Here's a Top Ten List from the City of Windsor:

10.  Health:  you get a fitness walk to and from the bus stop.

9.    Take a Time Out:  it’s precious, so enjoy doing nothing and re-charge your batteries.

8.    Power Naps:  sneak a few extra winks on your way to work or school.

7.    Time Management:  you can catch up on your reading or write out your grocery or to-do lists.

6.    Environment:  leaving your vehicle at home results in fewer greenhouse gas emissions and a healthier community.

5.    Efficiency:  50 people riding one bus is better than each person in 50 separate cars.

4.    Relaxation:  ride relaxed, with a chauffeur you can trust.

3.    Comfort and Convenience:  a warm bus beats a cold car and icy windshield during Windsor (or Montreal) winters.

2.    Stress Release:  you don’t have to deal with road rage and impatient or unskillful drivers.

1.    Economy:  no parking fees or fuel costs (and your vehicle will last longer).

Read the full article here.

Our discussion with State Motor Vehicle Division administrators pertaining to exemptions from the URC fees identified three types of entities not subject to URC fees.  

The entities not subject are...

1) Entities that receive USDOT numbers under the PRISM program as “registrants” but have no interstate operating authority;

2)  purely intrastate carriers, that is, those who that do not handle interstate freight or make interstate movements, unless the State has elected to apply the provisions of the URC Agreement to such intrastate carries (Arkansas does not require this); and

3)  motor private carriers transporting only passengers.

If you have received an application, it was because you are registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and have a USDOT number.  These lists are sent to the appropriate state agency responsible for collection of the fees.  In Arkansas, it is the Director, Department of Finance and Administration.  These fees go to the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department Fund to pay for motor carrier law enforcement and safety operations. 

There is no process in place to request an exemption from fees even though the categories exist.  We have a preliminary agreement to create an exemption request form to be submitted along with your registration form.  If approved, your file would reflect that you are not subject to the URC fees.   I will point out that the law does not say you are exemption from filing a registration form, it stipulates you are not subject to the URC fees.   We are proposing that you file your registration form to include a form requesting an exemption from the fees based on one of the above three exemptions.   

It should be noted that all commercial motor vehicles operated by the federal, state, city, county governmental agencies, or an Indian tribe, are not required to be registered under the URC.   Vehicles designed to transport 10 passengers or less, including the driver, are not subject to URC fees.

We will keep you informed of our progress.  Question, call Jim Gilbert at 501-372-8900 or email jgilbert@arktransit.org.    

Where is the weakest link in your drug and alcohol testing program?  It’s a pretty safe bet to think that it is your collection facility.  FTA auditors and GAO (Government Accountability Office) investigators have found many incidences of error and oversight in the federally-regulated collection process.  The procedural errors found were in direct violation of 49 CFR Part 40.  Among the most significant mistakes found by the GAO were failure to restrict access to items that could be use as adulterants, such as soap, air fresheners or cleaners (75%), restricting access to running water (67%), failure to ask employees to empty pockets and display items (42%), failure to check temperature of specimen (19%) and failure to add bluing agent in the toilet or secure the tank with evidence tape (17%).

In order to address these and other significant issues that face the Drug and Alcohol Testing Program of transit, the Arkansas Transit Association will be hosting a MANDATORY training for all Drug and Alcohol Program Managers and Alternates at the ATA Training Center in North Little Rock on Wednesday, June 23, 2010.  The Training will begin at 9:00 AM and conclude by 5:00 PM.  Lunch and breaks will be provided.

The free training will be led by an FTA auditor with direct knowledge of collection site issues and errors.  The training will cover ways you can help insure collection site security and integrity.  You will learn ways to conduct mock collections and review documentation for errors.

To register for this class, click on the following link.

Contact Patrick Wright at our office if you have questions about lodging accommodations in the area.

NOTICE TO ALL ATA MEMBERS ORGANIZATIONS WHO HAVE RECEIVED A UNIFIED CARRIER REGISTRATION FORM FOR 2010 

It has been brought to our attention that some of our members who applied for FMCSA registration have received a notice from the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration requiring a Unified Carrier Registration – 2010.   

The Federal Government has imposed this registration associated with FMCSA interstate registration which could result in your agency being assessed several hundred dollars and possibly in some cases, several thousands. 

If you have received this form, please contact Jim Gilbert, 501.372.8900 or jgilbert@arktransit.org.

DO NOT complete and return the form until we have an opportunity to look into potential exemptions for this. 

We will update the membership once we have more information.