January 5, 2015: MCM Weekly Newsletter |
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS
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Jan 6 Share The Road Skyview High, Billings 4:00pm - 5:00pm Jan 6 Board Meeting, Helena CANCELLED due to weather Jan 6 Safety Meeting, Helena CANCELLED due to weather Jan 6 Legislative Reception 5:00 PM - 8:30 PM Red Lion Colonial, Capitol/State Room Appetizers and host bar Jan 9 Human Trafficking Awareness Event The Gateway Center, Helena, 7PM Jan 12 Share The Road West High, Billings 4:00pm - 5:00pm Jan 12 SafetyFest Kalispell Flathead Valley Community College
777 Grandview Dr.
See article below for more info
Jan 13 Helena Chapter Safety Meeting
11:30 am - 12:30 pm
Perkins
Speaker: Jim Dusenberry, J&D Truck Repair
Topic: Carrier responsibilities and expectations during an accident
Jan 14 Billings Chapter Safety Meeting
11:30 am - 12:30 pm
Hanser's Wrecker
Speaker: Jim Dusenberry, J&D Truck Repair
Topic: Carrier responsibilities and expectations during an accident
Jan 20 Missoula Chapter Safety Meeting
12:00pm - 1:00pm
Jokers Wild
Speaker: Jim Dusenberry, J&D Truck Repair
Topic: Carrier responsibilities and expectations during an accident
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Legislative Reception
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Motor Carriers of Montana will be hosting a Legislative Reception on Tuesday, January 6 at the Red Lion Colonial Hotel in the Capitol/State Room, from 5:00 PM to 8:30 PM. Mingle with fellow MCM members & your local Legislators. Hors d'oeuvres & a hosted bar will be provided.
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Share The Road January
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We are in need of volunteers for Share The Road in Billings for the following dates and times.
Tuesday, January 6 Skyview High
Monday, January 12 West High
4:00p - 5:00 pm (all three days)
As you consider volunteering please remember that we need your equipment at the location ½ hour before the class starts.
We also require additional cars/pick-ups to go in the no-zones.
Any help you can provide in these areas would be appreciated. For questions please contact Frank Molodecki at frankm@dtsb.com.
Today's Share The Road at Senior High has been cancelled due to weather.
We will notify you of any reschedule.
| Skyview | 1/6/2015 | | Driver/Truck 1 | A&I Distributors Shannon Fisher | | Instructor 1 | Frank Molodecki DTS | | Helper | Bob Dupree - Cross Petroleum Service | | West High | 1/12/2015 | | Driver/Truck 1 | Ankrum Trucking Brian Ankrum | |
Driver/Truck 2
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Instructor 1
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Helper
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IFTA Ballot on LNG Fails
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The International Fuel Tax Agreement reports that Ballot No. 05-2014 has failed, by a vote of 34 to 23. Although 16 of the No votes represent states and provinces that didn't bother to vote, and one more a state that is currently ineligible to vote on ballots, IFTA requires that three quarters of all Agreement members vote Yes for a proposed amendment to be adopted. The Ballot 5 simply proposed that for purposes of IFTA, those reporting the use of liquefied natural gas report it in energy-equivalent measures, that is, in a gallon weighing 6.06 pounds or - in Canada - a liter weighing 0.73 kilograms. Such quantities of LNG hold approximately the same energy as a standard gallon or liter of diesel fuel. The change to IFTA is important because LNG is apparently sold for highway in these energy-equivalent measures rather than in gallons or liters of standard volume. It seems very likely that the ballot will again be introduced in 2015. (See the next article in this connection).
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California Clarifies N/G Rates
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It's probable that much more natural gas is sold and used as a highway fuel in California than in any other state. It may be significant, therefore, that 2014 California legislation (A.B. 1907), effective yesterday, provides that all retail sales of compressed natural gas for highway use must be measured in gasoline equivalent gallons of 126.67 cubic feet or 5.66 pounds, and any such sales of liquefied natural gas in diesel equivalent gallons of 6.06 pounds. The tax rates applying to these measures are, for CNG, 8.87 cents per gallon, and, for LNG, 10.17 cents per gallon. For more information, call the California State Board of Equalization at 800-400-7115, and ask for the Motor Carrier Office.
