http://www.truckinginsuranceservices.com/blog/View Trucking Insurance Services LLC's Website Blogen-uspostmaster@www.truckinginsuranceservices.comInsurance Website Builder - www.insurancewebsitebuilder.comurn:uuid:97926fed-f8a9-4115-9e8f-1e8d9657d68curn:uuid:c3e20935-da0a-491d-a274-c2cce8eb4477 This article was originally published in The New York Times by Abby Ellin. It is being reposted for your information. &nbsp;You can find the original article on the&nbsp;New York Times&nbsp;website. Roy Williams, 58, is a long-haul truck driver with...Mon, 28 Nov 2011 11:33:59 -0600<div class="writeboardbody" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 30px; margin-left: 0px; font-family: 'lucida grande', verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> <p style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', 'bitstream charter', times, serif;">This article was originally published in The New York Times by Abby Ellin. It is being reposted for your information. &nbsp;You can find the original article on the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/22/health/a-hard-turn-truck-drivers-try-steering-from-bad-diets.html?_r=1&amp;pagewanted=2" target="_blank" data-mce-href=" http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/22/health/a-hard-turn-truck-drivers-try-steering-from-bad-diets.html?_r=1&amp;pagewanted=2">New York Times</a>&nbsp;website.</p> <p style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', 'bitstream charter', times, serif;">Roy Williams, 58, is a long-haul truck driver with over 30 years experience. Recently, he has begun to change his diet and added an exercise routine to try to lose weight.</p> <p style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', 'bitstream charter', times, serif;">After driving hundreds of miles, the last thing Roy Williams, a truck driver from Denton, Tex., wanted to do was exercise. After a day trapped in the cab, stopping only to gorge on greasy fare at truck stops, who could think of working out?<br /> Well</p> <p style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', 'bitstream charter', times, serif;">Truck driver Oran Clay tried jump roping during driver appreciation day at Texas Star Express, a company he works for, in Rockwall, Texas, in October.<br /> But once he ballooned to 405 pounds, he knew he had to make a change. So last year, Mr. Williams, 58, did something all too rare for someone in his profession: He embarked on a diet and exercise program.</p> <p style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', 'bitstream charter', times, serif;">The six-pack of Coca-Cola he drank each day? Gone. The hamburgers, chips and chocolate he relished? No more. Today, he drinks a protein shake mixed with ice water or soy milk for breakfast, nibbles cantaloupe and red grapes, and makes &ldquo;sandwiches&rdquo; with thinly sliced meat and cheese but no bread. He keeps a fold-up bike in his truck and zips around rest areas on his breaks.</p> <p style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', 'bitstream charter', times, serif;">His weight is down to 335 pounds, and he&rsquo;s managed to reduce the amount of blood pressure medication he takes. &ldquo;I rarely, maybe once a week, even go into a truck stop,&rdquo; said Mr. Williams, who has been navigating an 18-wheeler for the last 30 years.</p> <p style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', 'bitstream charter', times, serif;">Mr. Williams&rsquo;s predicament is hardly unique. On the road for weeks on end, with the sorts of diets that make nutritionists apoplectic, the nation&rsquo;s truckers are in pretty bad shape. Now, beset by rising insurance costs and desperate to ensure their drivers pass government health tests, trucking companies and industry groups are working hard to persuade road warriors to change their habits.</p> <p style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', 'bitstream charter', times, serif;">It&rsquo;s a long haul, so to speak. Eighty-six percent of the estimated 3.2 million truck drivers in the United States are overweight or obese, according to a 2007 study in The Journal of the American Dietetic Association.</p> <p style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', 'bitstream charter', times, serif;">&ldquo;Obesity is a terrible problem in the trucking industry,&rdquo; said Brett Blowers, director of marketing and development for the Healthy Trucking Association of America, an industry organization in Montgomery, Ala.</p> <p style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', 'bitstream charter', times, serif;">A few years ago, Mr. Blowers&rsquo;s group conducted a blood pressure screening of more than 2,000 drivers at an annual truck show. &ldquo;We sent 21 directly to the emergency room, and one of them had a heart attack on the way there,&rdquo; he recalled.</p> <p style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', 'bitstream charter', times, serif;">It&rsquo;s a problem not just for truckers, but for anyone who shares the road with them. In 2010, heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers accounted for 13 percent of all fatal occupational injuries, according to preliminary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. A 2007 report from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration found that 87 percent of crashes involving truckers stemmed to some degree from driver error. Twelve percent of these cases were because the driver was asleep, had a heart attack, was in diabetic shock or had some other health problem.