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FMCSA Extends Time for Comments on Proposed Safety Measurement System

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced a 60-day extension of the time that motor carriers have to comment on proposed improvements to the agency’s proposed Safety Measurement System. The comment period now runs through July 30.

SMS is the workload prioritization tool that helps FMCSA identify motor carriers for safety intervention. During the extension, FMCSA will conduct further outreach to carriers to encourage them to review how proposed enhancements will affect their SMS score and take action to correct potential safety problems before the changes are implemented.

Carriers can access the SMS Preview through either the CSA Website or the FMCSA Portal using the “CSA Outreach” link. For more information about CSA, visit http://csa.fmcsa.dot.gov.

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1/3/2012 – Cell Phone Restrictions Now in Effect
Interstate truck and bus drivers are prohibited from using handheld cell phones while driving as of today, Jan. 3, under a final rule posted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration….
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12/29/2011 – Poll Finds Tolls More Popular Than Higher Fuel Taxes
In a Reason-Rupe poll of 1,200 adults, 58% of respondents said they would rather pay tolls if and when they use a particular lane or highway, rather than paying higher fuel taxes….
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12/28/2011 – Motorcoach Drivers May be Next to Get New HOS Rules
First, airline pilots were handed a new set of HOS rules. Then trucking got new marching orders from FMCSA. Bus drivers may be next. FMCSA has published a public listening session notice for motorcoach HOS….
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12/28/2011 – New HOS Rule Will Cause Delays for Manufacturers and Cost the Economy
National Association of Manufacturers has come out against trucking’s new hours-of-service rule, saying the rule will have a negative impact on manufacturers’ supply chains, distribution operations and productivity….
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12/27/2011 – California Reminds Truck Owners of Jan. 1 Clean Air Deadline
The California Air Resources Board is reminding owners of heavier diesel trucks and buses that new emission reducing regulations go into effect Jan. 1, 2012, and many businesses may need to report compliance online….
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12/23/2011 – New Hours Rule Likely Headed Back to Court
There’s a good chance the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s new hours of service rule is going back to court.

Just hours after the new rule was released, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety indicated that it may resume its challenge of the 11-hour limit on driving….
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12/22/2011 – Clean Ports Bill Introduced in Senate

A bill that would give ports more authority over drayage operations has been introduced in the Senate. Among other things, the bill would clear the way for ports to ban owner-operators and require all drivers to be employees of companies. …
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12/22/2011 – Final HOS Rule Retains 11-Hour Driving Limit
The long-awaited final rule on revised hours of service has been released, keeping the current 11-hour daily driving limit but cutting by 12 hours the maximum number of hours a truck driver can work within a week….
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12/21/2011 – Hours of Service Rule Could be Published as Soon as Tomorrow

The revised hours of service rule has been cleared by the White House Office of Management and Budget, and is expected to be released soon, perhaps tomorrow….
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12/20/2011 – Legislators Seek Info on Remanufactured Parts

A group of legislators is asking the Government Accountability Office to look into the use of remanufactured parts by non-defense federal fleets….
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12/20/2011 – FMCSA Reminds Carriers to Update Fleet Data
Motor carrier data used to calculate SMS scores, such as Vehicle Miles Travelled and Power Unit data needs to be updated….
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12/15/2011 – NTSB Recommendations Include Video Recorders, Collision Prevention
Tucked away in the same document in which the National Transportation Safety Board recommended cell phone bans for all drivers was a reiteration of previous recommendations to require video event recorders in heavy trucks, look at mandating collision avoidance systems, and other truck-specific issues….
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12/15/2011 – NHTSA Closer to Posting Stability Control Proposal

A proposal to require stability control systems on truck tractors moved a step closer to publication this week when it was sent over to the White House Office of Management and Budget for final vetting….
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12/15/2011 – Senate Commerce Committee Passes Truck Safety Bill
In a contentious session yesterday, the Senate Commerce Committee cleared the truck safety section of the pending highway bill.

The committee cleared the bill 13 to 11 on a party-line vote, not because the Republican minority opposes the safety provisions, but because the measure includes an amendment concerning freight planning that the minority does not like….
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12/14/2011 – NSTB Calls for Nationwide Ban on Cell Phone Use While Driving
After investigating a 2010 multi-vehicle highway accident in Gray Summit, Mo, the National Transportation Safety Board Tuesday called for the first-ever nationwide ban on driver use of “personal electronic devices,” such as cell phones, while operating a motor vehicle….
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12/14/2011 – FMCSA Proposes Tougher Procedures on Reincarnated Carriers

A new rule proposed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration would make it tougher for carriers that have been sanctioned to reincarnate themselves under a new identity.

The agency is proposing to change its procedures in several areas affecting truck lines, intermodal equipment providers, brokers, freight forwards and hazmat proceedings….
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12/8/2011 – A Rare Glimpse of Bipartisanship on Highway Bill
In an unusual display of bipartisanship, a large group of House members from both parties pledged to work with President Obama on a six-year highway reauthorization bill. Sixty-two Democrats and 49 Republicans signed a letter asking Obama to support a six-year, fully funded bill….
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12/8/2011 – Advisory Panels Urge Tougher Screening for Sleep Apnea

Trucking moved a small step closer to a sleep apnea regulation yesterday, when advisors to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration recommended that the agency toughen up its approach to the disorder.

Two advisory panels, one from the medical community and one representing industry, enforcement, labor and safety advocacy interests, said the agency should tell medical examiners that drivers with a body mass index of 35 or more must be evaluated for sleep apnea….
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12/7/2011 – FMCSA Live Webcast Today: Medical Review Board Meeting on OSA
Today, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will live webcast a meeting held by the agency’s Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee and Medical Review Board to discuss obstructive sleep apnea. Proceedings can be viewed live at www.fmcsa.dot.gov between 8AM and 5PM….
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12/7/2011 – Advisory Committee Wraps Up Work on EOBR Recommendations

The Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee this week wrapped up work on recommendations to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration on technical details of the pending electronic onboard recorder requirement….
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12/5/2011 – CRASH says New Safety Data Validates Need for New HOS Rule
In a press release issued Friday, the Truck Safety Coalition says truck crash fatalities rose to nearly 4000 in 2010, from 3,380 casualties in 2009….
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12/5/2011 – HOS Debate Hurting Rate Negotiations: FTR
FTR’s Trucking Conditions Index, as reported in the December Trucking Update, declined to a reading of 3.4 in October, primarily due to further delay in the issuance of revised Hours of Service regulations….
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12/2/2011 – CARB TRU Compliance Extension Application Forms now Available
Owner of reefer equipment unable to comply with the Dec. 31 2011 deadline due to delays in delivery, installation, or financing, reefer owners may apply for a compliance extension….
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