According to CCJ Digital, the per-mile truckload rates increased significantly in May, especially flatbed, which hit its highest rate since August 2015. 

The article noted rates in all three major truckload segments – van, flatbed and reefer – all had significant gains from the prior month.

Although gains are consistent with seasonal trends, the soar could be the result of an increase predicted by industry analysts ahead of the ELD mandate’s compliance deadline.

Flatbed hit the highest since August 2015 at $2.25 a mile, an increase of three pennies from the previous month and 17 cents up since May 2016.

To read the full article and other industry related content, click here.

Kinedyne LLC and Heavy Duty Trucking are hosting a free webinar to cover various topics about the upcoming Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) International Roadcheck June 6 – 8.

The webinar, “A Survivor’s Guide for Cargo Securement Inspections During International Roadcheck 2017” will be held Tuesday, May 30 at 2 PM EDT with the goal to help owner-operators and fleets prepare for the upcoming 72-hour inspection blitz.

This year’s Roadcheck has an emphasis on cargo securement so the webinar will cover ways to prepare, regulation and compliance tips to keep cargo secure, types of cargo securement that most operators fail to do correctly, top violations from the last time cargo securement was emphasize, what to to do complet with FMSCA guideliense and how to engage law enforcement in a non-confrontational way.

Webinar participation is free, but registration is required.

Click here to register.

Medallion Transport & Logistics participated as a Corporate Sponsor of the Boars Night Out BBQ Team at last week’s World Championship Barbecue Contest in Memphis, TN. 

Thanks to Medallion and other sponsors, teams like Boars Night Out can do what they love – prepare great BBQ dishes and compete against teams around the world – at this annual event.

The Boars Night Out team finished 11 out of 55 for the Shoulder Division and 15th in the Seafood category, less than a point from the top 10 and five points from the finals.

Medallion Sales Agent, Kendal Adair is the team’s Rib Master, and an accomplished BBQ chef with numerous championships under his belt. He recently participated as a celebrity chef during the National Hardware Show at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Other event sponsors included Nucor Steel and Mallory Alexander.

Medallion sales agent, Kendal Adair is not just a transportation industry professional, but an accomplished BBQ chef with numerous awards and championships under his belt.

Adair is part of a championship team and is the Rib Master for Boar’s Night Out (BNO). During his career, he and his teammates have won 28 Grand Championships and Team of the Year twice, among other BBQ honors.

This week, Adair traveled to Las Vegas, NV as the Celebrity Chef and Spokesperson for Kingsford’s new aluminum grilling product line.

During the National Hardware Show at the Las Vegas Convention Center May 9 – 11, he showed off the grilling solutions and some great BBQ at the Kingsford Outdoor Booth

Adair’s career dates back to his childhood. He began competitive cooking in 2007 at age 12. He took second place in that first youth contest and has been hooked ever since.  He’s cooked with the Pig Stars at Memphis in May where they finished 4th in Shoulders.  Two years later he started on the Memphis BBQ Network as the night cook with BNO.  He’s always had a passion for good ribs and followed that passion which led him to become Rib Pitt Master for BNO.

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) will conduct the 30th annual International Roadcheck Inspection Blitz June 6-8, 2017. For 72 hours, CVSA-certified commercial motor vehicle inspectors – law enforcement personnel –  in jurisdictions throughout North America will conduct inspections of commercial motor vehicles and their drivers. Each year, International Roadcheck places special emphasis on a category of violations.

CVSA has announced that the special emphasis area at this year’s Roadcheck is cargo securement. As well as emphasizing the securement regulations during inspections, officers will also be checking that drivers are conducting the required en route cargo securement inspections.  (49 CFR 392.9)

You must check the cargo and securement devices, regardless of the type of vehicle you are driving, within the first 50 miles after leaving. Then at every duty change, every 150 miles, or after 3 hours of driving time, whichever comes first. If any problems are found, you must correct the issue before continuing.

Remember to flag short stops on your logs!  This includes the load check stops.

Checking cargo is also required for van and refrigerated drivers. Cargo inspections must be conducted, unless the cargo is sealed into the trailer or it is otherwise impractical to check.

