driving

Free Food and Parking Offered to Truckers Due to COVID-19 Challenges

May 27, 2020 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

In the midst of the nationwide battle against COVID-19, our truck drivers are busier than ever ensuring we get our necessary medical and household supplies, food, and much more. Because of this, truck stops, along with state and federal associations, are doing what they can to help these truckers along the way.

Many restaurants have limited service to just drive-through and carry-out meals at the same time grocery stores are struggling to keep shelves stocked. Because of this, truckers have expressed their concerns regarding the challenges of finding accessible food while on the road.

In response, various travel center chains along particularly busy freight corridors are offering truck drivers free meals and parking while they make these important deliveries.

For example, The Nebraska Trucking Association has partnered with chains like Sapp Bros., Shoemaker’s Travel Center, and Bosselman Enterprises to implement a voucher program to provide free lunches for truckers working along Interstate 80–an expansive freight route between San Francisco and Teaneck, New Jersey.

“That is a long stretch of important corridor,” said association president, Kent Grisham, of Nebraska’s interstate. “Tens of thousands of trucks are traveling our state every day. We take that responsibility very seriously. We need to take care of the drivers. They’re part of the truck driving community. If [you’re] a driver, here’s your free lunch.”

Grisham explained that truckers are often working along the more than 450 miles of I-80 that spread across Nebraska, and that many Nebraska Trucking Association members, who had previously agreed to sponsor the association’s spring conference, decided to donate their money instead to the free lunch program when COVID-19 caused the cancellation of the event.

Sapp Bros. also decided to provide free parking at each of its 17 locations between Utah and Pennsylvania–also along I-80.

“All truck parking is free for now,” said the company on its website. “We remain open at all locations to serve you. Thank you, drivers!”

The company said its restaurants would stay open for however long governments allow. It will also boost all sanitizing methods around food contact surfaces, soda fountains, and other areas of interaction. Employees must also wear gloves whenever handling food and money. The company has discontinued the use of refillable cups and mugs and is bleaching showers after every single use.

Additionally, The Iowa Truck Association has provided 2,000 free boxed lunches for truckers at two weigh-in stations on I-80–the Jasper County Scale and the Dallas County Scale–over a two-day period. The association used a drive-through setup in order to comply with CDC guidelines.

“We want to show our appreciation to the professional men and women that are playing a critically important role as the COVID-19 pandemic unfolds,” said Iowa Motor Truck Association president and CEO, Brenda Neville. “We believe that providing a boxed lunched seemed to be the best way to achieve that goal, since getting food on the road has become a bit more difficult in the current situation.”

The association also ordered these lunches from restaurants that had to shut down operations due to the virus. Neville explained that she wants to continue working with other state transportation officials in finding other ways to serve more areas around Iowa.

“We’re very appreciative of folks that are stepping up and helping, especially right now in these challenging times,” Neville said. “Our main objective was to do something for the drivers that we thought would be impactful. It was something that we felt was a really appropriate way to show our appreciation.”

The Quail Creek Fire Department in Little Rock, Arkansas has also been offering free hot meals to truckers off of Interstate 530. In Jackson, Tennessee, locals offered sandwiches and chips to drivers on Interstate 40. A group of volunteers (and barbecue aficionados) in the Texas panhandle served brisket, ribs, pulled pork, beans, potato salad, and homemade roles to truckers in the area.

On top of these acts of gratitude, the federal government has also allowed states to operate food trucks in rest areas in order to help feed truckers.

On April 3rd, the Federal Highway Administration announced it would suspend enforcement measures in its Federal-aid Highway Program to allow states to decide whether or not they would permit commercial food trucks to sell food in designated, federally funded rest areas.

“America’s commercial truck drivers are working day and night during this pandemic to ensure critical relief supplies are being delivered to our communities,” said Nicole Nason, FHWA Administrator. “I am grateful to our state transportation partners for bringing this idea to the Department, and for their leadership in thinking outside the box. It is critical to make sure truck drivers continue to have access to food services while they’re on the job serving our nation during thee challenging times.”

The Arkansas Department of Transportation has already announced it would give temporary permits for certified food truck operators to serve truckers at two rest stops–the eastbound and westbound exits at Social Hill rest area on I-30, and the eastbound and westbound exits and Big Piney rest area on I-40.

