Truckers and Travelers
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Posts Tagged ‘CDL Commercial Drivers’
Hello Fellow Drivers,
Let’s talk about the changes that the FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) is putting into place for those in the trucking business. If you have trucking authority or want to get trucking authority, then this article is a MUST read. The article came from a quarterly supplement from J.J. Keller & Associates. Remember to be safe out there.
WHAT’S ALL THE BUZZ ABOUT CSA 2010?
If you have not yet heard about CSA 2010, it’s time to lend an ear to the buzz! This is a new enforcement initiative planned for rollout in mid-2010. CSA – Comprehensive Safety Analysis – is about the FMCSA taking a closer look at more motor carrier data and bringing a problem area to the carrier’s attention sooner than under the old system. If the carrier doesn’t respond to initial interventions, more serious interventions will result.
KEY PHRASES TO PAY ATTENTION TO IN THE ABOVE PARAGRAPH ARE closer look…more data…carrier’s attention sooner. FMCSA’s objective with this approach is to become more proactive with lowering crash risk.
A CLOSER LOOK
The closer look phrase means carrier and driver data will be categorized more narrowly – into seven Behavioral Analysis Safety Improvement Categories (BASICs) instead of the four broad Safety Evaluation Areas (SEAs) under the current system. More of the data will come to the surface under seven categories than under four categories.
MORE DATE
A big difference between the current data measuring system (SafeStat) and the new Safety Measurement System, or SMS, is that ALL safety-based violations will be entered into the system – not just out-of-service violations. This, of course, results in more data becoming subject to review. All safety violations listed on a Roadside Inspection Report will become part of the carrier’s data, and be weighted according to the seventy of the violation and the currency of the inspection (violations from more recent inspections will be weighted more heavily).
Carriers’ data will stay in the SMS for 24 months and drivers’ date will stay for 36 months.
CARRIER’S ATTENTION SOON
Under the new initiative, enforcement will have more methods than just the compliance review for dealing with a motor carrier. Poor performance in any one of the BASIC areas could result in an intervention from law enforcement – ranging from a warning letter to a rquest for documents, to getting an appointment to discuss the problem area at a DOT office, to getting a compliance visit froom the DOT. More intervention options will allow enforcement to bring a problem area to a carrier’s attention sooner.
HOW CAN YOU PREPARE FOR CSA 2010?
There are some things you can do now to help assure a good outcome for your company under CSA 2010.
* Review your Carrier Profile information,(MCS-150 on the FMCSA website), monitor crash and inspection report data that get attributed to your company. Keep your profile information up to date and challenge crash and inspection data that is incorrect. Us the FMCSA’s “DataQ’s” tool to have incorrect data fixed so it doesn;t negatively affect you.
* Educate your drivers on the CSA 2010 initiative. Emphasize the greater impact that roadside inspection results will have, not only on your record, but on your drivers’ records too. Driver violations and crash data will also be scored in a driver database.
* Develop radside inpsection and corrective action policies. Put procedures in place for drivers to report roadside inspection results to you immediatly and for transmitting the Roadside Inspection Report. Set up procedures for correcting problem areas discovered during roadside inspections. Do the same for any kind of accident, no matter how minor.
The bottom line is that, under the new system, enforcement agencies will tract more data, have more contact with motor carrers, and will have more intervention tools available to use.
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Trucking Industry News – Current Federal Legislation – Part 3 of 3
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
posted by 18 Wheeler 9:33 PM
Hello, Fellow Drivers, This is the last part of the this three part series on trucking industry news. I got this news from the Land Line Magazine online. These are important issues that affect your trucking business. Enjoy the read and remember to be safe out there!
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Trucking Industry News – Current Federal Legislation – Part 2 of 3
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
posted by 18 Wheeler 9:51 AM
Hello, Fellow Drivers, Today we’ll discuss part 2 of the new current fed legislation. Put this in with your other trucking industry news as a reminder to stay current on changes in the trucking business. Enjoy the read and remember to stay safe out there!
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Trucking Industry News – Current Federal Legislation – Part 1 of 3
Thursday, January 7, 2010
posted by 18 Wheeler 5:24 PM
Hello, Fellow Drivers, It’s always good to keep up with what the Feds are doing. In this bit of trucking industry news, you will read about the highway bill that is before Congress. If the bill passes, the trucking business will have to face the changes. Enjoy the read and remember to be safe out there. I found this in this issues of OOIDA’s Land Line Mag.
