I-75 South in Pasco closed after trucks crash

Update: Due to the damage to the road, the southbound lanes are expected to remain closed until at least 6 p.m., troopers said. Asphalt must be replaced.

Southbound traffic on Interstate 75 in Pasco County is shut down this morning after a fiery crash involving a semitrailer and dump truck near State Road 56.

Neither driver was injured, troopers said.

Southbound lanes are expected to remain closed until noon, troopers said.

Motorists will be diverted onto State Road 54 (exit 279). Traffic south of that exit and north of the crash will be diverted back to State Road 54 or southbound on the shoulder to State 56 to exit.

Other motorists should avoid roads in the area.

The Florida Highway Patrol said the crash occurred about 6:30 a.m.

According to investigators, the tractor-trailer was traveling south in the outside lane of I-75 in a construction zone, where it collided with a crash attenuator, troopers said.

The collision caused the truck to partially jackknife and collide with the center median guardrail, troopers said.

The dump truck, traveling behind the tractor-trailer, was unable to stop or avoid a collision, striking the rear of the tractor-trailer, troopers said.

Both drivers were able to exit their vehicles before a fire erupted on the tractor-trailer.

The tractor-trailer, operated by Pat Salmon & Sons of Jacksonville, was transporting mail, troopers said.
 

Put down the phone in Illinois!

Three important pieces of legislation supported by the Illinois Department of Transportation aimed at reducing cell phone use while driving and clearing lanes of traffic immediately following crashes are now in effect as of Jan. 1.

House Bill 5101 prohibits texting or using a hand-held cell phone while driving a commercial motor vehicle and makes this a serious traffic violation. Previously, Illinois law prohibited texting while driving for all vehicles, but cell phones were permitted. Illinois statutes were since amended to be in compliance with the Motor Carrier Safety Regulations law that prohibits texting and cell phone use by commercial motor vehicle drivers.

Senate Bill 2488 prohibits cell phone use in construction or maintenance speed zones regardless of the speed limit in those zones. Motorists can use cell phones in voice-operated mode, which includes the use of a headset or cell phones used with single button activation.

Prior to the passage of this law, the speed limit in a work zone had to be lower than the posted speed limit, or it was not actually considered a work zone by the definition in statute and the higher ticket did not apply. Voice activated use of cell phone was permitted prior to this change.

"People are tragically injured and killed in work zones and by commercial motor vehicles due to distracted driving. Cell phone distractions have been proven to be as dangerous as drinking and driving," said Illinois Transportation Secretary Ann L. Schneider. "These laws will stiffen distracted driving laws and save lives."

Sandy Recovery Efforts Continue as Latest Storm Moves On

Despite the arrival of another storm last night, recovery efforts from the hurricane-turned-superstorm Sandy continue throughout the Northeast, while fuel problems have a domino effect in the Southeast.
Permitting Help from the DOT.

The Federal Highway Administration is working with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the American Association of State Highway Officials to speed up permitting for carriers moving temporary mobile housing units from Maryland and Alabama to New Jersey.

Under normal circumstances, carriers have to work with states to get permits from each state they travel through. FHWA is coordinating with AASHTO to cut through some of the red tape and get all necessary permits at the same time. In addition, FHWA is also working with states to allow nighttime moves, which aren't normally allowed.

The Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration is also helping speed the transport of hazardous materials - including much-needed fuel - to and from hurricane disaster areas with fast-tracked emergency special permits.

Several permits have been issued to expedite gasoline and diesel transport into New Jersey and New York. Another permit has been issued that allows a large retail store to move goods quickly from damaged stores to temporary facilities nearby so people still have access to needed goods.

Read more here.

(This is a doctored photo, but it illustrates the devastation)

Speed and Space Management

 

The Speed and Space Management video shows you the importance of maintain a safe operating speed and safe space cushions on all side of your truck and trailer.  There are helpful tips on how to maintain those safe buffer zones and what to so in case weather and road conditions deteriorate.