</p> <p style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', 'bitstream charter', times, serif;">&ldquo;Of the accidents that are preventable, I&rsquo;d say about 10 to 25 percent, if not higher, were from drivers who were tired, had sleep apnea or were not physically fit,&rdquo; said Chad Hoppenjan, director of transportation safety services at Cottingham and Butler, an insurance broker in Dubuque, Iowa.</p> <p style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', 'bitstream charter', times, serif;">The United States Department of Transportation requires drivers to pass a certifying medical exam every two years. Drivers are checked for severe heart conditions, high blood pressure and respiratory maladies, including sleep disorders.</p> <p style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', 'bitstream charter', times, serif;">While the statistics are bleak, they&rsquo;re not especially surprising. Driving is a sedentary activity. Most truckers are paid by the mile, so they tend to squeeze out every last second of the 11 hours they&rsquo;re allowed on the road in a 24-hour period.</p> <p style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', 'bitstream charter', times, serif;">&ldquo;Some days I&rsquo;ve driven 600 miles and didn&rsquo;t even stop,&rdquo; said Barb Waugh, 58, of Fairfax, S.D., one of an estimated 190,000 female truckers. In a typical week she logs 2,500 to 4,000 miles. &rdquo;I feel like a marshmallow because I don&rsquo;t get to exercise,&rdquo; said Ms. Waugh, who weighs about 300 pounds.</p> <p style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', 'bitstream charter', times, serif;">Routines that keep other Americans healthy &mdash; hitting the gym, cooking at home, scheduling a doctor&rsquo;s appointment &mdash; are nearly impossible, since drivers are rarely in one place for more than a day or two. The only exercise for many is pressing the gas pedal; most don&rsquo;t load and unload cargo.</p> <p style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', 'bitstream charter', times, serif;">When they do leave their vehicles, it&rsquo;s usually at truck stops and fast-food restaurants where nearly every option is greasy or fatty or served up in calorie-rich buffets &mdash; which some truckers say stands for &ldquo;Big Ugly Fat Fellows Eating Together.&rdquo;</p> <p style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', 'bitstream charter', times, serif;">&ldquo;Everything&rsquo;s fried, fried, fried &mdash; chicken, hot dogs, hamburgers, chili, burritos, corn dogs,&rdquo; said Bill Johnson, 50, of Lubbock, Tex., a 25-year industry veteran.</p> <p style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', 'bitstream charter', times, serif;">Jill Garcia, 50, a driver from San Antonio who is obese and has sleep apnea and hypertension, said: &ldquo;I swear, the truck stops have a candy-a-holic at their corporate offices. You can get two king-size bars for $3. I got four packs of M&amp;M&rsquo;s for a buck.&rdquo;</p> <p style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', 'bitstream charter', times, serif;">Until recently, few in the transportation industry cared to tackle its health issues. &ldquo;When you tried to talk to someone to connect the dots, they looked at you like you had three heads,&rdquo; said Bob Perry, founder of Rolling Strong, which offers health and wellness programs for truckers.</p> <p style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', 'bitstream charter', times, serif;">Now transportation carriers, industry organizations and even truck stops are unrolling initiatives to help truckers slim down, shape up and improve their health. Employers are holding health seminars, building on-site gyms, bringing in nutritionists and fitness trainers, and offering financial incentives to employees who stop smoking or lose weight. Some drivers are cooking in their rigs, walking or bike riding around truck stops, blogging about their experiences at sites like <a href="truckingsolutionsgroup.org">truckingsolutionsgroup.org</a> and <a href="safetythruwellness.com">safetythruwellness.com</a>, and writing books.</p> <p style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', 'bitstream charter', times, serif;">Lindora Clinic, which operates weight-loss centers, last year unveiled &ldquo;Lean for Life On-the-Road,&rdquo; a nutrition and exercise program for the trucking community. The company has teamed up with the Truckload Carriers Association, which represents 400 carriers, for a &ldquo;Trucker Weight Loss Showdown&rdquo; to begin in January. For two and a half months, 10 fleets, each composed of six drivers and six office workers, will exercise and follow low-carb, low-fat, moderate-protein diets.<br /> Enlarge This Image</p> <p style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', 'bitstream charter', times, serif;">Brandon Thibodeaux for The New York Times<br /> Roy Williams, 58, rode his bike near his home in Denton, Texas in September.<br /> Well</p> <p style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', 'bitstream charter', times, serif;"><strong>The Long Haul</strong></p> <p style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', 'bitstream charter', times, serif;">This year, TravelCenters of America/Petro unrolled a program called StayFit, which includes fitness rooms, mapped walking trails and healthier foods at its stops. Snap Fitness, an international chain of 24-hour gyms, has announced plans to open a workout facility at one, and perhaps many more, of the 550 Pilot Flying J Travel Centers across the country.