Glostone Newsletter August 2014
posted in Newsletter by Brian Gray
Glostone Newsletter August 2014
Last Chance To File 2014-2015 Heavy Vehicle Use Tax
September 2nd is the deadline for carriers to file their 2014-2015 Heavy Vehicle Use Tax with the IRS. Vehicles registered at 55,000 lbs. or more are required to file. The amount of tax is based upon weight. Those failing to file and pay the tax by the deadline date will face steep penalty and interest charges by the IRS. Trucks without proof of payment of this tax will not be allowed to get 2015 tags until payment is made. There are exemptions available for certain types of trucks and low mileage trucks. Contact us at 503-607-1088 for help with your filing and avoid the long lines at the IRS!
NATSA To Host 2 Day DOT Regulatory Compliance Workshop
If you are looking for an intensive training program that not only covers Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations but also the International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) and the International Registration Plan (IRP), you should consider this once a year event hosted by the North American Transportation Services Association (NATSA). The training provided is the most extensive available covering all Federal and State DOT regulatory agencies. In addition to the workshops, regulators from the FMCSA, IRP and IFTA will be in attendance to answer questions. The depth of material covered is well worth the expense.
This year’s event will be held in Nashville on September 17 and 18. Find out more at www.natsa.info. Alex Vukonich of Glostone will be hosting the CSA- In Depth workshop! We hope to see you there!
DOT Certified Physicals Now Available With Expanded Hours
A new Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulation went into effect May 1st requiring that health care professionals meeting the requirements to perform Driver Medical Examinations complete specialized training and register with the Department of Transportation (DOT) to become a “DOT Certified” practitioner. The new rule also places a burden on the Carrier as part of the Driver Qualification File process to document that the practitioner performing each driver’s exam after May 1 has been DOT certified.
Over the past month, Glostone’s sister company CleanFleet has contracted with Dr. Angela Ozeruga D.C., and Dr. Kristen Livingston D.C., both DOT certified examiners , in order to expand the hours it can offer DOT physical exams at the Clackamas location. “Having Dr. Ozeruga and Dr. Livingston come onboard and help us expand hours for DOT physicals has been a huge benefit to our members,” says Brian Gray, CleanFleet COO. “We now can provide our members even more convenience and flexibility in scheduling their physicals with very low wait times,” he said.
DOT Physical Hours At Clackamas:
Monday 8:00 – 12:00
Wednesday 12:00 – 4:00
Thursday 8:00 – 5:00
Friday 8:00 -12:00
The addition of Dr.’s Ozeruga and Livingston covering the Clackamas location has allowed Dr. Julia Wilber D.C. to start offering DOT physicals at the new Marine Drive location on an appointment basis. In addition to DOT Certified Physicals exams, each Doctor offers more extensive agility testing and chiropractic services for those in need.
Walk-ins are welcome at the Clackamas location but to ensure a low wait time it’s always best to schedule an appointment by calling 503-479-6082.
Rules Of The Road Learning Center
Glostone Trucking Solutions, along with sister company CleanFleet, has launched the Rules of the Road Learning Center. The Learning Center offers a suite of training options designed to provide knowledge and best practices involved with regulatory compliance within the trucking industry.
“As the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) ramps up the enforcement phase of its Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) program, we are seeing a significant jump in the number violations, audits and safety fitness ratings negatively impacting our clients” says Dave Gray, President of Glostone Trucking Solutions. “When addressing the FMCSA to upgrade a poor safety rating, it always comes down to education, both at the company level and the driver level. Before the FMCSA allows a carrier to upgrade their safety rating, they will ensure that the ownership has the regulatory knowledge, the correct practices are in place and that the compliance practices are being managed. Our Rules of the Road Learning Center is designed to provide that education before the violations occur and keep our clients out of the audit process.”
Training formats include a 30 person classroom located at the Clackamas, Oregon location as well as a large group Webinar format, small group GoToMeeting format or one-on-one training conducted on site. Also available is a library of over 300, 5 to 15 minute videos that can be viewed online, 24/7 and includes verifiable completion certificate.
Training topics cover the gamut of FMCSR regulatory compliance issues including:
- Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR)fundamentals,
- Driver Hours of Service,
- Designated Employer Representative (DER) Drug & Alcohol Program Responsibilities,
- Driver Responsibilities Within a DOT Compliant Drug and Alcohol Program,
- Managing your CSA scores,
- Reasonable Suspicion Training For Supervisors,
- New Entrant Training: Surviving the first year,
- And more!
Other regulatory compliance training topics include:
- Getting The Right Plates And Tags For Trucks
- International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) Tax Reporting and Compliance
- Basic Small Carrier Accounting and Payroll
- Electronic Logging Devise Overview Training
- And more!
You can find out more about the Rules Of The Road Learning Center, available training courses, and schedule by going to http://www.rulesoftheroadlc.com/wordpress1/ or by contacting Glostone Trucking Solutions at 503-607-1088.
