Tag: COVID-19

DOT-FMCSA Updates to Drug Screening

Bob Holtzman

On June 5, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) released a Grant of Waiver regarding drug screening for truckers. This was done in response to furloughed truck drivers who found themselves out of work due to the coronavirus’s spread, which caused significant disruption to the industry and the employees it served.

As trucking employers begin to recall drivers who were laid off or otherwise not working for the company for more than 30 days, the cost and logistical barriers of testing many truck drivers in a short window of time are high FMCSA explained. This comes at a time when the trucking industry is facing economic challenges like never before.

This problem is further complicated by the reduced availability of controlled substances testing resources due to facility closures that continue to occur on account of the spread of COVID-19.

Granting an Extension

The FMCSA also noted that the waiver would extend from 30 days to 90 days, a period of time which drivers would qualify for the pre-employment testing exception currently held under 49 CFR 382.301(b). This would help employers out by allowing drivers to forego pre-employment testing who have participated in a controlled substance testing program that meets the requirements of 49 CFR within the previous 90 days of hire.

Allowing employers to push back pre-employment drug testing for drivers who were already tested within the previous 90 days will let employers see relief in the administrative burdens and costs related to administering tests. In turn, trucking companies can allow their drivers to get back on the road in a shorter time, thus promoting job growth and economic progress.

Moving Forward

The FMCSA’s waiver clarifies that it doesn’t change any of the remaining controlled substance and alcohol use testing requirements for a truck driver who performs safety-sensitive functions. Additionally, the motor carrier employers subject to the FMCSA waiver have instant and free access to driver-specific drug and alcohol violation information through the FMCSA’s Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse.

The waiver applies to both re-hires and new hires as long as they were in a program in the past 90 days. This is a reasonable response to the pandemic still making its way through the United States, affecting the commercial trucking industry, and the subsequent return to work process the country is experiencing.

About Western Truck Insurance Services


Western Truck Insurance Services is a commercial truck insurance agency with roots dating back to 1954. We have evolved into a highly respected, professionally managed, truck, and transportation insurance brokerage. The hallmark of our organization is our desire to provide unparalleled service. We go way beyond what you expect to receive from an insurance brokerage. Equipped with state of the art automation, Western Truck Insurance can provide you with lightning fast truck insurance quotes, customer service, Insurance certificates, and coverage changes. Contact us today at (800) 937-8785 to learn more!

Truckers: CDC-Recommended Guidance for Safety

Bob Holtzman

As cities and states continue to take measures to slow the spread of COVID-19 this summer, CDC guidelines for truckers have been released.

Since the virus hit, the roads and highways around us have stayed relatively quiet. Normally gridlocked roads in places like Chicago, D.C., and Los Angeles have seen much better traffic in recent months as residents in these cities have stayed home from work and from going out for dining and entertainment.

However, stay-at-home orders don’t really apply to our nation’s truck drivers who spend most of their time behind the wheel, driving hundreds of miles per day to move the emergency supplies that have kept our country running during the time of the coronavirus. The virus has laid a blow to our nation’s supply chain, but emergency medical supplies, such as masks, ventilators, and soap need to be transported from manufacturers to medical locations, and grocery shelves need to continue to be restocked with toilet paper, food, paper towels, and other essentials.

Trucker Safety in Light of COVID-19

So, what does this mean for employee safety in the trucking industry? Trucking social distancing may be hard to maintain when it comes to loading and unloading shipments or eating at a rest stop. However, new CDC Safety Guidelines have been released to help boost the safety and well-being of trucking professionals.

Here’s a better look at what those guidelines are and how they’re helping to keep truckers safe on the road.

Physical Distancing

According to the CDC, truckers should limit time spent outside the truck cab, keep their truck well-ventilated, and use paperless invoicing when available. When speaking with clients, truck drivers should always wear gloves and masks and do their best to keep at least six feet in distance and avoid shaking hands.

