Transportation Monthly Newsletter
Cottingham & Butler’s Transportation Monthly highlights trends and regulations impacting the trucking industry. Following are a few recent month’s leading topics.
October 2016
Warehouse Legal Liability
The transportation and logistics industry is ever changing and lately warehousing services seem to be more prevalent. As a warehouse operator, it is important to fully understand.. Read More>>
The Cost of Misclassification of Employees
Big issues in the forefront of motor carriers right now are driver shortage, CSA, fuel costs, and soft freight. However, an overlooked rising issue for motor carriers.. Read More>>
Self-Driving Trucks: Wave of the Future
What comes to mind when hearing, “self-driving car?” or “self-driving trucks? Your thoughts may include: “What is the future of the self-driving truck?”.. Read More>>
September 2016
Team Driving and Slip Seating
With rising equipment costs, regulatory mandates, and customer demand for faster shipment times, fleet managers are turning to slip seating or team driving to keep.. Read More>>
Company Websites, An Underwriting Perspective
Less than Truckload (LTL) carriers are an essential part of the supply chain. They are an effective way for shippers to break down and send one pallet or a couple pallets at a time to.. Read More>>
August 2016
Overview of Food Safety Modernization Act
The Food Safety Modernization Act, commonly referred to as FSMA, has a large affect on the trucking industry and should be examined carefully. Although it was signed into law .. Read More>>
Cargo Claims – Less than Truckload
Less than Truckload (LTL) carriers are an essential part of the supply chain. They are an effective way for shippers to break down and send one pallet or a couple pallets at a time to.. Read More>>
Accident Registers and What is a Recordable Crash?
Accident registers are a vital tool for motor carriers in implementing safety practices for their drivers. In analyzing these records, carriers can identify areas in their businesses.. Read More>>
June 2016
Certificates of Insurance
A certificate of insurance is a simple document, yet one that is so important to the trucking industry! They are issued everyday in order to provide proof .. Read More>>
Cyber Liability Insurance
There are two types of companies: Those that have been hacked, and those that will be. And extending that thought further: Those that have been hacked, and will be again.. Read More>>
Pollution Liability
Pollution Liability is an exposure for all motor carriers that tends to be overlooked more often than not. The Motor Carrier Act of 1980 includes a requirement .. Read More>>
May 2016
Driver Training Regulations
As a company owner, it’s important to know that you are handing the keys to a safe driver when they’re being put behind the wheel of your company assets. Every fleet should have a clear.. Read More>>
Pre & Post Trip Inspections
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requires pre and post trip inspections for all commercial vehicles, but as of last December the requirement for drivers to keep.. Read More>>
Sub-Hauler Alternatives for Growing Fleet Capacity
Driver shortage has nearly every trucking company scrambling to find and keep drivers. According to American Trucking Association’s October 2015 study, the industry will be short.. Read More>>
April 2016
Being Healthier on the Road!
A sedentary job or lifestyle can deter us from our health and wellness goals, or at least it can seem that way. Instead of dwelling on what you can’t do, make your goals work for you. If your health goals do not cater to your lifestyle and personality, the chances of success are slim. Read More >>
Negligent Hiring
Advertising, phone calls, physicals, drug tests, road tests and orientation—the list goes on and on. Hiring drivers can be time consuming and expensive. During this tedious process it can be easy to cut corners in order to save time and money. However, there could be legal ramifications for cutting these corners. Read More >>
Refrigeration Breakdown Coverage
Refrigerated coverage, often referred to as “reefer breakdown coverage” is an essential coverage to any motor carrier who wishes to transport temperature sensitive cargo. Transporting goods across the country is already a risky business, so throwing in the additional risk of transporting perishable commodities can make the job much more challenging. Read More >>
March 2016
Importance of Having Driver Guidelines
“Does this driver meet our insurance carrier’s guidelines?” This common question has been brought up at one time or another by most motor carriers. When motor carriers ask this question, they should also be asking, “Does this driver meet our guidelines?” Read More >>
Independent Contractor vs. Employee
Most of us are aware of the push the Department of Labor (DOL) has made to thoroughly examine the working relation of “Independent Contractors” and employees in our world of trucking. A lot of trucking companies (carriers) hire “Owner Operators” and come to terms of employment through an Independent Contractor Agreement. Read More >>
Future Technology for Motor Carriers
Can an 85,000 pound truck operate for a period of time with no driver control? Not currently, but this technology is believed to be available in the next 10 years or so. These trucks will include 360-degree awareness so the control system can see everything around the vehicle. Read More >>
February 2016
FAST ACT and ELD Requirement Updates
On December 4, 2015, the “FAST Act” was signed into law by President Obama. This law was a long-time coming. It has taken over 10 years to get an act like this in place. This Act will allow State and Local Governments to move forward on critical transportation projects. Read More>>
Why is it Important for your Insurance Broker to know what you are Hauling?
