Get ready for Roadcheck 2009 scheduled for June 2 through June 4, 2009.

Every summer, enforcement officers around the country operate what’s come to be known by truckers as a 72-hour-blitz. The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) boasts that during the blitz, an average of 14 trucks or buses will be inspected every minute nationwide.

In years past, CVSA road checks have focused on proper brake adjustment, seat belt use, load securement, and hours of service rules, but any and all violations are potential targets.

The CVSA started their Roadcheck inspections in 1988. Since then, CVSA certified officers have performed more than 1 million roadside inspections.

Make sure you don’t become a Roadcheck 2009 statistic- check your equipment and keep your log book up to date and legal at all times, especially during the 7/2/2009-7/4/2009 Roadcheck 2009!

Roadcheck 2008 took place June 3rd-5th, 2008. The CVSA reports that they had 9,148 inspectors at 1,683 locations who performed 67,931 inspections on trucks and buses. That’s a lot of inspections in 3 days! The results of Roadcheck 2008 show that there were fewer drivers placed out of service for hours of service violations than there were in 2007. In 2008, 94.7 percent of drivers passed their inspection compared to 93.8 percent of drivers who passed in 2007. For vehicles, 79.2 percent passed the vehicle inspection in 2008. 20.8 percent of vehicles were placed out of service for various safety violations compared to 21.5 percent that were placed out of service in 2007.

Tags: Roadcheck 2009, Enforcement Officers, 72-hour-blitz, Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, CVSA, CVSA Road Check, Brake Adjustment, Hours Of Service, Roadside Inspection, Roadcheck, Roadcheck 2008, Hours Of Service Violations, Out Of Service, Safety Violations

The banking crisis has strapped some small businesses. But Blake and Blair Financial, a company based in Manchester, Ohio, makes it their business to help businesses.

“Helping people and giving them direction is something that I enjoy about my business,” said Nick Murat, the financial manager. “If I can’t help you, I will refer you to someone who can.”

Murat has 30 years of experience in the trucking industry, starting as a welder with East Manufacturing. “I’ve seen the trucking industry cycle over the years with highs and lows,” he said. “One thing is certain, you will always need a truck and/or a trailer to move freight, sand and gravel, coal, building materials, food products and oil products.”

Murat, the owner of Blake and Blair, utilizes his knowledge of trucking, small business, equipment and finance. He understands the challenges of owning a business and the needs of independent truckers.

“I talk the lingo. I understand axle weights and bridge laws,” he said. He also has a firm grasp of the cost of doing business. “Independent owner operators and dealers in the industry feel comfortable when dealing with me because I understand the problems they are facing in these economic times. I find ways to structure deals where other financial institutions will just pass on them.”

Thomas Swartz, owner of Louisville based Thomas R. Swartz Trucking, first turned to Murat a few years ago to refinance a truck. “I’m an independent trucker. I’m on the road. I don’t have to take off from working to get a loan. Nick handles that,” said Swartz.

When Swartz needed a trailer and another truck, Murat helped him. “We refinanced and he got a lower interest rate. He saved me at least three points on the loan.”

“Blake and Blair Financial can offer affordable quality options for equipment financing,” said Murat.

The company is not limited to just heavy equipment, explained Murat. “We have the resources to finance office equipment, business phone systems, restaurant equipment, car wash systems, machine shop equipment or just about any business-related equipment.”

Murat said many of the business referrals he receives are from other banks and dealers who cannot secure financing for their client.

Murat’s business works with customers from across the nation and across the borders in Canada and Mexico. The company has expanded to help customers sell equipment, not just here in the United States but exporting them. “Many of my clients have been contacting me about moving equipment they would like to sell off.”

Blake and Blair Financial offers solutions for commercial equipment loans in these tough times. “I understand the problems they are facing in these economic times,” said Murat, who is appreciative of his own family, friends and the business community in his business venture.

For more information about Blake and Blair Financial, call 330-882-5033.

This article was originally published by The Suburbanite and is published here with permission from Tammy Proctor and Blake and Blair Financial.

