The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced last Friday that its signature CSA compliance monitoring system would undergo a huge overhaul in December. The changes, which will literally rewrite sections of the system, were designed to quell strong criticism from inside and out of the industry about the effectiveness of the program.

Rewritten BASICs
The most obvious changes are aimed at the Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories (BASICs). The Cargo-Related BASIC has been removed and replaced while the Fatigued Driving BASIC has undergone a rebranding. To replace the Cargo-Related BASIC, FMCSA has added a new category, Hazardous Materials Compliance, which will, unsurprisingly, focus only on HazMat violations. The end result will be a very different CSA dashboard when the changes go into effect.

Tweaks and Fixes
Other changes include aligning the Safety Measurement System (SMS) with the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s inspections program. This would eliminate vehicle violations from driver-only inspections and driver violation from vehicle-only inspections.

Furthermore, the Agency is removing speeding violations for infractions that were 1-5 mph over the limit. This is a nod to the fact that the regulations only require a speedometer to be accurate within 5-mph, thereby allowing some drivers to be ticketed without being able to tell that they were (slightly) speeding. Also related to speeding, the severity weight for a generic speeding violation has been dropped to one.

Hazardous Materials Compliance
The new BASIC, Hazardous Materials Compliance — or HM Compliance — focuses on carriers hauling or packaging hazmats. Many of the violations in this BASIC have been pulled from the now defunct Cargo-Related BASIC but the system has been refined to point a laser-eye on hazmat carriers.

According to FMCSA, “the HM Compliance BASIC identifies carriers with higher HM violation rates (33.8% versus 29.1%) and HM out-of-service rates (5.4% vs. 4.0%) than the current Cargo- Related BASIC. The HM Compliance BASIC will be available to logged-in motor carriers and enforcement personnel in December 2012. Further study over the next year will be conducted before it becomes available to the public.”

Vehicle Maintenance
While Vehicle Maintenance has been a part of CSA from the beginning, the latest changes give it a huge boost in importance. Many violations from the old Cargo-Related BASIC have been ported over to Vehicle Maintenance. FMCSA has also taken steps to make the weight of the violations in the new BASIC to be a little more fair and accurate than the old one. One of the issues the agency cited was that the weights of the violations were causing the agency to issue interventions on a disproportionate number of flatbed carriers. That, and similar issues, should now be fixed. With the violations changed to this degree, carriers should expect big changes to their Vehicle Maintenance scores.

Hours-of-Service Compliance
The Hours-of-Service Compliance BASIC — or HOS Compliance — is simply a rebranding of the old Fatigued Driving BASIC with very few changes. However, FMCSA, have, for the first time, given paper log and electronic log violations the same weight. This is, perhaps, a nod to the future in which FMCSA would like to see more usage of EOBRs and electronic time-management.

Changing Scores
Obviously, with new BASICS, there will be new scores; however, carriers should be prepared for the new information that will be released in December. Until now, the Cargo-Related violations have remained private, those violations can now be seen by shippers and insurers in the public vehicle maintenance BASIC, if you have work to do to repair your Cargo-Related scores, make sure you get it done before December.

Source: fastlane.dot.gov/2012/08/health-and-transportation-a-critical-intersection.html
From the Official Blog of DOT Secretary Ray LaHood

For many of us, transportation is about getting where we need to go. For American businesses, transportation is about getting goods to markets. At DOT, we think about transportation in both ways---but we can't stop there. We've also been working closely with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to make sure that health is part of the transportation conversation.

And we were pleased to partner with HHS and the CDC yesterday for a White House Roundtable on Health and Transportation.

We know that the transportation choices we make play an important role in building and maintaining healthy communities. For example, safer roadways and traffic patterns reduce crashes. Streets where walkers and bikers are protected from motor vehicles encourage people to get more exercise as part of their daily routines. Increasing the transportation options available in a community helps reduce congestion and air pollution even as it ensures that communities have access to necessary services like full-service grocery stores and doctors' offices.

That's why we brought a wide range of experts together to talk about how to build communities that support healthy, active living through coordinated transportation and health policies. Yesterday's roundtable, "Health and Transportation in the Built Environment," featured representatives from the health, wellness, livability, transportation planning, public transportation, walking and biking, complete streets, accessibility, environmental, and injury prevention communities.
Therese McMillan, Deputy Federal Transit Administrator began by emphasizing the importance of coordination between agencies responsible for health and transportation.

