ATA to Reorganize

Last Friday, January 24^th, the American Trucking Associations, announced it was reorganizing and streamlining a number of the association’s core functions.

In making the announcement, ATA President and CEO Bill Graves said,

We have a long history of successes on behalf of our members, from legislation requiring electronic logging devices and the creation of a clearinghouse for drug and alcohol test results, to beating back toll initiatives at the state level and getting one of the very few laws passed through Congress last year to require regulators use the appropriate process, not ‘guidance’ to address the important issue of sleep apnea. “But we know our members expect and demand even more success in the future, and that’s why after examining our organization from top to bottom, we have chosen to consolidate a number of our divisions to meet those expectations.

As our members are acutely aware, these challenging economic times require organizations to be more agile and responsive to changes – whether they are changes to the business environment or changes on Capitol Hill, and by streamlining our organization, we can be more nimble in responding to the challenges facing our industry.

All of  ATA’s functions will now fall into one of three areas: National Advocacy, Communications and Public Affairs and Finance and Operations, each area reporting to an executive vice president.

Graves also announced that Dave Osiecki, formerly senior vice president of advocacy and regulatory affairs, will be ATA’s new executive vice president and chief of national advocacy; Jeff Mason, formerly senior vice president of image and communications, will be the group’s executive vice president of communications and public affairs; and Karla Hulett, formerly CFO and senior vice president of finance and administration, will be ATA’s COO and executive vice president of finance and operations.

Graves explained that,

ATA will continue to be the most powerful voice on behalf of the trucking industry on Capitol Hill, in the media and in the public. These changes will allow us, however, to more effectively serve our members and respond to our rapidly changing world.

Now, more than ever, it’s important to hire the best, to make sure that your business gets to market.

The Transportation Firm, LLC knows that your supply needs are unique.

And that’s exactly why we’ve pooled together the best minds in the industry to create specific solutions customized to suit your ever-changing operating environment.

From precise design to seamless execution, our dedicated transportation professionals are involved every step of the way to provide you with the most accurate and economical transportation the industry has to offer.

The Transportation Firm, LLC

384 E. Goodman Road, Ste 242

Southaven, MS 38671

E-mail: info@transportfirm.com

Visit our new website at http://transportfirm.com

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FMSCA to Publish New Rule Revoking Authority of Carriers Who Disregard Safety Rules

The FMCSA is about to publish a proposed rule in the Federal Register next week that will allow it to suspend or revoke the authority of motor carriers who have been found to have a pattern of “egregious disregard” for federal safety rules, rather than relying on results of compliance reviews alone.

The agency announced last Friday that the proposed rule would help “target high-risk carriers that endanger travelers by avoiding or covering up their negative history of safety compliance.”

The authority for the rule change was granted by both of the most recent highway reauthorization acts, including the MAP-21 law passed in July 2012.

The Federal Register entry will be published next week, per the agency’s announcement. It will join a proposed rule, which we wrote about last week, which will mandate the use of Electronic Logs in the Trucking Industry, that is also expected to be published in the Federal Register next week.

The electronic logging device (formerly known as electronic onboard recorders) rule will not only mandate the use of e-logs but will set device standards and address driver harassment relative to e-log use.

This additional rule is designed to prevent the coercion of drivers to drive in violation of safety rules by carriers, shippers, receivers or other intermediaries.

According to this latest entry concerning the violation of safety rules, if the FMCSA determines a carrier “engages or has engaged in a pattern or practice of avoiding regulatory compliance or masking noncompliance,” it will have the authority to shut the carrier down based on the agency’s determination, rather than solely on a carrier’s safety fitness rating.

More details will be known next week when the rule is published in the Federal Register.

Now, more than ever, it’s important to hire the best, to make sure that your business gets to market.

The Transportation Firm, LLC knows that your supply needs are unique.

And that’s exactly why we’ve pooled together the best minds in the industry to create specific solutions customized to suit your ever-changing operating environment.

From precise design to seamless execution, our dedicated transportation professionals are involved every step of the way to provide you with the most accurate and economical transportation the industry has to offer.

