Trucking Advocate and Activist Allen Smith of TruthAboutTrucking.com : Articles Current News and Information for CDL Truck Drivers and Truck Driving Students…"Raising the Standards of the Trucking Industry"
An Alabama trucking company has been shut down after one of its drivers crashed into a van in March, killing 10 people in the van, many of whom had Lancaster County connections. Killed in the crash on a Kentucky highway were eight members of the John and Sadie Esh family, along with two family friends. The tractor-trailer truck driver was also killed.
The only survivors of the crash were two little boys, ages 3 and 5, who were grandsons of the Eshes.
Both John and Sadie Esh, who were Mennonite, were from large Amish families and had many relatives in Lancaster County.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration ordered Hester Inc., of Fayette, Ala., to cease operations after failing to correct “critical” violations, including allowing drivers to operate trucks longer than allowed by law.
The order was issued in June, but was released to The Courier-Journal on Wednesday after the newspaper requested it through the Freedom of Information Act. Scott Hester, the owner of the company, declined to comment to the newspaper.
Truck driver Kenneth Laymon went across the median on I-65 near Munfordville on March 26, striking a van carrying the Esh family and their friends, who were traveling to a wedding in Iowa.
Successful truck owner operators and trucking fleets understand the importance of saving every dollar wherever possible. Most owner operators will fail due to not running their business as a business. Truck drivers who do succeed in their own trucking business will know where every penny goes and are constantly discovering ways to lower their costs and raise their profits. Squeezing even one more gallon per mile out of every tank full can lead to a big savings.
Truckers are no strangers to fuel additives, with several brands available on the market. A gas and diesel fuel treatment, recently opened to the public and catching the attention of many drivers is the XTREME fuel treatment. Used in large industrial operations for years, it has now become available to the general public. After being contacted by Mike Garcia of diesel treatment, I agreed to test the Xtreme additive on my own to see how and if it really worked.
Over a seventeen day period, I recorded the miles driven and gallon fill-ups, with the average miles per gallon per tank full. The first five days were operated normally with no Xtreme added, in order to clarify the current MPG average. For the next five days, Xtreme was added with those results being recorded as well. The final seven days included running without the Xtreme fuel treatment, in order for the treatment to work itself out of the system and see what the MPG results would conclude.
Within the first 24 hours, the first noticeable aspect was that the engine ran much quieter and smoother. Once the Xtreme was added, you can see an increase in the MPG performance with each passing day. Once the Xtreme started working itself out of the system, you will note that the MPG average began dropping. The average MPG reading of 5.78 was listed on the first day of testing, August 1st, 2010. By the tenth day of August, having started the treatment on 08/06/10, the MPG reading came in at 8.07 MPG. Having to end the testing on this date, I was unable to actually see what reading the MPG average would have plateaued.
With an average MPG of 6.5, the Xtreme fuel treatment had reached an 8.07 reading, resulting in a 1.57 MPG increase. With two 100 gallon tanks, this would result in a 314 miles per tank increase. As of August 30th, 2010, the U.S. average for diesel was $2.989 per gallon, which would result in a $116.00 savings per tank full. Having achieved these results with only a five day treatment, I plan to do further testing over a six week period.
One truck driver who noticed two young girls being worked at a truck stop, made the 911 call to police and an amazing set of events took place. The two girls, 15 and 14, were seen going in and out of the trucks and appeared to be distraught and at times, just simply afraid. Feeling something was not right, the alert trucker called police, informing them that the two girls “appeared pretty young.”
Not only were the two Ohio girls minors, but they also turned out to be kidnap victims of human trafficking. The two minors were saved and returned to their families, but the story did not end there. Because of this one phone call from this one truck driver, seven other minor children were saved leading to the conviction of thirty one human trafficking offenders and led to the shutting down of a thirteen-state prostitution ring.
One phone call from one trucker . . . 9 lives saved . . . 31 offenders convicted . . . 13 state ring shut down . . . from one phone call.
Watch the video testimony and sign up for Chapter 61 Ministries webinars on human trafficking to learn more on how you can help.
The U. S. trucking industry has seen a serious rise of cargo theft over the past few years and the problem is growing rapidly. So much in fact, that stealing truck freight is becoming the“signature crime of the early 21st century.”
The September, 2010 issue of Truckers News Magazine has taken an in-depth investigation into the growing and dangerous problem. On September 1st, 2010 Truth About Trucking “LIVE” talk radio discussed, not only the problem . . . but the solutions to this ever-growing crime.
Our special guests were:
Todd Dills, Senior Editor for Overdrive and Truckers News magazines
Like the movie with the same name, is the perfect storm brewing for the U. S. trucking industry? With the possibility of more than a quarter of a million truck drivers facing termination from their driving careers from the CSA 2010 initiative, coupled with the talk of changing the current HOS rules, is there a a catastrophic event heading straight toward professional drivers and trucking companies alike?
