TCA

Viewpoint: Infrastructure spending awaits congressional approval

In November, President Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act into law, marking a significant commitment to invest in all major sectors to confront new and enduring issues facing the country. The law established a $1 trillion infrastructure package, which includes about $550 billion in new spending on roads, bridges, broadband access, and more. Now, Congress must pass appropriation bills to define the law’s spending guidance.

With the many competing priorities in Washington, the...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/viewpoint-infrastructure-spending-awaits-congressional-approval

Public invited to vote for TCA’s Highway Angel of the Year

For the first time, the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) is letting the public vote for its Highway Angel of the Year. The association is allowing online voting on which of the three finalists TCA, along with presenting sponsor EpicVue and supporting sponsor DriverFacts, will choose as the 2021 Highway Angel of the Year.

The winner will be announced at the upcoming TCA annual convention, Truckload 2022: Las Vegas, March 19-22 at the Wynn Las Vegas. The Highway Angel winner will be announced...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/public-invited-to-vote-for-tcas-highway-angel-of-the-year

Viewpoint: FMCSA finalizes new training requirements for CDL

On Feb. 7, the new Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) rule will take effect, establishing a single national standard for training commercial vehicle operators for the first time. Prospective drivers who obtain their new or renewed commercial learner’s permit on or after Feb. 7 will now be required to get their training at a federally registered location before they are eligible to test for their commercial driver’s license (CDL) or any additional endorsements. By creating the new minimum...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/viewpoint-fmcsa-finalizes-new-training-requirements-for-cdl

Viewpoint: Trucking’s welcome message to teens

After Congress included a key driver training provision in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has now moved forward with making good on this directive. On Jan. 14, FMCSA published a notice in the Federal Register announcing the establishment of the “Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program,” which will allow 18-20-year-olds the ability to operate a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) in interstate commerce.

The apprenticeship pilot...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/viewpoint-truckings-welcome-message-to-teens

Viewpoint: ‘As I See It’ from the Trucking Activist – 2022 trucker forecast

Last month I gave my review of 2021. Quite honestly, I believe 2022 will have some of the same attributes and challenges, but with some hopeful changes. Here is my hit list trucking challenges going into 2022:

  1. Inflation and managing inflationary costs
    • Workforce – Wage increases, benefit increases, government interference, strong economic recovery, and infusing fun into the workplace.
    • Equipment – Known increased costs for equipment, parts and labor shortages in the support supply chain,...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/viewpoint-as-i-see-it-from-the-trucking-activist-2022-trucker-forecast

OSHA delays enforcement of revived vaccination or weekly testing mandate

Readers will recall that we recently wrote about President Biden’s vaccine mandate which took shape in the form of an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) promulgated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Although enforcement of the ETS was halted by the federal Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, the federal Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals recently revived the ETS, allowing it to go into effect.  In response to the Sixth Circuit’s ruling, OSHA has delayed the deadlines for...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/osha-delays-enforcement-of-revived-vaccination-or-weekly-testing-mandate

Viewpoint: Paid suspensions are not adverse employment actions, court rules

An employee, suspended with pay while the employer investigated alleged misconduct, filed a lawsuit against the employer alleging discrimination. The federal 11th Circuit Court of Appeals (which has jurisdiction over Florida, Alabama, and Georgia) was tasked with determining whether the suspension was enough to constitute racial discrimination.

Background

The employee had been serving as an executive director for a nonprofit since 2016. The executive committee voted to suspend the employee, with...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/paid-suspensions-are-not-adverse-employment-actions-court-rules

Viewpoint: TCA and the FREIGHT Act

On Nov. 19, TCA voiced its public support for Sen. Roger Wicker’s (R-MS) new legislation, which makes an effort to identify and reduce the issues in the U.S. supply chain. The Facilitating Relief for Efficient Intermodal Gateways to Handle Transportation (FREIGHT) Act, S. 3262, would improve the efficient movement of freight at ports across the country and would advance other efforts to codify regulatory flexibility to help with the current supply chain crunch.

As we’ve experienced throughout...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/viewpoint-tca-and-the-freight-act

Just announced: Fourth Making Safety Happen cohort starting Jan. 13

The Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) and DriverReach have announced a fourth cohort will be held for their joint Making Safety Happen program.

The program provides an opportunity for safety-conscious fleet professionals to interact and learn from each other in an open forum with dialogue. This exclusive TCA-member benefit provides expert-led instruction by industry safety expert Brian Fielkow with Jetco Delivery, a multi-year Best Fleets to Drive For Top 20 winner. The program features:

  • Six...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/just-announced-fourth-making-safety-happen-cohort-starting-jan-13

We got infrastructure! Now what?

On Friday, Nov. 5, Congress finally put the long-awaited Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) up for a vote. The bill passed at nearly midnight by a margin of 22 votes, the final tally coming to 228-206. President Biden urged the House to pass the infrastructure bill after weeks of negotiation within the Democratic party by saying “Send the IIJA to my desk, send Build Back Better to the Senate. Let’s build on incredible economic progress. Build on what we’ve already done. And this will...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/we-got-infrastructure-now-what

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