Sandi Soendker
Managing Editor
A coon hunter in Georgia was training a pup to pick up the scent of a treed raccoon one dark night before Christmas. According to news reports, the hunter and his dog were poised under the tree when his excited colleague decided "what the heck" and shot the coon right out of the tree. The 15-pound animal plummeted 60 feet onto the hunter’s head. It knocked him cold and fractured three vertebrae. So, should we anticipate new OSHA regs requiring hard hats while coon hunting?
New OSHA requirements that we can expect deal with training rules for forklift users and this one will likely make a trucker’s life a little harder on the docks. Check out the story.
In the "how are the lawsuits going" category, we bring you up to date on the progress of OOIDA’s action against Prime, Inc. It’s all about a thing called "private right of action" and we’ll explain what that is, too.
Lady drivers, is there a pelvic exam in your future? Under the new proposal, it’s suggested that the medical examiner may want to do a pelvic on women to check for hernias. Outraged? There’s more. In "Issues and Positions," Jim Johnston tells why OOIDA finds the new proposal a shaky deal for truckers, male and female.
Extreme winter weather seems to be playing havoc with road conditions everywhere this year, but of course, it’s business as usual for truckers. Many of you are carrying several hundred pounds of chains, but are you current on which states require you to "hang iron" and when? When in doubt, call ahead. You’ll find helpful phone numbers and websites, too.
Although size and weight doesn’t seem to have much to do with the weather, new developments mean storm warnings for truckers. Despite noises from the American Trucking Associations re-emphasizing their aim to better represent truckers, ATA recently elected to make "productivity" their top goal for 1999. Read what Jim Johnston has to say about this and what it means to truckers.
It’s the beginning of a new year and all over the country, state lawmakers are getting back to work. In Texas, Montana and New Mexico, speed limits are a hot issue. Get the latest information, plus phone numbers for these state legislatures.
Have your ever felt like you paid a broker or a motor carrier to haul one of their loads? Some owner-operators actually have. Paying close attention to the wording of your lease agreement or broker contract can keep you from donating to someone else’s cause. For an incredible wake-up call, see Jason Cisper’s article.
There’s a saying that no job is complete until the paperwork is done. That’s especially true if you’re a small fleet owner who needs to hire a driver. The amount of paperwork required by federal regulations is staggering. This article will walk you through the process. Also, more "what you can ask a prospective employee and what you can’t."
Next issue is the Mid-America Trucking Show edition. The biggest show in trucking is in Louisville March 25, 26 and 27. Land Line and OOIDA will be there with bells on. Look for us in the East wing, booth number 117. Now’s the time to make plans to be there.
