The Top Truck Blog

Trucks And Heavy Trucking Latest Laws, News, Fuel Cost Saving

2011-12-07T05:43:00.000-08:00

Trucking as an owner operator or trucking company takes a toll on your wallet, taking the time to research and cut your trucking cost's is something you should be taking th etime to do. Stay up to date with the best truck parts, fuel saving tips and insurance rates.

Are Gasoline Saving Devices All That They Claim They Are | Donald ...
12/6/11
Once you total up all of the increases, the budget won't look so wonderful anymore. The increased fuel costs increase distribution costs to the trucking companies, which ends up being passed on to the consumers in all areas. ...

Fuel Price on a Road to Constant Increase: Truckers Worry | Truck ...
2/23/11
The first thing to be affected after the reported fuel hike is the transportation costs. This is one of the major industries which are directly linked to the fuel cost. The truck driver jobs will also be affected by this situation as the overhead ...

New Regulations to Protect Victims of Truck Accidents: New York ...
12/5/11
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has published new regulations that ban the use of cell phones while driving trucks. The rule will be effective in ... The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) and the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) are amended to restrict the use of hand-held mobile telephones by drivers of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) including big rigs, tractor trailers, semi and other trucks involved in interstate commerce.

Image via Flickr

Trucking Rates Paid Should Be On The Rise

2011-11-07T05:44:00.000-08:00

Rates for drivers and trucking companies can be on the rise and really should be truckers deserve more in regards to rates per load due to the cost of fuel and the overhead costs like truck maintenance and repair, insurance, taxes, regulation costs, the driver especially the owner operators should be paid more.

Diesel Up 82 Cents From Last Year, Causing Trucking Companies to ...
Trucking companies are continuing to deal with this year's increased diesel prices. Although tight capacity is predicted to profit members of the trucking industry, companies are finding that a rate increase is necessary ...
Publish Date: 11/02/2011 14:56

Freight and Rates within the Trucking Industry | Info Centre
When demand for products increase, the trucking freight rates will increase meaning that prices will go sky high. If a consumer have less limited options for comparable trucking freight rates for the types of carriers ...
Publish Date: 10/12/2011 15:28

Driver Shortage Continues | Interstate Transport
A combination of lifestyle, competition for “quality drivers” and small increases in freight demand are conspiring to increase the turnover rate for over-the-road truck drivers. According to the American Trucking Associations' ...
Publish Date: 10/25/2011 9:51

Diesel Up 82 Cents From Last Year, Causing Trucking Companies to ...
Trucking companies are continuing to deal with this year's increased diesel prices. Although tight capacity is predicted to profit members of the trucking industry, companies are finding that a rate increase is necessary ...
Publish Date: 11/02/2011 14:56

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Author:365Trucking

Big Rig Trucking Changes And News

2011-10-19T07:33:00.000-07:00

Trucking for drivers, owner operators, and trucking business owners the last few years has been very tough with lower rates, higher fuel costs, industry rules, regulations and requirements changing making this industry tough to navagate all the do's and dont's.
Keep up to date with what's happening for your own information and awarness.
American Trucking News: Motor carrier identity stolen, along with ...
That's what happened in early October to one owner-operator. Kevin, a veteran truck driver and OOIDA ... Yet, owner-operators are themselves innocent victims in the schemes if their MC numbers are used. Kip Hough, OOIDA's Business ...
Publish Date: 10/18/2011 12:51

Spend Less Petroleum, Take Advantage Of Gas Saving Idea ...
Fitting fuel saver devices like fuel additive to help increase the fuel density to diminish the fuel consumption, using devices to transfer vapour to show the liquid fuel into gas and using better lubricating approaches reduce friction in wheels and engine. Using monitoring devices to take care of a good moteur à hydrogène on his or her fuel consumption may additionally work effectively. We were able to also increase daily consumption of the passenger truck by: ...
Publish Date: 10/18/2011 13:52

Blogs » Where Truckers Connect Online
In yet another example of misguided federal oversight and bureaucratic meddling, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recently announced its intention to ban truck drivers from using cellular phones while behind ...
Publish Date: 10/18/2011 17:24

2005 Peterbilt 379

Author:lunacalle66

Trucking New Rules and News

2011-10-13T09:10:00.000-07:00

Trucking and keeping up with new laws and rules is a must.Truck drivers need to know tthe up to date information to keep you safe and save you money.

Federal Regulators Consider New Rules to Prevent Large Truck Rollovers - U.S. Politics Today

Federal Regulators Consider New Rules to Prevent Large Truck Rollovers
U.S. Politics Today
Due to their massive size, handling trucks require extra skill, and when they do crash, the resulting damage can be devastating. Now, a new rule being considered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) could help make the roads ...

Truckers lend a hand for the big 'bale out' - Land Line Magazine

Truckers lend a hand for the big 'bale out'
Land Line Magazine
Other states have temporarily lifted permit requirements to assist in the effort, as well. Alabama, for example, issued special hay-hauling permits to deliver feed to Texas. Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin recently extended an executive order that lifts ...

Trucking Insurance and Other Considerations for Becoming An ...
It takes more than a policy for trucker's insurance and a 18-wheeler to call yourself an independent owner/operator in the freight hauling industry. In fact, there are several considerations you need to give a lot of thought to ...
Publish Date: 10/09/2011 22:01

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Author:Euan Reid

Truck LED Lights

2010-12-08T07:33:00.000-08:00

Truck LED Lights

Information on LED Lights:

Why should you buy LED lights for your truck or car? LED lights are semiconductors just like a computer chip in you r computer . When voltage is passed through them, they emit energy in the form of light. They are made with certain chemicals, that determine their light color. LED’s convert the majority of voltage passed through them to light, as opposed to other incandescent bulbs that produce light by energy heating them. But led can be up to 90% more efficient than traditional truck filament light bulbs.
What ‘s the cost to you? They can be more expensive than the traditional truck bulbs. But if you shop online you can get them for a fair price. The led lights last a lot longer and use less voltage from the batteries. But most of all they are far more reliable then the old style filament bulbs. They run cooler and use less energy to work. They generally are sealed units so you do have to take tem apart and clean the sockets like you do some times with filament bulbs. I guess you can say it means less down time. When you are trucking time is money you do not want any down time.
Led rating: originally when LED bulbs came out there were no real standards, manufacturers would claim lifetimes of 100,000 hours with no real testing. Since then the standard has been to scale back to 50,000 hours so as not to over-state claims. (Beware of bulbs that are rated at 100,000 hours unless they state specifically Why they are rated at so high I would be wary of trusting this rating).Many of the manufacturers producing their 3rd generation LED bulbs are now starting to be more conservative and rating their bulbs at 35,000 hours, having gotten test results back from 1-2 years of testing. Rated at 35,000 hours, you can rest assured the manufacturer is not overstating their claims. Anything more than 50,000 hours... buyer beware or it could be BS.

The led lifespan led bulb may continue to be useful for several thousand hours past its stated lifetime. Unlike old-fashioned light bulbs, it is extremely rare for an led light to simply burn out. Rather, it will gradually fade over time, as the little diode start to fade ,but your truck light is still visible to on coming cars unlike filament bulbs that just quit.

