit times and offer more flexibility when it comes to same-day shipping requests.” While Saia is expanding into new service areas like West Virginia, it also continues to grow across its legacy markets. Beyond these terminal openings in Georgia, the carrier opened two new terminals in La Salle and Rockford, Illinois this spring. Highway Transport opens new Chicago facilityBulk chemical hauler Highway Transport has opened an $11 million flagship service center located in Chicago and serving as a Midwest hub for its current and growing customers across the U.S. and Canada. The Chicago Service Center will continue to serve as a central hub for Highway Transport tanker trucks and professional tanker drivers as they safely transport chemicals for companies across the country. Located in Clarius Business Park in Channahon, Illinois, the facility is one of more than 20 Highway Transport Service Centers in the United States, serving 49 states and Canada. Employing on-site team members and professional truck drivers, the Chicago Service Center is expected to add approximately 70 new employees in the coming years. Team members and drivers located there will coordinate logistics, technology, cleaning processes and other critical operations on-site. The facility includes parking for tanker trucks from the company’s fleet of more than 465 trucks and 900-plus stainless-steel tanker trailers. The 17,730-square-foot service center located on nearly 23 acres doubles the size of Highway Transport’s previous leased facility in Joliet where it operated for two decades. https://ift.tt/xw974l8 There is a fair amount of skepticism on the part of fleets when it comes to fuel economy testing. The reality is fleets don't believe the results of fuel economy testing due to the history of certain test results that never played out in the real world. Fleets want to know that the test results are reliable and transferable to their actual operations. There are a variety of ways that the fuel economy of a device is tested including in-service fleet testing, SAE J1321 tests (also known as Type 2 tests), wind tunnel tests, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tests, coast-down tests and MVT Solutions proprietary tests. Each test type has it pros and cons and fleets need to understand the limitations of each test when evaluating the data. Ask questions about how the test was conducted, whether real vehicles were involved, what was measured, how it was measured, whether the test results are repeatable and how those test results will translate into the fleet’s saving in real-world operations. If the company performing the test cannot provide a reliable value, that is a red flag. For test data to really be meaningful to the fleet it needs to be analyzed based on the fleet’s unique operating variables. No two fleets operate in the exact same way. A fuel saving device that yields significant fuel savings in one fleet may not be appropriate for another fleet that is operating in a different geographic location, or one that has slightly different duty cycles. The analysis of the test data should help fleets determine what their real-world fuel savings will be. That is really the only number that should matter to a fleet manager. Fuel economy gains seen in a test need to be repeatability on the road day in and day out. I believe the most accurate test results are those that are conducted on actual vehicles rather than in wind tunnels or via computer simulation. The best fuel economy test is one that uses sensors to acquire data and relies on algorithms to extrapolate the test data and translate it into actual fleet-wide savings. Other test methods have their strengths. Wind tunnel tests are easy to run as are CFD tests. The J1321 test is fairly straightforward. However, if these tests cannot provide real-world answers then the fleet’s objective hasn't not been met. Fleets operate in the real world; their fuel economy savings need to be real too. Daryl Bear is the COO and Lead Engineer of Mesilla Valley Transportation Solutions (MVTS), a subsidiary of the MVT fleet. He is a mechanical engineer with 20+ years’ experience. Bear developed a proprietary test method for quantifying fuel savings in trucking and has conducted nearly 700 fuel economy tests to date on Class-8 vehicles, building on experiences from his previous roles as a race car engineer and test engineer. He has worked with IndyCar, NASCAR, and with automotive OEMs on automotive testing. https://ift.tt/xw974l8 Trucking news and briefs for Wednesday, June 29, 2022: Cummins, Hyliion working on BEV, natgas truckHyliion, a developer of electrified powertrain solutions for Class 8 trucks, and Cummins on Tuesday announced the two companies would collaborate on an effort to optimize the