Posts Tagged ‘trucks’
Thursday, November 10th, 2011
According to Avondale Partners analyst Donald Broughton, the number of trucking companies who had no choice but to file bankruptcy last quarter has significantly decreased when compared to previous years, showing that the trucking industry is recovering.
Trucking took a hit from 2007 through 2010 due to the following: Demand, fuel and price being extraordinarily volatile, as well as “credit becoming impossible to find for some fleets and difficult to afford when it was available to others” (http://insurancenewsnet.com/article.aspx?id=297906).
For these reasons, over 8,500 carriers went out of business, taking over 325,000 trucks off the road, a decrease of 12% availability according to the report. This 12% decrease was in large part due to 12 specific carriers, who decreased their fleets by a combined total of 10,454 trucks.
Last year’s 3rd quarter led to 330 truck companies and 10,685 trucks filing bankruptcy while this year, only 85 companies and about 1,470 trucks were shut down, a near 90% decrease, Avondale Partners notes.
Looking further, the 3rd quarter proved significantly more successful than this year’s 2nd quarter, when 240 carriers and 3,955 trucks exited the industry.
So why the improvement in statistics all of a sudden? Rising rates due to tighter capacity restraints play a large hand, proving to be of notable profit to carriers.
Since the start of 2010 through today, “truckload rates have increased about 11%, excluding fuel surcharges,” the report notes, with an estimated 3-5% truckload and up to 10% LTL rate increase per year.
Broughton explains that “shippers are willing to pay higher prices because they have recognized the increasing labor, fuel, depreciation, maintenance and insurance costs that fleets face” and offered hope in saying “If [fleets] made it this far through the tough times, then they can make it through the better times” (http://insurancenewsnet.com/article.aspx?id=297906).
Looking for a qualified, reputable LTL and Truckload carrier? Then look no further 
than Road Scholar Transport. Don’t take our word for it, but customers like yourselves. Here’s what one company had to say about us.
“It is so easy for someone to sit down and write a “canned” letter of appreciation and commend a company on a job well done. In the case of Road Scholar Transport, to just say thanks for your excellent, quality service would lead most people to think you’ve done an excellent job in the transportation industry, which in fact, you have. It is an area in which you excel and quite honestly, it’s the part of your business that comes easiest to you.”
Check out more testimonials from Road Scholar’s customers at http://www.roadscholar.com/freighthaulingtestimonials.php.
Would you risk shipping with a company on the verge of bankruptcy just to achieve a low rate or would you rather ship with a trustworthy, stable company? List your comments below.
Tags: Avondale Partners, bankruptcy, carriers, Donald Broughton, fleets, fuel, fuel surcharge, LTL freight, road scholar transport, testimonial, tractor trailers, trucking company, trucking industry, trucking news, truckload freight, trucks
Posted in LTL freight, Services, Trucking Industry News | Comments Off
Monday, July 25th, 2011
In their 13th volume edition of The Economic Review (TER), the American Trucking Associations (ATA)’s Vice President and Chief Economist Bob Costello addressed several factors that could affect the outlook of the U.S. economy.
One of these challenges is the housing division, which is experiencing a drop in prices (down 3.9% since April 2010) due to tougher credit applications and low incomes, TER notes.
Although in the last two months, payrolls have increased a total of 43,000, Costello explains that “At this stage in the recovery, we should be creating an average of 175,000 per month, or more.”
So why the low number of jobs? As Costello states, businesses are demonstrating a lack of confidence, some feeling that we are still in a recession. At Road Scholar Transport, we believe that we are recession proof as long as we continue to put forth the hard work and effort we have doing for years.
Road Scholar Transport has the confidence and is always looking to hire drivers, offering excellent pay, bonuses, benefits, and more. Apply today at http://www.roadscholar.com/employment.php.
TER also notes a 2.7% decrease in Truckload service and 2.4% decrease in dry van service from January to May 2011, with LTL tonnage increasing 15%.
Not only that, but carriers are continuing to face capacity issues. But as Costello states, not only are carriers unable to expand their fleet, the increased prices of new Class 8 tractors has prevented them from replacing older 2006 models, resulting in pricey maintenance repairs anyways.
