trucking

Trucking Things to Know Now, Part 6: Federal Regulatory Updates

Whatever 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. Spring 2022 Edition

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Truck Rear Underride Guard Standards Upgraded, Side Guards Considered

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is upgrading rear underride guard standards. The recently completed rulemaking applies to newly-manufactured trailers and semitrailers with a gross weight of 10,000 pounds or more. Previous Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) called for rear underride guards to withstand a 30 mph impact

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FMCSA Forecasts Autonomous Truck Rulemaking for Late 2022

Toward the end of 2022, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration may release a proposed rulemaking for fully-automated (autonomous) trucks, according to the head of FMCSA’s technology division. But considering the complexity of autonomous vehicles (AV) – both cars and trucks – that schedule is not locked in. Take, for

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Congress Addresses Container-Related Intermodal Trucking Problems

The first major revision of U.S. container trade laws since 1998 becomes law while drawing praise from the trucking industry. The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022 (OSRA). In this time of contentious politics, the vote was bipartisan and overwhelming, 369-42, to adopt

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Why Was My Truck Stopped?

By: Steve Vaughn, vice president of field operations, PrePass Safety Alliance I’ve been there. It’s not uncommon to pull a trucker over and hear him or her ask, “Why did you stop me?” Sometimes there is an easy answer. Other times it’s more complicated. Either way, it’s not uncommon for

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Operation Safe Driver Week Focuses on Speeding Cars and Trucks

This year’s Operation Safe Driver Week is scheduled for July 10-16. Law enforcement personnel in Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. will patrol roadways throughout that week, issuing warnings and citations to commercial motor vehicle and passenger vehicle drivers engaging in unsafe driving behaviors. Officers will look for violations such as

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Podcast #66: Why Diesel Prices Are High and When Could They Drop?

Guest: Tom Kloza, analyst, Oil Price Information Service With diesel fuel prices at or near record highs, many in trucking are wondering why has this happened and when prices will finally ease up? Listen to the new episode of the “Eyes on the Road” trucking podcast from PrePass as host

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UPDATED: FMCSA Extends COVID-19 Waiver through Mid-October of 2022

UPDATED, Sept. 1, 2022 – The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is responding to the COVID-19 variants and to supply chain challenges by again extending its emergency declaration. The updated emergency declaration now runs through Oct. 15, 2022. The prior emergency declaration expired on Aug. 31, 2022. Like the previous

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Truck Driver Coercion Complaints Growing

In 2012, Congress passed the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act, better known as MAP-21. Within that transportation bill, one section made it unlawful for any transportation entity – motor carrier, shipper, receiver, transportation intermediary – to coerce truck drivers to operate in violation of certain federal

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Truck Leasing Task Force to Examine Lease-Purchase Agreements

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is creating a special task force to examine truck lease agreements. The group will look at lease and lease-purchase agreements among motor carriers, leasing companies, owner-operators, and drayage drivers. The Infrastructure Bill, passed in late 2021, granted FMCSA authority to create the Truck Leasing

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