coronavirus trucking  information center

Call (205) 397-0934 if you're having trouble reaching your rep

what's your 20?

share info and advice

Bill: "Flatbed drivers are being told to come home, with or without a load. Good time to start working on plan B."

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Hunter: "Mile long line outside P&G plants in PA." 

porter clients

We know this may be a challenging time and we are here to make it easier

• We are still funding - on time, on schedule!

• Our core operations team is in the office, everyone else is working remotely

• Response times may be slower than normal (bear with us with our remote IT issues)

• If you are having trouble getting in touch with your rep, call the sales line for help - (205) 397-0934

stay in the know continued

• COVID-19 questions answered April 6

• OOIDA calls on congress for changes to help drivers April 6

• Love's to hire for 2,000 positions April 3

• FMCSA issues guidance for drug testing during emergency March 31

• FMCSA provides relief for driver training March 30

• Scared rivers press on toward looming freight cliff March 28

• FMCSA clarifies, expands cargo in HOS waiver March 27

• Workhound platform reveals driver concerns over COVID-19 March 27​

• Owner-operators should prepare for a "freight cliff" March 26

• Trump Administration reached a deal for the CARES Act March 25

• FMCSA Grants 90-day Waiver for Expiring CDLs March 24

• Truckers Bolstered by Demand Surge, but Shakeout Looms March 24​

• Traffic Speeds Up in Major Cities as More People Stay Home March 24

• Paccar Suspends Worldwide Production March 24

• Walmart Plans 150,000 New Hires, Adds Virus Testing Sites March 21

• ​Love's Give Wage Increase and 80 Hours of Sick Pay March 21

• Carriers and Medical Clinics Struggle to Develop Protocols for Drivers Who Have COVID-19 March 21

• ALDOT Issues Guidance on Truckload Weight Limits for COVID-19 Relief March 20

• SYSCO CEO Vows to Support America's Grocers March 20

• Volvo and Mack suspend truck production March 20

• Truckers are rock stars - produce shifts to retail March 20

• The US-Canada border remains open for freight March 19

• Rest stops nationwide up and running March 18

• Emergency HOS waiver expanded to include raw materials March 18

• ​The U.S-Canada border is closed for non essential travel March 18

what loads are included in the

hours-of-service temporary waiver?

• Medical supplies and equipment related to testing, diagnosis, and treatment of COVID-19 

• Safety & sanitation supplies & equipment related to COVID-19 . 

• Food/paper products/groceries for emergency restocking 

• Raw materials (paper, plastic, alcohol, etc) used to manufacture essential items. 

• Fuel. 

• Equipment, supplies and persons enabling quarantine. 

• Persons designated by government authorities for medical, or quarantine or emergency purposes. 

• Personnel to provide medical or other emergency services

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We know food and medical supplies need to get to stores and hospitals fast. But with the lifted restrictions, drivers are open to more fatigue, which can not only cause accidents, but may also compromise their immune systems, making them more susceptible to catching coronavirus. We need truckers driving more than ever, but no load is worth dying over. Run hard, drive smart and take care of yourself. 

warehouse precautions

• Book no touch freight when possible or have a broker agree to pay lumpers

• Wear gloves

• DO NOT TOUCH YOUR FACE - watch this germ video (spoiler alert: it's harder than you think)

• Avoid contact with warehouse workers. You can shake all the hands you want after things die down, but until then, keeping some distance is the most neighborly thing you can do.

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panic buying creating surge in

freight volume

Things to note:

• Majority of the increase is in dry van volumes

• Spike in rates likely won't last long, but carriers now have the upper hand in this scenario. Because of this, tender rejections are on the rise and are temporarily making spot rates higher than contracted rates in a majority of markets.

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What this means for carriers:

• Charge what your truck is worth! Don't be afraid to bid higher than normal for hot lanes. High demand (for trucks) justifies high rates - the market will swing back and you may need the extra cash in the weeks to come

Detention and wait times

This one will take some work but is well worth the focus right now. With rates spiking, so are wait times, and the only person in charge of getting paid for detention is YOU! 

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Double check your agreement with the customer and make sure you're recording your time. Back it up with your ELD and bill out for detention time. If you're sitting instead of taking another high paying load, make sure the broker is prepared to pay you for your time.