Following two years of heated debate and threats of a presidential veto, Congress approved a six-year, $286.4 billion highway spending bill last week, and the President appears ready to sign.The Highway Reauthorization Act authorizes spending through 2009, including a 30 percent increase in funding for highways and bridges. It also increases the minimum return on each state’s contribution to the Highway Trust Fund from 90.5 percent to 92 percent by 2008. Funding levels for major programs are as ...

The U.S. Senate on Sept. 26 confirmed, without opposition, Joseph Clapp as the first administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Clapp was officially sworn in on Oct. 4.“I am pleased to have someone with Joe’s extensive background in the motor carrier industry as the leader of our newest agency,” said Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta. “His knowledge, experience and leadership will be a great asset for transportation safety and security.”Clapp most recently served as c...

Periodically we ask Commercial Carrier Journal readers to participate in surveys regarding key trucking and fleet management issues such as fuel costs, productivity and the management of equipment and drivers. The confidential responses help further our understanding of your concerns – and how you are addressing them. It’s always interesting to see what your peers think about issues and how they perceive common problems. So I thought I would share some highlights from a survey CCJ conducted last...

With the price of diesel fuel soaring, “How much to charge?” and “When can truck operators apply a fuel surcharge?” are key questions. Members are reminded that rate regulation – with the exception of household good movers and buses - no longer exists. Industry deregulation in early 1990's resulted in each company developing their own pricing structure - which would include any fuel surcharges when diesel fuel prices soar.Diesel fuel is averaging $1.704 ($1.67 for the Gulf Coast Region) per gal...

Marten Transport was among those who submitted their company information for the Georgia Motor Trucking Association's 2004 Truck Driving Championship in May at Stone Mountain, Georgia. Because they had the best overall record and accident ratio of all carriers who submitted information to the GMTA and those who participated in the competition, Marten earned the title of overall Grand Champion Winner for the second time in three years. The company also received 1st Place in the Line Haul Divi...

As in previous election cycles, trucking organizations and fleets strongly favor Republican candidates in 2006, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan, nonprofit research group that tracks political contributions. Nationwide, all 435 U.S. House seats, 33 of the 100 U.S. Senate seats and 36 of the 50 state governorships are up for grabs Nov. 7. The Republican majority on Capitol Hill could be lost if the Democrats gain 15 House seats and six Senate seats.Among the top 20 t...

“Whenever the government thinks something is broken in our industry they try to fix it by tightening the screws on the wrong part,” writes owner-operator Jack Webster, Wolcott, Ind., in response to June’s Viewpoint. Webster is referring to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s single-minded focus on driver off-duty hours as the way to improve highway safety. “The problem will only be solved when shippers, receivers and trucking company management are included in paying the penalty fo...

Contract Freighters Inc., based in Joplin, Mo., chose Bill Coffman of Stockbridge, Ga., as the May Contractor of the Month and John and Sherry Hufford of Bell, Fla., as Contractor Team of the Month. Coffman joined CFI in 1999, and the Huffords joined the company three years ago.Dennis Platt of DeWitt, Iowa, who joined the company six years ago, was awarded the Company Driver of the Month award for May, and Michael and Sandy Borton of Bell, Fla, who joined CFI in 2001, were chosen as the Company ...

Delphi Corp. has introduced TruckSecure, which can help identify and authorize drivers, track and guide vehicles, and even shut down a vehicle if it is driven into a prohibited area or if key components are tampered with or destroyed. TruckSecure is a hardware and services system that uses Delphi’s truck computing platform and vehicle integration capabilities coupled with services provided by partners including MobileAria and The O’Gara Company. The system fits in a standard-size radio package a...

The scene at Ground Zero at 2 a.m., 10 days after the attack, is surreal. One hundred ten stories of two buildings lie crushed by gravity into a pile of metal no more than four stories high. A two-story chunk of one building is still lodged in the side of an adjacent building. Mist from a water cannon perched atop another neighboring building is falling through bright lights onto gas-masked workers. Smoke still rises from countless fires under the rubble. A crane is trying to climb the mountain ...

