Road Scholar Transportation

Drivers Seek Fair Treatment in Time of Shortage

May 22nd, 2013

It’s no surprise that there is a driver shortage affecting the industry with numbers expected to get worse. With roughly 21% of truck drivers being of 55-65 years of age versus 8% between the ages of 25 and 29, the shortage is expected to range from 20,000 to over 100,000 drivers.

According to CarriersEdge, the level of importance placed upon wages does not weigh as heavily today as drivers are placing more emphasis on working conditions, benefits, equipment, personal life, and so on. But as trucking companies search for drivers to fill their trucks and reduce capacity concerns, drivers search for fair treatment.

Earlier last month, the court ruled in favor of a female driver (Rachel Harrington) who was said to be sexually harassed by her supervisor, discriminated against due to her sex, and unjustifiably dismissed.¹ Harrington, who was employed by Thunderbird One Limited, recounted an incident when she was ordered to “manhandle a load of around 800 kilograms.” Threatened by colleagues that they would complain if she had not done her job, she attempted to move the load and was injured. According to Harrington, when she told her manager, “she was met with ‘derision and laughter’ from employees, who blocked her access to first aid and refused to help her get medical assistance, telling her that “calling an ambulance would result in disciplinary action, and told her to seek transport to hospital from a competing firm a kilometre down the road.”¹

Luckily, the company did not refute her allegations and Harrington received over $63,000 in lost wages and humiliation.

Aside from harassment and discrimination in the workplace, drivers are also on guard for being taken advantage of in an attempt to cover up a scandal or cut costs.

Just last week, two drivers filed a suit against Harbor Express, claiming that the company “misclassified hundreds of truck drivers as independent contractors” in an attempt to avoid providing them with rest breaks, lunch hours, workers’ compensation, and overtime.² As one of the drivers explained, “Truck drivers are paid per trip, no matter how long they take. Delays leaving the port aren’t accounted for when being paid. They don’t pay us a penny for the time we wait at the port. I live paycheck to paycheck. I don’t have a savings account.”² As many as 400 drivers who have been employed with the company since May 2009 could be affected.²
With driver turnover still high, CarriersEdge provides nine following ways to retain drivers:

-Compensation. Although wages are not as much as a priority as in the past, drivers still need to make a living. As CarriersEdge notes, many carriers are having a hard time raising rates in order to increase driver pay, and therefore, are taking more constructive measures in order to compensate drivers including rewarding them for better fuel mileage, safety, and customer feedback.

-Ask them. One of the best ways to keep your drivers happy is by simply asking them. CarriersEdge suggests driver surveys that cover a variety of topics from facilities improvements to your bonus system.

-Go online. Technology is here to stay and online social media sites as well as a company website is one of the most efficient tools for recruitment.

-Be honest. Do not provide drivers with high expectations in order to recruit them. They will leave faster than they came on board.

-Proper orientation. Don’t just show new drivers your rules and procedures but show them they will be treated with respect and introduce them to other employees.³

-Promote their health. More trucking companies today are taking a concern with their drivers’ health and demonstrating that they care by opening onsite gyms, weight-loss programs, and health screenings.³

-Home time. Provide drivers with the ability and assurance that they will be able to get home on a frequent basis.

-Promptness. If a problem arises, resolve it in a timely manner.

-Stick to it. Don’t try to resolve driver turnover through several different trial and error approaches but narrow your methods to a few and stick to them.

Road Scholar Transport is currently looking for professional drivers. Our company operates in a localized footprint which allows our drivers to get home at least every other night.

Road Scholar is well focused on safety, security, and technology. We operate excellent equipment and conduct the proper maintenance procedures keeping our drivers safe. In fact, we have never been cited for a piece of faulty equipment in an accident.

Road Scholar has an excellent reputation, treats our employees with respect, as well as rewards our drivers with safety bonuses, rewards for positive customer feedback, excellent wages, and a comprehensive benefits package.

To join Road Scholar’s fleet of drivers, click here to complete an online application.

With the upcoming hours-of-service changes, as well as increasing driver shortage, do you think that more trucking companies are going to be creating scandals/breaking the law in order keep drivers on the road longer without proper compensation?

