Welcome to the WHAT THE TRUCK?!? Newsletter. In this issue, most dangerous roads; how runaway truck ramps work; Apple’s growing pains in India and more.
Fury road
Drive to survive — With over 200,000 miles of highway in the U.S., not all roads lead to Rome, and far too many have the GPS set to ruin. The pandemic has made the motoring public even worse. GAO reports, “The Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that traffic fatalities during the first half of 2021 increased 18.4% since the first half of 2020.” The NHTSA saw that number grow by another 7% in the first quarter of ‘22. But what roads are the worst of the worst?
Worst according to truckers:
SuperTrucker – Most dangerous one I’ve driven across was US-191 through Flaming Gorge, Utah. The switchbacks are so bad they’re finally building an alternate route to bypass them.
CanadaHeavyHaul – You shoulda seen Kicking Horse pass in Golden, BC before they put the bridge in. I think I still have some videos of it on my phone somewhere.
DriverAutonomy – I blew a shift pulling a 30 ton excavator on a float heading east out of Golden on the old road. Came to a stop facing uphill …. Very embarrassing.
LilTruckerWally – Snoqualmie Pass is always good for a spot in that top ten. That stretch of road just outside Appleton, WI during morning or evening rush, always fun, especially in the ice. The hill coming down into Redding has done in a few of us. Honestly, anymore, all of them.
BeetleBailey – I-80 in Wyoming in the winter ❄️
LombardTrucking – Not from a lot of experience, but it’s gotta be I-4 in Florida. In my own personal experience dude I-35 from Waco thru San Antonio is a sh*t show. Guys in the replies saying 70 in MO and 80 in Iowa lol WHAT?
Worst roads according to AAA – Triple A recently compiled their list of most treacherous roads:
- Million Dollar Highway, Colorado
- U.S. Route 1, Florida
- Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, Louisiana
- I-4, Florida
- I-45, Texas
What say you? – Where do you hate driving or sending drivers? Email me your opinion.
How runaway truck ramps work
Last ditch – I don’t think I’ve ever driven past a runaway truck ramp without fantasizing about what it’s gotta be like to be in a moment where you have to make use of one of them. Despite some people’s best attempts, no these are not ski slopes. But, how do they work?
Ramps typically are of three varieties: sandpile bed, gravity escape ramp, and mechanical arrester ramp.
Sandpile beds are simply a sand pit designed to slow momentum. However, too much speed and you can overshoot it.
Gravity escape ramps are at an incline which greatly help to reduce speed however rollback can be an issue.
Mechanical arrestor ramps use stainless steel nets to catch trucks and can be used up or down hill. While more costly than the rest, they’re also more versatile and take up less space.
“Only smoked my brakes twice. Neither time was there a ramp nearby to use. Although the first time I might have used one if there was one available.” – Justin Martin
What to do if you end up on one? – You’re probably not going to be driving out. By design, there’s a good chance your truck will sustain some damage and you’ll need a tow from the wrecker.
Rate the strap work
Sleep on these reverse logistics
The other side of the pillow – Getting freight rejected at the receiver can be a massive headache causing undue frustration, however that’s not always the case. Redditor WizardoftheLOT lucked out at a lot earlier this week when a fellow trucker didn’t let a denied load get him down. Instead, he started handing out his cache of premium pillows. Great way to replace that cushion you’ve been resting your skull on since you were a kid.
What’s the best load you’ve gotten to keep and what did you do with it? Email me.
Apple’s growing pains in India
Half way there… – Decoupling from China is coming at a proficiency and efficiency cost for Apple. 9 to 5 Mac reports, “A 50% rejection rate for iPhone casings produced by an Indian company.” According to other reports, every other iPhone casing that’s coming off the production line isn’t in good enough shape to be sent to Foxconn, Apple’s assembly partner. This is in stark contrast with what the company expects from its Chinese partners, who are nearly at Apple’s 0% reject standards.
“Because everything in India is an obstacle.” – Tech entrepreneur Vivek Wadhwa
Culture shock – Apple employees also cite a major difference in their Indian partner’s sense of urgency and bureaucratic hurdles. Comparing operations in India to those in China may not be entirely fair as China has had decades to refine this process however it may cause Apple to measure their expectations differently. Getting out of China is easier said than done.
WTT Friday
The depersonalization of logistics, CSA scores, and truckin’ trivia — On Friday’s episode of WHAT THE TRUCK?!? I’m talking to TForce Worldwide’s Tom Griffin about the increased reliance on automation and the depersonalization of logistics. What does it all mean for relationships, ROI, and your freight?
CSA scores for hours of service have changed. Reliance Partners’ Mark Barlar gets us compliant with the latest on DOT regulations impacting your drivers.
The Sense Per Mile podcast team comes to blows on WHAT THE TRIVIA as Charles Gracey and Paul Gibson battle it out to see who can take home the crown in our unique spin on supply chain and trucking trivia.
Plus, news, weirdness and more.
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