LLN (6/23/21) – Few parts of the federal trucking regulations are quite as often misunderstood, or misused, as personal conveyance. We’ll offer some solid advice on the do’s and don’ts of that – plus what your rights are if someone tries to force you to use a lumper. Also, the pandemic has shifted the way freight moves around the country, with several inland cities becoming major warehouse markets. And in addition to the highway bill – a piece of legislation that has to be renewed every five or ...
Jun 24, 2021•51 min
LLN (6/22/21) – Some carriers are pushing truckers to falsify ELD information to dodge hours-of-service limits – but the driver takes the heat at roadside. Also, most truckers who try a lease-purchase plan end up on the losing end. Louisiana lawmakers want the vehicle purchase sales tax to help fund roads, while six states eye changes to ticket camera rules. And a severely anti-trucker highway bill is close to a vote in the full U.S. House, including using ELD data, minimum insurance requirement...
Jun 23, 2021•51 min
LLN (6/21/21) – OOIDA keeps a close watch on state issues affecting truckers. We have progress reports on several, including truckers’ inability to get a specific kind of insurance in Colorado and towing reform in two states. Also, when Fareed Johnson isn’t working behind the wheel of a pneumatic truck, he’s serving as the leader of the police advisory board in Gainesville, Fla. We’ll talk with him about what he’s doing to solve some of the problems exposed over the past year. And OOIDA has rece...
Jun 22, 2021•51 min
LLN – (6/18/21) - Blood pressure is an important indicator of your health – good or bad. But for truckers, it’s something more. The right numbers can get you a solid two-year medical card, while the wrong numbers could be bad news. Also, the excessive heat that comes with summer doesn’t just damage and transform your tire. It can also lead to fires. We’ll explain how to best avoid “thermal events” and what to do if you find yourself face-to-face with a burning tire. And for years, Congress has p...
Jun 19, 2021•51 min
LLN (6/17/21) – A shortage of battery-making materials could stall the government’s changeover to electric vehicles – and might also affect commercial trucking efforts. Meanwhile, after two hearings, we have a better idea of where the highway bill is going. Also, two big actions in our nation’s capital could have a big impact on your daily life – the Senate version of the highway bill, and the Biden administration regulatory agenda. Both contain things such as automatic emergency braking. And 20...
Jun 18, 2021•51 min
LLN (6/16/21) – Two years-long efforts by OOIDA have made considerable progress – ending split speed limits, and reforming police-dispatched towing fees. We’ll have an update. Also, there’s a lot to see out on the road if you just take the time to see it. We’ll take you to two spots recommended by OOIDA members. One involves taking a trip back in time. The other involves shoes made out of, well, human skin. You just know there’s a story there. Also, preserving a special truck. And everyone has t...
Jun 17, 2021•51 min
LLN (6/15/21) – The House Transportation Committee’s highway bill contained a lot of bad news for truckers – especially with insurance. But several committee members defended truckers and all they’ve done this past year. Also, Marty Ellis is hearing about carriers trying to turn employees into contractors and others who want to install ineffective “drowsy driver” tech. A highway bill far more favorable to truckers is about to be voted on in the U.S. Senate. OOIDA has issued a national Call to Ac...
Jun 16, 2021•51 min
LLN (6/14/21) – For years, Congress has put off an important decision – how to fund highways in the future as fuel tax revenue declines. That has pushed states to do some potentially problematic things. Also, when you go to the doctor and they take your blood, it’s for good reason. Your blood can say a lot about your health – and the same logic applies to your truck, which is why an oil analysis is also important. And Land Line Magazine Managing Editor Jami Jones discusses how a lawmaker used th...
Jun 15, 2021•51 min
LLN (6/11/21) – The state of Connecticut will now tax truckers for every single mile they run in the state. And after signing the bill, the state’s governor made some astoundingly anti-truck statements. Also, every year at the Guilty By Association Truck Show, one of the more popular features is the truck burnouts. So how do you make your own burnout truck? And Marty Ellis recently spent some time with the nation’s largest collection of antique trucks, but history isn’t what’s on his mind. Inste...
Jun 12, 2021•51 min
LLN (6/10/21) – All regulations – good and bad – start with Congress. The proposed highway bill would affect several; we’ll have a rundown. Also, fines for failing to remove snow and ice from atop your rig are a step closer to becoming law in Pennsylvania; meanwhile, two states look at motorcycle lane splitting. The House version of the highway bill has a host of anti-trucker provisions. But it’s not a done deal yet, and truckers need to speak out. OOIDA has issued a national Call to Action. And...