¹http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/harassed-woman-truck-driver-awarded-63-000-5424015

²http://articles.latimes.com/2013/may/15/business/la-fi-port-lawsuit-20130515

³http://www.truckinginfo.com/channel/fleet-management/article/story/2013/05/9-ideas-to-find-keep-drivers.aspx

Tags: driver shortage, driver turnover, drivers, Harbor Express, hours of service, professional drivers, road scholar transport, social media, Thunderbird One Limited, truck drivers, trucking companies
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FMCSA Announces New and Upcoming Proposals

May 17th, 2013

Building off of current regulations, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced its new and forthcoming propositions, which included its recently posted Medical Examiner’s Certification Integration and upcoming no-defect Driver-Vehicle Inspection Reports proposals.

Medical Examiner’s Certification Integration Proposal

Last year, the FMCSA enforced validation of medical exams through random checks and took measures to eliminate fraudulent MECs and unsafe drivers from the road, including the requirement of drivers to receive medical certificates from an FMCSA-approved examiner, with most of the requirements going into effect in 2014.¹

Last week, the FMCSA included in the Federal Register the second part of the original ruling proposing the following requirements:

*Medical examiners would need to utilize a new Medical Examination Report Form when performing physical exams on drivers.²

*Medical examiners would be required to “use a prescribed form for the medical examiner’s certificate.”²

*Medical examiners will expedite the results process by sending completed physical exam results to the FMCSA the same day that the exam was performed.²

*The Medical Examiner’s Certificate information will be transmitted from the National Registry system to the State Driver Licensing Agencies electronically.²

*“Transmit to the SDLAs information about Medical Examiner´s Certificates that have been invalidated because a subsequent examination has found that the driver is not physically qualified.”²

*Medical variance information for such drivers must be transmitted by the agency to the SDLAs electronically.²

For drivers, the changes would mean that they would no longer have to carry their medical certificates or documents since the information will be available electronically to local DMVs and law enforcement as well as would not have to verify the medical examiners National Registry Number.

If passed, the ruling would become effective in three years.

To view the FMCSA’s Medical Examiner’s Certification Integration proposal click here.

Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports

Last year, the FMCSA published a ruling that would omit intermodal equipment from submitting and retaining no-defect driver vehicle inspection reports, becoming effective June 12^th.³

Now, the FMCSA is looking to apply a similar ruling to interstate truckers, which the Department of Transportation believes would save the industry $1.5 billion annually, hoping to issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking by Sept. 10^th.³

Also on the agenda is a proposal that would permit carriers to use e-signatures for electronic recordkeeping with no date set as of yet.³

To view all of the FMCSA’s final rulings and proposals visit http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/rules-regulations.htm.

What do you think of the FMCSA’s new and upcoming proposals? Are you in support or opposition?

¹http://www.etrucker.com/ovd/fmcsa-proposes-rule-to-immediately-transmit-medical-exam-results-to-state-licensing-agencies

²http://www.thetrucker.com/News/Stories/2013/5/9/FMCSAproposesruletoautomatedriversphysicalexamresults.aspx

³http://www.overdriveonline.com/fmcsa-easing-burden-on-driver-vehicle-inspection-reports/

Tags: federal motor carrier safety administration, Medical Examination Report Form, Medical Examiner’s Certificate, Medical Examiner’s Certification Integration, National Registry, no-defect Driver-Vehicle Inspection Reports
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Hottest Black Market Product and Why

May 15th, 2013

It’s been the hottest target on the black market since 2010, accounting for 19% of all cargo thefts in 2012…food. This trend has carried over into the first quarter of 2013 with food and beverage thefts making up 24% of stolen cargo at an average of $141,266 per incident, according to FreightWatch.

Why are food products so popular?

