Jack Van Steenburg, the Assistant Administrator and Chief Safety Officer of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) during the Trump Administration, pointed out a very interesting statistic when speaking at the Heavy Duty Trucking Exchange: despite there being 750,000 motor carriers within the United States, only about 19,000 (or 3%) have gone through the […]
If you need evidence that the economy is back from the slump of the COVID-19 pandemic and the supply chain woes that stemmed from it, look no further than imports into the United States. Data has come out for July 2024, and it is showing strong growth from the same month last year. Details The […]
When you think of the trucking industry, chances are technology is one of the last things to come across your mind. Even with the advent of alternative fuel and autonomous trucking, both are still about a decade away.To that end, you might not think about cybersecurity as being a big issue in the trucking industry, […]
From far away when driving past them, those wind turbines used to generate power seem pretty small, but if you were to ever get close to them, you would see that they are massive and generate a lot of power even when moving slowly due to their sheer size. They are so big, in fact, […]
Active readers of trucking industry news may remember the story of Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, whose 2019 collision caused the death of four people and his sentence was reduced from 110 years to 10. Well, the general area where that collision happened is getting a speed limit reduction after another incident occurred recently.DetailsOn August 15th a truck […]
After approximately four years of fighting in various court battles against AB-5’s ramifications on the trucking industry, the California Trucking Association (CTA) is throwing in the towel, but not without a concession from the state of California.DetailsCTA CEO Eric Sauer says that while his organization was unsuccessful in removing AB-5 from the trucking industry, “California […]
We seldom write about Canada, so when we do, there is a big enough news story to justify doing so.It seems the Teamsters union cannot come to agreements with Canadian National Railway Company and Canadian Pacific Kansas City, leading to potential events that put the nation’s economy at the risk of a significant slowdown.DetailsBoth sides […]
Travelers moving between the Hoosier State and the Bluegrass State might find themselves out of a little bit more money, thanks to a joint resolution approved in 2013.DetailsAs can be expected, construction and maintenance costs are increasing over time, in part both to supplies and labor. As such, the Interstate 65 Abraham Lincoln Bridge, I-65 […]
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) is having its annual increased rate of inspections and safety enforcement for 2024, this year, it is from August 25th to the 31st. Here are some things you may wish to know.DetailsThe CVSA has a similar event, Brake Safety Day, on a surprise day each and every year to […]
Batteries are weird. It is the reason why they have not really taken off as a form of power storage until recently (AA batteries, like the ones for a television remote, hold approximately four watt hours). Recent technological developments since the turn of the century have made them more and more practical for various uses, […]
In recent times the price of oil has been dropping, to the point where the Biden Administration is purchasing the black gold in order to refill the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, and with it the price of diesel is dropping.DetailsIn the last four weeks since July 8th, the price of diesel has dropped eleven cents per […]
The rise of subscription services online to ensure a steady stream of income for companies without needing to innovate, most notably with Adobe’s Photoshop opting to charge users a monthly fee, may just be coming to the autonomous trucking revolution before it even gets on the road.DetailsDon Burnette, founder and chief executive of Kodiak Robotics, […]
The Strategic Petroleum Reserve, used to store the precious resource of crude oil for times of crisis, has been consistently drained during Joe Biden’s term in an attempt to alleviate prices at the pump. This is changing, however, as the Department of Energy is taking advantage of a small dip in oil prices to buy […]
Anyone with a passing knowledge of how the United States federal government works knows about the three branches, in the case for this store: the FMCSA (executive), Congress (legislative), and Administrative Law Judges (judicial) are in a bit of a battle over the ability to assess punishments for broker fraud.DetailsIn 2019, an Administrative Law Judge […]
Delaying regulations seems to be the norm in late 2024, with the EPA pushing biofuel volumes in its Renewable Fuel Standard program to 2026. Clean Fuels Alliance America, and association that advocates for the various fuel types that this would relate to, is now applying a lawsuit to the Environmental Protection Agency. Details Members of […]
Truckers knowledgeable about industry regulations constantly hear about the harrowing future of speed limiters, but it seems like that can is constantly kicked down the road until before you know it, it is in another state. That seems to be the case nowadays, as speed limiters are one of the regulations being tabled until 2025. […]
On August 18 2022, a coalition of four parents who had lost children to underride crashes filed a petition with the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) asking for an increase in the quality of standards for rear underguards. The NHTSA has denied it.DetailsThe most recent changes for rear underride guards happened in July 2022, […]
Congress is working on drafting the funding and allocation for 2025, and part of that includes funding for the transportation industry, namely, $200 million in truck parking.Details“The committee expects DOT to continue working proactively with the private sector, states and metropolitan planning organizations to address this critical supply chain challenge, to encourage the use of […]
Despite being a slightly larger portion of the American population, ladies only constitute 5% of drivers within the trucking industry. Would tapping into this unused workforce help make the trucking industry safer? That is what two researchers at Auburn University in Alabama wanted to find out when they examined over 22 million data points from […]
ACT Research reports that the number of used Class 8 trucks sold in May 2024 were a whopping 18.1% higher than they were in May 2023; an increase from 19,300 to 22,800.DetailsUsed vehicles of all types had been going through a pricing abnormality through the first third of this decade due to the COVID-19 pandemic: […]
The United States federal government has the three branches interwoven to make sure that power remains fragmented. One such example is deliberations within the House of Representatives and a provision in a bill that would prohibit the Department of Labor (DOL) from implementing its contractor rule.DetailsThe contractor rule is similar to the AB-5 requirement in […]
The Biden Administration is working to move marijuana from a Schedule I (heroin) to a Schedule III (testosterone/steroids), but that does not mean that truckers will be able to partake, as clarified by Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigeig.DetailsThe American Trucking Associations (ATA) has been knocking on the DOT’s door asking how this change would impact […]
Towing companies are often pointed at as a major scapegoat in the trucking industry, but that reputation is not without warrant: predatory towing is perhaps the one thing everyone in the trucking industry despises, such as when they charge for two days when they pull it at 11:59 P.M. To that end, the Department of […]
The American Trucking Associations (ATA) reported on June 18th that the trucking industry has experienced a year-over-year increase of tonnage for May 2024, meaning that 1.5% more weight was shipped in May 2024 than May 2023.DetailsThe ATA Truck Tonnage Index is a quick rule of thumb to see how the trucking industry is doing, and […]
A group of republican senators within Congress are suspicious of the Department of Energy and its system of calculations used to determine an electric vehicle’s miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe). After all, if they have an agenda to push electric vehicles onto the American populace, would they not have a vested interest in making the […]
Trucker Path is a company that uses the power of big data to make the commercial transportation industry travel more efficiently. According to them, they receive 20 million ratings and reviews on various things from truckers every month, including the quality of the various roadways upon which they travel. To that end, Trucker Path went […]
The Importance of Choosing the Right Semi-Truck Brand In the busy world of transportation, picking the right semi-truck is a big deal for businesses. Semi-trucks, also known as tractor-trailers, do the heavy lifting in moving goods across long distances, connecting businesses with their customers. Choosing the best semi-truck can make a huge difference in how […]
When it comes to the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and other states following their lead in statewide regulations for vehicles, there is a schism between states that support CARB, and those that stand against it. Virginia was at one point on the side of CARB, but due to a technicality in how the law […]
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced on June 3rd 2024 that it will be providing $480 million in grant funding to promote vehicular safety, including commercial vehicles, to fifty-six different regions in America.DetailsThe recently announced Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program grant awards are the latest implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, signed into […]
They say that necessity is the mother of invention, and while a heavy-duty truck needing to have this low of a nitrogen oxide (NOx) is debatable, the interesting thing is that the fine folks over at PACCAR have done it. Details The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is nothing if not extremely vigorous in its […]
It will be quite a while before we see hydrogen-powered trucks take the lead ahead of diesel, and the biggest contributor to this fact is the lack of a refueling network. While diesel has a station on nearly every corner, hydrogen refueling centers currently total lower than one hundred, as a conservative estimate. Much like […]
Interstate 70 is a major throughway to travel through Colorado, regardless of whether a driver is heading westward to Utah or eastward to the I-70’s end in Baltimore. But some new legislation signed by the governor will make it filled with more regulatory burdens come August 2024.DetailsOur title for this article is a little bit […]
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) deals in much more than just road safety; it also partakes in managing financial safety within the greater commercial transportation sector. To that end, the FMCSA has the Truck Leasing Task Force (TLTF), which exists to monitor the terms and conditions of truck leasing agreements, and it will […]