We were also pleased to have on hand Tina Tchen, Chief of Staff for First Lady Michelle Obama. She reminded participants about how their work fits in with the ongoing mission of Let’s Move Cities, Towns, and Counties, and she encouraged everyone to continue doing what they can to add biking, walking and accessibility options across the country.

Throughout yesterday's roundtable, participants talked about coordinating resources, using data to inform decisions, and looking carefully for opportunities to create healthier communities through transportation choices. The importance of collaboration resurfaced throughout the day.

The fact that we're having important conversations like yesterday's is a terrific development. But when it comes to the critical intersection of health and transportation, we cannot be content with talk. So in closing the day's activities, Mary Beth Bigley of the Surgeon General's office charged each participant to take at least one action building on the lessons shared by their colleagues.

At DOT we've already been hard at work partnering with HUD and EPA to help build livable communities. And as we begin implementing the new transportation legislation known as MAP-21, we look forward to working with our partners to build transportation options that provide safe, accessible, healthy communities.

Source: fastlane.dot.gov/2012/08/health-and-transportation-a-critical-intersection.html

For Immediate Release
Contact: Brad Bentley
(256) 241-3310
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Cash and prizes awarded at Great American Trucking Show

TUSCALOOSA, Ala., (August 2012) – Randall-Reilly Business Media & Information announced Crete Carrier Corporation company driver Keith Redvay as the winner in its Trucking’s Top Rookie program at a ceremony on Friday, August 24 during the Great American Trucking Show in Dallas.

Redvay was chosen for the award by an expert panel of judges, which included representatives from motor carriers, training schools, suppliers and trade associations. As Trucking’s Top Rookie, Redvay won $10,000 in cash and the following prizes:

• One-year complimentary membership in the National Association of Independent Truckers (NAIT), plus a NAIT OGIO briefcase and duffle bag
• $1,000 cash and 100,000 MyRewards points from Pilot Flying J
• A GPS unit and Bluetooth-enabled CB radio from COBRA Electronics
• American Trucking Associations “National Truck Driver Appreciation Week” prize package
• A Year’s supply of 5-Hour Energy drinks
• Lindora Clinic Lean for Life® On-the-Road program

Immediately following the awards ceremony, Red Eye Radio’s Eric Harley conducted a live interview with Redvay, who will soon be featured in Randall-Reilly’s Student Driver Placement and Company Driver publications.

A Franklin, Ind. native, Redvay received his CDL training at Roadmaster Drivers School. Before becoming a driver with Crete Carrier Corporation, Redvay served in the Army for 26 years, retiring as a Battalion Sergeant Major and was involved with returning soldiers who would be looking for civilian work in the near future. Keith was preparing to join the trucking industry once he retired from the military, and worked diligently to promote the transportation industry to these returning service men and women. He is now a proud member of Crete Carrier Corporation’s new Patriot Fleet that transports freight around the United States thanking our service men and women for a job well done.

“Keith’s transition to the trucking industry from the military has been seamless. The skills and training that Keith received while in the military allowed him to be successful in Crete’s training program and now in the trucking industry. Keith is an exceptional representative of Crete Carrier, the Military, and the Trucking’s Top Rookie honor,” says Jeff Dady, Driver Development Manager at Crete Carrier Corporation.

The Trucking's Top Rookie contest was created to highlight the opportunities in the truck driving profession and promote the truck driving career choice during a severe shortage of drivers. Carriers were asked to nominate their top rookie who had graduated from a PTDI certified, or NAPFTDS- or CVTA-member driver training school within the past year and had been employed by their trucking company for less than one year. Nominees were judged on their safety performance, customer service and achievements within their organization.

Nine other finalists for the Trucking’s Top Rookie award each received $1,000 in cash and a variety of other prizes. The other finalists were Scott Curry, Werner Enterprises; Annette Dellinger, C.R. England Global Transportation; Michael Gartner, Roehl Transport; Roberto Jaimes, Werner Enterprises; Andrew Lee, TMC Transportation; James Perdue, Roehl Transport; Mike Samra, Schneider National; Paul Webb, Epes Transportation and Jerry Wolff, TMC Transportation.