Because of a backlog in processing thousands of applications, the deadline for requiring Free And Secure Trade cards of all Border Release Advance Screening and Selectivity drivers has been extended to May 1.U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced four days before the previously scheduled date of Jan. 31 that enforcement would be delayed for the first group of 40 ports.The BRASS program is an automated system to speed cross-border processing of certain products. Approved applicants, such as...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has certified Caterpillar’s C15 engine, the third Caterpillar engine the agency has certified for on-highway trucks.Full production of the engine, used by North American truck fleets and owner-operators as well as in fire trucks and emergency vehicles, will be offered in the 435 to 550 horsepower range.The engine is equipped with Caterpillar’s ACERT (Advanced Combustion Emissions Reduction Technology), which reduces emissions at the point of combustion to...

At the tender age of 29, Jeff Gordon has already won three Winston Cup championships, and his 53 checkers ties him with Rusty Wallace for the most victories among active drivers.And after a two year “slump” — one that saw the DuPont Chevrolet pilot finish sixth in the final standings in 1999 and ninth last year — Gordon is, once again, at the top of the heap and driving with the same passion and intensity that earned him the nickname “Wonder Boy.”“It’s been since 1999 since I was at the top of t...

A federal judge ruled last week against an owner-operator who fought a six-year battle to force his former carrier to classify owner-operators as employees instead of independent contractors.Tobias Renteria had sued K&R Transportation for damages and restitution after he was no longer leased to the California-based company. Renteria’s complaints against the carrier included employee classification, alleged unfair business practices and charging that the carrier illegally sold owner-operators ins...

Melton Truck Lines has announced several improvements to their programs for company drivers, owner-operators, and lease purchase drivers:$0 Down Lease Program with New Lease Trucks being delivered daily· Kenworths and Freightliners available· No credit check · Mileage pay of up to 92 cpm – loaded and empty· Fuel adjustments up to 14 cpm· Paid base plates, permits Pay increase for both company drivers and owner-operators· Company Drivers earn up to 40 cpm· BCBS Health, Vision & Dental insurance· ...

The mood was optimistic and upbeat at this year’s Truckload Carriers Association annual meeting at the Gaylord Palms Resort in Orlando, Fla. The theme, “Power to Move,” was especially appropriate for the robust economic conditions. Fleet owners flocked to seminars covering topics that ranged from safety measures and ergonomics to running an ecologically “green” business.It’s no surprise that Commercial Carrier Journal’s Commercial Carrier University seminar — “Insurance Exclusions, Are You Reall...

Safety and trucking groups are challenging provisions of the hours of service rule in court, though for different reasons.Four safety groups -- Public Citizen, Citizens for Reliable and Safe Highways, Parents Against Tired Truckers and Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety -- were joined by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters in asking a federal court Feb. 27 to review the part of the rule which allows drivers to drive 11 consecutive hours before taking a mandatory 10-hour off-duty break....

Parents Against Tired Truckers and Citizens for Reliable and Safe Highways, two trucking safety advocacy groups, will move to a shared office in Washington, D.C., and create the Truck Safety Coalition.PATT and CRASH expect the move to a shared office will more effectively coordinate similar highway and truck safety efforts of the two groups. Moving to Washington will also bring the two groups closer to legislators.The Truck Safety Coalition will appoint an executive director to manage and coordi...

You may call it acid indigestion or heartburn, but by any name, gastroesophageal reflux disease, GERD or reflux for short, is a painful ailment that affects more than 60 million Americans at least once a month.The trademark burning sensation that travels from the middle of the chest and moves up along the back of the throat is familiar to many pregnant women who frequently suffer from GERD. But this painful condition also is common for people who are overweight, who smoke or have a hiatal hernia...

Jacobson Transportation has redefined itself as a regional carrier.The change will give drivers more home time and allow the company to better serve its customers, the carrier said.Regional runs in Iowa include a 600-mile radius of Des Moines, while Indiana regional runs include a 600-mile radius of Indianapolis. For Texas regional runs, the area includes Texas and the surrounding states through the Midwest and Southeast.For more information, call 800-397-8132 or visit www.drivejtc.com. ...

