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Speeding tractor-trailer flattens Utah restaurant, 3 injured |  | 
 This image from Salt Lake City television station FOX News 13 shows the aftermath of a speeding big rig slamming into a restaurant.
WELLINGTON, Utah — A speeding tractor-trailer skidded off a snow-slicked road Wednesday and crashed into a restaurant in a small Utah town, flattening the establishment and injuring 3 people, authorities said. The truck was traveling too fast for conditions at about 6:30 a.m. when it went off a state highway that runs through the town of Wellington and struck the Los Jilbertos restaurant, which was open, the Utah Highway Patrol said in a statement. State troopers rescued the restaurant owner’s wife, who was trapped in in the wreckage and suffered what were described as minor injuries. Also taken to a hospital for treatment of minor injuries were the restaurant owner and the truck driver, said Highway Patrol Sgt. Nicholas Street. No customers were inside the restaurant when the truck hit it. Images of the wreck showed the restaurant’s snow-covered roof torn off and leaning on top of the collapsed restaurant, the semi-trailer’s cab lodged into a corner of the building and the trailer jack-knifed. The restaurant is just off the highway, State Route 6. The crash knocked out electrical and gas service to part of Wellington, a community of about 1,600 residents about two hours southeast of Salt Lake City. The power outage closed the town’s elementary school. Source of article and more great articles click here
Inland Kenworth helps to combat human trafficking | |
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Inland Kenworth and Truckers Against Trafficking have come together to bring more awareness to the serious reality of human and sex trafficking. Both the organization and the heavy-duty truck dealer put together a one of a kind Kenworth T680 — dubbed the Everyday Heroes truck — with a noticeable paint scheme to help remind other truck drivers and the motoring public to keep an eye out for and report human trafficking. The special truck will travel across the U.S.for four months spreading useful information about the impacts of human trafficking and how one can report it. After the four months is over, on May 17, the truck will be auctioned off in style at a Ritchie Bros. auction with funds raised going directly to Truckers Against Trafficking. “Human trafficking is a horrible vicious crime that affects the youngest, most innocent and weakest among us,” said Don Blake of Inland Kenworth. “Truckers against trafficking is a charity organization that at its core educates and empowers the American truck driver to look for, spot and report human trafficking.” Trucker’s family asks for help finding son who went missing at Flying J | |
 A trucking family is asking for help from the public in locating their teen son who went missing while they were at a truck stop in Georgia. Police say that 14-year-old Elijah Kirchner-Jiron went missing from the Flying J Travel Center in Temple, Georgia, around 1 p.m. on Sunday, January 13. Kirchner-Jiron reportedly exited the truck stop after showering and while his father was still in the shower, leaving the building by a side door. Family friend Kimberly Czarnota said in a Facebook post that the teen was spotted later in the evening on January 13 with a man in a pickup truck: Police were notified, he is currently listed on the NCIC national database for missing children. He used our stolen rewards card to purchase items with points at the Pilot across the street on 1/13/19. The evening of 1/13 we spotted him at the pilot in an unknown man’s small, faded, old black pickup truck. He had changed clothes. We tried to get him but he ran on foot (I couldn’t keep up) and the other man sped away almost hitting me. The license plate begins with RLO , i couldn’t get/ remember the rest. This man appeared to be a white Male, approximately late thirties early 40’s. Light brown hair and unkempt. Possibly living in his vehicle and travelling with a small dog possibly chihuahua mix. The pickup was seen circling back around the parking lot we assume to pick up our son before disappearing.
