Best Truck Stops for Truckers
As much as most truckers would love to be home, truck stops are usually the closest thing to home on the road. The biggest complaints that many big rig drivers have about truck stops is the lack of parking and overall dirtiness of some places. Many truck stop workers are unfriendly and others are great except they don’t offer the driver anything to pass the time. Here are some of the most recommended truck stops in the United States.
Iowa 80 Truckstop
The Iowa 80 truckstop is located at exit 284 on I-80. Here you will find the worlds largest truck stop, which features a restaurant that seats 300 diners as well as 24 showers, a 60 seat movie theater, barber, dentist, food court, and just about anything else that a driver is looking for. They have parking for about 800 tractor trailers as well as cars and buses. The truckers warehouse store is a great place to shop, and Super Truck Showroom features 30,000 square feet of truck parts and accessories as well as experienced staff that specializes in helping truckers find the perfect accessories to customize their trucks. Iowa 80 also houses a trucking museum to showcase the history of the trucking industry.
Boise Stage Stop
The Boise Stage shop is recommended by drivers because of the friendly staff and delicious food. This truck stop isn’t as fancy as many of the larger places to stop, but it’s cleanliness and friendliness make up for the lack of amenities. The old time atmosphere in the restaurant and surrounding area is also very appealing. Their bathrooms are large and clean and the television room is a great place for drivers to relax and chat about their runs. This truck stop is more than 100 years old but is modern enough to serve today’s drivers with kindness and outstanding food.
Porky’s Truck Stop
This truckstop, located in South Carolina, is known for being a fun place to spend a few days. In the heart of ‘South of the Border‘, Porky’s truck stop is surrounded by a fun town that is full of ways to spend your time. South of the Border features a wedding chapel, fueling stations, motel, onsite fire department, 200 foot viewing tower, and more. Truckers can also choose from four restaurants and a variety of shopping options including a drug store, gift shop, antique shop, and indoor flea market. Many truckers say that it’s the best place to spend the weekend in South Carolina.
Jubitz
Just of I-5 in Portland, Oregon, Jubitz has been called the classiest truck stop in the world. This truckstop features laundry, a wonderful restaurant and a lounge where dance lessons and live music are often found. Many country music stars played at Jubitz when their careers began and you never know who you’ll see there. They also have a movie theater, game room, deli and store. Jubitz has a comfortable motel where drivers can find discounted rooms as well as free wi-fi and an outpatient medical clinic. Especially for truckers, Jubitz offers sample parking as well as a truck maintenance and repair facility that is open seven days a week and offers DOT inspection services as well as oil changes, alignments and other vehicle services. The staff at Jubitz is known to be friendly and welcoming to drivers as well as their family and friends.
The Secret To Getting The Best Price For Your Semi Truck
When it is time to sell your commercial semi truck, getting the best price is important. One important way to draw buyers, and create interest in your truck, is by creating a sale listing on a website that will allow your truck to get the best exposure. The following tips will allow you to sell your semi quickly and recoup the most value from your truck.
1. Pictures Are Worth A Thousand Words:
The first tip to help you sell your truck is to create a listing that includes lots of photos. Prospective buyers want to have the opportunity to see your truck from every angle, so that they can determine the condition of the truck. By providing lots of accurate photos, you will know that buyers are truly interested when they call to see the truck, and that they won’t be disappointed with what they see when they get there. When taking photos be sure to include interior cab shots, as well as exterior pictures of the front, back and sides.
2. Name Your Price:
When sellers are unsure of what to ask for their truck, it may be tempting to list a truck for sale without offering a price, or simply listing it OBO (or best offer). Unfortunately, instead of creating interest in the truck, this often deters potential buyers because there is no starting point for a negotiation. When a seller refuses to name a price, the buyer may not trust that the seller is going to deal fairly with him, and that the seller may hike up the price if the buyer shows too much interest. Many buyers will simply walk away rather than risk being taken advantage of by an unscrupulous seller.
3. Keep It Clean:
When meeting a prospective buyer, your truck needs to be gleaming inside and out, and the cab cleared of trash and clutter. By showing your truck when it is looking its best, this helps to create a strong first impression, and let the prospective user know that the truck has been well looked after. A dirty truck will give the impression of being run down, even if it is in tip top shape, so make sure that when you meet prospective buyers, that it is ready for a close inspection.
