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The Roemer Report On-Line, December , 2004
TRUCK MAKERS CALM FEARS ABOUT ’07 ENGINES: When the new lower-emissions trucks were introduced in 2002, motor carriers engaged in a massive pre-buy to avoid the more expensive, unknown engines. But that doesn’t have to happen with the lower-emissions engines due in 2007, says Freightliner president and CEO. “If you went over to the sport books, you’d get even money for a pre-buy in 2006,” said Rainer Schmueckle at a recent American Trucking Associations meeting. Paul Vikner, president and CEO of Mack Trucks, assured attendees that fuel economy in the 2007 engines would be “as good or better than today.” Most engine makers will meet 2007 emissions using advanced cooled EGR and diesel particulate filters. They also plan to have test trucks equipped with the new engines available by late 2005. Some panelists warned attendees about delaying buying the new engines. “We’ve seen what extended trade cycles mean in cost,” Schmuekle said, while Peter Karlsten, president and CEO of Volvo Trucks, added that “keeping trucks longer reduces your value when you trade.” Karlsten also pointed to the larger environmental issues. “We have a responsibility to save our environment for our kids, so we should get new technology out as fast as possible.” Truck makers plan to lobby Congress to grant tax incentives to help defray the increased cost of the new engines, which is estimated at about $4,500 to $6,000.
NEW RULE ON HIRING DRIVERS IN EFFECT:
Federal regulations recently took effect that require employers to review
the safety records of prospective truck and bus drivers within 30 days of
hiring them. The rule also requires that former employers make safety records
available to potential employers. Before the new rules took effect, many employers
declined to respond to employment investigations, or, out of fear of litigation,
only verified that the driver worked for the carrier and provided dates of
employment. Under the new legislation, prospective employers must investigate
the following safety information for a driver during the previous three years
of employment: (1) hours-of-service violations that resulted in an out-of
service order, (2) accidents, (3) failure to undertake or complete a rehabilitation
program recommended by a professional,
(4) any misuse of alcohol or use of a controlled substance. Prospective employers
must advise driver applicants that they have the right to review their safety
records from past employers and that they can request corrections or refute
information in their records. Penalties may apply to motor carriers not complying
with the new rule. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration says that
the new rule will help reduce accidents by allowing employers to hire the
safest drivers and also by deterring drivers from engaging in unsafe behavior.
A TRUCK-FRIENDLY TURNPIKE? Ohio Governor Bob Taft recently announced plans to make the Ohio Turnpike more attractive and safer for truckers by getting them off alternative routes that are not meant to handle heavy vehicles. The recently announced strategies include reducing tolls for commercial trucks and raising the speed limits for trucks. The new, lower tolls, which will take effect in February, will vary, with the greatest relief going to the heaviest trucks. According to the Ohio Department of Transportation, the average truck will pay about $31 to cross the state on the turnpike. That’s $11.45 less than the current toll and represents a rollback of between 58 and 60 percent. Also, the Turnpike speed limit for trucks was raised from 55 mph to 65 mph. An additional change is an increase in truck weight and speed enforcement on the parallel state routes. Governor Taft says he is committed to providing the state with a safe and efficient transportation system.
PREVENTING TIRE FAILURES: A fatal single-car crash in Tennessee this fall, due to a piece of rubber from a truck tire blowout, shows the need for proper tire maintenance, according to Harvey Brodsky of the Tire Retread Information Bureau (TRIB). “The problem of tire debris is very serious,” said Brodsky, “and it won’t go away until truckers and other motorists begin paying greater attention to proper tire maintenance.” Although there are no figures available on the number of annual accidents caused by improper tire inflation, one recent study found that debris on roadways is responsible for up to 90 deaths and 25,000 accidents each year in the United States and Canada. Tire and scrap rubber, the number one debris hazard on highways, is caused mostly by underinflated tires. Brodsky says the “single most critical factor for getting the safest and longest life out of tires” is proper inflation pressure for a given tire size and load. Improperly inflated tires do not roll as smoothly as intended, causing an uneven tire “footprint” that leads to increased wear, reduced traction and performance, and handling and ride problems. Brodsky urges drivers to rub their hands along the tread and sidewalls of tires on their pre-trip safety inspections, feeling for flat spots, bulges, cuts, shoulder wear, missing chunks of tread and so on. “Tires with improper air pressure, when driven long enough, will come apart,” said Brodsky. “It isn’t a question of if, it’s a question of when, and it doesn’t matter if the tire is a retread or one that has never been retreaded.” Studies show that retreads are no more prone to coming apart on the highway than other tires.
TRUCKING—BACK-BREAKING WORK: We hear a lot about the health problems of truckers these days. Fifty-five percent of truck drivers are overweight, and more than 50 percent smoke. Now, unfortunately, we can add another health problem to the list. The American Chiropractic Association has named heavy truck drivers as having the most back-breaking job in America. Association members based their decisions on which occupations cause the most strain on back muscles. The association explained that the “constant compression and vibration from trucks can damage the back.” Sitting for extended periods of time puts pressure on the spine and can result in disc degeneration. Liquid-carrying trucks are especially bad, according to the chiropractic group, because when they stop suddenly, the fluid slams against the tank, causing the driver to feel the impact. The other top back-breaking jobs, in order of severity, are: construction worker, landscaper, farmer, roofer, firefighter, delivery driver, nursing home worker, auto mechanic, and police officer.
BOOMERS NOT SAVING ENOUGH: Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan recently sounded the alarm on Social Security, noting that the number of those over age 65 will nearly double in 30 years and, by then, there won’t be enough workers to support the benefits retirees have come to expect. One might think that such dire predictions would encourage Americans to save more, but the average value of retirement accounts among those 55 to 64 was only $55,000 in 2001. “The secret to getting people to do something about it is to make it easy for them…,” said Richard Thaler at the University of Chicago. One way to make it easy is an automatic 401(k). Automated plans make investment choices for the saver—like how much to save and where to save—and are especially good for employees who tend to avoid investing or who want more guidance. While employers once feared being held liable for giving investment advice to workers, they now worry about being blamed if employees don’t save enough. Automatic plans are a good way to get more people saving. With automatic enrollment, investment participation increases among workers, especially among young workers who are less concerned with retirement. Companies with automatic enrollment boast about 94 percent of worker participation, compared with about 74 percent participation at companies without automated 401(k) plans.
YOUR PERSONAL MISSION STATEMENT: Many companies today realize that a corporate mission statement is more than a simple declaration of what the company is all about—it’s a valuable tool that helps everyone focus on the same goals. Just as a corporate philosophy is essential to a company’s well-being, a “personal mission statement” can be important to an individual’s success. Writing your personal mission statement, says one expert, can be a chance to deepen your understanding of who you are and to affirm your purpose and philosophy. Here are some questions to help you get started: (1) Who or what am I committed to? Write as much as you can on this question. Don’t worry about writing too much—you can always edit later. Use writing as a tool to help you discover what’s important to you. (2) What do I currently do to grow as an individual? Reflect on all the things you do that help you become a better person and that set examples for others. Don’t be afraid to flatter yourself. Remember—this mission statement is for you, not others. (3) What are my goals and ideals? Begin by listing all your aspirations, big and small, and write about why they are important to you. Don’t rush. Take time to reread and add thoughts. When you’ve completed your mission statement, post it where you can see it.
Wishing you a safe and joyful holiday season and a prosperous New Year
—From all of us at Roemer Insurance