If you have been following trucking industry news for some amount of time, you have probably heard about the purported trucker shortage. One of the reasons for this is the elevated barrier of entry to become a professional driver: time that normally happens after graduation from high school. Connell High School wants to do something […]
It has been established through numerous regulations in the past that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) provides not only physical safety to its constituents, but also financial safety. The FMCSA took this one step further when it announced on May 20th a new program to crack down on scams relating to the interstate […]
Being the most populous state in the nation, California is often said to be the focal point of many trends, and that what goes for California eventually goes for the rest of the country. To that end, the California Air Resources Board potentially has a lot of power when it comes to dictating the trucking […]
The Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) is a law that allows the federal government to offer grants and rebates that provide financing solutions to trucking companies that want to replace their old truck with a new one, or even just retrofit the engine to make it run more smoothly. The program, ending soon, has now […]
In March 2024, California was hit with some pretty tumultuous weather. While not as crazy as what it was in January of last year, the storms have still caused some catastrophic damage to various types of infrastructure, including roads and electrical wires. To that end, Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a State of Emergency to […]
On April 23rd, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) voted to pass a new rule spanning 570 pages which would outlaw most noncompete agreements across the United States.DetailsA non-compete agreement is either a contract or part of a contract that, upon leaving business with another party, makes it prohibited to start a competing business, usually […]
We at TopMark Funding are headquartered in Roseville, a part of the greater Sacramento area, which is where Tesla delivered its first Semis to Pepsico to deliver beverages. We finally got to see one parked at a gas station making a delivery, and that is where we got the header image for this article.It took […]
A new law passed by both parts of the state legislature and signed by the governor will be going into effect on July 1st for the Hospitality State, offering more hospitality to all drivers, truckers and passenger vehicles alike (though it is primarily aimed at commercial vehicles), by establishing regulations against predatory towing practices.DetailsSB2635 has […]
April is coming to an end, and with it, the day that FirstElement Fuel opens the world’s first ever commercial hydrogen fueling station approaches ever closer. Set to happen in May 2024, the station marks the beginning of hydrogen refueling infrastructure for the nation.DetailsThe location is set to be near the Port of Oakland, allowing […]
With the estimated cost of turning America’s entire big rig fleet into electric vehicles standing at around one trillion dollars, it goes without saying that it is not economically viable. The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) suggests an alternative solution: keeping diesel as the king of the road, but using it in a different way […]
The Biden Administration announced in mid-March its plans to build electric corridors across the nation. Now it is putting its money where its mouth is, as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is offering $1.5 billion to various states and municipalities to accelerate the switch to zero-emission vehicles. Details The declaration of this grant money comes […]
This is not exactly a trucking related article at the time of publication, but should the dream at Robotiz3d become reality, truckers of the future will have their jobs become significantly easier.It seems today in the United States you cannot drive a single mile in any given direction without coming across a pothole major enough […]
Infrastructure work is a lot like going to the dentist or getting a truck brought into the shop for preventive maintenance. It is a lot of pain to go through, but it is only a fraction of the pain that comes from the alternative of not putting in the work. Such is the case with […]
On April 19th, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced in the Federal Register that it hopes to replace the Unified Registration System (URS) with a new system called the FMCSA Registration System (FRS).DetailsSo what is the big deal about this new system? The Notice in the Federal Register is thousands of words long, […]
Nobody can say that the American trucker is not resilient.You likely remember the previous episode of the California AB-5 saga, where Judge Roger Benitez, previously ruling an injunction against AB-5 for the trucking industry, ruled in favor of AB-5. In that article, we wrote:“Chances are, truckers in California will continue fighting against California’s AB-5 law […]
On April 5th, Governor Andy Beshear vetoed the “AN ACT relating to autonomous vehicles”, but the state House and Senate obtained enough votes each to override the veto, and as such the Bill to allow autonomous driving on Kentucky’s roadways will become a law.DetailsWhen Governor Beshear vetoed the Bill, he argued that there needed to […]
We at TopMark Funding love to report when gasoline and diesel prices are down, but right now things are looking a bit grim, especially here in California where requirements cause the prices of fuel to be even more expensive than in other parts of the nation. To that end, analysts are predicting another potential sell […]
(Play the video to listen to the article) Some of the biggest news in the trucking industry right now is the adoption of greener technologies such as electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles, but the adoption rate of greener vehicles amongst the general populace has slowed down in recent years, despite consistently high gas and diesel prices. […]
You probably saw this coming from a mile away, but the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is declaring a State of Emergency in direct response to the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. Details The Declaration provides relief from 49 CFR § 395.3 of federal regulations, which is the maximum driving […]
At this point you have probably heard the statistics for truck parking: 10 or so spots for every commercial vehicle, how drivers may spend an hour or more looking for a spot, and how often truckers park illegally to be able to avoid the risk of driving while fatigued. The New York Police Department (NYPD) […]
The American Free Enterprise Chamber of Commerce (AmFree Chamber) is joining in on the fun of suing the state of California for its regulations that will make it unlawful to drive a diesel-powered vehicle in the state by 2042.DetailsThe lawsuit was filed on April 1st, but it is certainly no joke.The legal arm of AmFree […]
When there is a total solar eclipse, traffic as a result of people traveling to see it increases, as was shown during the 2017 total solar eclipse where states in the path of totality saw an increase of traffic by 222%. To that extent, Texas is taking a proactive measure to minimize the chance of […]
When it comes to trucking companies, two of the most common forms of business structure are the sole proprietorship and the Limited Liability Company (LLC). If you own or are part of a trucking company that is the latter, you may be required to register information with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) before 2024 […]
Do you enjoy reading? The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has just released a lengthy 1,155 page report about what it calls Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards for Heavy-Duty Vehicles – Phase 3.DetailsThe gist of the behemoth document is that it outlines the requirements for various vehicle builds and engine types that the EPA will require sales […]
Perhaps you have heard in the news in the past few weeks that there were murmurs about a potential trucker strike against New York City in retribution for a ruling […]
Francis Scott Key is the writer of the national anthem, the Star Spangled Banner. An important figure in our nation’s history, it is only natural that he had a bridge named after him, located in Baltimore. Disaster struck at the Francis Scott Key Bridge, however, when at approximately 1:28 AM Eastern time on March 26th […]
The Mid-America Trucking Show has come and gone, with one of the biggest entities speaking at the event being the FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration), which started the conference with some big news: they admit that there is a problem with fraud in the current system, and they are taking steps to fix it.Details”Freight […]
The newest chapter in the California AB-5 saga has been released, and it is unfortunately not looking good for the owner-operator.DetailsOn March 15th, California Judge Roger Benitez ruled against the California Trucking Association’s and Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association’s (OOIDA) latest request for injunction.Does the name sound familiar? If you have been following the AB-5 story, […]
The Freight Logistics Optimization Works (FLOW) program has confirmed that there has been an influx of imports headed to the West Coast, which makes for some interesting news for truckers operating from the ports near the Pacific Ocean.CauseThe reason for this increased rate of West Coast arrivals is two-fold. One is an increase of extremist […]
It has been almost a full year since we last wrote about the Clean Freight Coalition (CFC), but in that year they have been working in the background studying to determine how much money it would cost to transition the nation’s entire medium-duty and heavy-duty inventory from diesel to electricity. The number is not pretty.DetailsThe […]
It is no surprise to anyone working with both electric and diesel that the refueling network for the latter grossly outperforms the former, and as such operating a fully electric fleet is currently economically unviable. To that end, the Federal Highway Administration (FHA) is working to create corridors, specific highways that have guaranteed charging for […]
We at TopMark Funding have written about predatory towing practices in the past, including steps taken by both the Federal Trade Commission and Department of Transportation. Now the states are getting involved as Florida is inches away from implementing a law in opposition to the practice.DetailsWhile the Bill, titled HB 179, has not been officially […]
The year is 2819. The red planet has been completely terraformed and colonized as the second planet for humanity. After a shipment of the finest cheese comes from Switzerland, Earth by way of cargo ship, it must then go to its final destination on the fourth planet from the sun, and truckers are the way […]
The tragedy of Jason Rivenburg is one that is hard to stomach. The abridged version for the faint of heart is that he was robbed and murdered in 2009 after parking his truck in an unsafe location due to a lack of proper truck parking. Three years after that fateful day, the Federal Highway Administration […]
