Optimizing Fleet Compliance

Navigating the modern driver hiring process

Truck driving is one of the largest professions in the U.S., with 3.5 million people strong, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. But despite this, most trucking companies are constantly searching for experienced and reliable candidates. 

The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates there are approximately 259,000 job openings for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers each year, and everybody in the transportation industry, especially hiring managers, knows filling those positions isn’t easy.

Compet...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/navigating-the-modern-driver-hiring-process

Prep drug and alcohol testing programs for 2023

As 2022 comes to a close, many carriers may be conducting end-of-the-year reviews on various aspects of their organizations. What worked in 2022? What needs some fine-tuning? And does anything need an overhaul?

In January 2020, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) officially launched its Commercial Driver’s License Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse. As a result, a drug and alcohol testing program took on added importance for carriers. As carriers conduct operational reviews, an...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/prep-drug-and-alcohol-testing-programs-for-2023

The value of driver training doesn’t stop at hire date

Truck driver recruiting and retention have come into sharper focus in the last few years thanks to the supply chain disruptions the global economy has faced. 

At its recent management conference, the American Trucking Associations (ATA) said that despite rising pay, the industry is still facing a shortfall of about 78,000 drivers. That could jump to 160,000 by 2031, the ATA said.

“The good news is rising pay and other factors have helped the industry attract new drivers,” Bob Costello, ATA chief...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/the-value-of-driver-training-doesnt-stop-at-hire-date

Fleet safety: Why corrective action training must be part of the solution

In many walks of life, average is acceptable. When it comes to trucking fleet safety, though, average may not be good enough.

When an incident occurs, plaintiff lawyers often look into the carrier’s history. Did it perform regular vehicle maintenance? How about driver training? Did it meet regulatory minimum standards?

Even carriers that do this, though, sometimes have gaps, and lawyers are well compensated to find those gaps. For a jury, that gap is what makes the difference when deciding if,...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/fleet-safety-why-corrective-action-training-must-be-part-of-the-solution

8 questions on FMCSA’s UCR fees and how to comply

White trucks parked in a row

It’s not often the trucking industry catches a break, but for the 2023 regulatory year, that will happen. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has dropped Unified Carrier Registration (UCR) Plan and Agreement fees for the 2023 year.

FMCSA collects UCR fees from motor carriers and other businesses for highway motor carrier registration and safety programs. The decrease is approximately 31% across all vehicle fleet sizes. The last time the fee decreased was for 2021 when it dropped...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/8-questions-on-fmcsas-ucr-fees-and-how-to-comply

Can MVR monitoring be a fleet risk management tool?

truck driver standing next to cab

The old saying in trucking is that the easiest way to avoid violations is to be proactive about compliance. For some, that is easier said than done. Many commercial carrier operations believe complying with regulations is enough. This is especially true when it comes to drivers.

According to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulation title 49 §391.25, motor carriers (or their designees) must pull a motor vehicle record (MVR) of anyone operating a commercial motor vehicle in...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/can-mvr-monitoring-be-a-fleet-risk-management-tool

Loaded and Rolling: Independent contractor legal battle; the hidden costs of compliance

Loaded and Rolling Cover ImageLegal battle over trucking independent contractors
(Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)

The trucking owner-operator business model is getting more legal challenges. The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a lower court decision in May 2021 that ruled in favor of Schneider’s contract terms, creating a situation where an owner-operator is effectively an employee based on its interpretation of the Fair Labor Standards Act. 

The suit, filed in July 2020 by Eric Brant, claimed he was effectively...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/loaded-and-rolling-independent-contractor-legal-battle-the-hidden-costs-of-compliance

A heavy vehicle use tax refresher as filing deadline approaches

Row of trucks lined up in a parking lot

For commercial motor vehicle owners in the U.S., it’s tax season. While much of America files annual taxes in April, CMV owners face an Aug. 31 deadline each year to file their heavy vehicle use tax (HVUT).

HVUT is a significant contributor to the Highway Trust Fund, adding $1.286 billion in revenue to the fund in 2019. The tax is not required on every vehicle. Consulting with experienced compliance specialists like J. J. Keller & Associates and their 2290online.com service can help alleviate...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/a-heavy-vehicle-use-tax-refresher-as-filing-deadline-approaches

The power of your roadside inspection data

Police officer walks up to tractor trailer truck

Each year, the nation’s trucking fleets focus on the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) International Roadcheck enforcement blitz. But the reality is that the three-day event, which in 2021 inspected a little over 40,000 commercial vehicles, represents just a small portion of the nearly 3 million vehicle inspections that occur each year.

Fleets that focus only on Roadcheck or one of the other enforcement blitzes that occur during the year could be increasing the likelihood of receiving...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/the-power-of-your-roadside-inspection-data

The molding of the professional truck driver

White truck traveling down the highway

Author Mokokoma Mokhonoana is known for his sometimes funny, sometimes profound expressions. One of them is that “no expert was born an expert.”

That saying could not be any truer as it relates to the professional truck driver. The commercial vehicle operators that transport 80% of our goods across the nation are, by and large, professional and safety-conscious individuals.

But they are not all born that way. It takes hard work and the right mentorship.

Driver trainers play an underrated role in...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/training-the-professional-truck-driver

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