The Transportation Firm, LLC

384 E. Goodman Road, Ste 242

Southaven, MS 38671

E-mail: info@transportfirm.com

Visit our new website at http://transportfirm.com

“Integrity, Commitment, Results”

WE WELCOME YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT THIS BLOG!!!

Electronic Logs to Be Made Mandatory

According to a report by the Department of Transportation, a proposed rule, which will mandate the use of Electronic Logs in the Trucking Industry, is expected to be published in the Federal Register on Jan. 29th.

The electronic logging device (formerly known as electronic onboard recorders) rule will not only mandate the use of e-logs but will set device standards and address driver harassment relative to e-log use.

This additional rule is designed to prevent the coercion of drivers to drive in violation of safety rules by carriers, shippers, receivers or other intermediaries.

The Electronic Log rule is projected to clear the White House’s Office of Management and Budget on Jan. 17th.

The report also says the rule will have a 60-day comment period that will last until April 1st.

The Anti-Coercion rule is predicted to clear the OMB April 14 and be published in the Federal Register on April 23^rd.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s drug and alcohol clearinghouse rule is also set to clear the OMB on Jan. 17th, and the same DOT report predicts that the rule will be published in the Federal Register on Jan. 31st.

This new rule will create and establish a database of drivers who have failed or refused drug or alcohol tests.

Carriers will be required to submit failed or refused tests to the database. Carriers also will be required to consult with the database when hiring drivers.

Now, more than ever, it’s important to hire the best, to make sure that your business gets to market.

The Transportation Firm, LLC knows that your supply needs are unique.

And that’s exactly why we’ve pooled together the best minds in the industry to create specific solutions customized to suit your ever-changing operating environment.

From precise design to seamless execution, our dedicated transportation professionals are involved every step of the way to provide you with the most accurate and economical transportation the industry has to offer.

The Transportation Firm, LLC

384 E. Goodman Road, Ste 242

Southaven, MS 38671

E-mail: info@transportfirm.com

Visit our new website at http://transportfirm.com

“Integrity, Commitment, Results”

WE WELCOME YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT THIS BLOG!!!

Per-Mile Spot Market Rates Rise in December

According to the website, Internet Truckstop, per-mile spot market rates in all three segments of the trucking industry rose in December. This completed a trend for a year in which rates surged to all-time highs and continually saw strong year over year gains.

The per-mile rate for dry van ($2.04) reached its second highest rate all time since Internet Truckstop began tracking rates in 2005. In December 2012, the van rate was $1.81, according to the website. In the same month in 2011, that rate was $1.73. The van rate was also boosted by November’s 10-cent gain, when it rose to $1.98.

Reefer also finished 2013 strong , boasting two consecutive monthly gains. Its per-mile rate in December ($2.27) rose 4 cents in the month and was up 19 cents from the same month in 2012. It was up nearly 30 cents from December 2011′s $1.98.

Flatbed, whose rates do not vary much, usually seeing little month-to-month change, rose 4 cents in the month to $2.08. Except for January and February, flatbed remained between $2.02 and $2.14 for all of 2014, whereas reefer rates varied from a low of $1.88 to a high of $2.50 and van ranged from $1.66 to $2.09.

Economists and researchers have predicted the hours-of-service rule changes, coupled with other federal regulations, would shrink trucking’s capacity and boost rates.

Also, these rate boosts could be the result of economic increases in other industriess in recent months, along with the usual seasonal boosts that come around the holidays.

Now, more than ever, it’s important to hire the best, to make sure that your business gets to market.

The Transportation Firm, LLC knows that your supply needs are unique.

And that’s exactly why we’ve pooled together the best minds in the industry to create specific solutions customized to suit your ever-changing operating environment.

From precise design to seamless execution, our dedicated transportation professionals are involved every step of the way to provide you with the most accurate and economical transportation the industry has to offer.

The Transportation Firm, LLC

384 E. Goodman Road, Ste 242

Southaven, MS 38671

E-mail: info@transportfirm.com

Visit our new website at http://transportfirm.com

“Integrity, Commitment, Results”

WE WELCOME YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT THIS BLOG!!!