Jun 11, 2021•51 min
LLN (6/9/21) - Right now, the House Transportation Committee is writing its version of a highway bill. Will it increase your insurance costs? Will it limit your personal conveyance? Will it force you to add new technology to your truck? We’ll have some answers. A heavy haul will help extend the lifespan of the B-1 bomber; things are back to normal at the nation’s biggest antique truck event; and a trucker tells us some words of wisdom from Jim Johnston. Plus, June is National Mango Month, and th...
Jun 10, 2021•51 min
LLN (6/8/21) - Efforts are underway to remove some provisions the House Transportation Committee’s version of the highway bill that would be catastrophic to small-business truckers. That includes an increase in minimum insurance requirements. And many truckers have encountered the federal “anti-masking rule,” designed to prevent drivers from hiding violations from their record. However, many courts and local authorities are incorrectly interpreting the rule. 0:00 – Newscast. 10:15 – Anti-masking...
Jun 09, 2021•51 min
LLN (6/7/21) – CDL extensions were put in place to help drivers navigate the complicated world that COVID-19 created – and they did, but now they’re creating a different set of problems. By definition, ancillary coverage is extra, which creates the impression that it’s optional, but there are times it’s a necessity. Plus, breaking down the latest on towing, tolling, tort reform and split speeds on the state level. 0:00 – Newscast. 10:15 – CDL extensions running out. 25:05 – Ancillary coverage. 3...
Jun 08, 2021•51 min
LLN (6/4/21) – We finally know what’s inside the House highway bill, and as expected, it’s full of poison pills – but there was one pleasant surprise inside. From an unnamed trucker who saved a woman from a bad situation to members of Congress who still just don’t get it, Roses and Razzberries takes a look at who’s been good and who’s been bad. Plus, the OOIDA tour truck is in good company this weekend at the American Truck Historical Society show. 0:00 – Newscast. 10:15 – Roses and Razzberries....
Jun 05, 2021•51 min
LLN (6/3/21) – Cyberattacks are on the rise and whether you know it or not, it’s impacting your bottom line. What the U.S. Department of Transportation’s review of regulations could mean for the future of ELDs and speed limiters. Plus, Rhode Island looks into joining a regional climate pact and Montana’s second-largest county pulls the plug on a local gas tax. 0:00 – Newscast. 10:15 – U.S. DOT regulatory review. 25:05 – Rhode Island regional climate pact; Missoula County, Mont., local gas tax. 3...
Jun 04, 2021•51 min
LLN (6/2/21) – You may have heard about an ELD shortage – and while there’s some truth to it, the full story is a bit more complicated. A national reporter revives a newsletter dedicated to trucking issues. In a sign that things are returning to normal, two truck shows are being held this weekend. Some market reports are sending mixed signals on freight and rates. Plus, the fight against lowering the age limit for long-haul drivers from 21 to 18. 0:00 – Newscast. 10:15 – ELD shortage; Modes news...
Jun 03, 2021•51 min
LLN (6/1/21) – Getting stuck behind someone who’s camped out in the left lane isn’t just annoying – it’s dangerous, which is why more states are beefing up their left lane use laws. If you’ve ever run under your own authority, you’ve had to go through the new entrant safety audit – and it may have been a surprise, but it doesn’t have to be. And the curtain is about to be pulled back on the highway bill. 0:00 – Newscast. 10:15 – New entrant safety audit. 25:05 – States change left lane use rules ...
Jun 02, 2021•51 min
LLN (5/28/21) – In honor of Memorial Day, we’re presenting an encore of our story about a Navy vessel that played a key role the day Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam, fell, finally ending near 30 years of warfare in that nation, and causing thousands of refugees to flee the South for safer shores. It’s the story of the USS Kirk as told through the eyes of a trucker who served as a gunner on the ship, a trucker who was in Saigon at the end, and the ship’s official historian, who was also on b...
Jun 01, 2021•51 min
LLN (5/28/21) – Marty Ellis is getting ready for his first really big truck show, but in the meantime, he’s hearing from truckers worried about the PRO Act and thinking about getting their own authority, while he offers some advice on lease-purchase plans. Also, driving to the same places and seeing the same things can get old, so today we’ll recommend some interesting side trips. One will take you back in time to meet one of the Lone Star State’s most interesting historical characters. Another ...
May 29, 2021•51 min
LLN (5/27/21) – The FMCSA has extended the pandemic-related emergency waivers for hours of service and CDLs and delayed some changes to the certified medical examiner system. Also, Colorado’s state Senate has give its OK to an effort to spend nearly $4 billion dollars on transportation, while Missouri’s effort to increase fuel taxes could face a challenge at the ballot box. And every now and again, safety advocates or federal regulators find some new technology for trucks that they think will so...
