Medical certification faces audit

Some states are considering action to limit nuclear verdicts. But in Illinois, lawmakers are going the other direction – which has some concerned. And a photo project called Sisters of the Road that features 40 female truck drivers is making its way through the U.S. Also, several states are undertaking efforts to reform towing practices within their borders – and with predatory towing being an important topic in trucking, you may well be affected.

0:00 – Newscast 

10:00 – Illinois goes the wrong way on nuclear verdicts

24:31 – Photo project showcases female truckers

39:55 – States tackle towing reform

A previous version on the federal government’s independent contractor rule included a provision that opened the door to carriers requiring owner-operators to use speed limiters. Also, truck parking, driverless trucks and broker fraud are a few trucking issues that are being discussed in mainstream media. We speak with OOIDA's communications team about the Association’s take on the issues and the importance of having our voice heard. Then, fraud and scam artists have started to work the load boards, and truckers end up the victims. We have some advice.

0:00 – Newscast 

10:00 – Getting the word out on trucking issues

24:31 – Fraud problem still prevalent on load boards

39:55 – Old independent contractor rule opened the door to speed limiters

Confused by the Department of Labor’s new worker classification rule? You’re not alone. The folks from Land Line Magazine clear things up. Also, from a fire crew that rescued a trucker dangling from a bridge to a federal agency whose certification process is creating problems for truckers, we’ll tell you who in recent news has been good and who’s been bad with some Roses and Razzberries. And CVSA has announced the dates for its annual Roadcheck safety blitz. We’ll get an idea of what truckers need to know about that from CVSA’s Jeremy Disbrow.

0:00 – Newscast 

10:00 – Clearing up confusion on the new independent contractor rule

24:31 – Roses and Razzberries

39:55 – An early look at CVSA’s annual Roadcheck

An FMCSA task force on lease-purchase agreements has a meeting set at MATS. We’ll discuss what the panel hopes to do and how you can participate. Also, when it comes to getting a ticket, high pressure and stress may lead you to pay it right away. The guys at Road Law have some advice on what you should do instead for a better outcome. And new idling laws are being considered here and there, but one in New York has the attention of a lot of truckers who visit Marty Ellis.

0:00 – Newscast 

10:00 – Lease-purchase meeting at MATS – what to expect

24:31 – Getting a better outcome after a ticket

39:55 – New York idling bounty draws truckers’ ire

The Tennessee DOT has reversed course on split speed limits for passenger vehicles and commercial trucks on a 22-mile stretch of Interstate 81. Also, two communities in two different states recently gave two middle fingers to truck drivers just looking for a safe place to park. And the DAT load board saw an increase last week in load posts, but overall rates for vans and reefers decreased once again.

0:00 – Newscast 

10:00 – Tennessee ends split speed limits on I-81

24:31 – Two places say no to truck parking

39:55 – Loads are up, but rates are down

Wisconsin lawmakers have taken action to stop nuclear verdicts, and other states are addressing the issue, as well. Meanwhile, nine states are working on left lane legislation. Also, a situation has come up that has serious potential consequences – drivers being stranded by their carriers. We’ll discuss that, plus scam text messages and how to pull an MVR. And if your truck is going to be parked for a considerable amount of time, you may have wondered about pausing your insurance policy.

0:00 – Newscast 

10:00 – What to do if your carrier strands you

24:31 – Can you pause your insurance policy?

39:55 – Lawmakers in several states take action to stop nuclear verdicts

OOIDA Executive Vice President Lewie Pugh is headed to our nation’s capital – and both speed limiters and bathroom access are on his agenda. Also, a Florida bill is taking aim a predatory towing, both for trucks and for cars. We’ll hear from Florida state Sen. Keith Perry. And is electric power a practical alternative to diesel? Mike Kucharski of JKC Trucking has spoken out on the topic to national media outlets – and he’s not optimistic about the tech.

0:00 – Newscast 

10:00 – Florida effort targets predatory towing

24:31 – Trucking company owner not optimistic about electric trucks

39:55 – Speed limiters, bathroom access on agenda for D.C. visit

The Prove It Act would force federal agencies to think about the “little guy” when crafting new regulations. The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Brad Finstad of Minnesota, joins the program. Also, looking ahead at speed limiter proposals, electric trucks and AEBs, we sit down with Land Line Magazine staff to discuss this month's issue. And the 2024 independent contractor rule is set to become final next month. We speak with OOIDA's advocacy counsel about what this could mean and how it could impact your operation.

0:00 – Newscast 

10:00 – Finstad wants to stop regulators’ ‘harebrained ideas’

24:52 – What to expect in spring: speed limiters, AEBs and more

39:54 – Some details of the new independent contractor rule

A bill designed to prevent nuclear verdicts is close to becoming law in Wisconsin. We’ll hear from the author of the House version of the bill. Also, FMCSA is asking truckers for their input on sexual assault and sexual harassment in trucking and is gathering lease-purchase agreements. And Marty Ellis has been hearing a story that a lot of us have heard for a very long time – about brokers making life difficult for truckers. In this case, the culprit is fine print in the broker-carrier agreement.

0:00 – Newscast 

10:00 – Bill designed to prevent nuclear verdicts

24:52 – FMCSA asks for input on sexual harassment, assault

39:54 – Brokers making life difficult for truckers

Load-to-truck ratios are approaching an all-time low. We’ll speak with Robert Rouse of DAT about similarities between now and how things looked during the pandemic. Also, with the advent of LEDs, you can do all kinds of things with lights that were never possible before. We’ll discuss the options. And the Minnesota Trucking Association has named its driver of the year for 2023 – a man with more than 30 years’ experience who has worked hard both on and off the clock.

0:00 – Newscast 

10:00 – The cool, new options with LED lighting

24:52– Trucker honored by Minnesota group

39:54 – The news about the spot market is not good