Heard on the Air

Happy? Sad? Try some Roses and Razzberries

2010-02-08T14:16:00.001-08:00

Terry Scruton and Mark Reddig offer a chance for fame – or infamy – to people and events in the news. If you want to offer up your own Rose or Razzberry for our consideration, you can do it on the Internet through the Members' Only section of our Web site. Just click here. Air date: Feb. 8, 2010.

More debate about defense fuel surcharges

2010-02-08T14:15:00.001-08:00

Mark Reddig spoke with OOIDA’s Joe Rajkovacz about the Defense Department fuel surcharge pass-through. You can read more on the fuel surcharge legislation issue from the OOIDA Web site here. Air date: Feb. 8, 2010.

FRIDAY RANT: The Cost of Doing Business with Matty

2010-02-05T13:44:00.001-08:00

Land Line Magazine’s David Tanner offers a few thoughts about the owner of the Ambassador Bridge.

· To read David’s comments, click here;

· To read other entries in our Friday Rants series, click here.

Air date: Feb. 5, 2010.

Land Line Now Bulletin Board

2010-02-05T13:43:00.003-08:00

Mark Reddig and Reed Black gave us a brief rundown on what is on the Land Line Now Industry Calendar. You can go to the Land Line Now Calendar here. Air date: Feb. 5, 2010.

TRACER alert on stolen truck

2010-02-05T13:43:00.001-08:00

OOIDA’s TRACER system has put out an alert on a stolen truck. The Navy blue 1999 Freightliner FLD120 Condo was stolen at the Love’s on Polk Street in Dallas, Texas. For more information, go to the TRACER Web site here. Air date: Feb. 5, 2010.

What's new with the UCR?

2010-02-05T13:42:00.001-08:00

Reed Black spoke to Cathy Koncilia of OOIDA’s Permits & Licensing Department about the Unified Carrier Registration being stalled.

· You can go to the Unified Carrier Registration Web site here.

· If you have questions, you can speak to OOIDA Permits and Licensing Department at 800-444-5791.

Air date: Feb. 5, 2010.

Run Across America with Jazzy

2010-02-05T13:41:00.000-08:00

Reed Black spoke to OOIDA member Lee Jordan and his daughter, Jasmine Jordan about her run across America for the St. Christopher Fund.

· You can go to the Run Across America with Jazzy Web site here.

· You can go to the St Christopher Fund Web site here.

· You can read a blog by Land Line Magazine staff writer Charlie Morasch here.

Air date: Feb. 5, 2010.

Truckers for Troops

2010-02-05T13:40:00.001-08:00

Reed Black brought us highlights of the Truckers for Troops fundraiser check presentation.

· You can view video of OOIDA President and CEO Jim Johnston presenting the check for the Truckers for Troops Telethon to Sylvia Dodson, supervisor of the association’s Membership Department, as country music singer and OOIDA member Leland Martin looks on here.

· You can view video of country music singer and OOIDA member Leland Martin singing his signature song for the Truckers for Troops Telethon here.

Air date: Feb. 5, 2010.

Business Activity Tax Simplification

2010-02-04T14:49:00.001-08:00

Mark Reddig spoke to Mike Joyce about a bill introduced into the House of Representatives, H.R.1083 by Congressman Boucher to regulate state taxation of interstate commerce.

· You can read the text of H.R.1083 here.

· You can read the text of the Witnesses from the Congressional Committee on the Judiciary hearing held today below:

Walter Helerstein
Francis Shackelford Distinguished Professor in Taxation Law
University of Georgia School of Law
Athens, GA

R. Bruce Johnson
Chairman
Utah State Tax Commission
Salt Lake City, UT

Joseph R. Crosby
Chief Operating Officer and Senior Director
Policy Council on State Taxation
Washington, DC

Air date: Feb. 4, 2010.

New Jersey trucker receives OOIDA Safe Driving Award

2010-02-04T13:32:00.001-08:00

Sunny Ramen of Jersey City, N.J., has been recognized by the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association for 10 years of safe, accident-free driving as part of the OOIDA Safe Driving Award Program.

· To read more about Sunny, click here.

· To learn more about the Safe Driving Award from OOIDA.com, click here.

Air date: Feb. 4, 2010.