Holidays and Winter Weather Remind Drivers to be Cautious on the Roads

December 8, 2019 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

This year, while Americans around the country were preparing for Thanksgiving and the festivities that accompany lengthy travel times, dreaded late-night drives, and full stomachs, we were all reminded just how busy our lives can get and the chaos that ensues when we are all trying to do the same thing and get to the same place. According to AAA, the expectation this year was that 55 million vehicles were set to hit the road, traveling more than 50 miles for the holiday. That is quite the number and goes to show how reliant our culture is on the ability to travel to visit our family, friends, and loved ones.

Besides stating the obvious that 55 million drivers on the roads present serious traffic concerns and safety violations, we wanted to bring attention to the fact that throughout the United States, especially in the Midwest, weather concerns present a serious issue that unfortunately cannot go unnoticed. It is true, Chicago and the rest of the Midwest get freezing cold. We experience brutal snowstorms, yet we somehow find ways to hit the roads and make certain that we get to where we are going. However, what we often don’t think about is the fact that these severe changes in weather present far more serious issues underneath the pavement that should make us worried about more than just the road being “clear.” We have written countless times about how potholes form due to cold weather and snow atop the roads, leaving many drivers unaware that even driving over one could potentially result in a blown out tire or the inability to properly turn. These are the types of issues we want to ensure all Americans are aware of because they truly come out of nowhere.

Chicago has recently announced that it is doing what it can to address issues involving potholes, going as far as conducting Blitz Days that serve as days dedicated for only refilling potholes throughout the city. While that may seem excessive, the reality is that Chicago has issues with road infrastructure throughout the entire city. You may be asking, so what, these issues are common and happen throughout the whole country. While it is true that potholes are common, other parts of the United States do not experience the snowstorms and inclement weather that we do. Sure, hitting a pothole is tough and may result in as little as a damaged tire; however, what occurs when you throw a snowstorm or the common “snow day” on top of that incident. You very well could be left waiting on the side of the road, or worse placing others in danger by continuing to drive with a damaged tire. That’s what this serves as. A simple reminder that while the pothole you attempt to avoid is an issue the city needs to address; you are responsible for how you drive after passing over such obstacles on the road.

With us now being in the thick of Holiday season, remember that the traffic and road chaos will only increase. Sure, the more traffic there is, the slower we are driving, but it has been shown time and again that more traffic results in far more dangerous roads. Again, this may be common sense, but it’s true that these road dangers go unnoticed. Remember, we are responsible for how we drive on the roads, even after a slight “hiccup” such as running over a pothole occurs. Do your neighbor a favor and be extra cautious. When you have 55 million drivers on the road, it’s the best you can do.

New Trucking Apps are Changing the Game for Drivers

November 27, 2019 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

Recently, we reported on the new sector of Uber: Uber Freight, an app which works to allow truck drivers and operators to claim shipments straight from their phones, as well as to get fixed rates and instant confirmation, tracking tools, and guaranteed seven-day payments.

However, the gratification of apps such as these seems to be fizzling out.

Uber Freight promised to motivate more new truckers to enter the industry in the midst of a driver shortage, and to easily allow drivers to match with jobs without the need of a middleman.

It also claimed it would allow drivers to pick their own hours and diminish the need to worry about rate negotiations.

For many independent drivers, though, Uber Freight and other similar apps, which seemed too good to be true, turned out to be just that.

Amit Sekhri, a driver who took up the vocation during the Great Recession, started noticing that not only was he enduring lengthy hours and weeks on end away from home, but he also was constantly dealing with late payments and incessant phone calls. Like a majority of truckers, Sekhri was booking his jobs through freight bookers, who do most of their business via phone call and habitually pay their drivers late.

Eventually, Sekhri came across Convoy, an app not unlike Uber Freight that allowed him to select nearby loads via his phone’s GPS and get paid within two days after completing a job. Now, Sekhri also dispatches four other drivers through Convoy delivery orders as well as through Uber Freight.

“It’s pretty easy. You like the price, you accept it, you assign it to a driver, and you can track them,” Sekhri said. “I don’t have to call the driver and say, ‘Where you at?’”

