Scam alert

Posted on April 3, 2012 by Devorah

scam alert

Kenneth E. Whittington, Vice President, Career Path Training Corp., passes along this scam alert:

The Jacksonville school has had scammer calls to 4 active enrolled students over the weekend and today.  All 4 victims are staying at the Motel and the scammers seem to know their room numbers when they call. They claim to be with Covenant Transport and are asking for family member emergency numbers.  One scammer gave his name as John Davis. One gave his name as Ed Jordan. 

 

Please be on the lookout for scammer calls and remind active students to do the same.

 

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Texas license applicants must be residents

Posted on April 3, 2012 by Devorah

The Texas Motor Transport Association has called our attention to the fact that beginning Monday, Apr. 2, 2012, the Texas Department of Public Safety will implement procedures to verify that individuals applying for a Texas driver’s license, commercial driver’s license or identification certificate are residents of Texas.

License applicants must present two acceptable documents verifying that they reside in Texas. (This will apply to applicants for original license or certificates, not those applying for a renewal or duplicate license or ID.) TMTA further states that as of May 7, no licenses will be issued to out-of-state residents trained in Texas.

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Spring conference report

Posted on March 28, 2012 by Devorah

John Rojas has been attending the 2012 National Association of Publicly Funded Truck Driving Schools Conference in Memphis, Tennessee. He reports:

The NAPFTDS Spring conference was a great success. There was nearly 100 partisipants from all over the country. The schedule was packed with excellent speakers on todays issues in the trucking industry:
  • Lane Kid – President of Arkansas Trucking Association: Talked about developing  private/public partnerships
  • Chris Burruss – President, Truckload Carriers Association: Talked about the growing demand for qualified CDL drivers and future forecasts
  • Kevin Lewis – Director of CDL Testing, American Association of Motor Vehicle Administration: talked about new CDL learners permit
  • Dave Saunders – Owner Compliance Safety Systems: Talked about drivers and CSA
  • Mike O’Connell – Executive Director of Commercial Vehicle Training Association: Talked about Drive The Guard Program and WIA Funds
  • Robert McClanahan – Executive Director of NAPFTDS: Talked about TCA membership
  • Ken Smith – Director of Driver Recruiting Schneider National: Talked about industry consortium
  • Gary Strube – Director of International Schools/ CVTA Education Committee/ Board Member: Talked about CVTA’s Mike Byrnes & Associates Instructor Certification Program and benefits
  • Rich Clemente – Transportation Specialist for Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration: Talked about FMCSA status on proposed rules and newly added rules such as hours of service. 
Over all the conference was a great success and as always I will be taking valuable information back to my school for implementation.
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Scam alert

Posted on March 28, 2012 by Devorah

scam alertMark Brown from Central Tech in Drumright, OK talked to a gentleman named Wayne Bishop who said he was a recruiter for Crete Carrier. 

Mark talked to Crete and they said he was not with them at all.  He did not leave a number for anyone to call, but was calling and asking about schools in the area.

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CSA update

Posted on March 27, 2012 by Devorah

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has announced planned improvements to the Carrier Safety Measurement System (SMS) which was implemented in December 2010 as part of FMCSA’s broader Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) program. 

Motor carriers and those in law enforcement can get a preview starting today, March 27, 2012. The system changes are scheduled to be available to the public in July 2012. There will be additional opportunity for public comment on the changes after the preview period ends in July 2012.

The improvements are based on ongoing analysis and feedback from enforcement personnel, the motor carrier industry, and other stakeholders. The changes more effectively identify and prioritize high-risk and other unsafe motor carriers.

The data preview may be found at http://csa.fmcsa.dot.gov/. During
the data preview period, the Agency requests comments on the impacts of
the changes. To comment, visit the Web site at http://www.regulations.gov.

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Training program awarded grant

Posted on March 20, 2012 by Devorah

Congratulations to Transportation Training Services and director John Rojas at Del Mar College in Corpus Christi, Texas. The program has been awarded a grant of $750,000 …more

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Scam alert!

Posted on March 9, 2012 by Devorah

scam alertMike White from Wiregrass Georgia Technical College in Valdosta, Georgia, issues this scam alert:

A student got a call from a man who said he represented Willis Shaw Express.  For $400 he would put the student in to an orientation with WSE in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.  The student sent the money and has not heard from the man since.

This individual used the name Mike Hamilton, Phone 385-597-2262.  While talking to the student, he used our school name, my name and one of my instructor’s name to talk him into sending the money.

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Mandatory training standards

Posted on March 9, 2012 by Devorah

Mandatory training standards appear to be a dead issue for the forseeable future.

The National Association of Publicly Funded Truck Driving Schools reports that:

the long awaited final ruling on entry-level driver training by FMCSA has been “removed from the calendar”. This does not mean that it will not happen, but it will not happen anytime soon.

By court order, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration was to come out with an entry-level requirement, but failed to give any specific date or time to come out with a ruling. The FMCSA did come out with a proposed ruling some years ago but have not made any decision on a final rule. A decison has been taken off the calendar to accommodate more pressing matters.

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Get a CDL and so much more!

Posted on March 7, 2012 by Devorah

Since 1987, Mike Byrnes and Associates, Inc. has been helping to launch and grow successful commercial motor vehicle operator careers with outstanding training and reference tools that are enjoyable and easy to use.

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U.S.-Mexico cross-border trucking

Posted on March 2, 2012 by Devorah

Landline magazine reports that the Federal Motor Carrier Safey Administration recently made a trip to Mexico to drum up business for the U.S.-Mexico cross-border pilot program. Apparently not very many Mexican carriers are participating in the program, and if this doesn’t increase, the FMCSA won’t be justified in opening the border to all Mexico-domiciled motor carriers. Get more details here.

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