Diesel Prices Fall to Near 2007 Level

Fuel prices have continued to drop as the economy slows and the underlying price of oil sinks to new lows for the year.  Diesel prices now stand near last year's price.

Diesel prices in the Rocky Mountain area now stand at $3.38, which is the lowest price in seven months.   The current price is well below the record of $4.76 set on July 14.

The rapid drop in fuel prices is attributed to the drastic slowdown in economic growth around the world.  That slowdown has reduced oil demand and prices have followed starting around July this year.

During September Hurricanes Gustav and Ike slowed processing of 32 million barrels of crude oil and 165 billion cubic feet of natural gas.  Recovery is ongoing and expected to continue at least through October.

Future diesel prices are difficult to assess, while the Department of Energy's Energy Infromation Administration expects prices to level out in the month's ahead, recent events have demonstrated that prices can fluctuate drastically.

TWIC Card Now Needed by Drivers Entering Ports

Truck drivers who need to access a secure area of a seaport or vessel must now have a Transportation Worker Identification Credential card (TWIC).   Those who are qualified will be issued the card and must have it in hand to enter the port area.  The TWIC card is tamper-resistant and contains the worker's biometric fingerprint template to allow a positive link between the card and the individual.

The deadline for having the card varies from one port to the next, but east coast ports are requiring it by October 15, 2008.   For details click here to visit the Transportation Security Administration website.

American Trucking Associations Launches New Website

ATA has introduced a fresh, new look for Truckline.com. The revamped site is designed to be a message-driven communications tool focused on serving ATA’s membership and the public by publishing up-to-date information about current events in the trucking industry.

The "My ATA" feature allows members to decide what information is important to them and to have it displayed on one place. The State of the Industry section will help visitors stay current on the latest trends and projections.  The ATA website is at www.truckline.com.

Warning ! -- Bogus Website Set to Mimic Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

Enterprising phishers have obtained the domain name "www.fmcsa.org" and built a website called "The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association". Using the FMCSA logo, the company is advertising services of truck safety related services. This site is not connected with the Federal Safety Agency. Looks like phishing to us.

CMCA Looking for Drivers to Evaluate Safety & Health in New Study - $$ Paid For Your Time

CMCA is looking for long-haul truck drivers to participate in an interview. Eligible drivers will be reimbursed $75 for participating in a 2 hour discussion. CMCA is assisting The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in developing a national survey that will provide information about the health and safety issues of the regional and long haul truck driving workforce.

Participants will have the opportunity to help evaluate and improve the questionnaire to be used in the nationwide survey on truck driver injury and health so that it better reflects the concerns of truck drivers. In addition, participants will help us determine if the questions make sense, are easy to answer, and that everyone understands the questions the same way.

Benefits to the participant may include increased knowledge of the health and wellness of truck drivers, and increased understanding of how working conditions may affect health. There are no known physical or psychological risks from taking part in this study. All information you provide will be kept confidential and destroyed at the end of the study. To see if you qualify, please contact Patti Olsgard at (303) 433-3375 ext. 104.

For further information, please contact: Karl Sieber (Project Officer) 4676 Columbia Parkway Cincinnati, OH 45226 (513) 841-4231 wsieber@cdc.gov

Short Driver Interview Session Also Planned

In addition to the full 2 hour interview described above, CMCA will also be conducting 45 minute short sessions.  Eligible drivers will be reimbursed $50 for participating in those sessions.

Full text of both announcements are available here.

24 Hour Interview Session  $75

45 minute Interview Session  $50

To see if you qualify, please contact Patti Olsgard at 303 433-3375, ext 104

 

Need to Register for Online Training?

Contact Patti Oslgard, Director of Safety, Training & Accounting. at (303) 433-3375, ext 104.  Patti will sign you up and provide the CMCA ID and password needed to enter the online training site.   Once you are ready, click the access button to link to the training site.

ATA Details New Highway Safety Agenda

American Trucking Associations has unveiled a new safety agenda designed to reduce highway-related fatalities and injuries on the nation's highways.

ATA has long pursued a safety agenda and this move comes when large truck fatality and injury rates are already at their lowest point since they have been tracked by the Federal Government.

The new agenda includes eighteen recommendations with ten of them targetted to improving truck and passenger vehicle performance, three focused on making vehicles safer and five that will improve federal safety oversight.

Among the list are recommendations to set a national maximum 65 mph speed limit, increase use of seatbelts, support use of graduated licensing in states with non-commercial teen drivers.

Vehicles would be enhanced under this plan by requiring electronic speed governing of all large trucks made since 1992.

Safety oversight enhancements include creation of a national employer notification system, creation of a federal clearinghouse for positive drug and alcohol test results and creation of a federal registry of certified medical examiners.

For a complete list of the eighteen  recommendations and the full safety task force report click here.

 

Western Slope Newsletter Released

The September 2008 Western Slope CMCA newsletter has been released.  Click here to see the newsletter.  September and October Western Slope training courses are listed in the newsletter.