LLN (1/6/21) – The Georgia Senate election appears to have been won by the two Democratic candidates, which will shift not only those two seats but control of the U.S. Senate. So what does that mean for trucking issues? Also, imagine having a 9-year-old boy as your boss – a boss who’s still learning his multiplication and division. One trucker in Alabama doesn’t have to imagine it, because it’s his reality. And it’s a new year, and capacity is starting off tight, keeping rates on the upswing. 0:...
Jan 07, 2021•50 min
LLN (1/5/21) – New efforts are being made to allow longer, heavier trucks onto our highways, while some states continue to have problems with police-dispatched towing. Also, if you have an old-style, long-nose truck, you likely have plenty of options to pretty it up. For those with newer, aerodynamic rigs, not so much. But that is about to change. And eight states have changed their fuel taxes for 2021, while Michigan considers an organic way to clear roads in cold weather. 0:00 – Newscast. 9:44...
Jan 06, 2021•50 min
LLN (1/4/21) – How many truckers do you know who have spent significant time waiting to load and unload at the docks? The OOIDA Foundation is trying to find out. Also, a new online class on getting your own authority is in the works. Also, we’ll have a preview of the latest Land Line Magazine. And Tuesday is the Senate runoff election in Georgia. I’ll discuss the race, and how the outcome could affect truckers, with Collin Long of OOIDA’s Washington, D.C., office. 0:00 – Newscast. 9:44 – Survey ...
Jan 05, 2021•50 min
LLN (1/1/21) – Hoping to put some sparkle on your motor vehicle record? The process isn’t simple. We’ll walk you through the process and provide some tips. Also, most truckers need to be able to perform basic maintenance out on the road. We’ll discuss what kinds of tools you should have with you. And OOIDA is headed into the new year with a long list of priorities and goals. We’ll go over some of the more important items on the list. 0:00 – Newscast. 9:44 – What tools do you need? 24:37 – Cleani...
Jan 02, 2021•50 min
LLN (12/31/20) – Which men are at risk for prostate cancer, and how do you find out if you have it or if you are at risk? Also, hiring on a driver might make good business sense in the moment, but there are plenty of things to keep in mind before you do – including the long-lasting effects a hired driver can have on your insurance rates. And last week OOIDA Executive Vice President Lewie Pugh sent a letter to Congress about how recent legislation has let truckers down. We’ll have more about that...
Jan 01, 2021•49 min
LLN (12/30/20) – The last half of the year has been a crazy one for trucking; we’ll examine some of the trends that have shaped the market. Also, many transportation-related issues got put on the back burner this year because of the pandemic, but some trends started to develop in statehouses across the country. And so you think you’re ready to get your own authority? You may, or you may not. We’ll go over what’s really involved, and why you need to think it through. 0:00 – Newscast 9:44 – Gettin...
Dec 31, 2020•49 min
LLN (12/29/20) – The Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse continues to confound truckers and generate confusion. We’ll try to clear it up. Also, New Jersey lawmakers are trying to end ticket quotas, while South Carolina’s Legislature tackles slow-moving traffic, vehicle tracking technology and distracted driving. And OOIDA is headed into the new year with a long list of priorities and goals. We’ll go over some of the most important. 0:00 – Newscast. 9:44 – Clearing up confusion over the Clearinghouse....
Dec 30, 2020•49 min
LLN (12/28/20) – We know who President-elect Biden’s pick for transportation secretary is; however, we don’t clearly know how Pete Buttigieg will approach trucking issues. A reporter for Politico Pro joins us with a few ideas. Also, we’ll explore the types of cargo your insurance probably doesn’t cover, from personal items and mysterious disappearances to unattended cargo and even drag racing. And we’ll have more about OOIDA’s letter ripping Congress for letting truckers down, as well as informa...
Dec 29, 2020•49 min
LLN (12/25/20) - We’ll have a special holiday treat: a special, truckers version of the classic holiday poem “a Visit from St. Nick,” better known as “Twas the Night Before Chistmas,” Richard Fatherly reads “A Truckers Christmas Tale.” Also, 75 years ago, a trucker helped reunite a woman with her brother, who was injured in the D-Day invasion of Europe. It’s an encore of a 2006 interview with Mrs. Pauline Myers of Independence, Missouri. Taking part in Wreaths Across America provided driver JD W...
Dec 26, 2020•49 min
LLN (12/24/20) - For truckers who are working the holiday, Meals for 18 Wheels is ready to help. Also, we’ll present an encore of our story about the Truckers Christmas Group, which has long worked to help trucking families who are in need at the holidays. And applications are now being accepted for the OOIDA Mary Johnston Scholarship, which has helped many truckers’ children and grandchildren. The U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree is on the display in the nation’s capital thanks to two truckers. And ...