Cummins ISX12N natural gas engine as the generator for the Hypertruck ERX powertrain. Hyliion's Hypertruck ERX is an electric range extended powertrain that's recharged by an onboard natural gas generator. It offers 75-miles of electric range to qualify for credits under CARB’s upcoming ZEV mandates and can achieve up to 1,000 miles of full range through the generator, greatly reducing range anxiety. [Related: Test drive: Hyliion Hypertruck ERX is smooth, powerful and unproven] Cummins’ ISX12N will be optimized with the Hyliion Hypertruck ERX, so that it can use the existing 700 natural gas stations across North America for low cost refueling. Start of production for the Hypertruck ERX with the ISX12N Cummins natural gas power is anticipated to begin in late 2023. FMCSA removes ArionT ELD from device registryThe Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has removed the ArionT ELD from the list of registered Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs). FMCSA has placed ArionT ELD on the Revoked Devices list due to the company’s failure to meet the minimum requirements established in 49 CFR part 395, subpart B, appendix A, effective June 24, 2022. It’s unclear what specifically about the device does not meet the minimum requirements. Attempts to reach ArionTech for clarification were unreturned. The device is the first to appear on the list that was not self-revoked by the manufacturer. Carriers using the ArionT ELD are advised by FMCSA to take the following steps:
Trucking companies and operators have a grace period of up to 60 days to replace the revoked device with a compliant ELD. If ArionTech corrects the identified deficiencies, FMCSA will place the device back on the list of registered devices and inform the industry and the field. During the grace period, law enforcement officers are encouraged not to cite drivers using ArionT ELD for 395.8(a)(1) – “No ELD” or 395.22(a) – “Failed to use a registered ELD.” During this time, inspectors should request the driver’s paper logs, logging software, or use the ArionT ELD display as a back-up method to review the hours of service data. Beginning Aug. 24, carriers who continue to use the revoked device listed above would be considered to be operating without an ELD. Inspectors who encounter a driver using a revoked device on or after Aug. 24 should cite 395.8(a)(1), and place the driver out-of-service, FMCSA said. FMCSA strongly encourages motor carriers to take the actions listed above as soon as possible to avoid compliance issues in case the deficiencies are not addressed in time. Kentucky/Indiana bridge tolls jumping 8%New toll rates for three bridges connecting Louisville and southern Indiana will begin Friday, July 1. Rates for five-axle and larger trucks will increase more than 8%. RiverLink, which manages the tolls, says drivers with prepaid accounts in good standing and transponders pay the lowest toll rates and save more than $2 per crossing. The rates for trucks with prepaid accounts and transponders will increased from $11.04 to $11.98, while the rates for trucks paying by mail/plate will increase from $13.26 to $14.38. Toll revenue is used to meet the financial obligations of the Ohio River Bridges Project and to pay for operations and maintenance of the bridges and roadways in the project area. Tolling is in place on the I-65 Abraham Lincoln Bridge, I-65 Kennedy Bridge and SR 265/KY 841 Lewis and Clark Bridge connecting Prospect, Kentucky, and Utica, Indiana. Toll rates increase annually by 2.5% unless the rate of inflation (as measured by the Consumer Price Index) is higher. The April 2022 CPI used to calculate the increase was 8.3%. Additionally, the new rates include an adjustment of 0.1% that should have been reflected in the July 2021 rate increase. RiverLink says the adjustment was necessary because last year’s rate increase was calculated using the 2.5% baseline rather than the March 2021 CPI of 2.6 percent. The tolling of the bridges, a bi-state effort between Indiana and Kentucky, started Dec. 30, 2016. Wayfair joins J.B. Hunt, Waymo autonomous truck testJ.B. Hunt Transport Services (CCJ Top 250, No. 3) is adding a customer, home goods retailer Wayfair, to its autonomous truck partnership with technology developer and Google sister-company Waymo. The latest pilot will span six-plus weeks during July and August and take place along the I-45 corridor between Houston and Dallas, the location of J.B. Hunt and Waymo’s original pilot nearly one year ago. It will be the first in-depth transportation of home furnishings retail freight between J.B. Hunt and Waymo Via, the company’s autonomous Class 8 trucking unit powered by the Waymo Driver technology. "Every supply chain is unique, so it’s important that customers can work