Legislative issues on the federal level can heat up and flame out in the blink of an eye. However, there are several bills – some with several different versions in both chambers, others as stand-alone bills – of interest to truckers.
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association keeps close tabs on these issues on a daily basis. The following is a snapshot of some of the biggest pieces of legislation that could affect your lives on the road.
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Hello, Fellow Drivers, As if the trucking business had enough to keep up with, now the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is adding to the pile! I found this bit of trucking industry news in the OOIDA magazine, Land Line. Read on to keep abreast of the latest ways to keep you from stretchin’ your log books and other things. Remember to be safe out there!
CSA 2010: Your new company, driver safety ‘credit report’
With technology morphing the way we live our lives at warp speed, it’s no big surprise that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has decided to go high-tech with its compliance enforcement.
Currently, the odds of being hit with any substantive on-site compliance review are somewhere between slim and none. Because of lack of staffing and the cumbersome nature of plowing through mountains of paperwork, each year FMCSA officials are only able to conduct compliance reviews on less than 2 percent of the motor carriers in the U.S.
Enter the technology knight on a white horse – CSA 2010. Back in 2004, FMCSA officials started developing a data-driven system of analyzing all inspection reports on motor carriers and drivers to identify trends of noncompliance.
The mega database system, with all of its algorithms and programs, will spit out monthly safety ratings for companies and drivers. Those who crop up with numerous violations – ranging from the not-so-serious to out-of-service – will pop up on FMCSA’s compliance radar.
But that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get a full-blown on-site compliance review. Depending on the severity of the rating, you could get anything from a letter telling you to straighten up your act to that dreaded on-site review that likens to an IRS audit.
Companies will have a chance to get their act together and report back to FMCSA to keep a good safety fitness rating. There will be three fitness rating in the 2010 program: “unfit,” “marginal” and “continue to operate.”
The overall concept is simple enough but, as with anything, the devil is in the details – and with CSA 2010, there are a ton of details.
The program can be broken down into the data, the math behind the number, enforcement, safety fitness determinations and the possible hiccups motor carriers and truckers could encounter along the way.
The following is the first in a series of articles that will explain the ins and outs of the new enforcement program bearing down on the trucking industry.
– By Jami Jones, senior editor
jami_jones@landlinemag.com
Trucking Industry News – Resolutions Next Exit! Part 3 of 3
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
posted by 18 Wheeler 12:10 AM
Hello, Fellow Drivers! This is the last part of a three-part article on New Year’s Resolutions and trucking resources. I hope you have been able to gain something useful from this article and remember to be safe out there!
DRIVER HEALTH AND WELLNESS
Quit smoking. Easier said than done! You’ll live longer, feel better and have less chance of developing heart disease, stroke, lung disease and cancer. Do it for yourself, but get the help and support you need to quit, whether it be from a family member, friend or doctor. It’s a matter of making a gut decision to do it like you made the decision to drive a truck. Success won’t come until you REALLY make up your mind that you want this.
Don’t abuse alcohol and drugs. Assistance is readily available to help people break an addiction and turn their lives around. Stay out of “party row”. Don’t trash around too much.
See a doctor. It’s cheaper to prevent a serious medical issue than to treat one. Regular doctor visits can keep you healthy and on the road. Many health plans provide benefits intended for preventative checkups. Another good way to prevent health issues is to seek out a nutritionist or a doctor that uses natural means to prevent health issues. Supplements and such things help promote good health and vitality.
Well, Drivers, this is the finish of this article. Surely there is at least one thing you can incorporate into your new year’s routine to help with your trucking business success. Happy New Year!
Trucking Industry News – Resolutions Next Exit! Part 2 of 3
Monday, January 4, 2010
posted by 18 Wheeler 12:05 AM
Hello, Fellow Drivers! Well, the holidays are over! It’s back to the old grind! Although without the grind, there would no living! Because it’s the start of a new year, I wanted to get you some trucking resources that will start your year off right! Here is Part 2 of a three-part article. I hope you enjoy the read and remember to be safe out there!
Driver Health And Wellness
Cut back on junk food. It may be an easy choice to grab a donut or high-fat burger on the run, but leaner and greener foods give you the nutrients to maintain vital energy and strong muscles. Keep healthy snack foods, like whole grain, high fiber bars, apples or lower sodium nuts close by to tide you over until you can get to your next meal.
Learn proper lifting techniques, such as bending your knees and lifting from your legs rather than bending at the waist. Get help if you need it, or use mechanical aids to lift heavy loads. Take breaks from repetitive motions that can result in soreness of your hands, arms, neck and back to avoid long-term injuries.
