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September 5, 2006
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Headline News
New TCA and PTDI Headquarters Address
In case you missed the news, TCA and PTDI have moved their headquarters as of
August 21, 2006 to the following address:
NEW TCA and PTDI HEADQUARTERS ADDRESS
555 E. Braddock Road
Alexandria , VA 22314
TCA Main line: 703-838-1950
Fax: 703 836-6610
Please note that at the present time, we no longer have individual extensions,
so if you need to reach a staff person, please contact them at the main number
703-838-1950.
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Final Rule Has Clarified Enforcement of Interim
Regulations
On August 28, 2006, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
issued its final rule pertaining to interim regulations, which were originally
published in the Federal Register in August 2002.
Since that time, enforcement officials have discovered many carriers operating
without the required operating authority or beyond the scope of their
authority. By making minor changes to the rule, FMCSA facilitates enforcement
of these regulatory requirements by the agency's employees and its State
counterparts. Clarifying that operating authority means registration as
required by statute, will enable state enforcement officers to identify the
correct violation and not confuse operating authority with other registration
requirements.
Click here for a copy of the Final Rule as it appears in the
Federal Register.
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FHWA Funds Available For Truck Parking Spaces
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has issued a notice in the Federal
Register, to solicit applications from state and local governments for
the funding of projects designed to create more long-term truck parking spaces
on the National Highway System. Those applications are due November 27 th .
Eligible projects include construction of spaces and other capital improvements
in addition to the use of intelligent transportation systems technology to
increase information on the availability of both public and private commercial
vehicle parking spaces.
The truck parking initiative was established by Congress in the 2005 Safe,
Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users
(SAFETEA-LU) highway bill, according to Transportation Topics (TT) .
Click here for a copy of the notice as it appears in the
Federal Register .
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6% Growth in Highway Capacity Needed By Year 2030 to
Avert Traffic Mess
For Immediate Release
NEWS RELEASE
Contact: Daisy Singh, 202.857.1200, daisysingh@highways.org
American Highway Users Alliance Applauds Traffic Study
Recommendations
6% Growth in Highway Capacity Needed By Year 2030 to Avert Traffic Mess
(WASHINGTON) August 31, 2006 - The American Highway Users Alliance commends the Reason
Foundation for today's release of an important new study that examines
how awful the exploding traffic congestion crisis could become over the next 25
years. The good news is that the study also shows that congestion is not
inevitable and that relief projects could improve traffic flow. The Highway
Users beseeches the nation's elected officials and public policy makers to heed
the recommendations of the study and come to the aid of the driving public.
Highway Users President and CEO Greg Cohen commented, "These traffic jams and
all of the negative safety, economic, environmental, and quality-of-life
consequences associated with them are not inevitable. But public officials must
recognize that only realistic road investments that recognize Americans' clear
preference for highway travel can avert this crisis: 86.6% of trips in America
are made in private vehicles, 1.5% are on public transit (most over roads),
8.6% are walking trips, and 3.4% are other trips. Investments in new road
capacity and technology are the only realistic way to offer broad relief to the
public."
According to the study, a 28% increase in transportation spending is needed to
add the 104,000 new lane-miles of roads needed by year 2030. The cost of the
road improvements is dwarfed by the benefit ratio, which is estimated to be as
much as 6 to 1 on freeway projects. The additional road investments would save
motorists a whopping 7.7 billion hours per year to spend with their families.
American Highway Users Alliance bottleneck studies also provide detailed data
showing how congestion relief programs save lives and prevents injuries,
sharply decrease air pollution, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and save fuel
and time.
Cohen continued, "While the $533 billion price-tag of the needed improvements
sounds painful, we believe that most highway users would be willing to pay the
costs if they could trust that their fuel and vehicle taxes and tolls will be
spent on these projects and not diverted from road trust funds."
One startling finding from the Reason Foundation study is that 11
medium-size urban areas will soon face traffic jams worse than those currently
experienced in Los Angeles . These areas include: Atlanta , Baltimore , Chicago
, Denver , Las Vegas , Miami , Minneapolis/St. Paul, Portland , San
Francisco-Oakland, Seattle-Tacoma, and Washington , D.C. In these 11 cities, it
will take a staggering 75 percent longer to make the same commute. Los Angeles
' traffic delays during rush hour are expected to double in the next 25 years.