But problems began arising quickly. The number of jobs has started to dwindle, and drivers have begun complaining about low prices on Convoy. Three truck drivers, including Sekhri, recently discussed their disappointment with Bloomberg.

“I’ve got four kids to support,” said Sekhri. “I’m still hanging in and hoping it will get better.”

One of the other drivers had to close his business in March.

Convoy has even been negatively compared to its Uber counterpart, as truckers notice its business model has not been turning a profit. Convoy is planning to expand a bidding system, which would make it a kind of freight-eBay. Drivers would be able to place offers for a number of shipment gigs, which Convoy explains would help drivers find more work.

This theory isn’t proven, though, and could easily allow job payments to decrease, thus only making the low payment problem worse.

Drivers are continuing to try and find effective ways to save on costs. Although Convoy originally strived to become the new face of the trucking industry, it has instead become a reminder for drivers to pinch pennies.

For trucker Ira Lawrence, however, penny pinching wasn’t enough. After signing up with Convoy and buying a truck in 2017, he quickly found that it would be nearly impossible to make a living this way. With insurance costing over $1,600 a month, weekly fuel costing up to $3,000, and monthly maintenance exceeding $1,500, he was unable to stay in business with the vast majority of his jobs coming in through Convoy.

“We thought it would be this glorified life of: Get a load; stay there for a few days; and then get a load to somewhere else,” Lawrence said. “The overall cost of owning a truck is through the roof.”

The problem at hand is that while Lawrence and other drivers need to be paid more, shippers continually want to pay less. The quick payouts through Convoy helped him to stay in the gain for a while, but Lawrence was eventually forced to shut down his business after the low payments made it impossible for him to cover his insurance costs.

Insurance is an ongoing issue for these gig apps, as drivers are required to have high coverage for their cargo in addition to what they need for their trucks. For example, Uber Freight drivers have to cover all damages when they are at fault in the event of an accident, and must have a plan with at least $100,000 in liability coverage for cargo, as well as $1 million for their trucks.

The driver would then take on all responsibility for damages, which isn’t typically the case with traditional truck drivers, whose manufacturers or trucking companies are usually held responsible.

This is another ongoing issue, especially for innocent drivers involved in a trucking-related accident. Because these truckers are only required to have insurance covering the truck and its cargo, it is never guaranteed that hospital bills or car damage to the innocent party would be fully covered.

Still, Convoy plans to work toward exceeding the success of other trucking companies, including Uber Freight. However, Uber says it plans to spend $2 billion to expand its operations throughout Chicago.

Amazon Threatening the Trucking Industry Once Again

November 14, 2019 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

Over the years, Amazon has slowly but surely built an entire fleet of delivery and transportation vehicles to maintain its foothold on the behemoth of a business it has created. According to Business Insider, Amazon reportedly has an incredible number of vans used for the “last mile” of delivery, bringing product from the company’s warehouses to our doorsteps, with over 100,000 vans nationwide. As one could clearly understand, one company maintaining as much volume and control over the delivery of its own product certainly effects the ability for drivers to gain valuable work from a multitude of manufacturers and retailers. However, up until this point, there has been one key aspect of Amazon’s business that has allowed for drivers and the trucking industry to breath easy; the company has long welcomed third parties for shipping its product that goes beyond that “last mile.” Unfortunately, the trucking industry now may be facing a harsh reality, one that sees Amazon bringing all of its delivery resources in-house and creating a fleet that handles the entire delivery process for its business.

As we recently wrote, the trucking industry is already facing a steep drop-off of its own workforce due to retirement and an overall lack of incentives to take on the grueling job. Additionally, the industry has found it much more difficult to keep large fleets of trucks on the roads for trucking companies as retailers and manufacturers continue to consolidate and tighten their grip on shipping costs. That’s why the most recent sightings and word of Amazon’s branded Class 8 tractors are certainly cause for concern. Just last year Business Insider wrote an article on how Amazon was playing a significant role in the driver shortage. At the time of that piece being written, the online publication noted that “Amazon only operates 300 semi-trucks – FedEx, by contrast, operates more than 20,000 semi-trucks.” Additionally, in 2017 it had then been reported that the company was also reportedly attempting to bring 30,000 drivers into its company for solely its “last mile” services. Fast forward two years and we are not only seeing the driver shortage as be far more of an issue, but the trucking industry as a whole has been negatively affected. Most importantly, this is all prior to Amazon actually using the thousands of semi-trucks it has now purchased in 2019.

