Trucking Industry

ATA Brings HudsonCyber Services Onboard

April 16, 2020 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

ATLANTA — Late last month, HudsonCyber, along with American Trucking Associations, announced a program set to allow all ATA-member motor carriers access to HudsonCyber’s cybersecurity cloud.

Until now, the Camden, New Jersey company focused on giving marine industry supply chains cybersecurity services. But, with the rise of hacking risks among trucking companies–caused mainly by the influx of technology advancements in the industry–HudsonCyber is aiming to now bring support to the fleets working to minimize their potential for cyberthreats.

“The trucking industry, as part of the global transportation sector, is very similar to the maritime sector–where some of the terms, challenges, and concepts are very similar,” said Max Bobys, HudsonCyber Vice President, at ATA’s annual Technology and Maintenance Council meeting. ”About a year ago, we started a conversation with ATA about how we might be able to adapt and deliver a similar solution to the trucking industry.”

According to ATA’s director of Technology and Engineering Policy, Ross Froat, “cybersecurity is always a hot-button item.” He explained that modern trucks can have upwards of a dozen computers onboard, as companies use them to improve safety and track drivers and their shipments.

“There is a lot of communication going on onboard the truck at all times,” he said. “How fleets have been adapting to that has been very beneficial to uptime, more freight deliveries, and assurance to shippers and customers.”

With Controller Area Network systems, trucks can easily send data back to companies and their offices, and some technological components can make communication between drivers and their companies incredibly simple. However, more interconnected systems always come with higher risk.

“Every step that the industry takes in advancing technologies, there’s a parallel step in terms of vulnerabilities and security, and the scariest things that could happen–like terrorist attacks with truck ramming, and things like that,” said Froat.

To help combat these issues, HudsonCyber has developed a platform to target the needs of each individual trucking operation implementing it, Bobys said.

“This is going to be something tailored to–and inclusive of–the actual end users and challenges within the trucking sector,” he explained. “We are going to set up a separate platform that will be able to deliver cybersecurity self-assessment [and] decision-support capabilities to all ATA members at a very low price point going forward.”

ATA Chief Commercial Officer, Kevin Traver, said this initiative–the second affinity program launched by ATA–wants to solve members’ issues with low-cost solutions.

“It has to benefit our members, and it has to be affordable for our members,” he said. “We’re not trying to create programs that will cost our members hundreds of millions of dollars. We’re trying to give them solutions that make sense in their budgetary process.”

Options like these are especially important for fleets carrying particular kinds of cargo, said Clem Driscoll, founder of C.j. Driscoll & Associations, a marketing and research firm.

“If they’re carrying any type of sensitive cargo, they should probably be more concerned,” he explained. “Those that feel vulnerable because of what they are carrying or because their customers express concern should be doing something about it. But that’s not every trucking fleet.”

Many trucking companies, he said, have not begun to pay nearly enough attention to the actual risk at hand of cyberattacks and how detrimental they can be.

“Some companies are prepared to handle that, to some extent, while others have not been concerned about it and haven’t done anything,” Driscoll said. “The level of concern is moderate at most, especially among smaller fleets.”

Additionally, Bobys said cyber-risk assessment through programs like that of HudsonCyber, is vital for trucking companies without cyber safety experts already onboard.

“One of the general challenges in the global market regarding cybersecurity is actually the shortage of cybersecurity experts globally,” he said. “That is a chronic situation that continues to persist. And it affects literally every industry.”

However, Froat asserts that before fleets add any software or external access to their systems, they must consider all of The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s cybersecurity guidelines.

“Be proactive in the decision to add whatever to [your] network,” he said. “Because once one of those systems is hacked, your system is hacked.”

No Need to ‘Hoard’ Groceries Amid COVID-19 Concerns Say Experts – Supply Chain Intact

March 31, 2020 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

Efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19 have put a strain on the transpiration industry charged with getting food and supplies from point A to point B. Many stores quickly ran out of toilet paper when news of confirmed infections began breaking in the United States.