alongside J.B. Hunt and Waymo to ensure that advanced autonomous technology will create capacity that meets their needs," said Craig Harper, chief sustainability officer and executive vice president at J.B. Hunt. Throughout the multi-week pilot, J.B. Hunt, Waymo and Wayfair will monitor and evaluate data relating to delivery logistics, loading and unloading freight, autonomous performance and factors influencing the overall driving and non-driving experience. The pilot will use J.B. Hunt 360° technology to automate several processes, such as check calls and transactions to improve driving efficiency. Autonomous specialists – a commercially licensed driver and a software technician – will be in the cab for the duration of each trip to monitor the Waymo Driver’s operations. In a successful pilot in 2021, J.B. Hunt and Waymo moved more than 862,000 pounds of freight with no accidents and 100% on-time pick-up and delivery rates. This will be Wayfair’s first large-scale, hands-on experience using Level 4 autonomous vehicle technology to transport freight. https://ift.tt/xw974l8 Technology news and briefs for the week of June 26, 2022: Walmart integrates driver workflow app with Platform Science tabletWalmart’s private fleet has adopted telematics provider Platform Science’s interactive tablet device in each of its cabs. The retailer’s recently developed driver workflow application NTransit is integrated with the device. The company has implemented two technology tools that work together to provide real-time visibility to the day-to-day operations of its network of more than 12,000 drivers as part of its retention efforts. The customized, onboard computer system provides near real-time visibility of where its assets are within the fleet to ensure freight arrives on time and in the correct location so stores can anticipate load arrival times and effectively plan their days and labor around truck deliveries; enhanced communication with stores by integrating with store applications, providing a more seamless delivery process with the use of geolocation technology that detects a driver’s location and sends push notifications to store associates’ handheld devices as the driver approaches; productivity and retention by using the integrated system to coordinate scheduling and navigation without drivers having to key it in and by removing manual touchpoints to create a frictionless workflow so drivers can spend more time driving the truck and less time waiting at fulfillment centers or stores. The new system allows drivers to communicate what they accomplished on the road so they are compensated for any miles and non-driving activities beyond what was initially planned. CalAmp offers assured Techmatics ELDIoT company CalAmp is now offering assured Techmatics’ apollo electronic logging device to commercial and public fleet operators to enable them to capture and log critical data necessary for regulatory compliance. Apollo ELD allows drivers to manage their hours-of-service logbooks, vehicle inspection reports, fuel usage records and receipts. CalAmp’s edge computing device connects to the in-cab tablet and provides information critical to support state-by-state and cross-border regulatory rule requirements. ELD data will be integrated with other tractor, trailer and cargo insights and accessible through CalAmp’s portfolio of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) or Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) solutions. CalAmp offers the apollo ELD with bundled or standalone subscription services, including HOS, DVIR and/or International Fuel Tax Agreement Compliance. Apollo ELD has been approved by the U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration for interstate and intrastate commerce across America by a third-party body accredited with the Minister of Transport for Canada and by the Secretary of Communication and Transportation for Mexico. Pryme, Streamwide partner on PoC communicationsMobile communication accessories manufacturer Pryme has partnered with software developer Streamwide to provide more streamlined collaboration and enhanced push-to-talk over cellular (PoC) communications for industries in both the public and private sectors. Streamwide offers its Team on mission (TOM) and Team on the run (TOTR) platforms. The TOTR platform works for commercial applications in fleet management, among other industries, and is designed to keep teams connected and help solve organizational challenges. “Our goal is to help expedite and enhance communications. Pryme’s wireless PTT buttons and remote speaker microphones make it possible for users to immediately activate TOM or TOTR and communicate without having to hold a phone or tablet or touch a screen,” said Dave George, president and chief