Before you understand how to manage truck speed and the space around your truck, you first need to recognize why it’s important to do so.

· Speed can be costly

· Drivers experience pressure to save time, but pushing speed can actually cause drivers to lose time.

· A driver may be ticketed because he or she did not have enough time to slow down or stop or because he or she was simply going too fast for conditions.

· Speeding can result in serious delays, but it can also result in never finishing your run.

· Operating costs increase, too.  Driving 70mph instead of 50 mph can increase operating costs by as much as 70 to 80%

· The more you speed, the less time you have to react to what’s going on around you.

· Speeding puts your personal safety, your job and your life in jeopardy.

· Don’t be tailgater!!!!!

Perception distance… is the distance you travel from the time a hazard appears in front of you until your brain registers it. (For most of us, that takes about ¾ of a second which is 60 feet at 55 mph)

Reaction distance….is the time it takes for you to apply the brakes.  For most of us this is another 60 feet.

Braking distance….is the time it takes to come to a stop.  In a 50-60 foot truck at 55 mph this could take another 4/8 seconds.  The total stopping time is more than 6 seconds and stopping distance at 55 mph is more than 500 feet.

Diesel, Gasoline Prices Rise Again

Diesel prices rose again last week, with the U.S. Department of Energy reporting a national average of $3.85, up 5.4 cents from last week, while gasoline price surged by 13.7 cents per gallon.

Diesel prices topped the $4 mark in California, where the average price was up 5.6 cents to $4.023, driving overall West Coast prices to an average of $3.959. The lowest prices were in the Gulf Coast region at $3.752. Prices rose in every region of the country.

Gasoline prices are on the rise as well; the average price rose in every region of the country except the Rocky Mountain region. The national average is $3.645, up 13.7 cents over the previous week. The jump was driven by a more than a quarter-per-gallon hike in the Midwest region to $3.772.

Future prices for light, sweet crude for September delivery rose 80 cents, or 0.9%, to settle at $92.20 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange Monday, the highest settlement price since July 19. Crude oil future prices have risen nearly 20% since hitting a low of $77.69 in late June.
Story from truckinginfo.com

Toll discount bill passes House, but not a done deal

A bill designed to give local commuters a toll discount while making truckers and out-of-towners foot the bill has passed the U.S. House. While the intent of the bill is noble in an ongoing battle over excessive tolls, highway user groups say it ignores the negative consequences the action could have on interstate commerce, tourism and the economy.

HR897, which was introduced more than a year ago by U.S. Rep. Michael Grimm, R-NY, aimed to give Staten Island residents a break from excessive bridge tolls. The bill passed by voice vote in the House on Wednesday, Aug. 1.

Greg Cohen, president of the American Highway Users Alliance, says the idea of cutting people a break on tolls is one thing, but the bill has far broader consequences in the way it is written.

“The language of the bill is drafted so broadly as to give the green light to any state or private tolling entity that wants to create separate tiers of pricing based on the residency of the drivers,” Cohen told Land Line.

I like the general idea of the bill. There is a toll road that makes my morning commute much more pleasant, but I rarely take it because I'd end up spending over $500 a year in tolls! I think locals should get a break. Tourists plan on spending money and won’t mind the one-time charge. But it can definitely take a toll on daily commuters, no pun intended. The part I disagree with is that truck drivers will also face higher tolls. Although they may not be daily commuters, they are just trying to do their job and with the rises cost of transportation, they have enough to worry about! What do you think?

Read the full story here.

ReedTMS community service

ReedTMS has recently partnered with the Southeast Produce Council (SPC) to join their initiative to assist RAMP America, a non-profit organization which aids poverty-stricken families in the Appalachian region of the United States.

Martin County, located in rural Appalachia, is home to some of the most impoverished people in the United States and continues to face many challenges. Access to healthy food and economic opportunity is scarce. Moreover, the county’s isolation makes it difficult to access federal and other assistance programs: currently there are little to no human or social services available in the area.

