Trucking news and briefs for Monday, Sept. 23, 2024:
Truckers’ per diem rate to increase
The Internal Revenue Service on Sept. 20 published Notice 2024-68, announcing the special per diem rates for fiscal year 2025 have increased over prior levels.
The per diem rate for taxpayers in the transportation industry will increase from $69 to $80 per day for travel inside the United States and $86 per day for travel outside the United States. Per diem has been at $69 for U.S. travel since 2021.
Drivers must be away from home to qualify for per diem. IRS publication 463 states that drivers are traveling from home if:
- The driver’s duties require them to be away from the general area of their tax home substantially longer than an ordinary day’s work
- The driver needs to sleep or rest to meet the demands of their work while away from home
The IRS allows drivers to deduct 80% of the per diem rate — $64 for travel in the U.S. and $68.80 for travel outside the U.S. The new rates take effect Oct. 1.
[Related: Set aside cash for taxes, maintenance, more]
Volvo recalls VN, VHD models for loose lug nuts
Volvo Trucks North America is recalling some 2025 model year trucks in which the wheel lug nuts may be improperly tightened, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration documents.
The recall population includes approximately 156 MY 2025 Volvo VN and VHD models. Volvo said in the affected trucks, inadequate left side lug nut torque records were identified by its assembly operations that were built between Aug. 19 and Aug. 26.
Improperly tightened lug nuts can allow the wheel to detach, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will tighten the left-side lug nuts, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed Nov. 11. Owners may contact Volvo Trucks customer service at 800-528-6586 with recall number RVXX2407. NHTSA’s recall number is 24V-665.
[Recall: 17K trucks recalled over brake light]
Trail King, Great Dane recall low number of trailers
Two trailer-related recalls were also announced this week by Great Dane and Trail King.
Great Dane’s recall includes approximately 10 model year 2025 Champion dry van trailers in which the rear impact guards may have been welded improperly.
Great Dane determined that the affected trailers built in its Brazil, Indiana, and Kewanee, Illinois, manufacturing facilities were equipped with hot dipped galvanized rear impact guards fabricated by its Huntsville, Tennessee, manufacturing facility that were missing two welds between the angled attachments and the top plate. Great Dane’s investigation found that 45 trailers with this defect had been shipped prior to its discovery. After discovery of the defect, all remaining product was inspected and corrected prior to leaving the manufacturer.
Dealers will inspect and repair the rear impact guard as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed Nov. 12. Owners may contact Great Dane customer service a1-877-369-3493. NHTSA’s recall number is 24V-689.
Trail King’s recall affects approximately 39 model year 2019-’20 TKHDG Paver Special lowboy trailers in which the gooseneck lift lower cylinder mount may fatigue and crack, which can cause the trailer to drop suddenly during the loading or unloading process. A trailer that suddenly drops to the ground during loading or unloading increases the risk of injury, the recall noted.
The recall population includes all vehicles of this model from start of production until the addition of reinforced supports. The updated lower cylinder mounts will have visible added reinforcements.
Trail King noted that once the gooseneck is in the transport position, the lower cylinder mount cannot fail due to a mechanical stop to support the load for transport.
Dealers will install reinforcements to the lower cylinder mount, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed Sept. 27. Owners may contact Trail King customer service at 800-843-3324. NHTSA’s recall number is 24V-670.
[Related: 17K trucks recalled over brake light issues]
Outpost opens 4 new truck parking facilities across U.S.
The Outpost facility in Chicagoland boasts more than 1,000 truck parking spaces.Outpost
Truck parking and terminal facility company Outpost last week announced the addition of four new locations to its nationwide network. The properties in Chicago; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; the Inland Empire, California; and Laredo, Texas, boost the company’s presence in logistics hubs, Outpost said, bringing online nearly 60 acres of industrial outdoor storage with 1,700-plus truck parking spaces.
The 30-acre Chicagoland facility, located at 70 Airport Rd. in Elgin, adds more than 1,000 spaces for tractor-trailers and other heavy-duty vehicles. The yard expands Outpost’s network into Illinois and increases total truck parking capacity within the state by nearly 9%, according to Illinois DOT data, Outpost said. The yard officially opens in October, and space can be booked in advance here.
The 14-acre Fort Lauderdale yard, located at 12754 Wiles Rd. in Coral Springs, is Outpost’s first in Florida, adding 370 new truck parking spaces. The property is centrally located between the tri-county area of Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade counties, minutes from the I-95 transportation artery. Space can be booked online here.
[Related: New Outpost company aims to deliver on parking shortage, small fleet growth]
The 4.5-acre Inland Empire yard, located at 15122 Ceres Ave. in Fontana, is Outpost’s first in California with nearly 100 parking spaces. Its proximity within a half-day drive of Los Angeles, San Diego, and Las Vegas makes it an ideal base for local and longer-haul freight operations throughout Southern California and the Southwest. Space can be booked online here.
Finally, an 11-acre Laredo yard at 18702 Metropolitan Rd. boasts 320 parking spaces. Its proximity to the World Trade Bridge and I-35 north-south corridor facilitates cross-border freight at one of the busiest U.S. land ports. Space can be booked online here.
“As our network continues to expand, motor carriers increasingly look to Outpost as a strategic partner for positioning their fleets, improving asset visibility, and optimizing their real estate investments,” said Trent Cameron, Outpost cofounder and CEO. “This can only be accomplished through our combination of purpose-built technology and the operational expertise of managing yards at scale. Our four new properties strengthen our ability to help these fleets operate more efficiently in critical freight corridors across the US.”
[Related: Outpost hopes to boost parking security, management features with new tech]