Tags: Small Businesses, Blake And Blair Financial, Nick Murat, Trucking Industry, Trucking, Independent Truckers, Axle Weights, Bridge Laws, Independent Owner Operators, Refinance A Truck, Equipment Financing, Commercial Equipment Loans

When fuel prices are high, the truckers who pay for fuel (owner operators, lease operators, and fleet owners) find themselves shutting their trucks down or changing over to idling reduction technologies in an effort to save money. But even when fuel prices are high, environmental concerns place restrictions on when and where truckers can idle their trucks.

In Part II of this series, we’ll explain the idling rules in Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri and Nevada.

Illinois: The counties of Cook, DuPage, Lake, Kane, McHenry, Will, Madison, St. Claire, and Monroe and the cities of Aux Sable, Goose Lake, and Oswego adhere to the following idling standards.
Maximum Idling Time: 10 minutes within any hour, 30 minutes within any hour if waiting to weigh, load or unload, no limit if the outside air temperature is less than 32 degrees (F) or more than 80 degrees (F).
Exceptions: Traffic conditions, to prevent a safety or health emergency, service or repair, using a power take off for work purposes, government inspection, resting in the sleeper berth, mechanical difficulties.
Fines: $50 for the first offense, $150 for the second and subsequent offense within a one-year period.

Maine:
Maximum Idling Time: 5 minutes in any one hour, 15 minutes in any one hour if the outside air temperature is between 32 degrees (F) and 0 degrees (F), no limit if the outside air temperature is less than 0 degrees (F).
Exceptions: Traffic conditions, to prevent a safety or health emergency, maintenance, service, repair, diagnostics, state or federal inspections, if the engine must idle to provide work-related power, to provide air conditioning or heat during driver rest in sleeper berth, to provide air conditioning or heat while waiting to load or unload, mechanical problems where a driver can provide a receipt of repair within 30 days.
Fines: $25-$50 for the first offense, $150-$500 for each subsequent offense.

Maryland:
Maximum Idling time: 5 minutes.
Exceptions: Traffic conditions, mechanical difficulties, heating, cooling, to provide power for auxiliary equipment, conforming to manufacturer’s specifications.
Fines: Minimum $500.

Massachusetts:
Maximum Idling Time: 5 minutes.
Exceptions: If the vehicle is being serviced, if the engine is needed to provide power (and no other power is available).
Fines: First offense minimum $100, subsequent offenses minimum $500.

Minnesota: There are no state-wide idling regulations but the cities of Minneapolis, Owatonna, and St. Cloud all impose restrictions.
Maximum Idling Time-Minneapolis: 0 minutes between the hours of 10 pm and 6 am in residential areas. This includes refer units.
Maximum Idling Time- Owatonna: 15 minutes every 5 hours in any residential area.
Maximum Idling Time- St. Cloud: 5 minutes on West Germain Street between 8th Ave and 10th Ave.
Exceptions- Minneapolis: Compliance with traffic signals or signs, permitted construction equipment.
Fines- Minneapolis: Maximum of $700 and/or 90 days imprisonment.
Fines- Owatonna: Maximum of $1,000 and/or 90 days imprisonment.
Fines- St. Cloud: Minimum of $200.

Missouri: Only St. Louis County and the city of St. Louis have idling restrictions.
Maximum Idling Time- St. Louis County: 3 minutes
Maximum Idling Time- St. Louis: 10 minutes
Exceptions- St. Louis county: Idling is allowed while the unit is being used for loading, unloading or processing.
Fines- St. Louis County: Maximum of $1,000 and/or 1 year imprisonment.
Fines- St. Louis: Not less than $1 nor more than $500 and/or maximum imprisonment of 90 days.