Virginia is moving full speed ahead to increase speed limits

2010-02-04T13:24:00.003-08:00

Reed Black discussed state legislation with Land Line Magazine’s Keith Goble. In Virginia, bills to increase speeds to 70 mph advance. Meanwhile in West Virginia, the governor wants to increase tolling options.

· To read more about legislation in Virginia, click here.

· To read more about legislation in West Virginia, click here.

Air date: Feb. 4, 2010.

Take a closer look at that ticket

2010-02-04T13:24:00.001-08:00

Terry Scruton talked to Jeff McConnell and James Mennella of Road Law about why you shouldn’t just pay for a citation without examining it first. The pair also writes the “Road Law” column in Land Line Magazine – about the top legal questions OOIDA receives from truckers. If you have questions or comments regarding transportation law, you can:

· Call 1-888-276-8000

· Fax a question to (405) 242-2040; or

· Send an e-mail.

· Or click here for more information.

Air date: Feb. 4, 2010.

California, Minnesota offer emissions reduction money

2010-02-04T13:22:00.000-08:00

California and Minnesota are offering truckers based in those states new incentives to go green.

In California, the California Air Resources Board has just announced a $20 million program aimed at putting truckers in heavy-duty hybrid trucks.

The first-come, first-served program is for fleets of all sizes—large or small—and offers incentives ranging from $10,000 to $45,000 on the purchase of a new hybrid.

Meanwhile, in Minnesota, the state is offering low-interest loans to truckers to buy various kinds of equipment that will cut harmful emissions.

Those loans—which are based partly on the applicant’s financial need—range from $1,000 to $50,000.

· OOIDA’s Guide to Free Money is available here.

· For more information on the California program click here.

· You can read more by Land Line Magazine here.

· For more information on the Minnesota program, call Mike Nelson at 1-800-985-4247 or email him at michael.nelson@pca.state.mn.us

Air date: Feb. 4, 2010.

Diesel prices continue to drop

2010-02-03T14:30:00.001-08:00

Terry Scruton presented an update on the price of diesel fuel and crude oil.

· To read this week’s price report by Land Line Magazine, click here.

· To check the price today through ProMiles, click here.

· To see how to compute your own fuel surcharge through OOIDA’s online guide, click here.

Air date: Feb. 3, 2010.

Fights against increased truck sizes and weights continues

2010-02-03T14:19:00.001-08:00

Mark Reddig spoke with Rod Nofziger about OOIDA’s fight against longer and heavier trucks. OOIDA has a longstanding position of opposing increases to truck size and weight limits on the National Highway System and supports HR1618. HR. 1618 (or the identical bill S779 in the Senate), is the Safe Highways and Infrastructure Preservation Act, or SHIPA: SHIPA retains the current size, weight and configuration standards on commercial motor vehicles.

For the text of the House version, click here.
For the text of the Senate version, click here.
Please call your lawmakers on Capitol Hill to ask that they commit to supporting H.R. 1618 or S.779 by signing on as cosponsors to those bills.
To contact your Representative or your two Senators, simply call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and provide the operator with your home zip code. The operator will connect you to the offices of your lawmakers.
You can call OOIDA at (800) 444-5791. Association staff will be happy to provide you contact information for your elected officials.

Air date: Feb. 3, 2010.

What's the most miles per gallon you've ever achieved and how did you do it?

2010-02-03T14:17:00.001-08:00

If you have questions or a comment about diesel prices, or you’ve seen some interesting highs and lows at the pumps wherever you are, call our “Land Line Now” Diesel Price Line. Dial 1-800-324-6856, and then press 2 to record your message. This week, we’re asking Sirius XM listeners to respond to: “What’s the most miles per gallon you’ve ever gotten and how did you do it?” Air date: Feb. 3, 2010.

Iowa trucker receives OOIDA Safe Driving Award

2010-02-02T13:23:00.003-08:00

Bruce M. Banwell of Eagle Grove, IA, has been recognized by the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association for 10 years of safe, accident-free driving as part of the OOIDA Safe Driving Award Program.

· To read more about Bruce, click here.

· To learn more about the Safe Driving Award from OOIDA.com, click here.

Air date: Feb. 2, 2010.

Flexibility is the word on HOS

2010-02-02T13:23:00.001-08:00

Terry Scruton brought us highlights of the final scheduled FMCSA listening session on the Hours-of-Service that was held in Davenport, Iowa.

