Month: August 2011

Categories
Freight Brokers Lifestyle

How to Get a Freight Forward Broker License

Freight brokers are agents who help customers arrange the transportation and delivery of goods via licensed carriers. Brokers are not required to register as carriers as long as they do not take possession of the goods in transit. They do not carry cargo insurance and do not issue bills of lading under their company names. Brokers are required to be bonded to assure that they will pay the carriers’ invoices after they receive payment from their customers. Freight brokers are licensed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, a division of the U. S. Department of Transportation.

Instructions

Go to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration website to register. Complete form OP-1 (Motor Property Carrier and Broker Authority) online. Have a credit card ready to pay the $300 registration fee. Alternatively, you may print the form, complete it and mail it in. Mailed applications may require four to six weeks for processing. FMCSA strongly encourages applicants to use the online guidance and registration.

Record the MC or FF number assigned during the online registration process. This number is required when filing the additional forms listed below. A confirmation letter will be mailed. If you apply by mail, the number will be issued by mail. Your broker’s application will be published in the “FMCSA Register.”

Have your insurance company or financial institution file evidence of financial security in the amount of $10,000 either on form BMC-84 for a surety bond or form BMC-85 for a trust fund with a financial institution. Blank forms are available from the FMSCA.

File form BOC-3 (Designation of Process Agents) online or print the form, complete it and mail it in. The FMCSA strongly encourages online submissions. A list of companies that offer process agent services is found on the FMCSA website .

Begin operations after you receive your license in the mail. You do not have operating authority until you have the license in hand.

Categories
Lifestyle

First gear – learning to drive

Driving a car for the very first time can be described as… sort of like riding a bike. With two extra wheels and an engine. It’s a steep learning curve but gets easier with practice. And learning what to do at a junction soon becomes second nature.

Taking it up to fifth on a dual carriageway let it stretch its legs though and the soft purr of the turbo kicking in upon entering the overtaking lane was music to the ears. It made you realize how much this super mini packs quite a sharp bite – even if it is the only car you’ve ever driven. Driving down the old drag racer straight alongside Hanningfield Reservoir or around the many winding hills of Essex is enjoyable but learning to drive isn’t all fun and games.

Before long, the words “mirror”, “signal” and “manoeuvre” are etched onto the brain. Manoeuvres such as the three point turn and parallel parking are fine, but don’t even get started on the left reverse. But you will determine to pass early, and the theory is already done and dusted

Categories
Newbies

How to spot flood-damaged trucks

Used truck experts say flood-damaged passenger vehicles are much more common on the market than flood-damaged trucks, but truck customers still should use caution.

Although shoppers should consider if the truck is for sale in an area that’s sustained flood damage, the truck could easily have been taken to another region to sell. Wherever you’re shopping, choosing a reputable used truck dealer is a good first step, say market experts.

One obvious thing to check is if the truck has a salvage title, says Dan Jeske, vice president of purchasing and wholesale for Kansas City-based Arrow Truck Sales. Still, truck owners do not always turn in a flood-damage claim to insurance, he added, in which case it would not have a salvage title. Also, not every state requires vehicle titles to indicate flood damage, says Brittany Senary, a spokeswoman for Progressive Casualty Insurance Co.

“At Progressive, we have very strict guidelines on flood vehicles,” Senary says. “If water reaches the dash, or engine, the vehicle is considered a total loss and we would not repair that vehicle.”

Some existing consumer services attempt to trace records of vehicles damaged in floods and accidents, or those reported as stolen, but focus primarily on passenger vehicles. “A new service being introduced at the Great American Trucking Show will concentrate on commercial trucks,” says James Vogel, general manager of RigDig. RigDig will be the only service for used vehicle customers that’s for over-the-road trucks only. More information will be available at RigDig.com during GATS, which opens Aug. 25.

As for on-site inspections, buyers should look for a waterline on the truck, much like what you would see in a house with flooded drywall. That might be “caked mud high on the vehicle where water may have been pooled for some time and a mildew smell from the interior,” says Frank Scafidi, a former OTR owner-operator who’s now public affairs director for the National Insurance Crime Bureau.

Categories
Newbies

Right Lane Trucking Safety Zone

Welcome to Right Lane LLC

In today’s environment, safety is simply good business. And no company offers trucking safety programs and services with the quality, depth, and proven performance.

Running a trucking business in today’s world is neither for the faint of heart nor the unprepared. Fundamental to that preparation is securing the professional resources you need to operate legally, effectively and economically.

The three principals of Right Lane Consulting draw on more than 80 years of combined experience in trucking, law enforcement, and the legal field. Such concentrated expertise and experience across key areas of safety training and compliance is difficult to come by from one resource.

