Have you wondered if there's been more semi truck crashes than usual in Washington State? In 2017, after a spate of high-profile semi crashes in Washington that resulted in serious injuries and/or closed major highways for hours, we looked into this question. The Washington State Patrol's Collision Analysis Tool shows 1087 semi crashes met the damage threshold for reporting in 2017. [...]
Last week, the FMCSA ordered trucking company Evenflo Logistics to "immediately cease all interstate and intrastate operation." A separate "imminent hazard" order was issued to the trucking company's driver, Shawn Roberts. Evenflo Logistics registered as an LLC in Washington State in October 2016. The sheer number of extremely dangerous practices since then is shocking. 1o violations [...]
The ELD Law An Electronic Logging Device (ELD) is a computer record of the truck's mileage and time on the road. As of December 18, 2017, long-haul commercial truckers are required to use an ELD instead of a paper log. What does that mean for truckers? The new law means their time will be tracked by [...]
Around 5 a.m. on Monday morning, a semi truck rollover crash blocked the northbound lanes of I-5 out of Portland. Here's an incredible view of the crash, captured by another vehicle on I-5 (or watch it on youtube here.) Truck crashes happen all the time, but it's not often that we get to see how it happens. The [...]
Sharp-eyed Seattle residents may notice something different about SDOT trucks. Earlier this month, the Seattle Department of Transportation started installing side guard panels on city-owned heavy trucks. Seattle's Department of Transportation has started installing the side guards on the city-owned fleet. (Photo: Seattle DOT) Why truck side guards matter This may not seem like [...]
A lack of safe truck parking may lead to more truck crashes. Oregon State University researchers looked at truck parking as a public safety issue (PDF). They studied a 290-mile section of Highway 97, a major trucking route that runs along the eastern slope of the Cascades across the whole length of Oregon. Some truck companies use Highway 97 through Oregon [...]
Commercial truck drivers and motor carriers have stringent rules and regulations they must follow; because of the damage that can be caused by their errors, they are subject to greater scrutiny. In the many years I have handled trucking cases, I have seen many careless acts by professional drivers and motor carriers. But mistakes like this one are truly [...]
D+. That's the grade our national infrastructure was given by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) this year. While our total infrastructure includes everything from aviation to ports to wastewater, it's the roads and bridges that truck drivers have to contend with every day. Why are roads, bridges in such bad shape? Quite simply, they're old. [...]
Sleep apnea, a disorder causing repeated pauses in breathing during sleep, affects at least one in 10 people. In serious cases, obstructive sleep apnea can cause someone to fall asleep with little to no warning. In the most serious cases, sleep apnea symptoms closely resemble narcolepsy. In 2016, after a spate of high-profile [...]
Most long-haul semi-truck drivers in the U.S. are not paid a salary. They are not paid by the hour. They are paid per mile. A majority of trucking companies pay drivers between $0.28 and $0.40 cents per mile. Fewer pay experienced drivers up to $0.45 cents per mile. Some jobs pay bonuses. But most of a [...]