Cleaning & Disinfecting

Truck drivers can end up spending multiple days in their cabs. Thus, making sure it’s as clean and safe as possible is key. Truckers should clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces in the cab and the sleeper berth on a regular basis. If a third party is allowed inside the truck, request that they clean and disinfect the truck before turning it back over. 

Ride-Alongs

Sometimes, truckers share the road by sharing their cabs. When team driving is mandatory or ride-alongs are required, like in training purposes, it’s important to wear cloth face coverings inside the truck and avoid sharing bedding in the sleeper berth.

Hand Hygiene

The coronavirus has acted as a complete refresh course on basic hygiene, including washing our hands. Truck drivers should practice proper hand hygiene by washing their hands regularly and keeping hand sanitizer with them at all times, including in their cabs. Drivers should wash for 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based sanitizer that’s made from at least 60% alcohol. The best times to clean hands include before entering and leaving the cab, loading and unloading of cargo, rest breaks, fueling, eating, and deliveries.

Furthermore, the CDC’s guidelines also include information on how employers in the trucking industry can protect their drivers. This comes in the form of virtual training methods, in-vehicle monitoring systems, limiting ride-alongs, and much more. While not all risks can be completely avoided, it’s important to be proactive and diligent about these measures in order to keep truck drivers as healthy and safe as possible.

About Western Truck Insurance Services

Western Truck Insurance Services is a commercial truck insurance agency with roots dating back to 1954. We have evolved into a highly respected, professionally managed, truck, and transportation insurance brokerage. The hallmark of our organization is our desire to provide unparalleled service. We go way beyond what you expect to receive from an insurance brokerage. Equipped with state of the art automation, Western Truck Insurance can provide you with lightning fast truck insurance quotes, customer service, Insurance certificates, and coverage changes. Contact us today at (800) 937-8785 to learn more!

Navigating Trucker Safety During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Bob Holtzman

The spread of COVID-19 not only affected our sense of safety and the health of people around the globe but also the world’s economy and all the operations within it as well. From local businesses to global companies, the coronavirus outbreak has disrupted how we all live. One way it affected our daily living and our economy was shining a light on the world of freight and the need for supplies to be readily available. Trucker safety is paramount during this time as the hauling of goods now is more important than ever.

Truck drivers are the backbone of the freight industry in the United States, as 75% of the country’s freight is moved on highways and roadways. Since the need for supplies has increased, it’s important to look at how truck drivers can stay safe while operating during a virus outbreak.

Here are some tips for these professionals to remember to uphold trucker safety during their daily operations amidst COVID-19.

Personal Protective Equipment

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has allowed for health care staff to wear scarves and bandanas as facemasks in the event that no mask is available. And since durable facemasks, such as the N-95 mask, can be hard to come by, using these alternatives might be the best choice during pickups and drop-offs.

For eye care, truckers can wear sunglasses when coming into contact with individuals, which can help to minimize exposure. Any face covering will be effective to help minimize exposure, especially if someone near or around you is sneezing or coughing.

Filling Up

While pumping gas, drivers can maintain Trucker safety by using rags, towels, and one-time-use gloves to limit exposure to germs. If you’re able to, use a cloth or napkin as a barrier between your hands and the keypad and pump handle.

Using Cash or Credit

If at all possible, truck drivers should avoid using cash when making purchases, especially at truck stops, which see various people coming in and out all day, every day. Cash can be unclean, even without a contagious virus, such as COVID-19, going around. When possible, use card or contactless payment, such as Square or Apple Wallet, to limit any touches.

Eating On the Road

Truckers have to eat, but they also have a duty to keep themselves healthy and avoid potential risks related to the coronavirus. One alternative is to bring pre-packaged foods and meals onboard, carrying them in coolers or mini-fridges. If truckers decide to pick up food on the road, they should still avoid dining in and instead choose to-go or drive-thru options to uphold trucker safety.

