Logging Trucking - Treeline | |
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Plow Truck Driver - MaineDOT | |
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MMTA Annual Membership Meeting April 10th
Mark your calendars to join your fellow truckers at the April 10, 2024 MMTA Annual Membership and Board meetings starting at 9am. Highlighting the agenda will be the passing of the leadership gavel from current MMTA Chairman, Jeff Bouchard from HO Bouchard, to the very first Chairwoman in the 78-year history of the MMTA – Chelsea Demmons from Bison USA.
There will lots to talk about, but things will kick off with a presentation and subsequent group discussion about some really cool concepts being considered for the MMTA’s Go Your Way workforce development campaign. The creative geniuses behind the inspiration, ideas and execution of the campaign, our marketing partners from Ethos, will be joining us to lay out the various options they are proposing. These include trailer wraps, 3-D printing, virtual reality and expanding the campaign from social media to an “experiential” initiative that considers a more hands-on approach. The input we receive at this meeting will help us shape the future of the campaign to attract the next generation of trucking’s workforce so please consider showing up… and speaking up!
We are hoping you will join us on April 10th at 9am at the MMTA Office in Augusta and we encourage you to bring someone who might benefit from the networking opportunity. For a look at the rest of the meeting agendas, click on the links below.
Membership Agenda | Board Agenda
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John W. Austin Memorial Scholarship Fund – Application Now Open
MMTA
The John W. Austin Memorial Scholarship Fund has grown over the years and now awards up to nine recipients a one-time scholarship for up to $2,500 each. The application deadline is May 1st and will be accepted online only.
The criteria to be selected for one of the nine scholarships reflect an emphasis on careers and instruction specific to the trucking industry in an attempt to focus on technical training. See below for the qualifications and requirements for applicants.
Read more...
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PTSC & TDC COMPETITION REGISTRATION OPENS
MMTA
The 2024 Maine Professional Truck Driving Championships (to be held at Dysart’s in Hermon) and the 2024 Maine Professional Technician Skills Competition (to be held at EMCC in Bangor) will both be held on May 18, 2024 – a day that we have termed “CHAMPIONSHIP SATURDAY”.
Read more...
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PHISHING ALERT – FAKE EMAILS SENT TO MOTOR CARRIERS
MMTA
Recently one of our MMTA members received an email, purporting to be from FMCSA and requesting information regarding a NEW ENTRANT safety audit. The only two clues that the email was not legit is that it came from a .com email and that the member in question was not a new entrant. The member in this case did a great job in recognizing the phishing email and we verified the fake with FMCSA.
FMCSA has this ALERT published on their website in the Registrations link:
Read more...
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WCT PROMOTES PERKINS TO CLAIMS MANAGER
The Trustees of the MMTA Workers’ Compensation Trust are pleased to announce the promotion of longtime Adjuster Brianna Perkins to be the program’s new Claims Manager.
For the last 12 years Brianna has been serving members of the MMTA WCT as the front-line contact for injured employees, medical provider vendors and employer members. She continues her dedicated service of handling all of the various aspects of medical only and lost time claims after working with recently-retired Claims Manager Tammy Moody for the past eight years.
A graduate of Husson University in Bangor, Brianna resides in Thomaston with her husband Bud and son Robert. She can be reached at bperkins@workerscompme.com.
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Maine BMV Seeks New CDL Testing Location in Bangor Area
MMTA
Due to renovations underway at the Bangor International Airport and need for additional parking, the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) no longer has access to its CDL skills testing location in Bangor. As a result, the BMV is seeking alternative locations in the greater Bangor area.
Read more...
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Spending bill retools under-21 pilot rules
CCJ
The U.S. House and Senate last week passed the fiscal year 2024 transportation funding bill, which included a provision to help get the languishing Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot (SDAP) Program on track.
SDAP, a three-year program will help individuals aged 18 to 20 explore interstate trucking careers, has been plagued by low participation since its 2022 launch. Currently, only 29 fleets are registered to participate (the Biden administration expected upwards of 1,000). The apprenticeship program was capped at 3,000 participating drivers at any one time but, to date, only three dozen have enrolled.
Read more...
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Bill seeks to remove cost, redundancy from TWIC, hazmat certification
CCJ
A bill making its way through the Senate Thursday with bi-partisan support would eliminate redundant fees and background checks for transportation workers.
The Transportation Security Screening Modernization Act, introduced by Senators Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi), Jon Tester (D-Montana), Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska), and Angus King (I-Maine), was previously introduced in the House by Representatives Garret Graves (R-Louisiana), Adam Smith (D-Washington), Mark Green (R-Tennessee), Michael Guest (R-Mississippi)...
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Editor's Note: A special thank-you to Senator Susan Collins who worked to implement and subsequently retain this provision during the appropriations process. | |
Editor's Note: A special thank-you to Senator Angus King who has sponsored this very important initiative after hearing about the trucking industry's concerns. | |
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FMCSA Planning New Study on Detention Time
Transport Topics
Federal trucking regulators are planning an in-depth research study that will analyze data collected by approximately 80 carriers and 2,500 commercial motor vehicle drivers to help determine the frequency and severity of detention time drivers face when making deliveries.
Read more...
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Trucking Leaders, FMCSA Promote Safety Investments
Transport Topics
The trucking industry $14 billion annually on safety technology and training to improve road safety and comply with government regulations, according to a recent ATA report.
That figure, based on the results of an ATA survey of motor carriers on their safety investments in 2022, represents a significant increase from a prior survey that pegged industry safety spending at $9.8 billion in 2014.
Read more...
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Congressional review seeks to overturn DOL independent contractor rule
Commercial Carrier Journal
Representative Kevin Kiley (R-California) and Senator Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana) introduced Wednesday a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution that seeks to overturn the Department of Labor’s (DOL) final worker classification rule that threatens to upend trucking's use of independent owner operators when it takes effect Monday. A CRA is a tool Congress can use to examine and overturn federal agency rules and must passed by both chambers and signed by the president. If vetoed by the president, it has to pass by two-thirds of the members of each house.
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Roadcheck 2024: Inspectors looking for drugs, alcohol, and steady gladhands
Overdrive
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance's North American Roadcheck inspection spree will take place this May 14-16, with a special focus on two key areas: Tractor protection controls in the air system, and alcohol and controlled substance possession.
Read more...
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UPCOMING MMTA TRAINING & EVENTS | |
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Defensive Driving Training
April 5, 2024
8:00am
MMTA Office, Augusta
FMI and Registration
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MMTA Annual Membership & Board Meetings
April 10, 2024 - 9:00am
MMTA Office, Augusta
Agendas - Membership | Board
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Drug/Alcohol Superv. Training
April 19, 2024
8:30am
MMTA Office, Augusta
FMI and Registration
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Thank you MMTA Annual Sponsors | |
Zero percent loans for approved CDL school training |
MMTA
Students attending approved CDL schools are eligible to apply for tuition loans to attain their Class A or Class B Commercial Driver’s License at an amazing ZERO percent interest.
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