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Last month, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) closed an investigation into blowouts involving certain Michelin tires after determining that truck operators were the ones at fault. An investigator wrote that exceeding the 75 mph rating was the most likely cause in all 16 complaints examined. The blowouts resulted in three crashes but no…

Highway off and on-ramps, many of them of antiquated design, are proving to be danger zones for truck drivers, according to a report in Bloomberg News. Bloomberg reports that though they accounted for just 3.3 percent of all large-truck crashes, rollovers were responsible for more than half of the deaths to drivers and their occupants…

Nevada-based On the Move Systems (OMVS) is developing a new program designed to save time and money on trucking by connecting users directly with individual service providers, according to a company release. “Uber has opened up a new realm of possibilities on America’s roads,” said OMVS CEO Robert Wilson. “It’s a revolutionary business model with…

U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-Arkansas) and Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia) recently introduced legislation that would allow the Department of Transportation to recognize hair testing as an alternative option for trucking companies to conduct drug testing, according to a Senate news release. The rationale for the bill is that when it comes to detecting employee drug…

The Canadian press is reporting that mandatory driver training for new truck drivers is coming to Ontario, although details are still being worked out. Provincial Minister of Transportation Steve Del Duca says details will be available this fall. He said the measure would make Ontario the only jurisdiction in North America to have such a…

Christopher Hart, a lawyer with a history in aviation and transportation safety, was recently confirmed by the U.S. Senate to head the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), according to an NTSB press release. Hart’s confirmation sailed through on a 97-0 vote. President Barack Obama nominated Hart to serve as chairman in January 2015, and the…

In 2012, 29.1 million Americans, or 9.3% of the population, had diabetes. 30.8% of these diabetic Americans used insulin or a combination of insulin and pills to control their blood glucose levels.  An interstate commercial driver who utilizes injection insulin should be aware of federal laws regarding the diabetes exemption program.  The following are steps…

Preparing to go to your DOT Physical Exam or CDL Physical Exam? Below you can download the forms you need to bring to your health care provider.  Be sure to use a health care provider listed in the FMCSA Medical Examiner directory. DOT Medical Examiners Report Form for DOT Physical Exam Medical Examiners Certificate  NRCME Training for…

Rebecca Brewster, president and CEO of the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI), is predicting a capacity shortage for the trucking industry, according to a report in the Jacksonville Business Journal. Brewster told reporter Stifel Nicolaus that a number of factors are in play: In 2013, 56 percent of truck drivers were older than 45 years…

The American Trucking Associations (ATA) and a coalition of 37 other organizations warned Congress about the dangers of devolving the federal highway program and urged passage of a robust, long-term highway bill that secures the federal role in transportation, according to an ATA press release. “As the nation’s primary movers of interstate commerce, a uniform…