The purported trucker shortage is partially fueled by the barrier of entry to becoming a trucker. It is fantastic that only the best and brightest should be allowed to operate a heavy-duty big rig, but at the same time, the trucking industry is imperative to the nation’s economic vitality. To that end, the FMCSA is […]
You might remember how we wrote about the impending lawsuit coming from Louisiana regarding independent contractor classification and how it will have negative effects on the trucking industry, but the judicial branch is not the only check and balance impeding the Department of Labor. Now, Congress wants in on the action.DetailsRepresentative Kevin Kiley, a Republican […]
We do not report on diesel prices as much as we have in the past, and that is because we prefer to report when the news is something special, as is the case here. According to the Energy Information Administration, the average for diesel fuel across the nation is $4.022 per gallon, which is within […]
February and March are two of the coldest months of the year, but that has not stopped wildfires from rampaging across the second-largest state in the USA, and the largest of the 48 contiguous states. To that end, Texas Governor Greg Abbott has enacted a State of Emergency.DetailsThe Declaration is extremely vague in its wording, […]
One common trend in the trucking industry is that if there is a new regulation that will stymie the trucking industry, a lawsuit is all but certain to follow. This is what has become the case with the Louisiana Motor Transport Association (LMTA), which is suing the United States Department of Labor (DOL) for its […]
Iowa 80 Group, owners of the World’s Largest Truckstop and its neighbor, the Iowa 80 Trucking Museum, is adding another building into the fold with a new warehouse spanning 251,000 square feet.DetailsThe Iowa 80 Group says that 177,180 square feet of the warehouse will be used as their own distribution headquarters for their trucking accessories […]
Avid readers may remember when we talked about the average cost per mile of operating a truck according to American Transportation Research Institute’s (ATRI) data from 2023. In the article, we mentioned how your mileage may vary (literally):“Of course, as with all averages, one size does not fit all. Truckers who work primarily in California […]
History does not repeat itself, but it often rhymes. That is what is happening right now with the case of Julie Su, and how she is once again going through the nomination process to become the Secretary of Labor.DetailsThe previous attempt to nominate her did not go through as it was met with a lack […]
What may be the single largest trucking event (either that or the Walcott Truckers Jamboree) is just around the corner yet again: the Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS) for 2024 is all set to go in Louisville, Kentucky, and it is hoping to be the biggest one yet.Details“MATS is the one event on the industry calendar […]
Not too long ago, we wrote about Washington state implementing a limit to idling for heavy-duty trucks, saying “The Evergreen State is giving California a run for its money with a new bill being debated in its state Senate.” We would like to now issue a retraction, as California is among many states that already […]
Oftentimes when people think of computer hackers, they think of what is known as the “brute force” method: having hundreds of computers trying every possible combination of characters within the parameter limits of a password until one of them gives way to access into the account. While it makes for good cinema, it is not […]
While not quite up to California’s level of regulation, Washington is still pretty high up there when it comes to regulating the trucking industry. The Evergreen State is giving California a run for its money with a new bill being debated in its state Senate. Senate Bill 6304 would fine a truck driver $300 to […]
The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) has once again done some data collecting to determine where truckers might want to avoid if they want to get to any destination quickly.MethodologyThe methodology used to find their data is similar to what it was in 2023.Assume the optimal speed for a truck at each bottleneck is 55 […]
ISEE, a technology company researching automatic driving for commercial vehicles, has announced that it is working with an unnamed Fortune 100 customer in Texas and has a fully autonomous truck yard operating. What are the implications?DetailsWith 1.7 million square feet and 750 different trucking bays, the facility is able to buzz with work day or […]
Truckers traveling through the Keystone State may want to take caution and plan ahead, as PennDOT is closing approximately 500 miles of road due to safety concerns resulting from nasty weather.Tiers Causing TearsPennDOT has a system it uses to determine how closed roads are due to freezing temperatures, rating closures on a scale of one […]
In the distant past of February 2019, back when a “corona” was little more than a beer brand in most people’s minds, a company named Stoneridge had its technology approved by the FMCSA for five years. The company had developed a system of cameras called MirrorEye that were intended not just as a replacement for […]
You have probably heard the jokes before about hidden fees. The resort fee, the paper-reduction fee, the convenience fee, the fee management fee. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has published in the Federal Register some plans in order to mitigate them. When it comes to fees for towing commercial trucks, the United States Department of […]
What do you do when you need $2.1 billion in funding for a bridge, but will only receive $1.2 billion from state and federal funding sources? You apply a toll to the bridge, in hopes that in time it will eventually recoup the remaining costs. That is the plan that the state of Louisiana is […]
Oregon, in its state constitution, says that to fund road repair, the state has the power to tax vehicles based fairly and proportionally on how much damage each one slowly but surely chips away at the road’s health, namely, the weight of the vehicle. For passenger vehicles, this is limited to a fuel tax, while […]
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that, if passed, will loosen regulations on Commercial Learner’s Permit (CLP) holders as they transition to obtaining a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL). That is a lot of acronyms, but the real potential problem is what effect this will have on […]
The trucking industry is filled with all sorts of regulations. Still, perhaps one of the most important ones is having a medical examiner who can make the judgment call that someone is fit for driving an approximately 80,000-pound tractor-trailer combo. To that extent, the FMCSA is considering implementing a new rule that will wipe 17% […]
The war for more commercial vehicle parking continues, with this time the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) weighing in to provide funding.My Kingdom for a SpotWith the number of available truck parking spots to the number of trucks on the road being a ratio of about 10:1, there is a lot of work to […]
One of the most fun aspects of being a fleet owner is managing all the various types of permits that the business needs to be operating lawfully. To that extent, the Gem State is implementing a new system that will allow fleets to renew their permits all at the same time, saving time and money.Details“Bulk […]
This January appears to be one for the record books.We wrote about last week how eleven different states had States of Emergency as a result of extreme winter weather. Well, it appears that the season is not slowing down any time soon, as seven more states have joined in on the Declarations.DetailsThere are seven new […]
The number one reason everyone gets into the trucking industry is because they want to spend dozens upon dozens of unpaid hours every year waiting at loading bays before they can hit the open road. As such, we are flabbergasted that the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) plans to conduct research on the negative impacts […]
The role of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) Administrator is looking more and more like a carousel all the time, as Robin Hutcheson announced that she is stepping down from the position.Details“It has been the most profound honor to serve in the Biden-Harris Administration, and I am grateful to President Biden for appointing me […]
It has been around three months since the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) revised its terms for declaring a State of Emergency, so things must be pretty hectic out there in the winter weather when eleven different states are calling on truckers for help. Details These eleven states in question, along with their Declarations: […]
It seems like when it comes to trucking under strict Californian regulations, truckers can never seem to get a break. It seems their ban on operation of diesel vehicles by 2042 will have reverberating effects, as the decreased tax revenue from gasoline and diesel fuel taxes will lead to worse road conditions.DetailsThe news comes from […]
Touting itself as the “most powerful tech event in the world”, CES took place in Las Vegas from January 7th to the 10th. All sorts of industries attend to show off the latest and greatest gadgets, but what we are interested in is the transportation industry, namely, the autonomous trucking and green trucking revolutions, both […]
Inflation is a powerful thing.That is probably what you were thinking when you read the headline for this article, but the situation at hand is significantly more nuanced than simply fees for the Unified Carrier Registration (UCR) going up because of rampant inflation in years prior.DetailsCreated by Congress in 2005, the UCR is a coalition […]
Readers who have been following trucking news for a while now are fully aware of California’s Assembly Bill 5: originally intended to curb “gig economy” jobs like DoorDash, it is now used to curb driving under the Authority of another carrier.A similar rule has been entered into the Federal Register, and unless things change, the […]
The Department of Transportation and the larger federal government as a whole have left the concept of autonomous vehicles, trucks included, to be a states rights issue. As a direct result, states have differing opinions on the up-and-coming technology.Texas Embraces ItTexas has had legislation on the books supporting autonomous trucking since 2017, but now it […]
With all the constant news in the trucking industry regarding Class 8 trucks that have zero direct emissions–whether that be hydrogen or electric energy, you would think that the road would be filled to the brim with these types of vehicles and diesel fuel would have gone the way of the horse and carriage.The truth […]
A coalition of 21 different states has banded together to sue the Biden Administration over the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) latest rules regarding truck emissions. They say that the Biden Administration has overstepped its constitutional powers.DetailsThe states that are joining in this lawsuit are:Kentucky (Where the lawsuit is taking place)AlabamaAlaskaArkansasFloridaIdahoIndianaIowaKansasMississippiMontanaNebraskaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaUtahVirginiaWest VirginiaWyomingThe plaintiffs […]
