Owner Operator Land Weekly Trucking News Digest #51

National Truck Driver Appreciation Week

2020 is a really difficult year, especially for truck drivers. They have to keep going no matter the pandemic and health risks. That’s why the American Trucking Associations and Peterson Manufacturing Company decided to award 10 professional truck drivers in honor of National Truck Driver Appreciation Week. The awardees will be announced on September 20. Read more about this award here. 

COVID-19 emergency declaration extended through the end of 2020 

Yes, that’s predictable. FMCSA announced it is extending its COVID-19 emergency declaration, which suspends HOS regulations for certain haulers, through the end of the year. Read again about what categories it covers in this post. 

Truckers’ mental health issues

Truckers suffer from loneliness, depression, chronic sleep disturbances, anxiety, and other emotional problems. But it is always possible to find a solution to these problems! How to properly establish communication with loved ones? Why is eating healthy foods important to emotional health? Read about this and other tips here.

Spot market rates near all-time highs in August

The DAT Truckload Volume Index rose 1.1% from last month and is 0.8% higher than August 2019. Sounds like great news, yes? You can read more about it here. But will this trend continue in the future? And what factors can affect this? Find answers to these questions in this interesting post.

Illegal cargo: $3.9 million in drugs hidden inside rocks

Rocks are not always what they appear to be. They may have hidden methamphetamine and cocaine inside. This is the kind of cargo that was detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Tecate, California. Read more about this case here.