Road Scholar Transport always invests in safety. Although there is a cost to owning newer models, there is no price tag on a person’s life. That’s why Road Scholar has recently purchased new trucks with active cruise control capability, maintaining a set distance from a forward vehicle, thus, preventing an accident.
With these challenges, the state of the economy can go any way in the upcoming months. If oil surges to prices beyond $125/barrel for a long duration or “if the debt ceiling isn’t raised by the Aug. 2 deadline or shortly thereafter,” it can lead to another recession, Costello argues. Other than that, he believes that the economy outlook is not one of a recession but rather a slow growth.
What is your outlook of the U.S. economy? Do you feel that we will enter into another recession?
Tags: American trucking Associations, ATA, benefit, Bob Costello, bonus, carrier, Class 8 tractor, driver, employment, job, LTL tonnage, oil prices, road scholar transport, TER, The Economic Reviews, trucking industry, truckload service, trucks, U.S. economy
Posted in LTL freight, Services, Trucking Industry News | Comments Off
Friday, July 15th, 2011
I recently had the opportunity of going for a ride in one of Road Scholar’s new trucks, equipped with the Bendix Wingman ACB System, and let me tell you, it was quite an experience.
Imagine a truck or vehicle stalled in the middle of the road on a dark night with no lights on or a school bus that you could hardly see because of the thick morning fog. Or maybe a vehicle decides to slam their brakes in front of you to avoid hitting an animal crossing the road.
Now imagine going 65 mph when one of the above circumstances occurs. You may cringe realizing that by time you notice that the vehicle has stopped or drastically slowed down in front of you and react, you are at a high risk of an accident.
I felt the same way until I stepped inside one of Road Scholar’s newly equipped Bendix Wingman ACB system trucks.
ACB stands for Active Cruise with Braking…but what exactly does that mean?
In a simple way put, ACB will cause your truck to maintain a set distance of 8/10ths of a mile marker behind a forward vehicle. How does it work?
When cruise control is off, the ACB will deliver a beeping alert, which gets faster and louder when closing in on a vehicle, as well as a visual warning on the dashboard showing how far the vehicle is from your truck.
When cruise control is on, the ACB will automatically reduce the throttle, use the engine retarder, or apply the brakes (delivering 1/3 the vehicle’s power but the driver can apply the rest if needed) in order to maintain a set distance from the vehicle ahead.
I could not believe how effective this system was and the benefits behind it.
Not only does Road Scholar incorporate the Bendix Wingman ACB on its trucks, but ESP (Electronic Stability Program) as well.
This system is especially good for icy or wet weather conditions where wheels lose their grip, or taking a curve too quickly, which can result in a rollover. Drivers may not sense a rollover could be starting, which is where the ESP’s row and yaw stability sensors come into play. The row sensors work to prevent rollovers while yaw sensors prevent slide, spin, or jackknife situations.
The ESP automatically distinguishes the problem and quickly corrects it by reducing the engine throttle and applying the brakes.
Bendix explains the many sensors that supplement the wheel speed sensors which include:
-The steering angle sensor, which detects steering input, the first indicator of a maneuver.
-Brake pressure sensors, which monitor the amount of an operator’s braking.
-Lateral acceleration sensor, which detects the side force that could make the vehicle rollover.
-Yaw rate sensor, which helps determine if the vehicle is responding properly to driver steering input.
Knowing the advanced technology and steps that Road Scholar has taken for its fleet, it’s no surprise that companies rely on Road Scholar for the safe, efficient transport of their freight.
What do you think of Road Scholar’s safety technology?
Tags: ACB System, accidents, active cruise, Bendix Wingman, brake pressure sensor, brakes, Electronic Stability Program, ESP, fleet transport, lateral acceleration sensor, road scholar transport, row sensor, safety technology, steering angle sensor, tractor-trailer, trucks, wheel speed senor, yaw rate sensor
Posted in Company News, Services | Comments Off
Thursday, June 30th, 2011
Wednesday, Amtrak filed a suit against the trucking company responsible for causing an accident last week resulting in six fatalities.
The accident occurred when John Davis Trucking Company plowed through the railroad crossings in Nevada, striking two of ten Amtrak railcars headed for California, causing it to catch fire.