Seeing empty store shelves in a country where we often encounter abundance can seem ominous. People are facing a lot of uncertainty surrounding this pandemic. Many people are out of work and have had to apply for unemployment. Businesses are shut down and there are certainly some that may not recover. This whole situation has the potential of changing our realities, possibly even permanently.

Fear of the unknown is likely what sent people rushing to their local convenience and grocery stores to buy more toilet paper and paper towels than they will likely use in a year. There was a run on food as well. Grocery aisles emptied out quickly even before the Governor here in Illinois told everyone to stay home. Items with a long shelf life, like rice and pasta went first, along with the inventory of most of your local meat departments. However, it wasn’t long after that stock started to replenish at most stores. The main reason for this is the hard work of our nations professional truck drivers. Thankfully, food production hasn’t stopped, and stores are continuing to receive their shipments of supplies.

After the Governor of Illinois announced the shelter-in-place order, he deemed certain facilities and the people employed by them as “essential,” stating that such would remain open and continue to work. Not only did this category include hospitals and pharmacies, but also restaurants and grocery stores. As a result, professional truck drivers continue to work to deliver supplies to grocery stores and restaurants so that people can get what they need. Additionally, in order to stop others from “hoarding” specific items such as hand sanitizer, soap, toilet paper, paper towels and the like, grocery stores have implemented policies which limit the amount customers may purchase.

Although there are less vehicles on the road due to the “stay-home” orders local governments have been issuing throughout the country during this pandemic, it is still important for truck drivers to be able to practice safe and careful driving when transporting essential goods. If anything, there are a much higher percentage of semi-trucks driving around trying to get supplies delivered to stores than ever before and the last thing that anyone would want to happen is for these trucks and the drivers to get into a crash and possibly be injured. We need truck drivers to be able to do their jobs. However, they need to be able to do so while still following safety rules, including limits on the hours they remain on duty and still meet the needs and demands of each community. Accordingly, government, as well as private trucking companies, must provide truck drivers the ability to get enough rest and not be overworked in order to avoid driving while fatigued. This would ensure the safety of drivers, both truck drivers and other drivers on the road, as well as the arrival of the cargo professional truck drivers are carrying.

In uncertain times like these when some things may be out of our control, we still need to take all the measures we can to prevent crashes and injuries, not only to protect the supply chains that keep us fed, but to allow our hospitals and medical professionals the ability to focus on treating people suffering from this terrible virus.

Omnitracs Conference Focuses on ELDs and HOS Changes

March 28, 2020 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

U.S. regulators are hyper-focused on hours-of-service adjustments and the trucking industry’s compliance with the electronic logging devices designed to monitor them–as is the industry itself.

At tech supplier Omnitracs’ Outlook 2020 conference on February 17th in Las Vegas, ELDs and HOS rules took center stage. Industry officials talked extensively about how regulators are finalizing the proposal of driver HOS flexibility, as federal electronic logging device enforcement also progresses.

For truck drivers, motor carriers, and shippers, these new regulations may be the most important federal trucking changes in 2020.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration released its intention to revise how much time drivers can spend on-duty hours (both driving and out-of-cab), as well as how they track their hours in their driver logs, in August 2018. The ELD mandate took full effect in December 2019–a regulation calling for truckers to record their HOS with ELDs instead of annual paper logbooks.

Joe DeLorenzo, acting associate administrator for enforcement at the FMCSA, said at the conference’s panel discussion that current ELD enforcement data shows law enforcement is learning to more regularly cooperate with the data transfer process of the new technology.

DeLorenzo said there has been an “interesting curve” in driver log violations, as well as in driver violations for exceeding HOS limits.

“We had a large dip in violations for falsification,” he explained. “But as officers got comfortable with it, that level of violations per inspection for false records is higher than it’s ever been before, which means now law enforcement has figured out what the tricks are, and how easy it is to find the falsifications.”

Back when the ELD mandate was first set in 2017, the FMCSA had “numerous requests from Congress and the public for [the] FMCSA to consider revising certain HOS provisions,” the federal truck safety agency said in its rulemaking notice.

