Truck drivers play an essential role in the world economy, but life isn’t easy for them. Drivers face a wide variety of issues and challenges that affect both them and the industry as a whole. For example, trucker issues contributed to the driver shortage, as qualified drivers leave the industry because of low pay and difficult working conditions. Other truck driver challenges include issues related to health and wellness. Truckers must deal with a lack of exercise, poor diet, extended periods without bathroom breaks, eye strain, cramped conditions, poor sleep — not to mention the mental toll of being away from home and family for days at a time. Though many drivers earn good wages, the physical and mental stress isn’t always worth it to them.
Check back here for the latest news and insights on driver issues, or visit our Trucking Industry News archive to find additional information.
Move by Schneider was prominent but wasn’t the industry leader; two companies at same level of $1.05 for independent owner-operators
Upcoming changes to the hours-of-service regulations provide truck drivers with more flexibility in their days but open the door to violations for those uneducated on how to properly utilize the exceptions.
Lawsuit ultimately involved 275 class members, settled for $2.8 million
Nonprofit trucking group Trucks with Room to Spare delivers critical supplies to those hardest hit by natural disasters in the U.S.
Organizers of the Great American Trucking Show (GATS) announced Friday that they are canceling in-person event in 2021 because of uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.
Demand for drivers described as ‘insatiable’ as Schneider appears to be leading the way in hiking compensation
Opposition cited “unfair competitive advantage” if exemption were granted.
Truckload giant appears to be out ahead of others as driver market tightens
The rules under the Fair Labor Standard Act would be the first set of federal guidelines to define when a worker is an employee rather than a contractor
Averitt Express identified as one of the targets for payouts awarded as a result of staged collisions with commercial vehicles
UPS asserts its training program for driver instructors meets federal safety requirements.
Werner’s Leathers said some customers struggling to get product in time for peak.
To ensure social distancing, eight backup facilities at nearby hotels will be ready to go if the regular training sites get too full
Majority of comments received so far by FMCSA support changing the law.
Dismissal of a lawsuit is the latest decision that backs the supporters of the law governing employer-contractor job definitions
Truckers and law enforcement united Saturday for the annual truck convoy for Special Olympics in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
New driver panel will inform FMCSA’s MCSAC safety group.
Weekly government numbers misinterpreted by those unaware of the one-week aberration due to two events
A Colorado truck driver accused of stabbing a Black man in an unprovoked attack at a Pilot Travel Center in Oregon was charged with a hate crime Thursday.
Texas trucking company FALC Enterprises filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in El Paso on Sept. 11.
Jeremy Reymer is the founder and CEO of DriverReach, but he’s also a member of the research advisory committee for ATRI, the research arm of the American Trucking Associations. He’s […]
Professional drivers have always worked hard to get goods from point A to point B regardless of the circumstances.
Better safety systems and driver environment monitoring can help fleets reduce the number of truck-related accidents.
Move comes after FMCSA denies petition for reconsideration
Relief from Washington was sought but so far none is on the way
Drivers conducting relief efforts are exempt from certain HOS regs.
With winds diminished, the storm is now seen as more of a rain event. Alabama’s ITRI rises
Current legislation to expand truck parking slated to expire.
Technologies like Bluetooth low-energy sensors and mesh networking can help fleets stay in contact with their drivers at all times.
Action by ATA and others seeking a preliminary injunction denied; case will move ahead to trial
New rewards program could save small fleets and owner-operators up to $35,000 per truck annually in services they use daily.
Companies have organized giveaways, promotions to recognize professional truck drivers during National Driver Appreciation Week, Sept. 13-19.
Multi-month exemption will apply to groceries, livestock, and medical supplies.
Truck driver Tim Philmon, along with millions of Americans, marked the 19th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on Friday by remembering the nearly 3,000 people who died that day.
Canadian border officers arrested a truck driver after finding over $10 million worth of suspected cocaine during an inspection of a tractor-trailer coming from the United States.
CEO Tim Hindes also talks about race and the trucking industry.
Carriers may not be able to eliminate risk, but they can minimize it with a strong and consistent driver training program.
Critics see a FMCSA proposal as extension of driver workday.
Marrying video with Omnitracs telematics system the driving force behind one of the biggest acquisitions in company’s history
Tech startup Haul connects fleets with on-demand drivers to operate their trucks.
Smith Transport driver says managers retaliated after he made a complaint, fired him on a trumped-up charge
Building a blueprint for a safety-first trucking fleet requires flexibility, but it also requires the right tools. A new on-demand safety course looks to arm fleets with those tools.
Trucking industry bands together to grant 50-year trucking veteran Jim Garhart’s final wish to take one last ride in a tractor-trailer.
ATA has “serious concerns” with HHS proposal, saying it adds burden for carriers already using hair testing.
Whether you’re an employer looking to fill freight-related positions or a job-seeker, Freight.Careers.com is the go-to website.
Trucking jobs are up, but warehouse jobs are up even more
Program would test allowing drivers 18-20 to haul freight across state lines.