</p> <p style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', 'bitstream charter', times, serif;">While concern for driver health is certainly a force behind the wellness initiatives, economics also plays a role. The trucking industry is grappling with sky-high insurance rates and rising medical costs. The 2010 Cottingham and Butler Trucking Compensation and Benefits Benchmark Survey, an annual report for the trucking industry, found that deductibles and out-of-pocket costs to truck drivers and their employers are 40 percent to 70 percent higher than in other industries.</p> <p style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', 'bitstream charter', times, serif;">&ldquo;It just keeps going and going, and you don&rsquo;t know how to control it,&rdquo; said Sidney Brown, chief executive officer of&nbsp;NFI, a logistics company in Cherry Hill, N.J. To help cut costs, his company has started quarterly wellness newsletters, free smoking cessation workshops, discounts with WeightWatchers and Anytime Fitness, and a companywide &ldquo;Biggest Loser&rdquo; competition.</p> <p style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', 'bitstream charter', times, serif;">The industry also is struggling to retain veteran drivers while recruiting new ones. According to Debbie Sparks, vice president of development for the Truckload Carriers Association, the industry is short about 150,000 drivers, and she expects that number to rise to 300,000 by next year. But nearly 40 percent of new drivers quit within their first 90 days.</p> <p style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', 'bitstream charter', times, serif;">&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve got to make ourselves more attractive to recruit a new generation of truck drivers,&rdquo; said Ms. Sparks.</p> <p style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', 'bitstream charter', times, serif;">Some of these programs have had modest success. Con-way Freight, based in Ann Arbor, Mich., has hired 46 full-time wellness coaches who rotate among 110 facilities. The company has seen a 32 percent reduction in workdays lost to injury, said Bob Petrancosta, its vice president of safety.</p> <p style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', 'bitstream charter', times, serif;">Several years ago, Trucks Inc., a regional carrier in Jackson, Ga., shifted to an annual Department of Transportation physical rather than bi-annual. It has since saved more than $250,000 in medical insurance costs diagnosed several pre-heart attack and pre-diabetic conditions among drivers. And a sleep apnea treatment program at Schneider National, based in Green Bay, Wis., has saved the company $651 per driver per month in health care costs since its inception in 2003.</p> <p style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', 'bitstream charter', times, serif;">Still, it&rsquo;s likely to be a long time before truckers are clamoring for steamed tofu and doing Sun Salutations at rest stops. &ldquo;Unless the driver is scared to death for their life, unless they&rsquo;ve had a medical event, they&rsquo;re probably not going to change,&rdquo; said Michael Metzger, 37, whose Web site, Healthy Trucker Lifestyle, chronicles his weight-loss experience (70 pounds and counting) and offers recipes and exercise tips for drivers.</p> <p style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', 'bitstream charter', times, serif;">&ldquo;You&rsquo;ve got to go to them, and you&rsquo;ve got to speak their language,&rdquo; said Mr. Perry of Rolling Strong. &ldquo;They truly don&rsquo;t want to be told what to do &mdash; they have to feel that they&rsquo;re making this decision on their own.&rdquo;</p> <p style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', 'bitstream charter', times, serif;">When the Lindora Clinic started working with truck drivers, recalled Cynthia Stamper Graff, the company&rsquo;s executive chairwoman, she often received beleaguered phone calls. &ldquo;The drivers said: &lsquo;I don&rsquo;t think we can do this. This is too difficult,&rsquo; &rdquo; she recalled. &ldquo;The challenges of life on the road &mdash; no structure, not being at home where you have a refrigerator, no proper food choices. And they weren&rsquo;t exercising.&rdquo;</p> <p style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', 'bitstream charter', times, serif;">But slowly, she said, drivers embraced the company&rsquo;s 10-week program, which includes weekly phone consultations with a &ldquo;nurse coach&rdquo; and costs $360 a person, often paid wholly or in part by the employer. So far, the 75 drivers who have completed the program have shown an average loss of 8.4 percent from their starting weight.</p> <p style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', 'bitstream charter', times, serif;">Mr. Johnson signed up with Lindora this summer after hitting 226 pounds. Beforehand, his only exercise was &ldquo;walking into the truck stop restaurant, eating a bit and going back to the truck,&rdquo; he said.