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June 27, 2006
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Headline News
Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta Will Resign
Next Month
An important change at the U.S. Department of Transportation will occur, with
the resignation of Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta, next month,
according to CNN.
Tony Snow, White House Spokesman, on Friday, said, “Mineta wasn't forced out of
the job and that the president was happy with him. He has informed the
president that after five and a half years he will be stepping down," Snow
said, and then he added, "that's a long time."
The secretary's resignation will be effective on July 17 th .
Top
FMCSA Has Amended Its Final Rule On Shifting and Falling
Cargo
On June 22, 2006, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
amended it's September 27, 2002 final rule, which pertains to the protection
against shifting and falling cargo for Commercial Motor Vehicles (CMVs), that
are in interstate commerce.
These amendments enable the final rule to be more consistent with the North
American Cargo Securement Standard Model Regulations, by addressing those
safety requirements which are applicable to cargo securement methods used by
drivers who are often assigned the responsibility for ensuring that freight is
restrained to prevent shifting or falling from the CMV. FMCSA has also proposed
amendments regarding manufacturing standards for tiedowns and cargo securement
requirements for dressed lumber, metal coils, paper rolls, intermodal
containers, and flattened cars.
Click here for a copy of
the Final Rule as it appears in the Federal Register.
Top
FMCSA To Observe And Survey Medical Examiners (MEs)
FMCSA has announced its plan to request the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) approve an information collection (IC) to be associated with its medical
examiner performance study. The IC would enable FMCSA to gather survey
information, on-site observation, and interview data on the decision-making
process of Medical Examiners (MEs). The MEs would include, but would not be
limited to, medical doctors, doctors of osteopathy, doctors of chiropractic,
physician assistants, and advanced practice nurses, whom conduct 2–3 million
FMCSA medical examinations of CMV drivers each year.
The survey would consist of a sample of the several different practitioner
types, with the intended purpose of assessing MEs knowledge of key elements
required for CMV interstate driver certification. The survey would also provide
MEs with an opportunity to report perceived difficulties associated with the
CMV driver physical examination process. And, site visits would allow for an
interview and observation of MEs during the physical examination and
certification decision-making process.
Top
According To Experts, Disc Brakes Will Gain Market
Share, Despite Costs
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), issued a
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), to amend the air brake standard to
improve the stopping performance of truck tractors, as reported in the December
20, 2005 Truckload Carrier Report . According to the experts, as the
final rule approaches, disc brakes will gain market share, despite their costs.
While OEMs and brake engineers state that the final rule will be easily met,
disc brakes in general, provide more stopping power than the more popular drum
brakes. However, the experts also predict that the majority of fleets will
still spec drum brakes for their fleets, due to familiarity amongst the
technicians, even with the price difference gap closing, between to two style
brakes.
Click here to
review the NPRM as it appeared in the Federal Register.
Top
TCA Safety 411 Has Created Extended Networking
Since the launch of TCA's newest networking tool amongst safety professionals,
Safety 411 is hitting its stride. With discussions amongst our members
pertaining to electronic logs in a compliance review, to pandemic disaster
plans, the safety membership is reaping the benefits of this extended
networking program.
The creation of TCA Safety 411 was announced at TCA's 25 th Annual Safety &
Security Division Conference in San Antonio, TX, and enables our Safety
Directors to network with each other more then once a year on safety and
security issues, stated John Biblis, chair of the Safety and Security Division
and Vice President, Safety & Human Resources for Glen McClendon Trucking
Co., Inc.
Below are the steps on how to use TCA Safety 411:
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First you click on the TCA Safety 411 box, which can be found in our Members
Only Section of the TCA website;
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Then it's just like writing an email, you write your question or concern, and
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TCA's Safety Director will then find the appropriate peer to answer or discuss
your questions or concern.
Click here
for a link to TCA Safety 411.
Top
The Comments Deadline For Proposed Improvements To
SafeStat Is Approaching
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is proposing improvements
to the Motor Carrier Safety Status (SafeStat) and the comments deadline for
those proposed improvements is approaching. As previously reported in the May 9
th edition of The Truckload Carrier Report, FMCSA has proposed
improvements to its algorithm for SafeStat and the deadline for submitting
comments on those proposed improvements is Monday, July 3 rd .
The SafeStat system analyzes current safety performance, historical safety
performance, and compliance information to rank the relative safety fitness of
commercial motor carriers. SafeStat enables FMCSA to quantify and monitor
trends in the safety status of commercial motor carriers. The proposed
improvements would enable SafeStat to be more effective, thus enabling FMCSA to
improve its focus on compliance review, roadside inspection resources, and
better identify those commercial motor carriers, which pose a higher crash
risk.