Trucking’s Top Rookie is a partnership between Randall-Reilly, Truckload Carriers Association, Progressive Insurance, the National Association of Independent Truckers, Commercial Vehicle Training Association (CVTA), Shell ROTELLA, National Association of Publicly Funded Truck Driving Schools, American Trucking Associations and the Red Eye Radio Network.

Source: http://www.ttnews.com/articles/basetemplate.aspx?storyid=30049

Diesel Rises 6.3¢ to $4.089 in Eighth Gain; Gasoline Price Also Continues to Rise

Diesel rose 6.3 cents to $4.089 a gallon, its eighth straight gain and the highest price since mid-April, while gasoline rose again, the Department of Energy said Monday.

Gasoline gained 3.2 cents to $3.776 a gallon, also its eighth straight increase, DOE said following its weekly survey of filling stations.

The diesel increase leaves it 26.9 cents over the same week last year, while gasoline is 14.9 cents over a year ago.

In the past two months diesel has risen 44.1 cents, while gasoline is up 42 cents since early July, according to DOE figures..

Last week, trucking’s main fuel pushed past $4 a gallon for the first time in three months.

Oil, meanwhile, fell for a third day Monday, despite oil companies evacuating Gulf of Mexico rigs as Tropical Storm Isaac moved through the Gulf on a track toward New Orleans, Bloomberg reported... Continue reading.

Source: http://www.ttnews.com/articles/basetemplate.aspx?storyid=30049

Source: weartv.com/newsroom/top_stories/videos/wear_vid_24622.shtml
 

Around 125,000 veterans and military spouses have found jobs through a White House initiative that started last year. The program, called "Joining Forces" is only just getting started.

Joining Forces has set a new goal of getting another 300,000 hired by 2016.

"We have always embraced our veterans, however, Swift has taken a more active approach in showing support," said Saul Perez with Swift Transportation Co.
   
Perez says the trucking company has hired more than 100 veterans since it joined the program in May of this year. Swift is one of 2,000 participating companies that's been advertising openings here in our area and throughout the country.
   
Local veterans say they are grateful for the program though many are still unemployed.

"It's a great opportunity for veterans, especially when they're fresh out the military and they're trying to find work," said veteran Michael Jones.

"Anything for anybody to help anybody is a really good deal, whether it's veterans or anybody," said veteran Timothy Thro... Continue reading.

Source: weartv.com/newsroom/top_stories/videos/wear_vid_24622.shtml

Source: usatoday.com/money/economy/story/
2012-08-09/truckers-health/57194472/1
By Larry Copeland, USA TODAY

Two years ago, truck driver Rick Ash weighed too much, slept fitfully and suffered body aches after a long day behind the wheel.

Ash, 60, of Lakewood, Colo., had spent decades sitting all day, guzzling a daily gallon of coffee with high-fructose corn syrup creamer. He subsisted on truck-stop and fast-food fare: often fried, sometimes drenched in gravy, loaded with fat and sugar. And he got little or no exercise.

"It's a very sedentary job," he says. "You sit in the seat and drive all day. Unless you make some considerable effort to eat healthy and exercise, it's very difficult to be healthy."

In 2010, Ash quit drinking coffee, substituting green tea and lots of water, and started eating salmon, baked chicken, brown rice and vegetables.

"A lot of fruit, melon and cottage cheese," Ash says. "I know that's not going to sound appetizing to a lot of truck drivers. But now, one of my favorite meals is a salad."

He started walking 20-30 miles a week and dropped 54 pounds over the next year. "I have an increase in energy," Ash says. "I sleep better. I don't have as many body aches from sitting in the truck all day long." He feels it in the wallet, too: Ash, an independent owner-operator, says his insurance premium dropped nearly $100 a month.

Now, he's trying to get the word out to his fellow drivers.

The nation's 3.5 million commercial truck drivers are in pretty poor health. A recent Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index found transportation workers to have the highest obesity rate — 37.8% — of any U.S. industry.

Truckers also have higher rates of high blood pressure and smoking than the general public. Nearly a third of them have a sleep disorder that can cause drowsiness and slowed reaction times while driving.

Exercise a rarity

Truckers spend long hours behind the wheel, trying to cover as many miles as possible during their federally restricted driving hours. It's often difficult for them to purchase healthier fare because of truck-parking restrictions, leaving many with no dining options other than truck-stop restaurants. Many get little or no exercise.