Food and beverages are hot black market items for a variety of reasons:

*Lack of Security: According to CargoNet’s Vice President of Operations Keith Lewis, “food and beverage cargo is popular because this product is often not secured as well as bigger ticket items” such as pharmaceuticals and electronics which carry high-tech tracking equipment.¹

90% of cargo theft occurs while in transit via trucks, resulting in an annual loss of $35 billion, according to Tyco Integrated Security. It goes without saying that stolen products, even if recovered, run a high risk of contamination concerns. Road Scholar Transport specializes in product safety and security, cutting back on the handling of your products, which could lead to contamination, by offering 24-hour expedited service, dock-to-dock with NO transfers. We can provide the exact route that the truck took with a time log noting every door opening/closing, temperature conditions within the trailer at any given time, and its exact location (right down to the breadcrumbs), along with protecting your freight with security features including Navalock. Visit www.roadscholar.com to learn more about our services.

*Higher Returns: As Tyco Integrated Security explains, although an average food theft incident has a loss of $100,000 compared to nearly $1 million for electronics, on the black market food is much more valuable, with food products being worth 70 cents on the dollar while electronics bring in 30 cents on the dollar or less. ^2,3

Recent examples

In the past month, we’ve seen food and beverage thefts that resulted in stolen shipments valued as high as $200,000 worth. Here are a few examples:

*Last month, 3,000 cartons of hamburger patties worth $100,000 were stolen from a shipping yard in New Jersey. The patties, which were never recovered, are thought to be an insider job in which an employed tipped the thief off.

*What would hamburger patties be without cheese? Also last month, 21 tons of muenster cheese was stolen with the intention of selling it to East Coast retailers at a discounted price. Venjamin Balika pulled into Pasture Pride Cheese in Wisconsin and presented them with false paperwork which he used to secure 42,000 lb. of cheese manufactured by K&K Cheese in Wisconsin. The shipment, which contained 1,135 cases of cheese, enough to make nearly 250,000 sandwiches, was valued at $200,000 and scheduled to deliver to a Texas location.

*$75,000 worth of Campbell’s soup was stolen in April after a tractor was stolen from a Florida truck stop.³ Fortunately, the truck was equipped with GPS and the load was recovered.

*Earlier this month, 15,303 bottles of BluePrint juice worth $153,000 was stolen from a Long Island City warehouse by a fraudulent driver. When the real driver showed up hours later, the company realized it was a heist and fortunately, was able to recover the stolen load and destroy the products due to contamination concerns.

Why do you believe food is the most targeted product by thieves? Do you believe that accessibility and poor security measures are the number one reason?

¹http://www.roadscholarawareness.org/reduced-security-leads-to-stolen-food-products/

²http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-05-08/the-growing-black-market-for-stolen-food

³http://money.msn.com/now/post.aspx?post=1230261d-63d0-4415-a527-0b0bf7da55b1

Tags: black market, BluePrint juice, cargo theft, CargoNet, expedited service, fraudulent driver, FreightWatch, Long Island, navalock, Pasture Pride Cheese, road scholar transport, Tyco Integrated Security
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Flight 93 Truck to Help Deliver Totes to Hurricane Sandy Victims

May 10th, 2013

Mantoloking, NJ Before and after Hurricane Sandy

The damaging winds and rain of Hurricane Sandy last October claimed the lives of over 100 individuals. Among the most devastated areas were the Barrier Islands of NJ, with many of these people completely losing their homes.

The HALO Foundation of Akron, OH, whose mission is to “offer HOPE to the afflicted through the generosity of Service & Charity, involving intergenerational support from seniors to children,” conducted a drive last month to help aid those afflicted by Hurricane Sandy, collecting over 280 18-gallon totes of donations which included pet supplies, hygiene products, office supplies, clothing, and food, along with letters of encouragement written by local students and senior citizens. Since, the Foundation has gathered 500 of these totes along with office furniture and several thousand dollars worth the food.

Volunteers ranged from all ages, from local senior facilities that knitted and crocheted blankets and other materials as well as made cards for the drive, to students, including a young girl whose overwhelming generosity asked that for her 10^th birthday party people bring items for the drive rather than presents.

Working with JW Didado, Jersey Central Power and Light, and Rubber City Radio (where last month’s drive took place), the HALO Foundation was able to sort and pack the items which will be distributed to the Barrier Islands in NJ on May 16^th in Road Scholar Transport’s Flight 93 awareness truck.