Now, days after the crash, Amtrak is stepping in, suing the trucking company for negligence which resulted in over $10 million worth the damages (http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2011/jun/29/amtrak-sues-trucking-company-over-fatal-northern-n/).
According to The Las Vegas Sun, Amtrak is arguing that John Davis Trucking “negligently entrusted the Peterbilt tractor-trailer rig to driver Lawrence Ruben Valli II,” who they “should have known was ‘incompetent and unqualified’ to operate the truck and that the company negligently hired him and then failed to properly train him.”
Since we last updated you earlier in the week in our post “Trucking Company’s Safety Record Questioned after Amtrak Accident,” new charges against the trucking company and driver have been discovered. These include an additional two speeding violations, but since Valli’s several tickets were distributed at various time frames, it did not cause him to lose his license.
As USA Today notes, “Under Nevada law, a driver will lose a commercial license for 60 days if he or she commits “two serious violations” within a three-year period. A “serious-violation” is defined as traveling 15 mph above the speed limit or higher. A driver’s commercial license will be taken for 120 days if he or she is issued three serious traffic violations in a three-year period” (http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2011-06-29-amtrak-truck-driver-had-traffic-violations_n.htm).
The Associated Press also acknowledges the fact that Valli was arrested in 2007 for failure to appear from a charge in 2006 of operating a vehicle with an expired registration.
There is no word as of yet from John Davis Trucking regarding the lawsuit and a Washoe County District judge has already ruled that any evidence from the crash be immune from being destroyed (http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_18377167).
One driver, one truck, six fatalities. Road Scholar Transport can assure you that all of our drivers are properly trained and qualified, putting only the safest drivers on the road to deliver your LTL and truckload freight. If that’s not enough, our trucks are equipped with anti-crash safety technology along with security features including driver verification via our website at www.roadscholar.com.
What is your opinion regarding the Amtrak accident and what do you feel should be the verdict?
Tags: Amtrak, anti-crash safety technology, california, commercial license, crash, driver, John Davis Trucking Company, Lawrence Valli, LTL freight, Nevada, Peterbilt, road scholar transport, tractor-trailer, trucking company, truckload freight, trucks, Washoe County District
Posted in LTL freight, Services, Trucking Industry News | Comments Off
Tuesday, June 14th, 2011
(The following information is based on Burg’s speech, which can be read at http://www.truckline.com/Newsroom/Testimony1/Jim%20Burg%20ATA%27s%20Small%20Business%20HOS%20Testimony%20Oral%20Final.pdf)
Jim Burg, trucking company owner and member of the American Trucking Associations (ATA), spoke on behalf of the organization in a hearing entitled “Do Not Enter: How Proposed Hours of Service Trucking Rules are a Dead End for Small Businesses.”
Burg argued that accepting the proposed hours of service (HOS) would drastically affect small trucking companies, and since these companies compose of 99% of over 700,000 across the nation, it poses a large concern.
As the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) noted, it would cost $2 billion a year for the new changes to occur. A large part of the cost is shown to land on the shoulders of small trucking companies.
A decrease in the amount of hours a driver is allowed to service leads to less productivity, for drivers will be restrained to how far they can travel/how many loads they can deliver without breaking their hours of service.
In order to secure more loads, companies need invest more money on drivers and trucks, dipping into an already slim driver pool. With a decrease in availability, companies are offering higher wages in order to recruit qualified drivers to their companies instead of their competitor’s.
An increase in the amount of drivers produces greater congestion on the road which, in return, produces more emissions. It’s a good thing Road Scholar has taken several steps to go green, including the purchase of new tractors containing APUs (auxiliary power units) that provide air conditioning/heating without having to idle the engine, thus reducing carbon emissions and saving on fuel. In fact, the exhaust system of one of Road Scholar’s new trucks is 42 times cleaner than a 2007 tractor. How’s that for reducing emissions?
In order to account for increased costs, prices rise for manufacturers, shippers, and consumers as well.
This itself can backfire on the FMCSA’s plan to increase safety because, as Burg explains, with higher costs many companies cannot afford to purchase safety technologies for their trucks. Road Scholar Transport, on the other hand, has the most advanced technology features on its fleet including both power unit and reefer tracking, electronic door monitoring, panic messaging, navalock, and many others. Visit www.roadscholar.com to learn more.