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FMCSA to Seek Input on Increasing Minimum Insurance Levels
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A MCM member now is the time to get involved in this issue not after the Government has told us what they are raising them to.
MCM believes that any raise must be based on sound information and facts, some of which points to a very small percentage of accidents reaching the current limits. Please comment using the following link
as soon as possible. http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=FMCSA-2014-0211-0001.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration on Nov. 28 published an advance notice of proposed
rulemaking on increasing the minimum insurance levels for carriers and brokers.
Instead of specifying a proposed minimum insurance level, the notice instead asks carriers and brokers to answer dozens of detailed questions - such as what they currently pay in premiums; whether rates are determined by driver, credit or safety history; and whether carriers get discounts for a certain number of vehicles in a fleet.
The ANPRM also asks: "What percentage of fleets, based on size and the type of operation of the carrier [passenger, property, hazmat] already have liability coverage that exceed the minimum financial responsibility requirement and by how much."
Currently, for most carriers the minimum coverage requirement is $750,000. Those specializing in hazardous materials must have either $1 million or $5 million depending on what they haul.
Those minimum levels, however, have been in place since 1985 and FMCSA said in April it would write a new insurance rule because "inflation has greatly increased medical claims costs and related expenses."
In the ANPRM the agency cited studies; among them one from Volpe Transportation Systems Center in2013 that said severe crashes today typically result in more than $1 million in damages.
The agency will take comments on the ANPRM for 90 days after the publication date.
FMCSA is also seeking comments on issues besides the minimum levels of financial responsibility for motor carriers, it said in the ANPRM.
The agency wants more information from freight brokers on the implementation of the requirement that took effect last year that required them to have $75,000 in minimum liability coverage.
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The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
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The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has announced through a Federal Register notice that the agency is seeking comment from commercial driver and training organizations, truck and bus associations, motor carriers, state licensing and law enforcement agencies, labor unions, safety advocacy groups, insurance companies, and the public on recommendations for membership to a negotiated rulemaking committee on minimum training requirements for entry-level commercial drivers.
The Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) directs FMCSA to establish minimum training requirements for individuals seeking to obtain an intrastate or interstate commercial driver's license (CDL) and become a professional truck or bus operator.
In August 2014, FMCSA announced by notice in the Federal Register that it had retained a neutral convener, and was exploring the possibility of proceeding with a negotiated rulemaking. The convener interviewed stakeholders and has recommended proceeding with a negotiated rulemaking.
The negotiated rulemaking committee would examine minimum training requirements, including length of classroom instruction and behind-the-wheel experience, accreditation versus certification of CDL training programs and schools, curricula for passenger, property, and hazardous materials carriers, instructor qualifications, as well as other areas.
The agency seeks to ensure a wide range of candidates are considered to achieve a balanced committee. Persons who will be significantly affected and believe their interests will not be represented on the proposed committee are encouraged to nominate themselves or another person.
A copy of the Federal Register notice is available at: https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2014/12/10/2014-28919/minimum-t....Comments will be accepted through January 9, 2015.
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Human Trafficking Awareness Event
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In conjunction with January's designation as National Human Trafficking Awareness Month, Attorney General Tim Fox will give introductory remarks at a human trafficking movie screening sponsored by the Helena and Whitefish Soroptimists.
When: Friday, January 9 at 7:00 pm
Where: The Gateway Center / 1710 National Avenue / Helena
Film: "In Plain Sight." To watch a trailer, visit: http://vimeo.com/88274204
The event is free and open to the public. Following the film, a panel discussion regarding human trafficking will take place. Special guests James and Athena Pond are also scheduled to attend. The Ponds are the founders of Transitions Global, which provides aftercare to sexually trafficked girls in Cambodia.
