CSA Warning Letters 
FMCSA has stated that they are starting to send out warning letters to carriers who are deficient in one or more of the CSA BASICs. It should not be a surprise to carriers who receive a letter because they should have been monitoring their CSA scores regularly.
We have received several questions from people asking what they have to do when they receive one of the letters. These letters are the first step in the intervention process and are meant only to make the carrier aware that they have issues developing that could lead to further action down the road if improvements are not made. The carrier does not have to send any kind of response back to FMCSA when they receive such a letter.
However, this does not mean that the carrier can just do nothing. To keep from escalating to a higher level of intervention the carrier will have to address their problem areas and show improvement over time. At this time it is not clear how long the carrier will have to show improvement before they risk experiencing some further intervention. With this in mind, the best approach is always going to be a proactive program that takes steps to address weak areas before they become a major issue. |
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Ohio Turnpike Speed Increase
Effective April 1 the speed limit on the Ohio turnpike will increase to 70 mph for all vehicles. The turnpike hopes this increase will divert truck traffic from parallel two lane highways, resulting in increased safety. The Ohio Trucking Association opposed the move. They feel lowering the tolls, not increasing the speed limit, is the key to attracting more truck traffic.
If you have trucks travelling on the Ohio Turnpike please be sure to talk to your drivers about the fact that as vehicle speed increases so does the distance it takes to stop the vehicle. If they are increasing their speed but not adjusting their following distance this could lead to more rearend crashes down the road. In addition, typically when a state raises a speed limit the police officers tend to be stricter about holding drivers to the new speed limit then they may have been in the past with the lower limit. |
2011 Event Schedule
This year we will continue the Yellow Van Tours along with the DOT Compliance seminars that we do for various state trucking associations. Yellow Van Tour seminars are special free events that are reserved for MJAI clients. The DOT Compliance seminars are open to everyone and the trucking associations handle all registrations and do charge a fee to attend. MJAI volunteers our time and talents for these events as a service to the associations and the industry. Below are the dates and locations for 2011:
Yellow Van Tour:
- April 13 - Columbus, IN
- May 11 - Plymouth, IN
- May 25 - Sharonville, OH
- June 29 - Toledo/Maumee, OH
- July 20 - Ft Wayne, IN
- August 18 - Wadsworth, OH
- Note - registration information has been mailed and emailed out for these. If you did not receive a flyer or have misplaced yours just contact Michelle Warren in our office to sign up to attend.
DOT Compliance in a CSA World:
- April 19 - Aurora, IL (MWT)
- April 20 - Decatur, IL (MWT)
- May 24 - Wilmington, OH (OTA)
- June 28 - Perrysburg, OH (OTA)
- August 17 - Akron, OH (OTA)
- Sept. 15 - Columbus/Powell, OH (OTA)
- Sept. ? - ?, KY (KMTA) - to be determined
- Oct. 20 - Indianapolis, IN (IMTA)
- Oct. 27 - Evansville, IN (IMTA)
- Nov ? - IL locations to be determined
- Note contact information for the trucking associations - IMTA (317) 630-4682, OTA (614) 221-5375, MWT (217) 525-0310
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Cargo Insurance Filings
FMCSA recently announced on their website the following information on cargo insurance filings: As of March 21, 2011, only household goods (HHG) carriers and HHG Freight Forwarders need to have evidence of cargo insurance on file with FMCSA. While FMCSA has not required such a filing, numerous non-HHG carriers have filed cancellations of their cargo insurance with FMCSA effective March 21, 2011.
The carriers' cancellation notices triggered system-generated letters to these carriers indicating that FMCSA would revoke their authority within 30 days of the service date of the letter. FMCSA clarifies that non-HHG carriers and non-HHG freight forwarders who have received Notices of Investigation for Revocation of Authority based on the termination of cargo insurance on or after March 21, 2011 need not respond to such letters if they have a service date of February 19, 2011 or after.
FMCSA will not revoke the operating authority of non-HHG carriers and non-HHG freight forwarders whose cargo insurance expires on or after March 21, 2011. The agency is taking corrective measures to alert carriers. |
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Have You Reviewed Your Property
Coverage
Lately?
Did you know that we also offer insurance for your Property, General liability, and Warehousing needs? Johnson-Witkemper Insurance is a wholly owned subsidiary of MJAI. Friendly and efficient service, and one place to call. Contact Mike Bonham at 812-372-7829 for more information.
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Did you know that MJAI offers health insurance?
Do you have questions about the recent healthcare legislation and how it will effect your company? We can help you sort things out. Contact Greg Fox in our benefits department today.
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The Road to Safety
 The road to safety is filled with many twists and turns. At Marvin Johnson we offer you many services and supplies to help keep you on the road by saving you time and money, as well as reduce losses. All of our safety services and supplies are free of charge to MJAI clients. Please do not hesitate to contact our Safety & Loss Prevention team for assistance.
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Contact Us:
(800)457-5255
(812)372-0841
FAX (812)372-2687
MJAI Homepage
www.mjai.com
Diana Jones, CDS Director, Client Services
djones@mjai.com
Les Nugen, CDS Manager, Loss Prevention
lnugen@mjai.com
Loss Prevention Rep.
jogle@mjai.com
Greg Varn, CDS Loss Prevention Rep. for Ohio
gvarn@mjai.com
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