Trucking news and briefs for Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024:
Florida, Georgia issue emergency declarations after Hurricane Debby's landfall
After making landfall early Monday, Hurricane Debby was downgraded to a tropical storm later in the morning. It's expected to travel across Florida and into Georgia before settling in the Atlantic along the South Carolina coast by mid-week.National Hurricane Center
Officials in Florida and Georgia are waiving certain regulations for truck drivers providing direct assistance to hurricane-affected areas after Hurricane Debby made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region Monday morning as a Category 1 hurricane. It has since been downgraded to a tropical storm.
The storm made landfall near Steinhatchee, Florida, and is expected to move northeast through southeast Georgia and along the South Carolina coast as the week goes along.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an emergency declaration on Aug. 1 and amended the declaration on Aug. 2, giving Florida transportation officials the ability to issue waivers.
As such, the Florida Department of Transportation has suspended size and weight regulations for divisible loads on any vehicles transporting emergency equipment, services, supplies or personnel, or to transport FEMA mobile homes or office style mobile homes, and agricultural commodities and citrus. The waiver is effective in 61 counties, which can be seen in the order here, through Aug. 16.
Overweight vehicles are required to operate in accordance with overweight routing maps, which can be found here.
Additionally, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles is suspending registration requirements for commercial vehicles that enter the state to provide emergency services or supplies through Aug. 9. Hours of service regulations are also waived through Aug. 15 for drivers providing direct relief to the emergency.
In Georgia, Gov. Brian Kemp issued an emergency declaration ahead of the storm, suspending hours of service regulations for commercial vehicles delivering goods and services in direct support of the storm.
Mack recalls trucks for improperly tightened driver’s seats
Mack Trucks is recalling approximately 242 trucks equipped with RollTek driver's seat assemblies, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration documents.
Included in the recall are model year 2024-’25 Mack Anthem, Granite and Pinnacle trucks manufactured between July 27, 2023, and May 10, 2024. The seat pedestal and seat belt attachment in the affected units may have been improperly tightened, which may not restrain the occupant as intended.
Dealers will replace and tighten the seat pedestal and seat belt attachment bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed Sept. 27. Owners can contact Mack customer service at 1-800-866-1177 with recall number SC0469. NHTSA’s recall number is 24V-567.
3PL FST Logistics acquires Ohio-based fleet
FST Logistics, an employee-owned, third-party logistics (3PL) company headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, announced July 31 the successful acquisition of Dancer Logistics, a 60-truck warehousing and transportation company based in Delphos, Ohio.
The move marks a significant milestone in FST Logistics’ growth strategy and strengthens its position in the logistics industry, the company said.
Dancer Logistics, located in Delphos, Ohio, has built a strong reputation for its technological advancements and commitment to its customers. This acquisition brings together two Ohio-based companies with a shared vision of delivering excellent service and partnerships to their customers.
By integrating Dancer Logistics’ operations, FST can extend its reach and strengthen its warehousing, transportation, and logistics industry presence, FST said. This move promotes diversification within FST Logistics, allowing the company to broaden its customer base and offer extended services through dry and refrigerated logistics services.
The consolidation of operations between the two companies will translate into cost savings and operational efficiency as resources are enhanced.
“FST Logistics proudly welcomes Dancer Logistics, along with their employees and valued customers to our family,” said Matt Hartman, Chairman and CEO of FST Logistics. “As a 100% employee-owned company, we are committed to delivering excellence to our partners (customers and vendors), our community, and our shareholders. With the addition of Dancer Logistics and its asset-based, temp-controlled truckload model, we are now uniquely positioned to continue the expansion of our temp-controlled transportations services throughout the U.S., offering unparalleled transportation and logistics full-service solutions to our customers.”
