News

The New York-New Jersey Port Authority is channeling grant monies to assist truckers operating at the port to buy newer, more environmentally friendly vehicles. The Port Authority recently announced it was committing an additional $1.2 million to the $9 million it expects to receive in federal grants for its Truck Replacement Program. The Port Authority…

GTCR, a leading private equity firm, announced it has signed an agreement to acquire Lytx (formerly known as DriveCam) for a reported $500 million in cash. Lytx is the leading provider of video telematics that help commercial and public sector fleets improve driver behavior and reduce collisions and collision-related expenses. GTCR will partner with Lytx…

Eighty trucking industry and other logistics organizations are lobbying Congress to pass legislation that would prevent individual states from regulating the industry in conflict with existing federal rules and regulations. Drivers from companies such as Ryder System, U.S. Express, Swift Transportation, J.B. Hunt Transportation Services and Werner Enterprises recently visited with members of the Committee…

The stunning success of companies like Amazon and Uber are changing the landscape in business and industry – and freight and logistics are no exception. Companies that know how to maneuver the web and leverage online transactions can have a dramatic impact on how business is done. One example is California-based Cargo Chief, a third…

Virginia Tech’s Transportation Institute (VTTI) recently captured a $2.5 million federal contract from the Federal Motor Carrier Administration (FMCSA) to study the feasibility of a flexible hours-of-service safety provision that would allow long-haul truckers to split their required sleeper berth periods into shorter time segments. VTTI’s team includes Washington State University and SmartDrive. Hours-of-Service (HOS)…

U.S. Xpress, a leading provider of transportation services across North America, recently announced that it has taken a leadership position among national carriers by focusing efforts on driver safety and increasing the base mileage pay by an average of 13.5 percent for Over the Road (OTR) solo drivers who have remained accident and ticket free,…

Nebraska Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) has had her sights set on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) since last year, when she introduced legislation to overhaul the federal agency. Fischer recently had an up close and personal contact with the agency when her Senate Commerce Committee considered the nomination of T.F. Scott Darling to…

A survey conducted by the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) shows that 75 percent of truckers will avoid Rhode Island if the state adopts Gov. Gina Raimondo’s proposal to toll trucks. OOIDA surveyed members in Rhode Island and northeastern states – Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and…

According to the American Trucking Associations (ATA), the industry is desperately trying to fill some 48,000 jobs—and that shortage could go up to 175,000 by 2024 as drivers retire and the demand for shipping and deliveries booms, in part due to the growing dominance of online retail. The ATA pegs the average private-fleet trucker’s salary…

Truck maker Navistar is negotiating a settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) over a January 2015 legal action against the company. Navistar said the agency’s staff recommended acceptance of its settlement offer, but it released no details, noting that the offer hasn’t been formally approved by the SEC. The Lisle, Ill., company’s offer…