Ongoing – Several bills in Congress deal with important trucking issues. OOIDA is encouraging members and other truckers to call about all of these important pieces of legislation:

• S695 would require EOBRs in all trucks;
• HR 1803 in the House, and S1187 in the Senate are the new versions of Jason’s Law, which would expand safe, secure parking for all truckers;
• HR 2357 – the “Fighting Fraud in Transportation Act of 2011” – is designed to clear bad brokers out of the industry;
• HR756 would set standards for how long shippers and receivers could hold trucker hostage while loading and unloading;
• HR2407 would stop the FMCSA from granting permanent operating authority to Mexico-based motor carriers taking part in the upcoming pilot program.
• HR 1439, also known as BATSA – the Business Activity Tax Simplification Act of 2011. This bill is designed to eliminate state taxes – such as the Kansas Ad Valorem Tax – that charge truckers who do nothing more than pass through the state’s boundaries.
• S2006 and HR3684 are both titled the Commuter Protection Act. Both bills would re-establish federal oversight on toll increases.
• S779 and HR1618 are both Titled SHIPA – the Safe Highways and Infrastructure Preservation Act. Both bills would retain the current size for tractor-trailers on U.S. highways.

To express your opinion about any of these bills, or on other issues in the industry, call your members of Congress – one in the House, two in the Senate – at (202) 224-3121.

Ongoing – OOIDA is soliciting personal letters to be sent to our soldiers overseas as part of OOIDA’s care packages. You can mail them to us at OOIDA Truckers for Troops, PO Box 1000, Grain Valley, MO, 64029, c/o Norita Taylor, or e-mail them to troops@ooida.com.

Ongoing – The 2012 Shell Rotella SuperRigs Calendar is now available. It features 12 top show trucks from the annual SuperRigs competition, selected this past year at Kenly, North Carolina.
For information, visit Shell Rotella locations, or click here.

Feb. 1 – That’s the deadline to apply for the OOIDA Mary Johnston Scholarship for 2012. The top winner will receive a renewable 2,000 dollar a year scholarship; four more students will receive a renewable 1,000 dollar a year scholarship. The competition is open to the children and grandchildren of OOIDA members. For more information, click here.

Feb. 3-4, 2012 – The Midwest Truck Show and Convention will take place in Peoria, IL. The event will include conferences, a show truck competition, and more. For more information, go to either www.mid-westtruckers.com or www.midwesttruckshow.com.

Feb. 7 – The Missouri DOT will offer a class on safety regulations and recordkeeping requirements for motor carriers at the MoDOT Northeast District Office on South Route 65 in Hannibal, MO.
For more information, click here.

Feb. 7 – Truckers are urged to attend a meeting being held by the North Carolina DOT regarding possible tolls on Interstate 95. The meeting runs from 4 to 7 p.m. in the BB&T Room of the Workforce Development Center Building at Robeson Community College in Lumberton, NC.
For information, click here.

Feb. 8 – The Missouri DOT will offer a class on safety regulations and recordkeeping requirements for motor carriers at the MoDOT Kansas City Area District Office on Colbern Road in Lee’s Summit, MO.
For more information, click here.

Feb. 9 – OOIDA is offering a new webinar titled, “Insurance Requirements, Options and Claims.” The online class, which is available starting February 9th through the OOIDA website, is the third of 24 such classes being offered by the association in 2012. Two other classes available online now are “Ready to Move from Company Driver to Owner-Operator” and “Applying for and Evaluating your Authority.”’
For more information, click here.

Feb. 9 – The Missouri DOT will offer a class on safety regulations and recordkeeping requirements for motor carriers at the MoDOT Southeast District Office on Main Street in Sikeston, MO.
For more information, click here.

Feb. 13 – Truckers are urged to attend a meeting being held by the North Carolina DOT regarding possible tolls on Interstate 95. The meeting runs from 4 to 7 p.m. in the Centre Gallery at Halifax Community College in Weldon, NC.
For information, click here.

Feb. 14 – That’s the deadline for art entries in the CMV Safety Belt Partnership “Be Ready. Be Buckled.” poster contest. The contest is open to children of relatives in the truck and bus industries in grades K-6, or ages 5-12. Entries should focus on urging truck, bus and all drivers to buckle up in order to saves lives. For more information, click here.

Feb. 15 – The Missouri DOT will offer a class on safety regulations and recordkeeping requirements for motor carriers at the MoDOT Southwest District Office on Kearney Street in Springfield, MO.
For more information, click here.

Feb. 16 – Truckers are urged to attend a meeting being held by the North Carolina DOT regarding possible tolls on Interstate 95. The meeting runs from 4 to 7 p.m. in the Imperial Centre Studio Theatre in Rocky Mount, NC.
For information, click here.

Feb. 20 – Truckers are urged to attend a meeting being held by the North Carolina DOT regarding possible tolls on Interstate 95. The meeting runs from 4 to 7 p.m. in the Paul A. Johnston Auditorium Lobby at Johnston Community College in Smithfield, NC.
For information, click here.