RAMP works with the Martin County community to identify critical needs and create solutions focusing on nutrition, economic development, and emergency relief intervention, with a special focus on children and families. They also connect resources locally and nationally to address basic human needs where other resources are limited or inaccessible. For more information on RAMP, click here.

RAMP has partnered with the SPC to collect donations from their members and ReedTMS has joined the cause and will help with the efficient delivery of resources.

ReedTMS has pledged to send our drivers and pick up donated goods from various locations and deliver them to the Appalachian region on our trucks at no charge, and currently we have moved one load from the Washington, D.C. area to Martin County. We are all proud to be involved with such an honorable project and look forward to moving more loads in the future!

Fourth Mexican carrier admitted to cross-border program

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has accepted a fourth carrier to its cross-border trucking pilot program and responded to comments over the most recent round of Mexican carriers applying for authority.

Transportes Del Valle De Guadalupe of Baja California will operate one truck and one driver beyond the commercial border zone, as have the other three program participants.

The FMCSA published a May 11 Federal Register Notice and Request for Comment on Transportes’ Pre-Authorization Safety Audit, required of Mexican carriers applying to operate beyond the border zone. The notice also provided the PASAs of Higienicos Y Desechables Del Bajio and Servicios Refrigerados Internacionales.

Read more here.

Semi driver kidnapped, truck stolen

Police are investigating after a trucker was kidnapped on Highway 301 and driven blindfolded to a location in Baker County. Tuesday around 3:30 a.m. deputies with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office were called to the Baker County Sheriff's Office. When officers arrived they learned the victim, a semi driver, had been at the Pilot truck stop on Highway 301 to get fuel for his semi-truck and snacks from the nearby Chevron station. The victim was scheduled to drop off a load of deli foods to the Publix Supermarket Company.

A gunman pulled the victim by his shirt to over to the semi-truck.  The victim repeatedly asked the men to take his money and leave his truck.  They demanded the keys to his truck and his money.  The suspects then tied the victim's hands and feet and picked him up, placing him in the sleeper cab area of the truck. The men then drove the victim away from the gas station at gunpoint with the Ford Mustang following behind.

Eventually the truck stopped and the men took the victim out of the truck's cab, placing him on the floor of an empty storage building. Once he heard the truck leave, the victim was able to break the ropes tying his feet and rubbed his head on the storage building's floor to remove the shirt still covering his face.

Police are still looking for the three men and the stolen tractor-trailer.  The semi-truck is a black 2000 Freightliner, described as having grey fenders and a sleeper cab.

The woman the victim encountered in the parking lot prior to being kidnapped is described as being a white woman, 19-22 years of age, 100-120 pounds, approximately 5 feet two inches tall, with blonde hair.  She was wearing blue jeans and a white tank top at the time.

The black man who was walking with the female is described as being between the age of 20 and 25, 6' tall, weighed about 160 pounds and was wearing brown pants and a white shirt.

The other two suspects were described as being black males, between the ages of 30 and 35.  One was said to be wearing a grey tank top, was bald or balding and weighed between 140 and 150 pounds.  The other was said to be between 200 and 220 pounds, was approximately 5'10" tall, had short, low hair and was wearing blue jeans, a blue shirt and black Reebok tennis shoes.

If you know anything that may help lead police to the location of the tractor-trailer of the suspects you are asked to call the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office at 904-630-0500.

To remain anonymous you may call First Coast Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS.  You could be eligible to receive a cash reward.

Read more here 

Maryland I-895 Summer Bridge Work to Cause Major Delays

The Maryland Transportation authority is warning drivers that a repair project on the I-895 "K-truss" bridge over CSX Transportation, between Exit 8 and Exit 7, south of the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel toll plaza, will cause major delays this summer.

The repair project is scheduled to begin on June 20, with an expected completion in October. Construction to rehabilitate the bridge deck will be completed in four stages, with an eight-week duration of continuous (24/7) single-lane closures in one or both directions. Work will also take place Saturdays starting at noon (southbound) and Sundays starting at 4 p.m. (northbound).