Burg also pointed out the irony in the proposed 11 hours of driving time potentially being reduced to10, which would lead to more drivers being rushed to meet time constraints, in fact decreasing safety on the road.
What the ATA has been suggesting for several months now is to keep the current HOS rules, which has already proven to increase safety since its testing in 2003, including a “33 percent reduction in fatal truck crashes and a 40 percent decline in truck crashes resulting in injuries.”
Are you in favor of the FMCSA keeping the current HOS rules or replacing them with the revisions?
Tags: air conditioning, American trucking Associations, APU, ATA, auxiliary power unit, consumer, driver, electronic door monitoring, federal motor carrier safety administration, FMCSA, heating, HOS, hours of service, Jim Burg, manufacturer, navalock, panic messaging, power unit tracking, reefer tracking, road scholar transport, safety, shipper, tractor-trailer, trucking company, trucking news, trucks
Posted in Services, Trucking Industry News | Comments Off
Tuesday, May 17th, 2011
It’s not just copper but metal in general that has become a popular target among thieves lately, with a current spike in reported activity.
Not only are companies noticing unfamiliar trucks loaded with their metal on their property, but farmers are taking a hit as well with thieves stealing metal wires from irrigation pipes, preventing farmers from tending to their crops, an article on StatesmanJournal.com notes.
Improper irrigation can lead to the destruction of crops, which in return affects the farmer’s source of income, possibly leading the farmer to shut down his farm.
This is why it is important to take preventative measures to drastically lower your chances of a theft.
Officer Mark Jantz of the Salem Police Force recommends the following tips (provided by http://www.statesmanjournal.com/article/20110517/NEWS/105170339/As-copper-theft-rises-companies-try-fight-back?odyssey=nav|head):
-“ Increasing the lighting around a business property, installing as many surveillance cameras as possible on the property, and having fencing that allows police to look onto the property.” Road Scholar Transport has just that with a digital surveillance system of our entire property that is monitored 24/7, protecting our trucks and your freight from intruders.
- “Sign up for the police department’s Security Survey Program, a service that lets police check whether the business property meets crime-prevention standards.”
-“Participate in the police department’s Trespass Letter of Consent, a document that gives police permission — without the need to contact the business owner — to go onto the property and arrest or order people to get off the premises.”
Oregon also possesses a law stating that “anyone transporting and selling metals must have a Metal Transport Certificate” and that “businesses that buy copper wiring, such as recyclers, must take a picture of the metal, make a copy the seller’s driver’s license and keep records for purchases of nonferrous metals — excluding aluminum cans — for one year” (http://www.statesmanjournal.com/article/20110517/NEWS/105170339/As-copper-theft-rises-companies-try-fight-back?odyssey=nav|head).
The above steps are suggestions on what companies should do to prevent theft…now this is what Road Scholar is currently doing…
-Provide satellite and reefer tracking for live monitoring of your freight down to the street level. You’ll always know where your freight is and who has it.
-Qualcomm distress/panic messaging allows disablement of the vehicle to prevent your cargo from taking off with the wrong person(s).
-Navlock, bolts, and seals protecting the contents of your freight.
-Background/drug checks and online driver verification to ensure that only the safest drivers are transporting your freight.
-Brightly colored awareness trucks that make our trucks easily recognizable and harder to steal.
And that’s not all. Road Scholar is constantly improving our security features to have only the most innovative and resourceful tools accompanying your freight. Visit www.roadscholar.com to learn more.
How important do you feel it is to choose a carrier that applies the latest technology on their trucks?
Tags: awareness program, awareness trucks, background check, bolts, cargo, carrier, copper, crops, drug check, farmers, freight, irrigation, Mark Jantz, metal, Metal Transport Certificate, navalock, police, Qualcomm, reefer tracking, road scholar transport, Salem, satellite tracking, seals, security features, Security Survey Program, surveillance system, theft, thieves, tractor-trailer, Trespass Letter of Consent, trucks
Posted in Awareness Campaign Articles, LTL freight, Services, Trucking Industry News | Comments Off
Wednesday, May 11th, 2011
It happened back in March of 2009. Truck driver Jason Rivenburg was transporting milk to a customer in South Carolina. With only 12 miles left to go, Jason realized that he was several hours early for his morning delivery and needed to by some time. Deciding to take a short rest, he chose to pull over. The only available area, however, was an abandoned gas station in which Jason parked.
