Special Edition V.46 (June 2020)
CORONAVIRUS NEWS
NY, NJ & CT Impose Quarantine Restrictions On Travelers

The Governor's of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut have announced a joint incoming travel advisory that all individuals traveling from states with significant community spread of COVID-19 quarantine for 14 days. Unfortunately, as of this moment, the announcement did not indicate whether the quarantine requirement would include truck drivers.

Our understanding is that essential workers, including truck drivers, are not subject to the 14-day quarantine as long as they are practicing social distancing precautions and other measures that safeguard the public health. It is expected that the additional protocols for essential workers will be issued soon since these new travel restrictions went into effect today.



Truck drivers hope for continued efficiency post-COVID-19
FleetOwner

This year has changed exponentially since the novel coronavirus entered the country. What started out with stampedes for toilet paper has since escalated to civil unrest and protests for change.

In a webinar hosted by U.S. Xpress on June 18, four U.S. Xpress drivers shared their experiences on the road since the start of the pandemic in March. Here's a snapshot of those experiences...

Drivers shared the biggest lessons they’ve learned since the start of the pandemic:     

  • Evans: “Definitely the safety aspect – being more aware on the road as well as the cleanliness. Don’t be a part of the problem – be a part of the solution.”
  • Roy: “Use the CB in a positive way by communicating with each other.”
  • Elliot: “Customers are more driver friendly now, providing us with PPE and sanitizer. That should definitely continue.”
  • Martin: “We need more of the same, but more technology, more solutions, more communication. We were forced to do it at first, but let’s keep it up.”
NATIONAL NEWS
New Research Documents the Scale of Nuclear Verdicts in Trucking
ATRI

Arlington, VA – The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) today released comprehensive research that confirms that large verdicts against trucking fleets are increasing dramatically, both in number and in size of awards. ATRI’s research is partially based on a newly created trucking litigation database that provides detailed information on 600 cases between 2006 and 2019. In the first five years of the data, there were 26 cases over $1 million, and in the last five years of the data, there were nearly 300 cases.  

This study was identified as the highest research priority for the industry by ATRI’s Research Advisory Committee in 2019. 

In response to arguments that nuclear verdicts reflect real-world cost increases, the research documents that from 2010 to 2018, the size of verdict awards grew 51.7 percent annually at the same time that standard inflation grew 1.7 percent and healthcare costs grew 2.9 percent.

Carriers Face August Deadline to Identify Specific Chinese Tech
Transport Topics

American Trucking Associations and a U.S. Chamber of Commerce-led coalition are sounding the alarm over a provision tucked into the more than 700-page 2019 Defense Authorization Act that requires federal government contractors to by mid-August rid their companies of prohibited components manufactured by five Chinese companies.

The Chinese companies, believed to be potential hackers into U.S. intelligence and defense agencies’ information systems, include Huawei, ZTE Corp., Hytera, Hikvision and Dahua Technology. The provision also covers any subsidiary or affiliate of the entities, but experts warn that the technologies targeted could be very difficult to locate in complex modern corporate systems.

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES
We will keep MMTA members posted as new information comes in. In the meantime, please do not hesitate to email Tim, Randy or Brian if you have questions.
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Maine Motor Transport Association
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