🌟 Editor's Note
CDLs dominate this week, including the continued fallout from the Florida U-Turn deaths. I wish every traffic death got as much attention as the Florida U-Turn ones have, maybe the roads would be safer.
📰 This Week’s Headlines
Florida U-Turn Catch-Up
I took a break from writing about the fallout from the Florida U-Turn deaths last week, but I can’t ignore it forever. Here’s where things stand:
Sikhs are experiencing increased racism. Truck News reports that Sikh truckers, and Sikhs in general, are experiencing a sharp increase in racist incidents.
Safer Truckers Act: A US Senator from Florida has introduced a bill called the Safer Truckers Act. This bill requires states to only give CDLs to people who are citizens, green card holders, or holders of visas that allow them to work in the US, and requires states to do more, and submit an annual report on their efforts to, enforce English Language Proficiency. Since the law already requires a work permit to work, and CDL schools and testing is largely, if not exclusively in English already, and ELP is already required, this bill seems like a “solution in search of a problem.”
Florida Subpoenas Trucking Company: The trucking company that owned the truck & employed the driver in the crash is going to have to answer questions, at least, in Florida.
Restaurant Owner Masterminds Fraudulent CDL Scheme
Six people have been charged in a scheme to let people get CDLs with no training or testing. According to Truckers News, a restaurant owner came up with a scheme where if someone wanted a CDL but didn’t want to do the work, he would bribe people at the Louisiana Motor Vehicles Office to complete the knowledge test, bribe some trainers to certify that the person completed training, and bribe those same trainers, who are also examiners, plus another examiner, to certify that the person had completed the skills test!
TT ELD, Leko, and Renaissance ELDs No Longer Compliant
These three ELDs have been declared non-compliant by the FMCSA, and fleets using them have 60 days to find a replacement. Freightwaves breaks down gaps in the US ELD certification system, (manufacturers self-certify), and suggests that maybe it’s not the best system.
🅿️ New Truck Stops
A new truck stop came to my attention this week:
There’s a new Love’s in Big Spring, TX
If you know of truck stop openings that we should feature let me know by replying to this email.
Till next time,