The truck, which memorials the heroes of Flight 93, portraying the names of the 40 lives lost that day, will be greeted by families of Flight 93 victims, the chief of police, Mayor, and local businesses and schools, along with students being present to help unload the truck.

To learn more about the HALO Foundation visit http://www.halofoundation.com and check out http://www.roadscholarawareness.org for more information on Road Scholar’s awareness campaign and to view our trucks.

Tags: awareness campaign, awareness truck, Barrier Islands of NJ, flight 93, Flight 93 awareness truck, HALO Foundation, Hurricane Sandy, Jersey Central Power and Light, JW Didado, road scholar transport, Rubber City Radio
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Underride Guard Standards Inadequate, Critics Argue

May 8th, 2013

Since 1953, rear underride guards have been a federal requirement for interstate semi-trucks. Despite this regulation, used as a preventative measure to stop cars from sliding underneath the trailer, nearly 5,000 people are injured and 400 others killed in underride truck collisions in the U.S. each year.¹

Due to current standards not providing strength, energy absorption or attachment method specifications, critics are seeking stricter regulations similar to Canada mandates which are 1.75 times stronger than U.S. requirements, which do not even require side guards.²

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), although “auto manufacturers have improved the ability of engine compartments to absorb the impact of a crash and protect passengers more effectively,” underride guards have been unchanged since the 1990s, failing at speeds as low as 30 mph.¹

In a recently released study conducted by the IIHS, eight popular semi-trailer models (Great Dane, Hyundai, Manac, Stoughton, Strick, Utility, Vanguard, Wabash) were tested for underride guard performance. In a three test series, a 2010 Chevrolet Malibu traveled at 35 mph, crashing into a parked trailer. In the first test, the car hit the center of the rear underride guard. All 8 models passed this test. In the second phase, the car crashed into 50% of the rear end, with 7 out of 8 of the models passing. However, in the final test, in which the car only crashed into 30% of the rear, only Manac (a Canadian manufacturer) passed the test.³ Manac’s guard design was found to be constructed differently than the other models with its vertical supports being “attached near the edges of the trailer to a specifically reinforced floor” whereas in other models, the supports are “attached to part of the trailer’s frame, nearer the center.”³
As Underride Network consultant and former Indiana state trooper Joe Badger, explains, “Most of the bumper guards are inadequate. They have developed some bumpers that are sturdy enough, but until the federal government mandates a more substantial bumper, they’re underriding them.”²

As the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration stated, stricter regulations could be upcoming, as they plan to utilize data from a recent study when amending guidelines.²

To watch the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s video on underride guards click the video on the right.

Do you believe that most underride guards are inadequate? Should stricter federal standards be required for both side and rear guards in the U.S.?

¹http://www.lawfulspeech.com/8/post/2012/05/tractor-trailer-underride-guards-may-be-inadequate-to-save-lives-in-trucking-accidents.html

²http://www.theindychannel.com/news/call-6-investigators/safety-advocates-push-for-change-in-tractor-trailer-underride-guards

³http://www.lawfirmnewswire.com/2013/04/study-tests-the-limits-of-truck-safety-systems/

Tags: Chevrolet Malibu, Great Dane, Hyundai, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Manac, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, road scholar transport, side guards, Stoughton, Strick, trucking industry, underride guards, underride truck collisions, Utility, Vanguard, Wabash
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Identifying Chameleon Carriers

May 3rd, 2013

Chameleon carriers remain a growing concern in the trucking industry, as existing or pre-existing carriers are registering under new company names and DOT#s in order to hide poor safety records, out-of-service issues, and to avoid paying fines.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is cracking down on reincarnated carriers, issuing Out-of-Service Orders to those believed to have taken on a new identity.

So was the case last week with four Kansas carriers. Earlier this year, the FMCSA issued an Out-of-Service and Record Consolidation Order against Royal Transport, Nationwide, Inc., Freight, Inc. and Midwest A, Inc. According to the Final Decision on Petition for Administrative Review of Operations Out-of-Service and Record Consolidation Order document, Nationwide, Freight, and Midwest were found to be reincarnations of Royal in order to avoid negative safety and compliance reviews. The companies were also found to be utilizing the same drivers. Additionally, Freight, Inc. had safety scores of 98.2% (Unsafe driving) and 95.2% (Fatigued driving).

