Special Edition V.34 (May 2020)
CORONAVIRUS NEWS
Maine DOT Facing Big Revenues Drop From Coronavirus Health Crisis
News Center Maine

AUGUSTA, Maine — Nearly two months of battling the COVID-19 virus is taking a toll on Maine’s economy. Thousands of businesses have been closed or cut back, more than 100,00 people are out of work, but a serious side effect is a loss of tax revenue that pays for state government.

Few parts of the government have felt the hit from the economic shutdown more directly than the Maine Department of Transportation. The DOT depends on dedicated revenue from the fuel tax to pay many of the bills, including salaries. And Transportation Commissioner Bruce Van Note says the money has stopped flowing.

States Projecting Big Budget Cuts Due To COVID-19
AASHTO

State governments continue to ratchet back current spending and projected budget outlays due to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic; reductions that are starting to include planned transportation infrastructure investments.

“The coronavirus outbreak has quickly upended state budgets with states now facing significant revenue declines and increased spending demands as they contend with both a public health emergency and a severely deteriorating national economy,” noted the National Association of State Budget Officers in a recent report.

“As a result, it is likely that much of what governors recommended in their fiscal [year] 2021 budget proposals will not be enacted as they are forced to re-prioritize and ensure that their budgets remain in balance,” the group said.

MMTA NEWS
Maine Truck PAC Golf Tournament RESCHEDULED
May 4, 2020

Originally scheduled for June 10th, the Maine Truck PAC golf tournament has been RESCHEDULED to September 9, 2020. Below is updated information reflecting this change. If you have already registered/sponsored, your registration, sponsorship and player list will automatically be transferred to the new SEPTEMBER 9th date. If your schedule in September doesn’t allow you or your team to participate, please let Makala know and she will process your refund.

The Truck PAC golf tournament will again be played at Natanis Golf Course, located on the Webber Pond Road in Vassalboro, on September 9, 2020. Natanis features 36 great holes of golf and will serve as an excellent host for this year’s primary fundraising event for the Truck PAC.

The tournament is designed to be player friendly and will feature an on the course meal – likely a boxed lunch. After golf has concluded, awards and door prizes will be presented and light refreshments and a cash bar will be available if allowed.

Sponsorship opportunities are also available (Major Sponsors $500 or Hole Sponsors $150/hole)

All registrations must be received by September 4th. You can register online at www.mmta.com/golf. The cost is $500 per team or $125 per player.

Location: Natanis Golf Course, Vassalboro
Registration: 8:00 am
Shotgun Start: 9:00am
Lunch: On the course

We hope you consider supporting the PAC and registering a team of golfers and sponsoring the event. The Truck PAC funds are used to support business-friendly candidates to the Maine Legislature.
REMINDER: MMTA Board/Membership Meeting - May 8 @ 7:30am
To be held via ZOOM Video Conference

The MMTA’s Annual Board & Membership meetings, originally scheduled for April 8th, has been rescheduled to May 8th starting at 7:30am. Since there is no way to be assured that we will be able to meet in person given the ever-changing factors that have gone into the COVID-19 emergency, the meeting will be hosted virtually through Zoom video conference.

Since this is the first time we have met via Zoom on such a large scale, we are asking members to register for the meeting. Once registered, you will receive Zoom instructions to attend via video conference or to attend via phone only. Please Note: If you attend via phone only, you will need to provide us with the phone number you will be calling from on the online registration form – we will disconnect any unrecognized phone number from the meeting.

To register, go to www.mmta.com/zoom

We ask for everyone’s patience with this technology and encourage you to test your system prior to the meeting on May 8th. If you would like to test your system with MMTA, please contact Brian as soon as possible.

NATIONAL NEWS
FMCSA Adopts Crash Accountability Program
Transport Topics

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration on May 1 announced that effective immediately it is making permanent a pilot program that will not count a crash in which the motor carrier was not at fault when calculating the carrier’s safety measurement profile. It is also expanding the types of crashes that may be considered.

The announcement ends a longtime trucking industry controversy over the agency’s practice of listing crashes on carriers’ public safety profiles in the FMCSA Compliance, Safety, Accountability system without indicating whether the driver or carrier could not have prevented the crash.

“The Crash Preventability Determination Program allows carriers and drivers to submit evidence that an eligible crash was not preventable,” the announcement said. “If FMCSA determines the crash was not preventable, it will be listed on the Safety Measurement System but not included when calculating a carrier’s Crash Indicator Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Category measure in SMS. Additionally, the not preventable determinations will be noted on a driver’s Pre-Employment Screening Program report.”

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES
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.
THANK YOU MMTA ANNUAL SPONSORS
Maine Motor Transport Association
P.O. Box 857
Augusta, ME 04332-0857
ph: (207)623-4128
fax: (207)623-4096