FMCSA has proposed additional improvements to the SafeStat system, which would
simplify the Accident Safety Evaluation Area (SEA), by increasing the relevance
of moving violations within the Driver SEA, including the vehicle
out-of-service violations from inspections marked as driver-only within the
Vehicle SEA, and shorten the data exposure time period, which is considered by
SafeStat, from 30 months to 24 months.
To find the details on the proposed changes or to submit comments please submit
them at FMCSA's Analysis & Information Website,
click here.
For information or questions regarding the proposed revision to SafeStat, please
feel free to contact TCA's Director of Safety, David Heller, CDS at (703)
838-8847 or via e-mail at dheller@truckload.org
.
Top
ODOT Petitions FMCSA For Determination On Weight-Tax
Credential Displays
The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) has petitioned FMCSA, for a
determination in regards to whether the state may continue to require
commercial motor carriers to display weight-mile tax credentials, according to
the Federal Register. SAFETEA-LU prohibits the states from requiring
commercial motor carriers to display in or on their vehicles any form of
identification other than forms required by the Secretary of Transportation.
However, SAFETEA-LU also provides that a state may continue to require the
display of credentials that are required under state law regarding commercial
motor carrier vehicle license plates or other displays that the Secretary of
Transportation determines are appropriate.
ODOT states that the current weight-mile tax credentials identify a commercial
motor carrier's Oregon account, facilitate reporting, payments of their fuel
tax, and assist in tracking vehicle-miles traveled over Oregon highways. ODOT
also believes drivers want to have the credential, because fuel providers in
Oregon use it to verify that a vehicle is exempt from the Oregon fuel tax. ODOT
advises that approximately 15,000 out-of-state based commercial motor carriers
operate 283,000 vehicles that carry a permanent Oregon tax credential. It also
advises that approximately 10,000 vehicles with a 10-day temporary credential
operate within Oregon at any given time. ODOT has requested that FMCSA make a
determination that its weight-mile tax credentials are appropriate under
SAFETEA-LU. And, FMCSA has placed a notice in the Federal Register ,
requesting public comment on ODOT's petition for determination on weight-tax
credential displays.
To view the notice as it appears in the Federal Register,
click here.
Top
FTA to Eliminate Duplication Requirements
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has proposed, via a Notice of Rule
Making (NPRM), to eliminate duplicative requirements for safety-sensitive
employees for some public (mass) transportation systems, whom are subject to
the alcohol and controlled substances (D&A) testing requirements of both
FTA and the United States Coast Guard (USCG), or FTA and the Federal Motor
Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Recipients could concurrently comply
with FTA's Drug & Alcohol testing program as they comply with the testing
requirements of the USCG or FMCSA. However, FTA's post-accident and reasonable
suspicion testing requirements would continue to apply when accidents occur
while performing public (mass) transportation activities.
Click here for a copy of
the NPRM as it appears in the Federal Register .
Top
Transportation Industry Raises Concerns about ULSD
Amid concerns within the transportation industry, on Thursday June 1 st , Ultra
Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) entered the market. ULSD will be at least 80 percent
of the diesel fuel imported and refined within the United States for use by
on-road vehicles, containing only 15 ppm (parts per million) sulfur content.
The date of June 1 st , also marked the first day retail outlets must label
their on-highway diesel pumps as either ULSD or low sulfur diesel. The ULSD
label states that ULSD is required for 2007 and later highway vehicles and
engines, but is also recommended for all diesel engines. The low sulfur diesel
label, by contrast, warns that it's prohibited for use in 2007 and later
engines.
ULSD will contain roughly 97% less sulfur than the diesel fuel used prior to
June 1st. Although June 1 st was the deadline for refineries to begin producing
ULSD, October 15, 2006 is when ULSD will become available at retail facilities
across the United States.
Since the new fuel touts a cleaner exhaust, the Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA), predicts that the new trucks, which are produced in 2007 to use this
fuel, will reduce smog emissions by an estimated 2.6 million tons each year.
However, the EPA's information still does not eliminate the concerns the
transportation industry has raised over the distribution of the ULSD.
According to transportation industry experts, compared to the era when leaded
fuels were taken off the market, concerns have arisen about ULSD being easily
contaminated by “older” diesel fuels. Although some have insisted, that the
time-frame between now and October 15 th , will be used to work out any such
problems that may arise, other's within the transportation industry have voiced
the following concerns:
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ULSD's sulfur content is supposed to be limited to 15 ppm or less, yet ULSD
remains vulnerable to losing its status if it picks up enough residual sulfur
from previous 500 ppm (Low Diesel Sulfur), through pipelines and fuel
terminals, which will exceed the 15 ppm limit during shipment to the pump,
before the driver fills up.