There are quite a few websites like our “Edgeolite.com” online that you can buy led bulbs. The problem is "how do you compare one bulb to another?" A quick way to do this is to calculate the lumens/watt, or , the total amount of light you get from the amount of electricity you put in. This is done by simply dividing the bulbs wattage by the stated number of lumens. Anything over 50 lumens/watt is good at the moment. 75 lumens/watt is very good while 100 lumens/watt is excellent. Keep in mind this is just a general comparison - some bulbs may be rated as brighter or dimmer than this.

For the most part this article gives you an idea of the measurement used for led lights. The other measurement I would use is the quality of the led light you buy. They are designed to withstand the vast changes in the weather from being in the cold and wet to being extremely hot and dry. The quality of the lenses of the outer led is also something to consider and also the ability to mount it on your truck.

If you are interested in more information on this topic or on snowplows or trucking or would like to see the Edgeolite LED lights simply click here. http://www.edgeolite.com/led-trucklights.html or email us safety@edgeolite.com

Semi Trucks and Terrorism

2010-12-06T12:08:00.000-08:00

Semi Trucks and Terrorism
After the world was taken by surprised with the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 significant changes were implemented in the United States in regard to semi trucks. There is a possibility that the use of large trucks could be used for terrorism and that is something that needs to be carefully guarded against.

The United States government closely guards against those with a CDL accessing hazardous materials. They require a background check with fingerprinting to be completed for anyone with a CDL that wants this type of endorsement. There are plenty of flammable and toxic materials hauled in semi trucks that need to be protected.

There is also the problem of terrorists taking semi trucks that have such products on them in route. They can kill the driver’s and take the trucks if they really want to access the various materials they are hauling. The potential scenarios that could result from such materials being used for terrorism are too many to mention. Yet it is likely that they could result in mass deaths and even contamination of the water and the air.

There have already been some semi trucks involved in various terrorist attacks. In 1993 they were used to engage in the attack on the World Trade Center. The fact that there are so many semi trucks out there hauling dangerous materials makes them a viable weapon for terrorism. The fact that placards have to be in place on semi trucks hauling these materials is supposed to be for safety but they also identify them as easy targets for terrorists.

One of the ideas the Department of Homeland Security has been considering is placing GPS on all trucks that haul hazardous materials. This way it would be very easy to identify those that are off course. It would also be possible to identify any semi trucks hauling hazardous materials into areas where they are not allowed.

In the event of a semi truck hauling dangerous materials, being involved in an accident, the GPS could result in clean up crews being sent to the scene immediately. All of the information relating to the types of materials being hauled would be available so crews would know how to proceed. Yet the cost of implementing such a program would be very expensive. There would also be ongoing costs for monitoring the activities of all these semi trucks.

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has also come up with a device to prevent terrorists from using semi trucks. This device can be mounted in various areas of the truck. If it is believed the safety of the semi truck has been compromised the device can be instructed to come to a full stop by activating the air brakes. There is still more research that needs to be looked into for this type of concept to be realistically installed in all semi trucks.

We have all seen the effects that terrorist attacks can have on society. Protecting semi trucks from getting into the wrong hands is very important. Most truck drivers are trained in the possibility that their truck could be taken for such a purpose. Many trucking companies have procedures in place for the driver to follow if such an event occurs. Many of the reports of suspicious activities relating to semi trucks are reported by truck drivers themselves as they are the eyes and ears of the open road.

Visit http://www.edgeolite.com/ for safety related information and products or email us at safety@edgeolite.com

Trucking and Saving On Diesel Fuel Costs For 2011

2010-12-03T08:45:00.000-08:00

Trucking and Saving On Diesel Fuel Costs For 2011

To be ready to appreciate how it's actually possible to get improved fuel use from a diesel engine, its an excellent idea to return to basics to appreciate a touch more about diesel and how it operates.

By doing this it is easy to grasp how savings can be made and how a better fuel usage rate ( MPG, or miles per gallon ) will give you an overall cheaper diesel fuel cost. One of the critical points toward acknowledge is a well cared for, and efficient-running engine is about the most major element in achieving better fuel use.

Further, many of the issues that happen with diesel engines relate to fuel quality, which can occur in many ways.

It can vary widely from cargo to cargo regardless of if you use the same seller whenever you fill up with diesel, there may be changes in the fuel they're providing. The diesel quality can change, even in a little way, with each cargo your vendor receives.

The major variables are : * Cetane : this is the level at which the fuel will self ignite, with acceptable levels being between forty and forty five. As the levels can change with each delivery, the aren't well known. The starting and combustion coarseness of your engine can be impacted by the cetane level. * The density or 'weight ' of the diesel has effects on the fuel's heat content.

Lighter fuels ( Type one ) have a lower cloud point and is normally considered to be better in less warm temperatures. The heavier diesel ( Type two ) has good lubricating qualities, and if they're both the very same price, the heavier fuel sometimes gives better fuel usage. * The viscosity of the fuel rules the potency at which fuel travels thru the high pressure parts of the injection pump. Type one will reduce your fuel usage as it has a tendency to have more fuel leaking. Buying your diesel from truck stops is usually thought of as the most effective way to make sure you are purchasing a top-notch product.

These outlets would go into Chapter 11 fast if they started to supply inferior fuel. Two. Employing a fuel re-formulator. After millions of miles of road tests around the globe, there may be little doubt that employing a fuel reformulator will reward you with better fuel economy leading to cheaper diesel fuel costs. These reformulators, like Ethos FR, shouldn't be confused with 'fuel additions ' - the type sold in automobile retailers.

These are alcohol or gas based products that truly raise your fuel costs due to the quantity you want to contribute to each tank.

The actual reason for treating diesel is to provide better oiling,to guarantee all of the desired working parts of the engine are lubricated, and going nicely.

Many drivers don't realize that since low sulfur fuel was capable of being used on road vehicles, the survival expectation of the fuel injection system dropped by as much as 25 percent. The lubricating and cleaning esters in this fuel reformulator are show-stopping technology in action. Its use ends up in fuel burning more utterly, and gives a discernible net gain in mileage per gallon - meaning less expensive diesel costs overall.

visit www.edgeolite.com or you can email us at sales@edgeolite.com

Trucking And Glare Problems At Night, Reducing The Effects Of Headlight Glare.

2010-12-01T06:35:00.000-08:00

Trucking And Glare Problems At Night, Reducing The Effects Of Headlight Glare.

Truck Drivers on roads especially at night experience enough driving problems and hazards. To be able to eliminate glare from the side mirrors reflecting in your face at night, which effects your ability to see would be so beneficial to any driver.

Many truck drivers have concerns about the safety of driving at night time. These mostly relate to visibility of the road and surrounding terrain. Glare from headlights and various artificial light sources are also a concern to most drivers.

It won't surprise you that more accidents occur on the roads during the hours of darkness, in fact you’re 52% more likely to have a collision in the dark than at any other time.
About 79% of accidents which occur at night are due to road conditions. Weather related to inclement weather, glare, front glare and back glare, driver distraction and road surface problems.

There are many products to try including different types of eye glasses, but I have discovered the best for glare coming from the mirrors is definitely the Glare Guards which attach to your side driving mirrors top and they are very inexpensive. This really eliminates the problem by 80%.This is a quick fix product which keeps you safer and stops the glare.

