JJ Keller & Associates

Risk doesn’t disappear just because the truck never leaves the yard

Outrider founder and CEO Andrew Smith believes the future of efficient yard operations involves the use of autonomous yard tractors. Sometimes called terminal tractors, yard jockeys, hostlers and shuttle drivers, these workhorses of efficiency number more than 50,000 in the U.S., moving trailers from one part of the yard or distribution center to another, from dock doors to locations where a carrier can pick it up.

Outrider has landed $53 million in funding to build its autonomous yard tractor,...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/risk-doesnt-disappear-just-because-the-truck-never-leaves-the-yard

Canada vs. US: ELD mandate differences that could put your fleet in violation

Canadian ELD mandate fast approaching

Within weeks – June 12 to be exact – commercial motor carriers operating in Canada will have to comply with that country’s electronic logging device (ELD) mandate. Similar to the regulation that went into effect in the U.S. in 2017, Canada’s ELD rule will require electronic data collection of truck drivers’ hours of service.

While many of the Canadian ELD requirements remain the same as the U.S., there are a number of key differences that could result in U.S. trucking companies that cross the...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/canada-vs-us-eld-mandate-differences-that-could-put-your-fleet-in-violation

Intrastate vs. interstate: The subtle differences that matter for motor carriers

Interstate vs. intrastate carrier registration

Joe’s Trucking has operated successfully for 20 years as a registered intrastate carrier, handling dedicated freight for two well-known manufacturers that routinely move goods between San Antonio and Dallas. What started as a single-truck operation by 2020 had grown to 10 trucks, none of which have ever left the state of Texas.

Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and one of the manufacturers saw a decline in business. Fortunately, Joe’s Trucking had a friend in Oklahoma City that needed help. Joe’s...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/intrastate-vs-interstate-the-subtle-differences-that-matter-for-motor-carriers

Roadcheck 2021: The top 10 things fleets should do today

Editor’s Note: This is Part 2 of a two-part series on International Roadcheck Week on what fleets and drivers can do to ensure a clean inspection process. You can read Part 1 here.

As the trucking industry prepares for the annual Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) International Roadcheck Week, set for May 4-6 this year, there are a few truths fleets always face: Preventable violations will occur, and fewer drivers will be on the roads as they try to avoid the inspector’s gaze.

First, the...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/roadcheck-2021-the-top-10-things-fleets-should-do-today

Roadcheck 2021: The 5 things drivers need to know

Top 5 five things drivers need to know to pass Roadcheck

Editor’s Note: This is Part 1 of a two-part series on preparing for International Roadcheck Week. Tomorrow, we will look at the top 10 things fleets can do today to prepare their equipment and drivers for clean inspections.

After a COVID-19-related delay last year that pushed the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) International Roadcheck Week to September in 2020, the annual 72-hour North American safety blitz has returned to its regular spring timeslot in 2021. CVSA has set the...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/roadcheck-2021-the-5-things-drivers-need-to-know

Gaps in driver monitoring are putting fleets at risk

In fiscal year 2020, the top three truck driver violations found during roadside inspections were all driver-related behaviors. This included speeding 6 to 10 miles per hour over the posted speed limit at the top of the list. Failure to obey a traffic control device and failing to use a seat belt while operating a commercial motor vehicle were the other two.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) utilizes the Safety Measurement System (SMS) to monitor trucking fleets’ safety...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/gaps-in-driver-monitoring-are-putting-fleets-at-risk

The top 2 challenges of drug & alcohol compliance

Violations of Federal Regulation 49 CFR Part 382 (controlled substances and alcohol) continue to trip up trucking carriers and drivers. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, failing to comply with Part 382 accounts for 40% of acute violations and 20% of critical violations for carriers.

Acute and critical violations are what FMCSA uses during a compliance review to arrive at a motor carrier’s safety rating.

In some cases, these violations are a matter of proper and...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/the-top-2-challenges-of-drug-alcohol-compliance

5 tips to streamline the driver hiring process

JJ Keller offers tips in truck driver hiring

For carriers, the cost to hire a commercial truck driver can exceed $15,000 in some cases. When you hire an unsafe or unqualified driver, that cost explodes in terms of elevated insurance premiums and/or claims. That makes hiring the safest driver possible a critical requirement.

With so many rules from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) to comply with, though, some carriers simply skip steps to speed the process when hiring regulated...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/5-tips-to-streamline-the-driver-hiring-process

The Daily Dash: Freight bulls running wild; Chao bids farewell

The Daily Dash is a quick look at what is happening in the freight ecosystem. In today’s edition, the freight bull market is showing no signs of abating as stimulus money hits the pocketbooks of Americans. Plus, Elaine Chao notes the challenges transportation faces in 2021 and expands on her reasons for resigning as transportation secretary, and trucking added more jobs in December.

Bulls keep running

The stage is set for a historically strong Q1 for freight and consumers flush with recent...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/the-daily-dash-freight-bulls-running-wild-chao-bids-farewell

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