Announced on June 3, 2015 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has finalized the rule regarding the requirement of electronic stability control (ESC) systems on heavy duty trucks and buses.
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Obtaining a quote before shipping can be a great way to save money on a potentially costly load. Quotes are often used for shipments with certain special characteristics, such as time critical moves, low-density products and high-volume loads, to name a few. Sometimes shippers also request quotes on regular LTL shipments under the assumption that freight charges will be lower than what their contracted rates allow.
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Map-21 Funding to Expire May 31st
The current highway investment bill, Map-21, is set to expire on May 31st. This bill was signed into law in July of 2012 to provide $105 billion in funding for surface transportation programs for fiscal years 2013 & 2014. Map-21 was originally set to expire in September of 2014; however, an extension was granted through May 2015.
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An incomplete bill of lading can make your freight charges significantly higher.
The bill of lading is probably the most important document associated with motor carrier shipping. The three main purposes of a bill of lading are to act as evidence of a contract of carriage, document of title to goods shipped, and receipt of goods shipped. Many shippers underestimate just how important it is to thoroughly and completely fill out one of these documents; neglecting to include certain information may cause freight costs to rise significantly.
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Come join us at the National Association of Rail Shippers (NARS) 2015 Annual Meeting May 27-28th, 2015 at the historic Drake Hotel, which has inspired wonder for nearly a century. This year’s theme is “Discover the Possibilities”, and American Truck & Rail Audits, Inc. is a proud Platinum Sponsor of this premiere event.
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The Surface Transportation Board this month approved letting CSX share a 106-mile line north of Louisville owned by Louisville & Indiana Railroad Co. The planned improvements will cost the CSX $100 million, with $90 million for track improvements and $10 million to L&I for the rights to use the tracks.
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According to the American Trucking Associations (ATA), it is estimated that the there is a shortage of 30,000 truck drivers in the U.S. There are many factors contributing to the loss of drivers including retirement of former drivers, small owner/operator trucking companies being forced out of business, increased monitoring and reporting, stricter regulations for CSA (Compliance, Safety, Accountability), and the lifestyle in general.
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On March 19, 2015, Senators John Thune and Senator Bill Nelson have introduced the S. 808, known as the Surface Transportation Board Reauthorization Act of 2015. Previously in 2014 a similar bill was introduced to Congress by Jay Rockefeller and John Thune. Due to its late introduction to Congress, the bill did not move further than being approved by the Committee of Commerce, Science and Transportation.
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Now that the labor dispute on the West Coast has been resolved, how will import and export shipments be handled moving forward? Is your company one that is considering making changes? It appears that many are weighing their options in hopes of preventing the same scenario happening in the future.
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Railroad profits have steadily risen over the last decade in part because rates have been increasing, often in excess of the inflation rate or the actual cost increase of moving cars. And every time rates go up or change in any way, there is an elevated likelihood of incorrect billing.
