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Six Secrets To Success In Your Trucking Business Home Office Part 1 of 2
Monday, May 24, 2010
posted by 18 Wheeler 9:37 PM
Hello, Fellow Drivers, I came across a great article in the May 2010 issue of the Home Business Connection magazine by Ann K. Levine. The magazine is filled mostly with junk ads, but this article seemed to fit those in the trucking business who have a home office. This bit of trucking industry news will hopefully help you run your trucking business home office with greater efficiency. I have condensed the article for time’s sake. Enjoy the read and remember to be safe out there.
There are six secrets to managing your home office. These tips will help you manage your life in a way that allows you to enjoy what you do. Here are the first three tips.
1. Delegate
Figure out what needs to be done by you and what can be done reasonable well by someone else. I do not need to be the person who returns things to stores and runs to the drug store. I found a great errand-running service that helps me grocery shop and take items to the tailor and dry cleaner when I do no have the time. Find a friend who wants to make extra money that will run some errands for me to free up my time for more important tasks like quarter-end reports.
If you don’t have the money to spend on this kind of help, find a friend who always does Costco or Target runs and ask them to pick up a few things for you and agree to return the favor.
2. Use The Stopper
do you feel like time runs out of your day like water down the bath drain? find the leak and stop it. Evaluate where you are wasting time and just delete it. I used to complain I had no time to get to the gym, but I knew I was spending an hour and a half each day on Facebook and Twitter, and probably another thirty minutes browsing for things I couldn’t afford (or just flat out would never buy) online. I cut myself off from these activities for a week and found I could return and just spend 20 minutes a day on my online activities. Facebook and Twitter are work-related for me, so I can justify that investment. With the “extra” time, I actually make it to Pilates class twice a week.
I also decided–after three seasons of dedication–to forego Grey’s Anatomy so I could have time to read and participate in a book club with a group of dynamic, inspiring women. I’m even considering giving up American Idol this season!
3. Retain Focus
During my busy season with work, I schedule myself according to what I can handle so I can avoid feeling overwhelmed on a daily basis. No more lunches or coffee dates with friends. Unless someone wants to go along on my weekly three-mile fun, my friends know to count me out of thing three months out of the year. I make up for it by taking them out for really nice dinners on their birthdays, and I try to say hello on Facebook– but I make no plans.
I protect my schedule so I can focus on work when I need to be working. I do not schedule routine doctor appointments for me or my family during my busy months. Also, I never schedule workouts or meetings for the non-profit board that I chair on Mondays because I anticipate that I’ll have more emails and phone calls waiting for me after the weekend.
Whether you take one or more of these tips to running a trucking business home office, use them consistently and you will see increased success. Look for Part Two of this article in tomorrow’s blog.
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Hello, Fellow Drivers, It can be a daunting task to get trucking authority. The first thing to know is what type of authority you will need to obtain in order to start your trucking business. Below is a brief explanation of the two types of trucking authority and broker authority. Enjoy the read and remember to be safe out there!
There are two Types of Interstate Authority For Trucking Companies: These two types allow a driver to haul loads across state lines. INTRAstate authority allows a driver to conduct business within your home state only. This is the first step toward starting a trucking business.
COMMON Authority- Liability & Cargo Insurance are required to be filed with the FMCSA.
CONTRACT Authority- Liability Insurance only required to be filed with the FMCSA.
BROKER Authority- only required if Brokering loads for other Trucking companies. This type of authority would be used to find loads for drivers that are looking for someone to get loads for them.
For more information, look over the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration website. It has recently been revamped and is chock full of valuable information. Here’s their website: www.fmcsa.dot.gov
Hello, Fellow Drivers, Some of you are thinking about getting your own trucking authority and going out on your own to earn more money. It’s a worthwhile endeavor but must be entered with wisdom, fore thought, and planning. Below are some frequently asked questions about how to get trucking authority. Enjoy the read and remember to be safe out there!
Trucking Authority Questions
Q. What is an MC Number?
A. An MC number is issued by the FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration). It grants the right to commence operations in interstate commerce in the transportation industry. There are several factors involved in obtaining an MC number including a USDOT number, BOC 3 Process Agents, and insurance.
