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Dear {FName},

Today is August 1st, the 213th day of 2011, there are 152 days remaining until the end of the year. Sure goes by quick doesn’t it?

If you are traveling through Colorado today, wish them a Happy Birthday, Colorado was admitted as the 38th state today in 1876.

August also means it’s time for the Great American Trucking Show in Dallas.  

The Great American Trucking Show, August 25-27, is the nation’s second-largest trucking trade show and offers attendees a wide variety of industry exhibitors and entertainment.

Singer-songwriter Jamey Johnson to Perform at the Great American Trucking Show

Acclaimed singer-songwriter Jamey Johnson will take the stage at the Dallas Convention Center Friday night, Aug. 26, in a free concert for Great American Trucking Show attendees sponsored by the team behind Mobil Delvac heavy duty diesel engine oil.

Johnson’s latest album, an ambitious 25-song double entitled The Guitar Song, recently went gold and was up for Album of the Year at the Academy of Country Music Awards. The album also received two Grammy nominations – Country Album of the Year and Best Male Country Vocal performance for “Macon.”

Johnson rocketed to Nashville stardom with songwriter awards for 2005’s “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk,” which he co-wrote for Trace Adkins, along with Song of the Year awards from the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association for co-writing the 2007 George Strait hit, “Give It Away.”

Johnson’s 2008 album, That Lonesome Song, was hailed as a masterwork by Rolling Stone, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, among others. In 2009, the album brought Johnson a Gold Record and Song of the Year accolades for the song, “In Color.” Johnson has toured with Hank Williams Jr., played Willie Nelson’s Farm Aid and was one of the few country acts to perform at the Bonnaroo festival in June 2010.

“We are thrilled to have a performer of Jamey’s caliber at the Great American Trucking Show,” said Alan K. Sims, vice president/executive director of events for Randall-Reilly, which produces the show. “We’re excited once again to partner with our friends at Mobil Delvac to bring a free concert to truckers who attend GATS.”

“For the ninth year in a row, the Mobil Delvac team would like to thank all the truck drivers for their hard work and dedication that keeps all industries moving, year after year,” said Marci Crigger, commercial vehicle lubricants marketing advisor, ExxonMobil Lubricants and Petroleum Specialties Company, an affiliate of Exxon Mobil Corporation.  “Jamey Johnson and his band are sure to bring energy and excitement to this year’s show and we are thrilled to bring such a talented performer to the deserving truck drivers and their families.”

Jamey Johnson will appear at 5:30 p.m., Friday, Aug. 26, at the Dallas Convention Center. Tickets will be available on a first-come, first served basis, beginning Friday at 9:00 a.m., under the Mobil Delvac tent, in the GATS main registration lobby.

Microsoft Tag


Women In Trucking President participates in Drug Testing Advisory Board Hearing

The Drug Testing Advisory Board (DTAB) held a hearing on July 13, 2011 in Rockville, MD. Ellen Voie, Women In Trucking Association’s (WIT) President/CEO participated via teleconference and submitted her comments in the public forum.

Janine Denis Cook, Ph.D. represented the DTAB and welcomed the participants to the session. Board members were introduced and officials from the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention made recommendations to the committee.

The pubic was invited to participate in the session and Voie asked the board to approve the use of hair follicle testing for transportation workers. Currently, only urine specimens are allowed under federal guidelines, but some carriers are already using hair testing as a pre-employment requirement for drivers.

Some of the problems Voie stated were concerns that affect women because of anatomical differences affecting the collection process. In addition, some drivers (male and female) experience difficulty in providing a specimen and are punished as if they were refusing to produce a drug testing sample. Basically, providing a hair follicle for testing is a less invasive procedure and has been proven to be more scientifically accurate.

“Safety is the focus, and by accurately eliminating those who choose to abuse drugs and then operate a motor vehicle, our highways will be safer for all of us,” Voie said. “Hair follicle testing is easier to administer and more accurate in detecting drug use over a longer period of time.”

