September 15, 2006 eReport

Here's a recent news item, you are probably aware of it, but as an old owner-operator we once knew said, "everybody needs to know who they're working for."

Mary Peters – New Transportation Secretary

President George W. Bush has chosen Mary Peters to replace Norman Y. Mineta as the secretary of transportation it was announced Sept. 5. Mineta stepped down from the post in July after serving for six years.

Peters formerly served as chief of the Federal Highway Administration from 2001 to 2005. She resigned from that position to join an engineering firm. She previously served as transportation director in her home state of Arizona.

If confirmed by the Senate, she would take over the 60,000-person department as it tries to end gridlock in the skies, ports and on the ground, according to Bloomberg reports.

As highway administrator, Peters sought more private investment in U.S. roads and bridges, according to DOT. She also promoted highway safety.

Many in the industry spoke out in favor of her nomination the same day it was made public.

“Her skill and charisma inspire confidence in her leadership inside and outside the federal government,” Mineta told Forbes.

“On behalf of the American Trucking Associations (ATA), I want to congratulate President George Bush on his decision to nominate Mary Peters to be the next secretary of transportation,” said ATA Chairman Pat Quinn. “I have had the pleasure of serving with Mary Peters on the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission and have been impressed with her insights into the challenges we face with maintaining and improving our nation’s infrastructure. I hope for an early Senate confirmation process so we can all benefit from her strong leadership of our nation’s transportation programs.”

Statement of Lt. Col. Jim Champagne, Chairman of the Governors Highway Safety Association:

“The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) is pleased to learn that President Bush plans to nominate Mary Peters as the next secretary of transportation. During her tenure as administrator of the Federal Highway Administration, she consistently demonstrated a commitment to highway safety. She was responsible for the administration’s proposal to double safety infrastructure funding and she led the effort to allow this funding to be authorized as a separate program. Both actions were subsequently incorporated into the final highway bill that was signed into law in 2005. As a former Arizona Director of Transportation, Ms. Peters also brings a strong understanding of the needs of states and state priorities. GHSA urges the Senate to quickly confirm Mary Peters.”

Also making an appeal for Peters’ quick confirmation was the Reason Foundation.

“This appointment is a home run for all Americans hoping for better transportation,” stated Founder and Director of Transportation at the Reason Foundation Robert Poole. “Mary Peters was the best Federal Highway Administrator this country ever had. She challenged a rather staid and conservative industry of contractors and state transportation officials to think outside the box, looking at what their customers want and need, and at new ways to meet those needs. She challenged the status quo of fuel taxes, talking at length about expanded roles for tolls and value-pricing. She challenged the status quo of the state as monopoly highway provider and championed new roles for public-private partnerships. Her fingerprints are all over the innovative pricing, funding, and contracting provisions of last year's surface transportation reauthorization, SAFETEA-LU. She was my clear first choice for secretary of transportation.”

Mineta was the longest serving transportation secretary in the 39 years that the job has existed. He was the only Democrat in Bush’s Cabinet and joined during Bush’s first term.

Peters would be only the second woman to head the agency on a permanent basis. Elizabeth Dole ran the transportation department from February 1983 to September 1987.

Peters is a member of the National Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission, which was created by Congress to study the future of U.S. surface transportation, according to Bloomberg.

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From: mp
Sent: Saturday, September 02, 2006 9:18 PM
To: jobs@truckdriver.com
Subject: truck driver's wife

I like your stories. Yes, we did go to the Dallas truck show this year, it was mine and my husband's first time going to a truck show, we really loved it. Have a good day, may God be with u and yours.

From: MVR
Sent: Friday, September 01, 2006 11:59 AM
To: jobs@truckdriver.com
Subject: Trucker Buddy's

Keep it up TruckDriver.com. You have been very helpful with a lot of information.

From: mg
Sent: Friday, September 01, 2006 1:55 PM
To: jobs@truckdriver.com
Subject: TruckDriver.com Contact Us: Feedback/Question

I just read the results from your latest survey about driver testing. I was rather surprised at the results.

It seems that a high percentage feel that testing of older drivers should be mandatory, yet most of the accidents that I see on the roads involve younger drivers.

I would be interested in knowing whether any hard data is available concerning age and accidents in commercial vehicles. It would also be interesting to see the age of those who responded to the survey. Thanks.

Editor: We've posted the results of Old Timer's Mandatory Testing Survey in FORUMS along with a copy of mg's letter to kick off the discussion. To test or not to test, that is the question...Click FORUMS to join the discussion.

From: TT
Sent: Saturday, September 02, 2006 7:38 AM
To: jobs@truckdriver.com
Subject: trucking in "WAR-ZONES"

Hello my name is Kermit from Bethel Park, Pa.---but I currently drive in IRAQ---it's a little different than in
the states and takes quite a different mentality------you guys should do a report on TRUCKING IN WAR-ZONES----thank you --- KERMIT

Editor: Thanks for taking the time to write - it occurred to us that the only person we know that would be qualified to file a report on what it's like to truck in a war zone, would be someone who has actually trucked in a war zone. And, since you are the only person we know who meets the criteria, we thought, perhaps, you or one of your co-drivers might be interested in filing a report. Do you know any war zone truckin' bloggers?

Click here to take the TruckDriver.com Public or Private Survey. We promise to keep your responses private, but we'll make the results public. Check 'em out in the next edition!

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~ Ronald Reagan ~