It provides trucking agency owners and executives with the support they need to do their own jobs, without the massive time requirements of mastering these knowledge areas, the added weight of concern, and the added costs of liability and non-compliance.

Enhancing the safety of trucks and their drivers is the key to maintaining a cost-effective, customer-satisfying trucking operation. Failure to maintain high quality safety standards can do far more than damage your bottom line—it can also be catastrophic to the reputation and very survival of your company.

The professionals at Right Lane Consulting can help keep your operation fully compliant with all federal and state regulations. Remember, ignorance of the law and regulatory requirements is not an excuse for noncompliance. Your best defense against a host of potential problems is the kind of thorough operations review, education and preparation provided by Right Lane Consulting.

Right Lane Consulting LLC
1400 N. Dutton Ave.
Suite 21
Santa Rosa, CA 95401
Tel. 707-573-1111
Fax 707-566-0290
[email protected]

Categories
Lifestyle Trucker News

Obama to unveil truck fuel economy

EPA is responsible for providing the fuel economy data that is used on the fuel economy label (or window sticker) on all new cars and light trucks. In addition, the data is used by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to publish the annual Fuel Economy Guide, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to administer the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) program, and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to collect Gas Guzzler taxes. The test data is derived from vehicle testing done at EPA’s National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and by vehicle manufacturers who submit their own test data to EPA.

President Obama will announce new fuel economy standards for heavy-duty trucks at Virginia-based Interstate Moving Services Aug. 9. The standards will affect work trucks, buses and other heavy-duty vehicles. No other details were made available.

Last fall, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Transportation proposed a 20 percent reduction in emissions and improvement in fuel economy for heavy-duty trucks. The proposal called for standards to begin in the 2014 model year.

Interstate Worldwide Relocation Services is headquartered just outside the Washington, D.C. beltway in Springfield. One of its five companies is IMS, which provides moving and storage for individuals, as well as for companies and government agencies.

On Aug. 11, Obama will visit Johnson Controls Inc. in Holland, Mich. During his tour of the advanced battery facility, he will discuss how innovative technologies help automakers achieve fuel economy standards.

Categories
Lifestyle Trucker News

Unemployment Rate Dips to 9.1% for Trucking Adds Jobs

Unemployment, as defined by the International Labour Organization, occurs when people are without jobs and they have actively looked for work within the past four weeks. The unemployment rate is a measure of the prevalence of unemployment and it is calculated as a percentage by dividing the number of unemployed individuals by all individuals currently in the labour force.

The U.S. unemployment rate declined a tenth of a point in July to 9.1%, while the economy added 117,000 jobs to payrolls, the Labor Department said Friday.Trucking added 1,300 workers, while the total transportation and warehousing sector grew by 1,100 jobs, Labor figures showed.

“I was very pleasantly surprised by the top-line figure of 117,000, said Bob Costello, chief economist for American Trucking Associations. “Based on other economic data, I thought the number would be closer to 75,000.”

Costello noted that for-hire trucking had its smallest job gain since January but said that number is often subject to significant revision later when the government reviews its initial reports.

“Trucking has been creating a decent amount of jobs this year, at a faster pace than the overall economy, so, if it does slow down a bit, that wouldn’t be surprising or alarming,” he said.

Economists had forecast the unemployment rate would hold steady at June’s level of 9.2%, Bloomberg reported.

The payrolls gain followed a revised 46,000 increase in June that was more than originally reported.

The payroll and unemployment figures are obtained by separate surveys, with payrolls from a survey of employers and the unemployment rate from a survey of households.

Categories
Newbies

How to Save the Earth by Using Public Transportation?

Using public transportation can save you money, relieve traffic congestion and give you a chance to decompress on your commute. Even more importantly, however, public transportation allows you to lighten your environmental footprint by reducing harmful emissions and the need for growing urban sprawl. So help save the planet by dumping your car keys for a bus, subway or light-rail pass.

Commit to using public transportation at least 1 to 2 days a week. According to the American Public Transportation Association, if Americans used mass transit for just 10 percent of their weekly transportation needs, the U.S. would reduce its foreign oil dependency by nearly 40 percent and lower carbon monoxide emissions by around 25 percent.

Visit the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) website for a list of public transportation resources in your area, along with contact information for each. Familiarize yourself with mass transit types and routes that will work for your commuting needs.

Support fare-free public transit. Write to your elected officials and the public transit system in your area to vocalize the need for a reduction or removal of fares. Public transportation systems could save a lot of money without hiring employees to run ticket windows and paying for the expensive maintenance of ticketing machines. According to Alternet.org, New York City spends about $200 million a year to collect transit fares. Check out Alternet’s full article to read more about the benefits of free fares.

