LLN (10/27/21) – Several health issues are generating a lot of talk right now – what is and is not required on your U.S. DOT physical; and a recall of CPAPs. Also, research says more than a third of all truckers smoke – which can lead to all kinds of health problems. So the St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund has started a program called “Rigs Without Cigs.” Matt Sullivan of DAT explains how the supply shortage is showing up in the spot market before getting into the latest trends and numbers. ...
Oct 28, 2021•51 min
LLN (10/26/21) – The rising cost of fuel isn’t lost on anyone these days, but you don’t have to be losing out. We’ll discuss navigating fuel surcharges, how to save money when prices go up and the importance of locking gas caps. Also, in less than two weeks, Maine voters will decide whether to use bonds for highway repairs, while lawmakers in Michigan would make life a little easier for timber haulers who work in both that states and Wisconsin. And this is supposed to be the week when Congress f...
Oct 27, 2021•51 min
LLN (10/25/21) – More than a few truckers have faced a violation that wasn’t a violation, a ticket they think – for good reason – is frivolous or wrong. But anything like that can hurt you and your operation, and potentially put you out of service. So how do you get that off your record? Also, looking to make the switch to car hauling? Or heavy hauls? Or something else? There’s a lot to consider, including the difference in coverage for regular operations vs. specialty ops. And national issues o...
Oct 26, 2021•51 min
LLN (10/22/21) – If your winter travels take you through cold parts of North America, your diesel exhaust fluid is one of many things you’ll need to watch. We’ll explain what you should and shouldn’t be doing. Also, Marty Ellis is hearing from more truckers about states that have decided to close down rest areas, despite a nationwide truck parking crisis. And newer trucks have many systems to control emissions – including DEF, diesel particulate filters and so on. But now, three senators are pus...
Oct 23, 2021•51 min
LLN (10/21/21) – The FMCSA is asking questions about the supply chain – and OOIDA has responded. Meanwhile, what’s up with two important federal nominees? Also, Pennsylvania debates a weigh station bypass system, while Michigan debates changing how they set speed limits. A Tennessee senator went to bat for truckers over a problem that’s taken some off the road. OOIDA has issued a call to action. We continue to follow the progress of the bipartisan infrastructure bill. And we’ll offer up some new...
Oct 22, 2021•51 min
LLN (10/20/21) – What makes demand on some lanes, with certain freight types, red hot, while others remain stone cold? Dean Croke of DAT has the answer, plus the latest trends and numbers in the spot market. Also, no one gets into trucking to do paperwork. But if you’re running your own trucking business, it’s a necessity. Failing to do mandatory paperwork could earn you a huge fine, back payments, or in extreme cases, getting shut down. We’ll review some of the basics. And the bipartisan infras...
Oct 21, 2021•51 min
LLN (10/19/21) – Because of the supply chain crisis, some drivers are walking into drug and alcohol testing clinics only to either wait or be turned away. We’ll break down the problem and offer advice. The first induction ceremony for a brand new trucking hall of fame took place recently. Also, people across the U.S. will soon vote on using sales taxes, bonds or other means to pay for local transportation work. And part of OOIDA’s mission is helping the mainstream press more accurately represent...
Oct 20, 2021•51 min
LLN (10/18/21) – Confusion over various regulations or guidance can create all kinds of headaches – and few have created as much as the rules surrounding the use of your truck as a personal conveyance. We’ll address some recent questions about that and split sleeper time. Also, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is – and that’s especially true of lease-purchase agreements. The October issue of Land Line Magazine tackles that issue, along with “walk-away leases,” with tips on what to w...
Oct 19, 2021•51 min
LLN (10/15/21) – A journalist has been covering truck parking in Northern California; another city bans overnight truck parking; and the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act. Also, truckers are wondering whether the push for more electric vehicles is practical for trucks. Georgia residents are opposing a new truck stop outside Savannah, and truckers have a chance to speak out. And the U.S. DOT is asking truckers and others for help identifying how the department can make the supply chain work mo...
Oct 16, 2021•51 min
LLN (10/14/21) – The White House has announced actions intended to help get the supply chain moving again. And those actions will affect truckers. Meanwhile, the Senate moves closer to Meera Joshi’s confirmation, and new COVID border rules are put in place. Also, New Jersey, Nevada and Michigan work to curb ticket quotas, while Michigan also tries to make life easier for timber haulers. And the supply chain disruption debate is likely to affect the lives of many truckers. However, there’s more o...