The Owner-Operator Independent Driver Association in particular asked the agency to make significant changes to HOS rules in order to allow drivers to rest for up to three consecutive hours once per 14-hour shift. OOIDA also wanted the FMCSA to loosen the 30-minute rest break requirement after eight driving hours.

The FMCSA released its guidance in May of 2018 depicting how drivers should use the personal conveyance provision of the HOS rules, as well as how certain exemptions work in the era of the ELD mandate. Still, regulators thought they should address the ELD trucking aftershock further.

According to DeLorenzo, the overall learning curve is likely to continue throughout 2020.

“We need this next six or 12 months to really solidify that learning, get everybody used to it, and the more we can get data transfer done, that’s better for everybody,” he said.

Kerri Wirachowsky, Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance roadside inspection program director, said to make ELD inspections work easily, driver knowledge is most important.

“Ensure your drivers are trained on how to use the device,” she asserted.

FMCSA is still reviewing public comments regarding its HOS regulation flexibility proposal. When the comment period on the rulemaking notice was extended, thousands of comments flooded the agency. The four HOS areas being considered for changes include:

-Expanding the current short-haul exemption from 12 to 14 hours-on duty

-Extending the 14-hour on-duty limitation by up to two hours when adverse driving conditions are present

-Revising the mandatory 30-minute break for drivers after eight hours of driving

-Reinstating the option to split 10-hour off-duty breaks for drivers operating trucks with sleeper-berths

DeLorenzo said as HOS changes are complex, it will continue to take time. The changes also continue to receive strong backlash from those arguing that relaxing break times will bring more fatigued drivers, and thus, more accidents.

For FMCSA, the main concern seems to be changing trucking environments with higher–and faster–demands.

“An awful lot has changed in the industry since 2003,” DeLorenzo said. “Just-in-time delivery wasn’t a thing. Amazon wasn’t a thing. Traffic certainly was not what it is now. Infrastructure was not what it is now.”

NAD Petition to Relax Deaf Truck Driver Requirements Reviewed by FMCSA

March 27, 2020 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is currently reviewing a petition from the National Association of the Deaf to relax certain requirements for deaf truck drivers.

NAD is arguing that the present requirements stating deaf truckers must pass a medical exam proving their ability to hear and prohibiting them from using interpreters during tests were implemented during a “time of misguided stereotypes about the abilities and inabilities of deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals.”

NAD has been pushing for updates to these requirements since 2017.

“NAD also contends that both the hearing requirement for physical qualification to operate a commercial vehicle and the speaking requirement are violations of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973,” said FMCSA’s announcement inviting public comment on the petition. This comment period ended on February 14th.

As of now, drivers have to “perceive a forced whispered voice in the better ear at no less than 5 feet, with or without the use of a hearing aid,” to pass hearing exams.

Additionally, to pass an audiometric device test, a driver must not have an average loss of hearing in his or her better ear, with or without a hearing aid, of any greater than 40 decibels at 500 Hertz, 1,000 Hertz, and 2,000 Hertz.

Any deaf drivers who cannot successfully pass these hearing tests are currently able to seek an exemption from the FMCSA, and at least 450 deaf drivers who have good driving records have been given 5-year exemptions.

Regardless, many prominent groups in the trucking industry have filed comments opposing any relaxation of present regulations. These groups include: American Trucking Associations, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, Commercial Vehicle Training Association, American Bus Association, and American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators.

“While ATA believes the National Association of Deaf petition has merit, there are several concerns that FMCSA must address before any consideration to eliminate the hearing requirement for commercial motor vehicle operators,” ATA said in its comments. “These concerns involve a commercial driver license training, regulatory compliance, workplace safety, advisory board opposition, the lack of data currently available to assess crash risk, and employers’ ability to make an individual assessment of driver applicants.”

ATA also explained that proof of safety improvements in this circumstance is most important. “Before FMCSA revises any safety standard, both the petitioner and FMCA must provide the public with data-driven evidence that reflects real-world situations and adequately ensures safe CMV operations on our nation’s roadways.”

According to the FMCSA Federal Register Post, the proposal must undergo an environmental analysis in accordance with the FAA Order titled: “Environmental Impacts: Policies and Procedures” before any final regulatory changes.