Visit www.edgeolite.com and view safety products email sales@edgeolite.com for information on this product and how to order.

The CSA 2010 start NOW?

2010-09-15T14:42:00.000-07:00

The CSA 2010 start NOW?

On February 2008, FMCSA launched a fresh discipline test of the CSA 2010 Operational in the sphere of Colorado, Georgia, Missouri, and of 2009, FMCSA added Delaware, Kansas, Maryland, Minnesota and Montana to the testt. Fresh interventions are being to all limited-access highway and hazmat motor carriers domiciled in the sphere of these States utilizing all government property on the test.

Now listening carefully to all stakeholders plus Operational typical test participants, enforcement pole, and industry safety experts, FMCSA revised schedule in favor of the rollout of CSA 2010 in line with its allegiance to launch this the nearly everyone in force way on the cards. The rollout schedule is designed to methodically step federal and state enforcement pole, the same as well the same as the motor carrier industry, into the - increasing the safety remuneration through better understanding and increased accountability in favor of first-class safety performance. The rollout timeline is outlined lower than:

April 12 - November 30,2010 - Motor carriers can preview their own data by since their curb inspections/violations and crash measures structured by Behavior Analysis and Safety (BASIC).

Summer 2010

June 30th - The Operational (Op-Model) Test ended.

July - The four test states applying the CSA 2010l (Colorado, Georgia, Missouri, and fresh Jersey) strength of character fully switch in excess of to CSA 2010, bringing totality CSA 2010 states to nine.

Eminent

The Safety Measurement logic (SMS) slant strength of character be present modified to enlarge its effectiveness. Details to get the gist.

Motor carriers strength of character be present able to see to it that an assessment of their violations based on the fresh Carrier Safety Measurement logic (CSMS) which strength of character exchange SafeStat soon in the sphere of 2010.

Fall/Winter 2010

SafeStat strength of character be present replaced by the CSMS. CSMS strength of character be present to be had to the open, plus shippers and insurance companies.

FMCSA/States prioritize enforcement using the CSMS.

FMCSAl to carriers with deficient BASICs.

Curb inspectors the CSMS results to identify carriers in favor of inspection.

2011

Safety Fitness Determination Notice of r Rulemaking (NPRM) is scheduled to be present released.

Enforcement and fresh interventions strength of character be present implemented State-by-State.

In a row supplied by the FMCSA
current trucking news, trucking csa law, trucking blog

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New Truck Laws where to start

2010-09-12T09:07:00.000-07:00

New Truck Laws where to start

Carriers will not inherit any of a newly hired driver’s past violations. Only those inspections that a driver
receives while driving under a carrier’s authority can be applied to a carrier’s Safety Measurement System
Assessment.

2,All inspections and crashes that a commercial motor vehicle driver receives while under the authority of a

carrier will remain part of the carrier’s Safety Measurement System data for two years unless overturned
through the DataQs system (https://dataqs.fmcsa.dot.gov), even if the carrier terminates the driver.

3,Similar to today’s SafeStat, tickets or warnings that commercial motor vehicle drivers receive while operating their personal vehicles do not count in the new Safety Measurement System.

4,If a carrier or commercial motor vehicle driver finds any violations in his or her crash or roadside inspection

reports that are not listed in the Safety Measurement System (SMS) Methodology severity tables, then they do not count towards the carrier’s or driver’s SMS data.

5,The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulates all carriers that are over 10,000 pounds and travel interstate. FMCSA also regulates carriers that haul hazardous materials intrastate. These are the carriers that are affected by Comprehensive Safety Analysis 2010 (CSA 2010).

6,While research data indicate that a driver’s body mass index (BMI) is a risk factor for identifying drivers that may have sleep apnea, neither the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) nor the
Comprehensive Safety Analysis 2010 (CSA 2010) program currently has any rules that restrict who can be a
commercial motor vehicle driver based on BMI or weight or neck size.

7,Carriers and commercial motor vehicle drivers do not need to register for Comprehensive Safety Analysis 2010 CSA 2010) nor is there any kind of mandatory training requirement. However, it is in carriers’ and drivers’ best interests to be informed about CSA 2010 and what it will mean for them. CSA 2010 is primarily focused on helping FMCSA improve its enforcement operations.

8,Comprehensive Safety Analysis 2010 (CSA 2010) has not changed any of the Federal Motor Carrier SafetyAdministration (FMCSA) regulations. There is one rule that FMCSA is trying to change as part of CSA 2010.The carrier safety rating process that determines whether FMCSA will deem a carrier Unfit is currently in rulemaking to potentially change to a new process called Safety Fitness Determination.

9,U.S. Department of TransportationFederalThe data kept by a State (i.e. tickets, citations, written warnings, convictions) and the data that is kept in theSafety Measurement System (SMS) (i.e. violations from roadside inspection and crash reports) are separate.This data must be assessed and, if necessary, corrected under separate processes. All data in the SMS can be verified in the DataQs system (https://dataqs.fmcsa.dot.gov/).
pg1 as stated by the fmcsa

Lets understand What the CSA 2010 is ?

2010-09-08T16:59:00.000-07:00

Lets understand What the CSA 2010 is ?

Comprehensive Safety Analysis 2010, CSA 2010, is the new Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) safety program to help improve large truck and bus safety and ultimately try to reduce crashes. It introduces a New enforcement and compliance model that allows FMCSA and its State Partners to contact a larger number of carriers earlier in order to address safety deficiencies before crashes occur. When the program is fully rolled out by the end of 2010, we will have a new nationwide system that will make the roads safer for motor carriers and the public alike! Well thats what suppose to be. But time will tell.

This is just a breif note to explain what the csa 2010 for is about. Now we will continue with the facts in the next article

Truck Information About the 2010 CSA

2010-09-07T12:45:00.000-07:00

The Truth About the 2010 CSA facts from #5-8

Piece of evidence #5

Potentially erroneous violations on carrier/driver records can stay submitted on behalf of assess. The DataQs regularity (https://dataqs.Fmcsa.Dot.Gov), which does not swap under complete Safety Analysis 2010 (CSA 2010), allows motor carriers and drivers to achieve a ask for on behalf of Data assess (RDR) of in a row with the aim of resides in the sphere of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) databases such the same as crash and inspection reports.

Piece of evidence #6

While more or less third merrymaking vendors are rising and marketing complete Safety Analysis 2010 (CSA 2010) driver scorecards, consumers ought to know with the aim of these companies execute not encompass access to the driver violation histories in the sphere of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) databases despite more or less claims with the aim of they execute. FMCSA has not and strength of character not validate slightly vendors’ scorecards or else data. Besides, keep in the sphere of mind with the aim of the Safety Measurement regularity (SMS) is area of interest to swap previous to its launch in the sphere of response to the test results.

FACT#7

While seek was recently released stating with the aim of a driver’s body mountain symbol (BMI) is a menace thing on behalf of identifying nap apnea, neither the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) nor the complete Safety Analysis 2010 (CSA 2010) predetermine now has slightly rules with the aim of curb who can stay a ad motor vehicle driver based on BMI or else burden.

