28NovUnder federal law, a longer combination vehicle (LCV) is any combination of a truck-tractor and two or more semi-trailers or trailers operating on the Interstate Highways at a gross vehicle weight greater than 80,000 pounds. LCVs only operate under special permit on designated highways in several states and on certain
22Nov“May you live in interesting times,” is the old (probably mythical) Chinese curse. Any owner-operator, and anyone who utilizes the services of O/Os in their business, knows that these times are indeed “interesting.” First, California adopted Assembly Bill 5 (AB5) in 2019, establishing the “ABC” test as that state’s standard
16NovA jackpot justice system has caused nuclear verdicts against trucking companies to escalate. In fact, nuclear verdicts—those verdicts over $10 million—against trucking companies have skyrocketed 967% in the last 15 years, according to research from the American Transportation Research Institute. “That is pretty frightening. These verdicts outpace increases in health
10NovState driver licensing agencies (SDLAs) have the task of implementing federal regulations on truck driver testing and licensing. Those requirements have increased recently with the establishment by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) of an entry-level driver training (ELDT) program intended to standardize and enhance the training regimen for
7NovThe Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is looking to gather information on the regulations surrounding the lease and interchange of vehicles, according to a notice in the Federal Register. FMCSA seeks approval through an Information Collection Request (ICR), to continue requiring motor carriers who lease or interchange equipment with others
3NovIn February of this year, leaders from the American Trucking Associations (ATA) and the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) wrote a joint letter to U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, urging the USDOT to prioritize truck parking in its work with states and localities. A particular focus was on the
1NovBy: Steve Vaughn, vice president of field operations, PrePass Safety Alliance November in an even-numbered year – election season. This year we have state and national mid-terms with a presidential election looming in 2024. Newspapers, websites, and TV talk shows are filled with pundits and polls. Who is up and
26OctIt’s become a caricature of today’s society – the human automatons, adorned with earbuds, eyes glued to cell phones. It has generated cartoons – the family at the dinner table, texting “pass the salt.” Technology has enveloped our life. For all its benefits – information, entertainment, automation – technology has,
20OctEvery year the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) organizes truck inspectors from the U.S., Canada, and Mexico for an intensive enforcement effort called International Roadcheck. Commercial vehicle compliance agencies conducted this year’s Roadcheck from May 17-19. CVSA also holds other annual enforcement and inspection efforts – Brake Safety Week and
18OctWhatever the political headlines of the day, federal agencies continue to add new trucking regulations, adopt new forms, and extend or discontinue previous waivers and exemptions. In this series, “Trucking Things to Know Now,” PrePass provides quick updates on regulatory developments, often with links to more information. HOS Waivers for
17OctThe Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has granted a petition from the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) to consider requiring all interstate commercial motor vehicles (CMVs), trucks, and buses, to have devices installed that electronically transmit the identity of the vehicle. These “unique identification devices” (UIDs), also known as “universal
6OctThe Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration recently published an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) to improve the clarity of existing regulations on electronic logging devices. The agency also wants to address some technical specification issues in response to trucking industry concerns. An ANPRM is a published notice in the