Study: Here’s where truckers really hate delivering to | |
A new survey found that an increasing number of truck drivers are so frustrated with working with grocery retailers — especially since the Electronic Logging Device (ELD) Mandate went into effect — that they are simply refusing to pick up or drop off from their locations. The study, which was recently conducted by Zipline Logistics, looked at howbtrucking has changed since the ELD Mandate went into effect in December of 2017. Zipline surveyed workers from approximately 150 trucking companies and found that 77% of carriers say that they have become much more selective about what shippers and carriers they are willing to work with since the ELD Mandate went into effect. When asked “Are there any Shippers or Receivers you refuse to go to?”, 80% of truckers responded “Yes.” When asked to comment on what type of shippers and receivers that they prefer not to work with, many truckers specifically named grocery locations as the places they hate the most due to detention. “Most Grocery warehouses due to abuse of wait time and any shipper that continuously abuses wait time,” wrote one survey respondent. Some of the survey respondents even called out grocery shippers by name: “Walmart. Kroger. Pepsi. Coca Cola. SuperValu. Dollar General. Aldi. They take longer to load/unload. Get drivers into trouble. Screwing up the planning and the rest of the drivers week.” “Owens Corning takes forever to load, Kraft is insane, Piggly Wiggly takes forever,” remarked another. “Meijer, Kroger, used to be Walmart but they have improved. Kraft is dependent on the load,” said another survey respondent. Zipline concluded that if drivers are unwilling to go to grocery locations because of long wait times and the added pressure of the ELD Mandate, it is up to shippers to make changes to accommodate them: “More than 90% of Zipline’s customers deliver into retail and grocery facilities, therefore carriers surveyed are representative of this demographic … A select population of drivers are unwilling to go to locations like Kroger, C & S Wholesale, and UNFI because of debilitating wait times. If this issue is to be solved, shippers AND retailers will need to improve the speed of their operations and better cater to the needs of truckers.” Source of article and more great articles click here : CDL Life Trucking companies exposed to new liability risk after FMCSA preemption | |
Not following California’s meal and rest break laws could leave motor carriers that opt to judiciously observe the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) recent decision open to added liability risk in pending or future civil lawsuits, according to legal experts. Those new risks were triggered by a petition filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in late December by the Teamsters union. The Teamsters want the court to reverse the federal agency’s ruling, claiming that it harms union-represented drivers who work for companies that have been providing paid meal periods and rest breaks under California law. Federal hours of service (HOS) regulations require drivers take a 30-minute rest break after eight hours, and prohibit drivers from operating a truck if a driver feels too tired to drive safely. California’s meal and rest break laws require drivers be given a 30-minute meal break every five hours and an additional 10-minute rest break every four hours. The FMCSA ruled in favor of petitions filed last year by the American Trucking Associations (ATA) and others, asserting that having a uniform rule addressing rest breaks increases safety. However, “the suggestion that California’s meal and rest break rules negatively impact highway safety is ludicrous,” the Teamsters countered in response to the decision. “The idea that providing a 10-minute rest break after four hours and a 30-minute meal break after five hours somehow makes the roads less safe is beyond comprehension. This is simply a giveaway to the trucking industry at the expense of driver safety.” Source of article and more great articles click here : Freightwaves New Pilot opens off I-5 in Arlington, Washington | |
Pilot Flying J opened a new Pilot Travel Center in Arlington, Washington this week. The new facility is just off Interstate 5 at 2430 State Route 530 NE and is Pilot Flying J’s eighth location in Washington. This Pilot Travel Center offers many amenities, including:
“We’re thrilled to serve the Arlington community and contribute to the local economy with our new travel center,” said Ken Parent, president of Pilot Flying J. “Our goal at Pilot Flying J is to connect people and places with comfort, care, and a smile at every stop. Both Arlington residents and those traveling through the Snohomish County area will soon be able to enjoy the convenience and amenities of this Pilot Travel Center.” Source of article and more great articles click here : Truckers News |
Melton Truck Lines driver Matthew Kendrick named TCA Highway Angel | |
 Matthew Kendrick, shown here with his wife Gabrielle, was named a Highway Angel for assisting occupants of a car that had crashed.
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Matthew Kendrick of Sacramento, California, a professional truck driver for Melton Truck Lines of Tulsa, Oklahoma, has been named a Highway Angel by the Truckload Carriers Association for not only shielding crashed vehicles but also assisting occupants that were trapped. In July, Kendrick was driving in a heavy rain and wind storm near the Pearl River in Mississippi. “I saw that several trucks were starting to break up ahead of me,” he said. “And then I noticed that a tree had come down and crushed two cars in front of me.” Acting swiftly, Kendrick safely pulled his truck over to block approaching vehicles from the inoperable cars. Without a moment to spare, he grabbed his tools and quickly ran to check on the occupants. As he approached the first vehicle, the roof was completely gone. Kendrick noticed additional vehicles approaching the scene. “I told the [drivers] to all put on their lights so that we didn’t have a pile up,” he shared. Once peering inside the first car, he found a woman and her daughter, both visibly shaken but coherent. “I assured the passengers that everything was going to be alright, and then used my spotlights to secure the area until law enforcement arrived,” Kendrick said. In the second car, he discovered a man, along with a Bassett Hound. While awaiting emergency personnel, Kendrick retrieved a soda from his cab as well as dog bones as he has a dog in the truck. TCA has presented Kendrick with a certificate, patch, lapel pin, and truck decals. Melton Truck Lines, Inc. also received a certificate acknowledging their driver as a Highway Angel. Source of article and more great articles click here
TCA Names finalists in driver of year competition | |
Grand prize winners in the driver of the year competition will be announced at TCA’s 81st Annual Convention at the Wynn Las Vegas Resort on Tuesday, March 12 during the annual Awards
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Six professional truck drivers — three company drivers and three owner-operators — have been chosen as finalists in the Truckload Carriers Association’s 2018 Driver of the Year contest. The six will now compete for the grand prize in each division. The finalists were selected based on their ability to operate safely on public highways, their efforts to enhance the public image of the trucking industry, and their contributions to the communities in which they live, TCA officials said. Esach grand prize winner will receive $25,000, while the two runners-up in each division will win $2,500. Finalists in the Company Driver of the Year competition include: 2018 Company Driver of the Year Contest finalists:
Finalists in the Owner-Operator of the Year competition include:
“Each one of our finalists is exceptional,” said TCA Chairman and Searcy Specialized President Dan Doran. “Regardless of who may take home the grand prize award in March, each driver has made significant contributions to the industry and should be applauded for their efforts as they’re setting the finest example possible.” Grand prize winners will be announced at TCA’s 81st Annual Convention at the Wynn Las Vegas Resort on Tuesday, March 12 during the annual Awards Banquet. For more information on the Driver of the Year Contests, please visit www.truckload.org/DOY. Sensors Help Truckers in Minnesota Find Safe Places to Rest | |
Technology rolled out Friday in Minnesota and seven other states aims to help truckers find parking by broadcasting the number of open spaces at rest areas.  Quitting time is the most stressful part of day for Pat Wortham.
