The American Trucking Association released its index, stating that shipment weights for commercial trucks rose 6.8% in December 2011 for November. This may seem likely due to the holiday season, but numbers are season-adjusted  and accurately reflect an increase.

In addition, the full year of 2011 saw an increase of 5.9% from the previous year. This is the largest such increase since 1998.

Causes of Weight Shipment Increases

So what is causing the weight of shipments to increase? The simple answer: the earth’s gravitational field is increasing, thus making objects weigh more than they once did.

Okay, maybe that solution is not simple, nor is it practical.

The real answer is that the weight increase is the result of a reversal in post-recession spending habits. Stores that were afraid to over-commit to stock-piling merchandise are now more confident to fill their storage rooms with extra products. While this inventory increase is an optimistic sign, it in no way suggests that America is fully recovered from the recession.

The 5.9% weight rise also suggests that manufacturers are more confident to produce and ship more items. They had to cut back their business in 2008 and 2009 out of fears that merchandise would go unsold, but those concerns are subsiding.

Commercial Truck Insurance

With the recession’s effects diminishing (for now), it would appear that the trucking industry has gotten some positive news. This could mean an increase in positions and the necessity for additional vehicles. Of course, this means more commercial truck insurance policies. Check out Royalty for terrific comprehensive commercial truck insurance plans. And visit our blog for more weekly Trucking News.

Follow Royalty on Twitter @RoyaltyTruckIns

States Plan to Change Camera Ticket Laws

In Connecticut, Senators are pushing for the adoption of red-light traffic tickets similar to other states. These tickets would be as high as $124, with 30% going to the state and the rest to the community.

Like other states who have adopted this law, the belief is that the threat of ticket would prevent drivers from running red lights.

Washington State already has these laws in place, but wants to expand them to all communities, along with yearly reports detailing accident prevention and effects of the red-light cameras.

Iowa, Florida, and Missouri are actually opposed to the measure and seek to remove cameras and reverse the ruling, comparing it to “Big Brother.”

Natural Gas Prices Drop; Oil Prices Rising

Going green has never been more beneficial to commercial truck businesses as diesel and oil prices continue to climb and natural gas decreases.

Obviously you can’t just switch, because you will need to buy brand new vehicles to take advantage of these prices. But as companies find themselves replacing old vehicle, it will be a common theme to see them finding greener technology, as explained in a previous column about hybrid trucks.

Natural gas is cleaner burning, has a smaller carbon footprint, and is safer, but it is also harder to find. Whereas most gas stations have diesel, only a select few stock natural gas. Finding it is half the battle. But as oil become more expensive, perhaps gas stations will find no other choice than to start offering natural gas.

Commercial Truck Insurance

For more trucking news, check out our blog where we post weekly articles for your convenience. If you are looking for commercial truck insurance, talk to a Royalty employee about lowering your rates.

Follow Royalty on Twitter @RoyaltyTruckIns

A combination of economic recession, high diesel prices, and desire to reduce emissions has contributed to the rise in demand for hybrid trucks, both in medium duty and heavy duty models.

The report from Pike Research estimates that a 92% growth rate is expected for 2012 for sales of plug-ins and hybrid trucks worldwide.

Another factor in the increased orders for hybrid medium and heavy duty trucks is the gradual rebounding of the retail industry. As economic fortunes turn and retail recovers, the commercial trucking industry will continue to advance as well, creating a demand for new transport vehicles.

Instead of purchasing regular diesel trucks, trucking companies can spend more upfront for hybrids and plug-ins for a reduction in fuel prices over time. The company can also benefit by claiming environmentally friendly practices, which give them a leg-up versus the competition.

Commercial Truck Insurance

If you have recently purchased or are thinking about purchasing a battery operated vehicle for your business, call Royalty to ask what sort of commercial truck insurance options we have available. We can also supply information detailing the advantages of hybrid trucks.

Check out our blog where we have trucking news and opinions, like this article about DOT rules changes, and follow us on Twitter @RoyaltyTruckIns

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), a division of the DOT, accumulated information and statisitcs from sources in the trucking community, like commercial truck insurance companies, trucking businesses, and law enforcement. In addition, they hosted public forums around the country to get direct input from truck drivers.