FACT#8

Carriers and ad motor vehicle drivers execute not need to register on behalf of complete Safety Analysis 2010 (CSA 2010) nor is near slightly kind of mandatory training requirement. However, it is in the sphere of carriers’ and drivers’ preeminent interests to stay informed going on for CSA 2010 and what did you say? It strength of character mean on behalf of them. CSA 2010 is primarily all ears on portion FMCSA recover its enforcement operations.

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The True facts to the 2010 CSA

2010-09-06T06:58:00.000-07:00

The True facts to the 2010 CSA Here are the first 4

THIS specifics more or less CSA or else the thorough Safety Analysis 2010 at this point is the at the outset 4. We strength of character include the lay in the sphere of a hardly any days

1) thorough Safety Analysis 2010 (CSA 2010) does not let somebody have the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) the authority to remove 175,000 drivers from their jobs and cannot be present used to rate drivers or else to retract a ad Driver’s License (CDL). FMCSA does not maintain the authority to take folks measures. Lone State agencies to blame in favor of issuing licenses, CDL or else otherwise, maintain the authority to suspend them.

2)Comprehensive Safety Analysis 2010 (CSA 2010) does introduce a driver safety assessment tool to help enforcement pole evaluate drivers’ safety the same as part of motor carrier investigations. Using the fresh Safety Measurement logic (SMS), the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) continues to presume motor carriers to blame in favor of the duty performance of folks who bring about in favor of them. Therefore, motor carriers are held accountable in favor of their drivers’ errors such the same as speeding. This is a longstanding FMCSA take and is not unique to CSA 2010 or else the fresh SMS
(3)Carriers who are allowing for hiring drivers can reconsider “Driver Profiles” if the drivers maintain authorized the make public of their in a row. These profiles are compiled from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) Driver in a row Resource (DIR) and strength of character be present to be had to carriers through FMCSA’s fresh Pre-Employment Screening instruct (PSP). Drivers can outlook their own profiles. PSP is lone to be had the same as a pre-screening tool and not in favor of depletion in the sphere of evaluating current drivers. PSP was mandated by assembly and is not a part of thorough Safety Analysis 2010 (CSA 2010).
(4)Potentially erroneous violations on carrier/driver records can be present submitted in favor of reconsider. The DataQs logic (https://dataqs.Fmcsa.Dot.Gov), which does not transform under thorough Safety Analysis 2010 (CSA 2010), allows motor carriers and drivers to progress to a application in favor of Data reconsider (RDR) of in a row with the aim of resides in the sphere of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) databases such the same as crash and inspection reports.

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How to Raise Money while trucking

2010-08-27T16:51:00.000-07:00

A NEW Truck Financing

The current economic surroundings has been hard for trucking companies and freight brokers. Winning client accounts is harder than ever. Likewise, keeping clients requires work very hard to meet their ever changing demands. To complicate matters, few clients pay their invoices quickly. Most commercial clients take anywhere from 30 to 60 days to pay their freight bills. This puts a substantial stress on your money flow since you still require to pay for drivers, fuel and repairs. Few companies can actually afford to wait and tend to run in to working capital issues.

There's five common ways to deal with this money flow issue. The simple solution is to ask clients for a speedy pay. Regrettably, the simple solution is not simple at all. Clients have the upper hand and will usually demand to 30 day terms or threaten to take their business elsewhere. The second solution involves using business financing to close the gap in the money flow. The issue with this strategy is that business loans are not simple to get in this surroundings. Most institutions will only make a business loan to a company that has a solid multi-year growth record, outstanding financials, substantial assets as well as a well seasoned management team. Few transportation companies can meet all these criteria.

There is a better way to solve the issue by using a solution that provides the equivalent of a speedy payment. It is called freight bill factoring. It works by using a financial intermediary called a factoring company, who advances money against your freight bills. They settle the transaction one time your client actually pays the bill. One advantage of factoring is that it provides the equivalent of a speedy payment, without requiring your clients to pay faster. This makes it simple to integrate in most organizations.

Freight factoring is simpler to get than other forms of financing. To qualify for this type of financing, your business must have solid commercial clients, be free of lawsuits and encumbrances and have nice growth and stability potential.

trucking money, trucking finance,trucking refinance ,truck repair finance

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Fix your DAC Report

2010-08-24T15:28:00.001-07:00

Fix your DAC Report

Similarly, as your credit document follows you around representing you to lenders, the DAC document is of critical importance to CDL drivers. It tells potential employers about you, and your work habits. Carriers you have worked for, or whose orientation you attended, document on you to DAC (HireRight ) which places the information on your document. Which can be a problem if it is full of ****

The DAC document contains your complete professional driver job history including accidents/incidents, MVR record, drug/alcohol check history, and criminal history. About 90% of all U.S. long haul commercial carriers use the DAC Document for preemployment screening.

Inaccurate reporting and errors can basically finish up on your document and they can negatively affect your ability to get work if not corrected.

DACfix.com is a company dedicated to helping drivers dispute inaccurate/negative information on their DAC’s. In case you have issues, DAC Fix has an affordable “DAC Fix” service to dispute inaccurate information. Their DAC Fix service is $189. They have an average success rate of 70% on their disputes. In case you haven’t seen your document and would like to get a duplicate, they can get it for you for $49.

Start basically at www.DACfix.com or call 800 494-7517. DACfix.com is a member in lovely standing of Better Business Bureau. If it isn’t correct, we’ll make them fix it!

Truckers DAC Document Tips

Brought To You By DacFix.com

Carriers you have worked for, or whose orientation you attended document on you to DAC, which places the information on your document. Here are some key areas that you ought to watch out for!

Orientations: Let’s say you started orientation with a carrier but didn’t like what you were hearing and left. You guessed it, that carrier can document on you although you seldom collected a single paycheck. Unless you’re sure that you require to work for a carrier, do not submit to a preemployment drug screen or attend the orientation session.

Discharges: Try and leave companies on lovely terms with four week written notice. Most banks will notarize your letter at no cost. a handwritten notarized note of resignation can prevent discharged, load abandonment, and quit under dispatch, common negative items that can keep you from getting hired by other carriers.

Drug History File: Another area that causes massive issues for drivers is drug check refusals and failures

Seldom quit after being asked to take a random check. Take the check, and then quit with written notice if at all feasible. Any time you take a check, ask for a duplicate of the paperwork showing you submitted under the microscope. Retain this in your records.

Accidents/Incidents: This is an important one. Don’t document minor incidents where there was no destroy or where you paid for minor destroy straight out of your pocket. Seasoned drivers know the worth of keeping a couple of hundred in money for these occasions. This can prevent an unsatisfactory safety record from being placed in to your DAC document, in addition to the incident itself. Four incidents on your document will cause insurance carrier alarms to go off and lesson your chances of getting hired and increase your chances of getting terminated

Do you want to know how to correct your DAC report?