Although serving the orders to the companies in January, an administrative review was granted and, upholding the decision, the FMCSA ordered the companies to cease operations last week.

Chameleon carriers pose a large risk to everyone on the road as well as to your freight. According to the GAO, the risk of an accident is three times higher among chameleon carriers than other new carriers and with over 66,000 U.S. DOT number applications being submitted each year, 98% are not being cross-checked with those previously shut down.

So how are these chameleon carriers identified?

According to the FMCSA, there are 13 main factors used in identifying chameleon carriers. They are as follows:

-“Whether the new or affiliated entity was created for purpose of evading statutory or regulatory requirements, an FMCSA order, enforcement action, or negative compliance history”¹

-“The previous entity’s safety performance history, including safety violations and enforcement actions”¹

-“Consideration exchanged for assets purchased or transferred”¹

-“Dates of creation and dissolution or cessation of operations”¹

“Commonality of ownership among the entities”¹

-“Commonality of officers and management personnel”¹

-“Identity of physical or mailing addresses, telephone, fax numbers, or email addresses”¹

-“Identity of motor vehicle equipment”¹

-“Continuity of liability insurance policies or commonality of coverage under such policies”¹

-“Commonality of drivers and other employees”¹

-“Continuation of carrier facilities and other physical assets”¹

-“Continuity or commonality of nature and scope of operations, including customers”¹

-“Advertising, corporate name, or other actions through which the company holds itself out to the public”¹

Road Scholar Transport promotes the operation of only safe and qualified carriers on the road, that’s why we are giving you five ways in which you can help reduce the risk of hiring chameleon carriers:

-Research a carrier’s CSA (Comprehensive Safety Analysis) scores. This can be done by going to the FMCSA website (www.fmcsa.dot.gov) and clicking on Safety & Security, Company Safety Record, Safety Fitness Electronic Records System, Company Snapshot, and then entering the carrier’s DOT number, MC number, or name. By clicking on SMS Results, you will gain valuable information regarding the number of out-of-services and accidents a carrier had as well as citations, helping you choose a safe carrier.

-Receiving daily updated authority/insurance data from carriers through products such as CarrierWatch.

-Research the company’s background. How long have they been in business? Conducting business with a company who has been operating in the industry for several years and is well-established can help you avoid choosing carriers that are constantly re-incarnating themselves under new names to avoid penalties/out-of-service orders.

-Check the chameleon carrier database. CarrierWatch grants you the ability to view a list of trucking companies whose operating authority has been revoked.

-Ask around. Why not go directly to the source of who has experience using a particular carrier? Referrals are a powerful tool in receiving insider information about a carrier’s reputation.

What do you feel needs to be done to prevent chameleon carriers from operating under a new DOT number and dodging violations? Do you feel that shippers are not frequently vetting out carriers/checking safety scores?

¹http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=FMCSA-2013-0079-0004.

Tags: chameleon carriers, CSA scores, federal motor carrier safety administration, freight, Midwest A, Nationwide, reincarnated carriers, road scholar transport, Royal Transport
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First Quarter Cargo Theft Assessment

May 1st, 2013

Eat, drink, and be merry (that is, if you don’t get caught). At least that’s the motto among cargo thieves who primarily targeted food and beverages in the 1^st quarter.

In a scoring system that evaluates the level of risk for cargo theft ranging from Low, Elevated, Moderate, High, and Severe, the United States is placed on a high alert. In fact, according to FreightWatch International, the United States is among the countries ranked the most at risk, joining Mexico, Brazil, South Africa, and Russia.

After a record breaking 2012 in which 946 incidents of US cargo theft were recorded, FreightWatch International released data from 2013’s 1^st quarter, showing a 25% decrease in thefts from 2012’s 4^th quarter. Although typical of declines in 1^st quarter activity, the 188 cargo thefts recorded between January and March 31^st were lower than 1^st quarter 2012 results in which 273 incidents were recorded, demonstrating a promising decrease in thefts expected this year.