In the end, the new rule from the FMCSA reduces a truck driver’s maximum weekly work hours by 12. The previous maximum was 82 hours; the new HOS rule changes that to 70 hours.

Also, commercial truck drivers are required to take a thirty minute break after a shift of 8 hours. This is designed to reduce the tension caused by long shifts.

There will be a “34-hour restart” provision implemented as well, which allows the driver to restart his or her work week by taking a consecutive 34-hour break.

Finally, one aspect of the old rules was maintained: the 11-hour driving limit in a day. Further research is being done to determine if this time limit is appropriate.

One reason behind the rules changes is that they force truck drivers to get at least two-nights of rest to restore their bodies. Drivers who maximize their work week still need sleep during the body’s key resting hours from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m.

Fines for these offenses will be high, with some exceeding $10,000. The purpose is to keep the roads safer for truckers and pedestrians and hopefully the rule changes help in that regard.

Follow Royalty on Twitter @RoyaltyTruckIns

The truck toppled while attempting to enter onto a ramp onto southbound on Interstate 69 in Fort Wayne, Ind. at 4 p.m. on Friday the 23^rd of December. The semitrailer was carrying cartons of ice cream, including vanilla, caramel, and others.

Luckily, the truck driver sustained only minor injuries and was taken to a nearby hospital for further examinations.

While a road made of ice cream may seem like the fantasy of a seven-year-old or Willy Wonka fanatic, the reality was that I-69 experienced delays and lane closures while the mess was cleaned up. But considering that no one was badly injured, it makes for quite the amusing story!

Cargo Insurance

This story shows that you can never know what will happen when you are on the road, making cargo insurance an important component of commercial truck insurance. You don’t want to find yourself in a compromising position where your freight has spilled and you don’t have the proper coverage, so be sure to purchase cargo insurance from your truck insurance agent. Here are more tips for safe driving in the winter. Happy Holidays!

Read more about this story here.

Follow us on Twitter for more news and truck insurance advice @RoyaltyTruckIns

Before you even start, make sure to scrape all ice off of the windshield, windows, mirrors, and headlights. This will optimize your visibility while driving.

Items to Pack

In addition, there are some extra supplies you need to bring with you before departing in case of an emergency:

Flash light and gloves: These will help you change a tire or repair your vehicle when it is cold and dark outside.

Blankets: If you get stranded, these will prevent you from getting chilled.

Extra food: You will need carbs to survive if you cannot leave your truck for a few days, in case you get stuck in a snow bank.

Snow chains: It is easier to put these on before your journey, but ensure you have them regardless and know which states require them.

Tips for Driving in the Snow

Maintain a full tank of gas. Keeping you tank as full as possible reduces condensation in fuel tanks. If you stop at a gas station to stretch and relax, fill your tank before resting.

Be cautious: Leave extra space between you and the car in front of you. Reduced friction on the road, coupled with increased risk of running into a sudden accident, means you want as much stopping time as possible.

Slow Down!: Adjust your speed based on your current situation, like road and weather conditions, rather than speed signs and maintaining a schedule. This means avoiding using the cruise control to determine your speed.

Be prepared: Know about approaching truck stops and have a sense of when the weather is supposed to get worse.

Truck Insurance

Remember that sloppy driving doesn’t just put you at risk; it also is a threat to your fellow drivers on the road. Also, poor and negligent driving can have the consequence of raising your truck insurance rates. Employees with high truck insurance have a harder time getting hired, because they cost more to insure. This winter, drive smart and stay safe.

Check out our Blog with articles like this one about the trucking jobs added in 2011. And follow Royalty on Twitter for more news and truck tips @RoyaltyTruckIns

That strong November puts the trucking employment up by 33,800 jobs from the past year, or equivalent to 2.7% from November 2010. These numbers are optimistic for a reeling economy and unstable job market.

The trucking figures follow nationwide trends, where the entire U.S. economy added around 120,000 jobs in November 2011. This number could be due regular holiday-fueled consumerism, with an increased need for deliveries, but the upward trend is positive.

Truckers are optimistic about the news, especially coming just two years after jobs hit the recent low, in March 2010. Employment is up by 62,600 jobs since then, or 5.1%.

The numbers only reflect newly created jobs and do not account for replacements made in previously existing positions, meaning the number of truckers no longer jobless could actually be higher.