When Nature Calls

Everyone has to use the bathroom at some point, but using public restrooms can create some stress for truck drivers. With germs related to COVID-19 being able to stay alive on surfaces for more than a few hours, it’s important to be vigilant about health and safety while using the restroom.

When opening doors and using handles, opt for the use of your elbow instead of your hand, or use napkins or paper towels to create a barrier. When done using the restroom, always remember to thoroughly wash your hands for at least 20 seconds.

Public Showers

Another necessary task related to trucker hygiene is the need to shower. Bringing a pair of shower shoes and one-time-use gloves to public showers can help to limit contact with germs that can live on surfaces. Be sure to bring a plastic bag to place used shower shoes in to keep the bottoms of them from touching anything.

Signs & Symptoms

It’s important to recognize the signs and symptoms of COVID-19 while out on the road. Some truck drivers may not show any signs when infected with COVID-19. However, many others do show signs, but may not think it’s related to the virus.

First, it’s important to keep in mind that it’s allergy season, so drivers with a history of allergies should take their medicine with them to weed out any potential for confusion. If signs and symptoms continue after medicine is taken, then it’s important to consider the possibility of needing potential medical attention.

Signs of potential COVID-19 infection include fever, cough, shortness of breath, loss of taste, and tightness in your chest. These symptoms can show up anywhere between two and fourteen  days after contact. If a driver suspects they have contracted the virus in any way, it’s important for them to contact their doctor and the company they work for.

While these tips may not completely rid the potential that a driver falls ill due to COVID-19, awareness and education about the virus as it pertains to trucker safety can help to limit exposure and boost overall health.

About Western Truck Insurance Services
Western Truck Insurance Services is a commercial truck insurance agency with roots dating back to 1954. We have evolved into a highly respected, professionally managed, truck and transportation insurance brokerage. The hallmark of our organization is our desire to provide unparalleled service. We go way beyond what you expect to receive from an insurance brokerage. Equipped with state of the art automation, Western Truck Insurance can provide you with lightning fast truck insurance quotes, customer service, Insurance certificates, and coverage changes. Contact us today at (800) 937-8785 to learn more!

CA in Second Phase of Reopening After COVID-19

Bob Holtzman

As the spread of COVID-19 looks to be on a downward slope, states across the U.S. have begun to ease their social distancing restrictions, allowing people to head back outside, back to work, and back to doing some of their normal things, like eating at restaurants and retail shopping.

California’s Second Phase

But one of the hardest hit states, California, is rolling out its own reopening plan, opting for multiple stages and a slow release to get the state back to normal.

In recently released guidelines, Gov. Gavin Newsom has introduced Phase 2 of California’s reopening efforts, focusing on dine-in restaurants, shopping malls, office buildings, and more. Some parts of the state are allowed to reopen with certain modifications as long as the county gives the go-ahead. Those sectors also include logistics, which is directly tied to the trucking industry.

At this point, only 18 of the state’s 58 counties have been approved by the state government to reopen. In order to be approved for further reopening, counties must prove they meet the following criteria:

  • No more than one new COVID-19 case per 10,000 residents in the past 14 days
  • Essential workers must have access to PPE
  • At least 15 contact tracers per 100,000 residents
  • Ability to temporarily house 15% of the county’s homeless population
  • Continue to monitor metrics to potentially re-enact restrictions

Regardless of where they open in the state, restaurants, schools, and shopping centers will have to follow strict rules to reduce the risk of spreading the virus any further.

CA Reopening and Logistics

The logistics sector is directly tied to trucking, as pallets of products need to be held in one location, loaded on a truck, then moved to another location. From one location to another, many different working hands will handle the product. Trucking professionals, while they may not directly come in contact with the product they haul, are advised to follow the same strict guidelines as logistics and warehouse workers who do.