Amazon’s past decision to lure trucking industry drivers to its company has clearly had an impact on the industry as a whole. Unfortunately, the driver shortage is likely the least of trucking companies’ concerns at the moment. For example, in its article from 2018, Business Insider noted that the move by Amazon led some trucking companies to “primarily target the ‘spot market,’ which is for shipping agreements made only a few days before goods are shipped.” The reason for the trucking fleets to move to the spot market was primarily because this area in the market was far more lucrative than signing a third-party contract that could result in the manufacturer spending far more than is necessary over a longer period of time. At this time, the industry is suffering due to “spot market” rates crashing, not necessarily due to a driver shortage. Overall, while there have only been a few sightings of Amazon’s new tractors, the reality is that one of the world’s largest retailers is about to take the next step to maintain complete control over all of its business.

It cannot go without being said that the ramifications of Amazon bringing its delivery in-house will hinder much more than just the trucking industry. Large decisions such as these have ripple effects that will ultimately affect us all. Earlier in 2019 we wrote about how the trucking industry is losing many drivers, thus forcing older drivers to continue past retirement and potentially hiring drivers who may not actually be all that qualified or properly trained for the job. Such instances then potentially lead to older, overworked, and improperly trained drivers that are asked to drive thousands of miles across the country. Clearly there are circumstances that lead to traffic collisions and fatalities on the road, but decisions such as this, although rightfully made, certainly don’t make them any less likely to occur.

Long Expected Woes of the Trucking Industry are Beginning to Appear

October 30, 2019 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

There is a lot to be said nowadays about the fate of the trucking industry. Not only has it become a recurring theme over the last decade for publications to seemingly write one article every few months highlighting the idea that the trucking industry would soon disappear, only to retract those words when the American Trucking Association (ATA) or another prominent figure in the industry would produce new statistics establishing just the opposite. It’s been a recurring theme for years, and even we have covered the “expectations” that industry representatives have set amid the continued “crisis” we are all hearing about. In May of 2019, we wrote about the ATA’s announcement that by 2026 there was an expectation that there would be a driver shortage of 175,000 drivers in the United States. Rightfully so, those in the industry panicked and in turn, it became once again widely publicized that arguably one of the most important industries in the United States would potentially be in a position it could never get out of.

When news broke in the beginner of October that 4,200 truck drivers had lost their jobs in September 2019, it proved something that many had long been arguing against; the idea that the trucking industry was resilient and had the ability to adapt to changing demographics. In fact, Trucking Info had the opportunity earlier this year to interview the Chief Economist for the ATA, Bob Costello, who stated “some trucking companies have put an emphasis on female drivers, but the highest percentage of female drivers we have seen is around 20% for those fleets,” speaking volumes to the weight the trucking industry is placing on diversifying its fleet in an attempt to keep pace with the ever changing dynamics of the US workforce. Further, we have also written about how companies are attempting to change their recruiting tactics to not only reach women, but reach younger drivers altogether to ensure that the shortage does not get out of hand. While these tactics are sure to help diversify and hopefully alleviate the potential shortage, what happens when the economy begins to suffer? How does the industry the respond to a driver shortage when fleets are being forced to layoff thousands of drivers each month?

A Bleak Outlook for the Industry May Be Getting Worse

Safety Takes a Hit as the Industry Suffers

Our previous articles on this subject were in response to the growing age gap in the trucking industry and how the roads could be less safe as a result. For example, due to companies being unable to hire younger drivers, some turned to incentivizing older drivers who would push back retirement for more money or benefits. While these drivers provided much more experience and understanding of the roads, it could be argued that having fewer drivers who happened to be older also presented serious concerns about road safety, such as response time and vision concerns.

