News

NJ&NYC have strict idling laws, truckers are reminded idling more than 3 minutes is prohibited on port roadways & terminal property fines can exceed $250/infraction

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) will begin enforcing the electronic logging device (ELD) mandate requirements on Dec. 18, 2017. The out-of-service criteria (OOSC) associated with the ELD mandate will go into effect on April 1, 2018.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) congressionally mandated ELD compliance deadline is still set for Dec. 18, 2017. On that date, inspectors and roadside enforcement personnel will begin documenting violations on roadside inspection reports and, at the jurisdiction’s discretion, will issue citations to commercial motor vehicle drivers operating vehicles without a compliant ELD. Beginning April 1, 2018, inspectors will start placing commercial motor vehicle drivers out of service if their vehicle is not equipped with the required device. Please note, a motor carrier may continue to use a grandfathered automatic onboard recording device (AOBRD) no later than Dec. 16, 2019. The AOBRD must meet the requirements of 49 C.F.R. 395.15.

This announcement does not impact enforcement of the OOSC for other hours-of-service violations.

CVSA supports moving forward with the compliance date as specified in the rule. However, setting an April 1, 2018, effective date for applying the ELD OOSC will provide the motor carrier industry, shippers and the roadside enforcement community with time to adjust to the new requirement before vehicles are placed out of service for ELD violations.

CVSA member jurisdictions have used this phased-in approach in the past when implementing a significant change in regulatory requirements. The CVSA Board of Directors, in consultation with FMCSA and the motor carrier industry, agreed that the phased-in approach to implementation of the ELD requirements outlined in the North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria will help promote a smoother transition to the new ELD requirement.

A letter was sent to FMCSA notifying the agency of CVSA’s commitment to implementing the new requirement, as scheduled, on Dec. 18, 2017, and noting the April 1, 2018, effective date for applying the ELD OOSC.

For more information about the ELD rule, visit FMCSA’s ELD implementation website.

Everyone who uses the roads has a role to play in safety. This includes large trucks and buses, cars, bicyclists and pedestrians.

This contest lets children in kindergarten through sixth grade (ages 5-12) use their creativity and talent to help raise awareness of how to stay safe on the roads.

Children can:

• Share Important Safety Messages
• Have Your Art Featured in a Safety Calendar

Enter the Art Contest!

Click below to download our contest entry form or get ideas for your artwork!

 

Contest Awards

One Grand Prize Winner and five Honorable Mention winners will be chosen for each of two categories:

• Category A: Artists in kindergarten through second grade*
• Category B: Artists in third through sixth grades*

*As of June 18, 2017

For each of the award categories, one Grand Prize Winner and five Honorable Mention winners will be chosen.

All 12 winners will receive a certificate of recognition and have their artwork featured in a 2018 calendar. The artists will also be featured in a press release, highlighted on multiple social media sites, and featured on the FMCSA website.

Commercial motor vehicle enforcement personnel in Canada and the United States conducted more than 62,000 driver and vehicle safety inspections on large trucks and buses during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) 30th annual International Roadcheck, June 6-8, 2017. 23 percent of vehicles and 4.2 percent of drivers that received Level I Inspections were placed out of service.

International Roadcheck is a three-day enforcement event when CVSA-certified inspectors conduct high-volume, large-scale, high-visibility roadside inspections of large trucks and buses. Commercial motor vehicles and their drivers were checked at inspection sites, weigh stations and roving patrol locations along roadways in North America throughout the 72-hour enforcement initiative.

·         A total of 62,013 Level I, II and III Inspections were conducted during 2017 International Roadcheck.

·         19.4 percent of commercial motor vehicles inspected (Level I, II or III Inspections) were placed out of service. 4.7 percent of all drivers inspected (Level I, II, and III Inspections) were placed out of service.

·         40,944 inspections were North American Standard (NAS) Level I Inspections. A Level I Inspection is a 37-step procedure that includes examination of both the driver and vehicle. Other inspections conducted included the NAS Level II Walk-Around Inspection (12,787) and the NAS Level III Driver-Only Inspection (8,282).

·         7,713 inspections were conducted in Canada; 54,300 were conducted in the United States.

Vehicle-related results are as follows:

·         Of the 40,944 Level I Inspections conducted, 23 percent (9,398) percent were placed out of service for vehicle-related violations.