Before participating in CA reopening orders, all warehouse facilities must:

  • Perform a detailed risk assessment and implement a site-specific protection plan
  • Train employees on how to limit the spread of COVID-19, including how to screen themselves for symptoms and stay home if they have them
  • Implement individual control measures and screenings
  • Implement disinfecting protocols
  • Implement physical distancing guidelines

For further guidance, the California Department of Public Health and Cal/OSHA released specific outlines. The Logistics and Warehouse Guidance outlines certain protocols to be included in a company’s worksite-specific written plan, like cleaning delivery vehicles and equipment before and after a delivery is made, providing sanitation materials during deliveries, inspecting deliveries, and performing disinfection measures where appropriate before storing goods in warehouses.

Worker Guidelines

The guidelines also point to workers’ rights and expectations by highlighting the need to provide working time for workers to implement cleaning practices before and after shifts, minimizing transaction time between warehouse employees and transportation employees, such as truckers, staggering shifts and break times, and installing spacial barriers to aid in social distancing efforts.

Businesses involved in logistics, such as warehouses and trucking companies, must provide adequate employee training that covers CDC guidelines, hand washing, self-assessment at home, social distancing, and other protective measures. Furthermore, businesses must regularly evaluate the worksite for compliance with the guidance provided and make attempts to correct any deficiencies.

While trucking and logistics continue to thrive during these unprecedented times, the atmosphere around the industries, like all industries, has changed. And since California’s economy is heavily dependent upon these two sectors, it’s expected that they may be changed forever, having to following these guidelines and similar guidelines for the foreseeable future.

About Western Truck Insurance Services

Western Truck Insurance Services is a commercial truck insurance agency with roots dating back to 1954. We have evolved into a highly respected, professionally managed, truck and transportation insurance brokerage. The hallmark of our organization is our desire to provide unparalleled service. We go way beyond what you expect to receive from an insurance brokerage. Equipped with state of the art automation, Western Truck Insurance can provide you with lightning fast truck insurance quotes, customer service, Insurance certificates, and coverage changes. Contact us today at (800) 937-8785 to learn more!

Covid-19 FMCSA Updates

Bob Holtzman

Amid all the confusion and new questions surrounding the wide-reaching effects of the COVID-19 outbreak, truck drivers and trucking operations as a whole have still been moving along, completing their tasks and moving goods around the country. But while business may seem as it usually has been, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has been going to the drawing board to find solutions to freight and product needs that need to be met.

FMCSA Response Related to COVID-19

On March 18, the FMCSA issued an expanded national emergency declaration to provide hours-of-service regulatory relief to commercial vehicle drivers moving emergency relief products in response to COVID-19. This includes adding fuel and raw materials needed to assemble and manufacture essential supplies.

The declaration, spearheaded by Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, provides for regulatory relief for commercial trucking operations providing assistance supporting relief efforts meant to meet the needs for medical supplies and equipment for testing and treatment of the virus, food, paper products, and other groceries for restocking, fuel, persons necessary to provide other medical or emergency services, and more.

The declaration outlined that direct assistance does not include routine commercial deliveries, however. Commercial fleets cannot add a certain quantity of qualifying emergency relief to a mixed truckload in order to obtain the same benefits as others under the declaration.

Trucking companies are having to reevaluate their daily operations and how they plan on covering losses due to interruptions or liabilities related to COVID-19. Necessary coverage such as general liability truck insurance is needed in order to protect any further potential for loss until entities, such as the FMCSA, outline relief targeted at helping trucking companies.

Here are some more updates from FMCSA to be aware of:

Temporary Waiver for Expiring CDLs & Med Certs

FMCSA issued a temporary waiver for States, CDL holders, CLP holders, and interstate drivers operating commercial motor vehicles in response to the COVID-19 emergency. Given the limited availability and operations of State Driver License Agencies and medical facilities, FMCSA has determined that it is in the public interest to issue a waiver, limited in scope and circumstances, until June 30, 2020.

The FMCSA’s waiver specifically extends until June 30, 2020 the maximum period of CLP validity by waiving Sections 383.73(a)(2)(iii) and 383.25(c) for CLPs that are due for renewal on or after March 1, 2020, without requiring the CLP holders to retake the general and endorsement knowledge tests.

