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Your Feb. 17 Pre-Trip: Truck makers continue to cut jobs

Feb. 17, 2016

Here are five things worth knowing today.

Here are five things worth knowing today: 1. Truck manufacturers are slashing jobs in an attempt to offset a sharp drop in orders for new semi-tractors. According to a CNN Money report, the slowdown comes after 2014 when sales were near a record high, but now the trucking companies are left with too many trucks on hand. Earlier this week, Freightliner announced it will cut 1,200 jobs between its two plants in North Carolina. And other heavy-duty manufacturers, including Paccar and Volvo Trucks, have also cut staff recently. 2. Should convicted felons work in industries like trucking to help transform North Carolina’s economy? Karl Robinson thinks so, according to a Fox 8 report. Last week, Fox said, Robinson was part of a group that met with elected officials in Washington to discuss the state’s workforce needs. According to the report, he addressed the driver shortage and said the problem will only get worse if people are not trained to do the job and the potential candidate list remains limited. Fox 8 has more. 3. Estes Express Lines, based in Richmond, VA, recently installed a $1.6 million rooftop solar power system at its Greensboro terminal. According to the Triad Business Journal, the system is designed to produce enough electricity to power the entire 80,000-sq.-ft. facility. The Business Journal has more. 4. Tow truck drivers in the Tampa, FL, area are more alert than ever after a deadly hit-and-run crash killed driver Roger Perez-Borotto recently. According to WFLA News 8, with cars coming so close to tow trucks when they’re responding to a break down on the side of the road, drivers are becoming increasingly worried about their safety. According to the report, Florida law requires drivers to move over for first responders and tow truck drivers, or they face fines. WFLA has more. 5. Uber founder and CEO Travis Kalanick spoke recently during a TED 2016 talk about the future of human-driven transportation, Ars Technica reports. He spoke on the use of technology to cut traffic, congestion and parking woes, and suggested that problems lie in the current regulatory landscape. Ars Technica 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.