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Operational Challenges – While fleets begin to use the ULSD and spend more
money on fuel that is less efficient, many fleets begin to rethink their
operations, in order to save money in other areas due to the increased cost in
fuel. ULSD, for example, is expected to add about 5 cents to the production and
distribution of every gallon of fuel, thus reducing fuel economy by up to 1
percent.
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Resale effects – Many fleets across the country currently resell their used
vehicles, to companies in South America. Currently, with no ULSD regulations in
effect in South America, there are concerns within the transportation industry,
in regards to how these companies will find buyers for their used equipment,
when the new 2007 engines may not perform on the well on the low sulfur diesel.
Currently, there is not enough operational experience with post 2007 truck
technologies to accurately predict what would happen with the use of fuel other
than ULSD.
Top
CDTF Will Be Offering Military Scholarships
The Commercial Driver Training Foundation, Inc. (“CDTF”) has announced the
availability of more than 2,200 scholarships through its “Military Scholarship
Assistance Program” for active duty and honorably discharged veterans of the
U.S. armed services. The scholarships, each in the amount of $500, are
earmarked for students wishing to attend truck driver training programs. The
scholarships were created by commercial driver training organizations and motor
carrier employers as a means of recognizing and honoring the service performed
by the men and women that have served in our armed forces.
CDTF Chairman Mark Greenberg said: “These scholarships are designed to encourage
these highly qualified individuals to consider the transportation industry as a
career. Because the jobs offered by the trucking industry provide an attractive
starting compensation level, and because jobs are available in virtually all
parts of the country, we believe that this career is particularly well suited
to those individuals that are separating from military service.”
Greenberg went on to note: “In addition to these scholarships, many employing
motor carrier offer tuition assistance that will help defray the remaining cost
of attending the training program. There are few occupations of which I am
aware that permit a student to attend a relatively short training program and
achieve the entry-level compensation packages that are available in this
industry and also have a significant portion of their training cost paid by
their employers.”
Truck driving has been listed by the U.S. Department of Labor as among the
highest growth job categories in the country. Many employers offer not only an
attractive compensation package, but also provide insurance, retirement plans,
and other incentives that are not always available in other occupations.
The partial scholarships are available to all qualified individuals that are
either contemplating separation from military service, or that have been
honorably discharged. The scholarships are available through institutions in
many areas of the country. Applications are submitted to CDTF through its
website at www.cdtfi.org. All applicants must meet the requirements for
commercial drivers that have been established by the Federal Motor Carrier
Safety Administration, as well as the enrollment criteria of the particular
institution. For further information, contact CVTA, President, Mike Connell at
703-728-8600.
Top
Strengthen Recruitment Through Diversity
The recruitment of drivers is a challenging task and one-way to strengthen your
recruitment, is through diversification. But were do you go and what do you do?
This article talks about recruitment at Roadlink Services.
What if you had a group of drivers that works Sundays, but not Fridays? How
about a group that takes off the entire month of December? Or one that leaves
the country for two months every year?
These are just some of the challenges Berta Moreno has overcome in order to
take advantage of geographic pools of immigrant and minority drivers and
owner-operators. Moreno is director of recruiting and retention for RoadLink
Services, the Bethlehem, Pa.-based corporate arm of intermodal firm RoadLink
USA, which has 50 service centers nationwide, including operating companies in
the Midwest, South, East, New England and Pacific.
Focusing on understanding the cultural differences of various ethnic groups has
helped RoadLink grow its immigrant driver population from 22 percent in 1994 to
66 percent in 2004, with about 79 percent turnover, Moreno says. A brisk
referral program, as well as inexpensive ads targeting specific groups, also
means RoadLink spends less recruiting immigrants versus traditional drivers.
“We realized this is how the company was going and that we would have to do
some things to make drivers feel comfortable here,” Moreno, who is based in
Chicago, says of the company's ability to recruit owner-operators and drivers
from a wide range of ethnic groups, including Hispanic, Bosnian, Somalian,
Indian and Middle Eastern.
For each area RoadLink serves, Moreno works with local company managers to
determine which ethnic groups have the largest population. She also uses the
U.S. Census Bureau website to pinpoint target groups. For example, there is a
large Indian population in Northern California, whereas Hispanics tend to
populate the southern part of the state. Chicago has a thriving Polish
population. The company's 1,000 owner-operators and 350 company drivers either
run within a 50- or 200-mile radius of their home terminal, which can be key in
recruiting drivers from family-oriented cultures such as Hispanics and
Vietnamese.