Rest and relaxation. Make days off and vacations a mandatory part of your personal health plan. Take time off to participate in the things you and those around you enjoy. Take some time to simple relax, you deserve it.
This is part two of this informative article. Stay tuned for part three! Happy New Year!
Hello, Fellow Drivers, On 11/9/09 I discussed a brief overview of a DOT audit once you get trucking authority. Today I will outline the paperwork necessary to successfully pass a DOT audit. You will need to take care of the paperwork that has to be in place to pass your first DOT inspection. These items are employee records, drug testing results, DOT physical (long form), log books and any audits done on them, your truck and trailer inspection and finally your pro-rate book that is kept in the truck. You will want assistance from Clay Eppard of Fleet-Safety, Inc. to get these in proper order. They will also assist you with your DOT inspection. You can always contact me by email at truckersandtravelers@gmail.com. First, your employee records will have to be filled out. Certain information will have to be included and an outside source will have to check your references and employee history. The information to be included is: employee application, copy of driver’s license and social security card and other pertinent information. I included an 18-point checklist in my driver files. Second, you should have your drug testing either done or scheduled by now. You will have to have your original results in your employee records and a copy in your pro-rate book. The long form of your DOT physical should also be included in your files. Your New Entrant Safety audit or DOT audit will occur within the first 18 months of your trucking business with operating authority. You will want to consult with Fleet Safety in order to be ready for this audit and to pass it. Please see my blog on 6/22/09 for more information. Third, your most recent truck and trailer inspection form should be in your files also. You can have these done at any truck stop that offers truck repairs, such as the TA or the Flying J. You will have to perform this inspection yearly whether you have INTERstate or INTRAstate trucking authority. With INTERstate trucking authority, you will have to have your log books audited monthly as if you were working as an employee of any other trucking business. INTRAstate trucking authority only requires time sheets if traveling under 100 miles per day. If over that limit, you will need to keep logs also. In this economy, it helps to save money. One of the ways to save is to get trucking authority by doing most of the steps yourself. I hope you enjoyed the read. Remember! Be safe out there.
Trucking Resources – Florida’s Highway & Left Lanes
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
posted by 18 Wheeler 12:10 AM
Hello, Fellow Drivers, Driving in Florida can be a royal pain considering most cities have a left lane restriction on the main roadways. Tuck this bit of trucking resources under your hat so that you are up-to-speed on what’s expected when you drive Florida’s highways. Enjoy the read and remember, be safe out there!
Road rage bill would clear Florida’s left lanes
A Florida state lawmaker is renewing his effort to keep most drivers out of the state’s fast lanes.
Sen. Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton, has prefiled for the 2009 regular session a bill that is intended to combat aggressive driving on the state’s multilane highways by reducing the number of drivers in the far left-hand lane. This is the sixth time in recent years the bill has been offered in the state.
Dubbed the “Highway Safety Act,” it would give law enforcement more authority to ticket drivers who block traffic, even if they are driving the speed limit in the left lane. A failure to stay to the right would be included as one of the offenses that make up “aggressive careless driving.”
The legislation historically has struggled to advance from committee. It won approval in the House and Senate in 2005, but then-Gov. Jeb Bush vetoed it. He said it would punish people who are driving the speed limit for not getting out of the way of speeders.
Bennett has since changed the bill to address some of the concerns.
The newest effort would prohibit travelers from driving in the left lane of a multilane highway when they are about to be overtaken by another vehicle. Originally, the effort allowed law enforcement to issue citations to drivers who used the left lane for anything other than passing.
Opponents say the bill is “code for increasing speed limits” and that it supports the actions of speeding drivers coming up behind slower drivers. Supporters say the measure would avert dangerous situations where frustrated motorists stuck behind a slower-moving vehicle try to pass on the right.
The bill also changes, from two to three, the number of driving offenses that must be committed at one time to constitute “aggressive careless driving.”
Violators would face a $100 fine in addition to any other fines. Repeat offenders would face as much as a $500 fine and a mandatory court appearance. Drivers also would receive points for each offense committed.
The bill – S482 – is awaiting assignment to committee for the session that begins in March.
To view other legislative activities of interest for Florida in 2009, click here.
– By Keith Goble, state legislative editor
Editor’s Note: Please share your thoughts with us about the legislation included in this story. Comments may be sent to statelegislativedesk@ooida.com.