That night, as he was sleeping, he became the victim of a robbery. Jason, who had $7 in his wallet, was shot twice and killed.
Jason, who had a family at home including a wife, 2-year-old son, and twins on the way, would soon be remembered through Jason’s Law.
More than two years later, Jason’s Law, which sets to provide more truck parking accessibility and improvements throughout the country to prevent events such as what happened to Jason from happening again, is being reintroduced.
U.S. Reps Paul Tonko and Erik Paulsen announced the decision to bring back the bill at a conference in Washington, DC yesterday, where Jason’s wife was in attendance (http://www.truckinginfo.com/news/news-detail.asp?news_id=73737).
The bill, which is backed by the American Trucking Associations (ATA), would establish funding of $20 million a year for six years to create new parking capacity, improve existing ones, as well as “technology to track open parking spaces” (http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ata-again-calls-on-congress-to-protect-americas-truck-drivers-121634658.html).
So why is Jason’s Law being introduced now? One reason has to do with the revised hours of service (HOS) proposal.
Drivers need to comply with HOS rules, which may be more difficult to do if a reduction in hours is granted. This difficulty further increases as the driver is traveling several additional miles just to find an available rest area. Not wanting to exceed their hours, drivers may pull into unsafe areas to rest.
Another reason for the bill’s reintroduction is due to the current debate of whether to close those parking areas now available in order to help reduce state budgets which have fallen short, prnewswire.com explains.
Finally, with current capacity issues and an estimated 2 million additional trucks being added in the next nine years to meet demand, more rest areas are needed to ensure the safety of drivers.
Road Scholar Transport is an advocate of safety, not only for our drivers, but customers as well. That’s why we use Nextel direct connect and Qualcomm to connect with drivers along with security technology such as panic buttons and satellite tracking to ensure driver safety and the safety of your freight.
Learn more about Road Scholar’s relationship with the Cargo Security Alliance and how we are working together to keep your cargo secure from theft by visiting the new RS University page at www.roadscholar.com.
What’s your input on Jason’s Law?
Tags: American trucking Associations, ATA, capacity, Cargo Security Alliance, Erik Paulsen, HOS, hours of service, Jason Rivenburg, Jason’s Law, Nextel Direct Connect, panic button, Paul Tonko, Qualcomm, road scholar transport, satellite tracking, security, South Carolina, tractor-trailer, trucks, University
Posted in LTL freight, Services, Trucking Industry News | Comments Off
Monday, April 11th, 2011
With the national average price of diesel nearing $4/gallon, the cost of fuel is showing its effects on the trucking industry. How so?
Many trucking companies are unable to maintain the same size fleet as they had months ago, reducing the number of trucks they operate, some to the point of having to close their business completely.
A reduction in trucks also means more capacity issues as well, as companies are not able to provide enough trucks to meet the growing demand of manufacturers.
Due to less capacity, carriers are making fewer moves, and therefore, losing money. In return, companies are charging higher rates to account for increasing fuel prices. The problem with this is that shippers are turning towards the carrier with the cheapest rates instead of the better service, which could end up costing those shippers thousands of more dollars in the end when their freight becomes damaged due to an accident caused by faulty equipment or an unsafe driver.
Driver loss is also becoming a result of surging fuel prices. Many drivers are paid by the mile and with carriers losing customers due to high fuel surcharges (and therefore, higher rates), they no longer can afford as many drivers as they once had.
High diesel prices are not only affecting the trucking industry, but shippers as well. With it becoming more expensive to transport freight, shippers will eventually need to charge more for their goods in order to make a profit.
So how do you compete with rising fuel prices while maintaining competitive prices with quality service?
Road Scholar Transport does its best to try and control energy costs by taking the following measures:
-Use of cruise control, which adds 5% fuel efficiency
-Checking air pressure
-Auditing APU usage and idling time
-Decreasing the speed on our trucks by 5 mph
With these steps, along with many others, Road Scholar continues to deliver your LTL and TL freight on-time, every time.
