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TMHA Summer Safety Meeting
an Informative Affair
This year's TMHA Summer Safety Meeting was once again held at Lake Geneva, Wis., on July 30-31. Beautiful weather welcomed the members to The Abbey Resort for the two, half-day sessions that always have an emphasis on safety.
The meeting opened at 1:00 p.m. on July 30 with a general membership meeting that followed the welcome lunch. TMHA President Jon Coca conducted this segment of the event, which concluded with time for members to discuss important topics like the economy, trucking's current regulatory environment, driver shortage and retention, alternative fuels, politics and other items of interest.
The afternoon session concluded with a presentation from David Heller, who is the director of safety and policy for the Truckload Carriers Association. Heller gave an in-depth update on the regulatory climate in Washington, D.C., and was very informative to the ever evolving compliance issues impacting trucking.
During the evening, attendees were treated to a boat cruise cocktail reception that was sponsored by HNI Truck Group. Networking was a primary objective of the cruise, but the two-hour tour around Lake Geneva also highlighted various homes, estates and other points of interest along the lake shores that were described by cruise ship captain.
To cap the first day of activities, a dinner that was sponsored by Great West Casualty Company was held back at The Abbey Resort in its Porto Room that offered another terrific view of the lake.
The meeting resumed on Thursday morning with a breakfast that preceded the first speaker of the morning -- Bob Terneus of Comdata. Terneus conducted a brief presentation on sleep apnea and then led a roundtable discussion on subject.
The topic for the second presentation of the morning (and last of the meeting) was Electronic Logging Devices. J.J. Keller & Associates representatives Cindy Davies and Paul Locke teamed to give an overview on the functionality of ELDs and the data that can be tracked through their use. Also discussed was the current pending rule and proposed timeline for the ELD mandate.
Nestled into between the presentations on sleep apnea and ELDs was the inaugural TMHA Fleet Safety Awards presentation. Three TMHA members were recognized for their outstanding safety programs and performance during the 2013 calendar year. The carriers honored were Gallano Trucking (0-20 million miles), Warren Transport (20-50 million miles) and Landstar Transportation (over 50 million miles).
This year's TMHA Fleet Safety Awards were sponsored by HNI Truck Group. Also helping support the meeting sessions were 2014 TMHA Premier Sponsors Comdata and Quality Trailer Sales.
TMHA Summer Safety Meeting Sponsors
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TMHA Board
of Directors
President
Jon Coca
Diamond Transportation System, Inc.
First Vice President
Mike Connell
Bennett Motor Express
Past President
Jim Towery
Steelman Transportation
Clayton Fisk
Warren Transport
Dave Gallano
Gallano Trucking, Inc.
Jeremy Ihle
Ihle Transport, Inc.
Aaron Tennant
Tennant Truck Lines
TMHA Mission Statement
To provide an ongoing forum for education, networking and advocacy for flatbed, step-deck and lowboy (RGN) carriers that specialize in the transportation of machinery and machinery-related commodities throughout the United States and Canada.
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Final Rule Eliminating Zero-Defect Driver
A federal rule to rescind the requirement that drivers submit vehicle inspection reports when no defects were found has made its way to the White House's Office of Management and Budget and is expected to be published as a Final Rule by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration in November.
The FMCSA issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking August 7 of last year and held a 60-day public comment period ending in October 2013.
The FMCSA then produced a final rule, which was sent to the OMB July 31 for approval there before its expected November publication date.
Under the new rule, drivers will still be required to perform the inspections, but they will be required to perform the inspections, but they will not be required to submit a report for those finding no defects.
The FMCSA said the rule will save the industry $1.7 billion a year in paperwork.
Source: Commercial Carriers Journal
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Roadcheck 2014 Results Released
Of the 72,415 drivers inspected in this year's Roadcheck inspection spree, 4.8 percent were placed out-of-service and more than half of those were placed out-of-service due to hours of service or logbook violations.
Of the driver OOS orders, hours violations accounted for 46.5 percent, according to the data released this week by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, who organizes the annual inspection blitz in conjunction with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
False logs accounted for 13.7 percent of the OOS orders, and disqualified and suspended drivers made up another 20 percent.
Nearly 70 percent of the inspections performed were Level I, the most thorough roadside inspection level.
Source: Commercial Carriers Journal
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CNBC Series
ATA President and CEO Bill Graves has written CNBC to express "disappointment" over the depiction of the industry in a recent series of reports on trucking. "Collision Course," as the package is called, began airing July 30.