Motorists should anticipate major delays, especially during morning and evening rush hours and weekend peak-travel periods. MAT suggests using I-95 and I-695 (Francis Scott Key Bridge) as alternate routes to I-895.

For more information, click here.

Story from truckinginfo.com

Road condition update for drivers

I-70 Bridge to Detour Drivers During Summer and Next Year

For 12 months starting in November and for several weekends this summer, construction on Interstate 70's Blanchette Bridge over the Missouri River, between St. Louis and St. Charles, Mo., at mile marker 230, will detour westbound I-70 traffic. Due to the construction, commercial motor vehicle drivers are urged to take a detour, using I-270 and Mo. 370 as an alternate route.

Between now and November, smaller weekend projects will close multiple lanes of I-70 near the bridge. These weekends, the the Missouri Department of Transportation says, are a good opportunity for drivers to get used to the detour route. Although the detour adds five miles to the route, it is expected to shave several minutes off of travel time compared to driving through the narrow work zones.

That work is scheduled for the weekends of June 22-24, June 29-July 1 and July 21-23. The dates are subject to change due to weather or supply issues.

The weekend of July 13-25 on the east end of the bridge, two lanes of I-70 will close in each direction as crews build crossover lanes in the median. In early November, the crossover will be put to use as the current westbound bridge is closed.

To learn more about the project, go to www.modot.org/blanchettebridge. Drivers can sign up for MODOT email updates on the bridge project and detours.

Driver being sought in a hit-and-run in Plant City, Florida

Car accidents are always a tragedy. No matter the circumstance or the people involved, they are always a tragedy. This past Wednesday, May 2^nd a married couple driving on Interstate 4 near Plant City was cut-off by an aggressive driver. I have previously shared my feelings about road rage and this is the main reason I feel so strongly about it. What was so important to the driver of this unidentified car that they needed to cut-off a SUV while driving on the interstate? The answer is nothing. NOTHING is so important that you need to drive aggressively.

The couple swerved into the emergency lane trying to avoid a collision with the car that cut them off, then overcorrected and collided with a semitrailer. Neither of them were wearing their seat belts and they were both ejected from the vehicle and died later at the hospital. The driver of the semitrailer was not injured.

And what did the person do that caused this ghastly crash? Kept right on driving. They had to be aware of the accident they just caused and they didn’t even have the decency to stop. Two people are now dead and this aggressive driver is the cause. My heart goes out to their loved ones and I am sending this out as a friendly reminder that being on the roads can be a dangerous place and running a few minutes late is not the end of the world. If you’re late, then you’re late. Drive carefully and think about the other drivers on the road as well as yourself.

Authorities in Tampa are searching for a dark colored compact car in connection with the crash. Witnesses should call troopers at 813-631-4020.

Read the full story here.

Our promise to you

We strive to provide the highest quality service at all times. We are committed to a professionally handled transportation experience accomplished by understanding and delivering on expectations.

To keep in line with our service promise, here are a few things our drivers do to uphold the highest level of customer service possible:

·         Every time they disconnect, they sweep out the trailers to have it clean for the next load.

·         They notify dispatch if they’re going to be arriving late or if they’re experiencing a longer off load so we can get our customers involved.

·         Our drivers notify dispatch when leaving or arriving at the customer or cosignee in order to keep customers up-to-date on the location of their load.

·         They ensure the freight is secure before leaving the loading dock.

TMS Logistics consistently delivers superior, on-time performance as a result of building a strong dispatch team, operating well-maintained, late-model equipment, hiring quality drivers and fully utilizing technology.

Should there be an age limit on driving?