Q. What is a USDOT Number?
A. A USDOT number is issued by the US Department of Transportation. It tracks all your company’s information with the different Federal and State Agencies. A USDOT number does not constitute authority to operate in interstate commerce.
Q. What is a BOC 3 Process Agents?
A process agent is someone who may be serviced with court papers in any proceeding brought against a motor carrier. In order to obtain your authority this requirement must be met.
Q. How much insurance do I need?
A. The Federal Minimums for insurance coverage is: $750,000 Liability and $5,000 Cargo. However, the industry standard and recommended coverage is $1,000,000 Liability and $100,000 Cargo coverage.
Q. How long does it take to get trucking authority?
A. It generally takes a carrier 5 to 7 weeks to obtain all the authority and permits required to operate in Interstate Commerce. There are 2 parts to the process: federal and state. The federal portion generally takes 16 business days to complete and then state permits can take an additional 2 weeks after the federal portion is complete.
Q. How much does it cost to get trucking authority?
To get trucking authority depends upon if you hire a company to do the whole process for you (which can be very expensive) or if you do most of the steps yourself and save yourself a lot of money.
Q. What is UCRA?
A. The Unified Carrier Registration Agreement states that all motor carriers, regulated, exempt and private as well as interstate brokers, Freight Forwarders and leasing companies are subject to the fees under the UCRA. Fees are calculated per company based on the number of commercial motor vehicles it operates. Commercial motor vehicles include the total number of trucks, trailers and power units operated by the company. The table below contains the fee schedule that a company would be subject to based on their fleet size:
| Fleet Size | Fee |
|---|---|
| 0-2 | $39 |
| 3-5 | $116 |
| 6-20 | $231 |
| 21-100 | $806 |
| 101-1000 | $3840 |
| over 1000 | $37500 |
Q. What is IRP?
A. The IRP stands for International Registration Plan. This covers the apportioned tags for your tractor. The contiguous 48 states plus Canadian Provinces participate in the program. You must register with your base state and select the states that you wish to operate in the current or coming year. This must be renewed annually and has a prorated annual fee. Only vehicles over 26,000 Gross Vehicle Weight participate in the program. The annual fee range is $800 – $2500.
Q. What is IFTA?
A. IFTA stands for International Fuel Tax Agreement. It is a means to pay fuel taxes to the different participating states and provinces by registering and filing quarterly returns with your base state. Only the contiguous 48 states, plus Canadian Provinces and vehicles over 26,000 Gross Vehicle Weight participate in this program. Registration for the program is generally free but some states may charge a registration and decal fee that usually costs under $30.
Q. What is Intrastate Authority?
A. Intrastate authority is the right granted by a state to commence for hire trucking operations within the borders of that specific state. If a load’s origin and destination are within the same state then intrastate authority may be required. This generally takes less time to acquire than the interstate authority as only one government agency is required to issue permits. Also a company engaged only in intrastate activities does not need to register with the IFTA or IRP.
Q. What states require special permits?
A. Four states have special permits that are required to operate within their borders. You can register for these permits upfront or acquire trip permits. The states are New York (HUT), Kentucky (KYU Number), New Mexico, & Oregon (File Number). Depending on your operations you should consider registering for some or all of these states as most have a low registration fee of $15 or less per truck.
Q. What is a New Entrant Safety Audit?
A. A New Entrant Safety Audit consists of a review of the carrier’s safety management system conducted by a State or Federal Auditor within the first 18 months of operation. The areas of review may include: Driver Qualifications, Driver Duty Status, Vehicle Maintenance, Accident Register, and testing requirements for Controlled Substances and Alcohol use.
Q. When can I expect a New Entrant Safety Audit?
A. Every new carrier will be audited during the first 18 months of operation (typically within 3-6 months after the carrier is granted their new entrant registration). The safety audits will mainly be conducted on-site at the carrier’s principal place of business. However, some safety audits may be conducted at other locations depending on the circumstances.
Trucking Industry News – Trucking and Texting
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
posted by 18 Wheeler 9:07 PM
Hello, Fellow Drivers, Here’s a little trucking industry news regarding texting and driving. You will no longer be able to text and drive without the possibility of being pulled over for it. First it was cell phones could not be used while driving. Now it’s texting (which is using a cell phone while driving.). Here’s what the US DOT is proposing. Enjoy the read and remember to be safe out there.
