DOT has big safety plans for 2026
Good morning! Happy National Popcorn Day. Pop on below to get your latest supply chain news from a variety of sources covered. 🍿
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The DOT is responsible for ensuring the safety of the nation's roadway transportation system. This includes enforcing laws and regulations related to vehicle safety, driver behavior, and infrastructure design. The DOT also conducts research on transportation safety issues and works with other organizations to promote safety education and awareness.
Now, DOT officials are narrowing their focus on safety strategies on U.S. roads. In a new plan laid out titled, “Research, Development, and Technology Strategic Plan”, the DOT has explained specific actions and goals for the year 2026.
Check out today’s featured article from TT News to read about the “Research, Development and Technology Strategic Plan” released by the U.S. Department of Transportation and what it could mean for the safety of roads and freeways in the United States. ☕️
Featured Article:
DOT Unveils Strategic Safety Plan | TT News
“Evaluating existing technologies and supporting emerging technologies will facilitate the adoption of safety programs for the country’s mobility corridors, a new strategic plan from the Department of Transportation determined.”
Trucking & Driver Issues 🚛
Trucking infrastructure may be finally getting the federal financial backing it needed for twenty years
The Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act is a proposed bill in Congress that aims to address the shortage of safe and secure truck parking areas on the nation's highways. The bill would authorize the use of federal funds to construct, improve, and maintain truck parking facilities and to establish a grant program to help states and private entities build new truck parking areas. The bill would also require the Department of Transportation (DOT) to conduct a study on the need for truck parking facilities and to develop a national strategy for addressing the shortage of truck parking. The bill also would require the Federal Highway Administration to establish a national data system to track truck parking availability and would require states to submit a plan outlining how they will address the issue.
This bill is hopefully not too little too late. Twenty years ago, the Federal Highway Administration (FHA) published a studying that highlighted the major truck parking issue that endangered drivers and the general public alike. Could this be a solution to a generation-old problem?
Owner Operators & Regulations ⚖️
OOIDA is taking another stand against California’s AB5
The controversial AB5 bill in California is facing more contention as the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) files a preliminary injunction request against the law. The OOIDA has claimed that the law violates the right to engage in interstellar commerce free of undue burdens and governmental discrimination - what is known as the Commerce Clause. The refiled motion is a declaration of Danny Schnautz, owner of Clark Freight Lines.
This lawsuit has legs reaching back to October 2018, when the California Trucking Association began suing against the revised ABC test. OOIDA joined the lawsuit last year.
Let’s Get Global 🌎
Sad Sponge Bob GIF By SpongeBob SquarePants via GIPHY
🐳 Is underwater ocean life at risk as renewable energy comes into focus? Deep sea mining is an area of focus for renewable energy sources because of the potential for extracting valuable minerals and metals from the ocean floor. These materials, such as cobalt, nickel, and lithium, are used in the production of batteries and other components for renewable energy technologies, such as electric vehicles and wind turbines. However, deep-sea mining is still a relatively new and untested field, and there are concerns about the potential negative impacts on underwater sea life. Deep sea mining operations can disrupt and damage seafloor habitats and ecosystems, and can also release pollutants and sediment into the water. There is also concern about the potential loss of biodiversity and the negative impact on ocean ecosystem services.
🤖 China’s ports are looking to robots to save the day. Covid disruptions certainly slowed down operations at Chinese ports, but the industry is looking to implement for robotic technology to make up for the lost time. Some examples include Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs - used to transport containers within ports, reducing the need for human labor and increasing efficiency), autonomous cranes and vehicles, inspection robots, drones, and Robotics Process Automation (RPA - automate repetitive, labor-intensive tasks such as data entry and paperwork processing, reducing human error and increasing efficiency). These technologies are being implemented to increase the efficiency and productivity of ports, reduce labor costs, and improve safety.
iLevel With You 🏡
More topics for the average American household to consider…
🍟 Everyone wants to get their hands on French Fries. Potato product supplier Lamb Weston is citing production constraints for failure to meet demand. President and CEO Tom Werner noted that batter-coated potato products are on the rise and that the company is dealing with slower speeds on the production lines compared to uncoated fries. The production process typically involved raw material preparation (potatoes are washed, peeled, and cut into the desired shape), blanching, battering, pre-frying, cooling, final frying, seasoning, packing, and quality control. In addition to quality control, it is important to have a traceability system in place to ensure that the product can be traced back to the supplier and the origin of the raw materials used.
🍑 The Georgia Ports Authority now boasts approximately 6 million TEUs in volume. Reporting 5.9 million TEUs in 2022, the 5% increase compared to 2021 is a point of major success for the Port of Savannah. The port plays a crucial role in the country’s economy and trade, serving as an international trade hub. It is the fourth busiest port in the U.S. by total cargo volume and the second busiest port for containerized cargo. The Port of Savannah is a significant economic engine for the state of Georgia and the surrounding region. It supports hundreds of thousands of jobs and generates billions of dollars in economic activity.
🦾 Has Elon Musk’s opinion on Artificial Intelligence changed? Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX, Tesla, and Twitter, has expressed a range of opinions on artificial intelligence (AI) over the years. In general, Musk has been vocal about his concerns over the potential dangers of advanced AI. He has warned that AI could pose a threat to humans if it became hostile and unable to be controlled. Do the benefits outweigh the risks?
Get Smart 🧠
Ramp up that brain power for these advanced topics…
🎤 The CEO of Körber Supply Chain Software is speaking out on warehouse labor standards. Chad Collins spoke with Clint Riser of Logistics Viewpoints about the retention issues in the warehousing sector of the supply chain. There are several strategies that companies can use to address warehouse labor shortages in the supply chain, including automation, re-evaluating pay and benefits, outsourcing to third-party providers, recruiting and training, flexibly scheduling, and leveraging technology.
📝 2023: The year of the supply chain conferences. Supply Chain Dive highlights some of the biggest industry conferences on the roster this year after several years of postponing and canceling conferences due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Supply chain conferences can be beneficial to attend for several reasons, including networking opportunities, learning and professional development, exposure to new technologies and solutions, access to industry experts, and benchmarking opportunities.
🚛 Less-than-truckload (LTL) volume is growing. LTL freight refers to the transportation of smaller shipments that do not require the use of an entire truck. LTL shipping is a cost-effective solution for businesses that need to ship smaller quantities of goods. In LTL shipping, multiple shipments from different customers are consolidated into one truck and the truck is then divided into compartments, or “trailer pools” with each compartment reserved for a specific shipment. This allows businesses to share the cost of the truck’s transportation with other businesses, making LTL shipping a more affordable option than full truckload (FTL) shipping.
📈 Investing in the supply chain sector is no less volatile than anywhere else. Investing in supply chain stocks, like any other industry, is subject to market risks and economic conditions. The performance of supply chain companies is closely tied to the overall health of the economy, as well as trends and fluctuations in consumer demand. Additionally, supply chain companies are affected by changes in trade policies and regulations, which can create uncertainty and volatility in the industry. For example, tariffs and trade disputes between countries can disrupt global supply chains and affect the bottom line of companies that operate in those markets.
The Workday Dash is an aggregation of articles regarding the transportation logistics, trucking, and supply chain industries for November 28, 2024, from iLevel Logistics Inc.