Lobby the representative in your area if your city needs to be more proactive about public transportation. Encourage officials to allocate money to fund the installation and maintenance of light rail and rapid transit bus systems and expand current systems to outlying areas. To find your representative and his contact information, visit Project Vote Smart.

Take the light rail or subway instead of the bus. If your area offers rail or underground service, you’ll reduce your environmental footprint even more than by using the bus. To compare the impact of various transit forms on the Earth.

Ride your bike to subway or rail stations rather than driving. Most stations have bike racks where you can secure your wheels for the day, while some mass transit systems even allow you to take your bike with you when you board.

Categories
Lifestyle Trucker News

How Does a Catering Truck Driver Spend a Workday?

Starting the Day

The catering truck driver starts his day by filling up with fuel and cleaning the outside of the truck, especially if the truck has the shiny aluminum-type body. He will then check his inventory of food and drinks to be sure he has everything he needs. If he is low on his inventory, he will go purchase any food and non-food items he needs to stock the truck for the day. If he sells pre-made sandwiches, he will have them made or purchase them already pre-made at this time.

Working

Most catering truck drivers have a route they follow. They will drive to the first stop on their route and set up for business. They will prepare any food that is not prepared already, set out condiments if they sell hot dogs and hamburgers and make sure there is plenty of each type of drink in the coolers. They will spend a set amount of time at this stop, then move on to the next stop on their route. They will continue these steps until they reach the end of their route.

Ending the Day

At the end of the route, the catering truck driver checks the inventory and makes a list of items that will need to be purchased in the morning. He cleans the inside of the truck, including the grill and other cooking equipment, if the truck is so equipped. If he did not get gas in the morning, he may get gas at this time. He will wipe down the outside of the truck again, making sure that nothing is stuck to the aluminum finish, making it easier to shine in the morning.

Conclusion

Some catering truck drivers stay in one location all day, but most will go from office to office throughout the lunch hours. Because there is only so much space in these trucks, they must do inventory daily. They generally do not have employees, so all administrative tasks are done at the end of the day and usually include only income and expense reports.

Categories
Lifestyle Owner Operators

How to Find Local Truck Driving Jobs

Trucks play an essential role in the U.S. economy. Therefore, truck drivers have an integral part in transporting goods around the country.

Becoming a truck driver does not mean that you have to be away from home all the time. Companies and businesses rely on these trained professionals to deliver goods and services locally, not only to distant destinations. This makes it possible to work as a truck driver by day and spend time with family and friends after work.

Obtain a commercial driver’s license (CDL), which is a requirement for any type of truck driving job. You must successfully complete a truck driving training program to receive a CDL. Options for training programs include community colleges, private truck driving schools and truck company schools.

Ask for a referral and reference from your training school program. Companies and businesses often post job notices with training programs when they are hiring drivers. Community colleges sometimes offer job placement services for their graduates as well.

Apply at local businesses and companies that use truck drivers. Mail delivery services use drivers for local deliveries. Other businesses to consider are lumber yards, furniture stores, automobile distributors, moving companies and retail businesses.

Make use of the local classifieds. Search the want ad section of the newspaper for truck driving jobs. Place your own “Truck Driver Available” ad as well.

Network with other drivers. Let people know that you are actively pursuing a truck driving job. Ask truck driving friends and acquaintances to keep you informed about possible openings. Local jobs may be obtained through word of mouth.

Categories
Lifestyle Trucker News

Save Money on Transportation

The price of gasoline is higher than ever, but there are several things you can do to trim your transportation budget. This article shows you how.

One of the most effective steps that you can take to reduce the cost of getting from one place to another is purchasing a used car that is less than 5 years old. This allows you to get a relatively new car that is still in good shape, but still escape the steep depreciation that new cars suffer after they are bought. Be sure to choose a car that has good gas mileage as well, because with today’s prices, this can save you hundreds of dollars a year on fuel.

Shop around carefully for car insurance. There are several websites available that you can use to compare rates such as esurance.com. You also need to evaluate whether you should have collision and comprehensive coverage on your older car. Keeping minimal liability coverage can drastically lower your premiums. Also, if your cash reserves are sufficient, raising your deductible will reduce the cost of your coverage as well. Finally, having more than one type of policy with the same carrier can net you a package discount. Shopping around for gas can make a bigger difference than you think as well. Gas is cheaper in some states than in others; those who live near the state line may be wise to run for the border when they head for the pumps. Using a gas rebate credit card can also take some of the bite out of the cost of fuel. There are several cards available that will pay you cash back on your gas purchases. Public transportation and carpooling at least some of the time will also reduce the cost of gas, parking and maintenance on your vehicle. Even a few trips per month will add up to a noticable savings over time.