Land Line Now’s Community Bulletin Board for Nov. 1, 2021.
FMCSA wants comments on complaint database
The FMCSA is asking for feedback about its National Consumer Complaint Database.
The program enables truckers to report anyone who coerces them to violate federal regulations. The deadline for comments is Nov. 3.
Comments can be made here or by going to the Regulations.gov website and entering Docket No. FMCSA-2021-0089.
Read up on the National Consumer Complaint Database: FMCSA seeks comments on National Consumer Complaint Database
New Colorado travel site
Colorado has rolled out a new version of its travel website, COtrip.org. The updated version has features to help travelers plan their route ahead of time with information on road conditions, construction issues and road or lane closures.
COVID restrictions in Prince Edward Island
New COVID-19 restrictions on Prince Edward Island require that truckers who don’t live there to get tested when entering the province, whether they’ve been vaccinated or not. Unvaccinated drivers also have to self-isolate.
Accelerate Conference and Expo
The Women in Trucking 2021 Accelerate! Conference and Expo will take place Nov. 7-9 at the Dallas Sheraton in Dallas, Texas. The annual event offers vendors and numerous business speakers covering a wide variety of topics.
For more information, go to the Women in Trucking website.
Truckers for Troops
OOIDA will hold its annual Truckers for Troops campaign on Land Line Now from Nov. 8 through the morning of Nov. 15. The program collects money to send care packages to our troops overseas, and also to support the Veterans Community Project, which helps homeless veterans.
Starting Nov. 8, call OOIDA’s main number, 816-229-5791 during business hours. Let operators know you’re calling about Truckers for Troops and they will transfer you to membership. Phones will be answered live, and the switchboards will stay open later than usual so you can call until 7:30 p.m. Central.
You can join OOIDA at $10 off, and set up your membership for as many years as you like at that annual amount; 10% of your fee goes into the fund, and the Association matches that money. You can also make a direct donation into the fund.
Iowa wrong way driver prevention
The Iowa DOT is adding new signs and pavement markings to highways across the state to cut down on wrong-way drivers. The new signs are bigger, and they’re going up in 165 places across Iowa.
Find more information here.
Major maintenance project to close lanes on the Brent Spence Bridge
A maintenance project will close some lanes on the Brent Spence Bridge over the Ohio River through Nov. 15. This is the first time in 30 years the bridge has been painted.
U.S. to reopen Canadian, Mexican borders to the fully vaxxed
The U.S. is re-opening its borders to visitors from Canada and Mexico – but only if they’re fully vaccinated. Travel bans were put in place at the start of the pandemic to stop the spread. The new rules will roll out in phases.
To learn more, go to the DHS website, or read Land Line Magazine’s coverage: Homeland Security announces border reopening in two phases.
Rigs without Cigs
The St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund is offering the Rigs Without Cigs program to help truckers quit smoking. You can register for the program at the St. Christopher Fund website.
Truckers must report emergency hours of service use online
Carriers now have five days after the end of each month to file information online about how they have used the COVID-19 emergency hours-of-service declaration. That includes your U.S. DOT number, how many trips were made under the emergency declaration and which commodities were transported. The current emergency order runs through Nov. 30.
Get the details on FMCSA’s Emergency Declaration Reporting requirements.
NHTSA: Keep reporting autonomous vehicle incidents?
NHTSA is asking for comments on whether to continue incident reporting for Level 2-5 autonomous vehicles. You can submit those through Nov. 29.
Get more information from Land Line.
Federal contractor vaccination mandate
Employees of federal contractors will have to be vaccinated by Dec. 8. The order applies to contracts above $250,000 and has no exception for truckers.
UCR registration Oct. 1 through Dec. 31
Registration for UCR – the Unified Carrier Registration System – opens Oct. 1 and runs through Dec. 31. The fee is $59 for one to two units.
Go to plan.UCR.gov for information. You can also call OOIDA’s Business Services Department for questions or to get help at 816-229-5791.
Highway Hero nominations
Nominations are now open for the Goodyear Highway Hero Award. It’s open to any North American professional truck driver who put their life at risk to help others. Nominations are open through Dec. 31.
To nominate someone for the Goodyear Highway Hero Award, go to the Goodyear website.
Watch out for deer
Truckers are advised to keep an eye out for deer crossing highways from now through December. Truckers are advised to slow down if they see a deer crossing the road; avoid swerving to avoid a deer; always wear a seat belt; and keep headlights on bright unless other vehicles are approaching.
New York HUT due soon
Truckers who travel in New York must pay the state’s Highway Use Tax, or HUT. Renewal begins Oct. 1 and runs through Dec. 31. You must display a decal indicating payment of the tax when running in the state. The decal is good for three years.
You can go to the New York HUT website for more information; you can also call OOIDA’s Business Services Department for questions or to get help at 816-229-5791.
Mid-America requests nominations for Wall of Fame
The producers of the Mid-America Trucking Show are asking for nominations for a MATS Wall of Fame. The wall will honor people, companies and products for the show’s 50th anniversary edition in 2022.
Submit your nomination today.