The 2024 Republican presidential candidate who is also a billionaire spoke at the World’s Largest Truckstop in Iowa to talk about what he would do regarding regulations within the trucking industry.Was our description of the candidate not apt enough to properly discern? To be more specific: it was Vivek Ramaswamy.DetailsThe Republican hopeful on his campaign […]
Walmart is the largest retailer in the United States, and soon may become the owner of the largest private network of electric charging stations in the nation as well.DetailsCurrently, Walmart has 1,300 charging stations at 280 locations, but that means that there are approximately 4,420 Walmart stores that do not have any charging stations. Vishel […]
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) continues to be the star of the news within the trucking industry, as it has sent a letter to the California Trucking Association (CTA) that it will not be pursuing enforcement of the Advanced Clean Fleets Regulation until the Environmental Protection Agency rules on its validity. Details The Advanced […]
Happy New Year! As people make new resolutions to improve themselves for the new year, January 1st is also the most popular day for changes in laws and regulations, in part because of how easy it is to remember as a date.One such change is an increase of regulatory fines to match inflation, under the […]
Another year has come and gone. It feels as though it has gone by so fast, and yet not fast at all. If you want a quick rundown of what the trucking industry went through in 2023, here are the biggest articles from each month.JanuaryFor the most populous state in the nation, January was both […]
The federal government wants to make the transition to cleaner fuels now, rather than later, and to that extent is providing $7 billion in funding to establish ten regional hydrogen hubs: power plants where the fuel source will be generated. The result may just help the trucking industry make numerous years worth of progress for […]
In today’s world, dealing with waste and garbage has become increasingly important. We all produce waste, whether it’s from our homes, industrial warehouses, or workplaces, and how we handle that waste can have a big impact on our environment. Have you ever wondered what happens to your trash once it’s picked up? Or how recycling […]
Daimler Trucks, the folks behind popular truck brands Freightliner and Western Star, are partnering with numerous companies to test out its hydrogen fuel cell technology. Details Electric trucks have been in the news a lot lately, but another piece of the equation to supplant diesel fuel and make trucking more green is hydrogen fuel cells. […]
One of the strongest arguments in favor of the transition to cleaner energy such as electric or hydrogen-powered trucks is the economic viability of these alternative fuels: with everything from the war in Ukraine to OPEC negotiations determining the cost of diesel fuel, switching is an investment that slowly but eventually pays off.The time horizon […]
We at TopMark Funding love to hear about more parking spots, so we are excited to report that the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) is earmarking money to give to the Iowa Department of Transportation and Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) in the pursuit of more public parking spaces for commercial trucks.DetailsThe funding comes from […]
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has been in the news a lot lately, as it dishes out regulation after regulation in pursuit of cleaner air and less global warming/climate change. It has suffered a slight obstacle in its pursuit of its mission, as a California trial court has ruled that one of the regulations […]
With the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) opting to increase the scrutiny for what counts as a State of Emergency, the news regarding them has slowed to a crawl. This makes it all the more surprising when two states on the East Coast announce one within a day of each other, for the same […]
By now you have probably heard that it will be illegal to operate a diesel-powered vehicle within the borders of the most populous state in 2042. This means that, among other fuel sources, electricity will reign supreme. But the American Transportation Research Institute did its own studying to find out just how feasible the green […]
Commercial vehicles haul approximately 70% of the nation’s freight and are invaluable when it comes to emergencies such as hurricanes and earthquakes that cut off vital infrastructure, requiring the delivery of important supplies such as blankets, drinking water, and petroleum fuels, but HW Electro, a Japanese car maker, has thought of a new thing its […]
In the dynamic world of waste management and refuse collection, the backbone of the industry lies in the dependable and efficient garbage trucks that keep our communities clean and green. From bustling urban centers to serene suburban neighborhoods, these specialized vehicles play a pivotal role in the proper disposal of waste and the preservation of […]
It started off as an expansion project to expand the Washington Bridge in Providence, Rhode Island on the I-95. While the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) hoped to keep the bridge fully open during the construction project, an unfortunate discovery is going to cause traffic to approach a standstill.DetailsWhile hammering at reconstruction on the […]
Very recently, we wrote about the increased enforcement against illegal truck parking in Greenwood, Indiana, wherein we said:“With some forms of government working to alleviate the problem of truck parking (such as Arizona) and others (like Greenwood) fighting only the symptoms, it will be interesting to see how things turn out in the years to […]
On Tuesday, December 12th, the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced plans that it is working on creating standards for technology to check if the drivers of passenger vehicles are intoxicated or otherwise impaired before the car can move normally.DetailsThe device is required as a part of the massive Infrastructure Investment and Jobs […]
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) has petitioned the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) in regards to an exemption for CDL testing.DetailsIf the title and introductory paragraph of this article freaked you out, there is minimal cause for worry. FLHSMV is not about to let anybody who wants to operate […]
We know that truckers today have a hard time finding proper parking. By now you have probably heard the statistic: 10 trucks for every parking spot available. This leads some truckers to park in “creative” places, such as freeway ramps. Not only is this illegal, but it is dangerous, and in an attempt to save […]
The story of Yellow, the trucking company that almost lasted a full century, is slowly but surely coming to an end, as many of its terminals have now been auctioned off in order to pay off its debts.DetailsIn total, $1.9 billion was raised and 75% of Yellow’s land was pawned off to twenty other trucking […]
Blasted supply and demand economics strikes again! The New York Traffic Mobility Review Board has come up with a plan that will charge vehicles money to enter lower Manhattan, the most densely populated area in the United States and is cramped even with no vehicles in it, in a plan to both reduce congestion in […]
The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) is well aware of the parking problem that truckers face, and is working on renovating its public rest areas so that it may have more parking spots for commercial vehicles.DetailsThe current plan is to spend $32 million in funding received from the National Highway Freight Program on three locations […]
On November 30th Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttgieg announced that, through the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) initiative, the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) is offering up to $1.5 billion in federal grant money to improve infrastructure and fortify the supply chain for 2024. Details “Across the country, I have seen […]
Almost a decade ago at the time of publishing, there was a viral sensation that hit the United States by storm that was referred to as “Solar FREAKIN’ Roadways!”, with promises of using solar power to create better, more durable roads that had built in features such as led lights and heating if the road […]
You do not need to be a truck driver to know that towing companies can be pretty shady when it comes to its perfectly legal but otherwise questionable business practices, such as locking up a vehicle at 11:59 P.M. and charging for the full day. To that extent, the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) has […]
The timing is impeccable how around the same time that we published an article regarding states that are following in California’s footsteps in promoting green energy commercial vehicles by standing against fossil fuel vehicles such as diesel that Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont withdrew proposed regulations that would have banned fossil fuel vehicles in the Constitution […]
It is often said that where California goes, so does the nation. That seems to be the case with the California Air Resources Board (CARB), and their Advanced Clean Truck Regulation, which requires truck manufacturers to start selling a specific percentage of their trucks as zero-emission vehicles in 2024, with the percentage slowly increasing until […]
President Biden was the first person to speak at the first meeting of his new supply chain resilience council, and it was offering a brighter future for Americans.“We know that prices are still too high for too many things, that times are still too tough for too many families, but we’ve made progress.”With that, the […]
On November 15th, officials from California, the United States federal government, and Mexico convened in Calexico to cut the ribbon on a General Services Administration (GSA) project that would expand the bridge there.DetailsThe Calexico East Land Port of Entry, the formal name for the bridge, connects Calexico, California with Mexicali, Mexico. It is located approximately […]
The Fighting Opioid Abuse in Transportation Act is dedicated to, as you can probably guess, fighting opioid abuse in the transportation sector of the United States. To accomplish the Act’s goal, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) plans to hold a virtual meeting to discuss whether or not fentanyl testing should become […]
Inflation is everywhere; that much is obvious. But one place that it appears to be hitting stronger than in other areas is the cost of repairing and building new roads for the nation’s lifeblood: highways.DetailsThe Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has what it calls the National Highway Construction Cost Index (NHCCI), which you can see a […]
In the realm of industrial and environmental management, vacuum trucks play a pivotal role. These specialized vehicles, equipped with powerful vacuum systems, are designed for a variety of tasks ranging from waste disposal to precision excavation. In the United States, several manufacturers stand out for producing some of the best vacuum trucks in terms of […]
