New research under way on prevalence of sexual harassment in trucking
With the FMCSA moving toward a study of the predominance of the issue of sex/gender- and/or race-related crimes and other harassing or discriminatory acts, one Kentucky researcher and former trucker, Kim Bourne, moves ahead with her own research into t…
News roundup, Dec. 16: Group seeks regulatory relief for deaf truckers; Love’s reopens Tacoma, Wash., location
The National Association of the Deaf is petitioning the FMCSA to remove the requirement for interstate truckers to be able to hear. Love’s reopened its Tacoma, Washington store, which has been closed since September 2018 for renovations.
News roundup, Dec. 13: Group protests apparent training rule delay
The TruckerNation organization has told FMCSA it no longer wants to be involved with the “Our Roads, Our Safety” campaign. The move is intended to express disapproval of the agency’s reported intent to delay the Entry Level Driver Training rule by as m…
News roundup, Dec. 12: FMCSA delays part of drug clearinghouse rule; TCA members set to haul rolling Vietnam vets memorial in 2020
The provision of the CDL Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse rule requiring states to query the database for CDL transactions has been delayed until 2023. The mobile Vietnam Veterans Memorial, The Wall That Heals, will once again tour the United States in p…
UPS Freight fined after firing driver who refused to drive without a required ELD
OSHA ordered UPS Freight to pay the driver $15,273 in compensatory damages, $30,000 in punitive damages and approximately $2,700 in back wages plus interest. The unnamed driver was fired for refusing to drive without an ELD, and his termination was lat…
News roundup, Dec. 11: Five days remain before final ELD deadline; Tiger Truck Stop billboard: ‘Stop in for a bite’; trucking safety-themed holiday ornament
FMCSA adds a search function to its electronic-logging-device FAQ resource as AOBRD transition deadline approaches is six days away; Louisiana truck stop turns camel’s unfortunate encounter with a human’s bite into marketing opportunity; new trucking s…
Righteous whistleblower or ‘disgruntled employee’?
A dispute between 30-year veteran driver Kevin Hosea and the small-fleet employer who fired him earlier this year shows the complexity of coercion-related cases. The fleet owner denies allegations of coercion.
Parties other than carriers now subject to enforcement under the Coercion Rule
One standout aspect of the coercion rule is that it marked the first time the FMCSA gained some authority to investigate and fine shippers and receivers not already under its regulatory purview. The rule also broadened agency authorities over brokers. …
Drivers citing coercion face an uphill battle
While coercion complaint filing might be straightforward, resolving a complaint is anything but. The process can drag for months, and protection for complainants is impossible if the coercive act is what’s investigated. Add the absence of monetary awar…
Cracks in the system: Blowing the whistle on coercion
In the nearly four years since FMCSA’s driver protection rule took effect, results have been indirect at best, minimal at worst, when drivers report they’ve been pressured to violate regs.