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12
Jun
Teamsters come out against hours changes, ATA still supportive
The Teamsters Union has voiced its opposition to recent Congressional action to roll back the 2013 changes to federal hours-of-service restart provisions, but American Trucking Associations head Bill Graves is holding strong on the group’s support for suspending the changes.A bill making its way through the Senate now includes an amendment to undo some provisions of the hours of service rule changes implemented in July 2013 for at least a year and require a study by the DOT.Bill in Senate would suspend hours rule’s restart provisions and require further study (more…)
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09
May
BTS says freight shipments rose 1.2% in February from January
The amount of freight carried by the for-hire transportation industry rose 1.2 percent in February from January, rising after two
consecutive monthly declines, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics’ (BTS) Freight Transportation Services Index (TSI) released Wednesday.The February 2014 index level (115.2) was 21.6 percent above the April 2009 low during the most recent recession.
The level of freight shipments in February measured by the Freight TSI (115.2) was two percent below the all-time high level of 117.6 in November 2013. BTS’ TSI records begin in 2000.
The January index was revised to 113.9 from 113.6 in last month’s release. The December index was also revised up. (more…)
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12
Feb
Where’s the ‘public outcry’ for better roads and bridges?
When it comes to understanding highway problems, trucking usually gets it before the general public. That was made clear at last month’s Infrastructure for the Future summit in Washington, D.C., put on by American Highway Users Alliance and The Volvo Group.The congressional members and association representatives who spoke were well-informed, but it was particularly refreshing to hear Joe Cowan, CEO of Baltimore-based Cowan Systems, lay it on the line from a driver/fleet perspective.
Read moreHaving to deal with congested roads on a daily basis is one of the factors that makes professional driving so difficult, said fleet executive Joe Cowan. Funding for highway improvements, already considered years behind, could get much worse. (more…) -
22
Jan
Owner Operators Show Business Optimism For 2014
As January got rolling in earnest, owner-operators back from holiday breaks or just continuing on their way through record-low temps and reports of yearend rate increases in the spot freight market reflected a majority view that their businesses would fare better in 2014 than the prior year. “Outlook is profitable,” wrote reader Richard Young on Overdrive’s Facebook page.Owner-operator Tilden Curl concurred. He was handed lemons with the California Air Resources Board’s Statewide Truck and Bus Rule, which this year is banning unmodified 1996-2006 model year diesel engines on its roadways. But Curl says he’ll use his proactive investment to make lemonade in 2014. (more…)
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15
Jan
The Return of the Truck that Never Went Away
Cabover fans rejoice! The Freightliner Argosy is alive and well, and available through most DTNA dealers in North America – as a glider kit.While many were glad to see them go, cab-over-engine chassis designs still appeal to a small but loyal sector of the industry. Many will be surprised to learn that the Argosy COE never completely disappeared. According to Don White, manager for Cab and Glider Sales for Daimler Trucks North America, the fully assembled truck was taken out of production due to low market demand in 2006, but it has remained on the books in the NAFTA countries as a glider kit ever since. (more…)
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