Opinions

Nikola’s Bankruptcy a Reality Check for Diesel Alternatives

The promise of zero-emission freight has suffered a big setback with Nikola Corp.’s bankruptcy. A company that once positioned itself as a disruptor in the trucking industry is dying a slow death. The electric- and hydrogen-powered truck manufacturer, once heralded as the Tesla of trucking, struggled with financial instability, supply chain challenges and a series of setbacks that ultimately led to its demise.

But Nikola’s downfall is bigger than just one company. It raises real questions about...

https://www.freightwaves.com/playbook/nikolas-bankruptcy-a-reality-check-for-diesel-alternatives

How Fleets Can Select and Qualify the Best Available Drivers

The trucking industry is built on the backs of skilled, reliable drivers. Fleets make the mistake of assuming that a commercial driver’s license (CDL) is the only qualification that matters. The reality is that not all CDL holders are created equal. Fleet operational and regulatory success hinges on selecting drivers who are not just legally certified but also match the specific demands of the fleet, the equipment, the mode and the type of freight being hauled.

A one-size-fits-all hiring...

https://www.freightwaves.com/playbook/how-fleets-can-select-and-qualify-the-best-available-drivers

The Road That Built Me

My name’s Rob Carpenter, and I’m your go-to driver voice for The Playbook. Whether you’re driving out on the road or running your own trucking business, I’m here to help you cut through the noise and figure out what actually works at a practical level. The Playbook, Roadmap, and Masterclass are all about giving you the real-world tools and strategies to succeed, no fluff, just straight-up practical advice. I grew up on a backwoods Virginia farm, raised by my grandparents and great-grandparents...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/the-road-that-built-me

Bridging the Divide in the Truck Parking Debate

The trucking industry is at a crossroads when it comes to truck parking. Rising operational costs, shrinking profit margins, and the emergence of services like Truck Parking Club are intensifying the debate over free vs. paid parking. At the heart of this issue is balancing driver needs, property rights, security, and fair compensation.

Technology has made it easier than ever for drivers to locate parking spaces. Yet, the fundamental question remains: should truck drivers have to pay for...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/bridging-the-divide-in-the-truck-parking-debate

Fighting Back Against Truck Accident Fraud and Why Visibility Matters

The trucking industry has come under siege in recent years with everything from higher taxes, high fuel costs, low-rate freight and increased insurance premiums to cargo theft, carrier ID theft and nuclear verdicts from highway accident litigation. Another recent development for carriers that must be considered is staged accidents designed to exploit insurance claims and extract massive settlements from carriers. These fraudulent schemes often orchestrated by criminal networks have plagued...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/fighting-back-against-truck-accident-fraud-and-why-visibility-matters

When Towing Becomes Predatory

Towing is supposed to be a solution that helps get a disabled or wrecked truck off the road safely. But in reality, towing has become a financial ambush for many motor carriers and owner-operators. Predatory towing companies have turned what should be a straightforward recovery process into a multimillion-dollar extortion racket. It’s not just an industry problem; it’s an industry crisis.

How Predatory Towing Exploits the Trucking Industry

The American Trucking Association (ATA) defines predatory...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/when-towing-becomes-predatory

Beyond the Wheel. How to Commoditize Your CDL and Driving Experience for Better Opportunity

Truck driving is often seen as a straightforward profession. Spend a few weeks in school. Get your CDL, hit the road, and keep the supply chain moving. But the reality doesn’t always match the expectation. Long hours, stagnant pay and evolving industry chaos leave many drivers questioning whether they chose the right career.

Some entered the industry for the freedom of the open road, only to find themselves bogged down by regulations, terrible employers and poor working conditions. Others signed...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/beyond-the-wheel-how-to-commoditize-your-cdl-and-driving-experience-for-better-opportunity

Quarterly review: US, China must act to avoid monetary breakdown, Why low inflation could last 50 years, and more

Quarterly review: US, China must act to avoid monetary breakdown, Why low inflation could last 50 years, and more

THE QUARTERLY REVIEW  – OMFIF

OMFIF’s most read opinion and analysis from the start of the year

1 January-31 March 2021, Vol.12 Ed.1

Inflation fears show currency reset needed

US, China must act to avoid monetary breakdown: With the rise of quantitative easing after the 2008 financial crisis, intensified by the Covid-19 pandemic, central banks are exerting ever-greater control over...

https://allaboutshipping.co.uk/2021/04/02/quarterly-review-us-china-must-act-to-avoid-monetary-breakdown-why-low-inflation-could-last-50-years-and-more/

Importance of navigational risk reviews

Over the last 10 years there has been a general increase in the number of claims which relate to the broad description of navigational incidents. These include groundings, collisions and contacts with fixed and floating objects (FFO). Thus, Mr. Clive Rees, Senior Surveyor, the Standard Club notes that the numbers of the relevant pool claims, named because the costs of those claims exceed the retention levels of the individual P&I clubs, are as follows: – grounding 44, collision 45 and FFO 46.

Fig...

https://safety4sea.com/importance-of-navigational-risk-reviews/

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