Feb. 21 – The Missouri Department of Transportation will offer training on commercial vehicle safety regulations and needed credentials at 9 a.m. at the MoDOT Carrier Services facility on Creek Trail Driver in Jefferson City. The four-hour class covers training, paperwork and other requirements truck drivers and their companies must fulfill to comply with state and federal law.
For information, call 1-866-831-6277, Ext. 6, or register online here.

Feb. 21 – The Nebraska State Patrol’s Carrier Enforcement Division will offer a town hall meeting to update truckers on CSA, new requirements on medical certification and CDLs, and other topics. The meeting will take place from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Mariana Inn in South Sioux City, NE.
For more information, click here.

Feb. 21 – Truckers are urged to attend a meeting being held by the North Carolina DOT regarding possible tolls on Interstate 95. The meeting runs from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Bill Ellis Convention Center in Wilson, NC.
For information, click here.

Feb. 22 – The Nebraska State Patrol’s Carrier Enforcement Division will offer a town hall meeting to update truckers on CSA, new requirements on medical certification and CDLs, and other topics. The meeting will take place from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Knights Museum and Sand Hills Center in Alliance, NE.
For more information, click here.

Feb. 23 – The Nebraska State Patrol’s Carrier Enforcement Division will offer a town hall meeting to update truckers on CSA, new requirements on medical certification and CDLs, and other topics. The meeting will take place from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Chief Restaurant in McCook, NE.
For more information, click here.

Feb. 27 – One additional public meeting is scheduled regarding the North Carolina DOT’s proposal to place tolls on Interstate 95. The final meeting is from 4 to 7 p.m. in the grand ballroom of the Double Tree by Hilton Hotel in Fayetteville, NC.
For information, click here.

Feb. 29 – That’s the deadline for North American college students to submit their best original design for a new truck in a Freightliner contest. Three finalists will receive an all-expense-paid trip to the Mid America Trucking Show in Louisville, KY; the winner will receive a $20,000 scholarship and a paid internship at Freightliner Trucks.
For more information, click here.

March 1 – That’s the deadline to apply for the new St. Christopher Fund scholarship, which is designed to help drivers whose careers have been sidelined by medical conditions. The $10,000 scholarship will be awarded to a former professional truck driver to fund an education at a college or trade school.
Applications can be downloaded from the St. Christopher Fund’s website.

March 5 – The Nebraska State Patrol’s Carrier Enforcement Division will offer a town hall meeting to update truckers on CSA, new requirements on medical certification and CDLs, and other topics. The meeting will take place from 7 to 10 p.m. at the American Legion Post 215 in Gretna, NE.
For more information, click here.

March 6 – The Nebraska State Patrol’s Carrier Enforcement Division will offer a town hall meeting to update truckers on CSA, new requirements on medical certification and CDLs, and other topics. The meeting will take place from 7 to 10 p.m. at the City Auditorium in Broken Bow, NE.
For more information, click here.

March 6-8 – The Work Truck Show will take place at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. Twenty-one environmentally friendly trucks with high-tech drive systems and other fuel-saving elements will be on display. For more information, click here.

March 7 – The Nebraska State Patrol’s Carrier Enforcement Division will offer a town hall meeting to update truckers on CSA, new requirements on medical certification and CDLs, and other topics. The meeting will take place from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Express in North Platte, NE.
For more information, click here.

March 20 – The Missouri Department of Transportation will offer training on commercial vehicle safety regulations and needed credentials at 9:30 a.m. at the the St. Joseph East Hills Library in St. Joe, MO.  
For more information, click here.

March 19-21 – ACT Research will offer a seminar titled Review and Outlook 2012-2016. The seminar will include economic analysis; Forecasts of equipment capacity and needs, freight direction and other drivers of change; and will include not only presentations by ACT personnel, but also from trucking, manufacturing, finance and government. Those attending will also be given a preview of the Mid America Trucking Show before it opens.
For more information, click here.

March 22-24, 2012 – It’s the 2012 edition of the Mid America Trucking Show. As always, the big event will take place at the Kentucky Fair and Exhibition Center in Louisville, Kentucky. Nearly every company that makes a product for the trucking industry will be there. Also included is a concert in Freedom Hall, the Paul K. Young Memorial Truck Beauty Competition, and all the events out at the Satellite Parking Lot at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium Parking Lot. For more information, click here.

March 24 – Women in Trucking has scheduled its third annual Salute to Women Behind the Wheel at the Mid America show. Drivers will be recognized for their service and contributions to the industry. For more information, click here.

March 24 – At 7 p.m, Operation Roger will conduct its 5th annual fund-raising auction at the Mid America Trucking Show’s satellite parking lot at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium. The organization uses volunteer truckers to help transport abandoned, lost other otherwise needy pets. The auction this year will also feature auction items benefitting Truckers Charity and other groups.
For information, you can write Operation Roger at P.O. Box 522, Joshua, TX, 76058, or go to http://operationroger.rescuegroups.org/.