News

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) division of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has released its 2011-2016 Strategic Plan to raise the bar for safety. The administration is currently asking for comments and feedback on the plan. Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) Life-Cycle One portion of the implementation of the Strategic Plan involves safety…

Every year, the National Truck Driving Championships (NTDC) is hosted by the Safety and Loss Prevention Management Council of the American Trucking Association (ATA). The event dates back to 1937, when it was called the National Truck Roadeo, although rules have changed considerably since then. The 2011 event is being held in Orlando, Florida August…

July 2011: New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law a bill that requires convex mirrors to be placed on the front of large trucks. These mirrors, also known as crossover mirrors, will eliminate the blind spot directly in front of the truck. This law will affect all trucks with a maximum gross weight of…

An American man is charged with conspiring to sneak 3,000 pounds of marijuana into the United States in a truckload of furniture. Miguel Ascencion, of Detroit, Michigan, told police that he ordered the furniture a month prior from a person in Guadalajara, Mexico. The contact in Mexico told Ascencion that he could make extra money…

Dan England, owner of the trucking company C.R. England Inc. and vice chairman of the American Trucking Association (ATA), spoke with Congress about some ATA-suggested initiatives regarding highway safety. Mr. England encouraged Congress in several measures. Stricter Regulation of New Carriers Mr. England asked Congress to “raise the bar” for new trucking companies by requiring…

Distracted driving is a serious danger for American drivers. Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) shows that distracted driving was involved in crashes that caused 5,870 people’s deaths and about 500,000 injuries in 2008 alone. Distracted driving on the part of at least one driver is frequently responsible for vehicle accidents. It…

The TruckersReport Ultimate Industry Guide released the figures for average trucking salaries for each state. The lowest salary nationwide was $40,000 and the average was just over $51,000. The 5 states with the highest salary for truckers were: Mississippi: $68,000 Wyoming: $61,000 New York: $60,000 Washington: $59,000 Massachusetts: $59,000 Trucker Salary vs. Cost of Living…

As diesel prices near $4 a gallon, commercial truck carriers are taking steps to cut fuel costs by maximizing the miles per gallon rate that their trucks are getting. Many of these truck companies are setting standards for expected miles per gallon achievement and then teaching their drivers how to adhere to them. Others are…

As the United States’ economy rebounds, trucking companies are beginning to receive more orders to transport goods. Unfortunately this has resulted in an increase in cargo theft incidents. Cargo theft is becoming a serious threat to the economy, as well as national security. These crimes cost the U.S. about $30 billion annually, according to Kevin…

Motorcycles have the highest fatality rate per unit of distance of any motor vehicle. Motorcyclists are the most vulnerable drivers on the road. Most motorcycle operators have undergone training to learn to safely share the roadways with other vehicles, but extra caution must be taken when tractor-trailers, or semi trucks, also occupy the road. The…