The over-the-road trucker from Stacy, Minn., said he is often racing the clock to find a safe and legal place to pull off the road and park before his driving time is up. New technology rolled out Friday in Minnesota and seven other Midwestern states aims to help Wortham and other truckers find parking by broadcasting in real time the number spaces available at rest areas. “This is a great idea,” said Wortham, who has driven for Eagan-based Dart Transit for the past 20 years. “It’s becoming more and more of an issue to find a place to park. Our jobs are stressful enough. Anything that states can do to alleviate frustration over where to park is appreciated.” The number of parking spots available has not kept up with demand from a growing number of trucks on the road. Rest areas fill up early, and many times truckers spend more than an hour looking for safe parking, said Dan Rowe, manager of the Truck Parking Information Management System for the Minnesota Department of Transportation. In Minnesota, six rest areas have the new technology, including cameras taking regular pictures of the parking lots and sensors the size of hockey pucks embedded in the concrete of each parking spot. Those sensors beam data to dynamic road side signs that display the number of parking spaces available. Truckers and dispatchers can also access MnDOT’s travel information site, 511mn.org, and the agency’s smartphone app to get current information, including the rest area parking lot photos. Starting in mid-January, the 511 system also will send e-mail and text notifications, Rowe said. Minnesota joined Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin in participating in the nation’s first multistate truck parking information system. Other states may join in the near future. The system was an outgrowth of a 2012 law that required the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to address the national long-term truck parking shortage. Surveys showed Minnesota was one of the states with the most severe truck parking challenges. Under the federal law that dictates how long commercial drivers can be on the road, they can be on duty for 14 hours a day with a maximum of 11 hours behind the wheel. They also must have a 10-hour break before resuming work and are capped at a 70-hour workweek The FHWA survey found that drivers who did not find parking at a rest area or truck stop by midafternoon or early evening opted for backup options, including shopping center parking lots or abandoned or isolated areas. Wortham said when he can’t find a parking spot he’s resorted to illegally and unsafely stopping to rest on freeway shoulders or exit ramps. On a few occasions, he’s gone beyond his 11-hour driving limit by a few minutes to reach available parking, he said. Wortham said he already saw the new parking alert system at work in Wisconsin and found it helpful. He said a sign showed one rest area had 35 spots and another further down the road had 75. “I knew I could get another 40 miles,” he said. John Hausladen, president of the Minnesota Trucking Association, said the system will help drivers plan their trips better. By knowing the parking situation ahead, “it reduces stress and increases efficiency,” he said. “Truckers may park prematurely if they don’t know what’s available 30 to 60 minutes down the road,” he said. “We are excited about this.” A $25 million grant from the federal government paid for a bulk of the project. Minnesota was awarded $1.2 million and chipped in an additional $177,500. The system broadcasts parking information for rest areas on eastbound I-94 near Alexandria, Albany, Enfield and Maple Grove; southbound I-35 near Forest Lake and northbound I-35 near Northfield. The St. Croix rest area on westbound I-94 near Lakeland will be added in the spring. ATRI Updates State and Local Idling Regulations List | |
The American Transportation Research Institute has published an update to the list of state and local idling regulations on its website. The list is offered as part of an online compendium with detailed information and hyperlinks to each of the 65 state and local regulations that have been identified. ATRI also offers the list as a cab card with a consolidated listing of regulations that can be downloaded and carried in the glove box of a truck. ATRI continues to monitor the development of idling regulations across the country and provides the compendium and cab card as a free service to help trucking companies and truck drivers comply with the myriad of state and local idling regulations. Newly enacted idling regulations that are part of the update include:
Other regulations now listed in the compendium include Newark, Delaware; Ithaca, New York; Logan, Utah; and Summit County, Utah. “Even though enforcement tends to vary among jurisdictions, with areas such as California and New York City being more active, the regulations highlight communities that are concerned about emissions from idling vehicles,” said Mike Tunnell, ATRI’s director of environmental research. “We urge trucking companies to be aware of these regulations not only to comply and avoid fines but to be good neighbors in the communities in which they operate.” Source of article and more great articles click here :Truckinginfo Dale rest area closure causes concern in trucking community | |
