President Trump’s tax law sent shock waves through the U.S. economy. It impacted every major industry, including manufacturing, transportation, and construction. One part of the law has left some construction firms and property owners worried. That’s because it weakened an incentive program that has spurred property developments worth billions, and created millions of jobs. The …
Month: February 2018
Diesel, Lumber, And Staffing News – February 27, 2018
National Average Price Per Gallon: $3.007 The International Energy Agency (IEA) has again affirmed that oil production in the United States will overtake Russia’s. The agency is predicting that the U.S. will become the world’s biggest oil producer by 2019 “at the latest.” U.S. oil is increasingly being exported to big …
Trucking Crime Blotter – February 2018
A rundown of trucking-related arrests, convictions, and crime news from February 2018. February 1, 2018 A truck driver intentionally damaged the famed Nazca Lines – a 2,000-year-old World Heritage Site that consists of a series of massive, complex geoglyphs carved into the desert floor. The truck driver, Jainer Jesús Flores Vigo, was arrested after …
The Toughest Job Interview Questions, Answered
After scouring job ads and getting your resume into shape, only one more obstacle stands between you and your next job: the interview. Here are some of the toughest job interview questions, and the best answers you can give. 1. “What is your biggest weakness?” An interviewer’s first task is to weed out as …
Diesel, Lumber, And Staffing News – February 21, 2018
National Average Price Per Gallon: $3.027 President Trump is eyeing a hike in the gas tax as a way to pay for his $1.5 trillion infrastructure plan. According to Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), the president proposed raising the gas tax “repeatedly” during a bipartisan meeting last week. Conservative group Freedom Partners …
Construction Material Prices Up In January
Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. (ABC) released their latest report on the cost of commercial construction materials. In January, material prices rose 1.1% compared to the previous month, and 4.9% compared to one year ago. So what’s going on? Economic Warfare The rising cost of construction materials hasn’t hit all products equally. The materials …
The Top 10 States For Cell Phones And Fatal Crashes
According to a study by research firm Expert Market, the top 10 states for fatal crashes caused by cell phones are: Texas California Florida Georgia North Carolina Pennsylvania New York Ohio Illinois South Carolina The firm found that 12% of distracted driving fatalities are caused by cell phones. (The number one cause is being …
More Hourly Workers Getting Paid Parental Leave
In the years following the Great Recession of 2007-2009, wages stagnated across all industries. Even as the economy began to recover, wages remained flat. Now in 2018 it looks like the trend is finally starting to turn around. Wages for truck drivers are starting to rise as the competition for qualified drivers heats up. And …
Can Self-Healing Concrete Fix Our Crumbling Bridges?
During his State of the Union address on January 30, President Trump announced a $1.5 trillion proposal to fix “crumbling infrastructure.” His comments came just two days before the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) reported that 54,259 of the nation’s bridges are “structurally deficient.” It’s clear that something needs to be done. …
Diesel, Lumber, And The State Of Staffing – February 13, 2018
National Average Price Per Gallon: $3.063 U.S. oil producers are having an extraordinary year so far. “We are seeing United States production rising very, very dramatically before our very eyes and that’s likely to continue in 2018,” said Neil Atkinson of the International Energy Agency (IEA). Due to high global demand, oil …