Hot Topics
DOT bans texting for CMV drivers
By David Tanner
staff writer
U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood’s announcement in January that texting while driving is prohibited for commercial drivers is one step in a long list of actions being taken against distracted driving.
OOIDA supports a texting ban in principle, but says the U.S. DOT should have vetted the proposal through a rulemaking instead of jumping in with an immediate ban.
“We support where they are going, but not how they got there,” said OOIDA Executive Vice President Todd Spencer.
“Making their action effective immediately bypasses normal regulatory rulemaking processes. Those processes allow actions to be vetted for unintended consequences, as well as potential implementation and enforcement problems.”
LaHood justified the move, saying that “texting” fits into current federal safety regulations for the operation of commercial vehicles and that a separate rulemaking was not needed. LL
Trucking Business Tidbit – Debt is Evil Because… Part 2 of 2
Thursday, March 11, 2010
posted by 18 Wheeler 12:05 AM
Hello, Fellow Drivers, Today I want to finish up with this two-part blog about debt. For all the drivers that want to start a trucking business or want to prosper even more in their present trucking business, here are some more tips from Dan Kennedy’s book, “Wealth Attraction For Entrepreneurs”.
Wealth Magnet 19 – Independence
Debt is EVIL because…
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Every dollar you being in is instantly diminished in value by its need to contribute to servicing your debt.
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It compels you to do things you would otherwise not do. Debt produces need. Need is completely counter-productive.
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It leaves you vulnerable to Short-term competitive or marketplace challenges,, economic slumps, aberrant events (e.g. 9/11), etc. that you might otherwise painlessly withstand.
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It is habit-forming. it is easy to get good at juggling debt, comfortable living in debt. You can get so good at survival skills that they are in the way of developing success skills.
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It is a source of worry, anxiety, and frustration that interferes with wealth attractions, productivity , and even physical health.
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It lengthens the time required to get to your Financial Independence Number, sufficient assets and investments that you never need work or earn another dollar for the rest of your life.
Everybody needs to be cautious of need. After all, if you ask most people why they go to work in the morning, they say, “to pay bills.” Very high income people say the same thing. And they are still slaves, just better dressed, because they are working for debt.
Entrepreneurs need to be especially cautious of expanding need by piling on employees, infrastructure, overhead, people, places, and things. bigger is not necessarily better. More gross may not only produce less net but also may move you from master to slave before you realize it.
Whether through debt-reduced or debt-free living, other strategies, psychological techniques, or all of the these things, I can assure you that the less you need the next deal, the next sale, the next client, or the next dollar, the easier it will be to attract all the deals, sales, clients, and dollars you could ever desire or imagine, times ten.
I hope you enjoyed the blog and that you come away with useful information for you trucking business. Remember to be sage out there!
Trucking Business Tidbit – Debt is Evil Because… Part 1 of 2
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
posted by 18 Wheeler 9:34 AM
Hello, Fellow Drivers, Today I want to cover a practical subject for all of you who want to start a trucking business or who want to prosper in your present trucking business. This comes from a book I keep as a financial shot in the arm when I need to remind myself of the ways wealth comes to me. The book is written by Dan Kennedy and the short title is “Wealth Attraction For Entrepreneurs”. Here is an excerpt from chapter 19.
Wealth Magnet 19 – Independence
Wealth is attracted to wealth, money to money. But because independence is the prime outcome and benefit of wealth, wealth is also attracted to independence. One is as good as the other as a magnet. Consequently, the less you need income, the more opportunities present themselves, the more eager people are to do business with you and pay you money, and the more easily wealth is attracted. The mandates the dimple practice of living beneath your present income so that you can be and stay debt free. … I realize this is very conservative financial advice. … It is again, about attracting wealth more than it is part of a debate about using debt as investment capital. …
Many other financial gurus differ passionately. They would advise, for example, fully mortgaging your home in periods of low interest rates and investing that money in real estate, stocks, or whatever to make the spread and build up assets. I have never gotten comfortable with debt as an asset, with leveraging debt into more debt. … I also find that leverage-the-debt advice often comes from people who earn commissions selling investments. However, right now, this about that debate. The debate ignores and omits the psychology of attracting wealth by feeling wealthy at your core (not indebted) and by feeling and being independent.