National Truck Driver Appreciation Week is Aug. 21-27, during which, the nation’s motor carriers, state trucking associations and trucking industry manufacturers and suppliers will honor drivers in various ways — million-mile and safety awards, cash bonuses or gifts, an extra paid day off, a cup of coffee, even a simple windshield cleaning.Alabama Trucking Association president and CEO Frank Filgo said Alabama truckers are among the safest and most professional drivers in the country and deserve...

Overnite Transportation Company driver Teddy Abshire joined the winners' circle at the Ohio Truck Driving Championships. A road driver based at the company's Columbus Service Center, Abshire drove away with the first-place trophy for the five-axle sleeper truck division and will go on to Salt Lake City this summer to represent the company at the National Truck Driving Championships.Also taking home a trophy in the sleeper competition was former two-time state champion Alan Graham of Richfield, O...

E.J. Brooks Co. and A. Rifkin Co. introduce the new Secur-A-File, a tamper-evident security file. Secur-A-File is fitted with heavy-duty rods that will suspend in any standard filing cabinet. A numbered plastic security seal must be broken to gain entry.E.J. Brooks Co. (www.ejbrooks.com) and A. Rifkin Co. (www.arifkin.com)  ...

Tri-State Motor Transit of Joplin, Mo., inducted professional drivers Joe Beck and Sam Knowles into its Two Million Mile Club at an awards presentation and banquet held April 5 at the Holiday Inn of Joplin. Members of the club have driven two million miles without an accident. On average, it takes approximately 20 years of professional driving to reach this goal. Beck is from Little Rock, Ark., and Knowles is from Eaton, Ohio. Both drivers received a trip for two to the destination of their choi...

On February 26, the Oklahoma Trucking Association named Melton Truck Lines first place in Highway Safety for irregular route fleets with up to 5 million miles driven in Oklahoma. The judging was based on miles driven and number of DOT recordable accidents. Melton’s winning accident frequency rate was 0.55 per million miles.  ...

Epes Transport System opened a new terminal in Valdosta, Ga., on Aug. 29.The new terminal is located off Exit 11 off I-75. Epes is recruiting drivers and owner-operators out of it.  ...

Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 — Phil VassarThere’s a great four-letter word to describe Virginia hit-maker Phil Vassar … cool. One of the best songwriters in country music, Vassar includes some of his hits for other artists on this new collection, including “Bye Bye” and “Little Red Rodeo.” Seven of Vassar’s own line of chart hits are packaged here, too, including “Carlene,” “Six-Pack Summer” and “American Child.” Vassar’s new single, “Last Day of My Life,” is a beautiful song about the loss of a close ...

Beginning Jan. 31, drivers seeking new hazmat endorsements in most states must be fingerprinted and pay $94 in security fees, according to the final rule issued by the U.S. Transportation Security Administration.Drivers seeking to renew their hazmat endorsements won’t be subject to fingerprinting and to the fee until May 31.The $94 fee will apply only in the 34 states that will use the designated TSA contractor, Integrated Biometric Technologies of Nashville, Tenn., to collect the fingerprints. ...

In for-hire trucking applications, the feds found produce haulers and cold food fleets had the highest incident rates. Less-than-truckload and tank haulers were, on average, the safest. One key factor contributing to the difference in safety performance is driver pay, say safety and industry experts. “Truckers who haul produce are among the lowest paid in the industry,” says Michael Belzer, author of Sweatshops on Wheels and an expert in transportation and industrial wages. “Conversely, LTL truc...

The Port of Oakland, Calif., has selected the company that oversaw a Los Angeles fleet modernization program to implement a similar program. TIAX, a Massachusetts company, won the contract to replace trucks serving the port with lower emission vehicles.The port will pay to replace about 60 trucks. Qualified truck owners can trade in pre-1987 vehicles in exchange for a maximum of $25,000 toward a truck made in 1999 or after. Truck owners must have operated in the port continuously for the past tw...