This argument becomes even stronger with the news that the industry is slashing jobs, meaning active recruitment for new drivers takes a backseat and the age demographic likely continues to be pushed back, becoming much older. Additionally, the current administration’s push to change the hours-of-service rules for truck drivers also presents issues with tired, overworked drivers, who may no longer be forced to stop for mandatory 30-minute rest breaks.

All these factors present serious risks to drivers on the road. In any industry, workers who are overworked, tired, and not forced to take breaks present disastrous results to production and safety. The trucking industry should be no different. News of the industry’s financial struggles just force the public to be aware of the potential ramifications that could occur on the road. Our lives could be put in danger due to the truck driver shortage and now, its very real financial shortcomings.

Congestion Fees a Possibility for Chicago Drivers

October 2, 2019 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

Chicago drivers may need to get ready for new fees–just for driving downtown.

On August 29th, mayor Lori Lightfoot said in her “State of the City” speech that she wants to make money for the city while reducing downtown congestion. To do so, she plans to work toward implementing congestion fees.

“We are exploring options to address rampant congestion that solves the problem of traffic, pollution, and other issues,” Lightfoot said, “while simultaneously bringing in a fair share of funding.”

Congestion pricing is a strategy that has been put in place in large cities such as London, Stockholm, and Singapore–it aims to target people driving in specific zones at certain times during the day.

By 2021, New York City drivers traveling below 60th Street in Manhattan will be electronically charged a fee through license plate photos or toll transponders–making it the first American city to enforce such fees.

This congestion pricing in New York is part of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s $175 billion budget–with at least $1 billion coming from driving fees–and will apparently cost drivers over $10 a trip to visit the city’s busiest neighborhoods.

These fees are projected to raise around $15 billion in bonds to help solve problems in the subway system and limit traffic on streets that have become less than drivable.

But, will it work in our city?

The push in Chicago comes after many attempts to save city money and generate new revenue; in the address, Lightfoot mentions a city government hiring freeze–implemented August 20th, as well as measures to “crack down on departments that have significant unbudgeted overtime expenses.”

Lightfoot says that right now, we are walking into “a staggeringly large budget deficit for next year.” She hopes traffic fees will be a boost that has been proven helpful in other large urban areas.

Within a year of congestion pricing in London–put in place in 2003–traffic delays decreased by 30 percent and the number of vehicles entering London proper dropped by 18 percent. Air quality also improved, resulting in a 12 percent reduction in nitrogen oxide emissions.

In London, as well as Stockholm and Singapore, the fees from congestion pricing have raised millions of dollars for the betterment of transportation and infrastructure: new buses, bike lanes, and expanded public transit were put in place for those opting to commute sans-car.

For Chicago travelers, DePaul University transportation expert Joseph Schwieterman believes this strategy will be of great benefit.

“We’re seeing a surge in driving again,” he told WTTV News. “Transit [rates] are flat, fuel prices are down, vehicle ownership is up, and suddenly we have a quality of life issue that’s setting us back. We’re a great global city; we have to have some sort of reasonable amount of mobility on the streets.”

Schwieterman believes congestion pricing is an “untapped source” for local revenue, but one obstacle is figuring out how to determine the boundaries of what is considered a congestion zone. Most likely, it wouldn’t need to include the entirety of downtown Chicago, but would more reasonably focus on the roads that are most often overcrowded.

There are caveats, however. London saw drivers complaining as fees rose over time, eventually doubling in cost from when they first came into play.

Gridlock in London also ended up returning–reportedly due to the popularity of ride-share apps like Uber and Lyft.

There is also the question of who would be exempt from paying–such as low-income drivers, those with disabilities, and those who live within the congestion zone. Although London gives a discount of 90 percent for its zone residents, exemptions often mean higher tolls for all other drivers.

Those who will see the biggest benefit from congestion costs in Chicago: subway, commuter train, and bus riders, who will see more extensive and reliable service from the new investment. Cyclists will experience more room on the roads and cleaner air. Drivers will ideally see a decrease in time spent stuck in traffic as well is in gas costs.

“There are certain areas where congestion is getting intolerable,” Schwieterman says. “Along the river, the Magnificent Mile, parts of River North…and you have to do something. It’s just going to get worse, and congestion pricing is well-suited for that.”