Nevada: The state of Nevada has idling restrictions as do Clark County and Washoe County.
Maximum Idling Time: 15 minutes
Exceptions: Traffic congestion, when idling is necessary as part of a maintenance procedure performed at a repair facility, to perform a specific, work-related task (limited to maximum of 15 minutes during air pollution emergency), if the vehicles emissions are contained, treated an approved by the Environmental Commission.
Exceptions- Clark County: Traffic congestion, when idling is necessary as part of a maintenance procedure performed at a repair facility, to perform a specific, work-related task (limited to maximum of 15 minutes during air pollution emergency), if vehicle emissions are contained and treated per a Control Officer.
Exceptions- Washoe County: Traveling on a public right of way from one location to another, to perform a specific, work-related task (limited to maximum of 15 minutes during air pollution emergency), when idling is necessary as part of a maintenance procedure performed at a repair facility
Fines: First violation in a 3 year period- between $100 and $500; second violation in a 3 year period- between $500 and $1,000; third violation in a 3 year period- between $1,000 and $1,500; fourth violation in a 3 year period- between $1,500 and $2,500.
Fines- Clark County: Maximum fine of $10,000.
Fines- Washoe County: First offense- no greater than $250; second and subsequent offenses- between $250 and $500.

This information was compiled from various sources including various state and local legal codes and the ATRI.

Although we go to great lengths to make sure our information is accurate and useful, we recommend you consult enforcement officials and/or a lawyer if you want professional assurance that our information, and your interpretation of it, is appropriate to your particular situation.

Tags: Fuel Prices, Owner Operators, Lease Operators, Fleet Owners, Idling Reduction Technologies

1/3/2009 Officers are set up in the Henryetta/Tiger Mountain rest area at mile marker 251 on I 40, Oklahoma, on the west bound side. The Weigh Station Open signs are out and trucks are required to enter the rest area for log book checks, weight checks and inspections. Oklahoma enforcement officers go for long stretches with these rest areas closed but when they decide to open them, they make it worth their while. Many trucks will be waved through but many others will be weighed, have their paperwork inspected and/or have their vehicle inspected.

Thanks to forum member Mississippi for letting us know about this Weigh Station Alert!

This Weigh Station Alert is current as of noon Oklahoma time.

Tags: Weigh Station, Log Book, Oklahoma Enforcement Officers, Weigh Station Alert

12/8/08 Officers are reportedly performing inspections in force at the Chowchilla/Le Grand weigh station on north bound route 99. Not only are all four inspection bays in use but officers are also in the parking lot doing inspections on even more trucks. We are unable to confirm that PrePass is turned off but drivers report that an unusual number of trucks are getting the red light. If you have a current CVSA sticker in your windshield you are likely to avoid an inspection but no promises. If you don’t have a current CVSA sticker, expect to be inspected!

12/4/08 Yet again drivers tell us that officers have the north bound I 15 scales at mile marker 25 in Nevada wide open. You can normally expect these scales to be locked up tight, but we’ve been getting more reports on this weigh station than any other, so don’t go assuming they’ll be closed any more! Drivers report that about 5 DOT officers are out inspecting trucks. This report is accurate as of 12:30 Las Vegas time today.

Just in time for Christmas, CoopsAreOpen.com Christmas cards are now available for purchase in the CoopsAreOpen.com Cafepress store!

To order, visit the CoopsAreOpen.com Cafepress Store!

These days, engine idling is on most truckers minds. Some have taken it upon themselves to save fuel while others take offense to the idea that they can’t idle their trucks at their own discretion. Truckers these days have more options than they did in the old days. More and more trucks are equipped with idling reduction technology- Auxiliary Power Units (APUs) and Fuel Operated Heaters (FOHs), for example. And, though there are flaws in its implementation, there is also the option of using Idleaire technology at some truck stops. Idleaire provides climate control and power to trucks parked in designated truck stop parking spots. There are pros and cons to all these options.

In Part I of this series, we’ll explain the idling rules in Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, and Georgia.

Arizona: Only Maricopa County in Arizona has idling restrictions (Maricopa County encompasses the metropolitan areas around Phoenix).
Maximum Idling Time: 5 minutes.
Exceptions: Traffic or adverse weather conditions, emergency or law enforcement reasons, use of a power take off for work purposes, conforming to manufacturer’s specifications, maintenance or diagnostics, hours of service compliance.
Fines: First offense- $100, second offense (or more)- $300.

