3 Trucking News Articles You Need To Read Right Now
Thanks for joining our weekly series where we cover the top headlines trending in the trucking industry. To help you stay on track and be up to date with what's going on in the world today, be sure to check in each week for an update!
Here are the 3 most important trucking headlines for you to know:
Beloved Feeding Tampa Bay truck driver goes extra mile delivering meals, smiles for families in need
By Sean Daly
There are nearly 40 truck drivers that are working at Feeding Tampa Bay - and to call them heroes is an understatement. Altogether, they have delivered close to 16 million pounds of food for families that are in need since the pandemic first hit. But, there is one driver that stuck out, and his name is Matthew Howe! Matthew is a 42-year-old whose job isn't only to drive the truck and deliver the food, "he also acts as a lovable carnival barker, a larger-than-life emcee with nonstop patter, waving the cars into the load-in area" (Sean Daly). At one point, Matthew had owned his own trucking business, but when this opportunity came up he felt like he needed to take the higher job.
"Matthew wants all 1.7 million mouths that Feeding Tampa Bay is helping to feel loved and respected, especially when they see his face. "I'm more than a truck driver," he says. "When I see these people come up to me, the satisfaction I feel in helping, you can't buy that." (Sean Daly).
This feel-good story is one to remember when you see all the bad news each day, there are amazing people out there. Thanks to Matthew for helping those in need!
To read the article, click here!
SmartDrive unveils new SmartSense tech to keep drivers safe
By Josh Fisher
On July 21at, SmartDrive announced that they will be releasing two new features to keep truckers safe on and off the road. These two features include Speeding for Conditions and Sitting Duck. "In advance of the public release, some of the nation’s largest carriers, including Knight-Swift Transportation, tested the new offerings. The technologies are supposed to help truckers avoid driving too fast in bad weather and assist drivers who stopped at unsafe locations" (Josh Fisher). The Speeding for Conditions will help when driving in states that get lots of snow, to know what a safe speed limit will be until the roads are clear, as well as in other weather conditions. The Sitting Duck portion will help locate if you are stopped at a safe location or not. It is shown that many truckers get injured when they aren't even driving! This may be from impaired drivers who run into them or truck robberies in bad locations.
To learn more about these new, important features, click here!
FMCSA announces virtual 2020 Truck Safety Summit
By Catharine Conway
When pandemics hit, everything moves to virtual, including the 2020 Truck Safety Summit! "This will be held virtually through GoToWebinar on August 5 from 9:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. EDT to discuss how to improve the safe operation of property-carrying commercial motor vehicles on the road" (Catharine Conway). This was originally scheduled for March 19th, but with COVID happening it had to be postponed. Now with the pandemic not slowing down, they decided to turn things virtual.
To register for this event or to learn more, click here!