The MMTA’s quarterly Board & Membership meetings will be held remotely via Zoom video conference on January 13, 2021 starting at 7:30am. In order to join the meeting, you will first have to register online and then instructions and a link unique to you will be emailed to you prior to the meeting. If you have any questions about registration, please contact Brian at the MMTA.

We hope this format will encourage additional participation and we look forward to seeing you on January 13th at 7:30am!

In response to member demand, the MMTA has developed a new online supply order form that is now available at www.mmta.com/supplies. While not everything we carry is offered through this site, we have narrowed down the most frequently purchased items such as:

For more information about any of these products, please visit our website, or contact Victoria at victoriae@mmta.com.

One of the most important components to MMTA membership is our Association’s ability to monitor and engage in the political process when it comes to policies impacting the trucking industry. Typically, each legislative session is preceded by a summer filled with fundraisers and meetings where Tim and Brian (MMTA’s lobbyists) meet new legislators and get reacquainted with incumbent leaders, in an effort to build relationships and educate them on the importance of our industry.

It comes as no surprise that these gatherings did not happen this summer because of the pandemic, which means we will have to rely upon our existing relationships and the exceptional reputation of the MMTA to be effective once the 130th Maine Legislature kicks off in earnest next month. While we don’t know about any alarming trucking-specific concerns as of this moment, bills are currently being drafted, ideas are taking shape and our vigilance when it comes to impacts on our industry is heightened. We know things will change and that we will have to insert ourselves as part of the policy making process on behalf of our members.

As an additional way to educate Legislators on the trucking industry, MMTA has developed an 8-minute introductory video that talks about the specifics of the essentiality of our industry, some of our positions on issues and ways they can contact the MMTA when they need our input and perspective. A link to this video has been circulated to each elected official through their caucus leadership in hopes that they will take the time to better understand our industry and our members, so they can make the most informed decisions possible as they make public policy.

Click on the picture to the right to access the video, or CLICK HERE.

We wanted members to know about our strategy – so you know we are active and engaged. We also want to encourage any of you who have personal relationships with your local elected official to talk to them about the trucking industry, to send them a link to the video or have them call Tim or Brian at the MMTA. This legislative session will certainly be different, but our history of effectiveness is rooted in relationships. And as one of the state’s largest membership-based trade associations, we need to leverage each and every grassroots opportunity we can and hope you will help.

Do you wish there was a way to pay ONE amount and be recognized as a MMTA sponsor all year? More than a dozen members have done just that by taking advantage of bundled pricing and hassle-free advertising in support of one of the largest and furthest-reaching membership organizations in the state of Maine.

Participation in this Annual Sponsorship Program is an easy, effective and efficient way to support the MMTA and be sure your company is recognized all year round. In exchange, your company will receive recurring exposure in the Maineline E-Newsletter, prominent recognition on MMTA’s website and at our Annual Banquet, TDC, PTSC, golf tournament, Transportation Safety Conference and every seminar we host whether it is in-person or virtual.

New this year at the Platinum ($3,500) level is recognition on the John W. Austin Scholarship Fund Award letter – a sample of what that would look like can be found HERE. We think this new addition is a great incentive for additional participation in the Annual Sponsorship program because next year’s recipients will receive one of nine scholarships for $2,500 each, replacing the old amount of $1,000 each. Plus, it is a great way to get the next generation of workforce participants to start thinking favorably about your company.

We have been receiving an abundance of questions lately about different components of the Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse. Based upon the frequency of the phone calls and emails, we thought we would put together this article as additional clarification.

For Drivers Hired AFTER January 6, 2020:

For Drivers Hired BEFORE January 6, 2020:

Some motor carriers mistakenly believe that being in a drug testing program means that the C/TPA will automatically enroll your company in the Clearinghouse and will conduct your queries automatically. This is NOT the case.

Motor Carriers must register in the Clearinghouse on their own. Maine Motor Transport Association is able to assist with this process for those members needing help. In order to complete registration, you need your USDOT PIN number and you must be set up in the FMCSA Portal. MMTA can assist with obtaining the USDOT PIN and Portal registration as well.

The C/TPA (DISA/AWSI) is able to assist with performing the queries if requested by the motor carrier to do so, but will charge a service fee of up to $12.50 per query. You must also have money in your Clearinghouse account to pay for each query, at $1.25 per query, which is paid directly to the federal government. Requests, especially pre-employment queries, may be slow and should be factored into the decision to ask the C/TPA to perform them.

The queries are easy to run on your own, and MMTA is happy to guide you in the process. We recommend you save the $12.50 C/TPA service fee charge and perform them once annually on the same day that you perform your annual MVR check.

Please call Tim or Randy if you need assistance at (207)623-4128.

Moments ago, FMCSA posted on their website another extension of the CDL/CLP/Medical Certificates waiver that was set to expire on December 31st. FMCSA has cited that the extension was needed due to the potential backlogs that exist at some State Driver’s License Agencies (SDLA) across the country. In addition, the Agency noted a resurgence of stay-at-home orders and other emergency measures that may cause further economic and logistical disruptions.

This waiver becomes effective on January 1, 2021 and expires on February 28, 2021. Please read the specific provisions below, as the dates and applicability vary. Please note, SDLAs have the authority to exercise discretion in extending these dates, consistent with the outline below. Carriers and drivers should check with the SDLA to confirm their states expiration periods.

For CDL/CLP Drivers, the waiver will:

As part of its effort to remove costly, redundant and burdensome regulations, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is considering eliminating the requirement that interstate truck drivers annually prepare and submit a list of their traffic violation convictions to their employers.

The agency says the requirement is “largely duplicative” of another provision that requires carriers to make an annual inquiry of each driver’s motor vehicle record (MVR) from every state in which the driver holds or has held a CDL or permit in the past year.

For drivers licensed by a foreign authority rather than by a state, that provision would be amended to require carriers to make an annual inquiry to each driver’s licensing authority where a driver holds or has held a CDL or permit. This change would require carriers to request the MVR equivalent from Canadian and Mexican driver’s licensing authorities.

We will keep MMTA members posted as new information comes in. In the meantime, please do not hesitate to email Tim, Randy or Brian if you have questions.