All Cargo Insurance Policies are created equal, right? Wrong! We all like to think if we put “general freight” or “miscellaneous” on the application as types of commodities hauled, it’s a catch all, however that is not the case. Read More>>
Crime Coverage
Crime is an exposure that all businesses, small and large, are vulnerable to. According to a study from the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), the typical organization loses 5% of their revenues each year due to fraud! Read More>>
December 2015
Unified Registration System
The URS, also known as the Unified Registration System, is a new online electronic system that will make the registration process much easier for companies that are regulated by the FMCSA. Instead of having to deal with multiple sites or steps, the URS will have everything needed to register all in one convenient location. Read More>>
What to do with a Rejected Cargo Load
Unfortunately loads get rejected. There are many reasons a load could be rejected such as temperature change, wetness or a broken seal. It can be a helpless feeling sitting at the receivers dock with a rejected load, compounded with the feeling that you do not have the time or money to keep this load on your truck. Most truckers do not know where to start or what options they have. Read More>>
Charge-back Practices by Motor Carriers
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Regulation governs charge backs for written lease agreements. Section 376.12 (h) Charge-back items states: “The lease shall clearly specify all items that my be initially paid for by the authorized carrier, but ultimately deducted from the lessor’s compensation at the time of payment or settlement, together with a recitation as to how the amount of each item is computed.” Read More>>
November 2015
Carmack Amendment to Interstate Commerce Act
The Carmack Amendment is part of the Interstate Commerce Act and states that a common carrier that receives property for transit shall be liable for any loss, damage, or injury that is caused to the cargo. It makes the carrier of the cargo liable, without proof of negligence, for all damages to the goods. Read More>>
Non-Owned Trailer vs Trailer Interchange
It is a common business practice for trucking companies to use trailers that are owned by others in their day to day operation. The auto liability policy will generally extend coverage to non-owned trailers while they are attached to your covered unit, but damage to the non-owned trailer would not be. Read More>>
Additional Insured & Waiver of Subrogation
An additional insured is a person or organization that receives benefits and protection from the insured’s policy in the event of negligence. The most common policies that request additional insured are commercial general liability and commercial auto policies. Read More>>
October 2015
Exempt Labor Law Changes: What to Expect
Starting in 2016, more people may be considered non-exempt employees and may be eligible for overtime earnings. The Department of Labor estimates 4.6 million workers will be affected by the new rule. What does this mean for the trucking industry? Read More>>
Cargo Coverage Sub-limits: Why are these important?
Imagine you are driving by a local nature preserve when you are side swiped and the lumber you are carrying is scattered over the road in addition to landing the in the pond of the nature preserve. Your insurance agent says you are covered for the loss, but are covered for everything? Read More>>
Towing: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
Towing services can have many charges, all of which need to be paid before your cargo is released. All Physical Damage policies are not created equal when to comes to towing coverage. Are you protected? Read More>>
September 2015
Cargo Theft: How to Protect Yourself
The United States is considered to have a high level of cargo theft. In 2014, there were 794 reported cargo thefts, averaging 66 per month. So, what do you need to do to ensure that you are covered in the event of such an incident? Read More>>
Protecting Yourself When Lending Equipment to Others
What would happen if you lent a trailer to another trucking company and your trailer was stolen when it was dropped at an unprotected location? A good old fashioned handshake doesn’t protect your company any more. How can you properly protect you and your company when lending equipment to others ? Read More>>
Rental Car Coverage: What You Need to Know
Wonder if you should purchase the insurance on your rental car? What is the best way to protect yourself if you have an accident in a rental vehicle? This article explains what is included in a rental car damage waiver compared to your personal auto policy. Read More>>
July 2015
Optimizing Your Routes
With increasing customer demands for services, speed, and competitive price, load and route software offers an efficient way to find the best delivery routes and schedules. These products can also assist with finding fuel savings, improved load efficiency and even more stops per day. This article highlights how to choose a vendor that will fit in your business plan. Read More>>
Umbrella Coverage vs. Excess Liability
Often times questions come up about the differences between Umbrella and Excess Liability policies. too often the words are used interchangeably while there are notable differences between the two. What are the differences between the two? Why is it a good idea to have an Umbrella or Excess Liability policy? An explanation of these coverages the differences between them is discussed in this article. Read More>>
Roads? Where We’re Going, We Don’t Need Roads
If you have been keeping up with the news at all this past year, you’ve noticed that drones are stealing a lot of headlines. Whether they’re gathering military intelligence, delivering pizzas in Russia or landing on the White House lawn, they have certainly grabbed our attention. They have also grabbed the attention of businesses all over the world because the application of this technology spans across many industries. This article provides information on current regulations and future uses of drones. Read More>>
