Selected COVID-19 and trucking industry news that may impact your business.
As of March 23, 2020:
Load rejections signal tightest market since 2018, but for how long?
FreightWaves
With the nation struggling with a pandemic, many carriers have found themselves overwhelmed by the sharp increase in demand over the past three weeks, which has led to the highest load rejection rate since September of 2018. This spike is probably temporary, however. Read More
FMCSA answers 11 frequently asked questions about COVID-19 HOS waiver
CDL Life
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has provided new answers and clarification about the nationwide emergency declaration issued last week. Read More
Drivers ‘on their own’ if they have to self-isolate
FreightWaves
Carriers and medical clinics struggle to develop protocols for drivers who have COVID-19. Read More
Fleets report freight slowdown while juggling social distancing of dispatchers and drivers
CCJ
Of the more than 300 respondents to a CCJ poll conducted last week, nearly 13% of carriers said business has spiked in recent days due to retail replenishment. Another 33%, the plurality of respondents, said business hasn’t changed and that they’re still running the same number of loads.
However, nearly half of respondents reported either a slight slowdown (27%) or a sharp decline (20%) in freight demand. The remainder of respondents said they’ve either sent office personnel home or had to lay off drivers already. Read More
Transportation, logistics workers deemed essential during coronavirus crisis
FreightWaves
The transportation industry is critical for the movement of goods. But are all employees working for transportation and logistics companies “essential” during these unprecedented times of mandatory quarantines? New York joined California on Friday morning in ordering all nonessential workers to stay home. Read More
CA Governor Newsom Issues Executive Order Easing Restrictions on Commercial Drivers During COVID-19 Outbreak
JD Supra
On March 17, 2020, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Executive Order N-31-20 to ease restrictions on commercial drivers engaged in support of emergency relief efforts. Read More
Nebraska’s rest stops are open after disruption tied to toilet paper
FreightWaves
A truck driver rolling through Nebraska carrying toilet paper to the shelves may have encountered an unpleasant fact – a rest stop he or she was planning to use might have been closed because of – a lack of toilet paper.
But as last week drew to a close, they were all open. Read More