Your Trucker pre-trip: Truckers sue PA Turnpike; self-driving Uber kills pedestrian

Here are five things worth knowing in the world of trucking today, March 21:

1. Trucking groups sue PA Turnpike Commission

Two trucking groups have filed a class action lawsuit against Pennsylvania for imposing excessive tolls on truckers, according to a CDL Life report. The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) and the National Motorists Association are suing the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission in a federal court in Harrisburg. The lawsuit alleges that the Turnpike Commission has enacted “excessive toll increases” which “place an undue burden on interstate commerce while improperly diverting toll revenue to other projects unrelated to the turnpike,” according to CDL Life. The report also notes that the Turnpike Commission has increased tolls on drivers by over 200% since 2006.

2. Autonomous Uber car kills woman in Arizona

The Guardian reports that an autonomous Uber car killed a woman in the street in Arizona earlier this week. According to police this is the first reported fatal crash involving a self-driving vehicle and a pedestrian in the U.S. Tempe, AZ, police said the self-driving car was in autonomous mode at the time of the crash and that the vehicle hit a woman, who was walking outside of the crosswalk and later died at a hospital. There was a vehicle operator inside the car at the time of the crash. According to the report, Uber is assisting in the “active investigation." The self-driving technology is supposed to detect pedestrians, cyclists and others and prevent crashes, The Guardian noted.

3. Knight-Swift acquires Abilene Motor Express

Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings Inc. announced last week that it is acquiring Richmond, VA-based Abilene Motor Express for an undisclosed sum, The Wall Street Journal reports. The acquisition is the first for Knight-Swift since Knight Transportation completed its purchase of Swift Transportation last September, marking the biggest consolidation in several years in U.S. trucking, according to WSJ. Abilene includes 400 trucks and an estimated $100 million in annual revenue. WSJ has more.

4. DAT upgrades TruckersEdge load board

DAT Solutions announced it has made significant upgrades to DAT TruckersEdge, the company’s load board for independent owner-operators and small fleets. The changes and new features, to be unveiled at the Mid-America Trucking Show this week, make it much faster for truckers to find the right loads and negotiate terms. The launch comes at a time of unprecedented freight demand. Over 161 million loads were posted on DAT load boards in 2017, and freight volume during February 2018 was among the highest reported during the month in 20 years.DAT has more.

5. Mother Trucker Yoga to debut at MATS this week

LHi Lab announced it has created the video content for newcomer Mother Trucker Yoga, a company, based near Milwaukee, WI, with a focus on better driver fitness through simple yoga techniques. Mother Trucker Yoga co-founder Hope Zvara said she wants to transfer the proven benefits of yoga to the trucking industry. Nearly two thirds of yoga users reported that as a result of practicing yoga they were motivated to exercise more regularly, and 4 in 10 reported they were motivated to eat healthier. Mother Trucker Yoga is debuting its program at the Mid-America Truck Show in Louisville this week.