April Newsletter Glostone News
posted in Newsletter by Brian Gray
Carriers Prepare For New Hours of Service Rules
On December 22, 2011, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) publicly announced changes to the Hours of Service rules and published changes in the Federal Register on December 27, 2011. The less controversial changes went into effect almost immediately. The more controversial changes are scheduled to become effective and enforced on July 1, 2013.
The Hours of Service rule changes have been challenged by several organizations in a lawsuit. The FMCSA has refused to postpone the implementation unless ordered by the court. As of this writing, the courts are listening to the arguments from all organizations involved and have yet to make a decision or postpone the implementation date. There is no telling when a decision will be made.
Trucking Associations across the country are telling their members to start training drivers now so that they are ready to comply with the new rules should they be upheld by the court. Key elements of the changes that become effective July 1, 2013 are:
Maximum Driving Hours – FMCSA retained the current 11 hour driving time limit, but placed a limit on the number of consecutive driving hours. No driving may occur if more than 8 consecutive hours have passed since the last break of 30 minutes or more.
Restart – Any restart period must include two consecutive nighttime periods (from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m.), and must be at least 34 consecutive hours long. Drivers are permitted to use the restart provision only once in any seven calendar days.
14 Consecutive Hour Day (now called Driving Window) – The rule retains a 14 consecutive hour driving window. With a 30 minute rest break, maximum on-duty time within the 14 hour window is 13.5 hours. No driving may occur after 14 consecutive hours since coming on duty; non-driving work is allowed past the 14 hour driving window.
Mandatory Rest Break – Drivers will not be permitted to drive if 8 hours have passed since their last break of 30 minutes or more. (Only 1 break may be required dependingupon timing).
It is highly recommended that all carriers review these rule changes and begin training programs to insure their drivers are knowledgeable and comply. Glostone Trucking Solutions offers a series of online video trainings designed to help drivers understand the hours of service regulations
Jury says truck driver not adequately trained, awards $58.5 million
The jury in a wrongful death lawsuit in Santa Fe, NM, awarded the family of a crash victim $58.5 million, saying the driver of a tanker truck that made a left turn in the path of the victim’s oncoming vehicle did not have adequate training. The bulk of the responsibility for the crash lies with the management company that contracted with the trucking company, the jury said.
A special verdict from the jury holds the managing company 90 percent accountable for the March 2010 crash. The owner of the tanker truck, was 9 percent responsible, and the driver of the truck was 1 percent responsible.
The award consists of $11.5 million in actual damages and $47 million in punitive damages.
The attorney representing the trust said in a release that the evidence he presented demonstrated inadequate training of the truck driver and repeated violations of federal and state trucking regulations by management and trucking company.
“Today a Santa Fe jury sent a clear message to the trucking industry that those companies who choose not to follow safety rules and who place profits over human life, will be held accountable for the harm that they cause,” personal injury lawyer Bill Robins of the Santa Fe firm Heard Robins Cloud & Black stated March 20.
Effective and documented driver training must become part of every company’s best practices. Effective training will help save lives. Documented training will help to protect the company from legal attacks. Glostone Trucking Solutions offers an entire library of online video trainings designed to supplement a trucking company driver training program. Training can be customized to the driver, is taken online, is available 24/7 and documented. Contact us for more information at 503-607-1088.
April 30 is 1st QTR IFTA Fuel Tax Deadline
Now is the time to make sure that each truck’s distance and fuel purchase records for January, February and March are accumulated, recorded, and computed to generate your 1st Quarter 2013, International Fuel Tax Agreement tax report. Reports and payments are due by April 30. Any reports received after the deadline can be hit with penalties and interest. Failing to turn in a report can place your company out of service. Avoid the headache of tax reporting. The staff at Glostone are experts at both IFTA fuel tax and Oregon mileage tax reporting. Give us a call today!
Drug and Alcohol Testing Facility Now Open
A drug and alcohol testing facility is now available inside our Glostone Trucking Solutions office located in Clackamas, Oregon, just off exit 12 on I-205. The facility is operated by CleanFleet and specializes in DOT drug and alcohol testing requirements.
Testing center manager Joe Minick says “Our facility is open and ready to serve. We can work with all Carriers and Third Party Administrators for their random, pre-employment, follow-up, post-accident and return to duty testing.”Both drug and breath alcohol testing can be performed. No appointment necessary. Hours are 8 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday. Truck parking is available!
