Driver issues

McGuigan, who led sale of Transplace to Uber Freight, stepping down 

Frank McGuigan, the president and COO of Uber Freight who came to the company in its acquisition of Transplace, is stepping down.

In an email sent to numerous Uber Freight employees Thursday, Uber Freight CEO Lior Ron said the news was “bittersweet” that McGuigan would be leaving his position as of Jan. 31. However, McGuigan will remain on the Uber Freight board of directors, Ron said in the email, and “will continue supporting and advising our organization’s ongoing and future success.”

McGuigan...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/mcguigan-who-led-sale-of-transplace-to-uber-freight-stepping-down

FMCSA proposes tougher rules for truck broker financial backing

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is proposing more oversight of truck brokers and freight forwarders and the surety bond and trust companies that back them up in an effort to ease the monetary pain they can inflict on motor carriers.

“FMCSA believes that most brokers operate with integrity and uphold the contracts made with motor carriers and shippers,” the proposal states. “However, a minority of brokers with unscrupulous business practices can create unnecessary financial...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/fmcsa-proposes-tougher-rules-for-truck-broker-financial-backing

Bestpass, Drivewyze collaborating on toll processing as part of ‘driver experience’

Transportation data companies Bestpass and Drivewyze are coming together in a partnership to offer Bestpass’ capabilities in tolling information in conjunction with the various offerings of Drivewyze, which go beyond the latter’s core business of weigh station bypass.

The agreement between the two companies does not have a name nor is it a new product. But at its center will be an integration of the companies’ capabilities in various product offerings, while also allowing for more seamless...

FMCSA exempts deaf drivers despite CVTA objections

Despite safety concerns expressed by a national truck driver training group, federal regulators confirmed on Thursday their exemption of 18 drivers who are deaf or hard of hearing from certain commercial vehicle regulations.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration stated that it had evaluated the applicants’ eligibility “and determined that granting exemptions to these individuals would likely achieve a level of safety that is equivalent to, or greater than, the level that would be...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/fmcsa-exempts-deaf-drivers-despite-cvta-objections

Broker oversight, truck speed limiters among 2023 policy action items

The Biden administration began 2022 by rolling out its National Roadway Safety Strategy, a U.S. Department of Transportation-wide initiative aimed at addressing rising injuries and deaths involving cars and trucks.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration — and Congress — is expected to advance regulatory and legislative policy that either directly or indirectly attempts to tackle the problem.

Truck parking

With Republicans taking control of the House, a divided government will make it more...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/action-on-broker-oversight-truck-speed-limiters-expected-in-2023

Decade-long misclassification case against Hub settled for roughly $5 million; California’s ABC test loomed in the background

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A worker misclassification case involving intermodal giant Hub Group Inc. has settled, just shy of...

FMCSA denies carriers’ request to report truck driver hair tests

Robin Hutcheson argues that federal statute prevents her from approving a drug-test exemption that some of the nation’s largest trucking companies argue would have kept thousands of drug-abusing drivers off the roads.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration chief stated in a public filing on Thursday that she was therefore obligated to deny an application filed by a group of 11 major truckload operators seeking an exemption from federal regulations to require positive hair tests be...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/fmcsa-denies-carriers-request-to-report-truck-driver-hair-tests

Trucking industry worried after EPA issues final rule on NOx emissions

The Environmental Protection Agency made good on its promise to issue a final rule on heavy-duty truck tailpipe emissions by the end of the year, but the first take on the rule from engine manufacturers and trucking organizations is that compliance will be difficult.

The agency earlier this year proposed two options for drastically reducing nitrous oxide (NOx) emissions: a two-step process with standards getting progressively tighter in model years (MY) 2027 and 2031, or a one-step standard in...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/trucking-industry-worried-after-epa-issues-final-rule-on-nox-emissions

Appellate court hears arguments on constitutionality of California’s Prop 22

An appellate court must sort through several legal interpretations after hearing arguments on whether California should allow Prop 22, the 2020 referendum designed to exempt the state’s gig workers from the AB5 independent contractor classification law. 

Voters approved Prop 22 by a hefty margin on Election Day in 2020. It blocked gig drivers, like those from Uber (NYSE: UBER), Lyft (NASDAQ: LYFT) and DoorDash (NYSE: DASH), from being governed by AB5. But Alameda County Judge Frank Roesch ruled...

New legislation provides bathroom access for truck drivers

New legislation would for the first time require commercial warehouses, retailers and ports to allow truck drivers to use their restroom facilities when picking up or dropping off freight.

The Trucker Bathroom Access Act, introduced Thursday by U.S. Reps. Troy Nehls (R-Texas) and Chrissy Houlahan (D-Penn.), adds language to federal law to ensure such access while drivers are working.

“American truckers are this nation’s backbone, and we owe them a debt of gratitude for the tremendous...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/new-legislation-provides-bathroom-access-for-truck-drivers

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