FreightWatch reports an average loss of $141,266 per incident with food and beverages being the product of choice, resulting in 46 occurrences, 24% of all thefts.¹

Pharmaceuticals, which announced a drop both in number and value last year, 30% of 2012’s cargo thefts, ranked the second most stolen product (13%), with 24 thefts.

Electronics, another decreasing trend, dropped to 12% in the 1^st quarter followed by metals at 10%, and alcohol (8%). ¹

But while some products were on the decline, increasing occurrences of deceptive pickups were reported, rising from a mere 8 in 2009 to 18 in 2013’s 1^st quarter alone.

Just last month an Illinois man was arrested for stealing 21 tons of muenster cheese with the intention of selling it to East Coast retailers at a discounted price. Venjamin Balika pulled into Pasture Pride Cheese in Wisconsin and presented them with false paperwork which he used to secure 42,000 lb. of cheese manufactured by K&K Cheese in Wisconsin. The shipment, which contained 1,135 cases of cheese, enough to make nearly 250,000 sandwiches, was valued at $200,000 and scheduled to deliver to a Texas location.

If our brightly colored awareness trucks do not distinguish us from fraudulent carriers, Road Scholar Transport allows our customers to easily verify drivers online via Regiscope at http://www.roadscholar.com/verification.php so you can ensure that your products are being picked up by legit and qualified drivers.

According to FreightWatch’s report, trailer thefts resulted in 115 thefts (61%) with 110 of the total thefts being in unsecure parking areas and 22 occurring at facilities.

Fortunately, only 2% of cargo theft in the US involves violence, the exact opposite of the rising number of thefts in Mexico which are mostly violent.² While US 1^st quarter cargo thefts decreased to 188, Mexico’s incidents reached 303.

To read FreightWatch’s 2013 Global Cargo Theft Assessment visit

http://www.freightwatchintl.com/sites/default/files/attachments/FreightWatch%202013%20Global%20Cargo%20Theft%20Threat%20Assesment%20Full.pdf.

Road Scholar Transport is helping you prevent the risk of cargo theft with the following tips:

-Do not leave cargo unattended. If necessary, be sure that the trailer is in a secure area.

-Vet out carriers and verify drivers prior to trusting them with your freight.

-Utilize trailers equipped with security features including satellite tracking, navalock, geo-fencing, and electronic door monitoring.

What changes in cargo theft do you expect to see this year compared to last? Product-wise, location-wise, methods of theft,…etc. Do you expect cargo theft to decrease, increase, or remain the same compared to last year?

¹http://www.etrucker.com/ovd/188-cargo-thefts-recorded-in-first-quarter-of-2013

²http://www.freightwatchintl.com/sites/default/files/attachments/FreightWatch%202013%20Global%20Cargo%20Theft%20Threat%20Assesment%20Full.pdf

Tags: awareness trucks, cargo theft, deceptive pickups, FreightWatch, K&K Cheese, Pasture Pride Cheese, regiscope, road scholar transport
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Fundraiser Offers Chance to Win Guitar, Apple Ipad

April 26th, 2013

Sunday, May 5^th marks the 3^rd annual Rock on Judi H. fundraiser benefitting the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute.

The event is held in memory of Judi Perry Hartridge of Dunmore, PA, who passed away from breast cancer in 2007, and will be held at the Scranton Cultural Center from 5pm to 10 pm.

The event, which Christine Zavaskas, Community Relations Coordinator at the NE Regional Cancer Institute referred to as a “dance party” in an interview with radio host Frankie Warren from Magic 93, will feature refreshments, a cash bar, and a raffle for one of three great prizes: a ‘Pink Lady 3’ guitar, Apple iPad, and one-year membership to Planet Fitness.

Admission into the event costs $20 which includes entry into the raffle, in which Judi’s son will be drawing the winners. All proceeds will support the NE Regional Cancer Institute with the Weinberg Foundation (one of the United States’ largest private foundations financially assisting individuals and families) matching a portion of the funds.