Flat Top sleepers, day cab

2010-08-22T10:14:00.000-07:00

Truck Sleepers Used or NEW

Used truck sleepers and new sleepers are among the most common components and accessories that are sold for trucks throughout the USA. Truck sleeper is short for one of several types of truck sleeper cabins. These cabins can be attached to the existing bed of your truck or outfitted to the rear of the vehicle to make a small and protected sleeping area. This type of outfit is very useful for anyone who is interested in taking their truck over the road or when converting a day cab into a over the road tractor . Truck sleeper bunks are far less expensive then staying in hotels night after night

Know Where to Look for

The most important thing you'll need to realize when you go to buy a sleeper set for your truck bed is these sets come in all sorts of different configurations, sizes and models, and they can be difficult to find and discern from one another. The best way to begin your search, therefore, is to do a comprehensive scan of all of the possible dealers who may be able to help you find the ideal sleeper bunks for you. Begin online. Look for truck sleeper beds on your favorite search engine and be sure to put in information about the particular vehicle as well. You may also wish to look for retailers in your area who sell this equipment. If so, keep track of all of the sellers you find on a separate list. Remember when looking that they are different types of truck sleepers out there . You need to know what roof design you have on your tractor in order to get a sleeper bunk

Select the Right Size, Shape and Design
Contact one of these services and request some additional information about truck sleepers for your particular vehicle. Because sleepers come in different sizes and shapes, it's important you're buying one that will fit properly with the truck before you enter into negotiations. Take some time to research the different options that will work for your vehicle. From there, you can decide which of those you like the best.

Compare Prices for the Best Deal
If you want to truly save money on a truck sleeper set, it's crucial you spend some time searching for a good deal. Contact all of the various companies you've listed. Look for individuals selling old and sleeper bunks in the local classified ads. Look for used and new bunks offered through online retail sites. With some searching, you'll be able to find the best deal on a quality used truck sleeper for your vehicle.

Certain sleeper size are hard to find like flat top sleepers 36"-48" are hard to come by . Some of the manufactures that make sleepers for big rigs are Unibuilt , KW. They are companies that do make new sleepers for day cab trucks but you will be paying much more. Make sure you check the distance between day cab rear wall and the fifth wheel so you have clearance.

If you have any questions about the process of buying or installing a sleeper bunk, ask a mechanic or call the truck dealer for more information on size and application

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Do you Know how to save on your Truck Insurance?

2010-08-21T16:59:00.000-07:00

Do you Know how to save on your Truck Insurance

for every van owner these days. Whatever you are spending on your van requirements ought to have been justified by the coverage you are being offered. In this regard, there is no better tool to evaluate the best bargains on offer than online van insurance quotes from multiple providers operating in your area. This protection is mandatory for your vehicle in most states. However, there is plenty of benefits of coverage which extend beyond following the rule. Insurance can therefore be categorized in to different types.

Obviously the first thing to compare is the cost. When comparing prices on similar products, you need to make positive that the quality or specifications are round about the same on the services or products you are comparing. Without a doubt, free van insurance quotes are there for your benefit. However, getting the best deals from among the multiple providers is a challenge in itself. Diligence and some common sense will help you accomplish this target.

Premiums are definitely higher for more youthful drivers than for the more experienced and more established ones. The best way to reduce costs is through additional qualification. This goes beyond the standard driving tests such as night driving or highway driving.

It is a useful tactic to save money for the improvement of your van security. It is also best to speak to your insurer about how to reduce costs. Look for protected no-claims discount, which is a kind of bonus given by the insurer to policyholders, who fail to make a claim on their owner for the period of their owner period. Although, this costs more, it prevents any accumulation of no-claims discount that reduces in the event of a claim. It can also provide sensible savings.

It is also beneficial to save time and money with the services of, insurers and/or brokers. This ensures the policyholder that the coverage is the least pricey and the most suitable, as compared to the larger pool of potential deals.

The largest advantage of asking for online van insurance quotes from plenty of different companies is that it gives you the power to negotiate. In case you have an excellent track record in terms of sticking to the law without any fines or accidents historically, you can ask for a discount on your premium. Similarly, auto insurance quotes online will also give you an idea of specific discounted policies available which an agent may or may not tell you.

These discounts are largely due to various aspects based on the average mileage of your vehicle, the amount of driving you do and the age bracket you fall in. Similarly, auto insurance quotes provide discounts taking in to account such facts as anti-theft protection systems like burglar alarms and navigation systems to prevent accidents. Such features only avert the loss which means the insurance firms see a chance with the individual being a safer bet than others. Online van insurance quotes are instantaneous, so you can spend the time comparing different quotes to find out which of them suit you best and what is the coverage you need.

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Is trucking Software worth it?

2010-08-18T14:51:00.000-07:00

Is trucking Software worth it?
Trucking Application Program: Can save you time & funds

As increasingly truckers enter in to the computer age, their reliance on know-how to enable them to operate smarter has increased dramatically. Irrespective of whether you’re a fleet driver hoping to keep tabs on your miles, reimbursements, & logs, or an owner/operator that needs an all-in-one solution, there’s a program application for everyone.
Recently, however, a new phenomenon has begun to show up in the computer world — cloud computing. In lieu of installing on your computer’s hard drive, the user of a cloud application will access their account by the Web by logging in to their account & entering relevant information online.

Access to these cloud networks is restricted to those users with an Web connection, but with a wireless connection as close as the nearest van cease, rest area, or mobile phone hookup, truckers can access their online accounts more fundamentally than ever before. In addition, cloud applications also enable truckers to reach information about their business anywhere they have access to the net — from any computer.
Benefits
Depending on which program solution you pick on, there is some of features obtainable in the different trucking program offerings on the market. Some of the more common features include:

Income & expenses by trip – Because managing your funds flow is dependent on keeping tabs on your income & expenses, the overwhelming majority of the trucking program applications utilize a per trip recording interface — which makes the most sense because that’s the way you generate income & incur expenses.
Electronic Log Books (e-logs) — While you may still prefer keeping paper logs, plenty of of the program programs have features that let you input you log information for electronic logbook record keeping & compliance purposes. Some will make note of e-log errors & will automatically generate “gotcha” letters, which gives you the chance to correct any errors before an enforcement officer does it for you in the coursework of a roadside inspection or in the coursework of a D.O.T. compliance review.

Settlement Reconciliation — Reconciling settlement sheets can be a time-consuming method when done by hand, but by entering information from settlement sheets, your computer can cross-reference information historicallyin the past previously entered in other sections of the program to make sure that all expenses have properly been reimbursed by your carrier.
Customer Records — One of the largest challenges owner/operators face is keeping track of their customer information. Most trucking program applications offer you the ability to maintain customer records, either through a basic program feature or through an upgraded version of the program.
Driver Records — While plenty of owner/operators are one-man (or woman) operations, some owner/operators need to maintain driver records for a hired co-driver or other drivers that they employ.
Fuel Reports — You may be hundreds or thousands of miles from home, but you’re still responsible for maintaining correct records of your journeys so that you can file fuel reports. This feature gives you the ability to compile the necessary information to compile your fuel reports, while minimizing your expenses.
IFTA Reports — Any driver that has ever spent hours reconstructing journeys in order to comply with IFTA mileage reporting requirements knows that this can be a actual pain in the neck. However, IFTA reports are simpler to generate because some of these trucking program applications take information from your trip sheets & automatically export it to the IFTA reporting feature of the program — freeing you to drive.

Dispatch program – It’s no secret that the larger your fleet, the greater your need for program with greater performance capabilities. Being able to handle all aspects off van & load dispatching is critical to your success – & dispatch program provides plenty of of the features that can enable you to manage all of the moving parts of your business so that your business can operate much more effectively.

