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…

In 2014, the number of people in the U.S. who died in traffic accidents fell to 32,675, just a 0.1 percent decrease from the previous year, but still continuing a general decade-long decline. That’s more than 10,000 fewer deaths than in 2005, a remarkable improvement. This year may break that impressive trend, however. Federal officials say that a statistical…

The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed its version of the Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2015 after days of fiery debate and multiple amendments. Some of the last-minute changes are aimed at making our roads safer, while others are certain to lead to more accidents involving 18-wheelers, semis and other big rigs if they gain White…

The use of cameras in tractor-trailers and other big rigs has produced amazing safety results, but many in the trucking industry continue to resist the new technology based on a profit-at-all-costs mindset. Fortunately, some trucking companies are actively adopting cameras for their fleets regardless of the widespread industry opposition. By using cameras to record what happens inside and outside…

The growing shortage of truck drivers is something we have discussed on this blog before, and now the latest numbers are in. Don’t be surprised to learn that they aren’t pretty. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the trucking industry lost 4,000 jobs in September alone. In a recent report, the American Trucking Associations industry group says the…

Many of us have presumed that the Texas oil boom of recent years directly impacted the increasing number of tractor-trailer accidents on our highways, including those resulting in significant injuries and deaths. Now, a study compiled by researchers at Texas A&M University has confirmed what we believed all along. The report published earlier this month details how crashes significantly…

Is there any piece of legislation that seems more of an oxymoron than the Safe, Flexible, and Efficient (SAFE) Trucking Act? This bill would allow already dangerous trucks to haul more than 5 tons over what they are allowed today. Yet, that is the proposal from Congressman Reid Ribble of Wisconsin. The new bill, introduced in September, would allow…