If government officials continue with today's failing transportation policies,
an additional 30 cities face increased commute times by as much as 50 percent
during peak hours by 2030.
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The American Highway Users Alliance represents motorists, bus companies,
truckers, RV enthusiasts, motorcyclists and a broad cross-section of businesses
that depend on safe and efficient highways to transport their families,
customers, employees, and products. Highway Users members pay taxes that
finance transportation spending programs and advocate public policies that
dedicate those taxes to improved highway safety and mobility.
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Nearly Six Weeks Until the ULSD Deadline
With approximately six weeks until the “Go Live” date that federally mandates
making Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) available at fuel stations, retailers in
California will begin selling the new fuel on September 1st .
The much documented ULSD, consisting of 15 parts-per-million (ppm) of sulfur,
compared to the now LSD (500 ppm) is designed to reduce nitrogen oxide gas
emissions and has recently been blamed for fuel shortages in the Rockies as
well as increased fuel prices.
While most experts predict little to no problems with the fuel changeover, many
fuel stations are beginning to draw their tanks low on Low Sulfur Diesel (LSD)
to accommodate the October deadline for ULSD. In mid-July, one effort to combat
the fuel shortage, Nebraska's governor issued a waiver on truckers'
hours-of-service rules for diesel haulers, which was set to expire, on August
20th so that fuel retailers will have enough fuel to provide the trucks.
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SAFETEA-LU Authorizes Continued Registration
As announced in the Federal Register, SAFETEA-LU, which was enacted
into law August 10, 2005, has authorized the Secretary of Transportation to
register brokers and freight forwarders of non-household goods (otherwise known
as general commodities brokers and freight forwarders) if the Secretary found
that such registration is needed for the protection of shippers. Accordingly,
FMCSA, which has been delegated authority to exercise the Secretary's functions
and activities regarding broker and freight forwarder registration, has found
that registration of brokers and freight forwarders of non-household goods is
needed for the protection of shippers and will continue to register all general
commodities brokers and freight forwarders subject to its jurisdiction.
Brokers and freight forwarders are transportation intermediaries who procure the
services of motor carriers to transport property. Brokers generally do not
handle the freight and do not assume legal liability for cargo loss and damage.
On behalf of shippers, brokers arrange for motor carriers to transport
individual shipments from origin to destination. Freight forwarders assemble
small shipments into larger shipments, tender them to motor carriers and ensure
that the larger shipment is disassembled into smaller shipments upon delivery.
Freight forwarders may take physical possession of the shipment in carrying out
these functions and issue bills of lading while assuming liability for cargo
loss and damage.
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FMCSA Seeks Comments on Motor Carrier Financial
Responsibility to Operate on Highways
The FMCSA invites comments on its plan to request the Office of Management and
Budget's (OMB) approval to renew an existing information collection. This
information collection renewal will be used to assure that motor carriers of
property and passengers maintain appropriate levels of financial responsibility
to operate on public highways.
The Secretary of Transportation is responsible for implementing regulations,
which establish minimal levels of financial responsibility for the following:
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For-hire motor carriers of property to cover public liability, property damage,
and environmental restoration,
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For-hire motor carriers of passengers to cover public liability and property
damage.
The Endorsement for Motor Carrier Policies of Insurance for Public Liability and
the Motor Carrier Public Liability Surety Bond contain the minimum amount of
information necessary to document that a motor carrier of property or
passengers has obtained, and has in effect, the minimum levels of financial
responsibility as set forth in applicable regulations. FMCSA and the public can
verify that a motor carrier of property or passengers has obtained, and has in
effect, the required minimum levels of financial responsibility, by use of the
information embraced within these documents.
To review the announcement, click here.
