The hazards of distracted driving
Insiders, We’ve all been there — distracted at the wheel. A quick text, a song change, a call. Yet, this split-second shift from road to device is dangerous for any driver, but particularly for our drivers hauling trailers, where stopping swiftly is not an option.
Today's feature article focuses on the toll of distracted driving and how businesses can prevent such risks.
Inside today's newsletter:
👨⚖️ Court upholds California’s EPA waivers
💰Tax return tips for owner-operators
🚚 XPO re-opens three Yellow terminals
🌎 Growing demand for sustainability-minded carriers
📦 A brief history of the shipping container
All this and more in today's edition of The Inside Lane.
How can fleets ensure drivers stay focused?
Distracted driving is a big challenge in the United States, contributing to 3,308 fatalities and 289,310 injuries in 2022, according to NHTSA’s latest data. The human and financial cost of those incidents are significant for fleets - but there are solutions to help keep drivers focused.
Why is distraction on the rise?
Connected devices are making multi-tasking the norm. Drivers are often juggling work and home responsibilities, and time at the wheel can feel like an opportunity to catch up. It isn’t worth the risk.
How can fleets break that habit?
Android and Apple smartphones can both detect when they’re in a vehicle and automatically silence notifications. If it’s still a problem, in-cab cameras and call-blocking apps can help notify fleet managers if drivers aren’t paying enough attention.
Find out more at Automotive Fleet.
🙂 GOOD DAY:
XPO has re-opened three former Yellow Corp terminals in Tennessee, Colorado and Arizona, having acquired the assets at auction last December. The company bid $870 million for 26 owned and two leased locations from the bankrupt trucking firm, and most will be operating again by the end of this year.
🙁 BAD DAY:
Extreme weather events have become the number one challenge for carriers and shippers in 2024, according to a new survey, and climate change is in the spotlight. Shippers ranked sustainability initiatives as their third most sought-after consideration when establishing carrier partnerships, while cost and capacity have fallen out of the top three.
Declining capacity is good news for rates
Experts are predicting further declines in carrier capacity during 2024, but at a much slower rate than last year. A record 39,000 carriers left the industry between Q3 2022 and Q4 2023, attributed to rising operating costs and falling rates. The silver lining is supply and demand getting back into balance, which could mean better rates are on the horizon.
- CCJ
California given green light to set its own emissions rules
A Federal court has ruled that California can continue to set emissions rules which are stricter than the EPA’s. Plaintiffs include 17 states, alleging that the waiver granted for the Advanced Clean Cars rule creates an imbalance of authority, and fuel trade groups arguing that would harm their business. The decision could wreck future cases challenging similar rules for trucks.
**Owner-operators: Are you claiming the right tax deductions?
**
With only a few days before this year’s tax return deadline, this weekend is a last opportunity to make sure your paperwork is in order. Per diem deductions — non-taxable reimbursement for travel expenses — can make a big difference for long-haul truckers. Rates are unchanged (at $69 per day) since 2021, and routes involving an overnight stay away from home would qualify.
- VEHICLE CHECKS: What are the legal requirements for drivers?
- BALTIMORE CRISIS: Tax and hours of service relief for truckers
- BUILDING BLOCKS: How shipping containers changed the world
- CHARGED: Texas fleet caught trafficking and altering logbooks
Quote of the Day:
“As we enter this seasonally strong time for shipping,
if capacity is truly rebalanced, we should see rates follow the
seasonal trend upward.”
- Ken Adamo, chief of analytics, DAT
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Be safe out there -
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