The letter takes exception to the series' suggestions that truck drivers are to blame for the 4,000 truck-related deaths per year, saying "this is simply not true."
The series also takes a look at some current truck safety systems, such as lane departure warning and radar-enhanced cruise control, as well as the problem of "chameleon carriers."
ATA concludes CNBC should visit the upcoming 2014 National Truck Driving Championships, or take a ride with on of the industry's ambassadors, an American's Road Team Captain.
OOIDA was quick to criticize the series, as well.
Source: Commercial Carriers Journal
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Congratulations to the 2014 TMHA Fleet Safety Award Winners!
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Gallano Trucking
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Gallano Trucking, Landstar Transportation and Warren Transport were recipients of the first annual TMHA Fleet Safety Awards during the 2014 TMHA Summer Safety Meeting held on July 30-31.
Gallano Trucking
Belvidere, Ill.
0-20 Million Miles
Warren Transport
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Warren Transport
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Waterloo, Iowa
20-50 Million Miles
Landstar Transportation
Jacksonville, Fla.
Over 50 Million Miles
Each carrier member was honored during a presentation during the meeting. HNI Truck Group, which was the sponsor of this year's awards program,  | |
Landstar Transportation
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presented representatives from the three operations with a plaque to commemorate their accomplishments.
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Annual HVUT Form 2290 Must be Filed by End of August
The 2014-15 Heavy Vehicle Use Tax Form 2290 annual filing period will close at the end of August. Any company that operates one or more commercial motor vehicles weighing over 55,000 pounds is required to file this annual return with the Internal Revenue Service.
All returns must be electronically filed or postmarked by August 31 to be considered timely. Late fees and/or penalties will be assessed for missing the deadline. Companies with 25 or more trucks must file the Form 2290 electronically online through an IRS authorized e-file provider.
Organizations that have less than 25 trucks can still file using a paper return, but they must download it from the IRS Web site,
New vehicles obtained during the tax period -- July 1, 2014, to June 30, 2015 -- need to be filed no later than the last day of month following when it was first used.
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Public Comments are split on the various ways on the proposed federal rule that prohibits carriers, shippers, brokers and others from coercing drivers into operating their trucks beyond hours of service limits or against other regulations.
Two key arguments have emerged: One contending the rule is past due and that the FMCSA should do more to hold shippers and receivers accountable, and the other saying the rule is a good idea but places the burden of proof of coercion on truck operators, thereby undermining its purpose.
Drivers mostly seem supportive of the rule's intent, though several take issues with the fact that the burden of proof of coercion is with drivers.
Source: Commercial Carriers Journal
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Missouri Voters Reject Transportation Tax
Missouri voters have rejected a proposed constitutional amendment that would have raised the state's sales tax from 4.225 cents to five cents for 10 years to pay for road improvements.
The measure on the August 5 ballot was defeated 59 percent to 41 percent. Backers of the measure said the extra three-quarters of a cent would have generated nearly $5 billion for transportation projects over the coming decade.
The measure also would have prohibited raising the state's 17-cent fuel tax or building any toll roads during the decade-long life of the sales tax increase.
if I don't improve my safety performance and compliance
Source: Transport Topics
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ATRI Asking Trucking Industry to Rank Top Concerns
The American Transportation Research Institute, the trucking industry's not-for-profit research organization, launched on August 11 the 2014 Top Industry Issues Survey. The annual survey, commissioned by the American Trucking Associations, asks trucking industry stakeholders to rank the top issues of concern for the industry, along with appropriate strategies for addressing each issue.
The survey is in its 10th year and participation by trucking stakeholders has grown each year. Since its inception in 2005, the ATRI Top Industry Issues Survey continues to serve as a unique and vital tool for the trucking industry.
"In complex times like this it is critical that we do our part to help ensure a thriving future for the trucking industry," said ATA Chairman Phil Byrd Sr., who is president and CEO of Bulldog Hiway Express. "With your participation, we can speak with a collective industry voice on what's most important to us."
The results of the 2014 survey will be released at the ATA Annual Management Conference and Exhibition that will be held October 4-8, 2014, in San Diego.
Industry stakeholders are encouraged to complete the survey online at www.atri-online.org.
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The Machinery Haulers Association
717 E. Court Avenue
Des Moines, Iowa
Phone: (515) 244-5193
Fax: (515) 244-2204
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