a drug test result form

FMCSA Relaxes Drug Testing Requirements

The impact of COVID-19 continues to be felt in unpredictable ways. The latest is a relaxation of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) requirement for random drug-testing among drivers. The FMCSA made their announcement on July 6. Within the current requirements, carriers must randomly test 50 percent of their drivers (based on number of[…]

a group of trucks on the road now that the trucking industry is rebounding from COVID-19

How the Trucking Industry is Rising Again

When 2020 began, the trucking industry was already in trouble. The month of January indicated that a recession was on the horizon, that tariffs were increasing, and that imports and exports were softening. Then, March hit, and COVID-19 was declared a pandemic. Although truckers were declared essential workers, low freight rates and rest area closures[…]

a truck driven by someone interested in improving their SAFER scores

Improving SAFER Scores By Changing Your Culture

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) created the Compliance, Safety, and Accountability (CSA) program and the CSA score to help identify carriers who are at high-risk of unsafe practices on the road. These are the fleets who cause accidents because of unsafe drivers and/or poorly maintained vehicles. A carrier’s score impacts the health and[…]

US Capitol Building

What The INVEST Act Could Mean For Fleets

A bill was recently passed through the US House committee “Transportation and Infrastructure” called the INVEST Act. This bill is aimed at finding funding necessary to pay for the upkeep and the advancement of the United States’ crumbling surface road infrastructure. The bill passed committee by a 37-27 margin and has provided some interesting talking[…]

a coronavirus illustration representing the impact that the pandemic has had on the trucking industry

How COVID-19 Has Impacted the Trucking Industry

As COVID-19 has spread across the world, it’s impacted all aspects of our “normal.” The trucking industry is no exception. While non-essential businesses shut down immediately to prevent further spread, truckers remained operational. After all, who else would continue to move essential items to and from hospitals and stores? Here’s everything you need to know[…]

a driver preparing for the next CVSA inspection blitz

Getting Ready for the First Inspection Blitz of the Year

It’s never too early to get ready for an upcoming inspection, especially when you know it’s going to happen. The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) has planned it’s annual International Roadcheck Inspection blitz for May 5 through May 7. If that sounds early, you’re right. Typically this blitz occurs in June, but the timing was[…]

a truck that's been in an accident, driven by someone who needs to review their fleet's accident procedures

Reviewing Your Accident Procedures in 2020

No matter how hard you and your drivers work to prevent accidents on the road, they happen. What your driver does in the immediate aftermath can make the difference in what happens later — lawsuits, settlements, insurance disputes, and more. Now is a good time to review your accident procedures and prepare for future accidents. […]

a piece of yellow iron that needs to be tracked

Are You Doing Enough to Track Your Yellow Iron?

The equipment and heavy machinery your company uses is just as important as the trucks in your fleet. Yellow iron keeps your business moving forward. If you’re not tracking it, you’re missing out on important information and cost-saving measures. Maintenance and Repairs Just as you schedule oil changes, brake checks, and other maintenance for your[…]

a static filled screen representing an ELD outage

How to Avoid an ELD Outage

You’ve used technology long enough to know that outages happen. Cell towers go down in storms. Your internet won’t connect on a laptop. Things happen. But when your equipment is what keeps your business moving (and legally compliant!), outages must be rare and long outages are unacceptable. Outages Happen, But They Shouldn’t Be Common At[…]

A truck belonging to a safe driver that uses an ELD

ELDs Lead to Better Rested, More Alert, and Safer Drivers

Time is money, but too much time, especially behind the wheel, leads to fatigue and accidents. The good news is that electronic logging devices (ELDs) lead to drivers who get more rest which leads to fewer accidents. Anecdotal Evidence The hard data isn’t available yet on the effectiveness of ELDs, but many in the industry[…]

spreadsheet showing the rise of insurance costs for fleets

Rising Insurance Costs: What Can You Do?

Insurance premiums could increase as much as 20 to 25 percent in 2020, thanks in large part to the extremely high awards being determined by juries against carriers and fleets. With insurance rates on the rise, what can you do? Preparing for Insurance Rate Increases Insurance companies that service the trucking industry have been running[…]

a truck driver gearing up for a tough 2020

Gearing Up for a Tough Year

During an economics session at CCJ‘s Solutions Summit in Scottsdale, Arizona recently, ACT Research President Kenny Vieth shared his projections on what the trucking industry can expect in 2020. In short, it’s going to be tough. As with all things related to the economy, there are opportunities and bright spots, but fleets that aren’t efficient[…]

Marijuana Legalization Negatively Impacting Driver Shortage

The trucking industry has faced a growing driver shortage in the past several years and decades. Marijuana legalization, for recreational or medicinal use, has only made the problem worse. Drug Testing All drivers face a drug test before being hired but many carriers are voluntarily opting to include a hair test as part of the[…]

a man wondering about California contractor law

How California’s Contractor Law Could Impact the Trucking Industry

California lawmakers recently voted to overhaul their independent contractor rules and regulations. Not only does this have major ramifications for the state but the country as a whole. The trucking industry will absolutely be impacted if the bill is signed into law. A.B. 5 pushes businesses, regardless of industry, to classify more independent contractors they[…]

