Ask The Trucker "live" W/allen Smith

Kevin Reid is the Founder and CEO of the National Minority Trucking Association with over 21 years of sales, marketing and executive management experience within the transportation industry. The NMTA provides education, resources and strong representation to all truckers across North America, with its founding focus based on the representation and educating of minorities within the industry. Mr. Reid began his transportation career in sales and marketing for an Atlanta based courier company before launching Universal Courier where he served as CEO. He then began serving as a go-to consultant for minority start-up trucking firms. Later he would become the co-founder of an Atlanta based intermodal trucking company where he served as Sr. Vice President. While serving in various industry positions, he was motivated to launch the NMTA as he discovered a void in the representation of minorities in the trucking and transportation industry. The NMTA offers many services and benefits such as education, training and

It is Open Forum for this broadcast of Truth About Trucking "LIVE" as Donna and I will share about the recent Industry at Sea 2014 event and any trucking-related topic that comes to mind! We will also touch on the SBTC's recent Police Misconduct Complaint filed with the U.S. Department of Justice on behalf of fellow truck driver: Kenny Capell. How about National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, beginning Monday, September 15? Your thoughts on this event? Is one week out of the year enough and what do you think the industry as a whole should be doing, relating to the appreciation of truckers? Have a topic you would like to discuss? Join us as we open up the phone lines where our callers decide the topics for discussion. Have a new website, business or service to share with our listeners? Call in and tell us all about it. Call-in number: 347-826-9170 ... come join the conversation!

Topics are open but we will be including discussions on accountability for the qualified driver shortage, why new drivers are not entering the trucking industry, and more importantly, why are they not staying?  And Finally, is there a correlation between driver wages and safety? Call in number to be a part of the show: 347-826-9170 Be a part of the chat room by opening a blog talk radio account. We will be giving away Tony Justice CD’s in the chat room!

Can’t make it to GATS this year? No problem, Truth About Trucking "Live" is bringing it to you! Among some of our scheduled callers tonight are singer songwriter and Emcee of the Overdrive-Red Eye Radio Trucker Talent Search, Tony Justice; Finalist of Overdrive-Red Eye Radio Trucker Talent Search, Brad James; Country recording artist and Highway Angel program spokesperson Lindsay Lawler; Overdrive’s 2014 Most Beautiful winner,Emily Weymouth and Kylla Leeburg, Deputy Director at Truckers Against Trafficking. Others expected to call in, sharing the GATS 2014 experience are: Tom Kyrk of the Trucking Solutions Group, Christina Schnese of Make It Happen USA, James Lamb of SBTC, Dr. Pamela Thomas for the Truckers Rolling Against Hep-C Campaign, and whoever gets pulled into the show as they walk by! Come join the conversation as Truth About Trucking "LIVE" takes you "inside" GATS 2014 with some of the biggest names in Trucking Social Media.

Discussion will include the paradox between Hours of Service, Truck Driver Fatigue, and  waking up of professional drivers by law enforcement during their FMCSA mandatory 10 hour break period. As The FMCSA continues to strive for greater highway safety within the trucking industry, many times by the addition of new rules and regulations, the main focus in combating truck driver fatigue should be allowing drivers to sleep when tired. According to the 2013 Truck Parking Survey results, drivers reported that their rest was being interrupted by state law officials on a regular basis. Our guests are Kenny Capell, and Martin Hill, founder of the Don't Wake Me Up Organization. Having been awaken from the sleeper berth at a Georgia scale by LE officials demanding to see his ID, Mr. Capell stood by the 4th Amendment,and refused. Filing a 42 U.S.C. Section 1983 Federal Civil Rights lawsuit against the troopers, he has a court date set for August 11th, 2014. Mr. Capell and Mr. Hill will share the full story and why t

As professional truck drivers make their way across the country, their job calls for them to work in every high crime area in the United States. Major cities such as Chicago, Detroit, Memphis, Baltimore, Oakland, the boroughs of New York City and everywhere in-between, truckers can find themselves in serious and dangerous situations. With the trucking industry operating 24/7 with scheduled pickups and deliveries at any given time of the day or night, these men and women of the highway face many areas of criminal activity and can often be the targeted victim as well. Even though there is no Federal Law that prohibits truck drivers from the legal right to carry a firearm for protection, individual motor carrier rules may do so. In 2012, Detroit city alone was home to 386 murders and 15,009 violent crimes as this is one of many major freight hubs where truckers must conduct business to keep America moving. Furthermore, rise in crime has fast been expanding outside of the typical major city areas such as states

With the shortage of safe and secure parking for our nation's truck drivers back in the news, join us as we discuss the dangers drivers face every day because of the lack of safe truck parking availability. Who is responsible for putting drivers at added risk? Where are the most difficult areas to find truck parking? How are regulations adding to the already dangerous parking situations? Who doesn't want to see more available truck parking? Our guests include Hope Rivenburg of Jason's Law, Desiree Wood of Real Women in Trucking and our special guests, Ashley Boeglin and David Clark, wife and father-in-law of Michael Boeglin. We will also review some startling results of the 2013 National Truck Parking Survey led by Hope and the detailed data analysis performed by Ms. Wood. Join us for this very important broadcast.