A study of 2,950 truckers published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine in 2009 found that 85% were overweight and 55% obese. That followed a 2007 study of 92 truckers in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association that found that obesity among long-haul truck drivers was "much more severe" than among the general public... Continue reading.

Source: usatoday.com/money/economy/story/2012-08-09/truckers-health/57194472/1

U.S. Department of Transportation Unveils New Distracted Driving PSAs Featuring Cast of the Hit FOX TV Show “Glee”

Videos Starring Dianna Agron Encourage
Young Drivers to “Stop the Texts. Stop the Wrecks.”

WASHINGTON – U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) today joined the Ad Council, Fox Home Entertainment, and the State Attorneys General and Consumer Protection Agencies to release new distracted driving public service announcements (PSAs) aimed at young adults featuring scenes from FOX’s award-winning television series “Glee.” The PSAs are part of the national “Stop the Texts. Stop the Wrecks.” campaign that launched in October 2011 to educate young drivers about the dangers of texting behind the wheel.
WATCH:

“Distracted driving is an epidemic on our roadways, and our youngest and most inexperienced drivers are often the most at risk," said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood. “Young people across the country watch ‘Glee,’ and we're thrilled to partner with the show to spread the word that texting and driving don't mix. I thank the Ad Council, Ryan Murphy, and the cast of ‘Glee’ for their continued efforts to raise awareness about this issue.”

In the new television and digital PSAs produced by Fox Home Entertainment, Dianna Agron's character, Quinn Fabray, crashes her car as the direct result of texting while driving. The PSAs emphasize that reading a text message behind the wheel can take your eyes off the road for an average of five seconds – enough time to drive the length of a football field. Viewers can visit Distraction.gov and StopTextsStopWrecks.org to learn more about distracted driving and get tips on how to curb texting behind the wheel.

“This was a story we wanted to tell because we know the influence our show can have in starting conversations and raising awareness,” commented “Glee” executive producer and co-creator Ryan Murphy. “We were inspired by Oprah Winfrey’s campaign encouraging everyone to sign a pledge not to text and drive, which we all signed when we did her show a few years ago, and we had been looking for an opportunity to tell the story of how a few seconds of carelessness could have a devastating impact on people’s lives. We’ve already heard from thousands of our fans how this story touched them, and we loved the idea of a PSA campaign to keep this important issue front and center.”

For more than twenty-five years, NHTSA and the Ad Council have worked together on consumer safety PSA campaigns. The “Stop the Texts. Stop the Wrecks.” effort has received more than $20 million in donated media support to date. All of the new PSAs will run and air in advertising time and space that is donated by the media.

“Texting behind the wheel is a serious danger to both the driver and everyone else on the road," said Peggy Conlon, President and CEO of the Ad Council. “Thanks to the commitment of Fox Entertainment and ‘Glee’ and the persistence of our safety partners and advocates, we will continue working to reduce driver distraction, prevent injuries, and save lives.”

According to NHTSA research, at least 3,092 people were killed in 2010 in distraction-affected crashes – accounting for approximately one in every ten fatalities on the nation's roadways.

“It’s imperative that we help educate the public about the dangers of texting while driving,” said NHTSA Administrator David Strickland. “These new PSAs show that distracted driving can have serious consequences, and we hope that’s a message young drivers take to heart and share with their friends.”

The PSA release coincides with today’s NHTSA announcement of a new grant program that will provide up to $17.5 million to states that have laws banning distracted driving in fiscal year (FY) 2013. Authorized by Congress under the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), a state must have a comprehensive, primary law against distracted driving or a primary law prohibiting texting while driving in order to qualify for the grants. States with secondary laws, which require law enforcement to observe a primary offense prior to enforcing the distraction law, would not be eligible. Under MAP-21, Congress also authorized an additional $5 million for NHTSA to develop paid advertising to support state enforcement of laws against distracted driving.

In June, USDOT released a “Blueprint for Ending Distracted Driving” that offers a comprehensive strategy to address the growing and dangerous practice of using handheld cell phones behind the wheel. The plan, which outlines concrete steps stakeholders around the country can take to reduce the risk posed by distracted driving, builds on the national momentum that Secretary LaHood and USDOT have spearheaded for the last three years.