Oct 15, 2021•51 min
LLN (10/13/21) – Drug test facilities are the latest part of the trucking world affected by both supply chain issues and problems filling vacant jobs. Also, as more and more truckers file for their own authority, certain aspects of the system are feeling the effects – and even slowing down under the strain. And that includes IRP and IFTA. We’ll discuss some of the issues involved. And the last year-and-a-half has been full of surprises – most of them unpleasant. So many dominoes have fallen that...
Oct 14, 2021•51 min
LLN (10/12/21) – Many truckers have run into parts shortages caused by supply chain problems; but a lack of truckers was not the cause. Also, how to deal with an increase in phishing scams. We’ll share a story from the longtime truckers and OOIDA life members Candy Bass and Richard Conaway involving a truck stop chaplain, the Grand Old Opry and a bucketful of glitter. An Iowa couple shows off their quarter-century-old rig. We’ll get some flu prevention advice from Dr. John McElligott. And a Penn...
Oct 13, 2021•51 min
LLN (10/11/21) – The recent Guilty By Association Truck Show included the FMCSA’s director of enforcement and compliance answering truckers’ questions. Also, if you’ve had to make an insurance claim on an old piece of equipment, you might be familiar with something called the “betterment clause.” We’ll explain what you need to know about it. And federal officials and some industrial and tech concerns are working hard to bring autonomous and electric trucks to market – or even require them. Meanw...
Oct 12, 2021•51 min
LLN (10/8/21) – Controversy continues to swirl around California’s independent contractor law, AB5, which is waiting on a court decision that will likely decide its fate – and the fate of thousands of owner-operators. Also, “social media influencers” – people who advertise themselves as experts in some topic – were a new feature of this year’s Guilty By Association Truck Show. We’ll find out how it went. And Marty Ellis has experienced something many truckers have over the past few months – the ...
Oct 09, 2021•51 min
LLN (10/7/21) – California wants to end exploitation of truck drivers at the state’s ports, while also extending a pilot program to a mileage tax to pay for highways. Also, cold can freeze a battery that’s not up to snuff, cold can gel fuel, winter road chemicals can rust out all kinds of parts – and on and on. So what systems require some attention as the colder months approach? And the feds pay states to carry out truck enforcement, distributed through the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Progr...
Oct 08, 2021•51 min
LLN (10/6/21) – A CPAP machine recall and computer chip shortage are creating problems for many truckers. The feds are considering some form of relief. Also, consumer demand has fueled historic volumes of freight this past year. Dean Croke of DAT has some insights about where we might be headed next. And the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says it expects thousands of crashes each year from autonomous vehicles. And that raises questions about one of the basic justifications for th...
Oct 07, 2021•51 min
LLN (10/5/21) – The last highway bill is now extended, giving Congress another month to figure out how to pass the bipartisan infrastructure bill. And unfortunately, passage of that measure is now linked to the $3.5 trillion dollar budget reconciliation bill stalled in Congress. Also, electric vehicles are starting to enter the market – and that is going to have an effect on how we select tires. And three states are taking action on ticket cameras, while Massachusetts will ask voters whether the...
Oct 06, 2021•51 min
LLN (10/4/21) – OOIDA has been working state by state to fix problems with police-dispatched towing after a crash. We’ll have an update on what’s happening in one state on the topic. Also, no two things are mentioned more by health experts than diet and exercise. Proper diet can mean avoiding potentially harmful health conditions. Poor diet means a life that becomes steadily more difficult as time goes on. But which diet is the right diet? And it wasn’t that long ago that Land Line Magazine was ...
Oct 05, 2021•51 min
LLN (10/1/21) – The infrastructure bill has become entangled into a mess that includes annual spending bills, the budget reconciliation and the debt limit. We’ll make sense of it all and how it could affect you. Also, we’ll offer up some Roses and Razzberries. GBATS featured an exact replica of the truck from “Maximum Overdrive.” We’ll hear from the man who built it from scratch – and two actors from the film. And we’ll also hear about how life used to be on the road – including the challenges f...
Oct 02, 2021•51 min
LLN (9/30/21) – New guidance is out regarding a vaccine mandate for federal contractors – including which contractors would be covered and who at those companies would be affected. Also, an FMCSA official answers tuckers’ questions; and a new form for using the hours-of-service emergency order. A new law in New York would require all new passenger vehicles be electric within 14 years, while Pennsylvania eyes a weigh station bypass system. We’ll have information about upcoming truck shows on the ...
