New Mexico
Trucking Association
4809 Jefferson St. N.E.
Albuquerque, NM 87109
505 884-5575
505 884-3661 (fax)
J.J. Keller Offers
Program to Help
CSA Education
The new FMCSA carrier analysis system will change the way carrier's do business because it changes they way they are ranked and targeted for safety review.
This J. J. Keller program explains the new system and the key fundamentals that drivers need to know, including their obligations as to unsafe driving, fatigue, HOS, controlled substances and alcohol, truck and trailer maintenance, and load securement. It also covers the driver's role in improving, maintaining, or degrading their company's -- and their own -- safety fitness evaluation, explaining what they can do to prevent violations and have "good" inspections go into the Safety Measurement System (SMS).
The program includes several ready-to-use training tools: a closed-captioned video on DVD; a 24-page discussion guide; driver handbooks; and a CSA 2010 overview poster to hang in a training room or drivers' lounge. It will be available in February but can be reserved now. Keller says that if a rulemaking regarding CSA 2010 is published prior to July 1, 2011 and requires changes to this product, your copy will be updated at no charge. Talk to NMTA for details.
January 12, 2012
More Compliance Training Offered for CARB Reporting Deadline
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is offering additional free training classes for fleets who plan to submit compliance reports by January 31, 2012 under the state’s Truck and Bus Regulation. The regulation phases in diesel particulate filter requirements on most Class 7 and 8 trucks operating in California (outside of the state’s ports and rail yards). Fleets have the option of annually meeting specific requirements by either engine model years or percentage of California operating fleet beginning January 1, 2012.
For fleets electing to meet the percentage requirements or use certain flexibility provisions, compliance reporting using CARB’s online reporting system is required. Webcast training is now offered on January 13, 20 and 27. In addition, in-person training classes are offered at several California locations over the next several weeks. Click here for more information about the training classes or to register.
Washington State Enforces HOS Violations Electronically
Washington State Patrol spokesperson Andy Stoeckle announced that state troopers have begun examining trucks in an effort to get tired drivers off the road.
CMVs will be screened electronically at 12 weigh stations “for their weight, size, registration and safety record and the time the truck was at the weigh station, which allows officers to check to see how long the trucks have been on the road that day,” said Stoeckle. The new system’s electronic monitoring can also be used to verify logbook entries with ease, he added.
Are You Ready for the 2012 Championships?
For those of you who will have drivers participating in the New Mexico Truck Driving Championships competition this year. The 2012 State and National Rules and Procedures book and the 2012 Facts for Drivers (used to help study for the Championships Written Exam) will be available in February.
Several rules in the rulebook have been changed and others clarified (for example, some of the time limits for the Pre-trip Inspection have changed); and a number of sections and statistics have been updated or added in the Facts for Drivers. Stay tuned for more information. Get your drivers involved - this is a great morale booster and the competition is fierce. Think you have the best drivers or maybe you think you are one of the best drivers – Step right up and show your colleagues what you can do !!
The New Mexico competition will take place on Saturday 5th. of May, 2012 at the Fedex facility located on Los Volcanos, in Albuquerque and the Awards Banquet will take place that evening at the Sheraton Uptown on the corner of Louisiana and Menaul. Look forward to seeing you at both events.
Pay the Fine, Admit Guilt
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has recently released a regulation clarification proposal to close a potentially harmful loophole in the safety regulations. Under the new rules, if you pay a fine you will not be able to appeal it at a future date. Essentially, this means that if you pay a fine for a violation, you are admitting guilt. Up until now, some carriers had been ‘hedging their bets’; paying fines to prevent further punitive action, but then sending in a written objection to deny liability. Under the proposal, when you are notified of a fine by FMCSA you will also be notified that paying that fine is an admission of guilt and liability. This would waive all rights to contest the fine after the fact.
The Foreign Based Carrier Hordes Are About to Invade the USA - 2nd. Mexican Carrier Gets Operating Authority.
A second Mexican owner-operator has attained authority to operate throughout the United States under the two countries cross-border trucking pilot program.
Moises Alvarez Perez, doing business as Distribuidora Marina El Pescador, received ‘provisional’ operating authority December 28, 2011. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration records show. Alvarez passed an FMCSA safety audit in October and FMCSA solicited comments on his audit in November. Alvarez owns one 2002 Navistar International truck.
David Geasland Retires from FMCSA
After a long career of over 25 years with the New Mexico office of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, David Geasland has retired.
David has long been a friend of New Mexico motor carriers and as a Safety Specialist for FMCSA aided them in staying in compliance with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety and Hazardous Material regulations. He was with the Federal Highway Administration before the FMCSA was created.
Fraudulent Drug/Alcohol Letter Circulating
In recent months, we have received numerous inquiries regarding companies using aggressive marketing tactics to sell supervisor training to employers who may be subject to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s drug and alcohol testing requirements. Please note that the FMCSA is not familiar with these companies or the training they are offering.
49 CFR §382.603 requires supervisors of CDL drivers to take 60 minutes of training on the symptoms of alcohol abuse and another 60 minutes of training on the symptoms of controlled substances use. The purpose is to qualify supervisors for determining when reasonable suspicion testing is needed.
The FMCSA does not certify trainers or training companies, nor does it pre-approve the curriculum presented. Employers are responsible for meeting the training requirement of 49 CFR §382.603 including ensuring that any training company/entity that they purchase training from provides training in the physical, behavioral, speech, and performance indicators of probable alcohol misuse and use of controlled substances. It is up to the employer to select which training to attend, keeping in mind the aforementioned guidelines.
NMTA has now been seeing copies of this letter being mailed to companies and drivers in addition to the former faxed notices. PLEASE IGNORE THEM!
If you have any questions about any notification, please contact NMTA or the FMCSA directly.