In a surprising turn of events, the I10 overpass in Los Angeles that was shut down due to arson is being opened far ahead of what was originally anticipated. What was planned to be three to five weeks has instead turned into approximately ten days.DetailsIn his initial speech about the closure, Governor Gavin Newsom said […]
There were a lot of strikes in the news these past few months, so we kept our eyes on this story while it unfolded but refrained from writing about it until it resolved. Well, here we are, the United Auto Workers (UAW) has reached a bargaining agreement with Mack Trucks.DetailsAfter a thirty-nine day strike, the […]
When it comes to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) enforcing safety, usually one thinks of safety from collisions, but could it also include safety from being scammed by bad faith actors? We remember writing an article three years ago where the Transportation Intermediaries Association said this falls out of the purview of the […]
In the first instance since the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) had updated the rules regarding States of Emergency, Governor Andy Beshar of Kentucky has signed off on one that applies to truckers.DetailsThe entire Declaration can be read on the relevant webpage. It starts by mentioning drought that is causing wildfires to emerge statewide, […]
We wrote yesterday about the fire that took place under a bridge along Interstate 10 in Los Angeles. Now, more details have unfolded.Those DetailsIn his latest statement regarding the I-10 closure, California Governor Gavin Newsom reports that investigators have determined that the fire of wooden pallets was caused by arson, meaning that someone did it […]
A fire had broken out under Interstate 10 in Los Angeles on November 11th. Now, officials are shutting down the roadway to make repairs, with no reopening in the foreseeable future.DetailsOn the night of Veteran’s Day, scattered wooden pallets under the bridge caught ablaze and damaged the bridge above it. Nobody was hurt in the […]
Veteran’s Day has come and gone, and unfortunately for us fell on a weekend this year, so we did not publish an article to celebrate, but we hope that publishing one now is timely enough to pay our respects to these warriors-turned-road-warriors.DetailsAccording to the United States Census Bureau, five percent of the nation’s workforce comprises […]
A Bill that was signed by Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt at the end of April 2023 has officially come into effect as law on November 1st. It will now be easier for future truckers in the state to get their commercial driver licenses!DetailsThis new legislation does not make the testing any easier, compromising the safety […]
Information from the Energy Information Administration published on November 6th shows that, after a slight increase in the middle of October, diesel fuel has decreased in price during the two weeks following that price bump, to lower than what it was before.DetailsThe national average for diesel fuel increased 10.1 cents per gallon the week of […]
The truck parking problem, how there are over ten trucks for every standard truck parking spot in the United States, is a gargantuan problem that will take numerous angles in order to solve. Besides the federal government and private enterprise, one such angle is state governments. The American Trucking Associations (ATA), with its members comprising […]
The Truck Safety Coalition (TSC) is dedicated to bringing awareness about the potential safety risks involved with trucking in order to minimize them, in pursuit of that ever elusive goal of zero annual truck deaths. To that end, it has compiled data from the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) to find what states […]
Brakes are one of the most important aspects of a truck: just as important as a truck’s capability to move is its ability to stop. To that end, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) has had their annual Brake Safety Week, and has now analyzed the data. The results may sound good at first, but […]
One of the few line items that are generally bipartisan for federal spending is infrastructure, such as roads. It is a good thing that on October 27th, the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) has announced spending plans for 46 different states in the nation and Puerto Rico in an effort to increase road safety.Details“Whether […]
The Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. In recent memory, the two names are synonymous with a backlog crisis from the end of 2021, but in the past two years the twin ports have increased their processing capabilities to handle more drayage containers than ever before. Of course, the trucking industry benefits immensely from […]
We at TopMark Funding love to hear about news regarding more truck parking spots, and that is just what has happened over in the Hoosier state.DetailsThe Kankakee Welcome Center, located about 50 miles south of Gary, reopened on October 24th after construction. The entire revamp cost $40 million in federal grant money, and with it […]
If your fleet hires drivers from the Hawkeye state, you can take solace in knowing that there are going to be more truckers to hire in the years to come as the cost of CDL training tuition decreases, or at the very least does not increase, due to state grants provided by the Iowa state […]
It seems the California Air Resources Board (CARB) simply cannot stop regulating the trucking industry. Stemming from a state bill from 2019, CARB is now collecting data on non-gasoline trucks, buses, and other heavy-duty vehicles.DetailsThis mandate applies to all trucks that perform business in California, regardless of whether or not the truck and its fleet’s […]
After receiving $4.3 million from a federal grant, Lamar State College Port Arthur (LSCPA) has opened a 20-acre truck driving center that is estimated to be able to process up to 20,000 students annually, once all the required staff has been hired.DetailsTexas is one of the most populous states in the nation, and as such […]
It is almost hard to believe that it has been a little under a year since we wrote about the 2023 event dates from the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), and now 2023 is just about over (or over, if you are reading this in 2024). With no time for complacency, the CVSA has announced […]
Trucking news has been alight with worry ever since California announced its eventual diesel truck ban, including with the California Truckers Association’s plan to sue the California Air Resources Board. But while some people oppose the new regulations, others are welcoming them with open arms, such as the state of Pennsylvania.DetailsThe move to ban diesel […]
Clearly, the best part of being a trucker is no doubt spending time in traffic. Nothing is more enjoyable than watching vehicles heading the other direction on the highway zooming by as you fight painstakingly for every inch!The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) decided to estimate the cost of traffic to the economy in 2021, […]
Not too long ago, we informed you that the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) was conducting survey research about the biggest issues plaguing the trucking industry. Now, the results have been released and to quote James Carville, “It’s the economy, stupid.”MethodologyThe way by which they accumulated their data is the same as last year’s survey: […]
You might remember the defense that the California Trucking Association (CTA) and other industry stakeholders used when first fighting against California AB-5, that being, it butts against the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act (F4A) of 1994, dealing in interstate commerce. While the AB-5 case did not make it to a Supreme Court hearing, that is […]
In an unexpected turn of events, J.D. Valuation Services reports that model years at the auction decreased in value if they were newer and increased if they were older. It is quite the interesting phenomenon.August 2023 Used Auction NumbersModel year 2021: $63,375. This is a decrease of $599 (0.9%) from July.2020: $59,543, a drop of […]
It appears that the numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) have been going every-which-way in the past few months. Here are the preliminary numbers for those two months, circa October 2023.Employment NumbersWe last reported that July 2023 employment was 1,604,300. This has since been updated so that the final number is 1,600,900.August 2023’s […]
When there is a lot going on in the trucking industry, it makes sense for us to do freight rate updates less often than once a month. For now, here are freight rates for August and September.August 2023 RatesDry van hauling jumped two cents per mile to $2.08.August saw a short drop for flatbeds, three […]
Texas Governor Greg Abbott strikes again, as “Operation Lone Star” picks up and results in another round of increased scrutiny for trucks entering the nation via El Paso.DetailsThis is the third time in recent history that the state of Texas has ramped up border security. The main reason is the same as the last two […]
When it comes to diesel prices, we have been on a bit of a roller coaster these past few years. However, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) has some news: the nationwide average price for diesel fuel has dropped below $4.50 per gallon.DetailsThe EIA surveys fuel prices across ten regions every week. Compared to the same […]
We write about State of Emergency Declarations all the time here at TopMark Funding, but it seems the number of them and to what extent they cover are about to decrease, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).DetailsOn October 10th, the FMCSA released a Final Rule that is set to reduce the number […]
It seems strikes are common in the current news cycle. First there was news about a potential UPS strike as well as a strike upon Yellow, and now Mack Trucks has joined the fray.DetailsContrary to the previous two companies, which were logistical companies working with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT), this is a truck […]
Global politics is weird.One of the key reasons why diesel prices at home are so high is because of geopolitical tensions. Russia is invading Ukraine, and as such trade between Russia and western countries such as the United States has been stymied. It looks like that may be coming to an end, as Russia announced […]
Last month we wrote about both July and August 2023’s truck sales and wrote that it was highly unlikely that September 2023 would see a year-over-year increase considering just how high the ninth month of 2022 was. This happens to be the case, however, the numbers for 2023 are still the highest for the year, […]
If the port backlogs of Long Beach and Los Angeles a little under two years ago taught us anything, it is that the nation’s demand for national goods is constantly on the rise. To that end, to be ahead of the curve, The Georgia Port Authority (GPA) has submitted a permitting application to build a […]
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) seems intent on introducing speed limiter regulation despite negative reception for drivers. Perhaps as an olive branch, the FMCSA is taking a small step back on the subject for the time being. Details The idea of requiring speed limiters was first put on the table in late 2016, […]
