Roads, Rail and Runways have been considered for years the top methods of shipping in America. But the fourth R has just stepped to the plate and pointed out that they want their chance to be a player too.

River transportation was the first to move large amounts of product in America. In fact just about every large and small city in America that is more than 100 years old is situated on a river or lake connected to a river.... Read More

It's pretty safe to say that no one is happy with the Hours of Service proposal. Neither side likes the fact that FMCSA "waffled" on the driving hours. Reducing driving hours has been a key concern of Public Citizen, the group that's been the main force behind the court challenges.... Read More

That's what 37 year old Laura Leath will tell you, despite some challenges she has had to overcome. Laura recently completed her tractor-trailer training and earned her CDL at West Georgia Technical College in LaGrange, Georgia. She had a full time job offer from Fastenal Company before she'd completed the course.... Read More

This article was originally posted on the Eco-Scientific web site by Paul Kauler, a self-described independent consultant, truck driver, diesel mechanic, avid student of life sciences and cancer research technician.... Read More

"So, round and around and around we go,
Where the world's headed, nobody knows
Oh, Great Googamooga,
Can't you hear me talking to you,
Just a ball of confusion,
That's what the world is today, hey."
-The Temptations

Background

In 1995, Congress directed the Department of Transportation to establish new Hours of Service rules which had been in place unchanged since 1939. Since that time, confusion and uncertainty has been the status quo. In 2004, the DOT published new rules which were promptly subject to a legal challenge. After a reversal by the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, in August 2005, the DOT issued new rules limiting a driver's flexibility in use for the sleeper berth. Again in 2007, the rule was reversed by the courts on procedural grounds. In December, 2007 the DOT issued the rule addressing the procedural issues, which became final in November 2008. In March 2009, litigation again ensued and in October 2009, officials newly appointed by the Obama administration entered into a settlement agreement wherein the DOT agreed to reconsider and reissue the rules. As a result, in late 2010 the DOT issued a new proposed rule to be adopted, and no doubt followed by more litigation, in 2011.... Read More

Diesel fuel prices are going higher because the Department of Energy told us so last week. A few days after the DOE said diesel fuel prices were going higher, your oil friends and mine, OPEC, raised the 2011 oil demand forecast. Just a month ago, OPEC had said growth would be slow and $70-$80 would be the right price for a barrel of oil (making diesel fuel prices around $2.95 a gallon). OPEC has now changed their tune, saying the economy is growing much faster than they thought. Common sense would say no problem; they'll just produce more oil to keep fuel prices at around $2.95 a gallon.... Read More

It seems every year the transportation industry faces new perils during the winter months and this year is no different. Currently the weather forecasters are predicting a frigid winter with less than normal snow fall. Among the challenges above and beyond the weather, fuel prices are inching higher again and most states and many municipalities have mandated idling restrictions. Here are a few simple tips to help maintain your equipment and fuel tanks.... Read More

The long awaited Hours of Service changes have been announced. FMCSA has published the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. We're devoting this issue to analyzing the changes and some of the possible effects. The bottom line is that work hours have been cut and some of the scheduling flexibility of the current regulations are now gone.... Read More

As we enter the holiday season we are reminded of the importance of family, friends and colleagues. With a very challenging year behind us, maybe it's time to make a greater effort to "just be nice."

A famous (anonymous) quote reminds us, "It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice." What would it take to treat everyone you meet with a little extra compassion this month; to wake up on the right side of the bed and greet every day with a smile?... Read More

A movement stirred him from his dreams of her. He heard ol' Roger, his brown lab, whining. As he sat up in his bunk, he noticed that the world had turned white overnight at the rest stop. "What is shaking my truck?" he wondered. He looked outside his window and saw a big moose scratching his back on the fender of his truck. After 45 years of trucking, he thought he'd seen it all. Minutes later the moose ambled through the new snow, across the river and into the woods. He started to say, "Jen, look at this," but as the sleep lifted, he remembered sadly that he would never share anything with her again.... Read More