The hours of service rule for truck drivers could be looking at losing two hours of driving time, along with doing away with the 34 hour restart rule. The ATA and company CEO’s fear that these two aspects combined will reduce productivity among drivers. ATA Chairman, Tommy Hodges stated that the CSA 2010 will be a “free agency for drivers.” He went on to say, “a driver that knows he’s got a good record, he knows how to abide by the rules, and he knows and understands his value to your company, (is) going to come in and say, ‘look at my score, you’re going to pay me 50 cents a mile or I’m going to go to XYZ,’ and he will.” He went on to comment that productivity loss could be as high as 18 percent if the changes are indeed made.
No doubt that losing two hours of driving time and the 34 hour restart will change the way trucking companies operate, but could not adding additional time for rest also increase productivity by eliminating much of the “pushing of drivers” to run further and harder? The industry sees the loss of revenue coming by not being able to push their drivers beyond their physical and mental limits in order to get the freight delivered and move on to the next load. Are the industry leaders more concerned with the loss of dollars than the safety of their drivers?
Truck drivers operated under the former set of HOS rules for years and did just fine.The new HOS rules, if they occur, will basically return nearly as they were before.Is the industry fearful of losing their ability to push their drivers’ work loads, or more afraid of the good, safe and professional drivers gaining more control over their own careers?
For many, it is known as simply “The GW” and sooner or later most long haul truckers are going to have it in their sights. My best advise for new truck drivers who will be tackling the George Washington Bridge for the first time? Sit down . . . buckle up . . . and hold on . . .
The GW is one of the most heavily traveled bridges in the world, spanning the Hudson River between Washington Heights, Manhattan and Fort Lee, New Jersey offering 14 lanes for the traveling public. It has the greatest vehicular capacity of any bridge worldwide, and according to 2007 statistics, nearly 106,000,000 vehicles crosses its path every year, with approximately 9,549,000 being trucks. It is not so bad crossing in a 4-wheeler . . . but a big rig? This can be a different story.
The first time I made contact with the George Washington bridge, I had no reason to believe that it would be any different than any other structure. Besides the enormous amount of traffic, nobody ever told me about the deteriorating road conditions. I hit the GW running with no seat belt locked in and the next thing I knew I left the comfort of my seat, bouncing so high I hit my head hard on the top of the cab . . . most of the items in the bunk went flying and landed all over the place. From that day forward, before I met up with the GW . . . I had the seat belt fastened and ready to go.
Through the years I have often thought about the reconstructing of the GW crossing. With all the toll dollars and New York taxes, why does this remain as one of the roughest traveling areas in the country? Trucking across the George Washington bridge gives new meaning to the phrase, “Beat you to death.” Along with being such a well-known landmark, the bridge also boasts having some of the most state-of-the-art technology and advanced traffic management systems in the world.
GW Bridge Traffic Managment System
Transdyn has successfully delivered traffic management systems for some of the most important bridges and tunnels in the world including the Boston Central Artery/Tunnel and the Delaware Memorial Bridge. Multi-million dollar traffic systems, yet . . . truck drivers take a beating upon crossing. The high-tech system is very much needed, allowing for the increase of an “effective crisis prevention plan by identifying unauthorized stopped vehicles, monitoring critical structure areas, and responding rapidly to emergency situations with real-time decision support tools.”
So, the question came to me again the other day . . . “why do they not repair the travel portion of the road?” The more I thought about it, I considered that the question should be . . . “how do they repair the travel portion of the road?” To get around the 4,760 feet span, how and where do they detour the nearly 300,000 vehicles that crosses every single day?
Although it is one of the most famous bridges in the world, its geographical location could very well be its downfall when it comes to much needed road repair.
It has been debated by truck drivers waiting in line at the shippers and receivers and over a cup of coffee at their favorite truck stop. Some like the idea, while others are adamantly against it. It will likely never happen, but it makes for good conversation . . .
What are the pros and cons of having all truck drivers paid by the hour, instead of CPM, per load or other means. By what pay do truckers really prefer? Stay with cents-per-mile or would having all drivers pay at an hourly rate work for the millions of professional truck drivers who keep America moving?
Trucking talk radio, Truth About Trucking “LIVE” discussed the hourly pay for truck drivers debate on Thursday, August 26th, 2010. Are you for it . . . or against it?
Also, for the first segment of the show, our special guest was Mike Garcia of diesel treatment dot com about the new fuel additive, XTREME.
John Winterholler
Also joining the show was CEO/President of Syntek Global, John Winterholler.
Xtreme fuel treatment
Allen tested this product and the results were disclosed on the show as we learned more about this diesel and gas fuel treatment. Owner Operators should check out the Xtreme Fuel Treatment and compare the cost to savings as was described in the show.