A professor from UH-Downtown, who also was a driver, is studying the issue
Rail jobs reverse course slightly and turn upward
By several standards, passenger vehicles were found to be violating rules more often than commercial vehicles.
Attorney for Southeastern Motor Freight said lawsuit “tip of the iceberg”
Major trucking companies have warned of capacity shakeout.
Numbers from early days of pandemic showed driver turnover was less than in other years
WARN notice to state leads to confusion about facility’s fate; new owner will operate facility
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced food companies, along with trucking and relief groups, to pivot to how they normally respond to natural disasters like Hurricane Laura.
Agency looking for 200-400 drivers to participate in pilot project.
CEO Prince says insurance product offering with Aon beginning to gain traction
Trucking, medical groups warn of safety risks if CDL limits are rolled back.
Thursday was quiet but heavy activity booking loads will begin quickly.
Weight and permitting restrictions are part of Abbott’s order
One participant pleaded guilty earlier this month and appears to have provided evidence for further mail fraud charges.
Detroit police have not made any arrests in the six years since truck driver Michael Boeglin was murdered and his rig set on fire in Detroit.
Inspectors will focus on brake hoses/tubing during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) annual Brake Safety Week Aug. 23-29.
Ballot initiative would allow their drivers to stay as contractors; otherwise, the ride sharing companies will need to file a plan with the courts on complying with AB5
The American Trucking Associations’ Intermodal Motor Carriers Conference seeks to put an end to alleged price manipulation of container chassis usage between ocean carriers and draymen.
Numerous rulings, some in conflict, could mean that the issue will head to the Supreme Court; underlying employee vs. contractor case not answered yet
A trucker could face life in prison after being charged with trafficking almost 200 pounds of meth, likely worth millions of dollars, from the U.S. to Canada.
Driver wages are holding steady during the coronavirus pandemic, but care for safety is where priority should remain, says CEO of National Transportation Institute.
Best response time for acting on a driver application might be as short as five minutes: Crawford
Carriers looking to attract more drivers may have to get creative with recruitment, as well as consider raising pay or adding bonuses, said Rob Hatchett, president of SeatMyTrucks.
FreightWaves’ Kevin Hill interviews co-founders of Baton about their technology plans to eliminate long-haul truck driver dwell times.
Workhound and Brand Outcomes executives discuss the importance of using the right metrics to measure the costs of recruiting and retaining drivers.
During comment period, agency wants input on cost/benefit issues, big vs. small brokers and how broker documents might be shared with carriers
Safety Hub uses telematics data and AI insights from dashcams to enhance driver safety.
Miko Squire says he was fired when co-workers learned he was transgender.
CVSA has rescheduled its annual International Roadcheck for Sept. 9-11. The 72-hour safety blitz will focus on driver requirements.
Deal is the first third-party agreement for the load matching capabilities of the product for the bulk commodity trucking sector
Fallout could include difficulty seating trucks.
Truckers are receiving fake text messages, purportedly from the Canadian government, instructing them to self-isolate after entering the country.
Uber and Lyft lose court case
Fatigue may not play as much of a role in risky driving behaviors, but how long a commercial driver has been driving does, according to new research.
Sale of TFS hits a dispute over status of more than half the assets in the deal
Driver pleaded no contest to five counts of vehicular homicide, gets five consecutive one-year terms
In documents related to the case involving 16,000 drivers, Brooks suggests a bigger verdict or deal beyond the agreed-to $16.5 million might have tipped the truckload carrier into bankruptcy; PAM CFO rejects the suggestion.
After the revision of the June numbers, July preliminary trucking employment is less than where the market thought it was a month ago.
Even as trucking jobs rose, rail jobs declined
FHWA calls trucking parking a “major transportation safety problem.”
Canadian truckers report being turned away by doctors, dentists and other health providers if they don’t self-isolate for 14 days over COVID-19 fears.
Werner seeing 10 times greater rate of positive tests using hair versus urinalysis.
Industry has been working with FMCSA to ensure turfgrass was considered an ag commodity under federal rules.
OOIDA warns suspending federal excise tax would hit Highway Trust Fund.
A truck driver was awarded nearly $8 million in California after his leg was partially amputated following a forklift mishap.
Kentucky lumber processor filed for bankruptcy, leaving several flatbed carriers in the lurch for thousands in unpaid freight bills.
Trucking company cites benefits from new digital technology as key reason; gain in one key OR from the first quarter is 500 basis points
Most small-company truckers are equipped with ELDs despite exemptions.
Truck drivers still gripe about long detention times, equipment and adapting to new technology. But they speak positively about communication from their companies during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pilot Co. is joining a growing list of major truck stop chains, including Love’s Travel Stops and TravelCenters of America, that will start requiring all customers to wear face coverings this week to help curb the spread of COVID-19.
Company launches an online training platform called MyTruckerLife to help provide relationship resources for professional truck drivers and their families.
Nearly 45,000 drivers predicted to be shut out in 2020 due to drugs and alcohol.
Using a third-party administrator is touted as a way to ward off big verdicts against trucking firms.