Dec 25, 2020•49 min
LLN (12/23/20) - Every year, a group of truckers in Northern California put on one of the best shows of the holiday season – the Truckers Christmas Parade. Also, van and reefer markets took a bit of hit in rates this week, but flatbed is coming on strong. And another Nevada county has adopted a local diesel tax, while Michigan’s snow plows may go vegan. 0:00 – Newscast 9:44 – Truckers Christmas Parade. 24:37 – Flatbed market looking good. 39:35 – Local diesel tax....
Dec 24, 2020•49 min
LLN (12/22/20) – State lawmakers have been concerned for some time that electric vehicles are not paying their fair share for roads, and now, some are acting on it. Meanwhile, South Carolina lawmakers consider action on slower vehicles in the left lane. Taking part in Wreaths Across America provided driver JD Walker a path toward healing after the tragic death of his son. Also, we’ll check in with two truckers who got to attend the White House Christmas party. And a bill passed in Congress this ...
Dec 23, 2020•49 min
LLN (12/21/20) – The pandemic has messed just about everything up, and that includes the process for filing your IRP vehicle registration. We’ll explain the changes and offer the latest on UCR and MCS-150 deadlines. Also, the December/January issue of Land Line Magazine is chock-full of news and information, and a lot of it is uplifting. We’ll have a preview. And for years, OOIDA has been steadily working to eliminate the worst abuses by the bad players in the towing industry. We’ll offer an upd...
Dec 22, 2020•49 min
LLN (12/18/20) – Since there was no playbook for what happened in 2020, the trucking industry had no choice but to improvise and we evaluate how everyone fared. Drivers grow increasingly concerned as they watch more and more restaurants close their doors due to COVID-19 restrictions. Plus, the latest on a pandemic relief bill that Congress is trying to hammer out before the holiday break. 0:00 – Newscast. 9:44 – Throwing out the playbook. 24:37 – Jon’s dispatch from the road. 39:35 – Relief talk...
Dec 19, 2020•49 min
LLN (12/17/20) – Too good to be true? A transportation agency is actually taking steps to remove costly, redundant and burdensome regulations. Missouri considers a fuel tax hike – again – and Pennsylvania lawmakers kill plans for more public-private partnerships. Plus, taking a closer look at the incoming class of Congress members and a massive cyberattack being blamed on Russia. 0:00 – Newscast. 9:44 – “Duplicative” regulations, CDL skills test delays and Buttigieg nomination. 24:37 – Missouri ...
Dec 18, 2020•49 min
LLN (12/16/20) – A missing Navajo Code Talkers flag finds safe harbor when a trucker stumbles upon it, and fate intervenes in bringing all parties together for the reunion. Freight and rates seem to be cooling off as we head into the end of the year. And breaking down President-elect Biden’s choice of Pete Buttigieg to lead the Department of Transportation. 0:00 – Newscast. 9:44 – Fallen flag reunion. 24:37 – Freight and rates cooling off. 39:35 – Buttigieg tapped to lead DOT....
Dec 17, 2020•49 min
LLN (12/15/20) – It’s the largest vaccine rollout in human history, and truckers are at the wheel – what to expect over the coming months. Our series of interviews with candidates for the OOIDA board of directors continues. Plus, some Florida lawmakers have had just about enough of red-light cameras, while speed limit rules are in the crosshairs in Michigan. 0:00 – Newscast. 9:44 – Board interview: Kurt Plummer; COVID-19 vaccine rollout. 24:37 – Board interview: Rodney Morine; bulletin board not...
Dec 16, 2020•49 min
LLN (12/14/20) – Even with insurance, there are situations on the road that can leave you exposed, feeling like you’re on an island without a life raft. Knowing what they are can help you prevent them. Ballots for the OOIDA board of directors are out, and we start our series of interviews with the candidates. Plus, a look back at the trucking issues that made the most headlines in 2020. 0:00 – Newscast. 9:44 – Board interview: Carl Smith; insurance exclusions. 24:37 – Board interview: Craig DeRe...
Dec 15, 2020•49 min
LLN (12/11/20) – Truck-only tolling is something you normally find in the book of bad ideas, but next year the issue also takes center stage in a Rhode Island courtroom – and what happens there could be have wide-reaching implications. From a trucker whose military record is beyond reproach to an ugly Hollywood stereotype returning to the small screen, we’ve got our Roses and Razzberries roundup. Plus, a dispatch from the American Southwest that includes dinosaurs, Christmas lights and vaccines....
Dec 12, 2020•49 min
LLN (12/10/20) – It won’t be long before truckers are asked to take a number and get in line for a COVID-19 vaccine, and we take a look at the latest chatter surrounding the rollout. Lawmakers in Pennsylvania and Michigan are still hammering out their 2020 agenda, with bills about electric-powered trucks and road funding. Plus, we take a look at a new routing app that was just released. 0:00 – Newscast 9:44 – HOS Q&A; Vaccine rollout details. 24:37 – Electric-powered truck rules in PA; road ...
