The Roemer Report On-Line, July 2011

NEW HOS RULES DUE OUT SOON. If all goes as planned, new Hours of Service rules from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) will be published by July 26th. Throughout the comment period, which ended in March of this year, there has been a lot of confusion and conflicting stories about some of the proposed changes. Depending upon the type of driving, regional, property carrying, etc., the initially HOS changes were not significantly different than the current regs for Maximum On Duty Hours weekly or Daily Duty, yet off duty time and “restarts”did see changes that would effect longer haul operators. To see a list of the current regs and the initially proposed HOS rules, go to www.fmcsa.dot.gov.

THE PRICE OF DIESEL IN 2035. Okay, 2035 seems like a long time from now—like the stuff of science fiction, but its only 24 years away (for some perspective, the starship Enterprise and the Captain Kirk will be fighting Romulans in 2200). While we’ve seen fuel prices beaming up into areas where no man has gone before, the government is somewhat optimistic about the future of fuel supplies and prices. While consumption of liquid fuels in the transportation sector are projected to increase slightly over the next 15 years, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (www.eia.gov) forecasts that new domestic sources of oil and bio fuels will pick up the slack and that prices (adjusted for inflation) will remain quite steady. While this is an optimistic scenario on the part of the EIA, it assumes there will be no major political or environmental disasters that affect the U.S. oil supply or refining operations – keep your fingers crossed!

LOOKING FOR THE OLDEST TRUCK STOP. In the process of researching—trying to determine the oldest truck stop in the United States, we’ve run across several who have made the claim. Clark’s Travel Center in Indio, California on Route 99 claims a lineage back to the early 1940s, while the Dixie Truck Stop on Route 66 in McLean, Illinois has been operating since 1928 when part of the original mechanics garage was rented by two entrepreneurs who began to sell sandwiches, maybe it’s just nostalgia but I’m picturing some great chow here back in the day. Obviously a lot has changed with the building of the Interstate System in the 1950s, but the truck stop, as with the American trucker, lives on as a vital part of the nation’s livelihood.

NEW RULES FOR NEW DRIVERS. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is reworking its standards for commercial driver’s license testing, and creating a new commercial learner’s permit (CLP). In a rule published in the May 6th Federal Register, the agency completes a three-year effort to correct shortcomings in the driver testing and licensing system. The rule, scheduled to take effect in July, requires states to issue a learner’s permit to would-be truck drivers. Applicants will have to pass federally approved CDL knowledge and skills tests, clear a check of their driving record, and hold the learner’s permit for at least two weeks before they apply for a CDL. The minimum age for a learner’s permit is 18. To learn more go to www.fmcsa.dot.gov and search “learners permit.”

PROBABLY NOT POLITICALLY CORRECT. It’s hard to tell a joke today without offending someone—which is ashamed because there are some great ones out there, but not fit for publication. Still, with nothing but talk of new regulations, high fuel prices, and potential hardship, we have to sneak one in, so here it goes (please feel free to substitute wife for husband as appropriate). Trucker calls his wife and says, "Honey I've hit the lottery and I've hit it big, pack your bags!" Wife says, "Oh my God! Where are we going?" Trucker says, "I don't care, as long as you're gone when I get home!"

EAT A BANANA. For drivers, leg cramps can be a problem and usually mean you are lacking potassium and/or are not drinking enough water. As summer is upon us, its important that you keep your water consumption up. Ever have a twitching in your legs? This may indicate low levels of potassium, calcium, or vitamin B. While eating fruit – especially bananas (high in potassium) can help reduce potential cramping, water is necessary to transfer these nutrients throughout the body. We all know it’s not easy to eat right on the road—but getting into a habit of eating a minimum of one piece of fruit a day and keeping your consumption of water up is a good place to start.

UNTIL NEXT MONTH, be safe, stay healthy, and drive smart.

“Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you'll start having positive results.”
-Willie Nelson