The Dallas Morning News is helping spread the word about the dangers that follow the annual International Roadcheck inspection period with a story published today that includes an interview I did earlier. As noted in the story, nearly 22 percent of the tractor-trailers, big rigs and semis that were inspected in Texas during last year’s Roadcheck were ordered off…

The annual effort to warn drivers about International Roadcheck just got a big boost with the publication of a commentary that I recently put together for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, which you can see here: http://www.star-telegram.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/other-voices/article80455812.html. This piece was written in hopes that the Star-Telegram’s editors would help spread the word about one of the most important times of the…

One of the most dangerous times of the year to be on the road traveling alongside 18-wheelers, buses and other big rigs is drawing near, although a majority of drivers will never realize the risks because they were never warned. As we noted here last year, the annual International Roadcheck program is set to take place June 7-9 across…

While the U.S. economy continues to improve in 2016, putting more freight and more drivers on the highways, the federal arm overseeing trucking has reduced the number of random drug tests required of big rig drivers. This hardly makes sense. Substance abuse continues to be a serious problem in the industry. Yet, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration on…

If you have suffered a catastrophic injury following an accident that was no fault of your own or if a love one has been killed in a similar situation, then you likely have many questions but very few quick and easy answers. Steve Laird has represented many people who have been severely injured in truck wrecks and other types…

The difference between what happens to a trucking accident victim and a trucking company after a highway wreck are as big as the disparity between an 80,000-pound tractor-trailer and a 3,000-pound car. In the minutes, hours and days after being involved in a truck wreck, victims typically are focused on any physical injuries they may have suffered and their…

While trends have been improving, large trucking fleets continue to struggle to keep their qualified drivers from leaving. The U.S. annual driver turnover rate has been roughly 90 percent or higher since 2012, according to the Journal of Commerce, which tracks global trade topics. That’s extremely costly for trucking companies, with estimates in the thousands of dollars to recruit…

At the end of January, “regular” drivers and those who pilot 18-wheelers, semis and other big rigs will benefit from a new Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) rule that undoubtedly will make our roads safer. The so-called “coercion rule” prohibits motor carriers, shippers, receivers and transportation intermediaries from threatening or otherwise coercing drivers to operate commercial vehicles in…

On Dec. 4, President Obama signed into law a $305 billion transportation bill, the first long-term highway spending in a decade. While many drivers will appreciate these coming improvements to highways and mass transit systems, the president himself noted, “This bill is not perfect.” Indeed it is not. There are at least two major flaws that protect trucking companies…

The new safety rating system established by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration for tractor-trailers, semis and other big rigs is finally being made public with the goal of providing safer roadways with an update to the current system that has been in place for more than 30 years. The proposed new rating system still leaves a lot to be…