August-September 2021

Rolling piggy banks

As the Highway Trust Fund dwindles, many government officials treat tractor-trailers as ATMs on wheels.

News

piggy bank, Highway trust fund

Rolling piggy banks

As the Highway Trust Fund dwindles, many government officials treat tractor-trailers as ATMs on wheels.

Highway Bill

How will the highway bill play out?

If things go according to plan, there will be a new highway bill in place before the October edition of Land Line Magazine arrives in your mailbox.

truck insurance minimum increase

A blow to the economy

An increase to minimum insurance would hurt more than motor carriers, coalition says.

driver retention, female truck driver

‘A leaky bucket’

Driver retention problem draws focus at trucking roundtable.

AV companies must submit crash reports

NHTSA mandates crash reports from automated vehicle companies

NHTSA issued a standing general order that will require manufacturers of automated vehicles to provide crash reports.

HOS lawsuit

On hold

Next status report on the hours-of-service lawsuit due Aug. 20.

Training Provider Registry

FMCSA launches Training Provider Registry

FMCSA says the Training Provider Registry will improve highway safety by ensuring that only qualified drivers take the wheel.

Amazon workforce conveyor belt

Analysis: ‘Expendable workforce’

Amazon’s cold, calculating management ethos, as reported by The New York Times, seems similar to the root of trucking’s biggest issues.

Medical examiner rule

FMCSA pushes compliance for medical examiner rule to June 2025

The FMCSA announced in June that it was pushing four provisions of its medical examiner final rule into 2025.

license plate readers

Six states pursue rule changes for license plate readers

Legislators in statehouses from Florida to Massachusetts are considering, or have OK'ed, changes to rules that cover license plate readers.

diesel fuel tax changes

Eight states impose fuel tax changes July 1

The first of the July marked the implementation of a mix of increases and decreases to fuel tax rates in states around the country.

North Dakota map, truck size and weight

North Dakota will soon test longer truck size and weight

A North Dakota law authorizes the state Department of Transportation to test longer and heavier truck loads on certain state roadways.

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont highway user fee

Truckers saddled with new user fee in Connecticut

A new truck tax now is law in Connecticut. The governor has signed a bill to start collecting a highway user fee in 2023.

M-CORES

Gov. DeSantis signs bill killing M-CORES toll program

Grassroots opposition convinced Florida lawmakers to end the M-CORES toll program, with Gov. DeSantis making it official in June.

truck injury liability, Texas flag with gavel

New Texas law revises truck injury liability rules

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has signed into law a bill to revise statute that covers injury liability concerns for truck operations of all sizes.

legislation, state watch, bills

State Watch – August/September 2021

Land Line Magazine's State Watch features a roundup of pertinent trucking legislation in statehouses across the nation.

traffic fatalities, crash stats

Crash stats during pandemic suggest truckers were safest drivers

Traffic fatalities in 2020 went up in all categories … except crashes involving large trucks.

AB5

Supreme Court showdown?

AB5 injunction remains in place until the high court decides if it will hear the case.

AEB technology, automated emergency braking

Cart before the horse?

OOIDA says automatic emergency braking systems shouldn’t be mandated until the tech is perfected.

side underride guards

‘Simply unworkable’

OOIDA continues fight against any proposals mandating side or front underride guards.

The Truck Parking Zone

Minneapolis wants to eliminate all truck parking

A proposed ordinance in Minneapolis calls for banning trucks from parking on any city streets.

Truck to Success, for drivers thinking about being owner-operators

Truck to Success course beneficial to newcomers and industry veterans

OOIDA is again offering its Truck to Success course, a three-day deep dive into the ins and outs of becoming an owner-operator.

highway protest, bogdan verchinko

‘Unfortunate situation’

Close encounter with protesters likely to end with no charges for former truck driver.

3G

What does the end of 3G mean for your ELD?

What’s going to happen with your 3G ELD and cell phone when 3G wireless service ends, probably sometime in 2022?

Canada ELD

Transport Canada approves second company to certify ELDs

Transport Canada has approved a second group – CSA Group of Mississauga – to certify electronic logging devices for use in Canada.

FMCSA, windshield

FMCSA proposes to expand windshield parameters for safety devices

FMCSA proposes to increase the area in which certain safety devices may be mounted on the interior windshield of a commercial motor vehicle.

Operation Sideswipe

Operation Sideswipe saga continues

Two more defendants are admitting guilt for their roles in “Operation Sideswipe,” a vast conspiracy involving staged crashes with trucks.

Werner

Werner must face class action lawsuit filed by driver trainee over wages

Werner Enterprises’ attempt to dismiss a driver trainee wage lawsuit was denied, less than a year after scoring a victory in a similar case.

August-September 2021

In This Issue:

Features

GBATS big rig burnouts

GBATS is back

Truck show in Joplin, Mo., going big in 2021.

The Spirit, OOIDA's tour trailer, at the 2018 ATHS show, truck shows

Regularly scheduled programming

Truck shows bringing back live events in 2021.

George Fiebe, ATHS honoree

A lifelong passion

OOIDA life member George Fiebe receives Golden Achievement Award from ATHS.

Capitol Christmas Tree

System Transport to haul Capitol Christmas Tree

System Transport will deliver the Capital Christmas tree to west lawn of the Capitol building after it is harvested in late October.

Berard Transportation

‘The coolest thing I’ve ever done’

Trucking company hauls B-1 bomber from Oklahoma to Kansas.

Mafia Secrets August/September 2021

Mafia Secrets Aug/Sept 2021

A show truck that works every day.

Marty Ellis d rives The Spirit, the OOIDA tour trailer

Headed for truck shows, searching for clean restrooms

Marty Ellis, skipper of The Spirit of the American Trucker, is cruising the truck shows and keeping an eye out for clean showers.

trucker; dashboard confidential; inspection

Dashboard Confidential – August/September 2021

Just doing our job, ma’am

Slight Detour August/September 2021, Muggsy Macaw

Slight Detour – August/September 2021

The open road can get lonely, which is why many truckers have animal co-pilots.

truckers, Roses and Razzberries, Roses & Razzberries

Roses & Razzberries – August/September 2021

This edition of Roses & Razzberries supplies a heaping serving of razzberries to everyone from the media to the House of Representatives.

Business

smart trailers

The trend toward ‘smart’ trailers

A recent survey showed that tracking devices and solar panels are popular. What’s next for fleets and owner-operators?

Hot Stuff Cool Services, truck products

Hot Stuff and Cool Services – August/September 21

Check out the latest truck products in the August/September 2021 edition of Hot Stuff & Cool Services.

Advice

Maintenance, Q&A 2021 Paul Abelson

Maintenance Q&A – August/September 2021

Used tires and broken wheel studs.

Trucking & Taxes

Trucking & Taxes – August/September 2021

When you owe the IRS.

Road law

Road Law – August/September 2021

Don’t pay if you want to play.