Trucking Articles

Get ready for Roadcheck 2009 scheduled for June 2 through June 4, 2009.

Every summer, enforcement officers around the country operate what’s come to be known by truckers as a 72-hour-blitz. The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) boasts that during the blitz, an average of 14 trucks or buses will be inspected every minute nationwide.

In years past, CVSA road checks have focused on proper brake adjustment, seat belt use, load securement, and hours of service rules, but any and all violations are potential targets.
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Tags: Roadcheck 2009, Enforcement Officers, 72-hour-blitz, Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, CVSA, CVSA Road Check, Brake Adjustment, Hours Of Service

The banking crisis has strapped some small businesses. But Blake and Blair Financial, a company based in Manchester, Ohio, makes it their business to help businesses.

“Helping people and giving them direction is something that I enjoy about my business,” said Nick Murat, the financial manager. “If I can’t help you, I will refer you to someone who can.”

Murat has 30 years of experience in the trucking industry, starting as a welder with East Manufacturing. “I’ve seen the trucking industry cycle over the years with highs and lows,” he said. “One thing is certain, you will always need a truck and/or a trailer to move freight, sand and gravel, coal, building materials, food products and oil products.”

Murat, the owner of Blake and Blair, utilizes his knowledge of trucking, small business, equipment and finance. He understands the challenges of owning a business and the needs of independent truckers.
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Tags: Small Businesses, Blake And Blair Financial, Nick Murat, Trucking Industry, Trucking, Independent Truckers

When fuel prices are high, the truckers who pay for fuel (owner operators, lease operators, and fleet owners) find themselves shutting their trucks down or changing over to idling reduction technologies in an effort to save money. But even when fuel prices are high, environmental concerns place restrictions on when and where truckers can idle their trucks.

In Part II of this series, we’ll explain the idling rules in Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri and Nevada.
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Tags: Fuel Prices, Owner Operators, Lease Operators, Fleet Owners, Idling Reduction Technologies

1/3/2009 Officers are set up in the Henryetta/Tiger Mountain rest area at mile marker 251 on I 40, Oklahoma, on the west bound side. The Weigh Station Open signs are out and trucks are required to enter the rest area for log book checks, weight checks and inspections. Oklahoma enforcement officers go for long stretches with these rest areas closed but when they decide to open them, they make it worth their while. Many trucks will be waved through but many others will be weighed, have their paperwork inspected and/or have their vehicle inspected.

Thanks to forum member Mississippi for letting us know about this Weigh Station Alert!

This Weigh Station Alert is current as of noon Oklahoma time.

Tags: Weigh Station, Log Book, Oklahoma Enforcement Officers, Weigh Station Alert

12/8/08 Officers are reportedly performing inspections in force at the Chowchilla/Le Grand weigh station on north bound route 99. Not only are all four inspection bays in use but officers are also in the parking lot doing inspections on even more trucks. We are unable to confirm that PrePass is turned off but drivers report that an unusual number of trucks are getting the red light. If you have a current CVSA sticker in your windshield you are likely to avoid an inspection but no promises. If you don’t have a current CVSA sticker, expect to be inspected!

These days, engine idling is on most truckers minds. Some have taken it upon themselves to save fuel while others take offense to the idea that they can’t idle their trucks at their own discretion. Truckers these days have more options than they did in the old days. More and more trucks are equipped with idling reduction technology- Auxiliary Power Units (APUs) and Fuel Operated Heaters (FOHs), for example. And, though there are flaws in its implementation, there is also the option of using Idleaire technology at some truck stops. Idleaire provides climate control and power to trucks parked in designated truck stop parking spots. There are pros and cons to all these options.
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Tags: Engine Idling, Truckers, Idling Reduction Technology, Auxiliary Power Units, Fuel Operated Heaters, Idleaire

You’ll often hear truckers throwing around terms like “Level I Inspection” or saying something like “He gave me a Level III.” But many truckers don’t know what the various levels of inspections are or what is involved when an officer performs them. The CVSA (Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance) is an international organization. It is made up of motor carrier safety officials at local, state and Federal levels as well as trucking industry representatives in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

Generally, drivers need only concern themselves with Level I, Level II, Level III, and Level VI inspections.

Here is a quick, concise guide to CVSA inspection levels.
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There is no official language in the United States. But, for truckers, understanding the English language is a requirement. Some states do allow parts of the commercial driver’s license examination to be taken in a language other than English, but all applicants for a commercial driver’s license are required to be able to communicate in English. Period.

With all the talk about Mexican truckers coming over the border, this requirement to be able to communicate in English could come to the forefront of trucking news in the near future. But French-speaking truckers from Canada, Arabic-speaking truckers from the Middle East and Polish-speaking truckers from Europe (as well as those from other European countries who speak a variety of languages) have also had to comply with the English-speaking requirement.
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Tags: Commercial Driver’s License Examination, Commercial Driver’s License, Mexican Truckers, Trucking News, French-speaking Truckers, Arabic-speaking Truckers, Polish-speaking Truckers

The State of New Mexico is cracking down on drivers- and, this time, it’s not just truckers they’re after! The 100 Days and Nights of Summer campaign is an effort by the State of New Mexico Department of Transportation and New Mexico State Police to reduce auto fatalities by 25 percent in 2008. According to New Mexico DOT, summertime is the deadliest time of the year on New Mexico roads.

The focus of the 100 Day blitz are DWI, seat belt use and reckless driving. The bottom line: slow down, buckle up and don’t drink and drive. This is one DOT blitz truckers ought to be happy about!
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Tags: State Of New Mexico, 100 Days And Nights Of Summer, New Mexico Department Of Transportation, New Mexico State Police, Auto Fatalities, New Mexico, 100 Day Blitz, DWI, Seat Belt Use, Reckless Driving

The annual tag]CVSA Roadcheck 2008[/tag] is underway and we’ve received updates about various weigh stations around the country.
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Tags: Weigh Stations