Representatives from the American Trucking Association as well as Roehl Transport and J.B. Hunt Transport, Inc. both who administer hair follicle testing, also submitted comments. The next hearing of the Drug Testing Advisory Board will be September 12-13, 2011. Public comments are welcome and encouraged.



CSA—Questions, Answers and Disputing your Information
Derek Hinton
DOTJobHistory

If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.
Derek Bok

With a first name like that, he’s got to know what he’s talking about, right? For years now, “CSA 2010” has been something that was big, was coming and would be important to know about. Well now it’s here, it’s big and it can be complex. And if you don’t want to educate yourself on the program, it may be expensive. At a minimum, as a commercial driver you should;

  1. Know the seven basics and the behaviors that count against you.
  2. Avoid those behaviors
  3. Know what your record shows
  4. Dispute your record if needed.

You can begin by reviewing your personal “PSP” report. This report is not a “DAC report,” not a MVR, but something separate from both.  The PSP report will have your most recent 5 years of crash data and 3 years of roadside inspection data from the FMCSA MCMIS system.

Carriers who are considering hiring you can review your Pre-Employment Screening Program (PSP) report if you authorize the release of the information. These profiles are compiled from the FMCSA Driver Information Resource. PSP is only available as a pre-screening tool and not for use in evaluating current drivers.

Following are the most frequent questions I receive about CSA and PSP reports and answers.

With my last carrier, I had several CSA violations—my PSP report doesn’t look so hot. If I am hired by another carrier, will those violations count against their score?
No. Carriers do not inherit any of a newly hired driver’s past violations. Only those inspections that a driver receives while driving under a carrier’s authority can be applied to a carrier’s Safety Measurement System (SMS) record.

Then why do they want to obtain my PSP report if all those violations will not count against them?
Because they think that your history is indicative of how you will perform for them.

I got a ticket while driving in my car. Will that affect my PSP report?
No. Tickets or warnings that CMV drivers receive while operating their personal vehicles do not count in the SMS.

I got tagged with a violation warning that was nonsense. What can I do?
You can dispute the information, on-line through the DataQs system (https://dataqs.fmcsa.dot.gov).

What is the detailed process for me to contest information contained in my FMCSA driver record?
You should use FMCSA’s DataQs system to make a Request for Data Review (RDR) in FMCSA databases. To do this, go to the DataQs registration page at https://dataqs.fmcsa.dot.gov/login.asp , select “Register Online” as a general public user, and create a DataQs account profile. Once registered, you can request a review of your data by following detailed instructions in the help menu.

What Data Is Subject To A Challenge?
The DataQs system is to be used to challenge data issued by FMCSA. Information disseminated by the FMCSA includes data reported to FMCSA through the requirements of Federal and State programs.

With respect to crash and roadside inspection data, the MCMIS documents the occurrence and results of these events as reported by the States. Any challenges to data provided by State agencies must be resolved by the appropriate State agency. Once a State office makes a determination on the validity of a challenge, FMCSA considers that decision as the final resolution of the challenge. FMCSA cannot change State records without State consent.

When I make the challenge, it asks for any supporting documentation. Is this important or does it just slow everything down?
It speeds up the process and there’s a better chance your challenge will be successful if you include what you have. Here’s some facts:

  1. 74% of RDRs (Request for Data Review) involving crash data that were submitted with supporting documentation were closed with an action taken, as opposed to 59% of RDRs that did not include supporting documentation.
  2. 71% of RDRs involving inspection data that were submitted with supporting documentation were closed with an action taken, as opposed to 53% of RDRs that did not include supporting documentation.

So include any supporting documentation you may have.


Great American Trucking Show


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The TruckDriver.com Click and Apply Survey results are in and it looks like you have been clicking away! 

When was the last time you submitted an online application for a new driving job?

Within the last hour - 13%
Within the past 24 hours - 18%
Within the past week - 13%
Within the past month - 16%
Within the past year - 15%
Over one year ago - 25%

Since it’s August and time for the The Great American Trucking Show, take the TruckDriver.com GATS Survey and let us know where you plan to be later this month.

Until next time, keep on truckin’ and please drive safely!


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August 1,
2011














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