4. Honesty Is The Best Policy:
When speaking with a potential buyer, make sure that you are honest about the truck’s performance, maintenance, and accident history. Many buyers will request an inspection of maintenance records, to review for any potential problems. While owners may be tempted to bend the truth or gloss over any problems, it is not worth the risk to one’s reputation in the business, nor potential legal action for fraud or misrepresentation later when the truth comes out.
By creating an informative listing that contains an accurate description, lots of photos, and a fair price point, you can create a listing that will bring interested buyers for your truck. By following these tips, you will position your truck for a quick sale for the best possible price.
Raising Gross Weight Limits on Commercial Vehicles Proposed
A bill that was recently introduced to congress includes a raising the weight limit for commercial vehicles from 88,000 pounds to 97,000 pounds. This is an increase of 21 percent, which has many civil engineers and lawmakers worried about the impact on current infrastructure. The bill proposes that trucks be allowed to carry loads weighing up to 48 and a half tons without an overweight permit as long as they have at least six axles. Most tractor-trailer units are currently five axles. This bill is called the Safe and Efficient Transportation Act. It was introduced by Michael Michaud, a Representative from Maine. The bill has currently been delayed for a period of three years so that its effects on highway infrastructure and safety can be studied.
Support
Most of the support behind the bill is from a group known as the Coalition for Transportation Productivity. This is a group of around 200 companies including Home Depot, Hershey, Kraft and Miller Coors. These companies joined together in an effort to consolidate their products into fewer loads, reducing the transportation costs paid by each company. Lobby groups from several different states have also shown support for the bill.
These groups support the Safe and Effective Transportation Act for several reasons. One reason is the amount of freight that is hauled by commercial vehicles in the United States is expected to come close to doubling by the year 2035. This freight will add thousands more trucks to already congested highways and freeways across the country. Raising the amount of weight that each vehicle can legally haul will allow the same amount of weight to be hauled in fewer loads.
Some supporters feel that the current 80,000 pound limit is simply outdated. It has been in place since 1982, when commercial vehicles traveled about half as many miles each year as they do now. Reducing the number of trucks on the road is also likely to make the roads safer. A study that was conducted by the Department of Transportation in Wisconsin found that 90 accidents that involved tractor-trailers in Wisconsin in 2006 could have been prevented if the trucks were able to carry heavier weights with six axles.
Criticism
The main criticism of the bill is the potential impact heavier trucks will have on roads, bridges and other infrastructure. Members of the American Society of Civil Engineers feel that the nation’s bridges are already not being maintained adequately and bridges will be worn out even faster if they are forced to bear heavier loads.
The bill cites that a user fee will be charged for all six axle vehicles who haul loads up to 97,000 pounds. This fee is designed to fund maintenance and repair for existing infrastructure. Critics fear that the money will be used for other purposes and that it will not be enough to offset the impact of roadways constantly being subjected to heavier loads.
Workers in the railroad industry are also opposing the bill, mostly because it will allow trucks to haul more of the heavy freight that is currently being hauled by rail. This is likely to reduce the amount of work for railroad workers and could reduce the number of workers needed.
It is unlikely that The Safe and Efficient Transportation Act will be passed in the near future, but it is something that truckers should have in mind when they are upgrading equipment. Some small business truckers are concerned that if this bill is passed they will be forced to add a sixth axle to their trucks to stay competitive in the freight hauling industry.
Hours of Service Regulations Final Rule Effective February 27
Hours of service regulations affect everyone involved in the trucking industry, including drivers, shippers and company owners. The U.S. Department of Transportation is constantly looking for ways to increase the safety of highways in the United States, so the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has revised the hours of service requirements to reflect the latest research findings in regards to public safety. The final ruling was announced on December 22, 2011, but companies will not be required to comply with the new rules until the beginning of 2013.
Major Changes
One of the biggest changes in the HOS regulations are that drivers are no longer allowed to drive for more than eight consecutive hours without taking a break of at least 30 minutes. Another change is that drivers are only allowed a 34 hour reset once each week. This means that they can only work up to 70 hours per week instead of a maximum of 82 hours per week under the old rules. The weekly 34 hour reset for driving time must include at least two periods between the hours of 1 am and 5 am. Drivers are still allowed to drive a maximum of 11 hours per day. Many people in the industry expected the daily driving maximum to be reduced to ten hours, but the FMCSA did not find a significant difference in fatigue between drivers who drove 11 hours each day versus drivers who drove 10 hours per day.