To learn more about USDOT’s efforts to stop distracted driving, please visit www.Distraction.gov. For more information on the “Stop the Texts. Stop the Wrecks.” campaign, please visit www.StopTextsStopWrecks.org.

Newswise — The American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM), a leading provider of medical programs geared toward occupational and environmental medicine health professionals, has announced its schedule of in-person and on-line training for commercial driver medical examiners (CDMEs). These courses meet Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) training requirements for examiners who wish to be listed on FMCSA’s National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners (NRCME).

The National Registry is a new FMCSA program that requires all medical examiners who wish to perform physical examinations for interstate commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers to be trained and certified in FMCSA physical qualification standards. Only medical examiners who complete the training and successfully pass the test will be included in an on-line National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners (NRCME). After May 21, 2014, only those medical examiners who are listed on the NRCME will be able to perform CMV driver examinations.

ACOEM has long been concerned about the process for determining the medical fitness of commercial motor vehicle operators and has offered its renowned Commercial Driver Medical Examiner training course since 2000. Led by experts in transportation medicine, this ACCME-accredited course has been updated to meet the FMCSA training requirements and the College is listed as an “Accredited Training Organization” for the NRCME. Upon satisfactory completion of this course, those eligible to serve as examiners will be prepared and able to sit for the NRCME certification examination... Continue reading.

In June, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) member jurisdictions conducted a record 74,072 truck and bus inspections during the 25th Annual Roadcheck, a commercial vehicle safety enforcement and outreach event. Of those inspections, 48,815 were North American Standard Level 1 inspections - the most comprehensive roadside inspection, of which 22.4 percent of vehicles and 3.9 percent of drivers were placed out of service (OOS). These vehicle and driver OOS rates for Level 1 inspections represent the second lowest achieved in 25 years, continuing its successful historic trend downward. Roadcheck 2012 took place June 5th through 7th, with an average of more than 1,000 trucks or buses inspected every hour during the 72-hour campaign. The United States, Canada and Mexico participated with the inspections that included an examination of driver license and credentials, proper and complete records of duty status, safety belt use, driving behaviors and other driver safety conditions. Vehicles were examined for proper brake system maintenance, tire condition, function of lighting systems, properly secured loads, and other vehicle condition related violations. CVSA sponsors Roadcheck each year with the support of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators (CCMTA), Transport Canada, and the Secretariat of Communications and Transportation (Mexico).

For more on CVSA, visit www.cvsa.org.

DOT 93-12
Friday, August 17, 2012
Contact: Justin Nisly
Tel: 202-366-4570

Obama Administration on Idle Earmark Projects: Use It or Lose It “We Can’t Wait” Action Helps States Put People to Work, Improve Infrastructure

WASHINGTON, DC – The Obama Administration today announced that it won’t allow infrastructure funds to sit idle as a result of stalled earmark projects at a time when hundreds of thousands of construction workers are looking for work. U.S Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is making over $470 million in unspent earmarks immediately available to states for projects that will create jobs and help improve transportation across the country.

“My administration will continue to do everything we can to put Americans back to work,” said President Barack Obama. “We’re not going to let politics stand between construction workers and good jobs repairing our roads and bridges.”
 
“We are freeing up these funds so states can get down to the business of moving transportation projects forward and putting our friends and neighbors back to work,” said Secretary LaHood.

President Obama has vowed to veto any bill that comes to his desk with earmarks and would support legislation to permanently ban earmarks. But $473 million in highway earmarks from FY2003-2006 appropriations acts remain unspent years later. Those acts contain provisions that authorize the Secretary to make the unused funds available for eligible surface transportation projects. Effective today, state departments of transportation will have the ability to use their unspent earmarked highway funds, some of which are nearly 10 years old, on any eligible highway, transit, passenger rail, or port project.

States must identify the projects they plan to use the funds for by October 1, and must obligate them by December 31, 2012.

“Particularly in these difficult fiscal times, states will be able to put these dollars to good use,” said Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez. “These funds will create jobs in the short term and help bring about what President Obama called ‘an America built to last.’”

To ensure that this funding is quickly put to good use to improve our nation’s infrastructure, funds not obligated by the December 31 deadline will be proportionally redistributed in FY 2013 to states that met the deadline.