We will posting the test results in an upcoming post . . . catch the show here:
Truck drivers across the country have been called on by Chapter 61 ministries to be the eyes and ears for the human trafficking crisis in America. The partnership between the Transport for Christ and Chapter 61 organizations, the Truckers Against Trafficking, along with many others, have led to a much greater awareness of this problem, not only in the United States but abroad. Recent headline news is focusing on this $32 billion a year business, which destroys countless lives and enslaves its victims . . . the majority of whom are women and children:
These are just a few of the most recent cases involving human trafficking. Most Americans are aware of the problem in Asia and Africa, but are oblivious to that fact that it is big business here in the United States. Chapter 61 ministries will be presenting another set of online informational webinars in September, 2010.
All webinars will begin at 9 p.m. EDT. Because members of the trucking and travel plaza industry represent the eyes and ears of America on those highways, they can play a critical part in fighting this crime and those who perpetrate it. They simply need to know what to look for, what questions to ask and what steps to take.
If you would like to participate, you can sign up by clicking on one of the following dates that you wish to attend:
Often truck drivers can find themselves in trouble when it comes to the required DOT medical drug screen. A legal, prescribed drug from your family physician can lead to termination from the trucking company if you fail to follow the correct procedure. Many times in the trucking industry, problems that arise that can cause a driver to lose his or her job could have been avoided.
The DOT drug screen looks for the use of a Schedule 1 drugs : amphetamine, narcotic or any other habit forming drug that is not legally permitted. They also check for the usage of illegal narcotic drugs including marijuana, cocaine, amphetamines, opiates and phencyclidine (PCP). Very often, drivers who have received a legal prescription from their doctor fail to understand that this information should be provided to the motor carrier, especially when facing a DOT physical or drug screening. Most importantly, the information must be provided to the medical examiner before the screening takes place.
As an example, often truck drivers can be given a legal prescription for Lortab which is a combination of a narcotic painkiller and cough reliever with a non-narcotic painkiller for the relief of moderate to moderately severe pain. Since it contains hydrocodone, the hydrocodone is a narcotic, which is one of the things they look for from a DOT drug test. Therefore, if the driver fails to tell the company or medical examiner about the Lortab, the drug test will come back as a flagged and failed screening.
Most truckers understand that this type of prescription, though legal, contains a narcotic. By telling the trucking company that they are on this drug or others like it, they face the possibility of their employer telling them to take the two or three weeks off until they are better . . . or however long their doctor has prescribed the medication. This simply is not worth the chance of losing your job. If you are called to take a random drug test . . . you will now find yourself in a tough situation.
I am hearing more from drivers who have found themselves in this position. Don’t take the chance. Random drug tests could become more random in the future. If you have to be on a prescribed narcotic . . . tell your company immediately. It’s better to follow company policy and be told to take the required time off, than it is to be terminated for not following the correct procedure.
The Big Rigs CD – Jason Law Fund has been established by songwriters, David Ayers and Barry Allen in order to assist Hope Rivenburg and her children, Joshua, Logan and Hezekiah, and her quest to promote the passing of bill H.R. 2156, better known as Jason’s Law.
Truth About Trucking “LIVE” talk radio discussed the release of the new trucking music CD, “When the Big Rigs Don’t Roll” earlier this evening on the popular Blog Talk Radio program. The two hour broadcast featured special guests:
David Ayers
David Ayers – An award-winning songwriter through the Georgia Music Industry Association. He has served on the executive board of the GMIA and has worked with beginning songwriters at the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. He is a member of ASCAP and the NSAI and is a prolific songwriter, and has developed the reputation for being the “country Christmas specialist” throughout the entire metro-Atlanta area.
Barry Allen
Barry Allen – A well-known songwriter, publisher and songplugger in Nashville, TN and is a member of the CMA, BMI and the Nashville Songwriters Association International. He regularly volunteers at the NSAI which offers training & education to aspiring songwriters and advocates for the interests of songwriting professionals in Washington, D.C.
Hope Rivenburg
Hope Rivenburg – With the help of Congressman Paul Tonko, Hope has brought the need for safe and secure parking areas for our nation’s truck drivers to the attention of the media. Her works and dedication toward the passing of bill H. R. 2156, better known as Jason’s Law, is named after her husband, Jason who was killed on the side of the road when he parked his rig in an abandoned gas station due to the lack of safe parking in the area. Her plight led to David and Barry penning the song, “Say a Prayer for Jason” on their new CD release.
Richie Acosta
Richie Acosta – Bodybuilder and professional truck driver, Richie Acosta maintains several websites for all truck enthusiasts around the world, and his rig is used as the main cover of the Big Rigs CD. His East Coast Large Cars Annual Truck Show has become the fastest growing truck show on the east coast.
For information on how you can help to support Jason’s Law and the Rivenburg family, please visit the Big Rigs CD – Jason Law Fund.
Listen to the stories behind the songs from our Truth About Trucking “LIVE” talk radio show:
: alabama, FMCSA, hours of violations, lancaster, online, shut down, trucking company