Van & Trailer Maintenance Records — Not only are lovely maintenance records critical to your ability to properly maintain your equipment, it is also important for D.O.T. compliance purposes. Another reason that this is important is because your equipment will finally be traded-in for newer equipment — & correct record can help to make sure that your trade-in allowance is as high as feasible.

If you’re the owner of a bigger fleet — whether two trucks or 90 — there’s a lovely chance that you’ll need a way more robust fleet management program application that can do much more. While some of the above options might work well for you, you will most likely prefer a program application that can also:
track trucks by unit number
Driver records
Integrate with Qualcomm & other satellite communication systems
Maintenance Records
Customer Billing
Audit driver logs
Integrate with Rapid books & other financial program
Not all trucking program will handle all of these features. Depending on how much you need to spend, some program will do a few things, while other program has much more robust features & capabilities.
If you’re a company driver & you’re fundamentally looking for a program application that can help you to keep track of miles driven & expenses incurred, a bare-bones application is obtainable for as small as $50.Cost
Depending on what features you’re looking for in a program application, the cost can vary considerably — from under $100.00 for a minimalist, accounting-based program application to a couple thousand dollars for an application that will do everything but shine your wheels.

If the thought of forking over that much money all without delay makes you feel dizzy, you might opt for a cloud-based application. In lieu of buying the program & owning it, you are fundamentally renting it on a month-to-month basis. You’ll pay a every month subscription fee in order to access your information, but you’ll have the security of knowing that you won’t be susceptible to lost information in the event that your computer crashes or is stolen. In addition, you can log in to your account from anywhere with an Web connection, so in case you, a partner, or even your bookkeeper needs to access your records, it can be done without needing access to the one machine housing your business records

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Save Drivers Backs with New Big Rig mats

2010-08-15T14:38:00.000-07:00

This New Product can provide Safety from injuries for all Trucking, Transport Carriers, Owner Operators, and Drivers.

Our Truck Rebound Mats are specially designed to reduce and diminish the amount of Knee, Leg, Ankle, and Back injuries which are so commonly associated with the repetitious actions of getting in and out of a commercial truck or semi Truck.

Our New Step Mats which are specially designed help remove the impact on your knees, as it take's the shock out of your step. They help elevate the pressure, the impact, and pain from going to your knees and back, during the action of getting in and out of a commercial truck or semi truck.

Many truck drivers are sustaining serious injuries. Having the added line of defense of these specially designed mats on trucks exterior steps, can help prevent these injuries. This product truly performs at its best to avoid and to alleviate these types injuries. It's a common sense solution for a serious problem.

The rebound step mats truck are made with quality materials. They are extremely durable, they install in minuets, are easy to clean and are made in the USA.

Edgeolite, specializes in safety for the commercial trucking industry. Edgeolite designs products that are safety enhancement related. The products are designed to bring a targeted line of safety and awareness to help resolve and prevent many safety issues. Edgeolite looks forward to developing and distributing their products which promote more safety and less injuries, to owner operators, fleet owners , workers and to the whole trucking industry.

Our products help to reduce not just workers injuries but, the expenses for large fleet owners who will benefit from less workers comp claims, and other costs associated with any and all injuries.

Our exterior truck rebound step mat, should be used on all trucks.

http://edgeolite.com/truck-mats.html

Freight inventory levels

2010-08-13T13:36:00.001-07:00

WASHINGTON — Inventories held by businesses rose for a sixth straight month in June but sales declined for a second month in a row.

Inventories increased 0.3 percent in June, the Commerce Department reported Friday. But sales fell 0.6 percent following an even larger 1.2 percent sales decline in May.

The weakness in sales raises concerns about whether companies will continue boosting inventories. Stock rebuilding had been an important source of strength driving the economic rebound.
Businesses had been rebuilding their inventories in recent months after slashing them aggressively in the coursework of the recession. But if consumer demand weakens further, businesses could start cutting back. That would mean fewer orders to U.S. factories and weaker output for manufacturers — and fewer freight moves.
The consecutive declines in sales in May and June followed 13 straight increases in total business sales. The June decrease reflected less demand for manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers. A separate document Friday showed that sales at the retail level rebounded in July but the strength was concentrated in higher demand for autos and gasoline.
The 0.3 percent rise in inventories in the coursework of June followed an increase of 0.2 percent in May. It reflected a rise in retail inventories of 0.8 percent and an increase of 0.1 percent in wholesale inventories. Stockpiles held by manufacturers slipped 0.1 percent in June.
The stock to sales ratio edged up to 1.26 in June from 1.25 in May. That means it would take 1.26 months to exhaust inventories at the June sales pace.
That ratio had hit a high of 1.45 in early 2009 as businesses were caught with undesirable inventories in the coursework of the recession. That prompted a massive liquidation of inventories through most of 2009 as businesses struggled to get costs under control.
When businesses began building up their inventories at the finish of last year, that helped spur overall economic growth. The economy, as measured by the gross domestic product, grew at an annual rate of 5 percent in the final three months of 2009 with about half of that growth coming from a swing in inventories.

The GDP grew at a 3.7 percent rate in the first quarter of this year and a 2.4 percent rate in the April-to-June quarter. Inventories still contributed to the growth rates but by a smaller amount than at the finish of last year.

Out look for diesel prices?

2010-08-11T15:22:00.001-07:00

Diesel and crude oil prices are both expected to creep higher through the remainder of this year and all the way through 2011, according to the Energy Information Administration’s August Short-Term Outlook.
Diesel has averaged $2.97 thus far in 2010, 31 cents over the 2009 $2.46 per gallon average. The document even goes on to foretell that diesel will creep even higher in 2011 and will average $3.14 per gallon.
Oil will also continue to inch upward in cost according to the EIA’s prediction. Crude ended July at $78 per barrel, and the EIA anticipates that average growing to $81 per barrel in the fourth quarter. Prices won't ease in 2011 according to the document. The EIA predicts oil to average $84 per barrel in 2011 – which is higher than the agency predicted in its July document.

csa 2010 trucking blog

2010-08-09T17:51:00.000-07:00

So the Truckload Carriers Association convened “Weathering the Storm — CSA 2010 & the Driver Shortage,” a webinar meant to describe what trucking companies can expect from the upcoming safety program, & how to “soften the impact of CSA 2010” on driver management. Indeed, TCA sees “a ideal storm” on the horizon: a reduced driver pool meets increasing van demand, along with the great unknown variable, CSA 2010.

Discussion leader Jeff Davis, vice-president of safety & human resources for Jet Express, explained that under CSA 2010, fundamentally, there will be compliant drivers — meaning those whose records recommend they are going to be safe — & noncompliant drivers who, by the FMCSA’s statistical analysis, are at a higher than acceptable risk for crashes.

Additionally, fully three-quarters of the information counted against carriers & drivers under CSA 2010 was not part of the score under SafeStat, the safety technique being replaced, Davis noted.

l must look at things through a different lens,” Davis said. “The result is drivers that appeared compliant under SafeStat are now appearing non-compliant under the CSA 2010 model. Our job as risk managers, as recruiters, is we’re going to must choose how to correct our new issues of non-compliance, & then work with our drivers — even beginning at the point of hire to make positive that they understand the program, & more importantly, that they continue to work with them so that they can avoid safety events in the future.”