Debt doesn’t just enslave through compound interest reversed. It enslaves by imposition, by telling you that you should do work you don’t want to do, accept clients or customers you can’t stand, and otherwise compromise every which way because you need money. I insist your objective should be to get to the position of not needing more income, so you can act independently, be selective, call your own shots, and be entirely free of actual or felt pressure. What I call “The Independent Position” rolls finances, attitude, reality and emotions, and the conscious and subconscious together, and it is magic.
Tune in tomorrow when we give the REST of the story, as Paul Harvey would say! Be safe out there!
Hello, Fellow Drivers, Today’s trucking industry news is about driver fatigue. Here is the buzz from Washington. The FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) is redoing their regs on HOS. The bottom line is to remember to get as much rest as your run allows and don’t stretch that log book too much! Enjoy the read and remember to be safe out there!
NTSB: Fatigue endangers across all transportation modes
Hersman highlighted a number of accident investigations across all transportation modes that included fatigue as the probable cause or a contributing factor to accidents.
The Trucker News Services
3/8/2010
WASHINGTON — National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman March 5 encouraged the sleep research and healthcare community to continue their efforts to educate transportation policy makers of the dangers of fatigue in all modes of transportation. Speaking before the annual conference of the National Sleep Foundation in Washington, Chairman Hersman remarked that fatigue has been a concern for the board since the creation of the agency in 1967 and it has been an issue on the Board’s Most Wanted List of Transportation Safety Improvements since the list was established in 1990. “The work of the National Sleep Foundation and other organizations and individuals is critical to improving transportation safety policy,” said Chairman Hersman. “The NTSB is interested and willing to partner with you in developing a greater awareness of fatigue.” Hersman highlighted a number of accident investigations across all transportation modes that included fatigue as the probable cause or a contributing factor to accidents. As a result, the board has made safety recommendations that range from deploying fatigue detection systems to reduce the occurrence of accidents to installing electronic on-board recorders that collect and maintain hours of service data on vehicle operators. “We can’t always prove fatigue as a cause of an accident, but the frequency with which we now routinely document the presence of fatigue-related factors in transportation operations is alarming,” Hersman stated. Hersman remarked that while there are still no definitive tools to conclusively identify the degree to which a person is fatigued, the major challenge is to ensure that all those in transportation report to work rested and fit for duty — for their own safety and for the safety of those they are transporting.
Barb Kampbell of The Trucker staff can be reached for comment at barbkampbell@thetrucker.com.
Hello, Fellow Drivers, On 3/3/2010 I published an article about the FMCSA that they had temporarily closed their doors. This article comes straight from the FMCSA website to update that report. If you have trucking authority or want to get trucking authority, this is trucking industry news you will want to take note of. Enjoy the short read and remember to be safe out there!
Trucking Authority – The FMCSA To Be Shut Down 3-2-10
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
posted by 18 Wheeler 9:58 AM
Hello, Fellow Drivers, After taking a sabbatical from blogging I am back to keep you informed on the latest developments and information to get trucking authority or to have a successful trucking business. Land Line Magazine recently published this article about the FMCSA. It greatly affects the trucking industry. Enjoy the read and remember to be safe out there!
SPECIAL REPORT: DOT to shut down on Tuesday
Friday, Feb. 26, 2010 – As of Tuesday, March 2, a big chunk of the U.S. Department of Transportation will be shut down temporarily because of a lack of funding. Just how long it lasts will depend on Congress.
The stunning news came Friday after the Senate adjourned without passing legislation to extend surface transportation programs that were set to expire Sunday, Feb. 28.
As a result, 4,000 DOT employees will be at home without pay starting Tuesday, leaving only a skeleton crew to deal with matters of immediate safety.
Affected agencies include the Federal Highway Administration, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Federal Transit Authority and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
For truckers, the shutdown will bring business such as audits, authority applications, MCS-150 updates and other paperwork issues to a grinding halt.