technologist at Pryme. https://ift.tt/OKhV5Mo Renewable diesel, which over the past few years has attracted fleets on the West Coast for its cleaner profile and reduced maintenance impact, is now gaining attention for more competitive pricing versus conventional diesel. On Monday, renewable fuel vendor Propel advertised on its app Diesel HPR selling for $6.69 a gallon at its Wilmington station near the Port of Long Beach. The state’s average for conventional diesel on Monday, according to AAA, was $6.97 a gallon, a 4% uptick over Propel’s renewable diesel. Propel’s Hemet location was even cheaper at $6.65 a gallon. Tom Kloza, global head of energy analysis at Oil Price Information Service (OPIS), noted that Low Carbon Fuel Standard credits were now 41% above the $78/ton number seen earlier this month, and up to $110/ton on murmurs of CARB potentially discussing Carbon Index numbers at its July 7 meeting. Propel’s E85, which contains 85% ethanol, offers even greater savings for flex fuel users. A gallon of E85 at that same Wilmington station was priced at $4.09 a gallon compared to the state average for regular gas at $6.31, a 43% increase. “Demand has never been stronger for Propel fuels,” Propel Fuels CEO Rob Elam told CCJ. “Domestically-sourced, low carbon fuels can provide more value at the pump than imports, as well as higher performance in trucks that use them.” Neste, the world’s largest producer of renewable diesel and the top supplier in California, pointed out that subsidies are key in helping renewable diesel compete with conventional. “In the markets where a state-level clean fuel program is available, the cost of Neste’s renewable diesel is competitive with conventional diesel,” said Carrie Song, Neste’s vice president of renewable fuel. Neste’s MY Renewable Diesel had been enjoying steady growth in West Coast states prior to historic inflation which helped renewable diesel become more competitive at the pump. “The demand for Neste’s renewable diesel has always been increasing, even when conventional diesel was cheaper,” Song said. “The signals we hear from our customers are clear, they love our product and want more of it.” Performance driven resultsTitan Freight, a customer of Neste’s in Portland, Oregon, told CCJ that though renewable diesel has driven down their fuel costs over the past few years, their bigger savings comes from reduced maintenance courtesy of renewable diesel’s lower emissions. But admittedly, Titan Freight CEO Keith Wilson was skeptical at first.“Because we did not have good luck with biodiesel in our vehicles, I was very concerned about renewable diesel,” Wilson said. “I didn't know if it was just a different shade of the same product. And then once we started using it, we saw an immediate reduction in our injector swaps. We stopped an immediate reduction in our regens.” DPF repair cost savings are particularly impressive. “We haven't had to change out a DPF—not one box since we've converted over to renewable diesel,” Wilson said. “And one box is easily north of a $10,000 repair, and we haven't had to replace one where we had to maybe [repair] one every six months previous.” Wilson said renewable diesel's ability to reduce soot by roughly 30% also results in fewer oil changes. Eventually, he envisions oil becoming less of a consumable and more like any other component on the engine. “We will not drop our oil. We will only sample it and when a sample is outside of normal, that’s when we'll drop it because there's no reason to change oil,” Wilson said. “It's already a million years old. It doesn't get old, it gets contaminated.” Emissions reductions with renewable diesel have led California, Oregon and, most recently, Washington State, to include the fuel in their clean fuel programs, which provide subsidies that help lower costs for the fuel and create bigger demand especially at a time when petroleum-based fuels have reached historic prices. "Today, Neste is producing more than 1 billion gallons of renewable products annually and is on track to increase its production capacity to 1.9 billion in 2023,” Song said. “We believe the demand for renewable diesel in North America will continue to grow, driven by state-level climate policies, and businesses and cities' commitment in fighting climate change.” Though Propel’s Diesel HPR is currently only offered in California, the company sees plenty of growth ahead. “We are looking closely at expanding into states implementing Low Carbon Fuel Standard policy, including Washington [State] and Oregon to start,” Elam said. “Demand is clearly growing for fuel solutions that are higher performance and provide better value than what Big Oil is offering today.” https://ift.tt/OKhV5Mo |
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