Maine’s Alan Paradis on NTDC: ‘I’m Alive to Do It’
Transport Topics
As he battled cancer during the pandemic, friends and colleagues of Alan Paradis insisted that he compete in Maine’s truck safety tournament.
Paradis credited trucking, especially preparing for the state competition — an event he had helped organize — with his recovery.
He noticed the tournament filled him with a sense of purpose.
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Maine driver hopes her trucking competition win inspires young women to join the industry
CCJ Digital
With multiple family members in the trucking industry at some point in time, Haleigh Fickett has been climbing in and out of trucks from a young age.
Fickett’s brother, also a truck driver, competed in the Maine Motor Transport Association Maine State Truck Driving Championship in 2018 ahead of Covid-19 and has been urging her to compete ever since.
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IS YOUR COMPANY WORTHY OF SAFETY RECOGNITION? 2022 MMTA FLEET SAFETY AWARDS
MMTA
The 2022 Maine Motor Transport Fleet Safety Award information has been released and can be found at https://www.mmta.com/fsarules/. To compete in this safety competition, companies must submit an online application and supporting information by September 2, 2022. Once completed, you will be assigned to a mileage category, where statistics will determine whether you place in the top three within that category or qualify for a Wild Card with no recordable crashes.
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Maine Climate Initiatives Update
MMTA
As MMTA members already know, we have been heavily engaged with Maine’s climate initiatives, especially those impacting our industry. We serve on the Transportation Working Group of the Maine Climate Council, we were part of the group leading the charge to oppose Maine’s adoption of the California Advanced Clean Trucks rule and we have been active participants with a sub-group of interested Medium & Heavy Duty (MHDV) truck parties. Not to re-litigate the issues, but our industry’s concerns have been clear and consistent – the push to electrify heavy duty trucks has some significant timing, technology, economic, grid and infrastructure problems that are unrealistic to overcome in the short term.
We are happy to report that, after a meeting earlier this month (8/3/22) with high-level state officials and other MHDV interested parties, there appears to be a welcome and appreciated shift in the approach:
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Maine truckers are feeling the pinch of high diesel prices — but aren't embracing electric yet
Maine Public
Every day, commercial trucks travel across the country to deliver the goods we count on. But meeting that demand comes with an environmental cost.
Medium and heavy-duty trucks account for roughly a quarter of all transportation-related emissions in the U.S. They are the second largest emitter in the transportation sector, behind passenger vehicles.
And while Maine has set concrete goals for introducing smaller electric vehicles into the marketplace, the road ahead is more uncertain for large commercial trucks.
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Mainers can now request absentee ballots for the November election
Bangor Daily News
Very civic-minded Mainers can now request their absentee ballots for the November general election.
Mainers can request absentee ballots online at the Maine secretary of state’s office website or from their city or town clerks. Mainers also can track the status of their absentee ballot online at the secretary of state’s office website.
Deputy Secretary of State Julie Flynn said voters can receive absentee ballot request forms from election groups or political parties.
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Portland’s November Ballot Initiatives – And Why MMTA Members Should Care
MMTA
There are thirteen ballot initiatives set to be voted on by Portland citizens in November. Normally, MMTA doesn’t get involved in local proposals that don’t have direct impacts on the trucking industry, however, this is something different. The Democrat Socialists of America are behind these radical ideas – from rent control, to minimum wage, to cruise ships, to prescribing “Fair Labor Practices” for UBER and food delivery drivers. If successful, it will start in Portland and will soon be in your town next, making it more expensive and more time consuming with more hoops for you to jump through in different places throughout Maine. It will start with gig workers and tipped employees first, then they will work to expand it to your industry and your company next.
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Helpful Tips for Filing a Disability Claim
Kevin Kennedy, Acadia Benefits
Filing a disability claim can be stressful, especially if you’ve just experienced an accident or been diagnosed with an illness. Our Employee Advocate, Sara Closson has put together a few helpful tips, including what to expect and ways to expedite the process, in our most recent blog post, here.
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FMCSA Accepting Carrier Applications for Apprenticeship Driver Pilot
Transport Topics
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration as of July 26 is accepting applications from motor carriers interested in participating in the agency’s Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program for 18- to 20-year-old truck drivers to operate interstate.
FMCSA said the program, announced in January, will allow a maximum of 1,000 carriers and 3,000 apprentice drivers to participate.
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Click above to watch the Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Information Session from July 26, 2022.
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ATRI Launches Survey to Gather Truck Driver Perspectives on Driver-Facing Cameras
American Transportation Research Institute
The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) has launched a short survey to better understand truck driver perspectives and issues with Driver-Facing Cameras (DFCs).
ATRI’s DFC research was a top research priority of its Research Advisory Committee in 2021. Previous FMCSA-sponsored research conducted by ATRI documented that truck drivers have very positive opinions about road-facing cameras, but numerous driver concerns were raised about driver-facing cameras. ATRI’s DFC survey is designed to better understand the specific issues and concerns truck drivers have, and to determine what, if any, strategies might address those concerns.
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TSA launches new online Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) renewal process
TSA Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) enhanced the renewal process for the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC®) to help support critical transportation workers. Starting August 11, 2022, TSA enabled the ability for current TWIC holders to renew their credentials online, which eliminates the need to go to an enrollment center and makes the five-year renewal process more convenient.
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Commercial Vehicle Safety Summit - Advancing Technology to Prevent Truck & Bus Crashes
UMassSafe
The University of Massachusetts Traffic Safety Research Program (UMassSafe), with support from the FMCSA, will be hosting the Commercial Vehicle Safety Summit - Advancing Technology to Prevent Truck & Bus Crashes on October 25-26, 2022 in Providence, Rhode Island. The Summit will feature demonstrations of innovative programming and technologies for reducing roadway crashes, while also providing a venue for the exchange of ideas and resources between safety stakeholders and industry.
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Brake Safety Week Is Aug. 21-27
CVSA
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) has announced Aug. 21-27 as the dates for this year’s Brake Safety Week. Brake Safety Week is an annual commercial motor vehicle brake-safety inspection, enforcement and education initiative conducted by law enforcement jurisdictions in Canada, Mexico and the U.S. During Brake Safety Week, inspectors will conduct their usual North American Standard Level I and V Inspections and capture and report brake-related data to CVSA. The results will be released in the fall.
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SAVE THE DATE!
24th Annual Maine Trucking for Kids Convoy
Sunday, September 18, 2022 8am-3pm
For more information and to donate, click on the image to the right.
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UPCOMING MMTA TRAINING & EVENTS
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NATMI Fleet Safety Certification
September 12-16, 2022
8:00am - MMTA Office
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HAZMAT Training
September 30, 2022
8:30am - MMTA Office
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MMTA Membership & Board Meetings
7:30am - October 12, 2022
MMTA Office
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Thank you MMTA Annual Sponsors
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Zero percent loans for approved CDL school training
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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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