</p> <p style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', 'bitstream charter', times, serif;">Today he weighs about 208 pounds, and his truck doubles as a makeshift gym. He does sit-ups inside the trailer and pull-ups below. He fills a cooler with 60 pounds of ice and lifts it over his head 10 to 15 times. He power-walks around truck stops, some of which cover four or five acres, though he balks at the idea of using the area around his truck as a running track (32 laps around a rig is a mile, drivers are sometimes reminded).</p> <p style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', 'bitstream charter', times, serif;">&ldquo;That&rsquo;s just goofy,&rdquo; he said.</p> <p style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', 'bitstream charter', times, serif;">Some drivers have even turned to private trainers. Kevin Melton, 39, a trucker in Black Mountain, N.C., used to snack on Snickers bars and three or four Little Debbie pies a day while driving. His weight shot to 260, his joints and back ached, and his cholesterol was &ldquo;through the roof.&rdquo;</p> <p style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', 'bitstream charter', times, serif;">Two years ago, he began working with Chadwick Slagle, a trainer. Together they devised a nutrition plan: Mr. Melton now eats five meals a day, drinks water instead of soft drinks, and snacks on fruit and nuts. He wakes up at 4:30 a.m. to exercise, running on a treadmill or around a parking lot. He now weighs about 200 pounds and hopes to get down to 190.</p> <p style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', 'bitstream charter', times, serif;">He has had to rethink some of his beliefs. &ldquo;You hear Snickers are healthy because of the nuts, that they give you energy,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;But when you read the label you realize they&rsquo;re surrounded by caramel.&rdquo;</p> <p style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', 'bitstream charter', times, serif;">For Ms. Garcia, who recently joined WeightWatchers, a new lifestyle was an easy decision. She takes medication for high blood pressure, and she worries that the day will come when she won&rsquo;t pass her physical.</p> <p style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', 'bitstream charter', times, serif;">&ldquo;I&rsquo;m being stupid if I don&rsquo;t lose the weight,&rdquo; she said, &ldquo;because I&rsquo;ll lose my job.&rdquo;</p> <p><br /> </p> </div>urn:uuid:11eee0ee-5a16-4edd-81dc-6320629c3b54<img src='webkit-fake-url://8A2E2FC9-A86C-4563-9734-B6C950FEF364/imgsize.php.jpg" alt="imgsize.php.jpg' align='left' />As transportation leaders gather in Texas this week at the American Trucking Associations Management Conference &amp; Exhibition Annual Convention in Grapevine, Texas ATA's president and CEO said in this opening comments to the group that the truckin...Tue, 18 Oct 2011 08:14:26 -0500As transportation leaders gather in Texas this week at the American Trucking Associations Management Conference &amp; Exhibition Annual Convention in Grapevine, Texas ATA's president and CEO said in this opening comments to the group that the trucking industry's future remains bright despite the federal debt, unemployment rate and the increasing number of regulations facing the trucking industry.<br /> <br /> Graves - "I really believe we are blessed with a country, with a people and with an economy that is capable of surviving anything our government can throw at it."<br /> <br /> It is expected that trucking's percentage of the freight tonnage transported will increase over other modes of transportation such as rail, etc. in the coming years even as the total freight tonnage increasings following the US population growth from 200 million to 300 million.<br /> <br /> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal helvetica;"><img src="webkit-fake-url://8A2E2FC9-A86C-4563-9734-B6C950FEF364/imgsize.php.jpg" alt="imgsize.php.jpg" /><br /> <br /> <br /> </p>urn:uuid:894f1258-e871-4077-989a-cccb7457d6a8<img src='http://www.TruckingInsuranceServices.com/img/%7Ewww.TruckingInsuranceServices.com/rsm_t2t_250-250.gif' align='left' />Trucking Insurance Services has partnered with Roadside Masters to provide Nationwide Truck &amp; Trailer Breakdown Services at a Special Price only available through Trucking Insurance Services!&nbsp; All benefits are 24 hours a day 7 days a week: ...Thu, 13 Oct 2011 23:59:05 -0500Trucking Insurance Services has partnered with Roadside Masters to provide Nationwide Truck &amp; Trailer Breakdown Services at a Special Price only available through Trucking Insurance Services!&nbsp; All benefits are 24 hours a day 7 days a week:<br /> <ol> <li>Unlimited Roadside Assistance</li> <li>Towing (up to 50 miles per disablement)</li> <li>Vehicle Jump Start</li> <li>Out of Gas Fuel Delivery (up to 10 gallons of fuel)</li> <li>Oil, Fluid and Water Delivery Service</li> <li>Flat Tire Change Coverage (up to $500 maximum occurrence)</li> <li>Vehicle Winching / Extricating</li> <li>Navigational Assistance</li> <li>Concierge Service (restaurants, lodging, rest and fuel stops)</li> <li>Lockout / Replacement Key Services(up to $100)</li> <li>Hotel and Travel Discounts</li> </ol> Membership Sign Up by <a href="https://www.roadsidemasters.com/partner/truckinginsuranceservices/" target="_blank">Clicking Here</a><br /> <br /> <a target="_blank" href="https://www.roadsidemasters.com/partner/truckinginsuranceservices/"><img src="/img/%7Ewww.TruckingInsuranceServices.com/rsm_t2t_250-250.gif" alt="Roadside Assistance" style="border:0px solid -moz-use-text-color;" /></a><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />urn:uuid:e6bdcab2-e3ef-47a2-b808-f6e0ed23ecb0American Trucking Association President and CEO Bill Graves invites you to the 2011 ATA Management Conference at the Gaylord Texan Resort on October 15-18, 2011. Click Here You Tube Invite Fri, 07 Oct 2011 23:28:54 -0500American Trucking Association President and CEO Bill Graves invites you to the 2011 ATA Management Conference at the Gaylord Texan Resort on October 15-18, 2011.