·         The top three out-of-service vehicle violations were for brake systems (26.9 percent of vehicle out-of-service violations), cargo securement (15.7 percent) and tires/wheels (15.1 percent).

·         Of the 2,267 vehicles carrying hazardous materials/dangerous goods that received a Level I Inspection, 12.8 percent were placed out of service for vehicle-related violations.

·         The top three vehicle violations related to the transportation of hazardous materials/dangerous goods were for loading and securement (40.4 percent of all out-of-service hazardous materials/dangerous goods violations), shipping papers (22.7 percent) and placarding (20.8 percent).

·         398 motorcoaches received Level I Inspections; 10.1 percent (40) were placed out of service for vehicle-related violations.

·         Of the vehicles placed out of service, brake adjustment and brake system violations combined to represent 41.4 percent (7,743) of all out-of-service vehicle violations.

Driver results are as follows:

·         Of the 62,013 total Level I, II, and III Inspections conducted, 4.7 percent (2,940) of drivers were placed out of service for driver-related violations.

·         Of Level I, II and III Inspections of vehicles carrying hazardous materials/dangerous goods, 1.9 percent were placed out of service for driver-related violations.

·         Out of the 598 motorcoaches that received Level I, II or III Inspections, 3.8 percent (23) of drivers were placed out of service for driver-related violations.

·         The top three driver-related violations were for hours of service (32.3 percent of driver out-of-service violations), wrong class license (14.9 percent) and false log book (11.3 percent).

·         There were 710 safety belt violations.

Each year, International Roadcheck places special emphasis on a category of violations. This year’s focus was cargo securement. While checking for compliance with safe cargo securement regulations is always part of roadside inspections, CVSA highlighted proper cargo securement this year as a reminder of its importance. Cargo securement violations (not including hazardous materials/dangerous goods loading/securement) represented 15.7 percent of all vehicle out of service violations during 2017 International Roadcheck.

The top five violations related to cargo securement (out of a total of 3,282) in the United States were:

1.     No or improper load securement (423)

2.     Failure to secure vehicle equipment (379)

3.     Leaking, spilling, blowing, falling cargo (281)

4.     Insufficient tiedowns to prevent forward movement for load not blocked by headerboard, bulkhead or cargo (256)

5.     Failure to secure load (178)

The specific out-of-service (OOS) violation percentage distributions (numbers indicate a percentage of the total out-of-service violations by category) from 2017 International Roadcheck are shown below:

Vehicle OOS Violations Category	Percentage of Vehicle OOS Violations	Driver OOS Violation Category	Percentage of Driver OOS Violations	Hazmat OOS Violation Category	Percentage of Hazmat OOS Violations
Brake Systems	26.9%	Hours of Service	32.3%	Loading/Securement	40.4%
Cargo Securement	15.7%	Wrong Class License	14.9%	Shipping Papers	22.7%
Tires/Wheels	15.1%	False Log Book	11.3%	Placarding	20.8%
Brake Adjustment	14.5%	Suspended License	3.4%	Package Integrity	4.3%
Lighting Devices	11.6%	Drugs/Alcohol	1.6%	Transport Vehicle Markings	0.8%
Suspensions	4.7%	Driver’s Age	0.4%
Steering Mechanisms	2.3%
Frames	1.0%
Coupling Devices	0.8%
Fuel Systems	0.6%
Driveline/Driveshaft	0.2%
Exhaust Systems	0.2%

Once violations of the regulations have been identified and documented on a roadside inspection report, roadside enforcement personnel use the CVSA NAS Out-of-Service Criteriaas the pass-fail criteria for inspections. During an inspection, if an inspector identifies critical violations, he or she will render the driver or vehicle out of service, which means the driver cannot operate the vehicle until the critical vehicle mechanical conditions or defects, and/or driver qualifications, are corrected.

If no critical violations are found during an eligible inspection, a CVSA decal will be applied as a visual indicator that the vehicle successfully passed inspection conducted by a CVSA-certified inspector. The NAS Level I Inspection and NAS Level V Vehicle-Only Inspections are the only inspections eligible for issuance of a CVSA decal.

“This year, we’re celebrating 30 years of the International Roadcheck Program,” said CVSA President Julius Debuschewitz with Yukon Highways and Public Works. “When this program started in 1988, the goal of International Roadcheck was to conduct inspections to identify and remove unsafe commercial motor vehicles and/or drivers from our roadways. Thirty years and 1.5 million inspections later, the International Roadcheck enforcement initiative is still going strong, thanks to the more than 13,000 inspectors who work hard every day to reduce the number of crashes, injuries and fatalities on our roadways.”