But we did say that this was a dance party after all. Judi’s uncle, Paul LaBelle, will be performing with his group (Paul LaBelle and the Exact Change Band), along with NEPA’s band Old Friends.

When asked by Frankie if they were “going to have a big giant pink truck there again,” Paul responded, “Without question. My good friend Jim Barrett from Road Scholar, who, he kind of started this whole thing with me in 2009, and his big beautiful pink truck is on the road and it goes coast to coast and keeps our message of cancer awareness alive and keeps our message with Judi H 3 Rock On coast to coast, so we’re thanking Jimmy once again and the truck will be parked out front. And this year you can come down and sign the truck and do a best wish to Judi which is really cool.”

The Rock on Judi H. pink awareness truck is part of Road Scholar Transport’s campaign to bring hope and spread awareness to people less fortunate, joining two dozen different awareness units. View Road Scholar’s awareness trucks at www.roadscholarawareness.org.

To listen to a video of Christine and Paul’s interview with Frankie, click the video below and check out http://www.judihrockon.com/ for more information on the event and how to purchase tickets.

Tags: Apple iPad, awareness campaign, awareness truck, breast cancer, Christine Zavaskas, Frankie Warren, Jim Barrett, Judi Perry Hartridge, Magic 93, Northeast Regional Cancer Institute, Paul LaBelle, Pink Lady Guitar, Planet Fitness, road scholar transport, Rock On Judi H, Scranton Cultural Center, Weinberg Foundation
Posted in Awareness Campaign Articles, Company News | Comments Off

Draft Bill Seeks National Drug Traceability System

April 24th, 2013

Senators Michael Bennet, Lamar Alexander, Richard Burr, and Tom Harkin recently released a draft bill that would enhance safety measures in the pharmaceutical supply chain throughout the entire distribution process.

Road Scholar Transport’s ShowMe feature tracks the live position of your freight, right down to the breadcrumbs. (Click Image to enlarge)

Instead of the current tracing system that is available at the lot-level, the bill would gradually build over a 10-year period a system able to trace at the unit-level, helping to eliminate contamination concerns once the products are circulated to stores and pharmacies and distributed to consumers. As Sen. Bennet explains, “Over the past few years, we’ve had a record number of recalls and reports of tainted or ineffective drugs reaching our hospitals and drug store shelves. In fact, right now, we know more from a barcode on a gallon of milk than from a barcode on a bottle of pills, which could mean the difference between life and death.”¹

The proposed bill would establish a national drug traceability system that would track individual drug bottles from the time it is manufactured to the time it is placed on store shelves for purchase.

Road Scholar Transport’s ReeferTrak system monitors your temperature-sensitive freight, providing the times the reefer was turned on/off, location history as well as current status, when the trailer door was opened/closed, and the temperature within the trailer during a specific time. (Click Image to enlarge)

In explaining the bill, the Senators stated, “It would require the entire drug supply chain, including manufacturers, repackagers, wholesale distributors, third-party logistics providers, and dispensers to pass transaction information, transaction history, and transaction statements, as applicable, when there is a change of ownership. Additionally, no one in the supply chain would be allowed to accept drugs if this information is not provided as part of a transaction.”¹

These requirements would help prevent thieves from stealing pharmaceuticals and selling them at cheap prices to unknowingly buyers. Such was the case in 2009 when consumers purchasing insulin from legitimate pharmacies experienced convulsions, a rise in blood sugar, and so on, uncovering that the insulin was part of a shipment that was hijacked months ago from a truck and became ineffective.² Out of the truckload of insulin stolen, only 2% had been recovered.

The bill would also “strengthen licensure requirements for wholesale distributors and require the FDA to keep a database of wholesale distributors that will be available to the public on the FDA website” in an effort to identify licensed wholesalers.⁴

Comments on the draft may be submitted to drugdistributionsecurity@help.senate.gov by April 26^th.

Do you believe that oversight of the prescription drug supply chain needs to be improved and is a uniform national drug traceability system requiring transaction information, history, and statements to be provided before acceptance of drugs in every part of the supply chain part of the solution?