<br /> <br /> <br /> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeP96jmuGhA&amp;feature=player_detailpage">Click Here You Tube Invite</a><br /> <br />urn:uuid:3c4a87ca-afa2-4984-8752-316c7eef9de4<img src='http://www.TruckingInsuranceServices.com/img/%7Ewww.TruckingInsuranceServices.com/Trucking%20Insurance%20Services%20LLC%20Logo.jpg' align='left' />Overview &ndash; Commercial Truck Insurance Filings Once you have filed for your authority (MC number) and obtained insurance a number of federal and state filings may be required.&nbsp; The purpose of these filings is to provide the government a gua...Wed, 05 Oct 2011 08:30:40 -0500<p><strong>Overview &ndash; Commercial Truck Insurance Filings</strong></p> <p>Once you have filed for your authority (MC number) and obtained insurance a number of federal and state filings may be required.&nbsp; The purpose of these filings is to provide the government a guarantee that the motor carrier has sufficient truck insurance protection to meet the required financial responsibility requirements imposed the jurisdiction.&nbsp; </p> <p>&nbsp; </p> <p><strong>Federal Filings &ndash; Commercial Truck Insurance</strong></p> <p>The federal filings required by motor carriers operating in interstate trucking, hauling hazardous cargo, and for-hire trucking are the BMC-34 form.&nbsp; Federal filings are not required for a business that does not operating in interstate commerce or never cross a state line.<br /> <br /> <br /> <img alt="" width="551" height="53" src="/img/%7Ewww.TruckingInsuranceServices.com/Trucking%20Insurance%20Services%20LLC%20Logo.jpg" /><br /> <br /> <br /> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/administration/fmcsr/fmcsrruletext.aspx?reg=387.313">Click Here for FMCSA Forms and Procedures</a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p>urn:uuid:f5ee454d-570d-4ea6-9256-6deba50ab686Many of my clients are undergoing USDOT safety audits which have resulted in a failed safety audit.&nbsp; We are happy to have our friends at National Fleet Services LLC (www.NationalFleetServicesllc.com) help our client with providing the required w...Fri, 15 Jul 2011 17:55:34 -0500Many of my clients are undergoing USDOT safety audits which have resulted in a failed safety audit.&nbsp; We are happy to have our friends at National Fleet Services LLC (<a href="http://www.NationalFleetServicesllc.com">www.NationalFleetServicesllc.com</a>) help our client with providing the required written reponse to get out of "hot water" and to start rolling again.&nbsp; I thought that I would share with you some of things I am seeing within my client's&nbsp;Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) determination letters that have determined to unacceptable within the the motor carrier's corrective action plans (CAP).<br /> <ol> <li>A copy of the company's writen Controlled Substance and Alcohol Testing Policy as required by 49 CFR Section 382.601(b).</li> <li>Evidence that each driver received a copy of your company's written Controlled Substance and Alcohol Testing Policy as required by 49 CFR Section 382.601(d).</li> <li>Evidence that all designated supervisors have received the required Supervisor Training as required by 382.603.</li> <li>Copies of any pre-employment controlled substance test results on all drivers hired during the previous 365 days.&nbsp; These test must be USDO compliant tests.</li> <li>The list of motor carrier's drivers currently enrolled in the Controlled Substance and Alcohol Random testing program.</li> <li>Provide a description of your company's random testing procedures if your company has an agreement with a consortium/third-party administrator (C/TPA) including: <ol> <li>The name, address and telephone number of the consortium, collection facility, or site;</li> <li>Identify the designated employer representative that will be contacted by the consortium or service provider;</li> <li>Description of your system for contacting the driver(s) selected for testing and rules on what actions the driver should take once contacted;</li> <li>Describe procedures for updating the list of CDL drivers with the service provider.</li> </ol> </li> </ol> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>So, ask you..... What Corrective Actions should you be taking?&nbsp; What has been your experience with the FMCSA audits during the past 6 months and since CSA has come into our lives?<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> </p>urn:uuid:508d9179-c761-4d84-bf42-a662e0f81b0cA number of our client are failing to update their MCS-150 reports.&nbsp; All motor carriers operating commerical motor vehicles in interstate commerce are required to file a Motor Carrier Identification Report (MCS-150) every 2 years.&nbsp; This req...Fri, 15 Jul 2011 17:35:24 -0500<p style="text-align: left;">A number of our client are failing to update their MCS-150 reports.