During International Roadcheck, inspectors primarily conduct the NAS Level I Inspection, which is a 37-step procedure that includes examinations of both the driver and vehicle. The vehicle inspection includes checking braking systems, cargo securement, coupling devices, driveline/driveshaft components, exhaust systems, frames, fuel systems, lighting devices, steering mechanisms, suspensions, tires, van and open-top trailer bodies, wheels, rims and hubs, and windshield wipers. Additional items for buses include emergency exits, electrical cables and systems in the engine and battery compartments, and seating. Drivers are asked to provide their operating credentials and hours-of-service documentation, and will be checked for seat belt usage. Inspectors will also be attentive to apparent alcohol and/or drug impairment.

International Roadcheck is the largest targeted enforcement program on commercial motor vehicles in the world, with more than 13 trucks or buses inspected, on average, every minute throughout North America during a 72-hour period. It is sponsored by CVSA, North America’s leading commercial motor vehicle safety enforcement organization, with participation by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators and the Secretariat of Communications and Transportation in Mexico.

Learn more about Roadcheck at http://cvsa.org/program/programs/international-roadcheck/. 

American Trucking Associations, along with millions of travelers and 3.5 million American truck drivers, will watch the solar eclipse on August 21. The trucking industry is responsible for moving the nation’s goods during the eclipse and asks for the public’s assistance in ensuring safety on the country’s roads and bridges. 

“Since the last time we saw a solar eclipse from U.S. soil, the amount of cars on our roads has multiplied by 50 times, the demand for goods has grown, and highway users are more distracted than ever with new technology,” said ATA Chairman Kevin Burch, president of Jet Express Inc. “It is important that we all work together and practice safety during moments like this and remember that even the smallest unsafe decision can ruin what could be a treasured memory.”

The Moon’s umbra shadow, commonly referred to as the “path of totality,” will span 70 miles wide from Oregon to South Carolina. Nearly 200 million people live within a day’s drive of the path and travel experts, including the Federal Highway Administration, expect an increase in traffic in places where the path will be easily accessible. The path of totality will first make landfall stateside at Lincoln Beach, Oregon at 9:05 a.m. PDT before continuing across the continental U.S. through 12 states before reaching South Carolina.

In preparation for the eclipse, the trucking industry recommends leaving early to find a safe place to view the eclipse. AAA and the Federal Communications Commission advise travelers that weather conditions will play a significant factor in where eclipse viewers decide to set up for the viewing. Should inclement weather effect potential viewing, travelers may decide to adjust locations, further congesting the roads that are expected to see an influx of traffic. Because motorists will be traveling to the path of totality from hundreds of miles, many motorists may not be familiar with the roads, terrain and climate. By following standard safety tips and understanding the added highway volume, all motorists can reduce stress and improve their solar eclipse experience.  

“I, along with 3.5 million professional truck drivers, ask that everyone who is traveling to view the eclipse on Monday do so in a safe, patient manner in order to ensure safe driving conditions for every motorist and passenger,” said America’s Road Team Captain Chuck Lobsiger of Walmart Transportation. “It is our collective responsibility to practice safety before, during, and after the eclipse so that everyone can get home and appreciate this historic event.”

Safety on the highways is the ultimate goal of America’s Road Team, which is why the group of elite professional truck drivers reminds the general motoring public to pay full attention on the road while driving and to be aware of the high volume of travelers. The trucking industry invests more than $9.5 billion on safety each year and believes that the most important item on a traveler’s agenda during this phenomenon is practicing safety to ensure all drivers and passengers arrive safely to their destinations.

America’s Road Team ask that drivers follow these tips, provided in part by AAA, for safely viewing the solar eclipse and navigating through additional traffic:

·         Turn on your headlights well before the eclipse to help you be more visible to drivers and improve your visibility.

·         Reduce speed so you’ll have more time to make an emergency maneuver.

·         Watch out for pedestrians! There may be people standing in or along roadways and streets watching the eclipse.

·         Be a defensive driver.  Be especially aware of the possibility of nearby drivers swerving into your lane.

·         Buckle Up: high congestion on the highways is a leading indicator of vehicle accidents. Wearing your safety belt saves lives. Remember to buckle up at all times.