About 50 percent of RoadLink's recruitment is through referrals. “You can't
beat these people for referring friends, uncles, cousins,” Moreno says. On the
other hand, “if one leaves, you can lose a lot.” RoadLink's referral program
includes posters and postcards advertising a $1,000 bonus, which pays 50
percent after the new hire has been on board 30 days and the remainder after 90
days. Recently, a RoadLink driver in Grand Rapids, Mich., referred a Somalian
driver to the company's Columbus, Ohio, terminal. Since then, they have added
11 Somalian drivers — all from that one referral.
Another element of Moreno's recruitment efforts is advertising in non-English
newspapers targeted at specific ethnic groups. “I hit the groups I want, and
the cost is almost nothing” when compared to mainstream newspapers, she says.
For example, an employment ad in the Chicago Sun-Times runs nearly $1,000, but
an ad in an ethnic newspaper is usually less than $100. Response can be “hit or
miss,” but she believes ads in these targeted papers stand out. “In other
papers, my ads get lost,” she says.
Once recruits — who must have a one-year minimum of U.S. driving experience —
come on board, retention efforts kick in immediately. Within the first 90 days,
drivers go through six meetings. For example, they might meet with the
recruiter after seven days, the terminal manager after 30 days and then the
recruiter again at 45 days. “We have them come in and see how things are going.
If there are problems, we address them,” Moreno says.
Another key to retaining nontraditional drivers is being sensitive to the needs
of the various groups, Moreno says. “We don't have to learn everything about
their culture and beliefs, but we need to learn a little something.” As an
example, Moreno tells of the first time she attempted to shake a Middle Eastern
driver's hand. “He didn't know what to do,” she recalls. She later learned that
their religion forbids Muslim men from touching women other than their wives.
Educating customers also is critical. “One customer called to say one of our
drivers was in his parking lot and he didn't know what he was doing, but he
didn't want him doing it there,” Moreno says. It turned out it was a Middle
Eastern driver who was saying his daily prayers. Now company salesmen make a
point of calling or visiting customers to help them better understand drivers'
cultural customs. “Communicating with customers ahead of time is key,” she
says.
Getting RoadLink employees and customers past the language barrier is another
challenge. Because all drivers know English well enough to get their commercial
drivers' license and follow directions, “it's not a language thing, it's a
patience thing,” Moreno says. “Some dispatchers think they don't have the time
to dispatch a driver who has limited English.”
To help overcome such issues, RoadLink makes an effort to hire bilingual
personnel. For example, the New Jersey and Boston offices — where RoadLink has
several Brazilian drivers — have some employees who speak Portuguese. In Los
Angeles and Chicago, almost everyone speaks Spanish. But for RoadLink personnel
who don't speak a second language, conversations with some drivers can be
difficult, “particularly if there's an accident,” concedes Woody Yarwood,
RoadLink's director of safety. In that case, the company typically calls in an
interpreter. “We've adapted very well to it,” he says.
Such accommodations aside, Moreno is quick to point out that the company shows
no favoritism to any particular driver group. “We treat all of our drivers the
same,” she says. “I don't treat Hispanic drivers different from a typical
American driver.”
Nevertheless, any company that expects to recruit and retain nontraditional
drivers must be prepared to make certain cultural concessions. For example, for
Middle Eastern drivers Friday is a holy day, but they will work on Sundays.
Fortunately, some of RoadLink's customers were able to accept Sunday
deliveries. “Sometimes we have some surprises, but because we've been doing
this for so long, our dispatchers know what to plan for,” Moreno says.
Complicating matters is many drivers' desire to return to their native
countries for extended periods. Many Hispanic drivers, for example, take the
month of December off. And Indian drivers return to India for two months each
year. To handle these requests, RoadLink developed a leave of absence policy
that allows drivers and owner-operators to be gone for up to three months and
still remain on the company's active list. “They come back and go right back to
driving,” Moreno says.
Because of its international nature, RoadLink's recruitment model goes hand in
hand with the intermodal business, Yarwood says. “We're hauling containers from
Taiwan, Japan, China, South America,” he says. Hiring owner-operators and
drivers from other cultures “is kind of a natural fit,” he says. “And Berta's
made it work for us.”
For more information please contact Berta Moreno at 708-458-7821 /
bmureno@roadlinkusa.com
This article is reprinted with permission from Commercial Carrier Journal
Magazine (CCJ) and written by Linda Longton.
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