Trucking Action Plan

White House touts easing of supply chain pressures

The White House has outlined progress on commitments made over the last two years to ease supply chain backups caused by the pandemic but failed to acknowledge recent signs that improvements have been losing steam.

“Just over two years ago, then-President-elect Biden addressed the nation in a prime time speech to propose his economic agenda: a plan for a strong, worker-centered economic recovery from the pandemic, followed by long-term investments to lay the foundation for more durable,...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/white-house-touts-easing-of-supply-chain-pressures

Biden slams ocean carriers ahead of Port of LA speech

Biden speaking at White House and flanked by photos of container ships

Ahead of President Joe Biden’s planned speech at the Port of Los Angeles on Friday, the White House released a video of the president on a phone call with retailers who were complaining about the high cost of ocean shipping.

“One of the big reasons why prices are going up is the cost of shipping things across the Pacific, in particular,” Biden says during the call. “There’s only nine major ocean line shipping companies who ship from Asia to the United States. These companies have raised their...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/biden-slams-ocean-carriers-ahead-of-port-of-la-speech

White House taps retired general to be new port czar

Container ship leaving Port of Los Angeles

Work remains for the Biden administration’s new port envoy, Stephen Lyons, to untangle freight supply chains.

Gen. Stephen Lyons (Credit: Department of Defense)

The White House and the U.S. Department of Transportation on Friday appointed Stephen Lyons to replace John Porcari as the port and supply chain envoy for the Biden administration’s Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force.

Lyons, a retired four-star Army general, most recently led the U.S. Transportation Command, which provides cargo...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/white-house-taps-retired-general-to-be-new-port-czar

Trucking company explains why it started a driver apprenticeship program after Biden’s challenge

A red cab white trailer Karl's Transport truck.

In December, the Biden administration challenged trucking companies to step up their driver training efforts and create a registered apprenticeship program with the U.S. Department of Labor, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Transportation.

The administration considered its 90-Day Trucking Apprenticeship Challenge,  which was aimed at recruiting and retaining more drivers, a success. It resulted in 102 new apprenticeship programs, beating the administration’s goal of 90 programs in 90...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/wisconsin-trucking-company-using-apprenticeships-to-boost-driver-safety

Enterprise Fleet recap: Driver trainers in high demand

This fireside chat recap is from FreightWaves’ 2022 Enterprise Fleet Summit.

FIRESIDE CHAT TOPIC: New training regime for enterprise fleets.

DETAILS: Companies that lease or own enterprise truck fleets are as concerned about keeping drivers seated as for-hire companies. In this fireside chat, the leader of the Commercial Vehicle Training Association (CVTA) gives a status update on new entry-level driving training rules and what the government is doing to help schools deal with a flood of new...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/enterprise-fleet-recap-driver-trainers-in-high-demand

FMCSA moves against predatory truck leasing

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is accepting applications for a new task force that will look into truck leasing agreements and whether predatory arrangements affect driver safety.

The task force, created as part of the federal infrastructure law signed by President Joe Biden in November, was highlighted earlier this week by the White House as part of progress made on the administration’s Trucking Action Plan.

The panel will include a maximum of 10 members representing commercial...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/fmcsa-moves-against-predatory-truck-leasing

White House highlights new trucking jobs amid looming downturn

The Biden administration emphasized progress on several recent initiatives aimed at getting more people into trucking jobs but the potential for a freight recession threatens to undermine some of that progress, at least in the short term.

A fact sheet released by the White House on Monday pointed to major changes in the trucking industry over the past year, including record job numbers.

“Since President Biden took office, we have seen historic increases in trucking employment with 2021...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/white-house-highlights-new-trucking-jobs-amid-looming-downturn

GSCW chat: FMCSA head discusses key priorities for trucking in 2022

This fireside chat recap is from Day 3 of FreightWaves’ Global Supply Chain Week.

FIRESIDE CHAT TOPIC: Top FMCSA priorities in 2022.

DETAILS: The Biden administration’s Trucking Action Plan and the National Roadway Safety Strategy will be a top focus for regulators this year. In this fireside chat, Robin Hutcheson, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration deputy administrator, discusses how these initiatives will affect the trucking industry.

SPEAKER: Robin Hutcheson, acting administrator, FMCSA

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/gscw-chat-fmcsa-head-discusses-key-priorities-for-trucking-in-2022

Buttigieg prioritizing truck driver pay

If anything positive has come out of the supply chain crisis, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg wants truckers to know it is a renewed appreciation for them — and that they should be compensated accordingly.

“Industry estimates that there’s a gap of about 80,000 truck drivers right now relative to what we need,” Buttigieg said in a keynote address Wednesday at the Transportation Research Board (TRB) annual meeting in Washington, citing data from the American Trucking Associations.

“But...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/buttigieg-prioritizing-truck-driver-pay