Call it Winter House-Keeping

At least three states have a law on the books that could be expensive for drive away drivers. PA, MA, and CT all have a statute that requires that a commercial driver “broom off” the top and hood of the commercial vehicle he is bringing into the state, to be operated on interstate highways. The…

More About The Transporter Plate…

State patrolmen are trained to validate the license plates on commercial vehicles by accessing an online vehicle registration table. Every vehicle which has been licensed and titled is listed there, and the plate assigned to the licensed and titled vehicle is shown, confirming the validity of the plate. So what happens when a vehicle is…

It is an Old Song

State policemen manage their jobs by exception – as do most business managers and owners. The short check list they use to select the vehicles they pull over for an inspection starts with two items: no license plate, and no visible placards. If you make the decision NOT to attach your transporter plate to your…

C Y A : Protect Yourself

Some of the surest ways to protect your bottom line are SIMPLE. Key to avoiding unforeseen costs after a delivery is making good use of the bill-of-lading. If the vehicle you are picking up has a bent stack, several holes in the roof of the cab, and a missing mirror, PROTECT YOURSELF by listing all…

But I Wasn’t Speeding!

The conversations continue from contract drivers who read in their monthly log letters that they have been guilty of “speeding”. Let’s clear the air on this subject: The MTI log audit system identifies a driver who averages more than 60 mph as a “speeder”.  There are two reasons for this: (1) the USDOT believes that…

If the vehicle is not safe, walk away.

Before driving a CMV ( commercial motor vehicle), a driver must “be satisfied that it is in safe operating condition.”  This is the law. The point of your pre-trip inspection is to examine service brakes, parking brakes, steering mechanism, lighting devices and reflectors, tires, horn, windshield wipers, rear-vision mirrors, and coupling devices where applicable. All…

Keep them for one more year!

Despite the legislation, commercial drivers will be required to carry their medical certificates ( or entire USDOT physical exam copy) for another year, until Jan 31, 2015. Alabama, California, Connecticut, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and New York have failed to have systems in place to show the medical information of drivers on their motor vehicle…

The Final Word About Medical Certificates

On Tuesday, January 14, 2014 the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration extended by one year the deadline for states to become compliant with requirements to show self-certification and medical compliance on the motor vehicle reports of CDL drivers. This means that all commercial drivers must continue to carry either the medical certificate or complete USDOT…