Inspectors will primarily be conducting the North American Standard Level I Inspection, which is the most thorough roadside inspection, and the goal is to reach 75,000 inspections in three days. Each inspection is a 37-step procedure that includes an examination of both driver operating requirements and vehicle mechanical fitness. Drivers are required to provide items such as their driver’s license, hours-of-service documentation, motor carrier registration and shipping documentation, and inspectors will be checking drivers for seat belt usage and the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. The vehicle inspection includes checking items such as the brake systems, cargo securement, coupling devices, driveline/driveshaft, exhaust systems, frames, fuel systems, lighting devices (required lamps), steering mechanisms, suspensions, tires, van and open-top trailer bodies, wheels, rims and hubs, windshield wipers, and emergency exits (on buses).

International Roadcheck is the largest targeted enforcement program on commercial motor vehicles in the world, with nearly 17 trucks or buses inspected, on average, every minute in Canada, the United States and Mexico during a 72-hour period. Since its inception, more than 1.5 million roadside inspections have been conducted during International Roadcheck campaigns.

Below are some helpful documents regarding the upcoming Roadcheck:

What to Expect During Roadcheck 2017

Cargo Securement Tips

Driver’s Handbook on Cargo Securement

In the recent, May 3 edition update of Morgan Stanley’s Freight Transportation. TLFI continued to outperform seasonality for the fourth consecutive update. According to the report, it was driven by both demand and supply outperformances.

This marks the second straight TLFI update with the three indices outperforming seasonality.

Click here to view the full report.

The state of Missouri has issued a flash flood warning that will be in effect until Thursday, May 4 at 3:15 AM CDT. 

The following counties will be affected: Bourbon, Cherokee, Crawford, Barton, Newton, Cedar, McDonald, Barry, Lawrence, Vernon, Jasper and Dade.

Low water crossing, including Highway 43 at Buffalo Creek west of Anderson, North Main and Murphy Boulevard in Joplin, Business Highway 60 just north of Neosho, Highway 97 at the Spring River north of Stotts City and Highway 37 at The Spring River southwest of Avilla are closed.

These areas are extremely dangerous in heavy rain and will affect transport, especially oversize load travel.

Additional loads may be closed to general travel as well.

For real-time updates on closures and delays, click here.

Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb has directed certain states to ease regulations on oversize loads hauling hay as many are in great need of animal feed. 

Oversize loads carrying hay had been restricted in certain states, including Texas, Kansas and Oklahoma due to recent of wildfires.

Any oversize loads traveling to or from Indiana will be issued free of charge and will be allowed continuous travel seven days a week through April 8.

These special permits will only be issued to loads moving hay in the direct to provide disaster relief.

Drivers of these loads must abide by all other oversize permit regulations, including the need for specific oversize load equipment such as flags and oversize load signs, and night and weekend travel regulations.

Published by the Michigan DOT

Effective ½ hour before sunrise Tuesday, April 4, 2017 weight restrictions will be lifted from the southern Michigan/Indiana & Ohio border north to the Mackinac Bridge. Weight restrictions are still in effect and will be imposed and enforced on all state trunkline highways in the Upper Peninsula.

State trunkline highways typically carry M, I, or US designations.

Weight restriction information and updates may be obtained by calling 1-800-787-8960.

• On routes designated as “All Season Routes” (green or gold on the MDOT Truck Operators Map) there will be no reduction in legal axle weight.

• On routes designated as “Seasonal” (solid or dashed red on the MDOT Truck Operators Map) there will be a weight reduction of 25% for rigid pavements and 35% for flexible pavements.

Extended permits will be valid for oversize only in the weight restricted area.

Single trip permits will not be issued for overweight loads or loads exceeding 14 feet in width, 11 axles and 150 feet in overall length in the weight restricted area.

Detailed Weight Restriction information may be obtained by linking to www.michigan.gov/truckers.

Please refer to the MDOT Truck Operator’s Map for route designations.

According to DAT Solutions, truckload freight rates are on the up, despite considerably less freight. 

The national average rate for vans and reefers each increased 6 cents to $1.69 per mile and $1.93 per mile respectively. Flatbeds were up 4 cents to $2.07 per mile.

Rates in all sectors were the highest in the previous four weeks, although freight volume declined 1.7% and truck capacity gained 1.5%.

Click here to read the full article on Truckinginfo.com.