Information, information in all places

On the hiring side, with the implementation of the Preemployment Screening Program (PSP), three years’ worth of a driver’s FMCSA information are now available to potential employers. The issue for anyone screening candidates these days is that they suddenly have much more background information to sift through.

(For this discussion, they won’t even get in to carriers’ courtroom concerns — namely, that plaintiffs attorneys also will be going over the now-available driver information & demanding to know how & why a carrier responded to each & every inspection violation. Needless to say, there’s more to this than the CSA 2010 score.)

As for retaining drivers, the “easy way out” is to set a policyowner & fire all drivers with potentially bothersome scores — & while a considerable number of carriers are doing that, Davis cautions that such an approach could show short-sighted.

“The path of least resistance is to disqualify drivers at every turn, each time you receive a new piece of information,” they said. “I think the challenge for us today is how can they use this information as a training tool to retain more drivers — to put more drivers back in to our driver pool. That’s the challenge.”

Among CSA 2010 myths, Davis disputed the idea that 175,000 drivers would lose their jobs. The figure was based on aggregate information that showed 6 percent of drivers would be in the deficient section under the new technique, they explained.

“It did not look at how lots of drivers possibly could rehabilitate themselves, or alter, three times they understand this model of accountability,” they said. “We may lose them to economic & other issues, but as far as being disqualified for safety, I don’t see it.”

They also noted the FMCSA is not revoking CDLs, & that there is no “magic number” on driver information points.

“For the most part, it will be the motor carriers policing themselves,” they said.

Every carrier will have its own standards for what kind of driver history is acceptable & what is not. Davis anticipates the standards might be high early in the CSA 2010 transition, but the standards could be eased if replacement drivers get harder & harder to find.

Among carriers participating in the webinar, a poll showed that two-thirds had not set a hiring standard based on a driver’s PSP record — although three-quarters said they were requesting PSP records on every applicant.

“We are in the midst of setting history,” Davis said.
lenged carrier executives to identify the company’s most at-risk drivers under CSA 2010. “You personally take the time to go intervene with them. I think you’ll listen to a fascinating story,” Davis said. “It will help you understand C SA 2010 even better than from behind your table.”

They also emphasized carriers must do a better job of managing speed.

“The number one risky driving violation is going to be speed,” they said, noting that carriers tend to speak a lot about it— but lots of take speed seriously only when fuel prices are high.
On average, one in three roadside inspections is the result of a speeding cease, Davis pointed out.

“If they control our speed, they can basically get rid of one-third of our roadside inspections,” they said. “If you’re going 15 mph over the speed limit, you have hung a sign on the side of your van that says, ‘I’m defying you to pull me over & inspect me.’”

New drivers, or veterans?

What about the idea that carriers ought to look for drivers who’ve earned their CDLs — since, data-wise, they have a spotless record?

While that might appear to make sense, Davis pointed out that carriers are only responsible for a driver’s safety violations while they or they is with that carrier — meaning, as far as the carrier’s CSA 2010 score goes, every driver starts with tidy record, though the points will stay after a driver leaves.

On the other hand, Davis expects roadside inspectors may well target drivers with tiny or no background information in the technique.

& what about drivers who might give up, thinking CSA 2010 is stacked against them?

“It’s all in the way they deliver this CSA 2010 to them,” they said.

Indeed, they cautions carriers to wait & see with veteran drivers as they fine-tune to the new expectations. long as they see improvement, I think we’re heading in the right direction,” Davis said. “Be slow, be gentle — but be firm.”

But won’t a driver who has run safely for years have a hard time suddenly needing to be “re-trained” because of CSA 2010 scores?

“We had a veteran driver that had three points total on his record, & I thought they was going to March on Washington,” Davis said. “Nobody likes this type scrutiny placed on them. It can be imposing on the driver. Usually with the veteran driver it does not go quickly.”
The key, they suggested, is to make positive drivers understand immediately the new significance of violations under CSA 2010.
“It may become impossible to keep drivers that we’ve had in our fleets for years,” Davis said. “We require to work with them, reply to every violation now & see where the chips fall in the future. That’s a hard answer, but I don’t know any other way to give it.”

Regulating Drivers Health, Simple pay them MORE!

2010-08-08T15:24:00.000-07:00

Federal regulators have announced designs to step up scrutiny of sleep apnea and other health issues affecting truckers, a move that has put them on notice to get healthy.
Truckers are more likely than average Americans to be overweight, which can lead to health issues including sleep apnea, which disrupts sleep and causes fatigue — contributing to thousands of crashes a year. No one knows for definite because the government has seldom necessary that drivers be tested.
'I've Gained 100 Pounds'
Outside the Iron Skillet restaurant on I-70 east of Kansas City — where you can receive a salad, but the chicken-fried steak and eggs with gravy definite look more appealing — it appears few truckers are going hungry.
"I'm not bad. I am 6-foot-4, but I weigh 406 pounds," says driver Jerry Mumma. "Do I need to lose weight? Oh yeah, I need to lose weight. I need to get down to about 260, 280 pounds."
Mumma's got company. Doctors writing federal transportation owner think that up to 40 percent of professional drivers are significantly overweight.
Sitting in his van, Marty Ellis blames the job. "Since I went to work here, I have gained 100 pounds — because you are sedentary," Ellis says. "This is your job — to sit behind this wheel."
And they sit for 10 or 11 hours a day, weeks at a time, lots of of them, following the work. Ellis says it is hard to arrange a checkup, harder still to park a 70-foot-long van and trailer at the doctor's office.
"Most of us don't go to the doctor. They , stay clear of 'em, and they keep going," Ellis says. "A lot of owner operators out here don't have insurance."
Truckers do must receive a medical examination at least every five years to qualify for their commercial driver's license. But lots of have been free to select doctors who might overlook red flags, like obesity, which can trigger sleep apnea. And that can lead to fatigue, which a federal study shows to be a factor in 13 percent of van crashes. The American Trucking Associations says very a third of drivers are likely suffer from sleep apnea, but the government has seldom necessary truckers to be tested for it. Ellis says they have always handled it on their own.
"I mean, before it didn't matter. As long as you could drive down the road it didn't matter. And now the regulations are beginning to say, in case you don't do this or you don't do that you may not drive anymore — it is something you , must think about," Ellis says.
Trucker Trainers
Dr. Maggie Gunnels, who serves on a panel that is rewriting health regulations for truckers, says the panel's job is to remove high-risk operators from the road. "It's safer for them, and it is safer for the American public who travel," Gunnels says.
The panel published proposed rule changes months ago. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will start to formalize them soon, beginning by establishing a registered pool of approved health screeners. Soon to follow: systematic screening for sleep apnea.
"So, I would say it is time to invest in your health. Hopefully lots of of them have started, and there's some great programs out there already for truckers," Gunnels says.
Greg McDermand, who works for a company that sells mobile sleep apnea treatment machines to truckers, encourages them to receive a small little bit of exercise. "We actually encourage the fellows to walk around your van five times every day. get out and get some kind of exercise," McDermand says.
And the fitness industry's is getting in on it, . In an exercise video, Bob Perry works out with heavy chains and a large tire, stuff truckers may have on hand.
"It's now reached the tipping point. Every day we are seeing an increase of drivers who say, 'I need to lose weight,' " Perry says.
Perry is the president of Roadside Medical Clinics, a company opening clinics at van stops.
And an organization called the St. Christopher Fund is taking health screening on the road.
Jon Osborn roams the country in campers called Medical Resource Vehicles loaded with medical diagnostic equipment. A former trucker, Osborn has lost 100 pounds historicallyin the past few years.
Osborn suggests that because van drivers have limited room in their trucks, they keep an alloy folding bicycle in their cabs — the kind you might expect to see an elderly person riding — so they can get some exercise. It may be kind of a stretch to imagine that happening in the macho cap-and-cowboy-boot culture of trucking. But it is a step in the direction that increasingly truckers will be taking, as they try to improve their health, before the government steps in.

