The dawn of autonomous vehicles has set the trucking and distribution industries abuzz. And now a new technology is about to hit the scene, one with the potential to slash the practical and environmental costs of hauling freight: the electric semi. A Big Announcement In November of 2017, Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced specs for …
Author: Brinna Deavellar
Solar Industry Reaction To White House Tariff Mixed
On January 22, the Trump administration shook up the U.S. solar industry. The administration announced a 30% tariff on solar panels manufactured overseas. According to CNBC, “A 30 percent tariff would be applied to imported solar modules and cells in the first year. In the subsequent three years, that number would decrease to 25 percent, …
Diesel, Lumber, And The State Of Staffing – February 6, 2018
National Average Price Per Gallon: $3.086 Crude oil prices fell globally. Brent crude traded at $67.07 per barrel today (down 0.8%), while U.S. crude traded at $63.62 (down 0.86%). But instead of showing concern, analysts felt that the petroleum market is “rebalancing” itself after many oil producers agreed to limit their output. …
Truck Driver Pay Set To Rise In 2018
Truck driver turnover has reached 95%. Driver pay has “plummeted” in the last 30 years. And the truck driver shortage has persisted for at least a decade. The trucking industry could use some good news in 2018. Luckily, there is a bright spot on the horizon. Analysts predict that 2018 is the year when driver …
Workplace Fatalities Up Across All Industries
According to OSHA, the fatal injury rate in construction is higher than the national average for all industries. Sadly, the numbers still aren’t going down. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has released its worker injury numbers for 2016, the most recent year available. Unfortunately, the news isn’t good. Workplace fatalities in the U.S. rose 7%, …
Diesel, Lumber, And The State Of Staffing – January 30, 2018
National Average Price Per Gallon: $3.070 The International Monetary Fund announced its forecast for world economic growth on Monday. The group predicts growth of 3.9% for both 2018 and 2019. Because increased economic growth means more oil consumption, the announcement pushed crude prices up to $70 per barrel. The United States …
ELD Mandate: The Aftermath
The deadline for the ELD (Electronic Logging Device) mandate for truck drivers passed on December 18, 2017. Truck drivers organized grassroots protests, and industry groups mounted legal challenges. But in the end, no one was able to stop the ELD mandate (which requires truck drivers to electronically log their service hours rather than self-reporting them …
How To Retain & Recruit Construction Workers
Industry optimism is high going into the 2018 construction season. The President has discussed plans for a big funding push for infrastructure, and warehouse construction is set to boom thanks to e-commerce. But a big question remains: ts there enough skilled construction labor to go around? The Construction Labor Shortage Goes On…And On… According to the …
Diesel, Lumber, And The State Of Staffing – January 23, 2018
Diesel News National Average Price Per Gallon: $3.025 According to Majid Jafar, the CEO of Crescent Petroleum, global oil prices could soon “soar” to $80 per barrel. Jafar blames the potential rise in gas prices on falling output in Venezuela. In the U.S. market, the International Energy Agency is predicting a “record-setting” year for energy production. …
Recreational Marijuana In CA – What Hiring Managers Need To Know
Both legal and illegal opioids have had a huge effect on the American labor force. Now another drug is causing confusion for workers, law enforcement, and hiring managers across the country: recreational marijuana. Legal Marijuana In The U.S. Public opinion about marijuana has changed drastically in recent decades. In 1937, the Marijuana Tax Act …