The waiver also waives the requirement in Section 383.25(e) that CLP holders wait 14 days to take the CDL skills test while also waiving the requirement in Section 391.45 that CDL holders, CLP holders, and non-CDL drivers have a medical examination and certification, provided that they have proof of a valid medical certification that was issued for a period of 90 days or longer and that expired on or after March 1, 2020.

Furthermore, the FMCSA announced that it had also issued an Enforcement Notice, saying that the FMCSA will “exercise its enforcement discretion to not take enforcement action” on any drivers or carriers that meet the terms of the waiver.

About Western Truck Insurance Services


Western Truck Insurance Services is a commercial truck insurance agency with roots dating back to 1954. We have evolved into a highly respected, professionally managed, truck and transportation insurance brokerage. The hallmark of our organization is our desire to provide unparalleled service. We go way beyond what you expect to receive from an insurance brokerage. Equipped with state of the art automation, Western Truck Insurance can provide you with lightning fast truck insurance quotes, customer service, Insurance certificates, and coverage changes. Contact us today at (800) 937-8785 to learn more!

COVID-19: Temporary Suspension of Motor Carrier IRP Requirements

Bob Holtzman

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to create stress and disrupt our daily lives when it comes to fearing for our health and safety, lawmakers and industry leaders are also having to deal with the logistical and economic fallout that could happen as a result. From businesses closing down for two weeks to people staying indoors throughout the day, practically every industry is taking a hit as spending, investing, and overall business have all come to a veritable halt.

Texas Suspends Motor Carrier IRP Requirements

In Texas, the state’s governor Greg Abbott declared a state of disaster on Friday, March 13, as coronavirus began to spread and cause panic. And as the state looks to test more citizens for the virus, Abbot has waived certain regulations related to commercial trucking. The motor carrier IRP requirements suspension will help to expedite commercial vehicle delivery of more supplies in every truckload, including items like cleaning supplies, toilet paper, and grocery store items.

Desperate Times

The waivers implemented by Abbott will be coordinated through the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and will look to restock shelves and make more items readily available.

“As the State of Texas works to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus, we are taking precautionary measures to ensure that Texans have access to the goods and supplies they need,” said Governor Abbott. “Suspending these state trucking regulations will improve our ability to deliver the necessary supplies throughout the state so that grocers and retailers are able to continually stock their shelves. I want to remind Texans that stockpiling resources is neither necessary nor productive. The State of Texas is prepared and will continue to take action to support our communities.”

The 3 Suspended Statutes

Three specific sets of statutes have been suspended by Abbott. They include:

  • The International Registration Plan (IRP) vehicle registration under Transportation Code 502.091 and 43 Tex. Admin. Code 217.56, as long as the vehicle is registered in one of the 48 contiguous states of the United States
  • The oversize and overweight permitting requirements under Transportation Code, Chapters 621 through 623, as well as Title 43, Chapter 219 of the Texas Administrative Code, for all divisible and non-divisible vehicles and loads
  • The 72-hour and 144-hour temporary registration permits under Transportation Code 502.094 and 43 Tex. Admin. Code 217.40(b)(3), as long as the vehicle is registered in one of the states of the United States

Abbott also announced that drive-thru testing is now available in San Antonio with more of these test sites opening up soon. The San Antonio location has been testing first responders, health care workers, operators of infrastructure and key resources, and high-risk patients. Next, Abbott plans on opening more drive-thru testing sites for truck drivers in Dallas and Austin.

About Western Truck Insurance Services


Western Truck Insurance Services is a commercial truck insurance agency with roots dating back to 1954. We have evolved into a highly respected, professionally managed, truck and transportation insurance brokerage. The hallmark of our organization is our desire to provide unparalleled service. We go way beyond what you expect to receive from an insurance brokerage. Equipped with state of the art automation, Western Truck Insurance can provide you with lightning fast truck insurance quotes, customer service, Insurance certificates, and coverage changes.