Dec 11, 2020•49 min
LLN (12/9/20) – The two truckers tasked with getting the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree to Washington D.C. this year tell us what it was like hauling Christmas cheer across the country during a pandemic. Freight and rates got a post-Thanksgiving bump last week, but it likely won't last. Plus, tracking the likelihood of COVID-19 relief for the everyday American before the holidays. 0:00 – Newscast. 9:44 – U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree. 24:37 – Freight and rates enjoy post-holiday bump. 39:35 – COVID r...
Dec 10, 2020•49 min
LLN (12/8/20) – Knowledge is power and for truckers, that knowledge can mean the difference between a flailing business and a successful one, which is where three new videos from the OOIDA Foundation come in. Michigan lawmakers talk speed limits and beet juice. Plus, could the return of earmarks loosen up some of the gridlock in Washington and help push through some transportation measures? 0:00 – Newscast. 9:44 – ELD problem-solving, cost of operations and global trade. 24:37 – Michigan speed l...
Dec 09, 2020•49 min
LLN (12/7/20) – A decriminalization of pot appears to be on the move at the federal level, but truckers likely won’t get a pass. Court appearances in the age of COVID-19, and what happens in your personal vehicle doesn’t stay in your personal vehicle. Plus, bidding farewell to 2020 by taking a look back at the year in trucking, with an eye on the future. 0:00 – Newscast. 9:44 – Court appearances and personal vehicle problems. 24:37 – Call for unity. 39:35 – Marijuana decriminalization and trucke...
Dec 08, 2020•49 min
LLN (12/4/20) – A smokin’ hot mod can turn heads; we go over the ones turning the most right now. Rounding up the truck stop talk of the day, from the continued lack of bathroom access and ELD problems to a certain candidate to head the FMCSA. Plus, breaking down OOIDA's list of the top trucking industry priorities for 2021. 0:00 – Newscast 9:44 – Hottest mods on the roads 24:37 – Bathrooms, ELD problems and FMCSA candidacy 39:35 – OOIDA’s top trucking industry priorities in 2021...
Dec 05, 2020•49 min
LLN – (12/03/20) – A group of Wyoming state lawmakers is backing a plan to increase the state’s fuel tax, while Pennsylvania works on clarifying its “steer clear” law. Also, truck parking is getting some love from the feds this week – along with an extended hours of service emergency, but in the meantime, extensions for renewing CDLs and medical cards get not so much love. With a presidential transition underway, what are federal agencies doing and what changes are being made? And we’ll cover so...
Dec 04, 2020•49 min
LLN (12/2/20) – What’s the next step to solving the truck parking problem? We’ll go deeper into the topic and the recent meeting of the National Coalition on Truck Parking. Also, for people who received an EIDL loan from the Small Business Administration, not reading that fine print may present some problems. And Thanksgiving is over, but Christmas, winter weather and COVID-19 will impact freight and rates heading into December. 0:00 – Newscast. 9:44 – EIDL fine print problem. 24:37 – Christmas,...
Dec 03, 2020•49 min
LLN (12/1/20) – Utah considers a hard stand against protests that block highways, while Pennsylvania may use public-private partnerships to help pay for weight stations, rest areas and other truck-related projects. Also, a step in the process to get your own authority is causing delays and difficulties for some truckers, but a solution may be at hand. And today, truck parking is on the federal agenda as officials from across the country meet to discuss solutions. And we’ll have more about the bi...
Dec 02, 2020•49 min
LLN (11/30/20) – Todd Spencer has placed his name in consideration to head the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. He’ll explain why he’s interested in the job, and what he might bring to the table. Also, Trooper Tracy Lillard of the Illinois State Police has posted often about her appreciation for professional drivers. She’ll explain why she reaches out to truckers so much and what she hopes to accomplish by it. And driving through inclement weather is always a risk, but it’s even risk...
Dec 01, 2020•50 min
LLN (11/27/20) – If you’re a trucker and you want to start your own business – meaning get your own authority – you need to consider some key factors first. Also, some truckers are always looking the latest, greatest thing to attach to their rig to make it look hotter or work better. So what’s the hottest modification available for your truck right now? And a U.S. senator with a background in transportation may take over an important Senate committee – just as work will start on a new highway bi...
Nov 28, 2020•50 min
LLN (11/26/20) – For several years now, each Thanksgiving, Land Line Now has brought you a very special gift from all of us – a reading of a short story about truckers, “Something for Stevie” by author Dan Anderson. Today, we’ll offer up our annual holiday treat to you once again. Also, an OOIDA member gets hit by a truck – and lives to tell the tale, while another truck driver describes helping bring an Amber Alert to a peaceful end. We’ll report on Utah officials who have taken aim at a notori...
Nov 27, 2020•50 min