May 28, 2021•51 min
LLN (5/6/21) – Truck parking continues to be a national crisis for the industry. But solutions are possible, and some are trying to do their part to be part of those solutions – among them, the National League of Cities. Also, the word of the week is: carrots. We’ll explain why it’s about to be a busy time for carrot shipments out of California. And recently, a prominent U.S. senator suggested trying to balance the highway trust fund on the backs of truckers. And the reaction was predictable. No...
May 27, 2021•51 min
LLN (5/25/21) – An Illinois congressman wants to increase your insurance requirements by more than 500%. OOIDA has issued a call to action, and we’ll have the details. Also, we recently covered the story of a compliance officer in Maine who was checking on an OOIDA member’s paper logs and asked for the driver’s GPS for cross-reference. The driver wondered – is that legal? A Texas effort to shield trucking operations from frivolous lawsuits is a step closer to becoming law, while Pennsylvania law...
May 26, 2021•51 min
LLN (5/24/21) – A plan to toll nine bridges in Pennsylvania has sparked anger and a legislative effort to reverse it. We’ll talk with one of the people whose organization been involved in the fight against the proposal. Also, OOIDA has been among the groups fighting the bridge proposal and other tolling plans in Pennsylvania for 20 years. We’ll discuss the Association’s view of the current situation. And thinking about loaning out your tractor or trailer to a family member? Or even borrowing one...
May 25, 2021•51 min
LLN (5/21/21) – The latest on truck parking includes crashes that highlight the need, a clueless city council and positive developments out of two states. Also, Marty Ellis is getting ready to hit some of the truck shows that are back for this year – but in the meantime, he has some advice for truckers about CB radios and personal conveyance. And earlier this week, we mentioned the Republicans in the U.S. House have offered up their own version of a highway bill. So, what is in – or not in – the...
May 22, 2021•51 min
LLN (5/20/21) – The medical requirements you will face as a trucker are being discussed today in our nation’s capital – while a debate over implementing the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement cause friction among the three countries, with truckers stuck in the middle. Also, the state of New York has a unique way of trying to reduce emissions from motor vehicles – they plan a big fuel tax increase. Meanwhile, Idaho lawmakers have approved an effort to spend more money on roads. A battle is underw...
May 21, 2021•51 min
LLN (5/19/21) – We’ll explore why compliance officers in Maine are asking to see the GPS units of drivers who still run on paper logs. Also, a truck driver is alive today thanks to a former NFL player who sprang into action after a train collided with the driver’s semi. Retired defensive end Brandon Bair explains why he thinks a higher power was in charge that day. It’s the least favorite season of many truck drivers – construction season. We’ll report on how that could affect your bottom line. ...
May 20, 2021•51 min
LLN (5/18/21) – The big question for years on highways is how we will pay for them going forward? As the debate continues, one member of the U.S. Senate says he wants to tax trucks only to make up a part of the shortfall. Also, Louisiana lawmakers continue to discuss raising the fuel tax – or some other method of bringing in more highway funding – while Missouri appears to be ready to raise its tax at the pump. And the excessive heat that comes with summer doesn’t just damage and transform your ...
May 19, 2021•51 min
LLN (5/17/21) – For several years, a seemingly small change in wording from a federal agency has resulted in some truckers – specifically, car haulers – getting cited for being over length, even though the law didn’t say they were. And OOIDA has been pushing to fix the situation. Also, properly maintaining those brakes is not only vital for safety and operation. It’s something that will keep you out of trouble with inspectors and law enforcement, among others. And Land Line Magazine Managing Edi...
May 18, 2021•51 min
LLN (5/14/21) – For some time, truckers have complained about the multiple backgrounds checks many have to go through to get hazmat certification, TWIC, a FAST card and more. Now, the Transportation Security Administration is taking a small step forward toward fixing that. Also, everyone has that one truck that’s special – the one you wish you could drive forever. However, few have put as much in the way of money and work into a truck as one family from Ohio. And the unique challenges truckers f...
May 15, 2021•51 min
LLN (5/13/21) – Pennsylvania’s lawmakers continue to battle over a public-private partnership program, including a plan to toll bridges. Also, the federal government is taking further steps to address the crisis created by the shutdown of the Colonial Pipeline. Plus we’ll have the latest on entry-level driver training and automated vehicles. Meanwhile, Texas lawmakers are considering protections for trucking operations lawsuits when the trucker is not negligent. OOIDA is taking aim at some of th...
May 14, 2021•51 min