Montana has several laws related to human trafficking. They include those that protect people against being trafficked for involuntary servitude, sexual servitude or abuse of a child, and promoting prostitution. One of the Montana Department of Justice's legislative priorities in the current legislative session is HB 89, (Rep. Kim Dudik, D-Missoula), which would bring Montana's anti-trafficking laws into conformity with the model Human Trafficking Act. It would establish and strengthen definitions in state law as well as clarify penalties for those found guilty of human trafficking.
The 2013 legislature passed HB 488 (Gursky - Missoula), which directed the Montana Department of Justice to create a human trafficking poster. The poster is available for printing at www.dojmt.gov
Human trafficking has been identified as a $32 billion/ year industry and is the fastest growing element of the criminal industry in the world.
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2014 State Chain & Snow Removal Laws
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We have gathered information from each state and alphabetically listed each state's chaining requirements.
Click here for State Chain Laws
Click here for Snow Removal Laws
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SafetyFestMT: Kalispell 2015 Is Coming Soon!
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January 12 - 16, 2015
Flathead Valley Community College
777 Grandview Dr.
Kalispell, MT 59901Don't miss this opportunity to take advantage of the fantastic line up of FREE classes available at the Kalispell 2015 SafetyFestMT. Classes like Fall Protection, What a Safety Coordinator Does, First Aid/CPR/AED, Trenching, Personal Safety in the Workplace, OSHA Certified Classes and more will give you the tools you need to be successful in the workplace.
Register Now!
Please contact the following hotels for special rates for SafetyFestMT participants:
To register as an exhibitor please use the contact information below. Spaces are limited so don't wait!
Please contact:
Casey Kyler-West at 406.444.5267 or ckylerwest@mt.gov Thank you for your support of SafetyFestMT! Look for upcoming SafetyFest classes:
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Mark Your Calendar
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Montana ESGR & Montana Department of Labor Workforce Services Offices Job Fairs 2015
Early Entry Military, Military Spouses and Vets
Employers will be hiring
Billings Jobs Jamboree
March 18, 2015
METRA PARK Billings Montana
Contact Trisha Glenn 406-655-6081 TGlen@mt.gov Registration online now
Great Falls Community Job Fair
March 24, 2015
Great Falls, MT
Montana Expo Park Exhibition Hall
Great Falls Job Service Contact Barbara Hardy (406) 791-5816 bhardy@mt.gov
Southwestern Montana Job Fair
March 25, 2015
Butte Montana
Location to be determined
Job Service Manager Butte Marilyn Ohman (406) 494-0300 mohman@mt.gov
Bozeman Community Job Fair
April 8, 2015
Gallatin County Fairgrounds Bozeman, MT
Bozeman Job Service Contact Debbie Berg (406) 582-9200 dberg@mt.gov
Bozeman Job Service Contact Debbie Berg (406) 582-9200 dberg@mt.gov
Miles City Job Fair
April 8, 2015
A small job fair but closer to energy jobs in North Dakota
Miles Community College Miles City, MT
Miles City Job Service contact Cindy Erickson (406) 232-8349 cerickson@mt.gov
Helena Community Job Fair
April 9 2015
Lewis and Clark County Fairgrounds Helena MT
Helena Job Service Contact Carol Rule (406) 447-3215 crule@mt.gov
Flathead Valley Job Fair
April 16, 2015
Flathead Valley Community College Kalispell, MT
Flathead Job Service Contact Bill Gilbert (406) 758-6240 wgilbert@mt.gov
or Roberta Diegel Business Resource Consultant Flathead Job Service (406) 758-6273 rdiegel@mt.gov
North Western Montana's Largest Career Fair
April 21, 2015
Missoula, MT
Hilton Garden Inn
Missoula Job Service Contact Wolf Ametsbichler (406) 728-7060 wametsbichler@mt.gov
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Save The Date RMRSR 2015
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