Another year has come and gone, and at here at TruckersReport, we’d like to take the opportunity to look back on the past year in our industry. Below you will find stories that you, our readers, have commented on most in the past year.
No Dignity in Death: Trucker Denied Last Ride Home
This story tugged on all of our heartstrings and reminded us that when the unthinkable happens, even if a carrier refuses to do the right thing, there are others in the trucking community who will step up and lend a helping hand.
New HOS Rules Go Into Effect And It’s A Bumpy Ride
After months of litigation and a whole lot of predictions from both sides, the new Hours Of Service rule changes went into effect. This is one story that we expect will continue to unfold for many months to come.
The ATA Thinks Retirement Is Causing Driver Shortage
Remember when the chief economist for the ATA told us that the “driver shortage” wasn’t due to insufficient driver pay, benefits, or equipment quality, but rather was caused by retirement?
Trucker Gets 20 Years For Fatal Crash
Trucker Josef Slezak was sentenced to 20 years in prison after he failed to apply the brakes on his truck, causing the deaths of a family of four.
More Carriers Using Spycams on Their Drivers
Driver facing cameras and “Driver Risk Management Systems” were all the rage this year as carriers experiment with keeping a much closer eye on the folks behind the wheel of their trucks.
CSA: Skipping Your Break Is Worse Than DUI
The CSA system is still working out its kinks as was showcased when new rules were added to reflect the July 1st HOS changes. Missing your mandatory 30 minute break would earn you more points than a DUI!
FBI, Federal Agents Raid Pilot Flying J Headquarters
Quite possibly the trucking industry story that got the most national attention this year, the sales team at Pilot Flying J was accused of running a fuel rebate scam that cost their customers millions.
Why You May See More Felons Behind The Wheel
An article about giving convicted felons a chance to work in the trucking industry sparked an interesting debate in the comments section over second chances.
Shameful: North and South Express Threatens Drivers To Stop Complaints
You may not know this, but TruckersReport refuses to remove or censor any posts made in our forum so long as they comply with our forum rules (mostly we don’t like crass language or bickering). This makes our forum an unbiased platform for drivers to post reviews and ask questions, but it also can make some companies a bit testy. You may recall Rod Larson, the owner of North and South Express, threatening to release the personal information of anyone who posted a negative review of his company.
ATA Claims Driver Shortage Not Trucking Companies’ Fault
This was an article we wrote when the ATA tried shifting the blame for the “driver shortage” off of carriers once again. Our readers filled the comments with some helpful suggestions concerning some ideas that the ATA might want to take a closer look at.
Next Story: Should Fleet Executives Have To Pass An Exam?
Image Source: langley
Funny how so much of this news about the trucking industry is negative. The second chance program is about the only story that isn’t. I hope things turn around.
In my experience most of the news in the trucking industry is neutral, some is positive and some is negative, but it’s the negative stories that draw the most comments from readers. As mentioned in the article, this is a list of the most commented articles from readers in 2013, it’s not a sample that represents the type of coverage overall, and it’s not a list that reflects our opinion of the 10 most important stories.
I’m looking over at the ‘Recent Posts’ widget towards the top left side of the page, and I see 1 negative story, 2 positive stories, and 4 neutral stories. Other than the positive outnumbering the negative, I think that’s a roughly accurate picture of industry news in general.
I agree with Ray, but thats how most news agency’s keep their readers entertained. Next time you watch the local news keep a count of the bad news vs the good news.
HAPPY NEW YEARS TO ALL MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS OUT HERE ON THE ROAD. BE SAFE AND HAVE GOOD HEALTH THROUGH OUT 2014