Your Feb. 1 Pre-Trip: Work resumes at New York, New Jersey port after strike

Feb. 1, 2016
Here are five things worth knowing today.

Here are five things worth knowing today:

  1. Dock workers at the port of New York and New Jersey returned to work after a walkout on Friday, according to a Fox 5 report. Workers walked off the job “over concerns including the possible outsourcing of work as well as automation of other work,” Fox said. According to a Steel Market Update, the walkout by more than 1,000 longshoremen was not sanctioned by the International Longshoremen’s Association and took union officials by surprise. The port, which handles more than $200 billion worth of cargo a year, is the busiest port on the East Coast and the third busiest in the country.

  2. A revision to Rhode Island’s truck toll proposal would charge each truck traveling along I-95 $3, and a $20 maximum for a one-way route from Connecticut to Massachusetts – $10 less than the maximum proposed by the state’s governor last year, according to a Turn To 10 report. The bill calls for tolls to help finance a 10-year project to repair deteriorating bridges and roads across the state. The Rhode Island Trucking Association maintains that it “remains fundamentally opposed” to the truck tolls, but said it was pleased the new plan reduces their price. Turn to 10 has more.

  3. The National Transportation Safety Board has proposed the idea of lowering the legal limit for drinking and driving to 0.05 from 0.08, WDRB reports. That could mean that some people are over the legal limit after just one or two drinks. NTSB says impairment starts before someone’s blood alcohol concentration reached 0.08, according to the report.

  4. A lawsuit over who is financially responsible for the Skagit River Bridge collapse back in May 2013 remains ongoing, the Herald Net reports. According to the lawsuits filed, Mullen Trucking operated the truck that was carrying a tall load when it struck the bridge in Mount Vernon. Both the state and three people who fell into the river are seeking damages, according to the report.

  5. This year marks the 16th year that FedEx has transported the Super Bowl trophy, Transport Topics reports. The trophy was delivered by a zero-emissions electric truck on Jan. 30, according to the report. Transport Topics has more.

About the Author

Cristina Commendatore

Cristina Commendatore was previously the Editor-in-chief of FleetOwner magazine. She reported on the transportation industry since 2015, covering topics such as business operational challenges, driver and technician shortages, truck safety, and new vehicle technologies. She holds a master’s degree in journalism from Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut.

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of FleetOwner, create an account today!

Sponsored Recommendations

Reducing CSA Violations & Increasing Safety With Advanced Trailer Telematics

Keep the roads safer with advanced trailer telematics. In this whitepaper, see how you can gain insights that lead to increased safety and reduced roadside incidents—keeping drivers...

80% Fewer Towable Accidents - 10 Key Strategies

After installing grille guards on all of their Class 8 trucks, a major Midwest fleet reported they had reduced their number of towable accidents by 80% post installation – including...

Proactive Fleet Safety: A Guide to Improved Efficiency and Profitability

Each year, carriers lose around 32.6 billion vehicle hours as a result of weather-related congestion. Discover how to shift from reactive to proactive, improve efficiency, and...

Tackling the Tech Shortage: Lessons in Recruiting Talent and Reducing Turnover

Discover innovative strategies for recruiting and retaining tech talent in the trucking industry during this informative webinar, where experts will share insights on competitive...