News Archives:
May 21, 2010
Apr 09, 2010
Apr 08, 2010
Jan 27, 2010
New Mexico
Trucking Association
4809 Jefferson St. N.E.
Albuquerque, NM 87109
505 884-5575
505 884-3661 (fax)
J.J. Keller Offers
Program to Help
CSA 2010 Education
The new FMCSA carrier analysis system will change the way carrier's do business because it changes they way they are ranked and targeted for safety review.
This J. J. Keller program explains the new system and the key fundamentals that drivers need to know, including their obligations as to unsafe driving, fatigue, HOS, controlled substances and alcohol, truck and trailer maintenance, and load securement. It also covers the driver's role in improving, maintaining, or degrading their company's -- and their own -- safety fitness evaluation, explaining what they can do to prevent violations and have "good" inspections go into the Safety Measurement System (SMS).
The program includes several ready-to-use training tools: a closed-captioned video on DVD; a 24-page discussion guide; driver handbooks; and a CSA 2010 overview poster to hang in a training room or drivers' lounge. It will be available in February but can be reserved now. Keller says that if a rulemaking regarding CSA 2010 is published prior to July 1, 2011 and requires changes to this product, your copy will be updated at no charge. Talk to NMTA for details.
April 8, 2010
FMCSA Confirms New CSA2010 Implementation Timeline
In the April 1 edition of Truckline, ATA first communicated the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) new implementation timeline for the CSA 2010 program. In a Federal Register notice to be published tomorrow, FMCSA will confirm that Nov. 30, 2010 is the new implementation date for CSA 2010 to formally replace the longstanding SafeStat program. FMCSA is pushing back the initial stage of implementation to late Fall so the Agency can incorporate industry and stakeholder comments, as well as lessons learned from the pilot states, into the program’s model. FMCSA is currently considering changes to the method of measuring exposure, peer groupings, and the violation severity weightings.
FMCSA’s Notice also explains that beginning on Monday, April 12, the Agency will provide all carriers with an opportunity to preview their performance data sorted into the seven CSA 2010 categories, but not their scores or percentile rankings (comparison to “peers.”) To view this data, carriers will need to go to http://csa2010.fmcsa.dot.gov , and enter their Personal Identification Number (PIN). The Notice provides information for carriers that do not have a PIN, or have forgotten their PIN. Beginning in August 2010, after any refinements to the model are made, FMCSA’s Notice states that “carriers will be able to see an assessment of their violations through CSA 2010.”
Presumably, this means that a carrier will be able to see its scores and percentile rankings in each of the seven categories before program implementation begins on Nov. 30. NMTA strongly encourages members to take advantage of the data preview, beginning April 12th, 2010.
NMTA Plans New Series of CSA2010 Meetings
Wednesday, April 14th, 2010 – Dona Ana Community College, Las Cruces
Friday, May 7th., 2010 – Embassy Suites and Spa, Albuquerque
Thursday, June 17, 2010 – Roswell (site to be determined)
Thursday, July 8, 2010 – Farmington (site to be determined)
All members are encouraged to take these opportunities to interface with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration officials during these meetings.
National Share the Road Program Returns
Life-saving highway driving tips were presented at the 2010 Denver Auto Show as part of the American Trucking Associations’ national Share the Road highway safety tour by top professional truck drivers.
Share the Road returned to the Denver Auto Show for the third straight year to educate motorists on highway safety. This is important because according to the Colorado Department of Transportation, 548 lives were lost as a result of traffic crashes in Colorado during 2008. The Denver, Colo., Share the Road stop demonstrated to drivers how to share the road safely with large trucks and is presented in conjunction with the Colorado Motor Carriers Association.
“The Denver Auto Show is a great place to talk to motorists about highway safety,” said Gary Leu, a professional truck driver for Wal-Mart Transportation. “Getting people up into the truck to experience the blindspots I see everyday – it makes a huge impression. Hopefully drivers will take our tips and use them to drive a little more aware and arrive home safely.” Featured at the event were professional truck drivers Gary Leu (Wal-Mart Transportation), Kurt Pedersen (Con-way Freight), Ben Saiz (ABF Freight System) and Ron VanBibber (YRC). Those drivers are members of an elite team of million-mile, accident-free truck drivers who deliver the trucking industry’s safety messages across the country. Saiz told attendees and reporters at the event that, “Share the Road allows me as a truck driver to give people life-saving advice.
Most automobile drivers were never taught what they can do to avoid an accident with a tractor-trailer. By being aware of the blind spots around trucks, all drivers can more easily avoid crashes. This information, and other safety advice, will help everyone to share the roads safely.” Colorado Motor Carriers Association President Greg Fulton told reporters, “I'm excited to see the Share the Road safety program at the Denver Auto Show educating attendees on the differences professional truck drivers face on the highway. The trucking industry is an integral part of Colorado's economy, so educational programs like this are paramount to keeping everyone safe and keeping our goods and products moving.”
Arizona Lane Restriction Bill Dumped
The Arizona Senate has decided to rethink a bill that would have kept large trucks to the right lane on certain highways. The bill would have limited lane use for trucks weighing at least 26,000 pounds or trucks pulling trailers weighing 6,000 pounds or more. It would have applied to roadways of 3-lanes or more in each direction.
Concern over the idea's unstudied impact on highway safety spurred the senate to revise the bill and make it into a study.
The study will focus on Interstate 10 between Phoenix and Tucson.
Both the Arizona Trucking Association and the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association opposed the bill and pointed out that the bill could cause traffic snarls because the right lane is heavily used for exit and entry. They said that everyone is better off if through-trucks are in the left lane near ramps.
Supporters of the bill, however, vow to reintroduce it next year after the study is completed.
I-80 Tolling Proposal Rejected
Converting Interstate 80 into a toll road in Pennsylvania has been rejected by the Federal Highway Administration.
This is the third attempt since 2007 by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission to create the tollway.
“It shows that accountability and the responsible use of taxpayer resources wins the day and that diversion of those hard-earned dollars for unrelated uses is unacceptable,” said Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Assocation Director of Legislative Affairs Mike Joyce.
“As we have been saying for over two years, the Pennsylvania legislation known as Act 44 was flawed from the beginning, forcing the state DOT and the Turnpike to apply not once, not twice, but three times for tolling authority on I-80. We hope they have finally recognized they have struck out and should take a seat on the bench.”
The Pennsylvania Governor, turnpike commission and other state leaders have been pushing this strategy as a means to increase state revenue and funding transportation needs. One option still being considered in the State is to lease the Pennsylvania Turnpike to private investors.
FHWA, which vetoed the proposal, was just following the letter of the law in making the decision, said U.S. Rep Glenn Thompson, R-PA who opposed the bill.
An FHWA representative said the Pennsylvania application did not meet the criteria of a Federal tolling pilot project.
