The Weekly Freight Report for December 9th, 2021

The Top 5 Stories in Freight, Transportation, & Logistics

Here’s this week’s Weekly Freight Report:

  1. NYC vaccine mandate for private business starting Dec 27.
  2. Cybersecurity protocols increase for the transportation sector starting Dec 31.
  3. Canadian transportation disruptions could impact US supply chains.
  4. Class 8 truck order decreases could signify something else.
  5. Safety groups challenge the FMCSA ruling on hours-of-service.

 

1. NYC vaccine mandate for private business starting Dec 27.

Could trucking companies be mandated to have all of their employees vaccinated? In an effort to prevent the next COVID-19 spike, New York City will mandate vaccinations for private businesses starting December 27. Trucking companies are among the nearly 184,000 businesses impacted by the mandate. This mandate is taking effect while many trucking companies are suing the US government over the recent federally imposed vaccine mandate. To get all the details, click here. 

 

2. Cybersecurity protocols increase for the transportation sector starting Dec 31.

The US Department of Homeland Security does not want a repeat of the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack, which is why they are cracking down on the supply chain. Starting December 31, major passenger and freight railroads will be required to report cybersecurity breaches quickly and review how susceptible their systems are to attack. These requirements will provide an additional layer of protection to the nation’s infrastructure from hackers seeking access via the private sector. See what the cybersecurity requirements will be by clicking here.

 

3. Canadian transportation disruptions could impact US supply chains.

Weather is still impacting the Canadian supply chain as closed highways and railroads slow down cargo transit to and from the Port of Vancouver. The area is in a state of emergency through December 14 as officials continue to assess the extent of the damage. As 80 vessels wait offshore for their turn to unload cargo, the on-time proportion of container shipments at the port has dropped nearly 40% since the week of November 14. To see the impact it will have on Canadian and US supply chains, read more here.

 

 

4. Class 8 truck order decreases could signify something else. 

Class 8 truck orders decreased in November, but that doesn’t mean demand is down. It means “OEMs are managing their backlogs very carefully,” stated Don Oak, FTR VP of Commercial Vehicles, in a recent interview. Trucks ordered in December of 2021, will not arrive until February of 2023, given that booking queues at major OEMs exceed 14 months. Buying a used truck will not save you money. A 2020 Kenworth W990 sleeper cab could set you back $166,110… which is the price someone paid at an auction in Canada. Click here for the data and details.

 

5. Safety groups challenge the FMCSA ruling on hours-of-service.

Teamsters union and three safety groups filed an initial petition in federal appeals court to challenge the hours-of-service (HOS) rule that went into effect last year. The main point of contention was the 30-min rest-break provisions whereby the group claimed the flexible rules make truck driving less safe. The FMCSA changed the HOS rules, which included topics like the short-haul exceptions, 30-min break rule flexibility, modified the sleeper-berth exception, and adverse driving conditions exception. To see other points the group is challenging, click here.

 

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