March 2020
CORONAVIRUS NEWS
FMCSA SUSPENDS HOS REGS FOR EMERGENCY RELIEF RELATED TO COVID-19 (ATA)
March 14, 2020 @ 5pm

Yesterday the Acting Administrator for FMCSA, Jim Mullen, issued an “Emergency Declaration” in accordance with 49 CFR 390.23. The declaration is in effect now and until the termination of the emergency, or through April 12, 2020, whichever occurs first.

A copy of the Emergency Declaration can be found below or by going to the following website:... READ MORE
CURFEWS, QUARANTINES AND OTHER RESTRICTIONS?
March 16, 2020

Other states have started to consider more drastic ways to protect against the spread of coronavirus. Widespread curfews, mandatory and voluntary quarantines, as well as other various local/regional restrictions will likely be commonplace in the foreseeable future.

MMTA is asking our members to be on the lookout, especially for proposed local restrictions, so that we can be sure deliveries and operations related to the supply chain are not impacted. Oftentimes, especially when decisions are made hastily in an effort to protect public health, there are unintended consequences that could have negative impacts such as inadvertently restricting the delivery of food, fuel, medicine and other supplies ordered online.

MMTA wants to be proactive to avoid transportation-related disruptions, so please contact Brian, Tim or Randy should you hear about any local or municipal action that may impact the delivery of goods.
Caronavirus Response – #ThankaTrucker
ATA Blog

Major national crises tend to expose underlying truths about society that otherwise go unnoticed during life’s regular routines. They reveal the individuals among us who are truly essential to upholding the high standard of living we’ve collectively come to expect. They remind us of America’s unsung heroes... READ MORE
MMTA NEWS
JANUARY, FEBRUARY & MARCH DRIVERS OF THE MONTH ANNOUNCED
January 2020
February 2020
March 2020
PTSC & TDC COMPETITION REGISTRATION OPENS

The 2020 Maine Professional Truck Driving Championships (to be held at Dysart’s in Hermon) and the 2020 Maine Professional Technician Skills Competition (to be held at EMCC in Bangor) will both be held on May 16, 2020 – a day that we have termed “CHAMPIONSHIP SATURDAY”. READ MORE
Posted Roads – Mud Season in Maine!

There are things in life you can count on like death, taxes, and if you live in Maine…posted roads. Mainers, especially those in the Trucking Industry, are quite familiar with the spring thaw and the necessity of the State and Towns to post roads during mud season. This article is a refresher of the posted road law to help our members comply. READ MORE
MMTA Safety Management Council

The Safety Management Council (SMC) is comprised of MMTA members who are primarily responsible for safety within their company. The group of 30+ members meet quarterly, with the exception of August, to learn and share their experience with safety related topics. The SMC regularly has featured speakers and topics of interest to trucking safety professionals. Also participating in the quarterly meeting are the Maine State Police Troop K and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. READ MORE
TRUCK PAC GOLF TOURNAMENT

The Truck PAC golf tournament will again be played at Natanis Golf Course, located on the Webber Pond Road in Vassalboro, on June 10, 2020. Natanis features 36 great holes of golf and will serve as an excellent host for this year’s primary fundraising event for the Truck PAC. READ MORE
NATIONAL NEWS
FMCSA Advances Final Rule on HOS to the White House
Transport Topics

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has sent a final rule on changes to hours-of-service regulations to the White House.

FMCSA Acting Administrator Jim Mullen announced March 3 that the agency submitted a final rule to the Office of Management and Budget for review.

OMB received the final rule March 2. READ MORE
In defense of truckers? FMCSA interim boss Jim Mullen says he’s committed to hours of service reforms
Overdrive

Speaking to the gathering of the Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association last week in Charlotte, N.C., while digging in on the view that the ELD mandate is a safety-positive rule, FMCSA Acting Administrator Jim Mullen made it clear he believed the flawed rigidity of the current hours of service regulations needs modification to benefit drivers. READ MORE
FMCSA Clearinghouse Operational After Technical Difficulties
Transport Topics

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse is functioning normally after experiencing connectivity issues that rendered the system unable to validate commercial driver licenses.

FMCSA has removed the notice banner that marked the Clearinghouse website late last week, alerting users about technical difficulties. READ MORE
Drivers who fail a drug test could go months before getting noticed in FMCSA database
Overdrive

Some of the 8,000 drivers who’ve failed a drug test since a federal database began gathering such records Jan. 6 could remain behind the wheel for months, say those familiar with the system. READ MORE
Roadside Examination of Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse Status
CVSA

This Inspection Bulletin provides directions to enforcement personnel on verifying a driver’s status based on data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) Commercial Driver’s License Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse. This bulletin is for enforcement personnel who stop drivers with a commercial driver’s license (CDL) or a commercial learner’s permit (CLP) for a driver/vehicle examination (roadside inspection). It only applies to CDL or CLP holders. READ MORE
Roadcheck inspection blitz set for early May
Overdrive

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s annual International Roadcheck inspection blitz will be held May 5-7. During the 72-hour ramp-up in enforcement, inspectors will include a special focus on “driver requirements” — CDLs, medical cards, seat belts, records of duty status and ELD compliance. READ MORE
THANK YOU MMTA ANNUAL SPONSORS
Maine Motor Transport Association
P.O. Box 857
Augusta, ME 04332-0857
ph: (207)623-4128
fax: (207)623-4096