&nbsp; All motor carriers operating commerical motor vehicles in interstate commerce are required to file a Motor Carrier Identification Report (MCS-150) every 2 years.&nbsp; This requirement has been in effect since July 3, 2000.&nbsp; Starting January 2001, a motor carrier must file the MCS-150 at least every 24 months according to the following schedule:<br /> <br /> <br /> US DOT Number ending in:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Must be filied by teh last day of:<br /> <br /> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;January<br /> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;February<br /> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;March<br /> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;April<br /> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;May<br /> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;June<br /> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;July<br /> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;August<br /> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;9&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;September<br /> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;October<br /> <br /> If the next-to-the last digit of your USDOT number is add, you must file your update in every add numbered calendar year.<br /> <br /> If the next-to-the last digit of your USDOT number is even, you must file your update in every even numbered calendar year.<br /> <br /> </p>urn:uuid:f064ec26-853e-42d7-b1cb-e09d49564606The Strategy highlights the importance of a Drug-Free Workplace Program in reducing the demand for drugs thoughout the US and in helping drug users get into treatment.&nbsp; The Strategy has three "signature" initiatives: reducing prescription d...Fri, 15 Jul 2011 17:18:57 -0500The Strategy highlights the importance of a Drug-Free Workplace Program in reducing the demand for drugs thoughout the US and in helping drug users get into treatment.&nbsp; The Strategy has three "signature" initiatives: <ol> <li>reducing prescription drug abuse;</li> <li>reducing drugged driving; and </li> <li>expanding community-based substance abuse prevention; as well as populations within unique challenges and needs in addressing substance abuse issues: active duty military and veterans; women and their families; college and university students; and thoses in the criminal justice system.</li> </ol> <p >A PDF copy of the Strategy is available at <a href="http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/publications/policy/ndcs11/ndcs2011.pdf">http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/publications/policy/ndcs11/ndcs2011.pdf</a> <br /> <br /> To read more about the Strategy visit the Office of National Drug Control Policy website at http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/strategy/index.html<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> </p>urn:uuid:f77001f8-3056-476b-bd9f-274f43d688b1The Highway Use Tax (2290) is currently scheduled to expire on September 30, 2011.&nbsp; Give this fact, the IRS have advised truckers and other owners of heavy highway vehicles that their next federal highway use tax return (Form 2290) , usually due...Fri, 15 Jul 2011 17:10:07 -0500The Highway Use Tax (2290) is currently scheduled to expire on September 30, 2011.&nbsp; Give this fact, the IRS have advised truckers and other owners of heavy highway vehicles that their next federal highway use tax return (Form 2290) , usually due on August 31, will instead be due on November 30, 2011.<br /> <br /> Truckers or other owners of heavy highway vehicles applying for state registration on or before Novermber 30, 2011, should provide the state as proof of payment the stamped Schedule 1 of the Form 2290 issued by the IRS for the prior tax year, ending on June 30, 2011.<br /> <br /> See IR-2011-77, July 15, 2011 for more details at <a href="http://www.IRS.gov/newsroom">www.IRS.gov/newsroom</a>urn:uuid:02d08c6a-135a-4d29-9c25-959f2467616dOn June 22, 2010 the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration issued a final rule amending 49 CFR Parts 365 and 387 eliminating the requirement for most for-hire motor common carriers of property and freight forwarders to maintain cargo insurance ...Sat, 05 Mar 2011 10:10:26 -0600On June 22, 2010 the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration issued a final rule amending 49 CFR Parts 365 and 387 eliminating the requirement for most for-hire motor common carriers of property and freight forwarders to maintain cargo insurance in the prescribed minimum amounts of $5,000 per vehicle and $10,000 per occurence and file evidence of this insurance.&nbsp; This new rule, Cargo Insurance for Property Loss or Damage, is effective on March 21, 2011.&nbsp; The final rule limites the requiremetns for cargo insurance filings during authority registration (Section 365.109) to household goods motor carriers and household goods frieght forwarders.<br /> <br />urn:uuid:978317cc-fd3b-4a2c-b658-d50b290a7bf0Well what do we do now and what does all of this data mean? the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration ("FMCSA") introduced the new Compliance Safety Accountability ('CSA") nationwide in December 2010 which has added a new level of complexity t...Fri, 04 Mar 2011 19:10:07 -0600<strong>Well what do we do now and what does all of this data mean?