The shutdown will not immediately affect scale houses, which are run by state law enforcement agencies. However, because FMCSA provides funding to state agencies for commercial vehicle enforcement, the furlough will put reimbursements in jeopardy.
U.S. Rep. James Oberstar, D-MN, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, called an emergency press conference on Friday to shed light on the rare occurrence. The last government shutdown happened in 1995 and 1996 over disagreements about appropriations.
“The shutdown of the federal highway program means that the Federal Highway Administration won’t be able to reimburse states for highway or transit funds,” Oberstar told reporters.
The furlough and lack of funding mean no money from FMCSA to fund state commercial vehicle enforcement.
“None of that will happen because there will be no funding for it, and if there is a furlough on Tuesday there won’t be any personnel available for enforcement action,” Oberstar told Land Line.
Oberstar said the shutdown also affects the stimulus funds to states because there won’t be people in federal offices to process grants. He said some states could lose out because of the inaction.
The Highway Trust Fund has been surviving on a series of short-term extensions since the surface transportation law known as SAFETEA-LU technically expired in September 2009.
The U.S. House and Senate have been under tremendous pressure to extend the provisions of SAFETEA-LU beyond Sunday’s deadline.
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-NV, asked his colleagues on Friday to lend unanimous consent to a 30-day extension for highway programs offered by the House, but Sen. Jim Bunning, R-KY, did not consent, citing the fiscal ramifications of the $10 billion cost. Bunning’s threat of filibuster caused Reid to adjourn the Senate on Friday for the weekend. Senators are scheduled to return Tuesday with the matter only baby steps closer to resolution.
Oberstar said Friday that in order to get the DOT back to work as soon as possible, he would lend his support in the House to passing the $15 billion Senate version of jobs legislation, HR2847.
The jobs bill contains a provision for shoring up the Highway Trust Fund through the end of 2010. The House originally wanted the highway extension to last only through Sept. 30 as lawmakers work on a five- or six-year highway bill.
Tune in to Land Line and Land Line Now on Monday for continuing coverage of the shutdown and what it means for other agencies.
– By David Tanner, associate editor
david_tanner@landlinemag.com
Trucking Authority – UCR Fees For 2010 Not Finalized; Enforcement Delayed
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
posted by 18 Wheeler 7:34 PM
Hello, Fellow Drivers, I found an interesting article from Land Line Magazine, February 2010. For those of you with trucking authority, or want to get trucking authority, this article will be of interest to you. Enjoy the read and remember to be safe out there.
By Jami Jones
senior editor
With the start of a new year, truckers wanting to clear out their fee obligations are left without a clear answer on what they owe in Unified Carrier Registration fees for 2010.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration posted a notice to the Federal Register in September 2009 outlining new proposed fees. The extended comment period closed later that month.
FMCSA officials reported during the rulemaking process that states have been unable to effectively collect the UCR revenue they are entitled to by law during the 2007-2009 registration years. They believe the proposed new fee levels will both encourage states to aggressively enforce the UCR fees rule and generate the necessary revenue to execute state motor carrier safety programs.
The fee structure proposed in the rulemaking for 2010 is:
0-1 trucks………………………. $83
2-5 trucks…………………….. $166
6-20 trucks…………………… $497
21-100 trucks……………… $1,741
101-1,000 trucks…………. $8,373
1,001 or more trucks….. $82,983
Brokers and leasing companies will still be subject to the same fee paid by truckers in the 0-1 truck category.
However, as of mid-December 2009, the agency still had not published a final determination on the fees.
“There is an enforcement memo going out telling roadside law enforcement after the first of the year to not write tickets for not having your credentials in place in the cab because there simply isn’t going to be anything in place yet,” OOIDA Director of Regulatory Affairs Joe Rajkovacz told Land Line.
“That is not to say they will not be enforcing the payment of previous years’ UCR fees,” he added.Rajkovacz said truckers really need to make sure they have their proof of payment on
2009 UCR fees.
“Some jurisdictions are writing $1,000 tickets,” he said.
Rajkovacz said he expects the 2010 UCR fees to be settled sometime in the first quarter of 2010. LL