California: California idling laws are added to by two the city of Sacramento and by Placer County (Lake Tahoe area). If the truck engine is a year 2007 or newer, FOH operation is not allowed. If the truck engine is 2006 or older, use of an APU or other certified idling reduction technology is allowed. California has many restrictions and requirements for APUs and other idling reduction technology.
Maximum Idling Time: 5 minutes for both the engine and any APU if parked within 100 feet of a restricted area (residential etc).
Exceptions: Traffic conditions, adverse weather conditions, mechanical problems, vehicle safety inspections (where idling the engine is necessary to check for safe operation of items), service or repair to equipment, power take off for work purposes, prevention of a safety or health emergency.
City of Sacramento Additional Exceptions: Conforming to manufacturer’s specifications, hours of service compliance if the truck is parked at a truck stop or rest area.
City of Sacramento Additional Restrictions: Refrigeration units (Thermoking, Carrier, etc) are not allowed to be run within 100 feet of residential areas or schools unless loading or unloading.
Placer County Additional Exceptions: Conforming to manufacturer’s specifications, operation of intermittent equipment, hours of service compliance if the truck is parked at a truck stop or rest area.
Placer County Additional Restrictions: Refrigeration units (Thermoking, Carrier, etc) are not allowed to be run within 1000 feet of residential areas or schools unless loading or unloading (30 minutes allowed for waiting).
Fines: Minimum fine of $300.
Additional Fine Info City of Sacramento: Fines will not be less than $100, nor more than $25,000 per violation.
Additional Fine Info Placer County: Minimum fine of $50.

Colorado: The city of Aspen, Colorado City and Denver County have idling restrictions.
Maximum Idling Time- City of Aspen: 5 minutes in any 1 hour period.
Maximum Idling Time- Colorado City/Denver County: 10 minutes in any 1 hour period.
Exceptions- City of Aspen: To achieve an engine temperature of 120 degrees and/or air pressure of 100 lbs. Buses are allowed to idle while loading or unloading passengers in addition to the 5 minute maximium.
Exceptions- Colorado City/Denver County: If the outside air temperature has been less than 20 degrees (F) for 24 hours or if the air temperature is less than 10 degrees (F), if traffic conditions warrant idling, if the vehicle is being serviced.
Fines- City of Aspen: Maximum of $1,000 and/or 1 year imprisonment
Fines- Colorado City/Denver County: Not less than $999 and/or 1 year imprisonment.

Connecticut:
Maximum Idling Time: 3 minutes
Exceptions: Traffic conditions, mechanical difficulties, conforming to manufacturer’s specifications, if the outside air temperature is less than 20 degrees (F), maintenance.
Fines: Not more than $5,000 per week.

Delaware:
Maximum Idling Time: 3 minutes, 15 minutes if outside air temperature is between 32 degrees (F) and -10 degrees (F), no limit if outside air temperature is less than -10 degrees (F).
Exceptions: Traffic conditions, mechanical difficulties, conforming to manufacturer’s specifications, repairs, using a power take off, to provide power while sleeping or resting if there is no truck stop with electrical power provided within 25 miles, safety inspections.
Fines: From $50 to $500 per offense.

District of Columbia:
Maximum Idling Time: 3 minutes, 5 minutes if outside air temperature is less than 32 degrees (F).
Exceptions: Using a power take off
Fines: Undetermined

Florida: Florida’s idling restrictions go into effect December 15, 2008.
Maximum Idling Time: 5 minutes
Exceptions: Traffic conditions, vehicle safety inspection (pre-trip), work related idling, to provide heat or air conditioning in order to prevent a safety or health related emergency (but not for the sole purpose of driver comfort), to provide power while sleeping or resting in the sleeper berth (this exemption is slated to expire in September of 2013).
Fines: Undetermined

Georgia: The state of Georgia is still determining their idling standards but the City of Atlanta does enforce idling restrictions. Georgia plans to adopt anti-idling legislation to be enforced starting May 2009.
Maximum Idling time- Atlanta: 15 minutes, 25 minutes if the outside air temperature is less than 32 degrees (F).
Proposed Exceptions: Repair, maintenance, using a power take of for work purposes.
Exceptions- Atlanta: To perform work-related duties, traffic conditions.
Fines: Minimum $500

This information was compiled from various sources including various state and local legal codes and the ATRI.

