Trucking news and briefs for Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024:
Traffic fatalities continuing to decline
Traffic fatality estimates from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for the first half of 2024 showed continued signs of improvement in highway safety.
An estimated 18,720 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes during the first half of the year, a decrease of about 3.2% as compared to 19,330 fatalities projected to have occurred in the first half of 2023. Fatalities declined in both the first and second quarters of 2024, marking nine straight quarters with decreasing traffic fatalities.
The decrease in traffic fatalities comes alongside an increase in overall vehicle miles traveled, based on Federal Highway Administration data. Vehicle miles traveled in the first half of 2024 increased by about 13.1 billion miles, or roughly 0.8% higher than the same time period last year.
More miles driven combined with fewer traffic deaths resulted in a fatality rate of 1.17 fatalities per 100 million VMT, down from the projected rate of 1.21 fatalities per 100 million VMT in the first half of 2023.
“Reversing the rise in roadway deaths has been a top priority for this Department, so we’re encouraged to see continued reductions in traffic fatalities -- yet the overall proportions of this issue remain at crisis levels and there is much more work to do,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “Safety is at the core of our mission, and we are using funds from the Biden-Harris infrastructure package to deliver lifesaving resources to communities across the country so that roads become safer for everyone.”
Looking at different regions of the U.S., six out of 10 regions saw year-over-year decreases in traffic fatalities. Three regions saw year-over-year increases, while one region was flat.NHTSA
[Related: Navigating the bends in the road to improve highway safety]
Great Dane recalling certain reefer trailers
Great Dane Trailers is recalling approximately 453 model year 2025 Everest SS refrigerated trailers in which the support gear bracing mounts may have been welded improperly, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration documents.
An improperly welded support gear bracing mount can lead to the trailer collapsing, increasing the risk of injury.
Dealers will inspect and repair the support gear bracing mount as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed Oct. 22. Owners can contact Great Dane customer service at 1-877-369-3493. NHTSA’s recall number is 24V-637.
FMCSA grants securement waiver for certain Wisconsin loggers
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has granted a waiver to allow an alternate securement method for log-haulers in Wisconsin.
The waiver, requested by Great Lakes Timber Professionals Association (GLTPA) on behalf of motor carriers in Wisconsin, allows the use of cargo securement methods that do not comply with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) for securing shortwood logs transported lengthwise in crib-type vehicles that have been modified or manufactured without front structures, rear structures, or which have a center-mounted crane for loading and unloading.
In its request, GLTPA proposed specific tiedown requirements based on the structural configuration of the crib-type trailer:
In instances where a crib-type trailer lacks a front structure, at least two tiedowns are required on the foremost stack, while other stacks are exempt if loaded in accordance with 49 CFR 393.116(b)(2) and 49 CFR 393.116(c).
Similarly, if a crib-type trailer lacks a rear structure, a minimum of one tiedown is required on the rearmost stack, with the same exception for other stacks meeting FMCSR requirements.
For vehicles with an internal gap between stacks, potentially allowing logs to move without continual contact with stakes, bunks, bolsters, or standards, at least one tiedown is necessary on the respective stack.
In cases where a single tiedown is used, proper positioning is emphasized -- either midway between stakes or diagonally from front to rear, crossing over the stack at its midpoint.
FMCSA said it received 10 comments on GLTPA’s request, all in support of the exemption.
“The common comment across all submissions was the established safety and efficiency of using crib-type trailers for transporting wood products,” the agency said. “They emphasize the positive safety record, incident-free history, and the benefits of the crib-type trailer configuration for wood log securement.”
The agency found that the alternate securement methods would ensure a level of safety equal to or greater than current regulations. The waiver is limited to motor carriers in Wisconsin transporting shortwood logs loaded length-wise using crib-style vehicles that have been modified or manufactured as described above.
‘Trucking automation’ company shut down after FTC complaint
A so-called “trucking automation” company has been ordered to cease operations following a lawsuit from the Federal Trade Commission and the state of Florida.
The company, Florida-based RivX, was shut down for allegedly scamming customers out of millions of dollars with deceptive promises of investment opportunities in trucking.
The complaint filed by the FTC and the Florida Office of Attorney General alleges that RivX, along with its owner Antonio Rivodo and company executive Noah Wooten, have used deceptive claims of guaranteed income to entice consumers to pay $75,000 dollars or more to buy trucks that they often never received.
According to the complaint, RivX offered business opportunities in the trucking industry, claiming that after consumers pay $75,000 or more, RivX would purchase a semi-truck in the consumers’ name and operate it on their behalf – securing loads, drivers, and managing all the logistics for the consumer.
RivX, Rivodo, and Wooten claimed consumers can make “passive income” totaling $5,000 to $7,000 every month from their truck, and regularly guaranteed that consumers will make back all their money plus more, with the consumers’ entire trucking “business” being set up in as little as 60 days.
RivX has “littered the internet,” according to the complaint, “with claims about the profitability of RivX and its investors, most often through videos featuring” Rivodo.
FTC alleged that when consumers reach out to RivX, they hear more false income claims from Rivodo and Wooten and even receive documentation saying that if they fail to make the promised profits, RivX will return their initial investment.
According to the complaint, RivX, Rivodo and Wooten have pocketed millions of dollars from consumers while failing to provide anything approaching the profits they promised. In addition, the company’s contracts include unlawful provisions that make consumers liable for as much as $100,000 every time they publicly complain about the company or leave a negative review online, the complaint alleged.
In response to the FTC and Florida’s court complaint, a federal court has issued a temporary restraining order that halts the company’s operations and freezes the assets of RivX, Rivodo, Wooten and several associated companies that are part of the RivX operation or have profited from the illegal scheme.
The complaint charges the defendants with violating the FTC Act, the FTC’s Business Opportunity Rule, the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act, and the Consumer Review Fairness Act.
