About 2 weeks ago we started allowing people to come into the new site. Many of you have checked it out. We’d love to hear from you.

What do you like?
What don’t you like?

Drop me a line at jason.owens@coopsareopen.com

I want to thank everyone who has written with ideas on what we can do to improve CoopsAreOpen. In a future message I’ll share with you some comments and feedback from your fellow CoopsAreOpen members. For now, let’s focus on what you can expect as be we begin rolling out the changes.

The first major wave of changes will update the look and feel of the site. We’ve made the site simpler and easier to use. We also removed some features that just didn’t get a lot of traction. You will see that we can now integrate YouTube videos with ease, so look for a few trucker-related videos on the site. Our blog feature is now a lot more accessible to us writers, so look for content to be posted more frequently on our blog. We’re also in the beginning phases of integrating the CoopsAreOpen blog to our CoopsAreOpen page on Facebook. Later in the year we will start pushing the envelope on social media through Twitter, so look for more on that in a few months.

First Wave of Changes
We would like to begin the process this weekend, Feb. 11 (Saturdays are usually the days with our lowest volume). If things go well with the first step, we’ll take another step each week until we’re done.
1. Begin inviting a small portion of our existing premium members to the beta site.
2. Invite remaining portion of premium members to the beta site.
3. Recruit non-premium members to become a pool of beta users.
4. Open coops beta to general public.
5. Phase out old coops site completely

Please feel free to write me with any questions. jason.owens@coopsareopen.com

Happy New Year, drivers!

Over the next 90 days we have a number of enhancements planned, but before we pull the trigger, we wanted to reach out to you to see what you find helpful.

Drop me a line at jason.owens@coopsareopen.com and let me know how we can make CoopsAreOpen a better experience for you.

Here at Coopsareopen.com we are always striving to provide you with a little inspiration. Take a look at this free one page download where I tell about an amazing insight that propelled me to where I am today. If I can do it, so can you.

Here’s the link! –> How to Get What You Want

Kevin H. gave us the report that officers are working north of Oklahoma City and, according to what he gathered, have had it open for about a week now. Kevin got lucky and didn’t have any problems… but we all know there are times when forewarning saves the day! If you’re traveling on I 35 north of Oklahoma City, consider yourself forewarned! This report is accurate as of 6:20 am central time.

If you know anyone who would like to receive Weigh Station Alerts, please help get the word out. And, as always, if you see increased weigh station or truck inspection activity, keep us informed! Email us at alerts@coopsareopen.com.

Tags: Oklahoma City, Weigh Station Alert, Weigh Station, Truck Inspection

Thanks, again, to Mike D for letting us know that Arizona commercial vehicle enforcement officers are working on eastbound I 40 in the area of Winslow, Arizona. We have no details about this activity as of yet. This report is accurate as of 12:20 pm mountain time.

If you know anyone who would like to receive Weigh Station Alerts, please help get the word out. And, as always, if you see increased weigh station or inspection activity, keep us informed! Email us at alerts@coopsareopen.com.

Thanks to Mike D for this much needed heads up!

Arizona enforcement officials are busy working the stretch of I-10 east of Tucson, and especially the stretch between Benson, Arizona, and Willcox, Arizona, so be proactive about your paperwork and equipment. Drivers tell us there is an enforcement trailer set up in the rest area between Benson and Willcox and that the hotel parking lot near the TA truckstop in Willcox is filled with enforcement vehicles. At this time, the bulk of the enforcement seems to be centered on the east bound rest area between exit 318 and exit 322. Drivers report several red tagged trucks pulling into the TA truckstop at exit 340.

It sounds like officers plan to be set up in the area for quite a while- the rumor is that they’ll be there for the rest of the week… so Happy Valentine’s Day!

This report is accurate as of 12:45 pm central time.

If you know anyone who would like to receive Weigh Station Alerts, please help get the word out. And, as always, if you see increased weigh station or truck inspection activity, keep us informed! Email us at alerts@coopsareopen.com.

Tags: Enforcement Officials, Benson, Arizona, Willcox, Arizona, TA Truckstop, Red Tagged Trucks, Weigh Station Alert, Weigh Station, Truck Inspection, Coopsareopen.com

Opponents of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s proposed Hours of Service (HOS) changes have until the end of the month to comment on the limits.

With comments due by Feb. 28, drivers can voice their concerns about a proposed cut from 11 hours of driving in a 14-hour to 16-hour window, down to 10 hours over the same time frame.
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Tags: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Hours Of Service, 16-hour Window

January in the Midwest brings a special set of problems for those in the trucking industry.

Even drivers who have not pulled out tire chains yet this winter, have probably busted a knuckle or two on a tie down encrusted with road salt or a rusted-on bolt.

In the great white North of Canada, a spray corrosion control system is widely used to avoid those inconveniences and other problems brought on by winter weather.
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Tags: Corrosion Control

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) launched the Compliance Safety Accountability (CSA) 2010 program Monday, Dec. 13 – sending a cold chill down the backs of truckers from Maine to Miami.

The CSA’s Safety Measurement System is designed to analyze driver and vehicle violations for use in corrective intervention, according to the FMCSA.

“The SMS uses seven safety improvement categories to examine a carrier’s on-road performance and potential crash risk, according to the administration website.
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Tags: Department Of Transportation, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, FMCSA, Compliance Safety Accountability, CSA, Safety Measurement System, Violations, Crash Risk