News & Reports
Changes to CSA Scoring System – Facts and Opinion
By Dennis McGee; Dennis McGee and Associates Consulting Because every motor carrier is not inspected, data is not available for every carrier. SMS compares all rated motor carriers against all other rated carriers, rather than comparing small carriers with...
DOL Withdraws Controversial Obama-Era Independent Contractor Guidance
Trucking companies that use independent contractors could be breathing a sigh of relief after the Department of Labor Wednesday withdrew an Obama-era guidance that some viewed as an attack on the owner-operator model used in trucking. Source: DOL Withdraws...
DOL Announces Withdrawal of Joint Employment, Independent Contractor Informal Guidance
The Department announced the withdrawal of its informal guidance (“Administrator’s Interpretations”) on the issues of joint employment and independent contractors in 2015 and 2016 memos authored and issued under the former administration’s Wage and Hour Division...
Six Steps to Thwart Cargo Theft
“Cargo theft hasn’t necessarily gotten worse lately, but there is more sophistication on the criminal side than 20 years ago when it was strictly a crime of opportunity,” says Eric Fuller, CEO of U.S. Xpress. But there is much motor carriers can do to help protect...
Ninth Circuit Denies Sleeper Berth Pay Claims
Court rules that orientation is part of the application process and not necessarily compensable. Further, drivers in a sleeper berth are using adequate facilities for rest. Former drivers for a motor carrier sued the company claiming they had not been paid for the...
FMCSA Extends ICR on Accident Recordkeeping Requirements
FMCSA has announced that it is requesting approval to extend its information collection regarding "Accident Recordkeeping Requirements." The information collection request relates to FMCSA requirements that motor carriers maintain a record of accidents involving their...
Release of New Pilot Car Escort Vehicle Training Publications
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has released new Pilot Car Escort Vehicle training publications, including best practices guidelines, best practices for law enforcement, a study guide, training manual, and PowerPoint slides, all of which may be accessed...
The 2017 Pocket Guide to Transportation
Download it here; 2017 Pocket Guide To Transportation
The Relation between Years of Commercial Experience and Cause in Large Truck Crashes
The 2005 Large Truck Crash Causation Study (LTCCS)i was the first-ever national study to attempt to determine the critical reasons and associated factors that contribute to serious large truck crashes. The LTCCS defines “critical reason” as the reason for the event...
Avoiding Driver Pay Legal Pitfalls
Driver pay has become more contentious recently, led by the US DOL's focus on federal contractors (such as USPS highway contract route providers) and actions in California. Most companies want to pay drivers correctly. The current market dictates that good drivers...