Tags: air pressure, APU, capacity issues, diesel, driver, fleet, fuel efficiency, fuel prices, idling, LTL freight, road scholar transport, shippers, TL freight, trucking industry, trucks
Posted in LTL freight, Services, Trucking Industry News | Comments Off
Friday, April 8th, 2011
Last week, Pennsylvania state police cracked down on trucks transporting hazardous freight across the state.
For a 24 hour period, police conducted routine inspections on nearly 1,600 trucks, which resulted in passes, written warnings, citations, and shutdowns.
According to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, 1,599 inspections occurred on March 29, resulting in 1,286 written warnings and 790 citations, most do to “unsafe brakes and record-of-duty infractions.” Serious violations were found in 174 vehicles and 43 drivers, which led to police shutting them down (http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_730963.html).
The number of serious violations has increased significantly over previous inspections, as demonstrated in the table below:
| Inspection Results |
|
April ‘10 |
September ‘10 |
October ‘10 |
March ‘11 |
| Total Inspections |
1,348 |
1,131 |
1,059 |
1,599 |
| # of Citations |
528 |
572 |
451 |
790 |
| Trucks Shut Down |
148 |
139 |
100 |
174 |
| Drivers Shut Down |
28 |
32 |
30 |
43 |
According to the site, this year there were 23-40% more drivers and trucks taken out of service than in the previous inspections.
Why? Because, according to spokesman Jack Lewis, police are undergoing tighter inspections, as well as abiding by stricter federal regulations.
One thing that Road Scholar Transport doesn’t slack off on is safety. Our drivers undergo training and are certified to handle your hazardous materials.
You won’t find our drivers traveling with unsafe brakes either. Road Scholar performs pre-trip and post-trip inspections on all tractor trailers to ensure only the safest equipment on the road.
Let Road Scholar handle your LTL and truckload freight. Get a quote today at http://www.roadscholar.com.
Do you feel that police should be stricter on road-side inspections or are they too strict?
Tags: citation, drivers, hazardous freight, Hazmat, inspection, LTL freight, out of service, pennsylvania, quote, road scholar transport, state police, truckload freight, trucks, unsafe brakes, violation, written warning
Posted in LTL freight, Services, Trucking Industry News | Comments Off
EPA Expresses Reasoning Behind Stricter SCR Proposal as Comment Period Continues
Friday, June 17th, 2011Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) technology, utilized by engine manufacturers to abide by 2010 emission standards, has proven its worthiness, but now, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is calling for stricter SCR guidelines.
According to the EPA, technological developments require new guidelines to be set in order to improve SCR technology, an article in truckinginfo.com notes.
The proposal, which was published on June 7th, seeks the following (provided by http://www.truckinginfo.com/news/news-detail.asp?news_id=73993):
-“Require the system to identify and respond to poor-quality DEF”
-“New sensors which are better able to detect poor quality”
-“Dashboard or message center light and possibly an audible signal when the level is low on the DEF warning system and that the signals should increase in intensity as the DEF tank approaches empty.” If this system fails, the EPA suggests alternative technology that would slow the truck down immediately to 5 mph.
-“Better tamper resistance”
But not all engine manufacturers use the SCR system. Navistar, in fact, is the only truck manufacturer that does not incorporate the SCR system, arguing that there are ways for drivers to easily go around it, truckinginfo.com explains.
Navistar claims to have run a test in which water was substituted for DEF in SCR trucks and found that it was able to manipulate the DEF warning systems, the article continued.
The EPA, however, rebutted Navistar’s argument, stating that “Navistar’s finding reflects the overall efficacy of SCR systems on heavy-duty diesel engines currently in operation or the way they are actually used” and that most drivers do abide by the system.
The proposal is currently open for discussion with the comment period ending July 7th.
What are your comments on the proposal? Let us know.
Be sure to check out how Road Scholar Transport is reducing emissions with our new trucks by visiting www.roadscholar.com.
Tags: comment period, DEF, emissions, engine manufacturers, Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, Navistar, road scholar transport, SCR, Selective Catalytic Reduction, trucks
Posted in Trucking Industry News | Comments Off