<br /> </strong><br /> the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration ("FMCSA") introduced the new Compliance Safety Accountability ('CSA") nationwide in December 2010 which has added a new level of complexity to carrier safety evaluations.&nbsp; The CSA program covers approximately 758,000 commercal fleets of which approxamately 161,000 are&nbsp;for-hire or&nbsp;interstate fright carriers.&nbsp;&nbsp;CSA program may potentially provide less clarity with&nbsp;even more data points&nbsp;making it more&nbsp;difficult for borker or shippers to evaluate&nbsp;or validate carriers.&nbsp;&nbsp;Of course larger carriers have more data points than smaller carriers, as 90% larger carriers have numeric scores compared to only 25% of the smallest carriers.&nbsp; Thus, the average scores for large carriers are also lower (better - just like&nbsp;the&nbsp;game of golf) than the average of&nbsp;smaller carriers.<br /> <br /> <table> <tbody> <tr> <td>&nbsp;<strong><span style="font-size: 13px;">Fleet Size Trucks</span></strong></td> <td> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">&nbsp;<strong>1-5</strong></span></p> </td> <td> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: 13px;">6-15</span></strong></p> </td> <td> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: 13px;">16-50</span></strong></p> </td> <td> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: 13px;">50-500</span></strong></p> </td> <td> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><strong>500 +</strong>&nbsp;</span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: 13px;">&nbsp;Unsafe Driving Score</span></td> <td><span style="background-color: #ff0000; font-size: 13px;">&nbsp;75.0%</span></td> <td><span style="font-size: 13px;">&nbsp;50.0%</span></td> <td><span style="font-size: 13px;">&nbsp;37.2%</span></td> <td><span style="font-size: 13px;">&nbsp;28.9%</span></td> <td><span style="font-size: 13px;">&nbsp;31.6%</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: 13px;">&nbsp;Fatigued Driving Score&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></td> <td><span style="background-color: #ff0000; font-size: 13px;">&nbsp;70.1%</span></td> <td><span style="font-size: 13px;">&nbsp;62.0%</span></td> <td><span style="font-size: 13px;">&nbsp;55.0%</span></td> <td><span style="font-size: 13px;">&nbsp;48.5%</span></td> <td><span style="font-size: 13px;">&nbsp;41.7%</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: 13px;">&nbsp;Vehicle Maintenance Score</span></td> <td><span style="font-size: 13px;">&nbsp;67.0%</span></td> <td><span style="font-size: 13px;">&nbsp;59.0%</span></td> <td><span style="font-size: 13px;">&nbsp;50.4%</span></td> <td><span style="font-size: 13px;">&nbsp;45.2%</span></td> <td><span style="font-size: 13px;">&nbsp;45.8%</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: 13px;">&nbsp;Driver Fitness Score</span></td> <td><span style="background-color: #ff0000; font-size: 13px;">&nbsp;93.2%</span></td> <td><span style="background-color: #ff0000; font-size: 13px;">&nbsp;86.2%</span></td> <td><span style="font-size: 13px;">&nbsp;76.7%</span></td> <td><span style="font-size: 13px;">&nbsp;59.7%</span></td> <td><span style="font-size: 13px;">&nbsp;49.3%</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: 13px;">&nbsp;Controlled Substances Score</span></td> <td><span style="font-size: 13px;">&nbsp;67.3%</span></td> <td><span style="font-size: 13px;">&nbsp;49.7%</span></td> <td><span style="font-size: 13px;">&nbsp;35.7%</span></td> <td><span style="font-size: 13px;">&nbsp;23.5%</span></td> <td><span style="font-size: 13px;">&nbsp;19.6%</span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <br /> The&nbsp;color red is an average score that exceed intervention threshold for that BASIC.&nbsp;<br /> <br /> It would appear that the smaller carriers lack the resources or safety programs to maintain acceptable BASIC scores.&nbsp; Thus, we suggest all&nbsp;carriers to invest in safety programs to improve&nbsp;the carriers' BASIC&nbsp;scores and remain in business without the fear of a FMCSA intervention.<br /> &nbsp;&nbsp;<br /> <br />urn:uuid:9a9666a5-a265-4594-b3dd-51cc2c76f202This is a reminder that the Cargo Insurance for Property Loss or Damage rule will be effective on March 21, 2011.&nbsp; The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration ("FMCSA") final rule amended 49 CFR Parts 365 and 387.&nbsp; This final rule elimi...Sat, 01 Jan 2011 20:22:15 -0600This is a reminder that the Cargo Insurance for Property Loss or Damage rule will be effective on March 21, 2011.&nbsp; The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration ("FMCSA") final rule amended 49 CFR Parts 365 and 387.&nbsp; This final rule eliminated the requirement for "for-hire" motor&nbsp;carriers of property and freight forwarders to maintain cargo insurance in the once prescribed minimum amounts of $5,000 per vehicle and $10,000 per occurrence and file evidence of this insurance with the FMCSA.&nbsp; This final rule only applies to "for-hire" motor carriers and freight forwarders as defined in 49 USC 13102.&nbsp; <br /> <br /> The term motor carrier means a person providing motor vehicle transportation for compensation.&nbsp; The term freight forwarder means a person holding itself out to the general public (other than as a pipeline, railroad, motor, or water carrier) to provide transportation of property for compensation.<br /> <br /> This final rule does not apply to household goods motor carriers and household goods freight forwarders.