·         Do not attempt to watch the solar eclipse when driving. Get to your viewing location well in advance of the eclipse.

·         Don’t depend only on cell phones for navigation. Safe driving is paramount when stuck in high traffic areas.

·         Prepare your vehicle for long distance travel. Make sure you have a full tank of gas, first aid kit, water and any necessary medication in case you get stuck in traffic.  

·         Be aware of truck blind spots: When sharing the road with large trucks, be aware of their blind spots. If you can't see the truck driver in his or her mirrors, then the truck driver can't see you.

·         Keep your eyes on the road: Distracted driving is a major cause of traffic accidents. Even just two seconds of distraction time doubles the chances of an accident. NASA is expected to provide a great video stream of the solar eclipse, but wait until you are stopped in a safe place to use your cell phone.

·         During the eclipse, do not look directly into the sun.

·         Following the eclipse, many people will be anxious to get on the road. Take extra caution and use patience when entering and exiting the highway.   

Haynes Avenue Bridge to close for nine months 
in Newark

Traffic detoured as Routes 1&9/Haynes Avenue
improvements advance

(Trenton) - The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) today announced the long-term closure and detour of Haynes Avenue Bridge over the Northeast Corridor railroad tracks in Essex County.

Beginning at 9 p.m., Friday, August 18, NJDOT’s contractor Anselmi and Decicco, Inc., will close the Haynes Avenue Bridge over the Northeast Corridor railroad tracks for approximately nine months to construct a roundabout at the intersection of Haynes Avenue and Bessemer Street. Motorists will be directed to use a detour for the duration of work, expected to be completed in the summer of 2018. The following detours will be in place: 

Routes 1&9 southbound to Frelinghuysen Avenue Detour:

• Routes 1&9 southbound motorists north of Route 22 will be directed to exit onto Route 22 westbound, to Frelinghuysen Avenue/Route 27 exit ramp, and make a left
• Routes 1&9 southbound motorists south of Route 22 will be directed to the McClellan Street exit ramp, continue under the railroad bridge and make a right onto Frelinghuysen Avenue/Route 27

Routes 1&9 southbound Local to Haynes Avenue/Bessemer Street Detour:

• Motorists on Routes 1&9 southbound Local heading to Bessemer Street will pass the Haynes Avenue exit, go approximately 400 feet under Haynes Avenue and use the next exit ramp for Routes 1&9 northbound/Port Newark to Haynes Avenue/Bessemer Street

Frelinghuysen Avenue to Haynes Avenue Detour:

• Frelinghuysen Avenue motorists will be directed to McClellan Street for access to Routes 1&9 northbound
• Take Routes 1&9 northbound to the Haynes Avenue/U-turn exit

Frelinghuysen Avenue Truck to Haynes Avenue Detour:

• Frelinghuysen Avenue Truck traffic will be directed to use Route 22 eastbound to Routes 1&9 southbound
• Take Routes 1&9 southbound to the next exit ramp for Routes 1&9 northbound/Port Newark to Haynes Avenue/Bessemer Street

The $14.2 million federally-funded Routes 1&9/Haynes Avenue operational improvements project is designed to improve safety and traffic flow by constructing a new roundabout at the intersection of Routes 1&9 southbound, Haynes Avenue, and Bessemer Street, adding a third lane and shoulder between the Haynes Avenue exit ramp and the Anheuser-Busch entrance ramp, a realignment of the Routes 1&9 southbound ramps, and new pavement on the roadways in the area. The project is being accomplished in stages, and is expected to be completed in summer 2018.

Portable variable message signs are being utilized to provide advance notification to the public of all traffic pattern changes associated with the work. Any traffic detours associated with this project will be coordinated with the local police. If work is completed earlier, the roadways will be reopened accordingly.

The precise timing of the work is subject to change due to weatheror other factors. Motorists are encouraged to check NJDOT’s traffic information website www.511nj.org for real-time travel information and for NJDOT news follow us on Twitter @NJDOT_info.

