Upcoming Events:
- April 3rd, 2024: 18th Annual Southern Utah Trucking Association Charitable Golf Tournament
- April 19th, 2024: Utah Trucking Association with North American Trailer, Spring Warmup Sporting Clay Tournament
- May 8th – 10th, 2024: 2024 Management Conference & Trucking Expo
- June 6th – 8th, 2024: UTA Truck Driving Championship
- June 21st – 22nd, 2024: UTA Road Rally
Announcements:
Special Offers:
Events and Announcements:
Save the Date! (Registration Coming Soon)
Resources:
Utah Trucking Fast Facts:
Samba Safety
News:
I-695 Key Bridge Collapse
Between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. on Tuesday, March 26, a cargo vessel struck a support column of the I-695 Key Bridge. The strike caused a complete collapse of the bridge into the Patapsco River. There is a shutdown of traffic along that portion of I-695, which has more than 1.3 million truck crossing per year (average about 3,600 per day). This is a primary route entering and exiting the Port of Baltimore. A state of emergency has been declared by our governor, and we are in contact with various state and federal agencies about the impact this will have on trucking. Should you want to push something out to your members that travel in Maryland, below is a summary of alternate routes you may share.
Route alternatives due to Key Bridge collapse.
As a result of the I-695 Key Bridge collapse due to ship strike, motorists must avoid the southeast corridor of I-695. The I-695 Outer Loop is closed at MD 10 (exit 2) and the Inner Loop is closed at MD 157/Peninsula Expressway (exit 43). Alternate routes will be the I-95 or I-895 tunnels; however, trucks should be aware of the following restrictions on those roadways.
Hazardous materials are prohibited in the tunnels and should use the western section of I-695 to travel around Baltimore. This includes vehicles carrying bottled propane gas in excess of 10 pounds per container (maximum of 10 containers), bulk gasoline, explosives, and significant amounts of radioactive materials.
Vehicles in excess of 13’-6”, in height, or 96” (8 feet) in width are prohibited from using the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel (I-895). The I-95 Ft. McHenry Tunnel restrictions are height – 14’ – 6”; width – 11’ – 0”.
What the Trucking Industry Wants in its Next FMCSA Chief
The industry needs a partner in its next safety regulator who understands trucking and is willing to listen, ATA, OOIDA and TCA leaders told Trucking Dive. The industry needs a partner in its next safety regulator who understands trucking and is willing to listen, ATA, OOIDA and TCA leaders told Trucking Dive.
Biden Enacts Fiscal 2024 DOT Bill
President Joe Biden over the weekend signed into law legislation to keep the Department of Transportation operating through the current fiscal year. The fiscal 2024 law, which expires at the end of September, provides nearly $1 billion for grants and operational services managed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
Navigating the Aftermath: How to Handle a Truck-Involved Crash
There’s a lot to manage between helping your driver and working with the other parties involved. The first thing that sets people on edge is the number of players involved. The police? Sure. But that’s just the start. Remember it can also include governmental departments for the environment, plus insurance stakeholders, lawyers, paralegals, the media, bystanders, residents and more.
Class 8 Truck Sales Continue Downward Trend in February
U.S. Class 8 retail sales in February continued a trend of year-over-year declines, according to data from Wards Intelligence. Sales decreased 12.5% to 17,619 units from 20,136 a year earlier, the seventh consecutive month of year-over-year declines. The February results were also slightly below the January result of 18,594 units sold. Year-to-date sales are down 9.6% to 36,211 compared with 40,068.
U.S. Department of Labor’s Worker Classification Rule Takes Effect
The U.S. Department of Labor’s new worker classification final rule is now in effect. However, efforts are underway to overturn it. In January, the DOL unveiled a 339-page final rule with the stated purpose of preventing companies from misclassifying workers as independent contractors. The action, which officially took effect on Monday, March 11.
Biden Administration Rolls Out Power Grid Plan for Electric Trucks
The Biden administration has selected 12,000 miles of freight-heavy interstates and the country’s largest container ports to begin a 16-year plan to deploy battery-charging and hydrogen-refueling stations for electric trucks.
Maintenance Labor Costs on the Rise While Parts Costs Stabilize
Two reports from ATA’s Technology & Maintenance Council find that the material costs of maintenance seemed to stabilize, though demand for diesel technicians continues to raise maintenance labor rates.
Support to Repeal Government’s Independent Contractor Rule Growing
A Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution has been filed over the Biden administration’s new labor rule that aims to prevent the misclassification of workers as “independent contractors.” A Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution has been filed over the Biden administration’s new labor rule that aims to prevent the misclassification of workers as “independent contractors.”
Utah Legislature Approves Stiffer Penalties for Road Rage
The Utah Department of Transportation reports that over the past four years, there have been an average of 25 aggressive driving deaths annually in the state. Utah averaged fewer than 14 aggressive driving deaths annually during the previous six years. HB30 would define “road rage events” as a criminal action by an operator of a vehicle in response to an incident that occurs or escalates upon a roadway, with the intent to endanger or intimidate an individual in another vehicle.
Class 8 Truck Orders Stay Hot, Exceeding Last Year’s Pace
Class 8 truck orders stayed strong in February, with little change from last month and improved year over year positioning, FTR and ACT Research reported Monday.
Bill Seeks to Remove Cost, Redundancy from TWIC, Hazmat Certification
A bill making its way through the Senate Thursday with bi-partisan support would eliminate redundant fees and background checks for transportation workers.
Coalition Puts $1 Trillion Price Tag on Electrifying U.S. Trucking Industry
Electrifying the entire U.S. commercial trucking fleet could cost nearly $1 trillion, according to a new industry-funded study. That merely includes the cost of building out charging infrastructure—not replacing diesel-powered equipment with the more expensive battery-electric, heavy-duty trucks, which aren’t yet able to handle long-haul freight.
Judge Rules Against Trucking in Latest Attempt to Block AB 5
A California judge on Friday, March 15, ruled against the trucking industry in its effort to halt the state’s application of its restrictive AB 5 independent contractor law on trucking, ultimately ruling that trucking should make its case legislatively rather than judicially.
CVSA’s New Out-of-Service Criteria: What Truckers Need to Know
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance has updated the out-of-service criteria for 2024 with 11 new conditions ranging from small paperwork items to new quirks in the 20% rule for brake violations. The new conditions will take effect on April 1.
California Postpones Periodic Smog Test Check for Trucks
The California Air Resources Board has delayed the first periodic testing deadline for the Clean Truck Check Program to Jan. 1, 2025. Fleets must also still plan to pay fees for 2024, which will be due in the later half of this year.
SEC Faces Avalanche of Lawsuits from States, Companies, and Nonprofits over Climate Rule
More than half the states in the U.S. filed lawsuits this month against the Securities and Exchange Commission over the climate disclosure rules it finalized last week. A U.S. appeals court on Friday temporarily paused the new rules.
Diesel to Still Rule Transportation ‘For Many Years’
Today’s fleet leaders must balance regulatory and customer pushes toward decarbonization with the pragmatic pull toward traditional diesel power.
Judge Rules Against CTA, OOIDA in AB5 Case
A federal judge ruled against the California Trucking Association and Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association Friday, delivering a blow to the groups’ efforts to upend California’s AB5 law. The groups have sought to shield interstate truckers from the independent contractor classification labor regulation.
Thank You To Our Advertising Sponsors!