Four former drivers for a California trucking company recently were sentenced to varying jail terms in U.S. District Court on charges of making false statements. All of the four men previously had pleaded guilty to keeping false driver's logbooks while employed as drivers for Madera-based Nijjar Brothers Trucking, according to the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General.On Nov. 14, Greg Allen Mello was sentenced to 15 months in prison, Pedro Farias-Lopez and Muhammad Arshid Chau...

Tyson Foods Logistics is offering a $1,500 sign-on bonus to owner-operators, in addition to paying practical miles and base plates. The incentive package was announced by the fleet, part of Tyson Foods Inc. of Springdale, Ark.  ...

Owens Corning’s first National Driver Appreciation Award was presented to Beau Baldwin, an independent contractor with Dart Transit Company. Baldwin was presented with the “Leave the Driving To Us” award, a vacation prize worth $2,000. The presentation was at Dart’s Dallas Operating Center in Lancaster, Texas.Beau, a native Texan, purchased his first tractor in August and joined the Dart Advantage team. His first shipment for Dart originated at the Owens Corning plant in Waxahachie, Texas, desti...

The American Trucking Associations wants truckers to lobby against Virginia’s plan to implement truck-only tolls that would cost truckers $120 to drive 325 miles of Interstate 81. The state’s adoption of the proposal has garnered opposition from many parties, including local governments and some state legislators.NATSO opposes the proposal, saying the plan would force truckers onto roads inadequate for increased truck traffic and also would feed national interest in privatizing interstate highwa...

The location of a gasoline tanker stolen from a New Jersey terminal about two weeks ago remains unknown.The New Jersey Motor Truck Association issued an alert April 13 for the four-compartment Fruehauf with a T-118 trailer, marked on the sides with the carrier’s name, TK Transport Inc.The vehicle’s New Jersey license plate is T-852SC, and its motor or fuel tag is 15148. The truck has aluminum tires.It was stolen from the TK terminal in Pennsauken. According to published reports, the tanker was l...

National Seating unveiled its next generation of ergonomic truck seats Thursday. The company says the High Performance model includes several upgrades over previous seats.These include: 23-inch wide-plus seat cushion (2 inches wider than standard); 1.5-inch wider opening between armrests than previous models; and Backcycler Motion, a fully pneumatic system to reduce sore ligaments and muscles.The HP seat also boasts 3-position rear cushion adjustment; 6-position front cushion adjustment; 6-degre...

All Pro Freight Systems Inc., based in Avon, Ohio, has been selected as the Quality Carrier of the Year by the Carolina Casualty Insurance Co. The award is given to fleets that demonstrate excellent safety practices and that have low losses year after year.  ...

The Dave Nemo Radio Network is calling on truck drivers to help locate missing children through the re-launch of program called The Road Home — Truckers Helping Children Find The Way.“Every day in the United States, nearly 2,000 children are reported missing,” said radio personality Dave Nemo. “Many kids are found quickly, but unfortunately many others aren’t. “Truck drivers and the trucking industry as a whole want to help get these kids back home.” The Road Home program, co-sponsored by Rand M...

FRANK BROUSSARDBaton Rouge, La.Swift Transportation“I’d take care of my family and friends — all the ones who have been in my corner — so everybody can retire. And I’d give to my church.”ARTHUR TURNERHertford, N.C.Walter Cartwright“I would take a vacation to New Orleans and buy a house.”ROBERT LEWISAngleton, TexasQuality Carriers“Buy a house near Phoenix, Ariz., and give to charity.”SCOTT WAHLDenverCrete Carrier “I’d invest half and spend the rest on a nice car and a house.”MIKE KEHRESHuntsville...

The American Transportation Research Institute, the research arm of the American Trucking Associations, seeks help with a fleet survey on in-vehicle truck technology. In-vehicle technologies are on-board systems such as GPS, lane departure alarms and vehicle tracking.Survey results will help fleet managers better understand future needs for in-vehicle technology. Individual respondent information will remain confidential.Participants will receive a report that will allow them to compare their fl...