Transportation: Page 439

FMCSA: Commercial Truck Passengers Must Wear Seat Belts

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)

In 2014, 37 passengers traveling unrestrained in the cab of a large truck were killed in roadway crashes, according to the most recent data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Effective Aug. 8, 2016, the final rule revises Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations and holds motor carriers and drivers responsible for ensuring that passengers riding in large commercial trucks are using seat belts.

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Hostess Brands Acquires Superior Cake Products

This marks the company’s first acquisition since the Hostess brand returned to the market under new ownership in 2013.

Restored Railroad to Connect Tijuana to U.S. Rail Facilities

The landmark agreement between Pacific Imperial Railroad (PIR) and Baja California Railroad (Baja Rail) provides a huge economic boost to both sides of the border.

The San Diego region and U.S.-Mexico binational economies lose a staggering $6 billion annually due to long delays in getting trucks carrying freight – such as new automobiles – across the U.S. – Mexico land borders in San Diego, according to a study done by the San Diego Association of Governments. An operational Desert Line will ease congestion, reduce air pollution, promote commerce and create jobs.

Feds Order NFI to Reinstate Bottled Water Driver Who Refused to Violate Hours Of Service Rule

The driver and NFI each have 30 days from receipt of OSHA’s findings to file objections and request a hearing before the Labor Department’s Office of Administrative Law Judges.

As a result of its findings, OSHA is ordering NFI Interactive Logistics to make many corrective actions including immediately reinstating the driver to his former position, with all rights, seniority, pay raises and benefits to which he was entitled absent the discharge.

Survey Indicates Driver Sleep Apnea Costs are Hefty

American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI)

With data from over 800 commercial drivers, ATRI’s report is the first to quantify the costs and other impacts that truck drivers are experiencing as they address diagnosis and potential treatment regimen for OSA.

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Software Solutions

Food Delivery Apps Battle For Survival In Growing But Saturated Market

The takeout business is about $70 billion annually in the United States, according to analysts at Citi. But only about four percent of that spending went through an app or website in 2014, the most recent year for which data is available.

Investors put about $5.4 billion into food and grocery delivery startups around the world in 2015, according to research firm CB Insights. That’s more money than poured into digital health care companies by about a billion dollars, and more than double what software-as-a-service companies collected.

Teamsters Clash With Coastal Ports Over Driver Classification

At issue is whether owner-operators are simply small businesses working by choice as contractors for trucking companies, or whether the drivers are “misclassified” as contractors and are actually employees.

The Teamsters launch a concerted campaign to pressure trucking companies on the issue in California, where a week-long series of job actions involving drayage companies that serve the ports, intermodal rail yards and warehouses began Wednesday.

DHL Plans To Expand Robots In Warehouse Following Successful Test

Seeing as the pickers are only human, DHL and the French robotics company Effidence are looking for a better way — for both efficiency and the employees.

EFFiBot sits on four heavy-duty all-terrain wheels, its body is mainly an open wagon-like bay that holds upwards of 650 pounds. Sensors on the front help EFFiBot follow the picker throughout the warehouse as he or she finds packages on the shelves and places them on the robot to carry.

Truck Drivers Oppose Nationwide Database For Drug And Alcohol Results

The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration sent the rule to the White House last month for final approval after a two-year delay.

The U.S. Department of Transportation is moving to establish a national database — also known as a clearinghouse — that would list truck drivers who have failed drug and alcohol tests. It would also list drivers who have refused to take them.

Ocean Ports & Carriers

Port Cargo Container Weight Seminar Calls For Communication

The recent Maritime Safety Committee Meeting stated that the key to successful implementation of the VGM requirements is close communication and cooperation between governments and all industry stakeholders.

The Port of New Orleans recently welcomed the return of Chiquita after a 40-year hiatus.

Trucking Outlook Uncertain; Spot Markets Negative

“There is enough uncertainty swirling around the trucking markets right now to force a manager or business owner to keep the antacids handy," says Jonathan Starks, chief operating officer at FTR.

FTR’s Trucking Conditions Index (TCI) for April was up month-over-month to a 6.2 reading, however, this number reflects soft market conditions, according to trucknews.com.

iContainers Freight Delivery Service Raises $6.7 Million In Growth Capital

iContainers seeks to take the port digital and bring transparency to an otherwise complex, cumbersome, and costly process involving customs agents, consultants, and copious paperwork.

iContainers is an early market mover in what it calls door-to-door servicing. Using the company’s platform, users can schedule a warehouse pickup and have goods delivered directly to another warehouse in over 1,200 destinations.

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