Trucking news and briefs for Monday, April 12, 2021:
ATRI seeks insurance data to study impact of rising costs
The American Transportation Research Institute is in the process of collecting data to better understand the rising costs of trucking insurance and how those costs are ultimately impacting the industry’s overall operational costs. This research was identified as a top priority for the group in 2020.
ATRI is asking motor carriers to provide data through an online data collection form that will quantify changes in deductibles, excess insurance over minimum requirements, and how drivers and fleets are balancing insurance costs against rising risk levels. The research will be complementary to ATRI’s annual Operational Costs of Trucking but will provide more granular detail on one of the most volatile cost centers in the annual analysis.
All submitted data will be kept strictly confidential and aggregated. As needed, ATRI will sign a confidentiality agreement. The data collection form is available online, and carriers are asked to provide data by Friday, April 23.
New telehealth option available for carriers
A new partnership between national telehealth provider MeMD and the Healthy Transportation Foundation (HTF) non-profit brings a new option for on-demand virtual healthcare to trucking companies.
The partnership, part of HTF’s Shift Into Better Health initiative, enables the foundation’s member companies to sign on for telehealth services that meet the specific needs of drivers, including MeMD’s Urgent Care and Virtual Primary Care offerings.
“This is a meaningful partnership that extends the value of our Shift Into Better Health campaign, enabling HTF to improve access to care for professional drivers by offering virtual telehealth consults that can be accessed on and off the road,” says Jon Slaughter, CEO, Healthy Transportation Foundation.
With Urgent Care, drivers have 24/7 access to high-quality medical care for common illnesses and injuries via computer, mobile app or phone – including nights, weekends and holidays.
In creating the partnership with MeMD, HTF also prioritized chronic disease management for the seven million professional drivers it represents. The organization reports that more than 60% of drivers experience obesity, more than 60% have diabetes and related health conditions, and more than half suffer from hypertension.
MeMD’s Virtual Primary Care service directly addresses these issues. Providers play a key role in chronic disease care while also focusing on routine screening, early detection and preventive health services. In addition, medical professionals are available outside typical office hours to accommodate drivers’ schedules and remove barriers to care.
Mega carrier increasing driver pay
One of the nation’s largest fleets, Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings (CCJ Top 250, No. 4), recently announced driver pay increases and independent contractor contract rate increases.
Effective the first week of April, the company raised pay for over-the-road company drivers by two cents per mile. Depending on experience level, experienced drivers with the company can now start above 50 cents per mile, and in some regions of the country, certain jobs can start above 60 cents per mile.
Knight-Swift also increased contract rates for over-the-road independent contractors by 3-5 cents per mile, depending on the contractor’s line of business.