When it comes to Jay Leno, you probably know him for one of two things. Either you know him as the former late night show host, or you know him as a connoisseur of all things motor vehicles. Tesla was interested in his opinion as the latter, and as such let him drive a Tesla […]
Three years ago Nikola Motors started breaking ground on a factory for hydrogen fuel cell electric commercial vehicles (we wrote about it briefly when it was first announced). Now that the factory is complete, they are ready to get to work.DetailsThe news was brought to light on September 28th 2023, at the finished manufacturing facility, […]
In a surprising move, California Governor Gavin Newsom has vetoed Assembly Bill 316, which would require autonomous vehicles to have a capable driver on alert at all times, effectively making it no longer autonomous.DetailsWe wrote about this earlier in September 2023. The California government works a lot like the United States’ legislative branch, where if […]
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is finding itself under fire from the Government Accountability Office (GAO), saying that the agency dealing with commercial vehicle safety needs to set better standards in handling complaints.DetailsThe full report, which you can read on the GAO’s relevant webpage, spans sixty pages, but the entire debacle can be […]
Every few handful of years, we hear about how Congress is arguing about debt ceilings and deficits and trying to avert a government shutdown, with sometimes that government shutdown happening. But what does it entail for drivers on the road, actually? Day to Day Operations Will Continue There is no such thing as a full-on […]
We wrote earlier about what Amazon and Target were doing to prepare for the holiday season, and how it may affect jobs in the trucking industry as the rising tide lifted some boats. That seems to be the case here, as the United Parcel Service (UPS) announced on September 26th that it will be hiring […]
The East Coast really is getting a hard time this hurricane season. The number of states near the Atlantic Ocean that have declared a State of Emergency in response to watery winds has increased from seven to ten.MarylandMaryland is worried about general nasty weather, including “inland flooding and isolated tornadoes”, and to that extent the […]
It seems as though every year, the holiday season starts to appear just a little bit earlier. First it was after Thanksgiving with Black Friday, then the holiday season started to creep into October, and now companies are planning for it as early as September. This year it can be traced to September 19th, as […]
More hurricane news! This time, the hurricane is hitting the northeast, and some states are already declaring emergencies to be ahead of the curve, before Lee hits land as a category five hurricane.MaineMaine’s State of Emergency Declaration, which you can read on the relevant FMCSA webpage, does not directly pertain to truckers. Instead, it is […]
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is stepping up its game when it comes to getting more drivers on the road, but it does not want to sacrifice road safety to do so. To that end, the FMCSA is putting $44 million into grants for CDL training.DetailsThe announcement came on September 14th, 2023. You […]
J.D. Valuation Services has given another update on the prices that used Class 8 vehicles are going for at auction. For the most part, the data is to be expected: as vehicles get older, their value decreases. One model year, however, has bucked that trend.July 2023 NumbersModel year 2021: $63,974, which is $12,420 (16.3%) lower […]
Freight Transportation Research (FTR) has posted its finalized numbers for July and August of 2023 in regards to new Class 8 truck sales. While July was not much to write home about, August was indeed quite an interesting month from a statistical point of view.July 2023 NumbersFTR pins the number of sales in July 2023 […]
If you have been a part of the trucking industry for any length of time, you are no doubt aware about the parking problem: the dearth of legal parking spots for commercial vehicles that cause truckers to spend over an hour finding a spot, or worse, parking in illegal and unsafe locations. Congress has introduced […]
Some people prefer to drive during the night, which is understandable: there is something special about the serene calm of the darkness while there are fewer vehicles on the road. But driving at night can also come with its own perils as well, most obviously, it being harder to see, but even things you might […]
Slowly but surely, the electric vehicle revolution is coming. One of the greatest obstacles slowing it down is the need for a more robust charging infrastructure, and one subset of that problem is the repair of existing but damaged EV charging stations. To that end, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is offering state Departments of […]
If you are in the mood to watch some good old fashioned destruction, the fine folks over at the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) have you covered.DetailsOn September 10th, MoDOT set off explosives on the supports of the Rocheport Bridge, causing it to collapse. The bridge is located near Columbia, Missouri and takes the I-70 […]
When it comes to electric trucking, one of the largest obstacles blockading it from becoming the primary fuel source is the dearth of batteries. A joint venture by Accelera (owned by Cummins), Daimler Trucks, PACCAR, and foreign tech startup Eve Energy Company are coming together to build a new plant in the USA to produce […]
Every year, the millions of truckers across the United States haul over 5 trillion ton-miles of freight, making sure that people can get the goods they need to improve their quality of life whether that is an air conditioning unit in the summer or kerosene fuel for the winter. The American Trucking Associations (ATA) knows […]
I-80, spanning from one side of the country to the other, is no doubt one of the most traveled roads for commercial vehicles, so it stands to reason that along I-80 is a fantastic place to put more truck parking spaces. That is what the folks over at the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) deduced, […]
We still have a long way to go before commercial vehicles become fully autonomous and remove the human driver entirely from the equation, but that is not stopping California from getting ahead of the curve by…trying to limit it? Yes, the state normally known for technological innovation is now trying to legislate autonomous trucks away […]
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) sometimes likes to announce its inspection blitzes to help drivers prepare for them, but other times it likes to catch drivers by surprise to see what they are doing when they think nobody is looking. This is what happened to hazmat drivers on June 12th-16th, when the CVSA did […]
Hurricane Idalia is hitting the eastern seaboard, and what was once a problem for Florida is now expanding into other states. Here is what that entails for the four states below.GeorgiaGeorgia’s Declaration covers a variety of topics, which you can read on the FMCSA webpage, but what will catch the eye of truckers is the […]
So, it happened. Yellow, just a few months shy of being a century old, has gone out of business. The question that remains is what happens to the LTL market? The answer: it will go on as it always has.DetailsThere is a saying that a rising tide lifts all boats, but the same is true […]
Besides traffic, one of the most aggravating aspects of being a driver is the time spent waiting at facilities for the truck to load and unload. This time is often unpaid, further exacerbating the problem. The FMCSA wants to study what effects this issue plaguing the trucking industry has on safety. If they do something […]
The IRS considers the fiscal year for the Heavy Vehicle Use Tax (HVUT) to start July 1st, the halfway point of the year. The taxman wants to remind fleets that it is time to pay the piper for trucks that will be used in full this year. We hope this guide makes the experience of […]
Update: Hurricane Invest 93L has upgraded into Hurricane Idalia. Stay safe! It seems both sides of the United States are getting hit with natural disasters this late in the summer. First, it was California with Hurricane Hilary, and now Florida is having a tropical depression, currently named Invest 93L, that has the potential to become a […]
The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI), which provides the industry with various types of helpful information, is now collecting data from industry stakeholders about their biggest concerns for the future of trucking to compile in their annual report.DetailsThis is the nineteenth time that the ATRI is doing its Top Industry Issues Survey. If you would […]
Earlier this week we wrote about how the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) analyzes the annual Department of Transportation report on bridges. The good news is that the number of bridges in need of repair are going down, but the bad news is that it is at a slow rate, averaging 1,400 a […]
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is never done with its task of putting on more and more stringent regulations in pursuit of higher air quality. You might remember the diesel ban of 2042, but that is still almost two decades away from the time of this article. There is a new regulation that is […]
Are you ready for the future? It is still numerous decades away, but that is not stopping Kodiak Robotics from forming a partnership with the Pilot Company to create a station that will support autonomous vehicles.DetailsThe new station is located on a standard truck stop in Villa Rica, Georgia. The planned uses for it include […]
California is a very large state, so although we are headquartered here in Roseville, the most water we have gotten in the past month is a quarter inch at the absolute most. Compare this with the southern half of the state, which is having a bit of a crisis due to Hurricane Hilary. As such, […]
Here is some uplifting news. The United States’ infrastructure has been an issue for decades now, as bridges have been in desperate need of repair, but often only being repaired when it becomes an emergency. According to recently released data, however, things are starting to look up for bridges nationwide.DetailsThe American Road & Transportation Builders […]
Navigating the world of dump trucks can be a complex endeavor, especially with the industry-specific jargon that often pops up in discussions, manuals, and contracts. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just dipping your toes into the field, understanding these terms can greatly enhance your grasp of the industry’s operations. To help simplify this, we’ve […]
,000,000 in trucks, has a 25% average tax rate, and generates 0,000 in income for the year, the maximum your business can claim in deductions is 0,000. Fortunately, the additional 0,000 in deductions can be carried over to the next year. Software must have non-exclusive use. Purchasing tax preparation software from a retailer is eligible […]
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), one of the leading regulators of the trucking industry, said that California’s and Washington’s rules regarding breaks did not apply to truckers. They are instead under the jurisdiction of federal regulations. This declaration happened in 2018 during the Trump Administration, and as such the current establishment is heavily […]
