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.
 

Overturned truck blocks traffic on Howard Frankland Bridge

TAMPA --
Traffic on Interstate 275 has been blocked this morning by an overturned gravel truck at the west end of the Howard Frankland Bridge.

The report on the truck came in just after 10 a.m., according to the Florida Department of Transportation. The truck overturned near the Fourth Street exit.

Gravel from the truck was covering all the southbound lanes and some of the northbound lanes.

Traffic is being backed up in both directions. Motorists are advised to find different routes.
No other information was available.

Stay with TBO.com for updates.

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.

Overturned truck-trailer causes backups on Howard Frankland

Traffic heading into Pinellas County on the Howard Frankland Bridge is backed up due to an overturned truck-trailer partially hanging over the railing.

The westbound right lane (Interstate 275 South) is blocked nearly halfway across the bridge, causing significant backups into Tampa, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Eastbound traffic toward Tampa (I-275 North) is also slow. The incident occurred shortly before 8 a.m.

Stay with TBO.com for updates.

March Surface Trade with Canada and Mexico Exceeds $85 Billion for First Time

There was so much arguing when they planned to comply with the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) that our country agreed to back in 1994. Would foreign truck drivers have to follow U.S. laws? Would the U.S. pay for electronic HOS devices on foreign trucks? Would foreign truck drivers be able to stay here forever? Would foreign drivers steal business that could be given to U.S. companies? There were and still are many unanswered questions. But the idea seems to be – the agreement was a good one.

Surface trade between the U.S. and its North American Free Trade Agreement partners, Canada and Mexico, was 6.2% higher in March 2012 than in March 2011, totaling $85.8 billion, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics of the U.S. Department of Transportation. March 2012 was the highest month for NATFA trade value since collection of data began in 1994, exceeding $85 billion for the first time and topping the previous record of $80.8 billion in March 2011.

The value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico in March increased by 88.2% compared to March 2002, a period of 10 years. Imports in March were up 76.1% since March 2002, while exports were up 104.5%.

U.S.-Canada and U.S.-Mexico surface transportation trade in March 2012 both increased compared to March 2011 with U.S.-Canada trade reaching $50.1 billion, a 2.9% increase, and U.S.-Mexico trade reaching $35.7 billion, an 11.2% increase.

More exports are leaving giving the U.S. more money and we are able to import more goods thus reducing prices of goods in the U.S. Overall, the outlook is positive… only time will tell if the trend continues. Hopefully it does.

Read more here

ROAD RAGE!

Driving on the road you see all types of drivers: the Sunday driver, the road rage driver and even the lollygagger in the fast lane. Personally, my mood normally dictates how fast or slow I drive. I’d like to take a minute and talk about the most hated driver on the road – Mr. Road Rage.

You know exactly who this driver is. He speeds for no apparent reason, tailgates anyone who isn’t going 95MPH, and will honk and flash his lights if he gets stuck between cars. I’d like point out a few obvious things that many impatient drivers seem to forget. Semi-truck drivers have HUGE blind spots all over! When you tailgate the back of a semi, he cannot see you at all. He is completely unaware anyone is behind him! Slow down and back up a bit. And come on, where’s the fire? There is no reason to be that close to the back of a semi. And obviously it is very dangerous!

Aside from the back blind spot - semi-trucks are so massive their blind spot on the side is just as large! It’s unlikely they will even see you gaining speed then whipping around to get in front. And what if traffic stops? Did you know it takes a semi-truck travelling 65MPH ¾ of a mile to come to a complete stop!?!! Granted, the brakes in your tiny Beemer may be able to stop on a dime, but the semi that you just cut off is going to plow through you!  I know we all get impatient or run late from time-to-time, but take a deep breath and think about it. Being five minutes late and driving safe is far better than risking your life driving like a Mad Man through traffic over a clock.

Looking for a Job in Logistics?

Reed Transport, a ReedTMS Company, is looking for talented professionals interested in a career the logistics field.  They’re currently hiring to fill entry-level positions for their office in Brandon, Florida. Reed Transport is a family-owned freight broker and has been in operation since 1996. Reed brokers freight in all transportation markets such as: dry van truckload, flat bed, step deck, over dimensional, reefer and many others.

Available Positions (pulled from the website):

Logistics Coordinator: Responsibilities include regular contact with customers and carriers, continual follow-up on service delivery, data entry and price negotiations. This is an entry-level position; therefore industry experience is not required or expected. The goal of this position is to teach the industry through detailed training, with opportunities to grow into a Senior Logistics Coordinator role or internal/external sales role. Candidate must have the ability to multi-task and possess strong relationship building and people skills. Familiarity with Microsoft and related software is a plus. Bachelor’s degree required.

Carrier Sales: Purpose is to strengthen operational coverage and to provide an account management training ground for future Senior Logistics Coordinator staff. Essential duties & responsibilities include: negotiating with carrier partners, daily load volume coverage targets, creating regular carrier partners, periodic dispatching, check calls & order entry. Will have flexible work hours – Afterhours assignment will periodically occur based on opportunity and coverage need. Should have attention to detail with accuracy, a team-oriented attitude, strong problem solving and analytical skills. Candidate must be goal oriented, self-motivated and possess strong negotiation skills. Outgoing personality and competitive attitude is a must. Familiarity with Microsoft and related software is a plus. Bachelor’s degree required.

Check out the website for more information and to apply. http://www.reedtms.com/Careers-ReedTMSLogistics.php

Some Interstate Speed Limits May Increase

If you've ever driven on the interstate anywhere, you see huge semi-trucks. They are very large and most drivers have a hard time seeing around them. Personally, I don’t like to drive next to them at all and I will most certainly panic if I find myself in the center lane sandwiched between two of them. It’s not that I believe that truck drivers are poor drivers, I would just feel nervous in such a small car when compared to a 18-wheeler. I more than understand the importance of shipping freight all over the country and realize that these drivers have a very important job. But on the other hand, is it safe for anyone is they are zooming by other cars going 70 or 80 miles an hour?

Although I’ve never personally drive a vehicle that large, I can imagine it would be rather difficult to control a truck at higher speeds. Well, legislature in two Ohio counties feel they should increase the speed limit on I75 in Butler and Warren counties. They want to increase it to 70 mph from 65 mph. To me, this raises some safety questions. And even if semi-truck drivers agree with me and maintain their 65 mph speed, or if they have a truck that actually prevents them from driving faster, the other vehicles on the road will now most likely push the speed limit even more and travel 75 mph or even 80 mph. I think this is just a bad idea for everyone on the road. The article I read said accidents on Interstate 75 in Butler and Warren counties dropped from 1,052 in 2009 to 880 in 2010. Things are looking better! Why would someone want to risk the numbers jumping back up?? 65 mph is plenty fast to get where you’re trying to go while maintaining an certain amount of safety.

Read the full article here.