View as Webpage | February 20, 2025

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MMTA Annual Membership Meeting April 9th

Mark your calendars to join your fellow truckers at the April 9, 2025 MMTA Annual Membership and Board meetings starting at 9am. The agendas are still taking shape but we hope you can join us for breakfast, coffee and trucking updates – and we encourage you to bring someone who might benefit from the networking opportunity.

See you on April 9th at the MMTA office in Augusta!

John W. Austin Memorial Scholarship Fund – Application Now Open

MMTA



The John W. Austin Memorial Scholarship Fund has grown over the years and now awards up to nine recipients a one-time scholarship for up to $2,500 each. The application deadline is May 1st and will be accepted online only.

The criteria to be selected for one of the nine scholarships reflect an emphasis on careers and instruction specific to the trucking industry in an attempt to focus on technical training. See below for the qualifications and requirements for applicants.

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PTSC & TDC COMPETITION REGISTRATION OPENS

MMTA

The 2025 Maine Professional Truck Driving Championships (to be held at Dysart’s in Hermon) and the 2025 Maine Professional Technician Skills Competition (to be held at EMCC in Bangor) will both be held on May 17, 2025 – a day that we have termed “CHAMPIONSHIP SATURDAY”.

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Maine’s New Sales Tax Law for Leases – Clarification

MMTA

MMTA has received a number of questions about the implementation and practical impacts of Maine’s new law (as of January 1, 2025) that changes the tax on leased equipment from an up-front USE/SALES tax to a tax on the rental/lease stream.

For reference, we published an article in May explaining the changes, which can be found HERE. But for those who are leasing equipment and saw 5.5% added to your January invoice, this article is intended to provide you additional information to help you navigate the inevitable conversations between Lessees and Lessors. We realize it can be confusing so we would recommend you reaching out to Tim or Brian if you have specific questions.

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How Trump is changing emissions standards this year

Fleet Owner

The new leader of the nation’s environmental agencies is a vocal opponent of climate policy and emissions standards. Zero-emission vehicles were a top industry concern in 2024, so how will this new administration affect the trucking industry in 2025?

Fleets can expect Trump, with direct control over the country’s primary environmental authority, to follow his campaign platform in reducing environmental standards, according to industry experts who spoke with FleetOwner.

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Trump’s EPA to help Congress dissolve CARB waivers

Fleet Owner

President Donald Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency made its first procedural attack on California’s heavy-duty emissions regulations.

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced that the agency will submit reports to Congress on its Biden-era waivers for the California Air Resources Board’s vehicle emissions regulations. The reports would include waivers for Advanced Clean Trucks, Heavy-Duty Omnibus, and Advanced Clean Cars II.

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FMCSA Retains Fleets' 50% Random Drug Testing Rate in 2025

Transport Topics

Motor carriers must continue to conduct random drug tests with 50% of their truck drivers and random alcohol tests with 10% of their drivers in 2025, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced.

These percentages have remained in effect since 2020, when FMCSA officials announced they were increasing the minimum annual percentage rate for random controlled substances testing for drivers of commercial motor vehicles from 25% of the average number of driver positions.

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DOT Secretary Duffy Outlines Highway Bill Priorities

Transport Topics

...Duffy specified among Trump administration priorities a reform of environmental permitting regulations vital to construction projects, adoption of emerging technologies designed to improve safety and efficiency, and creation of a wide-ranging cost-savings framework.

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Motor Carriers Asked to Share Experience with Advanced Safety Systems

Heavy Duty Trucking

The American Transportation Research Institute is asking motor carriers to complete a survey on the role of advanced safety systems in improving trucking safety and productivity.

This research is part of the ongoing TechCelerate Now program, a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration program for accelerating the adoption of advanced driver assistance systems in the commercial motor vehicle industry. 

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NEW ATRI RESEARCH FOCUSES ON DIESEL TECHNICIAN SHORTAGE: INPUT NEEDED FROM TECHNICIANS, SHOPS AND TRAINING SCHOOLS

American Transportation Research Institute

The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) is seeking important input and guidance for their priority research on the growing diesel technician shortage. Recognizing the complex issues that exist in training, recruiting and retaining diesel technicians, ATRI has developed three separate surveys for technicians, maintenance facilities and technician training schools.

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Issa, House Colleagues Launch Reform of Third-Party Financed Civil Litigation

Press Release

Congressman Darrell Issa, Chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence and the Internet, Congressman Scott Fitzgerald (WI-05), and Congressman Mike Collins (GA-10) introduced HR 1109 – The Litigation Transparency Act of 2025. 

This is breakthrough legislation that will require the disclosure of parties receiving payment in civil lawsuits.

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FMCSR Training

February 21, 2025

8:30am - noon

MMTA Office, Augusta

FMI and Registration

HAZMAT Training

March 7, 2025

8:30am - noon

MMTA Office, Augusta

FMI and Registration

Defensive Driving Training

April 4, 2025

8:00am - 1:00pm

MMTA Office, Augusta

FMI and Registration