News Archives:
Aug 01, 2008
Jul 10, 2008
Jun 09, 2008
May 30, 2008
May 21, 2008
New Mexico
Trucking Association
4809 Jefferson St. N.E.
Albuquerque, NM 87109
505 884-5575
505 884-3661 (fax)
Save $39/hour
Something to think about
55 mph
versus 65 mph
Tom Pirnie, president of Grand Island Express, did the following computation to encourage improved fuel savings among the company’s owner-operators. He’d read that, for every one mile per hour over 55 miles per hour, the fuel mileage decreases by one tenth of a mpg. That means if you drive 65, and average six miles per gallon, your cost of fuel per mile is $4.72/6 = 78 cents per mile. If you drove 55 instead, your fuel mileage would then be seven miles per gallon and your cost of fuel per mile would be $4.72/7 which equals 67 cents per mile. That is a savings of 11 cents per mile.
Of course, it will take you longer to get from point A to B, approximately 11 minutes for every 65 miles. Those 11 minutes are paying you $7.15 ($0.11 x 65)! That’s equal to $39 dollars per hour ($7.15/11 x 60) for driving 55 miles per hour versus 65.
June 9, 2008
Legislation to Increase Truck Weight Limits Introduced
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) introduced legislation to create a two-year
pilot program permitting trucks carrying up to 100,000 pounds to travel on the federal
interstate system whenever diesel prices are at or above $3.50 per gallon. The Commercial
Truck Fuel Savings
Demonstration Act of 2008 would increase truck weight limits from the current 80,000 pounds. Raising the weight limit would allow trucking companies to put more cargo in each truck, thereby reducing the numbers of trucks needed to transport goods. Trucks carrying up to 100,000 pounds would no longer need to move off the main federal highways where trucks are limited at 80,000 pounds and take less direct routes on local roads requiring more diesel fuel and extended periods of idling during each trip, stated the senator.
FMCSA Issues Advisory Warning on Drug Chantix
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has issued an advisory warning that the popular prescription smoking-cessation drug Chantix may adversely affect commercial drivers’ ability to operate their vehicles safely. “While we do not name any medications, such as Chantix, in FMCSA regulations, it appears that medical examiners should not certify a driver taking Chantix because the medication may adversely affect the driver’s ability to safely operate a commercial motor vehicle,” FMCSA said. FMCSA said its rules defer to physicians and health-care professionals to determine drivers’ medical fitness for duty. However, the agency cautioned that it issued the advisory because the drug has “actual and potential side effects that could impact safe driving.”
HAZMAT Permit Renewal Updated
A change in the hazardous materials safety permit (HMSP) application
process allows carriers to renew their MCS 150B 60 days before the
carrier’s HMSP expires. Previously, a renewal application was
considered updated if received more than 30 days before the HMSP expiration.
Carriers may continue to operate under an existing HMSP until they
are required to renew according to the schedule in 49 CFR 390.19. Carriers
are encouraged to use the 60 day grace period before the current permit
expires to correct any noncompliance
issues that may impact their HMSP renewal. This change will be stated
in the Biennial Update Letter mailed to carriers approximately 60 days
prior to the renewal schedule.
I-70 Sinkhole Traffic Alert
The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) has assessed the sinkhole
located on I-70 at mile marker 204.5, just west of Silverthorne and has
found that there is significant erosion under the Interstate due to heavy
water flow from the Old Dillon Reservoir that has overwhelmed the culvert
(24 inch) under the roadway. As a result, traffic on westbound I-70
has been reduced to one lane for a two-mile stretch of highway (between
mile markers 203-205). Only the left lane is open at this time. Due
to concerns about the roadway stability, CDOT is restricting all semi trucks
from traveling westbound I-70 at this location. Oversize/overweight vehicles
are being diverted to State Highway 9 via US 285. They will not be
allowed to travel through the sinkhole area. Additionally, semi trucks
(not oversize/overweight) will be detoured off I-70 at US 6 and may use
either the Dillon Dam Road or Swan Mountain Road to State Highway 9 and
back to I-70 at Frisco. Trucks are heavily discouraged from traveling
eastbound I-70 through the same area until CDOT can determine the full
extent of damage. CDOT crews will be drilling later this evening in an
effort to determine how much erosion has occurred and what, if any, damage
has been done to the culvert located 20-feet below the roadway. CDOT
will be monitoring the highway closely to be sure it can safely handle
motor vehicles but may need to close the roadway entirely if the roadway
is found to be compromised.
British Truckers Display Displeasure with High Diesel Prices.
Hundreds of truckers shut down London’s A-40 highway during the morning on May 27 by parking their rigs as part of a protest on Britain’s national average pump price for diesel, which hit the equivalent of $9.56 per gallon. Like most other European countries, Great Britain long ago chose to heavily tax gas and diesel, partly to increase use of public transportation. The British pay $3.77 a gallon fuel duty and 17.5% consumption tax on top of that. By contrast, U.S. drivers pay an average combined federal and state tax of about 53.5 cents per gallon of diesel, according to the American Petroleum Institute. Interesting fact – while oil companies make approximately 4% profit on a gallon of fuel the U.S. Government makes approximately 15% - makes you wonder who in fact are the ones that are being greedy !!!!!
DOT Seeks Ways
to Fight Border
Traffic Congestion
The U.S. Department of Transportation announced that it is seeking innovative
ways to fight congestion at some of the nation’s busiest border
crossings. DOT will select at least two projects each along the Canadian
and Mexican borders. In the past 20 years, the value of freight shipments
between the United States and each of its North American trading partners,
Canada and Mexico, has increased by 170 percent, growing an average of
8 percent annually and leading to longer delays at the crossings.
ATA conducting 2008 driver compensation study
The American Trucking Associations is conducting a driver compensation study. The purpose of the study is to provide accurate information on one of the industry’s largest expenses. ATA is inviting for-hire and private motor carriers to participate in this study. In return, you will receive a complimentary copy of the aggregate summary results, which can be used for benchmarking purposes. For further information, please e-mail info@atasurvey.com.
Great Turnout for Trucking Forum in Farmington
Upward of 89 people showed up to interface with the FMCSA, the NM DMV, the NM Motor Transportation Division and the Public Regulation Commission representative present at this meeting. There was some lively debate on issues that affect carriers and drivers in this region of our state. Future meetings will be held in Hobbs on Thursday June 12, Albuquerque on Tuesday July 8 (this has changed from original date) and possibly a fourth meeting at a later date in the Las Cruces area. Look for details on the NMTA website
CFTC Increasing Transparency in U.S. Energy Market
The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) is outlining steps that will increase the transparency of the energy futures market and help to ensure that petroleum prices are once again driven by supply and demand.
The CFTC said it will improve oversight of the energy futures market by expanding the amount and quality of information received from energy traders. Steps include expanding international surveillance information for crude oil trading; increasing the transparency of trading in U.S. energy markets; and continuing the CFTC’s ongoing nationwide crude oil investigation.
ATA conducting 2008 driver compensation study
The American Trucking Associations is conducting a driver compensation
study. The purpose of the study is to provide accurate information
on one of the industry’s
largest expenses. ATA is inviting for-hire and private motor carriers
to participate in this study. In return, you will receive a complimentary
copy of the aggregate summary results, which can be used for benchmarking
purposes. For further information, please e-mail info@atasurvey.com.