OOIDA did note that FMCSA’s 2017 analysis of 218 CDL holders who had hearing exemptions showed that those drivers did in fact have a lower crash rate than the national average, as well as fewer out-of-service violations. Still, OOIDA remains in opposition to any regulation updates for deaf truck drivers.

“Driving a commercial [motor vehicle] requires constant attention,” said Education for Apex CDL Institute owner, Jeffrey Steinberg. “It requires the ability to always perceive changing circumstances around you. It requires the ability to not only see what is going on, but to also hear what is going on. Screeching tires, horns and train bells, emergency vehicle sirens.”

He also explained that hearing ability can be imperative in the case of mechanical issues on trucks. “Drivers need to be able to detect mechanical problems to be able to act before a serious problem occurs. Blown and failed tires, air leaks, wheel bearing failures, screeching brakes, engine knocks, and pre-ignition, just to name a few.”

Many deaf truck drivers don’t see these safety concerns as valid, though.

“I’m a deaf trucker of 29 years with no accident of any sort of record,” said driver David Helgerson. “Technology today has vastly improved [from where] it was years and years ago. This barrier needs to be removed.”

CTVA stands firm. “The government’s extensive 1997 study found a ‘consensus’ among subject matter experts ‘that there are many tasks for which truck drivers are required to use their hearing.’ CVTA strongly opposes NAD’s request to remove the hearing and speech requirements for the operation of commercial motor vehicles.”

Whether or not FMCSA will consider the technology improvements that have simplified so many manual trucking tasks since then in regards to how truck drivers perform their duties has yet to be determined.

Outrider Startup Raises $53 Million to Automate Trucking Yards

March 26, 2020 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

Outrider, a startup tech company formerly known as Azevtec, rose to prominence this month with its announcement of having raised $53 million for its autonomous trucking yard operations system.

The funding will work toward aiding both warehouses and logistic hubs with their outdoor vehicle operations, while also helping distribution yards to move freight-heavy semi-trailers efficiently between warehouses and public roads. Currently, methods around yard operations are hazardous, the company said.

“While there’s been lots of automation in other aspects of the supply chain, what happens in yard operations is almost entirely manual and inefficient,” said CEO and founder of Outrider, Andrew Smith. “This means there is congestion when over-the-road trucks are coming to drop off trailers or containers into a yard. There are misplaced trailers that can cause all sorts of issues within the supply chain. Equipment gets damaged. So, we are laser-focused on autonomous yard operations and the movement of that freight.”

The new funding came through Series A financing–a series of investments for private startups showing potential and progress in their efforts.

“The important thing to understand about our system is that we don’t just automate the truck,” Smith continued. “We automate the entire yard. What this means is, we think about what are those components that come together that allow one person to dramatically increase the safety and productivity of the yard, as opposed to having lots of people running around doing those things.”

Right now, with around 50,000 yard trucks across the nation handling freight container and trailer transfer from warehouses or distribution center trucks, Outrider aims at automating these yard trucks through a new electric vehicle equipped with Level 4 autonomy features. This goal will potentially improve overall safety within distribution center yards.

Outrider is looking to automate processes such as:

-Moving trailers around yards

-Transporting trailers to and from loading docs

-Hitching and unhitching trailers

-Connecting and disconnecting brake lines

-Monitoring trailer locations

This new system will work to “deliver yards that are more efficient, safer, and more sustainable,” the company said.

According to Smith, the system is comprised of three components. First, a web-based interface that lets customers use a dashboard to move vehicles throughout the yard; second, a modular site infrastructure allowing vehicles to maneuver easily around workers; and third, using software, robotics, and sensors on a base electric truck platform to automate the vehicles.

The software is easily able to be integrated with current warehouses and yard management systems, he explained further.

As many other trucking industry companies work to automate warehouse operations and over-the-road trucks, Outrider said it has found the opportunity to bring more automation to the logistics yard, which is connecting factor between those processes.

“Yards are dangerous environments–essentially, anywhere you have people interacting with 80,000-pound pieces of equipment, operating in all weather conditions during all hours of the day [is dangerous],” said Smith. “Unfortunately, yard accidents are quite frequent, so safety is core to everything we do.”