¹http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/phillypharma/Four-senators-push-bill-to-improve-medicine-tracking-in-pharmaceutical-supply-chain.html

²http://features.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2011/03/31/drug-theft-goes-big/

³http://www.rxtrace.com/2012/05/the-built-in-protections-of-the-u-s-pharma-supply-chain.html/

⁴http://www.bennet.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/bennet-burr-harkin-alexander-release-draft-bill-to-improve-safety-of-nations-drug-supply

Tags: draft bill, drug supply chain, freight, Lamar Alexander, Michael Bennet, pharmaceutical supply chain, ReeferTrak, Richard Burr, ShowMe, supply chain, temperature-sensitive freight, Tom Harkin
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Texas Legislation Seeks Greater Weight Limit on Mexican Produce Trucks

April 19th, 2013

109,000 lbs. The maximum gross weight of a double tractor trailer unit allowed on Mexico’s Federal highway system. But in the U.S., this number is much lower with the standard weight limit of trucks on interstate highways being 80,000 lbs.

Road Scholar Transport’s ReeferTrak system provides electronic door and temperature monitoring, immediately alerting our team of even the slightest change in temperature allowing us to change the temperature of the trailer while in transit from our main terminal to keep your products fresh.

This change in weight requirements poses a hassle for Mexican produce carriers transporting their shipments into the U.S., who must first stop and transfer their extra produce into a second Mexican truck before crossing the border into Texas in order to avoid an overweight fine that averages around $110.

Not only does expense come into factor, as carriers need to utilize two trucks instead of one as well as delays resulting from stopping at transfer points, but moving the extra produce into a second truck increases contamination and quality concerns especially in high degree temperatures, since produce needs to be transported under cool temperatures provided by a reefer.

A bill filed by State Representative Sergio Muñoz Jr. and recently passed by the Texas House of Representatives last week is looking to reduce these concerns.

If it becomes law, the bill would “allow trucks to pay an $80 fee in exchange for crossing the border overweight,” in which produce sellers are already stating support towards.¹ Along with its companion bill, introduced by Senator Juan Hinojosa and awaiting approval in the Texas Senate, the bills would “allow Mexican carriers pulling refrigerated trailers to enter the border commercial zone and make delivery to the McAllen produce terminal and other locations.”²

As MexicoTrucker.com notes, although “the Texas Department of Transportation already oversees three corridors for overweight trucks in other parts of the state; this new one would be the first to apply only to produce trucks.”²

Besides reducing handling and thus, contamination concerns, the bills would also provide the following benefits according to the New York Times: 1) The $80 fee for permission to cross the border overweight would go towards road repairs resulting from damage caused by heavy trucks. 2) It would increase trade with Mexico. 3) By omitting the need to transfer a large shipment into two trucks, it would reduce the number of Mexican trucks waiting to cross the border, and ultimately, lead to fresher produce.³

The Mazatlán-Matamoros Corridor, “a highway that will provide a direct route between Mexico’s western growing regions and South Texas” is in the process of being finished and “is expected to accelerate a shift of Mexican produce trucks entering the United States to Hidalgo County from Nogales, Ariz., for quicker access to East Coast markets.”¹

For more information on Road Scholar’s temperature protect service and to request a freight rate visit www.roadscholar.com.
Do you think that the weight limit on Mexican produce trucks should be increased on Texas highways in an effort to cut down on contamination concerns due to transfer of products to meet U.S. weight regulations before crossing the border?

¹http://www.mysanantonio.com/business/article/Bill-would-open-road-for-border-trucking-4439560.php

²http://mexicotrucker.com/bill-passes-texas-house-to-allow-overweight-mexican-trucks-on-texas-highways

³http://www.truckinginfo.com/news/story/2013/04/cross-border-trucking-with-mexico-heating-up.aspx?prestitial=1

Tags: freight rate, Mazatlán-Matamoros Corridor, Mexican produce trucks, Mexican trucks, New York Times, produce carriers, ReeferTrak, road scholar transport, Senator Juan Hinojosa, Sergio Muñoz Jr., Texas House of Representatives, Texas Senate
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