INDOT confirmed plans to close the Nancy Hanks Rest Area near Dale. According to INDOT, the shutdown of the east and westbound rest areas is due to cost efficiency based on the amount of traffic the rest area sees, and needed repairs on the thirty-year old buildings. Crime is also an issue. "There's a very large investment there," says INDOT Southwest Communication Director Jason Tiller, "and the usage just does not justify the amount of money we'd have to put into that." In fact, that amount would be in the millions. "To keep these facilities up and running, you're looking at a significant investment of probably a million dollars per facility. So for the two facilities there, two million dollars. That includes annual operating costs, all the maintenance we have to do, contractors and things like that," says Tiller. Tiller says there is no set timeline for the closures, but it will be in the immediate future. While the shutdowns could potentially save taxpayers money, it could complicate commutes for truckers that deliver throughout the Tri-State. While INDOT estimates that only around eight percent of traffic on I-64 stops at the Nancy Hanks Rest Area, many of those drivers are truckers. "We use it quite a bit. We're from Louisville so we come through here quite often," says truck driver Tim Williamson. "I think just about all of our drivers stop in here quite regularly." The rest area is not an overnight facility, but truckers we spoke to said it is packed in the mornings. It is also used by drivers to take mandatory breaks. One driver told Eyewitness News that he's required to stop every 150 miles. Two other drivers told us they rely on rest areas like these to take those breaks safely. "With the mandatory rules that they got now where we gotta shut down, there's more truckers on the road and there's limited places to park," said James Southard. Now, those drivers will have one less place to go. "There's no place for us to park out here," said Rick Tucker. In a statement, Indiana Motor Truck Association's president Gary Langston said in part " […] Indiana already has a truck parking shortage, so any reduction in capacity is a concern. I've been told that the resources that are currently used to support those three locations will be reinvested to build new facilities. I look forward to seeing that plan." In the meantime, truckers say they have another concern. "Where you going to stop now?" "The off ramps. That's it, that's the only place you can stop," said Williamson. "More trucks are going to be parked on the side of the road," said Tucker. "Exit ramps, off ramps. It's just going to be more dangerous for us." After the closure, the properties will be demolished and secured. Soon, if truckers want to stop at this rest area, they'll have to keep on trucking. "Gotta stop somewhere!" Source of article and more great articles click here : Tristate Homepage Long Delays For Truck Traffic Into U.S. On Ambassador Bridge | |
There were delays of well over an hour, Wednesday evening, for commercial truck traffic heading into the U.S. from Canada on the Ambassador Bridge.
General manager for the bridge Randy Spader said traffic started getting heavy in the morning, and things only got worse into the day. As to whether or not there is a problem with border agents due to the ongoing partial U.S. government shutdown, he said he simply does not know. "I haven't been given any of that information, haven't been told that at all," he told WWJ Sandra McNeill. "Just basically in our conversations with the facilities they have open (is that) they're going to maintain all facilities until they get he backlog clear." CTV Windsor reported police noted traffic backups in Windsor along Huron Church Road, and reminded motorists to not block intersections. Spader said all inspection lanes were open on the U.S. side, as of around 6 p.m. As to whether some border agents -- who may not be paid this Friday -- have not been showing up for work, he said: "I'm not, you know...We're the operators of the bridge. I don't know." Several calls by WWJ to U.S. Customs and Border Protection have not been answered, likely due to the shutdown. A notice on the CBP website reads: "Due to the lapse in federal funding, this website will not be actively managed. This website was last updated on December 21, 2018 and will not be updated until after finding is enacted. As such, information on this website may not be up to date." Meanwhile, all Canada-bound traffic was not affected. There were no reports of delays at the Detroit Windsor Tunnel. However, drivers should note that the tunnel will be closing Wednesday at 8 p.m. and re-opening Thursday at 5:30 a.m. for scheduled maintenance. |
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