The ELD Mandate: Improving Safety Through Technology

The ELD Mandate goes into effect when the AOBRD grandfather provision expires, December 16, 2019. At this point, Phase 3 of the ELD Rule begins. Drivers and Motor Carriers subject to the ELD Rule must use ELDs registered with the FMCSA to remain compliant. How do ELDs Work? ELDs synch with the CMV engine to automatically record:[…]

Houston Bus Company Fined by DOJ for Hiring H-2B Foreign Workers over Americans

On May 29, 2019, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced a settlement against a Houston transportation company, El Expreso Bus Company. El Expreso has been charged with hiring imported foreign workers on the H-2B visa over eligible Americans. The H-2B Program The H-2B program allows US employers to import and hire up to 66,000 foreign[…]

5 year Exemption granted to Agricultural Haulers by the FMCSA

On April 15, 2019, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) granted the Agricultural and Food Transporters an exemption allowing for new cargo securement methods to be implemented until 2024. The FMCSA partners with industry, safety advocates, and state and local governments to keep our roadways safe and improve CMV safety. What does the 5 year[…]

The ELD Mandate: Don’t wait to transition from AOBRD to ELD

This is an important time in the trucking industry and compliance is vital. Phase 3 of the ELD Rule being implemented is fast approaching and the AOBRD grandfather provision will expire. On December 16, 2019, Drivers and Motor Carriers subject to the ELD Rule must use self-certified ELD’s registered with the FMCSA. Self-Certification is the[…]

a vintage gas pump representing the increased fuel costs that the transportation industry is facing

Staying Profitable Despite Rising Fuel Costs

Crude oil prices are on the rise, which means gas prices will likely follow. In fact, they already have. Over the past several months, fuel costs have inched up more and more. Storms in the Gulf, issues surrounding both supply and demand, government regulations, and unrest in oil-producing countries have all contributed to the increase.[…]

a fleet managing unidentified drive time

How to Manage Unidentified Drive Time

One unforeseen consequence of the ELD mandate is the new phenomenon of “unidentified drive time.” An ELD is required to log every mile a truck is driven, even if a driver isn’t assigned to it. This means there are blocks of times in any given day that don’t have a driver assigned. It occurs when[…]

a trucker preparing for the CVSA's annual inspection blitz

CVSA Announces Annual Inspection Blitz

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) announced two annual events to improve road safety among commercial vehicles. The first is the International Roadcheck set for June 5 through June 7, a 72-hour blitz across North America to check driver and commercial vehicle compliance. The second is the annual Operation Safe Driver Week set for July[…]

Gorilla Safety Stevie Awards

Gorilla Safety Recognized as an Industry Leader – Winner of 4 Stevie Awards

Gorilla Safety was honored to receive three gold and one bronze Stevie Awards in the 2018 American Business Awards competition. The gold Stevie Awards were for: Company of the Year in transportation Management Team of the Year for business products New Product or Service of the Year (Software) for mobile on-demand applications. The bronze award[…]

trucks stopped worried about ELD enforcement

ELD Mandate Enforcement Around the Country

With the ELD mandate having gone into effect for most drivers and fleets on December 18, 2017, the next issue to face has been regarding the enforcement of the mandate. Around the country, ELD mandate enforcement varies from state to state. When you cross state lines on your route without a properly installed ELD, you[…]

a truck taking advantage of the 90 day agriculture waiver

The 90 Day Waiver for Agriculture Drivers and Why You Shouldn’t Wait

While the ELD mandate compliance date goes into effect for the majority of drivers on December 18, 2017, agriculture drivers have been given a temporary reprieve recently in the form of a 90-day waiver. While it may sound good to some, a good ELD and fleet management system does so much that it really doesn’t[…]

a fleet mechanic using an eDIVR

Streamlining Your Fleet’s Preventative Maintenance

Preventative maintenance is one of those tedious but necessary functions of your business. Without it, you’ve got breakdowns, roadside violations, and extra expenses. When you use the right system, preventative maintenance gets done quicker and better, keeping your business moving. Why Preventative Maintenance is Important You know you need to do it but it’s easy[…]

a small fleet using ELDs

Fleets of All Sizes Can Benefit from an ELD

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA), in a last ditch effort, petitioned the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) for a five-year exemption for “small business truckers” to delay the ELD implementation. OOIDA may think that small businesses should be exempt but with all the benefits, the system will pay for itself with increased efficiency[…]

AOBRD available

Low-Cost AOBRD Makes the Transition to ELD Easier

“We believe in the American trucker and want to do everything we can – as a leading provider of fleet technology – to help small business owners and owner operators remain compliant with the new regulations.” — Mark Walton, co-founder and chief executive officer at Gorilla Safety The ELD mandate deadline is fast approaching. If[…]