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Lives and Home Saved By TCA Highway Angel
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 5, 2006
Contact: Tom Burns, Communications Manager
703/838-1950 or tburns@truckload.org
TCA Salutes Highway Angel Gena Seibel, of Sioux City , Iowa
Alexandria , VA , September 5, 2006 – The Truckload Carriers Association (TCA)
recently recognized Gena Seibel, of Sioux City , Iowa , as a Highway Angel for
her selfless actions that saved a family and their home from burning down.
Seibel, a driver for Cloverleaf Transport, was driving late at night on her way
to pick up another trailer and drove by a house, which had an unusual bright
light emanating from its front porch. She quickly turned around and drove
towards it, where she noticed that the light was now twice the size and
determined that the house was on fire. She parked her truck at a nearby gas
station, dialed 911 and ran to the front door of the house, where she loudly
knocked on the front door, to wake-up its occupants.
“I kept knocking on the door and saw a teenage girl run through the smoke, to a
side exit, to see what was going on,” Seibel said. Flames began to rise up the
porch. The girl told Seibel that her family lived in the house and she told the
girl to “get everybody else out of the house”.
As Seibel kept her eye on the fire the girl ran into her house woke up the other
members of her family and they went out a back door. A police car quickly
appeared, but the policewomen did not have a fire extinguisher and Seibel ran
back to her truck, picked up her fire extinguisher and used it put out the
flames on the porch. Fortunately, there were no visible signs of the fire and a
potential disaster had been averted.
The family “was sound asleep in the house at the time of fire,” Seibel said. As
the only person in the area at the time of the fire, she prevented the fire
from easily engulfing the house and potentially killing the family. Seibel's
quick thinking and actions kept structural damage to a minimum and ensured the
family was safely evacuated. The family thanked Seibel for getting them out of
the house and told her they had just bought the house. Later, she received a
thank you note from the family.
“I wanted to help, because I would want help if I was in trouble,” Seibel
explained. “I felt it was the right thing to do.”
Seibel received a Highway Angel lapel pin, certificate, and patch for her
efforts, and her employer, Cloverleaf Transport, also received a certificate
for acknowledging a Highway Angel in their midst. Seibel has been driving for
Cloverleaf Transport for four months.
To view archival copies of past Highway Angel press releases, visit our website
address at
www.truckload.org/pressroom/index.htm#angelnews. To nominate a driver
online, go to
www.truckload.org/highwayangels/nominate.asp. For more information on
the program, contact TCA at 703/838-1950 or via email at
Angel@truckload.org.
TCA is the only national trade association whose collective sole focus is the
truckload segment of the motor carrier industry. The association represents dry
van, refrigerated, flatbed, and intermodal container carriers operating in the
48 contiguous states as well as Alaska , Mexico , and Canada . Representing
operators of over 200,000 trucks, which collectively produce annual revenue of
over $20 billion, TCA is an organization tailored to specific truckload carrier
needs.
# # #
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Learn How You Could Reduce Security Risks
Are You Prepared for the Worst?
Audio Conference
September 28, 2006
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm ET
No fleet is invulnerable to security threats. However, with planning and
assessing your company's exposure, you can reduce risks. This audio conference
will give you timely information on how to handle the following terrorist and
cargo issues.
I. How Terrorists Work in the Trucking Industry
II. Security Assessment and Planning
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Personal Security
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Facilities and Data Security
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Security En Route
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Working with Law Enforcement, e.g. Regional Security Groups, Cargo Cats,
Western States Cargo
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Technology
III. The Legal View
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Employee Screening
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Criminal Credit Checks
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Owner-Operator Screenings
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Employee Surveillance
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Shipper/Consignee Requirements
IV. Drivers Are Key
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Before Departing
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On The Road
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When Parked
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At the Destination
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Highway Watch at FFE
Speakers:
David Hedgpeth, Vice President, Corporate Security & Safety, FFE, Lancaster
, TX
Gail Toth, Executive Director, New Jersey Motor Truck Association, East
Brunswick , NJ
Curtis Shewchuk, Director and Chief Security Officer, Corporate Protective
Services, Con-Way Freight, Ann Arbor , MI
Tim Wiseman, Scopelitis, Garvin, Light and Hanson, Indianapolis , IN
Who Should Participate
All employees that impact truckload security and cargo issues.
Please click
here
for registration information.
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