Oct 01, 2021•51 min
LLN (9/29/21) –The first GBATS in three years was a success by any measure. We’ll hear from a longtime member of OOIDA, from a very young driver with a very small truck; and those who convoyed for Special Olympics. The ports are backed up, and that is clogging up the supply chain. We’ll take a look at the effect of all those large container ships waiting to unload, as well as the latest spot market numbers and trends. And Congress is facing some serious deadlines, including a needed vote to prev...
Sep 30, 2021•51 min
LLN (9/28/21) – A survey in Washington state gives truckers a rare opportunity to offer opinions about the parking situation, and be specific about where the problem is, and what’s needed to solve it. Also, we’ll discuss the upcoming Truck to Success seminar. Three states plan to increase their fuel tax on Oct. 1, while Pennsylvania lawmakers consider a change in state registration that could make it easier to comply. And debate starts soon in the U.S. House on the bipartisan infrastructure bill...
Sep 29, 2021•51 min
LLN (9/27/21) – Last week, FMCSA nominee Meera Joshi was in the hot seat at her confirmation hearing. And Joshi fielded a lot of questions. We’ll bring you her answers. Also, when Old Man Winter comes to visit, your truck could very well become a casualty. When it comes to insurance, that can leave you out in the cold. But there are ways to protect yourself and your investment. We’ll explain what they are. And we usually end our show talking about some of the most serious issues in the industry....
Sep 28, 2021•51 min
LLN (9/24/21) – Today at the Guilty By Association Truck Show, OOIDA is holding a town hall meeting for truckers that includes Joe DeLorenzo of FMCSA, who is there to answer truckers’ questions. We’ll have some highlights. 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 Marty Ellis has been having some fun, including at a Special Olympics convoy last ...
Sep 25, 2021•51 min
LLN (9/23/21) – Rates are rising. That’s good news for truckers, but shippers aren’t happy, so they’re pursuing a policy that would be bad news for truckers. Meanwhile, what is happening on truck parking now that the latest effort has fallen short? Also, the U.S. DOT wants your views about addressing supply chain challenges – including technology, cybersecurity risks, ELDs, detention time, hours of service and more. And Illinois officials say a new law there will help them better prioritize the ...
Sep 24, 2021•51 min
LLN (9/22/21) – FMCSA nominee Meera Joshi is taking the next step toward an official Senate confirmation as administrator for the agency. We’ll explain what she had to say on some top issues. Also, for any motor carrier, some things are simply not options. That includes an alphabet soup of terms – IFTA, IRP, UCR and HUT. So what are they, how do they work, and what do you need to do to comply so you can stay on the road? And there’s no dispute that the driver pool has been disrupted since the pa...
Sep 23, 2021•51 min
LLN (9/21/21) – A bill passed by state lawmakers means California speed limits will no longer be set using the national standard – the 85th percentile rule; meanwhile, they also acted to end what is described as exploitation of port drivers at the state’s 11 ports and various inland distribution centers. Also, when we normally talk to the guys at Road Law, we focus on a very specific problem they’ve helped resolve for a trucker. But today we’ll take a look at what happens when someone calls them...
Sep 22, 2021•51 min
LLN (9/20/21) – A COVID-19 vaccine mandate is likely coming for companies with more than 100 employees – how will it affect you? We’ll have the facts. Also, the new entrant safety audit doesn’t have to cause overwhelming stress. And the global chip shortage affecting heavy-duty truck manufacturing shows no sign of letting up. Tom Berg of Land Line Magazine explains the effect that’s having on the market. Plus, talk at TMC about electric trucks. 0:00 – Newscast. 10:14 – New entrant safety audit. ...
Sep 20, 2021•51 min
LLN (9/17/21) – The truck parking problem isn’t going away anytime soon, thanks in part to Congress’ inability to get anything done, but not all hope is lost. There’s one more solid path to victory. Why does it seem like more trucks are zooming too quickly through truck stop parking lots and onto highways? Plus, transportation issues on the Capitol Hill docket next week, including a confirmation hearing for FMCSA administrator. 0:00 – Newscast. 10:14 – Parking Zone. 25:06 – Observations from The...
Sep 18, 2021•51 min
LLN (9/16/21) – Separating fact from fiction on vaccine mandates can be a chore, so we clear up what you need to know as the order comes into focus. ATRI is asking drivers to let them know what concerns them most, whether it be vaccine mandates, the lack of truck parking or anything else. And Michigan is making moves on ticket quotas and road funding red tape. 0:00 – Newscast. 10:14 – ATRI driver concern survey, traffic fatalities and highway safety. 25:06 – Michigan ticket quotas, road funding ...
Sep 17, 2021•51 min