Industry Reactions
The FMCSA held six sessions across the country to allow the public to comment on current and proposed HOS requirements. They encouraged drivers, safety advocates, law enforcement officials, company owners and members of the general public to attend the meetings and share their thoughts. Each session was also broadcast live on the FMCSA website to allow even more people to participate.
Even with a large amount of input from the industry and general public, many people are not happy with the new rules. Bill Graves, President of the American Trucking Association, feels that the system was not broken and the new rules are unlikely to make the highways safer. The President of the Retail Industry Leaders Association feels that the new rules will increase congestion because more truckers will be off the roads during the night hours, when traffic is generally light.
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association also feels that the changes are unnecessary and will negatively impact the bottom line of thousands of independent and small-business truckers. Tom Spencer, OOIDA executive vice president says that the changes are not welcome and will not result in significant gains in regards to highway safety.
Penalties for Non-Compliance
No matter how they feel about the HOS regulations, it is vital that they know what the rules are and follow them.
Just like the current HOS regulations, companies and drivers will both be subject to fines if the regulations are ignored. Companies that commit violations such as allowing their drivers to surpass the 11 hour driving rule by more than three hours could face fines of $11,000 per offense. The drivers who commit such egregious violations may also face civil penalties of at least $2,750 every time they are caught in violation of the new rules.
Many Trucking Companies Testing Natural Gas Conversion
The high price of diesel has many trucking companies looking for cheaper option when it comes to fuel. There are many obstacles in the short-term, but companies such as Wal-Mart and United Parcel Service are converting a small percentage of their vehicles to natural gas as a way to test the feasibility of switching over their fleets completely. Con-Way Freight is launching a program this spring to convert two of their Chicago area trucks to run on compressed natural gas instead of diesel fuel. They chose the Chicago area as their test market because CNG is available there, while it is not widely available in other parts of the country. Con-Way spokespeople said that the company will likely convert more of their trucks if the test is successful.
Reasons Companies are Considering Natural Gas
Cost savings is the number one reason that companies are considering the move to liquefied natural gas or CNG. The current price of CNG is around one dollar per gallon, while diesel costs around $3.39 per gallon. The price of LNG is about one dollar per gallon less than diesel, but the price fluctuates just like all fuel products. Experts estimate that the price of natural gas is especially low right now because the mild winter has lessened demand. The price will likely increase with increased consumption.
Another reason that companies are considering the conversion is that trucks that are fueled by natural gas are significantly quieter than those fueled by diesel. The noise of diesel trucks has prompted many cities across the United States to enact laws to reduce the amount of time truckers are allowed to idle their vehicles.
Obstacles to Converting Semi Truck Fleets to Natural Gas Fuel
The cost of converting vehicles to natural gas from diesel is a significant obstacle in the race toward conversion. It currently costs about $65,000 more for a company to purchase a truck that runs on LNG than a similar model that runs on diesel fuel. The economy has caused many companies to tighten their belts, and most are unwilling to make such a large investment upfront. The cost of buying a truck that runs on CNG is less, at about $30,000 more than a standard diesel truck, but still a large investment.
Trucking companies are also unsure about the costs to maintain a natural gas powered engine versus a diesel powered engine. Cummins is expected to release an LNG powered engine this year that will be priced similarly to a diesel engine, making the choice to convert an easier decision for companies.
The other main reason that trucking companies are apprehensive about converting their fleets is the lack of LNG and CNG fueling stations in most areas of the country. Clean Energy Fuels Corporation, an alternative fuels company, is building 70 LNG stations in 2012 and is planning to open another 80 stations in 2013. They are building these stations along some of the busiest truck routes in the United States, about 250 to 300 miles apart so that trucks running on LNG can be fueled easily. Clean Energy is working with Flying J and Pilot to add LNG pumps at existing truck stops throughout the country.
It is likely to be years before there is a significant increase in the number of trucks on the road powered by LNG or CNG rather than diesel, but more companies are expected to experiment with alternative fuels in the coming years. The availability of LNG powered engines is likely to increase over the next five to ten years, and tax credits have been proposed for companies who switch their fleets to LNG.
How do you feel about LNG and trucking?