Happy Holidays!

With holiday spending up from 2010, let’s hope that the job rate continues to increase to support the need for extra deliveries and that they become permanent positions. If this is a signal that the economy is on the rise, maybe the trucking industry will reach its employment peak from January 2007 before the market crashed.

Happy Holidays from Royalty Truck Insurance! May you all have safe deliveries and avoid the winter weather!

Follow Royalty on Twitter @RoyaltyTruckIns and check out our blog, where we make news announcements and gives truck insurance policy advice. Check out this article on Form MCS-90.

Form MCS-90

The Form MCS-90 is financial responsibility for motor carriers. This is broken down into three parts.

Financial responsibility is an assurance that a truck driver has the minimum in insurance policies and surety bonds to cover public liability requirements.

Public liability covers bodily injury, property damage, and environmental restoration.

Environmental restoration is the repayment for the destruction of natural resopurces due to a discharge of harmful or toxic chemicals.

In order to have full financial responsibility coverage, the drivers of commercial and inter-state vehicles must have at least the minimum amount of truck insurance that the law requires. This protects all parties in case of an accident.

Proof of Coverage

In order to prove that you possess the minimum coverage, keep  one or more of the following with your truck at all times:

• MCS-90 Form
• Endorsements for Motor Carriers policies that is issued by insurance agency under the Motor Carriers Act of 1980
• Motor Carrier Surety Bond that is s=issued by a surety
• A written authorization from the Interstate Commerce Comission authorizing you to self-insure your vehicle.

Commercial Truck Insurance

Filling out all of the paperwork to make sure that your vehicle is working within the law can be stressful. Luckily, your commercial truck insurance agent can lend a hand by doing all of the fillings. At Royalty, we dot the i’s and cross the t’s, along with all of the other writing. Choose us for all of your commercial truck insurance needs.

Our Truck Insurance Blog has great articles on recent news in the industry, as well as tips, like this one on losing weight.

Follow us on Twitter for more info @RoyaltyTruckIns

The First Slavic Truck Fair was conceived from a 2010 idea to hold a nation-wide poetry and music competition for truck drivers. This contest yielded over a hundred submissions and led to the creation of this exciting cultural event, allowing truckers to creatively express the intricacies of their profession. Winners received monetary prizes and national recognition from their piers in the trucking industry.

The all-day affair included concerts with musicians performing for the general public, games, food, arts and crafts booths, and souvenirs. In addition, business portions of the day where commercial truck insurance agents, truckers, construction and hauling companies, and auto repairmen could meet and establish new connections and contracts proved quite valuable.

Participants in the First Slavic Truck Fair received a free CD compiled of the best submitted songs. All in all, it was an exciting, successful day for everyone involved!

Royalty Truck Insurance

Royalty Truck Insurance was proud for our part in the First Slavic Truck Fair. Our booth was a popular attraction and all of our employees had truckloads of fun (pun intended)!

View our pictures from the event posted below and check out our Truck Insurance Blog where we post industry articles, announcements, and policy changes. Last week, the drop in price for diesel was discussed.

While this news does bring slight optimism to commercial truckers, it is still too early to predict if the trend will continue.

During the previous three weeks, diesel rose by 17.1 cents, quite a steep incline. In fact, even with the drop in price on Monday, diesel is still 77.1 cents higher that it was on the same week in 2010.

Likewise, gasoline is 55.9 cents above 2010’s prices for the equivalent week, despite a drop of 2.8 cents on Monday, the third consecutive week with a downward trend.

What will the future hold for the prices of gasoline and diesel? It is hard to say. With the planned withdrawal of US troops from Iraq in the following months, unrest may ensue, bringing instability to the region and fuel prices.

In addition, the price of oil was over $95 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, higher than any closing price in three months. Time will tell how the volatile market will respond.

Commercial Trucking Insurance

With soaring diesel and gas prices looking in the distance, it is important to take advantage by lowering other costs to your business. One way is to find cheaper commercial trucking insurance. Talk to a Royalty customer service representative about lowering your rates: 1-866-989-8998

Find other helpful hints and truck insurance news on our Commercial Truck Insurance Blog, including this article on preparing for the winter weather.

Follow us on Twitter @RoyaltyTruckIns