With many industries worried about losing jobs to technology, truck drivers joined the fray at a recent Capitol Hill hearing on the future of autonomous trucking. Chris Spears of the American Trucking association spoke on behalf of the industry’s largest companies attempting “to quell those fears by asserting that automation is indeed to bring more drivers into the industry – not push them out.” Read more…
Monthly Archives: September 2023
CALIFORNIA TRUCKERS ASK GOVERNOR TO SIGN SELF-DRIVING BILL
Lawmakers, union leaders, and truck drivers in California are imploring Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom to sign into a law a proposal “that could save jobs as self-driving trucks are tested for their safety on the roads.” The law “would ban self-driving trucks weighing more than 10,000 pounds(4,536 kilograms) – which would include vehicles from UPS delivery trucks to massive semi-trucks – from operating on public roads unless a human driver is aboard.” Read more…
TRUCKER WARNS EPA ABOUT AMERICAN FOOD SUPPLY ISSUE
Mike Kucharski, a trucking executive who is the vice-president and co-owner of JKC Trucking, has exclaimed that the new emission standards put forth by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would have a “catastrophic” impact on both the trucking industry and American food supply. The EPA rule, which went into effect on March 27, 2023, aims to lessen air pollution from heavy-duty engines and vehicles by making them more strict and covering a wider range of operating conditions. Read more…
IMPORTERS DITCHING WEST COAST PORTS
U.S. importers have been moving their business away from West Coast ports due to the fraught nature of the labor dispute between the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and the International Longshore and Warehouse union. The Wall Street Journal reports that ports’ share of US containerized import cargo dropped from 37% to 35% year-over-year in June. Read more…
FLEXPORT CEO RESIGNS
David Clark, who was the CEO of Flexport, a logistics company, resigned on Wednesday September 6, 2023. After leaving Amazon in June, Clark had a tough time transitioning and faced criticism over his leadership style. Flexport founder Ryan Peterson, the previous co-CEO, will be replacing David as he is reportedly considering a run for governor of Texas in 2026. Read more…