Trucking news and briefs for Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024:
I-90 lane closure upcoming next week
The Wyoming Department of Transportation and its contractor will begin work on an emergency slide repair along I-90 west of Sheridan next week.
WYDOT earlier in the summer approved funding to mitigate a potential road-closing slope failure that has been moving for several years, ensuring I-90 remains intact.
The slope along I-90 near Sheridan, Wyoming, is in need of emergency repair and will require a right lane closure on the eastbound lanes of the interstate next week.Wyoming DOT
The department said slope failures are common in Sheridan County, occurring when the soils, commonly clay, become overly saturated and lose their ‘sticky’ factor, giving way to gravity. Most of these clays are sitting on a shale base, offering little to no resistance for the clay to adhere. The soils become too heavy and follow the path of least resistance, falling away from the slope.
This particular slope failure, next to the EB lanes of I-90 near mile marker 6.9, was first noticed in May 2017 by Sheridan maintenance staff and reported to WYDOT geologists, who’ve monitored it since. Moisture and gravity have aided in the embankment’s movement over the past few years, to the point that the temporary guardrail installed in 2019 had succumbed to the erosion process. That eliminated the right shoulder and now threatens to undermine the travel way.
Due to aggressive new movement of the slope failure, the lack of roadway embankment shoulder, and compromised temporary guardrail installation, district maintenance staff determined the slide needed to be mitigated before the right lane of travel was seriously compromised.
[Related: Slow-moving superload crawling across I-80]
OOIDA hosting ‘Truck to Success’ program in October
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association will host a three-day course in October that offers step-by-step guidance for those who want to become owner-operators or improve their business.
How do owner-operators and small fleets survive and thrive in tough economic times? Find out in this webinar.
Join us for a live webinar Aug. 22 at 1 p.m. CT and hear from owner-operators and small fleets as we discuss how they prepared during the good times to weather the storms.
Registration is available online here. The deadline to register for the in-person event is Oct. 1, while the deadline for the Zoom session is Oct. 21. Participants who register before Sept. 1 will receive $50 off and a year of OOIDA membership for free.
Also be sure to download Overdrive’s Partners in Business manual here, co-produced by ATBS and sponsored by Rush Truck Centers, which features a bevy of information on owner-operator business topics from business planning all the way through to retirement.
[Related: How to build business for trucking’s down cycles: Live next week]
The Truck to Success seminar will be held Oct. 22-24 both in person and online via Zoom. The in-person event will be held at the Courtyard by Marriott in Blue Springs, Missouri.
Truck to Success features trainers, both from OOIDA and elsewhere, who are in contact with owner-operators on a daily basis to bring the most up-to-date information. It will include information on developing a business plan, buying equipment, insurance, permits, taxes and much more.
Nikola opens new hydrogen refueling station in SoCal
Nikola has opened a new hydrogen refueling station at Tom’s Truck Center in Santa Fe Springs, California.Nikola
Nikola Corporation via its HYLA brand opened a new hydrogen refueling station in Southern California off I-5 in an effort to support volume ramp-up for its Class 8 hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks.
Located at 13443 Freeway Dr. in Santa Fe Springs, California, the new HYLA modular refueling station is located at Tom’s Truck Center, an important part of the Nikola sales and service dealer network. It began operations Monday, Aug. 12, and supports Nikola’s goal of 14 refueling solutions by yearend, reflecting a mix of HYLA and partner stations available for its customers.
Nikola continues to launch stations and deploy assets based on anticipated demand, the company said, with the main objective of staying ahead of hydrogen fuel cell electric truck deployment to ensure fueling solutions are ready and available for buyers.
“Nikola is committed to leading the hydrogen revolution by collaborating with key industry partners to strengthen and expand our hydrogen supply chain,” said President of Energy, Ole Hoefelmann. “Our efforts to grow the HYLA refueling infrastructure underscore our dedication to meeting the rising demand for hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks and driving the transition to zero-emission transportation.”
[Related: Exposed: Scammer targeting prospective Tesla Semi buyer]
The HYLA refueling network is structured to offer a diverse portfolio of solutions for Nikola’s hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles and additional Class 8 customers, including modular and permanent HYLA stations, “behind-the-fence” options, and partnerships such as with FirstElement Fuel in Oakland.
With the addition of the Santa Fe Springs station, Nikola is completing a crucial hydrogen fueling triangle in Southern California. This strategic location, together with its Ontario and Long Beach stations, now forms a network that spans multiple counties, serving a population of more than 12 million people.