News

On its surface, the theory of “gamification” seems a fairly straightforward one: Using game mechanics and dynamics to drive game-like engagement in a non-game context. In trucking, for example, that can translate into setting up competitions between drivers, to see who can achieve the best fuel economy or record the lowest engine idle time. Yet it’s not quite that easy, Roni Taylor, vice president of industry relations for telematics provider […]

There’s been a lot of discussion in recent years about the need to get people interested in the trucking industry while they’re still young — before they have a chance to get out of high school and embark on a different career. The Maine Professional Drivers Association has been doing exactly that with a student driving competition for some time. The Dick Dolloff Memorial Student Driving Competition is for high […]

More than 800 of the Volvo trucks recalled by the company March 23 remained unaccounted for April 26, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced. The trucks are Volvo 2016-2017 VNL, VNX and VNM models produced between May 11, 2015, and March 2016. “These unsafe vehicles should not be operated as they pose an imminent hazard and are to be immediately ordered out-of-service by federal and state roadside safety inspectors,” FMCSA […]

The U.S. Senate’s Appropriations Committee April 21 passed 30-0 a bill that corrects a legislative mess-up from December that put the 34-hour restart in jeopardy. It makes clear that the restart remains available for use by truck operators pending study by the Department of Transportation find that pre-July 2013 restart rules are more effective for truckers’ fatigue levels than those that took effect July 1, 2013. Should that be the case, […]

Both chambers of Congress are expected to begin work soon on federal appropriations bills for the 2017 fiscal year, and lawmakers will likely, as in recent years, use their 2017 DOT funding bills as vehicles to implement hours of service changes or other trucking industry-related policy reforms. Two key trucking items likely to see action in the appropriations process include a fix to the hours of service legislative screw-up from […]

The Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration issued a notice of proposed rule making on Monday that outlines new requirements for state transportation agencies to collect and use better data on travel times and to monitor the performance of the nation’s highways. The move is part of the agency’s effort to improve congestion. DOT said the proposal will provide greater consistency in how states measure traffic congestion, which can benefit […]

A recent study released by AAA estimates that potholes cost drivers more than $3 billion annually. The costs come in the form of bent wheels, blown tires and suspension damage and, over the past five years, have impacted more than 16 million drivers. “Potholes can cause extensive damage to your vehicle and create unsafe conditions for everyone on the road,” said Share the Road Professional Truck Driver Byron Bramwell (YRC […]