Although we go to great lengths to make sure our information is accurate and useful, we recommend you consult enforcement officials and/or a lawyer if you want professional assurance that our information, and your interpretation of it, is appropriate to your particular situation.

Tags: Engine Idling, Truckers, Idling Reduction Technology, Auxiliary Power Units, Fuel Operated Heaters, Idleaire, Idling Restrictions, Power Take Off, Hours Of Service Compliance., California Idling Laws

You’ll often hear truckers throwing around terms like “Level I Inspection” or saying something like “He gave me a Level III.” But many truckers don’t know what the various levels of inspections are or what is involved when an officer performs them. The CVSA (Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance) is an international organization. It is made up of motor carrier safety officials at local, state and Federal levels as well as trucking industry representatives in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

Generally, drivers need only concern themselves with Level I, Level II, Level III, and Level VI inspections.

Here is a quick, concise guide to CVSA inspection levels.

Level I- North American Standard Inspection

Paperwork: driver’s license, medical card (medical examiner’s certificate/DOT physical), log book, vehicle inspection reports, and Skill Performance Evaluation Certificates if applicable.

Driver: seat belt use, alcohol and drugs

Vehicle: brake systems, exhaust systems, fuel systems, electrical systems (cables and batteries), steering mechanisms, frames, suspensions, tires, wheels, rims, hubs, lighting (head lights, turn signals, emergency flashers, brake lights, tail lights), coupling devices (if trailer is present), load securement, condition of trailer bodies (if present), windshield wipers, and emergency exits. If the load contains Hazardous Materials, a Haz-Mat officer will inspect Haz-Mat items.

Level II- Walk Around and Paperwork Inspection

The inspector performs a Level I inspection with the exception that, in the walk around inspection, the inspector is unlikely to examine anything that requires getting under the vehicle.

Level III- Paperwork Inspection

Paperwork: driver’s license, medical card (medical examiner’s certificate/DOT physical), log book, vehicle inspection reports, and Skill Performance Evaluation Certificates if applicable.

Driver: seat belt use, alcohol and drugs

Level IV- Special Inspections

These inspections are usually part of a study to determine if a particular trend is occurring. Inspections are generally made of just one item or aspect.

Level V- Vehicle Only Inspection

The driver is not present for this inspection, so driver related items are not inspected.

Vehicle: brake systems, exhaust systems, fuel systems, electrical systems (cables and batteries), steering mechanisms, frames, suspensions, tires, wheels, rims, hubs, lighting (head lights, turn signals, emergency flashers, brake lights, tail lights), coupling devices (if trailer is present), load securement, condition of trailer bodies (if present), windshield wipers, and emergency exits. If the load contains Hazardous Materials, a Haz-Mat officer will inspect Haz-Mat items.

Level VI- North American Standard Inspection for Transuranic Waste and Highway route Controlled Quantities of Radioactive Materials

Inspectors perform a Level I inspection. In addition, inspectors ensure that radiological requirements and Transuranic Waste and Highway route Controlled Quantities of Radioactive Materials requirements are met.

Level VII- Jurisdictional Mandated Commercial Vehicle Inspection

Other inspection programs that are required by various jurisdictions for the inspection of, for example, limousines and school buses. No CVSA decal is issued for a Level VII inspection.

Officers are performing full CVSA Level 1 inspections at the north bound Canoa Rest Area on I 19 at km 53. This means that both paperwork and vehicle inspections are under way. The good news is that if you get an inspection and pass, you’ll get a CVSA inspection sticker which will let officers at other locations know that your vehicle has recently passed an inspection and does not need to be inspected for a while. Thanks to Russ M for letting us know about this Weigh Station Alert!

If you know anyone who would like to receive Weigh Station Alerts, please help get the word out. And, as always, if you see increased weigh station or inspection activity, keep us informed! CONTACT US!