2010-08-08T15:06:00.000-07:00

Your CDL information and records

2010-08-01T05:10:00.000-07:00

In July 2009, the Department of Transportation's Office of Inspector General released the document Audit of the Information Integrity of the Commercial Driver's License Information Technique as necessary by the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) (Pub. L. 109-59). CDLIS consists of a database, known as the Central Site, which maintains individual Master Pointer Records (MPR) with identifying information for each CDL holder in the United States. This database directs or points inquirers to the database of each of the 51 CDL-issuing jurisdictions for more complete driver history records. Connectivity for the technique is provided through an encrypted communications network. The FMCSA has designated the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) as the operator of the Central Site & the communications network. States are responsible for ensuring their systems comply with the CDLIS specifications & procedures as published by AAMVA.
In preparing its document, OIG evaluated several factors related to the information stored at the CDLIS Central Site & on State databases. Specifically, OIG tried to decide "whether CDLIS & State department of motor vehicles (DMV) information systems were adequately secured," & "the adequacy of contingency designs to make definite continued CDLIS service to DMVs following a catastrophe or emergency." (Note: The OIG document refers to DMVs. However, as States continue to reorganize their organizations away from all-inclusive DMVs, FMCSA has used the term "State Driver Licensing Agencies" in earlier rulemakings to refer to these same agencies responsible for issuing CDLs).
The identifying information on the MPR at the CDLIS Central Site includes the name, date of birth, social security number, State of Record, & driver's license number. Because this information, both as individual & cumulative information elements, is thought about personally identifiable information (PII), possessors of the information must take specific steps to prevent unauthorized access & dissemination. Simultaneously, because the information contained at the CDLIS Central Site & on SDLA databases is crucial to highway safety in the work of the CDL issuance process & at roadside enforcement/inspection, it is paramount that the information be available to all authorized users with minimal disruption.
In its document, OIG noted that FMCSA had neither developed & implemented sufficient comprehensive security policies & procedures to protect the portal it makes use of to access CDLIS, nor had it developed complete contingency & testing designs for this technique to make definite uninterrupted CDL information services in the event of a catastrophe or technique outage. The FMCSA is currently addressing these findings by working directly with its service providers & is reporting its progress to OIG through corrective action plan updates. As the operator of CDLIS, AAMVA is also modernizing the technique to adhere to standards established by the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA). Similar FISMA standards are being applied to the portal FMCSA owns & makes use of to access CDLIS.
The OIG also noted similar deficiencies in some State systems & programs. In two of nine States reviewed, the OIG found that information security practices, including continuity of operation & catastrophe recovery policies & designs, were either non-existent or casual, & that State continuity of operations, catastrophe recovery, & information technique contingency planners had seldom engaged in adequate testing exercises.
Guidance
Because of OIG's findings, FMCSA encourages States to assess their information security programs & either establish or update policies, designs, & procedures, to provide an adequate level of protection to maintain their operational mission & obligations.
While States are not necessary to meet Federal information security standards, each State ought to make definite that it's adequate & comprehensive processes & procedures in place to protect PII & sensitive information & to maintain its key operations in the work of an outage. The National Institute of Standards & Technology's (NIST) Computer Security Division maintains a Computer Security Resource Middle (CSRC) that provides free information to government & non- governmental entities in an hard work to protect information systems against threats & make definite availability of information & services. FMCSA recommends that States think about NIST standards & review the publications available at its Web-site: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://csrc.nist.gov/index.html.
I. Information Security
The key deficiency in States that OIG noted was the shortage of current information security designs. Adequate planning is necessary to document standards & provide for continuous review & improvement. FMCSA strongly encourages States to create an Information Security Strategic Plan (ISSP) that addresses organizational structure & governance, roles & obligations, & enterprise architecture. From this ISSP, the State ought to create specific policies & guidance to make definite information security. Further, a coordinated plan allows for systematic monitoring & improvement.
While obviously not intended to be comprehensive for giant organizations such as State driver licensing agencies, NIST Interagency Document (IR) 7621, Little Business Information Security: The Fundamentals provides basic information about information security issues. Topics in this publication include: Defending information systems from destroy by viruses, adware, & malicious code; defending web connections; using firewalls; updating operating systems & applications; securing wireless access points & networks; controlling physical access to network components; training employees about information security; & limiting worker authority to put in program, access definite sites, & gain access to network controls. Though States are not necessary to comply with FISMA, NIST Special Publication (SP) 800-53, Recommended Security Controls for Federal Information Systems & Organizations (Rev. 3, August 2009), provides a comprehensive guide to information security standards. NIST SP 800-100, Information Security Handbook: A Guide for Managers, also provides overview information for developing a security plan. NIST currently makes available over 30 additional publications related specifically to information security on topics ranging from wireless network access authentication to enterprise password management.
II. Technique & Service Unavailability
To mitigate the risks associated with technique & service unavailability, FMCSA encourages States to establish & implement:
Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP)--A plan that focuses on restoring an organization's essential functions at an alternate site & performing those functions for up to 30 days before returning to normal operations.
Catastrophe Recovery Plan (DRP)--An information know-how plan designed to restore operability of a technique, application, or computer facility after an emergency
Information Know-how Contingency Plan (ITCP)--A plan focused on ensuring continuity-of-support for major applications in the event of a disruption in normal operations due to an emergency.
These designs ought to include a business impact analysis (BIA) to decide: the interdependence of systems & work priorities in the event of a disruption; actions necessary to restore technique operations on a short term basis after a disruption until a more permanent solution can be implemented; & actions necessary to reconstitute a disrupted facility or lost information to its earlier level of capability. The BIA ought to also include an analysis of the organization's reliance on contracted support & connectivity, a prioritization list of the systems necessary for the organization's mission-critical functions, maximum allowable outages for technique parts (measured in hours or days), & obligations associated with restoring critical functions (including a line of succession in cases of staff unavailability). For further information on contingency planning, consult NIST's Special Publication 800-34: Contingency Planning Guide for Information Know-how Systems.
In addition to establishing designs for service disruption & catastrophe recovery, it is critical to perform tests that assure the designs will work. These tests ought to be designed as cost-effective ways of determining if contingency systems & personnel perform as expected. The tests also provide the organization & its personnel with the confidence & experience necessary to reply to a actual event. Tests can range from classroom exercises to full technique testing that simulates a actual event. Tests ought to be documented & the results examined for lessons learned & enhancements necessary to the contingency designs. For further information on contingency testing, consult NIST's Special Publication 800-84: Guide to Check, Training, & Exercise Programs for IT Designs & Capabilities.
Issued on: June 23, 2010.
FMCSA
Anne S. Ferro,