To reduce equipment damage and accidents as trailers move throughout fast-past work environments, Outrider is developing new yard safety cases with customers and outside experts.

With Outrider, “people inside the warehouse can communicate safely with the autonomous truck to limit how those vehicles get pulled away from the warehouse doors,” Smith said about one of the most common and hazardous activities in a yard. Outrider’s system also automates how drivers connect and disconnect air lines on a trailer, which they typically have to do manually.

The company, based out of Golden, Colorado, has impressed investors with its 75 employees, 50 of whom focus exclusively on distribution yard automation.

“We consider hundreds of investment opportunities in the logistics space every year,” said 8VC founding partner, Jake Medwell. “Our decision to be an early investor in Outrider was an easy one. Andrew’s vision and plan for the industry are highly compelling, and he’s mobilized an unmatched team to execute.”

As automated technology has industry workers hoping for large economic wins, it still brings worry regarding displaced workers. Conversely, Smith said Outrider is designed to allow workers more time for more important tasks.

“We, as a company, are focused on thinking about what is the responsible deployment of autonomous technology,” he said. “For all the cases we are working on with our customers, there is little-to-no direct job loss for the employment of these systems. Yard truck driving is a repetitive and hazardous task where you see high levels of turnover.”

People Still Need Food and Supplies – Truck Drivers are Essential and We Need to Keep Them Safe Too

March 24, 2020 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

Many store shelves have been empty with retailers selling out of essentials as people are legitimately concerned over the spread of COVID-19, commonly referred to as coronavirus. While many people are sheltering in place at home, our economy continues to rely on the trucking industry to transport goods wherever they need to go.

Some states have restricted non-emergency travel and imposed curfews. The safety and health of our communities are, of course, foremost on everyone’s minds. Yet, we still need things to get by. This pandemic has brought on a near shutdown of the American economy and, as I write this, Congress is hopefully finishing negotiations over the proposed stimulus package aimed at propping up businesses and protecting household’s savings accounts, as well as people just managing to get by.

Truck drivers and transportation companies play a vital role in keeping grocery stores stocked and allowing hospitals to replenish supplies. Most every item on a store shelf from produce to paper towels got there on a truck. It is essential that processional truck drivers are able to do their jobs. It won’t be the same as before, of course. Closed restaurants and truck stops will make it hard for drivers to find places to stop to rest or even wash their hands. This is where elected officials in every state need to step in and make sure there are adequate facilities available to drivers and that proper precautions are taken to prevent them from getting sick.

Although the transportation of essential good needs to continue as uninterrupted as possible, every effort should be taken by trucking companies and government to allow drivers the ability to rest when needed and when the law requires. For instance, federal and state laws prohibit trucks from parking on highway shoulders overnight. States that have taken action to limit business operation and travel, must make accommodations for drivers making cross-country trips that require overnight stops.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) website contains information regarding emergency declarations, waivers, exemptions, and permits for drivers. The site continues information about which states have issued emergency declarations and some of the regulatory information associated with that. In addition to check with the FMCSA, drivers and transport companies should check each state’s website where they intend to travel to make sure they are following all local rules as well. FMCSA has also set up a toll free hotline for questions at 1-877-831-2250.

This pandemic is unprecedented. We will likely continue to deal with not only the health and medical emergency resulting from the spread of COVID-19, but also the economic ramifications, as well as continued restrictions on work and travel. As we move forward, we have to understand that we are all in this together. We should continue to do everything we can to try and keep people from getting sick, but we also need to keep I mind that although we are dealing with an extraordinary situation, we must continue to focus on taking precautions in our normal activity, including getting around from place to place when needed, and moving food and goods where they need to go.

Staying healthy from the threat of infections is not our only concern. With the spread of this virus a hospital stay resulting from a car crash could increase someone’s risk of coming into contact with a person seeking treatment for the virus. All the more reason for transportation companies and government to work together to make sure drivers are able to follow safety rules and get the rest they need as well as the facilities they need to be able to do their essential jobs properly.