Perspective

One trend over the past several years is “activity-based pay," which compensates drivers for required tasks other than driving, such as waiting to be loaded, loading or unloading trailers, washing trucks, or documenting their deliveries, to name a few.

Numerous studies by the Department of Transportation, the Association of State and Highway Transportation Officials, American Trucking Associations and the American Road and Transportation Builders Association have warned that the quality and quantity of U.S. transportation infrastructure is deficient and in dire need of permanent, long-term funding.

For many motor carriers, part of the driver shortage solution has been to attract nontraditional drivers to careers behind the wheel, including felons who have served time in prison and now are seeking employment.

When it comes to the trucking industry, we deal with a pace of change that has been constant for years: changing fuel costs, increased regulations, driver shortages, etc.

Vigillo President Steve Bryan reviews each of the four categories in a recent report that outlines recommendations to reform the Compliance, Safety, Accountability program.

USA Today's June 16, 2017, investigative article, “Rigged.” was, in fact, rigged against the Southern California port trucking community and the thousands of motor carriers and drivers that serve this industry, as well as the many customers that depend on their services.

The trucking industry would not be able to move 70.1% of the nation’s freight tonnage without great equipment, reliable technology and millions of technicians working behind the scenes to make sure every component of the tractor-trailer is in working order.

The demands of delivering heavy equipment or cargo safely and on time requires that drivers, equipment rental agencies and trucking industry managers have the right tie down and cargo control gear on hand to secure the load to the trailer or flatbed.