July 27, 2015:  MCM Weekly Newsletter
 

Our Sponsors


 
 


 



   







 









CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Sept 8    Board of Directors Meeting
              Salon A - Hilton Garden Inn, Missoula
              1:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
             
Sept 8     Safety Council Meeting
               Salon A - Hilton Garden Inn, Missoula
               3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
                
Sept 9-10      76th Annual MCM Convention
                      Hilton Garden Inn, Missoula

Sept 16           Driver Appreciation Day 
Convention Registration Materials Now Available

Register today for Motor Carriers of Montana's 76th Annual Convention.  Convention dates are
September 8 - 10, 2015
at the Hilton Garden Inn in Missoula. 
ATA Seeks Data on Industry's Safety Investment

Today, the American Trucking Associations launched a survey to determine how much the trucking industry invests in ensuring the nation's highways are safe.

 

"Last year, we conservatively estimated that trucking spends $7 billion annually on safety, even though we believe the true number is much higher," said ATA Executive Vice President Dave Osiecki. "So, today, we are asking carriers of all sizes and types to please take part in a brief survey so we can develop a more accurate figure."

 

"Safety is our industry's and our association's highest priority," said ATA President and CEO Bill Graves. "Information on how much trucking invests in safety and what it spends that money on will be invaluable for ATA and for policymakers as they set our industry's course for the future."

 

The 2015 Safety Expenditure Study is open to all for-hire and private motor carriers - regardless of their membership in ATA - and addresses the investments made around drug testing, driver safety incentives, training, onboard safety technology, safety personnel compensation and consulting fees.

 

Carriers can take the survey here at http://trck.ng/safetystudy, and those that do will receive a complimentary benchmarking guide based on the survey's findings and an invitation to an exclusive webinar on the survey's findings.

 

Surveys must be completed by August 14.
CVSA Brake Safety Week:  Sept 6-12

During the week of Sept. 6-12, 2015, law enforcement agencies across North America will conduct brake system inspections on large trucks and buses to identify out-of-adjustment brakes and brake-system violations as part of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance's (CVSA) Brake Safety Week.

      

Brake Safety Week is an annual outreach and enforcement campaign designed to improve commercial vehicle brake safety throughout North America. Outreach and educational efforts by commercial motor vehicle (CMV) inspectors, participating motor carriers and others in the industry are integral to the success of the campaign.

 

Brake-related violations comprised the largest percentage (representing 46.2 percent) of all out-of-service violations cited during Operation Airbrake's companion International Roadcheck campaign in 2014, which is focused on both vehicles and drivers. Improperly installed or poorly maintained brake systems can reduce the braking capacity and increase stopping distance of trucks and buses, which pose serious risks to driver and public safety.

 

Brake inspections conducted during Brake Safety Week include inspection of brake-system components to identify loose or missing parts, air or hydraulic fluid leaks, worn linings, pads, drums or rotors, and other faulty brake-system components. Antilock braking system (ABS) malfunction indicator lamps also are checked. Inspectors will inspect brake components and measure pushrod stroke where applicable. Defective or out-of-adjustment brakes will result in the vehicle being placed out of service.

      

Additional inspections may include some Level I Inspections and, in the 10 jurisdictions currently using performance-based brake testing (PBBT) equipment, overall vehicle braking efficiency will be measured. These systems include a slow speed roller dynamometer that measures total vehicle weight and total brake force from which braking efficiency is determined. The minimum braking efficiency for trucks is 43.5 percent, required by U.S. federal regulation and the CVSA Out-of-Service Criteria.

   

Last year, inspectors from participating agencies inspected 13,305 vehicles during 2014 Brake Safety Week and placed 2,162 commercial vehicles out of service (OOS) for brake violations. Of the vehicles inspected, the OOS rate for all brake-related violations conducted in North America was 16.2 percent, compared with 13.5 percent for the 2013 event. The OOS rate for brake adjustment was 10.4, and the OOS rate for brake components was 9.3 percent.

      

More than 3.4 million brakes have been inspected since the program's inception in 1998.

     

Brake Safety Week is part of the Operation Airbrake program sponsored by CVSA in partnership with the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).


National Highway Traffic Safety Upgrade Truck Underride and Conspicuity Rules

The National Highway Traffic Safety has issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on the rear-underride crash protection and visibility of single-unit trucks.

 

NHTSA said the ANPRM is "the first step of a larger agency initiative to upgrade the standards for truck and trailer underride crash protection" and aims to gather "significant input from the public and stakeholders on the estimated cost and benefits of safety strategies for these vehicles."

 

The agency defines SUTs as trucks with a gross vehicle weight rating greater than 10,000 pounds with no trailer.

 

Per NHTSA estimates, a requirement for rear impact guards on single unit trucks could save five lives and prevent 30 injuries a year, at a cost of approximately $669 million to equip some 342,000 vehicles.  

 

The agency also said a requirement for placing reflective tape on single-unit trucks could save up to 14 lives a year, at a cost of approximately $30 million annually for some 579,000 vehicles.

 

Accordingly, NHTSA is seeking comments about requirements for rear impact guards on new single-unit trucks and reflective material on the rear and sides of these vehicles.

 

The agency noted that issuance of the ANPRM stems from granting of a petition last year for rulemaking regarding possible amendments to the federal motor vehicle safety standards relating to rear underride guards.

 

NHTSA plans to issue a notice of proposed rulemaking on requirements for rear impact guards on trailers later this year.

 

Comments on the ANPRM on single-unit trucks can be submitted to the docket [No. NHTSA-2015-0070] up to 60 days after publication in the Federal Register.

Click here to view the ANPRM.

MCM New Member

 

Safety Vision, LLC is among the most recognized vendors of mobile video surveillance products in North America.

Safety Vision designs and supplies products that help improve visibility to protect assets, reduce liability, maximize operational efficiency and, most importantly, enhance safety.

Safety Vision

caters to five key industries - mass transit, pupil transportation, law enforcement, first response, and the work and transportation truck industry.

Rocky Bittner 

 

713.929.1044 DIRECT                     

 

713.896.6600 MAIN

713.896.6640 FAX

6100 West Sam Houston Parkway North | Houston, Texas  77041-5113

July Driver of the Month Nominations

We are now accepting driver of the month applications for July 2015. You may download an application from our webpage at www.mttrucking.org on our Home Page under the Driver of the Month tab.

All applications must be in by Friday, July 31 at 8:00 a.m.

Nominations For MCM Dedicated Service Award & Volunteer Award

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 

Truck Driver Appreciation

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:

            $ ญญญญญญญญญญญญ____________

            Other (items): _________________________________________ 

 

_____ BILL MY ACCOUNT  

 

I'M AVAILABLE TO VOLUNTEER

________ Yes or No  

 

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