Everyone has thought about it. Should the DMV take away your license at a certain age or should it be a case-by-case situation? Personally, I don’t know what’s worse, 100 year-old drivers or 16 year-old drivers who can’t put their cell phones down. I can’t say I believe that once you turn a certain age the DMV simply revokes your license, but I am in favor of some sort of continuing education in place for all drivers as there is for many professions. If every five years you had to retake a driving test, I think we’d all be better off. Personally, I like to think I’m a good driver, but that’s not the problem. It’s about the hundreds of people I pass on a daily basis that worry me…

Driving is difficult when you stop and think about it. Check the traffic ahead, the traffic around you, in your side mirrors, rearview mirrors, check for pedestrians, bikers, debris in the road, speed limits, speed limit changes, construction zones, trains, semi-trucks, motorcycles, red lights, stop-and-go traffic, turn signal-go left, turn signal-go right, head lights, parking lights, backing up, parallel parking, angled parking, straight in parking, and the list goes on and on.

My point is if every few years, everyone was required to undergo some sort of written and driving test it would only help. More jobs are created at the DMV, more drivers keep their driving knowledge fresh, and when people don’t bother doing it, the county would get more money for in tickets and fees. Yes, we ALL hate the DMV and I am no exception. But you know what I hate more than the DMV? Getting hit by someone who shouldn’t have a valid license to begin with.

Click here for a good read to add in the debate.

The Power of Proper Trip Planning

The key to becoming a successful driver is trip planning. In the present economic environment with the skyrocketing price of diesel, trip planning has gained an added importance. To be successful as a driver, you'll always want to carefully plan out your trip so that you can get the required rest and arrive early.

There are several key factors involved in proper trip planning. The driver must calculate time to travel the required distance for the load to include all dead head miles. The driver must also calculate available hours to drive so that he/she can complete the load legally within the DOT regulations. Several other factors to consider are the times for the pick and delivery of the load, traffic patterns through major cities as well as the weather to name a few.

Trip planning involves taking the entire miles for the trip and dividing it by a reasonable mile per hour rate. Also a driver will not be able to maintain the maximum speed limits in most states due to geographical limits.

Another factor that has to be considered for over the road truck drivers is time zones. If you're traveling west from the New York to Los Angeles, Ca. you'll actually gain three hours because of the time zones. Likewise traveling back east you'll loss three hours.

So to properly trip plan a load you'll have to include all of these factors and along with several others. Distance, time, weather, speed, traveling conditions and most importantly rest. Yes considering how much rest you've had or need is another thing you must factor into trip planning if you plan to succeed. Fatigue is one of the major problems that effect truck drivers, especially when it comes to performing their jobs in a safe and successful manner.

Every day on the road is different and no one set of guidelines can cover every possibility. To be successful as a professional truck driver you'll want to always be on time for both your pick ups and deliveries so you don't have to waste valuable time sitting.

Blurb taken from an article by Steven Easley. Read the full article here:

http://voices.yahoo.com/the-power-proper-trip-planning-professional-1705427.html

Are you always sleepy?

A poll came out today stating that when asked how they sleep the night before they work, 44% of truck drivers say they rarely or never get a good night’s sleep. Reading that alone I thought, oh that can’t be good! They’re on the roads all day and they got a poor night’s sleep?? But the study also said that 42% of non-transportation workers had the same response. I felt this number was extremely high. Are there really that many people with sleep problems?

Personally, I sleep just fine the majority of the time. After waking up at 6:30am for a run with my dogs, working 8-9 hour days, hitting the gym most evenings, cooking for my family and straightening up the house (yes, a daily chore) I don’t have the energy to do anything. I fall asleep within 30 minutes and sleep just fine until my alarm goes off and I do it all over again. The busier my day, the better I sleep. I think many people who have trouble sleeping could solve the problem themselves by adding in more physical exercise. When thinking of a truck driver, if you’re just lounging around relaxing in your house because you know you have to work the next day, it’s not surprising you can’t sleep. Your body wants to know why you’re sleeping. You didn’t do anything to need so much rest!

Check out all the poll results here: http://truckinginfo.com/news/news-detail.asp?news_id=76227&news_category_id=6