Operations

Your Dec. 7 Pre-Trip: Amazon’s new trailers hit the road

Dec. 7, 2015

Amazon has added thousands of its own truck trailers to its fleet, which is transported by third-party carriers, the Chicago Tribune reports.

Cristina Commendatore

Here are five things worth knowing today: 1. Amazon has added thousands of its own truck trailers to its fleet, which is transported by third-party carriers, the Chicago Tribune reports. Vice president of the company’s North America Operations, Mike Roth, told the Tribune that it went with its own branded trailers because there is supplemental capacity needed in the market. According to an eCommerce report, acquiring its own trailers allows Amazon to not only advertise its brand, but help the company lower truckload freight costs and secure truckload capacity dedicated solely to Amazon. 2. The Transportation Research Board has released a pre-publication of a report on the public’s perception of mileage-based user fees (MBUF). According to the report, key findings include: the majority of the public does not yet support mileage-based user fees; many believe there is no compelling reason to replace the current fuel tax and would favor raising the fuel tax before implementing an MBUF program; and privacy issues and fairness are two concerns that have emerged in public opinion. A PDF of the report is available at trb.org.3. Many drivers using New York Port Authority bridges and tunnels feel that they are being punished by toll increases, according to CBS New York. The last of five annual toll increases, which took effect Sunday, are now costing cash-paying drivers $15 during peak periods and $12.50 for E-ZPass motorists. Truck drivers are paying $105 for a five-axle truck and $126 for a six-axle truck. One truck driver told CBS that the money is being used for “a lot of things that are not going back into the services they guaranteed us.” CBS New York has more. 4. Many in the San Francisco area are turning to renting renovated trucks and tents for housing as affordable rents in the area have become more and more outlandish, the Bradenton Herald reports. For $600 a month, a renovated FedEx truck provides wood floors, a sunroof, fold-out couch and a mini kitchen. However, there is no running water, and parking tickets and fees could start adding up. But that might still be a bargain considering the median price tag for a one-bedroom apartment in San Francisco is $3,670 a month. 5. Anti-nuclear organizations have mapped out possible routes for trucks and trains to haul nuclear waste across the Great Lakes region, according to the Great Lakes Echo. “Beyond Nuclear and Nuclear Information and Resource Service wanted to localize a national policy when they highlighted truck, rail and water routes necessary for nuclear waste to travel under a proposed storage policy,” according to the report. Nationwide, the material would travel to a proposed site in Nevada.

About the Author

Cristina Commendatore

Cristina Commendatore was previously the Editor-in-chief of FleetOwner magazine. She reported on the transportation industry since 2015, covering topics such as business operational challenges, driver and technician shortages, truck safety, and new vehicle technologies. She holds a master’s degree in journalism from Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut.