Dear TMAF Member:

This summer, wrap your trailer and show big support on the road!

Trucking Moves America Forward is proud to announce trailer decal wraps are now available for purchase. TMAF Co-Chairman Kevin Burch set a goal to have 100 wrapped trailers on our highways by the end of 2015. These wraps are moving billboards to promote the professional trucking industry and are a great addition to your trailer and fleet. 

• Pricing starts at $2,300 for standard non-reflective full coverage graphics (2 sides & 1 rear); 
• Standard non-reflective full coverage graphics with skirt (2 sides & 1 rear, & 2 skirts) start at $2,500. }
  
  
  To learn more or order a trail wrap, contact TMAF.  

  
  About Trucking Moves America Forward

  Trucking Moves America Forward is a long-term industry-wide movement established to create a positive image for the industry, to ensure that policymakers and the public understand the importance of the trucking industry to the nation's economy and to build the political and grassroots support necessary to strengthen and grow the industry in the future.
  
  To learn more, visit www.TruckingMovesAmerica.com.  

  Join the movement through social media:

  www.facebook.com/TruckingFWD

  www.youtube.com/TruckingFWD

   www.twitter.com/TruckingFWD

   

ATA's Dave Osiecki appears with on Fox News to discuss the Obama administration's proposed standards for greenhouse gas emissions and fuel efficiency in medium- and heavy-duty trucks. 

 

Watch the video here.  

The Montana Department of Justice, Motor Vehicle Division, will be implementing new regulations that will affect Montana drivers renewing their commercial driver's license (CDL).

Montana CDL holders will need to present proof of U.S. citizenship or authorized presence beginning July 8^th when renewing their commercial driver license. Acceptable documents include a certified U.S. birth certificate or valid passport. See the MVD website http://dojmt.gov/driving for more information.

This information has been included on the license renewal notices since January of this year. This change will bring Montana into compliance with Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulation (49 CFR, 383) and current Montana Code Annotated (61-5-105).

WASHINGTON - Senate appropriators on June 25 voted to include an MCM supported provision that would allow the use of twin 33-foot trailers nationwide in a fiscal 2016 transportation funding bill.

The provision, introduced as an amendment sponsored by Alabama Republican Sen. Richard Shelby, was adopted by a vote of 16-14, mostly along party lines. Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) voted favorably on the amendment, while Appropriations Committee Chairman Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) opposed it.

Shelby argued his proposal to allow such twin trailers would make the nation's highways safer, a sentiment echoed by Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), chairman of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations subcommittee.

The amendment would allow state departments of transportation, as well as governors, to request an exemption to the provision if they are incapable of safely accommodating a commercial truck with the twin 33-foot configuration. It also would direct the Secretary of Transportation to update Congress three years after the bill's enactment on a crash data analysis that compares twin 28-foot trailers and twin 33-foot trailers. The secretary also would be required to recommend technologies, such as collision avoidance and stability control, that would improve safety.  

Many Democrats, however, disagreed with Shelby's assessment, arguing the longer trailers would make highways unsafe. Prior to the vote on the amendment, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) urged the panel to reject the proposal.  

Overall, the $55.6 billion draft funding measure would provide $572 million for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and $500 million for a high-profile infrastructure grants program. The measure was reported to the floor, as amended, by a vote of 20 to 10.

"The demands for more infrastructure are significant. The budget requires us to set priorities, and this Senate bill makes those choices and focuses on using the taxpayer money wisely," Cochran said.

Republican leaders who manage the floor have yet to indicate when the bill would be considered before the full Senate.

"We want to thank the members of the Appropriations Committee for moving forward a 2016 spending bill that advances the cause of safety and protects the environment," said ATA President Bill Graves.

"We know that the FMCSA's restart restrictions increased truck traffic during the daytime, leading to an increase in accidents and we know that a modest increase in tandem trailer length will eliminate millions of truck trips annually," Graves said. "Further, we know the leading causes of truck crashes are the actions of other vehicles, so the best way to eliminate crashes on our highways is to limit interactions between trucks and cars. This bill takes steps to do that."

Customs & Border Protection (CBP) has asked that the message below be disseminated.  They recently upgraded the security on the DTOPS border transponder/payments system and carriers will need to register new passwords and security questions.  If you've logged into DTOPS and updated your password since May 16, you don't need to do anything.  If not, the next time you log in you'll be prompted to update your password.  CBP is recommending that carriers do this now, when their traffic is low, so that you can be assured of receiving prompt customer service should you need it.  If you have any questions, please contact me.

----CBP Message----

The US Customs and Border Protection Decal and Transponder Online Procurement System (DTOPS) has been upgraded with enhanced security software.   If you are a DTOPS user and have a DTOPS account, the password that you utilized prior to May 16, 2015 is no longer valid.  When you attempt to log in for the first time since the upgrade,  an email with a temporary password will be sent to the email address listed on file with DTOPS.  You will need to log into DTOPS using this password instead of your current password.  You will then be required to change that system generated password to a password you create, and choose three new security questions.  It is NOT necessary to contact the DTOPS helpdesk to receive a temporary password.  The new password will be valid for 18 months.  If you have already completed the password change and created three new security questions since May 16, 2015, you do NOT need to do it again. 

----End CBP Message----

Boyd Stephenson

Vice-President, International Supply Chain Operations

American Trucking Associations

950 N Glebe Rd.

Suite 210

Arlington, VA 22203-4181

(703) 838-7982

WASHINGTON - More than 10,000 veterans and active duty personnel have now taken advantage of the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Military Skills Test Waiver Program.  In the first three years of the Military Skills Test Waiver Program, approximately 6,000 former military personnel obtained a civilian commercial driver's license (CDL).  In the past 12 months alone, another 4,000 individuals, including Reserves, National Guard, and U.S. Coast Guard service members, have taken advantage of the Program.

"It is our duty to help returning veterans transition into civilian life, and I am proud that so many have used this program to secure careers in the transportation sector," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. "Just as important, we want to put their valuable skills and experience to work driving the Nations' economy."

The Military Skills Test Waiver Program, which began in 2011, grants state licensing agencies, including the District of Columbia, the authority to waive the skills test portion of the CDL application for active duty or recently separated veterans who possess at least two years of safe driving experience operating a military truck or bus.  Waiving the skills test expedites the civilian CDL application process and reduces expenses for qualified individuals and operating costs to state licensing agencies. 

"In the near future, the need for skilled truck drivers is expected to grow dramatically," said FMCSA Chief Counsel Scott Darling.  "Having skillful and experienced drivers operating on our roadways will lead to increased safety for every member of the motoring public."

The USDOT/FMCSA Military Skills Test Waiver Program has been conducted in close cooperation with the Department of Defense and the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA).  

Additional information, including a standardized application form accepted in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, is available at: http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/registration/commercial-drivers-license/military.

TO:            MCM Members

FROM:      Barry Stang

RE:            TRUCK DRIVER APPRECIATION EVENTS

The MCM sponsored Truck Driver Appreciation events will be held Wednesday, September 16, 2015 at the westbound and eastbound Mossmain scale between Billings and Laurel and Muralt's Truck Stop in Missoula. This annual event will provide lots of great food and prizes.

Any MCM member interested in helping with this event may do so by completing the bottom of this sheet and returning it to the MCM office. Sponsors will be recognized on a banner at each location, on a flyer presented to each truck driver, and in our monthly newsletter.

If you are interested in helping sponsor this event, please respond to our office ASAP, in order to have your name on the banners.

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to call the MCM office at 406-442-6600.

Please return this form to the MCM office by August 24, 2015 to ensure banner and newsletter placement.

You may also be contacted by the local Safety Management chapters for contributions.
They will notify MCM to make sure recognition is given.

_____ YES, I would like to help sponsor the Driver Appreciation events:

            $ ­­­­­­­­­­­­____________

            Other (items): _________________________________________ 

_____ BILL MY ACCOUNT  

I'M AVAILABLE TO VOLUNTEER

COMPANY NAME: ____________________________________  
PHONE: ____________________

COMPANY ADDRESS: _________________________________         
EMAIL:   ____________________

CONTACT: ___________________________________________

Please email to katie@mttrucking.org, fax to MCM at (406) 443-4281 or mail to 501 North Sanders, Suite 201, Helena, MT 59601                                                                      

We are accepting nominations for our Dedicated Service Award and Volunteer Award via a letter of nomination spelling out why person is deserving. The dedicated service award & volunteer award are for anyone you'd like to nominate who you feel has shown dedication or has given their time throughout the year within their company and/or MCM services.

 

This only needs to be a short 1-2 paragraph nomination.  There is no official application for this. 

Nominations to MCM office by August 3, 2015.

Please email to katie@mttrucking.org