· You can read more by Land Line Magazine below:

o SPECIAL REPORT: OOIDA, drivers say HOS needs flexibility

o SPECIAL REPORT: Truck drivers preach virtue of needed flexibility in HOS

o HEADS UP: Call the hotline and shape the HOS discussion

o SPECIAL REPORT: HOS meeting confirmed for Davenport, IA

o A handy guide to commenting on hours of service

· You can make a comment use this docket number - FMCSA–2004–19608 – and file your comments online here.

· For help in how to write comments, click here.

Air date: Feb. 2, 2010.

More idle reduction legislation

2010-02-02T13:22:00.000-08:00

Reed Black discussed proposed rules to crack down on the unnecessary idling of trucks in West Virginia and Vermont with Land Line Magazine’s Keith Goble.

To read about the idling bills, click here;
To read about other legislation in West Virginia, click here;
To read about other legislation in Vermont, click here.

Air date: Feb. 2, 2010.

Covering your Bobtail

2010-02-01T14:18:00.001-08:00

Terry Scruton spoke to Ed Briley of OOIDA’s Truck Insurance Customer Service Department about a listener question about bobtail coverage.

· You can find more information on OOIDA’s insurance programs by clicking here.

· You can also call the insurance department directly at 1-800-715-9369.

· If you have a question about truck insurance you’d like answered on the air, you can call the Land Line Now Listener Comment Line at 1-800-324-6856.

Air date: Feb. 1, 2010.

Cooperative Hazardous Materials Enforcement Development

2010-02-01T14:17:00.001-08:00

Mark Reddig spoke to Tom Weakley, director of operations at the OOIDA Foundation concerning a conference he recently attended on hazardous material handling.

· You can go to the CVSA, Cooperative Hazardous Materials Enforcement Development Web site here.

· You can read more by Land Line Magazine below:

o CSA 2010: Your new company, driver safety ‘credit report’

o CSA 2010: The data

o CSA 2010: The point system

o CSA 2010: The math

o CSA 2010: The enforcement

o CSA 2010: The labels

o CSA 2010: The rub

· You can read more in the December 2009/January 2010 issue of Land Line Magazine here.

· You can visit the CSA 2010 Web site here.

Air date: Feb. 1, 2010.

FRIDAY RANT: Board to Death

2010-01-29T14:03:00.001-08:00

Terry Scruton reminds us that we should all be really, really pissed about the conduct of California’s Air Resources Board.

· To read Terry’s comments, click here;

· To read other entries in our Friday Rants series, click here.

Air date: Jan. 29, 2010.

Be Ready. Be Buckled. Ready for the Road Ahead!

2010-01-29T14:02:00.001-08:00

Mark Reddig spoke to Melissa Theriault Rohan about the deadline being extended for FMCSA’s seat belt poster contest. The theme is: “Be Ready. Be Buckled. Ready for the Road Ahead!” All entries must be e-mailed or postmarked by February 14th, 2010. Results will be announced by March 5th, 2010. Entrants will be divided into two categories: kindergarten through 2nd grades, as of September 7th, 2009; and 3rd through 6th grades, as of that same date. Only one entry may be submitted per student. For more info:

· http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safety-security/safety-belt/index.htm

· http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safety-security/safety-belt/kids-art-contest.aspx

· http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/documents/safety-security/art-regs-text-2010-form-5081.pdf

o Mail artwork to:

CMV Safety Belt Partnership

c/o OOIDA – Attn: M. Rohan

1100 New Jersey Avenue, SE, Suite 1050

Washington, DC 20003

Air date: Jan. 29, 2010.

Oregon trucker receives OOIDA Safe Driving Award

2010-01-29T13:52:00.001-08:00

Marion Crafts of Bend, OR, has been recognized by the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association for 26 years of safe, accident-free driving as part of the OOIDA Safe Driving Award Program.

· To read more about Marion, click here.

· To learn more about the Safe Driving Award from OOIDA.com, click here.

Air date: Jan. 29, 2010.

Land Line Now Bulletin Board

2010-01-29T13:51:00.001-08:00

Mark Reddig and Reed Black gave us a brief rundown on what is on the Land Line Now Industry Calendar. You can go to the Land Line Now Calendar here. Air date: Jan. 29, 2010.