FHWA Eclipse Safety Videos

National Information Links

• 2017 Solar Eclipse - Transportation Fact Sheet for State and Local Departments of Transportation
• National Operations Center of Excellence - 2017 Solar Eclipse
• NASA Main Site for Eclipse 2017
• National Park Service - 2017 Solar Eclipse
• National Weather Service - 2017 Solar Eclipse

State Information

• Georgia
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nebraska
• North Carolina
• Oregon
• South Carolina
• Tennessee
• Wyoming

Please follow these tips to drive safely on the day of the solar eclipse:

• Don’t stop along the interstate or park on the shoulder during the event.
• Exit the highway to safe location to view and/or photograph the eclipse.
• Don’t take photographs while driving!
• Don’t try to wear opaque eclipse glasses while operating a vehicle.
• Turn your headlights on -- do not rely on your automatic headlights when the eclipse blocks out the sun.
• Watch out for pedestrians along smaller roads. People may be randomly parking and walking alongside the roadside in the hours around the eclipse to get the best view.
• Prepare for extra congestion especially on the interstates in the path on the day before, day of and day after the eclipse.
• Avoid travel during the eclipse or in the area of the main path if you can.

The Internal Revenue Service today reminded truckers and other owners of heavy highway vehicles that, in most cases, their next federal highway use tax return is due Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017.

The deadline generally applies to Form 2290  and the accompanying tax payment for the tax year that begins July 1, 2017, and ends June 30, 2018. Returns must be filed and tax payments made by Aug. 31 for vehicles used on the road during July. For vehicles first used after July, the deadline is the last day of the month following the month of first use.

Though some taxpayers have the option of filing Form 2290 on paper, the IRS encourages all taxpayers to take advantage of the speed and convenience of filing this form electronically  and paying any tax due electronically. Taxpayers reporting 25 or more taxed vehicles must e-file. Tax-suspended vehicles don’t count toward the 25-or-more taxed vehicle threshold. Visit IRS.gov for a list of IRS-approved  e-file providers.

The highway use tax applies to highway motor vehicles with a taxable gross weight of 55,000 pounds or more. This generally includes trucks, truck tractors and buses. Ordinarily, vans, pickups and panel trucks are not taxable because they fall below the 55,000-pound threshold. The tax of up to $550 per vehicle is based on weight, and a variety of special rules apply, explained in the instructions to Form 2290.

Truckers do not need to visit an IRS office to e-file Form 2290 . The form can be filed online and any required tax payment can also be made online. Find an approved provider for Form 2290 on the 2290 e-file partner’s page.

Generally, e-filers receive their IRS-stamped Schedule 1 electronically minutes after filing. They can then print the Schedule 1 and provide it to their state department of motor vehicles, without visiting an IRS office. For those who choose to visit, note that the agency’s taxpayer assistance centers now operate on a “by-appointment” basis. See the Taxpayer Assistance Center Office Locator  on IRS.gov for details.

Get your 2290 done here: http://www.tax2290.com/

The American Transportation Research Institute, the trucking industry's not-for-profit research organization, today launched the 2017 Top Industry Issues Survey. The annual survey, commissioned by the American Trucking Associations, asks trucking industry stakeholders to rank the top issues of concern for the industry along with appropriate strategies for addressing each issue. The survey is in its 13th year and participation by trucking stakeholders has grown each year. 

"ATRI's annual survey provides a chance for thousands of trucking industry professionals, from drivers to executives, to weigh in on the most important topics that affect trucking and collectively decide on the roadmap for addressing each. With your participation, we can speak with a collective industry voice on what is most important to us," said ATA Chairman Kevin Burch, president of Jet Express Inc., Dayton, Ohio.

The results of the 2017 survey will be released at the Annual ATA Management Conference and Exhibition, to be held October 21-24 in Orlando.

Industry stakeholders are encouraged to complete the survey available on ATRI's website at truckingresearch.org.

FMCSA added 12 violations to the Safety Measurement System (SMS) to give large truck and bus companies a more complete picture of their safety performance. This update aligns with recent changes to FMCSA’s roadside inspection collection software and builds on efforts to continuously improve the consistency of data in the Agency’s systems, so enforcement personnel can make the best decisions impacting safety on our Nation’s roads. 

More information on these violations is available in the SMS Methodology document and the SMS Appendix A spreadsheet. 

In addition, FMCSA has updated the CSA SMS Website with the July 28, 2017 snapshot. Motor carriers can check their own safety assessments now. 

Additional SMS results are available to enforcement users and motor carriers that are logged into the SMS. Logged-in enforcement users can view all carrier safety data, while logged-in carriers can only view their own data.

Currently, the SMS allows carrier login via U.S. DOT Number and U.S. DOT Number PIN; however, FMCSA encourages carriers to log in using the FMCSA Portal. Carriers can register for Portal accounts here.