Do you enjoy sitting in traffic when you drive, regardless of whether it is in an 18-wheeler or a 4-wheeler? Neither do we. One of the most common points of congestion tends to be bridges, as they are the only common method of getting a motor vehicle across a large system of water. So one […]
The road to alternative fuel sources in cars is long and arduous, let alone within the trucking industry. Recently, Tesla had undergone a safety recall regarding its electric Semi truck, and now a rival company named after the same famous inventor, Nikola, is doing the same.DetailsThe news comes after two trucks were set ablaze at […]
Time really does fly when there is a lot to report about in the trucking industry. First, we let details about truck sales for the month fall by the wayside, and now it turns out we have been skimping out on reporting freight rates! Here are the numbers for the last four months for all […]
Sacramento is a stone’s throw away from our headquarters in Roseville, California, so we are excited to hear and to report that the Sacramento International Airport (SMF) is getting an infrastructure investment that will help bring electric trucks one step closer to becoming the mainstream form of trucking fuel.DetailsWattEV, a company from Long Beach, is […]
What Is a Commercial Dump Trailer? A commercial dump trailer is a specialized, heavy-duty vehicle designed for hauling and unloading substantial quantities of materials. It’s engineered to operate in various commercial contexts such as construction sites, demolition projects, and waste management facilities, among others. The trailer typically has a large, open-top bed that is hinged […]
It is not a surprise to anyone that truckers are slowly but surely becoming older on average: we often cite the statistic that every year, the average age goes up by about a month. This is in part due to how much regulation goes into preventing new drivers from entering the workforce, creating a barrier […]
We here at TopMark Funding love to report on the news when it is especially positive, but we do not get the privilege of picking and choosing when the news is good versus bad. There is no sugarcoating it: the number of trucking jobs experienced a slight decline in July. The Bureau of Labor Statistics […]
Remember when we used to provide you with updates regarding the number of truck orders for each month? There are two reasons why we have been lingering in reporting this for the past quarter. The first is that there may be a difference between the preliminary numbers and the final numbers reported for the month, […]
Do you want your fleet to suffer fewer crashes? Apparently one of the easiest methods to do so is to join a state’s trucking association, according to research compiled from the American Transportation Research Institute.DetailsThe study, which you can read in full provided you give the ATRI your information, has 35 pages of statistical terminology […]
We had written about how Yellow has been going through some turmoil lately, how there were threats of a union strike from the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) and how it was averted when Central States granted clemency for Yellow. Because the issue had to do with Yellow being unable to meet some of its […]
California is a very beautiful state geographically, but when it comes to governmental regulation, its intense burdens can leave something to be desired for the average fleet traveling within state borders. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has announced that it is planning to form what it calls the Truck Regulation Advisory Committee (TRAC), which […]
You may remember earlier how we wrote about a potential United Parcel Service strike from the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT), and event that would almost be twice as cataclysmic for the American supply chain as the previous strike in 1997. Well, consumers can now breathe easier, as the two parties have come to an […]
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) International Roadcheck 2023 has come and gone during the May 16th-18th. This is what they found.ResultsIn total, almost 60,000 vehicles were inspected in the three days. That is roughly the same that it was last year, at approximately thirteen per minute.116,669 violations were found, meaning on average every inspection […]
Trailers, by definition, are inert objects that are pulled by something else to get it moving, but in terms of the trucking industry, part of that definition may be changing due to a new technological innovation from Range Energy.DetailsRange Energy’s new electric trailer, the RA, has its own battery that it pulls power from to […]
Similarly to Vermont, the Bluegrass State is now suffering from an overabundance of water. Governor Jim Gray has declared a State of Emergency in direct response to these events. Details This Declaration is very different from the one in Vermont. Whereas Vermont’s Declaration was very vague about who it applied to and what it allowed […]
We talked about a potential strike incoming from Yellow workers that would have gone into effect by the time you read this, but the situation has changed. While a strike is still on the table, Yellow now has an additional month to mitigate it.DetailsThe entire debacle started when the Yellow Corporation failed to make proper […]
For the fifteenth consecutive year, The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) approved of a 5% toll increase for 2024. It is a small amount, but it is still helpful to know for our east coast truckers.DetailsIf you use an E-ZPass, the toll will increase from $14.40 to $15.20. If you travel on the Turnpike rarely and […]
Here is a fact that appears to be not so well known by people on the road: speeding is a bad idea. A coalition of eleven states wants to remind drivers of that important detail, and as such on July 26th they are working together to enforce speed limits more than usual, while also hopefully […]
Bills that are introduced into Congress often die, but the good news is that they can always be tried again and again, and only have to get through once. That is the case with the Modern, Clean and Safe Trucks Act of 2023, or H.R. 1440, which is the latest attempt to get a bill […]
With a different Congress now in session, the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, essentially a national version of California’s AB-5 law, is attempting to make its way through the chambers of Congress to become a law.DetailsThis will mark the third iteration of the PRO Act that we have covered. The short version is […]
It is now the dog days of summer, and you know what that means: heat and dryness for a majority of the country. Where has all of the water gone? Apparently the answer to that is Vermont, as the state is suffering from widespread flooding. Governor Phillip Scott has issued a State of Emergency regarding […]
We wrote about UPS workers with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT), but there is another potential strike looming that, while not having as much reverberating effect on the economy as a UPS strike would entail, is certainly something too large to be ignored. Yellow Employees represented by IBT, approximately 22,000 in total, may go […]
When we post these recorded findings on average auction rates for Class 8 trucks across the nation, we stay put when it comes to saying whether now is a good time to buy or a bad time to buy. After all, if a truck’s price is dropping, will it drop further? If it is increasing, […]
The United Parcel Service is one of, if not the, largest carrier(s) in the United States. They are estimated to handle 20 million parcels every day. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) union represents 340,000 UPS employees, and the two sides are unable to reach an agreement regarding labor terms. If they cannot reach an […]
The Iowa 80 Truckstop prides itself as being “The World’s Largest Truckstop”, but it is also home to the largest trucking event of the year. This year the folks over in Walcott, Iowa are planning to maintain that record by aiming higher than ever before.DetailsThe previous year’s Walcott Truckers Jamboree had 45,000 attendees, and the […]
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) believes its compiled statistics for the start of 2023 brings some good news for the future of traveling on the road, not just for 4-wheelers, but for trucking as well.DetailsNHTSA estimates that in the first quarter of 2023, there were 9,330 traffic fatalities. In a vacuum this may […]
One of the most important topics we cover here at TopMark Funding regarding the trucking industry is the country’s infrastructure, and how it is often in desperate need of repair. International truckers traveling to Canada and back by way of the Blue Water Bridge at Port Huron, Michigan, need to know that for the next few […]
Another month has gone by, and as such the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has updated its number regarding employment in NAICS 484 (transportation). Here are those updated numbers.June 2023 Employment DataThe first June 2023 estimate says 1,609,700.The revised number for May 2023 is now 1,609,900, an increase of 700 from the first.The final number […]
You may remember how we have been reporting that the California Air Resources Board (CARB) is placing some of the strictest truck emission regulations in the entire world. Now, CARB has reached an agreement with other truck manufacturers under the banner of the Clean Truck Partnership.DetailsMembers of the new Clean Truck Partnership include:CarbFordNavistarPACCARVolvo Group North […]
The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) has performed some data collecting to find out the average cost a truck will pay when it comes to operating a truck, at least for the years 2013 to 2022. This information can be quite helpful for fleet owners in making business decisions.DetailsThe listed costs on a per mile […]
One of the greatest problems facing the trucking industry in the transition from diesel to electric battery power is the lack of charging infrastructure. After all, it took approximately 100 years for fossil fuel stations to reach the prevalence they have right now, so replacing all of that with electricity is bound to be difficult. […]
Regardless of whether you deliver specifically to a place in New Mexico or use the state as an easement to get somewhere else, it is important that you know this new information. Starting July 1st 2023, which is before the time you are reading this, truckers can be fined for traveling in the left lane […]
A little over a month ago, we wrote an article asking if automatic emergency braking (AEB) will ever become standard on heavy-duty trucks. We now have our answer, as the Department of Transportation (DOT) wants to require it on all medium-duty and heavy-duty vehicles in the year 2027 and beyond.AEB and How it WorksSimply put, […]
The Lone Star State and its northeastern neighbor are declaring States of Emergencies in direct response to hectic weather the two states have been having recently.TexasIn response to severe weather conditions and signed by Governor Greg Abbott on June 17th, the Texas Declaration is extremely vague in its wording. You can read the Declaration on […]