&nbsp; Therefore, they continue to be subject to the cargo insurance requirement.<br /> <br /> Trucking Insurance Services LLCurn:uuid:52b51387-a94a-4550-8f03-d6d26a16ed44Many of Trucking Insurance Services' client ask the question: "How will CSA 2010 affect the employment of drivers?"&nbsp; So we asked our friends at National Fleet Services and USDOT to comment.&nbsp; We encourage our clients to visit&nbsp;the Federa...Fri, 31 Dec 2010 20:55:57 -0600Many of Trucking Insurance Services' client ask the question: "How will CSA 2010 affect the employment of drivers?"&nbsp; So we asked our friends at National Fleet Services and USDOT to comment.&nbsp; We encourage our clients to visit&nbsp;the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration ("FMCSA") website as&nbsp;the official&nbsp;resource for the CSA 2010 program at <a href="http://csa2010.fmcsa.dot.gov">http://csa2010.fmcsa.dot.gov</a>&nbsp; <br /> <br /> The FMCSA will continue to enforce the CSA 2010 program holding carriers responsible for safety of all operating equipment; practices and procedures; and yes <em>for the drivers they employ</em>.&nbsp; Nothing has really changed&nbsp;in the FMCSA's position.&nbsp;&nbsp;However,&nbsp;the FMCSA will track and evaluate all inspections and crashes that a driver receives while&nbsp;operating under the authority of a carrier.&nbsp;&nbsp;Therefore, the activities of the driver (unsafe or otherwise) will remain part of the carrier's SMS data for two (2) years unless overturned through the DataQs system, even if the carrier terminate the&nbsp;driver.<br /> <br /> So what to do?&nbsp; Do your homework.&nbsp;&nbsp;We suggest&nbsp;working with a compliance consultant to score drivers past&nbsp;operating performance around safety assuming that&nbsp;the drive will continue&nbsp;his/her operating performance in&nbsp;the future.&nbsp;&nbsp;The&nbsp;decisions&nbsp;made today will impact your future&nbsp;scores for many periods to come.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /> <br /> <em>Trucking Insurance Services LLC</em>&nbsp;&nbsp;urn:uuid:7ac70219-74c0-4b31-936d-68fbb549bf49The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration ("FMCSA") officially kicked-off CSA 2010 in November 2010.&nbsp; If you operate a trucks in your business beware....many assume that the the term "motor carrier" is only trucking companies.&nbsp; If so,...Fri, 31 Dec 2010 20:35:30 -0600The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration ("FMCSA") officially kicked-off CSA 2010 in November 2010.&nbsp; If you operate a trucks in your business beware....many assume that the the term "motor carrier" is only trucking companies.&nbsp; If so, you will be completely incorrect!&nbsp; CSA 2010 applies to all "<em>carriers with a USDOT number</em>" engaged in the interstate commerce, no matter what kind of carrier you may have been the past (i.e., private carrier)!&nbsp; This new program will capture business operating trucks such as pest control companies, landscaping companies, welding companies all operating over the road.&nbsp; It also applies to Canadian and Mexican carriers who may travel on US highways.&nbsp; The FMCSA has over 500,000 carriers within the their databases ranging from the sole proprietorship operating a single&nbsp;CMV or the largest fleets,&nbsp;service delivery carriers and intermodal carriers.&nbsp; What makes all of them part of the CSA 2010 program?&nbsp; Each of them have a USDOT number.<br /> <br /> The FMCSA will track, evaluate, and intervene with all motor carriers to enforce safety and the CSA 2010 program.&nbsp; Are you ready?&nbsp; If not, you should be!<br /> <br /> Where to get help?&nbsp;&nbsp;Call the good folks at&nbsp;National Fleet Services LLC at 866-419-3812 or&nbsp;<a href="http://www.NationalFleetServicesllc.com">www.NationalFleetServicesllc.com.<br /> </a><br /> <br /> &nbsp;urn:uuid:3633618c-e733-4d33-907a-e366236de2ccWhat thing can put my company out of business? Our business partners National Fleet Services LLC (www.NationalFleetServicesllc.com) and Trucking Start-Up Services LLC (www.TruckingStartUpServices.com) are ready to work with you to secure the operatio...Mon, 06 Dec 2010 21:22:47 -0600<strong>What thing can put my company out of business?<br /> </strong>Our business partners National Fleet Services LLC (<a href="http://www.nationalfleetservicesllc.com/">www.NationalFleetServicesllc.com</a>) and Trucking Start-Up Services LLC (<a href="http://www.truckingstartupservices.com/">www.TruckingStartUpServices.com</a>) are ready to work with you to secure the operational loss control services for the financial health of your company. <p><strong>TOP 10&nbsp;LOSS CONTROL ITEMS THAT&nbsp;MAY PUT YOU OUT OF&nbsp;BUSINESS:<br /> </strong></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <ol> <li>Hiring a driver with a D.U.I. </li> <li>Hiring a driver with a history of substance abuse problems. </li> <li>Hiring a driver with multiple traffic accidents and violations. </li> <li>Hiring a driver with no regard for safety. </li> <li>Hiring a driver with no DOT knowledge. </li> <li>Hiring a safety director with no regard to safety details or DOT knowledge. </li> <li>Failure to provide ongoing training for your drivers and safety director. </li> <li>Failure to implement a safety program and to aggressively manage IFTA, DQ, Maintenance files and logs. </li> <li>Failure to run drug tests and annual MVRs. </li> <li>Failure to call us for loss control services. </li> </ol>