Page 16 - ATR 1 2016 web

age is dropped off, the truck will contin-
wElComE, ue on to its next delivery point, or return
to the depot to pick up more packages.
NEw aTa mEmbErS! details for how the autonomous
While the patent doesn’t provide

driving will work—it does mention
Together, We Are the Power of Association technologies similar to what Google
is currently using in its self-driving
We welcome the following new members. Each new member car tests, such as video cameras,
adds to the Arkansas trucking industry’s collective strength radar sensors and laser range finders
to promote, protect and serve with a unified voice. to detect traffic as well as detailed
maps for navigations and a wireless
FOR-HIRE CARRIER RoAd ChiLL LLC communication system.
MEMBERS Sarasota, Fla. Google’s parent company, Alphabet,
404.425.3847 has also been openly working on a drone
UniTy TRAnsPoRT, LLC www.roadchill.com
Kansas City, Mo. Provides APU air conditioning and heat delivery program it hopes to launch in
480.658.2631 for tractor trailers 2017, called Project Wing, as well as its
Number of Trucks: 14 self-driving car program that’s now test-
U.s. foRensiC ing vehicles in three US cities.
Metairie, la.
ALLIED MEMBERS 504.831.7001
PAn-AmeRiCAn Life insURAnCe Us www.usforensic.com Faa reForM debate includes
ACCidenT offers accident reconstruction, fire cause interstate trucking Pay
Richardson, Tex. and origin investigation, and mechanical The Aviation Innovation Reform,
214.291.1646 failure evaluations to the trucking and Reauthorization Act of 2016 (the
www.palig.com industry. Can determine the cause of AIRR Act) includes provision that would
Provides insurance and financial a vehicle accident, mechanical failure,
services, offering top-rated life and fire, loading or hauling mishap, and can prohibit states from imposing state
health insurance and employee obtain crash data for most commercial labor laws or regulations on interstate
benefits as well as trucking vehicles. truck drivers.
occupational accident, contingent In a miscellaneous section of the
liability and blanket accident For membership information, act, “federal authority” is claimed over
benefits for local and multi-national visit arkansastrucking.com state and local laws, like the California
companies.
wage-and hour enforcement policies
that require carriers who operate in
News iN Brief, Tennessee has well-maintained California to defend federally compli-

Continued from page 15 roads and favorable state income tax ant mileage-based pay plans when they
structure, both pros for truckers. Other don’t satisfy California’s own meal-and-
states in the top include Washington, break rules.
[requirements] on the equipment are Oklahoma, Texas and Indiana. “It prevents motor carriers from
more stringent than the other states,” using a pay system that’s based on
said Tim Almack, a partner in charge google Patents Plan For productivity and efficiency,” said
of the Transportation Services Group at autonoMous delivery truck Richard Pianka, general counsel for the
Katz, Sapper & Miller. The more strict A new patent, titled “Autonomous American Trucking Association. “And
the emission rules, the more likely car- Delivery Platform” was awarded to that was exactly why Congress original-
riers are to need to upgrade expensive Google. ly preempted states from regulating the
equipment to stay compliant. The patent includes self-driving trucking industry. It wanted the market
Other states ranked as “Worst for trucks fitted with a series of lockers to shape the industry to make it as pro-
Truckers” include Virginia, Ohio, New that could be unlocked with a PIN ductive and efficient as possible.”
Jersey and Massachusetts. code sent to the person waiting for the But the Owner-Operator
Tennessee is “relatively less regu- delivery before the truck arrives at their Independent Driver Association and the
lated and less strict, and it seems more location. International Brotherhood of Teamsters,
trucker friendly,” said Michael Belzer, a The patent also suggests the locker both opposed a nearly identical provi-
professor of economics at Wayne State could be unlocked by a customer’s credit sion in the FAST Act, and have rallied
University. card, or an NFC reader. After the pack- membership against the rule. ATR

16 arkansas trucking rePort | issue 1 2016