As of the time of writing, Julie Su is going through the nomination process to become the Secretary of the Department of Labor, where she will lead numerous faucets of government such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Her nomination has been a tumultuous one, with many trucking industry organizations voicing dissent against making her […]
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro announced on Friday, June 23rd that the I-95 bridge that had collapsed earlier this month was now open once again for drivers to travel across.DetailsThis is not to say that the road work is complete by any stretch of the imagination, rather, temporary bridge crossings that span three lanes each way […]
You may remember a little under a month ago when we wrote about a Bill that passed both halls of Congress. In that article, we said:“Because of how our system of government works, Joe Biden may opt to veto the bill instead of signing it, which is what he threatened to do should the vote […]
There are numerous answers as to how long the repair of the I-95 bridge in Philadelphia will take, but the construction has begun. To help keep the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) accountable, they have set up a livestream of the construction project.DetailsThe way YouTube is set up for live streaming is that it turns […]
NordPass, one of the largest cybersecurity firms on the planet, has released data regarding its transportation clients’ passwords. No specific data was given out, but the general consensus is that you all really need to work on your passwords.DetailsAccording to NordPass, here are the most common passwords used in the transportation industry:[Company Name]password123456[Company’s email domain].comaaron431[Company […]
It has been a little over half a year since the Tesla Semi hit the market, and there is a new safety concern that has led to thirty-six of the machines to become recalled voluntarily by Tesla.DetailsFrom the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration:“Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2023 Semi vehicles. The door open […]
One of the most consistent customers of the trucking industry are those that deliver their goods to the United States via boat, so the trucking industry has collectively breathed a sigh of relief when it was discovered that the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) have reached an agreement that […]
We have written about the I-95 collapse a bit this week, but that was inconvenient to truckers traveling on the east coast. It is time for west coast drivers to feel the pain of road repair, as Caltrans has planned to start repairing sections of Interstate 80.DetailsDrivers that travel on I-80 between Hercules and Crockett […]
It has been a while since there has been a State of Emergency anywhere in the country that trucking could help with, as things seemed to be moving smoothly throughout the nation. That has finally changed, however, as Kristi Noem, Governor of South Dakota, has declared a State of Emergency regarding the dearth of fuel […]
Wrecker trucks, often recognized as the stalwarts of the roadside recovery industry, are specialized vehicles engineered to tow, lift, and transport disabled or improperly parked vehicles. These impressive machines come in a range of sizes and capabilities, each designed to cater to a specific kind of demand in the towing and recovery sector. From the […]
If you have been following trucking news as of late, you may be familiar with the strict emission regulations that California is planning to implement on the trucking industry. For those who are out of the loop, the short version is that all trucks sold in 2036 must be zero emission, and by 2042 it […]
The latest news in the transportation sector as a whole is the I-95 bridge collapse that happened as a result of a fire from an ignited tanker truck. The Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg was on the scene momentarily afterwards to assess the damage. Details Buttigieg gave a speech at the site on June 13th, […]
This is a sad story that we hate to report on, but it is also a necessary one to highlight the importance of infrastructure investment.A bridge for one of the largest, most commonly used interstates in the nation has collapsed, causing massive detours for people hoping to travel along the east coast.DetailsOn Sunday, June 11th, […]
California may be strict with its upcoming emission regulations, but that does not mean that fleets traveling in the Golden State are being left in a river without a paddle. As such, California is offering to pick up the tab on the purchase of new electric or hydrogen vehicles.DetailsRegardless of whether your business operates garbage […]
If there is one issue that unites (almost) all Americans, it is investment in infrastructure such as our roads. The Biden Administration has released a website that is intended to track just that.DetailsThe website, located at “invest.gov”, is now available for the public to see how the government says that it is spending your taxpayer […]
On Wednesday June 5th, the California State Assembly passed legislation in a vote that, should it become law, prohibit vehicles weighing more than 10,000 pounds from lacking a human driver in the front seat. Now, it goes to the California Senate.DetailsThe reason for the two bans is twofold.The first is that the state does not […]
When it comes to heavy-duty lifting and material handling in industries like construction, utilities, and oil and gas, crane trucks are an essential tool. These robust machines combine mobility with formidable lifting power, providing invaluable utility on the worksite. With several key manufacturers dominating the market, it’s crucial to identify the ones that have consistently […]
The primary State of Emergency exemption from the COVID-19 pandemic, the one regarding waiving hours-of-service requirements within reason, has long since passed, but its smaller brother, a waiver that enables some third-party CDL skill tests examiners to also conduct CDL knowledge tests, is still ongoing. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) wants to stop […]
What is a Crane Truck? A crane truck, also known as a truck-mounted crane, is a type of vehicle that combines the transportation capabilities of a truck and the load lifting capabilities of a crane. This versatility makes crane trucks useful in a wide variety of roles. A typical crane truck features a standard truck […]
Another month, another update regarding the trucking industry job numbers, courtesy of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).May 2023 NumbersInitial estimate for May 2023 is 1,609,200.Revised number for April 2023 is 1,608,600. This is a slight decrease from the initial estimation of 1,612,500.Final employment count for March 2023 is 1,607,600. Last month it was estimated […]
It has been a while since we have brought you an update regarding the average auction prices on used Class 8 trucks, so we thought we would give you a lightning round of what has happened in the first four months of the year, thanks to the fine folks at J.D. Valuation Services.January 2023 NumbersModel […]
A long time ago, in an pre-COVID-19 era, we at TopMark Funding wrote about how we think autonomous trucks will not replace the human driver for well over a decade. While our opinion of that still remains very much true, it is still possible that level 4 autonomous trucking may just be around the corner.DetailsTuSimple […]
Usually when there is a Brake Safety Day coming up from the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), there is ample time of warning for when it is going to occur. Not this time! To make sure drivers are keeping their vehicles in shape at all times, the CVSA has decided to shake things up by […]
When it comes to the war on truck parking, some non-drivers are much more interested in just sweeping the problem under the rug. After all, out of sight, out of mind, right? The St. Paul City Council has voted seven to zero in favor of banning truck parking within city limits.DetailsThe ordinance forbids truck parking […]
Dogs in semi-trucks can be a great companion for you during long drives. Music, podcasts, and blogs about semi-trucks can only help pass time on the road for so long. If you’re feeling lonely and isolated from being on the road so much, a dog in your cab could be the solution for you. It’s […]
We at TopMark Funding love a good truck parking story, and here is the latest one: The House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure passed on May 23rd a bill called the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act that will enable $755 million in funding for the foundation of more public truck parking spots across the country.The […]
On Tuesday May 23rd, the House of Representatives voted 221 to 203 in favor of revoking the Environmental Protection Agency’s recently listed Heavy Duty Truck Rule. With the Senate recently voting similarly, albeit with a slimmer majority, it now goes across Joe Biden’s desk.DetailsRecently, the EPA has listed two standards, one for 2027 and another […]
We have written about some of the contents of the SHIP-IT Act before, namely the tax incentives that are intended to boost the total number of truckers on the road. One other inclusion in the SHIP-IT Act is the testing of an increase on the weight limit that a big rig is allowed to be, […]
AB-5, a law regarding the classification of workers depending on a variety of standards, may be the law of the land in the most populous state, California, but that is not stopping the trucking industry from challenging it from applying to the industry. Now, the California Trucking Association (CTA) and Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) […]
Are you familiar with the Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot (SDAP) program, which enables drivers aged 18 to 20 to haul freight across state lines? If so, you may be surprised (or not so surprised) to find out that it has been a failure.The program was capped at 3,000 drivers, but currently only has about ten. […]
History Of The Owner-Operator The role of the owner-operator in the trucking industry has a long and complex history, closely tied to the broader economic and regulatory history of transportation in the United States. Here’s a brief overview: Early 20th Century: The trucking industry began to take off in the early 20th century as motorized […]
Welcome to our Comprehensive Trucking Industry Glossary. This extensive collection of terms and definitions has been curated to provide valuable insights into the unique language of the trucking industry. Whether you’re a newcomer seeking to familiarize yourself with common jargon, a seasoned veteran looking to brush up on terminology, or an external stakeholder aiming to […]
We at TopMark Funding are fascinated by the truck parking problem and steps that people from all walks of life such tech gurus, regulators, and lawmakers take to fight it. What about the truckers themselves? Bennett Motor Express has taken it upon itself to expand its business operations from simply hauling goods to providing truck […]
We used to do constant updates regarding diesel prices as a national average, but have since slowed down in that regard. It is time we bring out the champagne, though, as for the first time in over a year, the average diesel price across the nation has fallen below the $4 per gallon threshold.DetailsThis has […]
