News
MTAC drug and alcohol testing program
MTAC has recently received questions from members regarding its drug and alcohol testing consortium. In response to frequently asked questions, this is a friendly reminder that the third-party administrator for MTAC’s program is our vendor partner Fleet Screen. By participating in MTAC’s FMCSA-compliant drug and alcohol testing consortium run by Fleet Screen, members will save…
Read MoreSummer truck toll discount implemented by MTA
From Trucking Association of New York. Beginning on July 10 and lasting through September 1, trucks crossing various Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) structures in NYC will receive a 50 percent discount on their tolls if they cross between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. The discount is being offered in an effort to…
Read MoreCourt denies review of arbitration opinion unfavorable for transportation providers
From the Scopelitis firm. The Scopelitis Firm has long cautioned transportation providers about the risks in seeking to enforce mandatory arbitration provisions against owner-operators under the Federal Arbitration Act. Such efforts might prompt a defense based on the exemption from the FAA for “contracts of employment” with transportation workers, which some courts have extended to…
Read MoreFMCSA to use new approach on safety scores
From Transport Topics. The top attorney for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration said the agency is moving forward with plans in support of recommendations by a panel of elite academics for a new approach to measuring motor carrier safety scores. “We at FMCSA have been waiting for this study for 18 months,” Randi Hutchinson,…
Read MoreFMCSA safety campaign – Share the Road Safely
From Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration: The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) continues its efforts to raise public awareness so that all drivers know how to operate safely around large trucks and buses through a newly formed partnership under the Our Roads, Our Safety campaign. “FMCSA is pleased to work…
Read MoreSafety scoring system “Conceptually Sound,” but needs improvement, report says
From Transport Topics: The federal Compliance, Safety, Accountability program’s controversial Safety Measurement System to identify motor carriers at high risk for future crashes is “conceptually sound” but several features need improvement, according to a new congressionally mandated report by a panel of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. “SMS is structured in a…
Read MoreHouse advances bills to help veterans access CDLs
From Transport Topics: Legislation aimed at making it easier for veterans to access commercial driver licenses was passed by the U.S. House on June 26. The Active Duty Voluntary Acquisition of Necessary Credentials for Employment, or ADVANCE, Act would improve access for military service members and reservists to the training and testing standards needed for…
Read MoreState budget still uncertain with no votes planned amid fiscal gridlock
From the Hartford Courant. With the state legislature postponing a vote on the new two-year budget amid fiscal gridlock, the chances increased sharply Tuesday that the state’s finances will be run by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy through an executive order when the new fiscal year starts Saturday. At the same time, Senate President Pro Tem…
Read MoreCVSA’s Brake Safety Day is Sept. 7
From Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance release. Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017, is Brake Safety Day, an enforcement and compliance campaign where law enforcement agencies across North America will conduct inspections on large trucks and buses to identify out-of-adjustment brakes, and brake-system and anti-lock braking system (ABS) violations as part of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA)…
Read MoreTruck tonnage rises in May
From Transport Topics. Truck tonnage rose 4.8% year-over-year in May, according to the monthly American Trucking Associations Tonnage Index, the largest gain since November 2016, echoing sentiments from analysts and trucking executives that the freight market has tightened in recent weeks as people spend more time outdoors. On a sequential basis, the seasonally adjusted index…
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