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TRUCKING INDUSTRY * USA & Canada - DOT Sets Texting Ban on Commercial Truck, Bus Drivers
Washington,DC,USA -Transport Topics -26 Jan 2010: -- The Department of Transportation said Tuesday it was banning texting-while-driving by commercial truck and bus drivers... The step to curb distracted driving is an interpretation of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s standing regulations, DOT said... Drivers cited for texting will be subject to civil or criminal penalties of up to $2,750... DOT did not specify whether only texting on handheld phones and other devices would be subject to the penalties... * USA - OOIDA Says DOT Moves Too Quickly on Text Ban. Trucking group supports goal, but says rulemaking is best route to take
Grain Valley,MO;USA -The Journal of Commerce Online, by William B. Cassidy -Jan 26, 2010: -- The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association supports a ban on texting by truck drivers, but isn't happy with how the Department of Transportation imposed it... The ban was introduced in the form of "federal guidance" that took effect immediately. Texting truckers may be hit with criminal or civil penalties of up to $2,750... Transportation Secretary, Ray LaHood, acknowledged concerns about enforcement while introducing the ban at a Washington press conference... The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is working on a broader rulemaking on the use of cell-phones and other electronic devices by truck and bus drivers...
* USA - Facebook TO THE RESCUE
Grain Valley,MO,USA -Trucks News (CAN) -26 Jan 2010: -- Think social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, they can also be useful tools in mitigating a disaster. A case in point occurred just days before Christmas when 1,400-truck fleet Arrow Trucking suddenly ceased operations, leaving as many as 1,000 drivers scattered across the US with instructions only to turn their truck in to the nearest dealership... Many were left penniless and homeless. That's when the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association stepped in and created a Facebook site to unite stranded Arrow drivers with other professional drivers. Overnight, the site exploded with more than 1,000 offers to help. Truckers were offering rides, meals and in some cases even a few bucks' cash. While it's hoped all Arrow drivers have found their way home by now, the site is still active and is now being used to help former Arrow drivers find new jobs... Kudos to the quick-thinking staff at OOIDA and to all the drivers who had the wherewithal to turn to Facebook in a time of crisis...
* Canada - L.E. Walker files for Creditor Protection
St Thomas,Ont,Canada -Truck News -26 Jan 2010: -- L.E. Walker, acquired last summer by MacKinnon Transport, filed a Notice of Intent Dec. 8 and has been operating under creditor protection. MacKinnon Transport CEO, Evan MacKinnon, confirmed the filing via e-mail Dec. 23 and said the move does not affect MacKinnon Transport's operations. The summer blockbuster acquisition seemed so perfect – industry analysts lauded the deal that created a truckload powerhouse. Unfortunately, any deal of that magnitude is going to be a challenge to execute. It remains to be seen whether MacKinnon will be able to devise a plan to rescue Walker from creditor protection...
* USA - RBC downgrades trucking firm Con-way
New York,NY,USA -BusinessWeek -27 Jan 2010: -- RBC downgraded shares of Con-way Inc. on Wednesday, saying the trucking company faces more "lackluster" quarters while the industry is awash in shipping capacity... Analyst John Barnes said lower volumes and intense competition have led to dramatic cuts in trucking rates that won't ease until capacity is reduced or freight volume is increased... Barnes said Con-way "could see a couple of quarters of lackluster earnings" due to low prices. Without a boost in shipping volumes, or failure of rival YRC Worldwide, "we would not be buyers of (Con-way) at this juncture," he said... Con-way, based in San Mateo, Calif., collects loads from several customers then combines them on one truck, making it a so-called less-than-truckload operator. Truckers have been hurt by a surplus of trucks competing for shipping business, which has been limited by the recession...* USA / Missouri - Con-way Truckload sets 22-Year safety record
Joplin,MO,USA -The Trucker News Services -27 Jan 2010: -- Con-way Truckload set a 22-year safety record in 2009, reducing its total accident frequency rate by nearly 34 percent since 2004, the truckload carrier reported. The company said its accident frequency has been dropping steadily over the past five years, with the most recent rates representing the lowest since the company began keeping records in 1987... Con-way Truckload’s reduction in accident frequency is especially notable given the strictness of the criteria it uses to measure safety performance, according to the carrier... By Con-way Truckload’s definition, the company’s drivers averaged 7.9 accidents per million miles driven in 2009. The U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration defines a reportable accident as an occurrence that renders a vehicle inoperable or causes an injury requiring immediate medical assistance away from the scene. By that standard, the company’s 2009 accident frequency rate was .628, or one accident for every 1.6 million miles driven — a 3.1 percent improvement over last year...
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