For our show this evening it is Open Forum to "Anything Trucking". From Truck Driver Health, Sleep Apnea, Improving Driver Image, Truck Idling, Not allowed to park at shippers and receivers, The 14 hour clock, the FMCSA, Detention Time, Wages, Fuel Taxes, Best Trucking Event/Show, Are Truckers Safe Drivers? CSA scores, truckers and brokers . . . Just a few topics to start with, but all Trucking Topics are open for discussion... We will also have a special announcement to make during the broadcast ... Join the Chat Room for our free Tony Justice Music CD Giveaway. So far 6 CD's have been given away via the chat room. 6PM ET Call in number: 347-826-9170

Truth About Trucking’s Open Forum let’s you pick the topics, and there is no shortage of topics to go around this week. In the past few weeks hot topics include:  Amendment for the 34 hour Restart provision, followed by FMCSA Administrator Anne Ferro’s infamous blog post, Maxim Magazine “serial killer” ad targeted towards truck drivers, OOIDA’s call for Anne Ferro’s resignation and the tragic Walmart accident resulting in death and injury, ultimately calling for more driver regulations from safety advocates, celebrities, government officials, and the media. Have something to say or further add to the topics of discussion?  Join us 6PM ET and Join the Chat Room on your smart phone or computer. We will be giving away 2 Tony Justice CD’s  and 2 Essante Organics gifts in the Chat Room as well. You can also listen through your phone by calling in to the show via:  347-826-9170. Featured Musical Artist: Brad James - "DETENTION TIME" Come join the conversation!

For the month of JUNE, Truth About Trucking "Live" Radio will be dedicated to Truck Driver Health concerns including obstacles and challenges that drivers face on a daily basis. For our first part of our series, we will address the serious state of truck driver health, including the illnesses drivers face, the choices they have made in the past and the viable decisions they are now making: Real life solutions for a better quality of life. Our speical guests are three professional truck drivers who will share their testimonials and explain how they have changed their lives and also how they are mentoring and encouraging other drivers to change theirs as well. Their continual research for better health has created a wealth of knowledge among them which they will share as we kick off our first part of our Truck Driver Health series. Donna will also share some of her insight she has learned and applied on living a healthier lifestyle, once finally diagnosed with Crohn's Disease. Our special driver guests inclu

Regulations, Fuel Cost, EPA, Carbon Footprint, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Engine Maintenance Cost, Oil Lubricity, CARB, DEF.... What does it all mean to the owner operator and fleets? In one simple word...money. Whether they are spending it or saving it, how much do you have to spend in order to eventually save? There are many products on the market designed to reduce operating costs. The question most will ask themselves is which products will ensure profits and yet meet or exceed government standards? Join us with our special guest, Anthony Evans, Founder and COO of Onboard Oil Tech as we discuss the challenges modern day owner operators and fleets face as they maintain their bottom line while upholding regulation mandates and requirements.

Can a “New Deal” of Broker Transparency solve related problems in the trucking industry such as low profits and wages and reduce fraud? Did the $75,000 bond increase, intended to reduce broker fraud, actually hurt owner operators and small business and If so, how? Did the bond help reduce broker fraud at all? Learn who is the first broker to embrace the idea of rate transparency: join us as we discuss “Broker Fraud and the fight for Transparency” as James Lamb,CEO of DOTAuthority.com; President, AIPBA and General Manager of 12PL, returns as our special guest to continue the discussion and explain solutions. We welcome those who oppose “Broker Rate Transparency” or have questions, to feel free to post them below on the comment section or call in to share your views as well: 347-826-9170.

On May 21st, 2014 all Interstate Commercial Drivers and Motor Carriers will be required to begin using an examiner listed in the National Registry Of Certified Medical Examiners (NRCME) to obtain or renew their Medical Examiner's Certificate. As a new program from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), it will require all physicans who perform physical examinations on CDL drivers to be trained and certified on the FMCSA standards, guidelines and regulations according to 49 CFR  §391.41 (Physical Qualifications for Drivers). The requirements are found in part §391.41 and §391.43 and the FMCSA has stated that they are on target for reaching its goal of 40,000 Certified Medical Examiners (CME) by the compliance date. Elaine M. Papp, RN, MSN, COHN-S CM, Division Chief for the FMCSA Office of Medical Programs joins us as our special guest to discuss what the new program will mean for CDL drivers and motor carriers.

Henry Albert is the owner of Albert Transport, Inc. out of North Carolina and has been in trucking for 30 years. Jimmy Nevarez is President of Angus Transportation, Inc. of California, with 11 years within the industry and is a Magna Cum Laude honors graduate of DeVry University in Pomona, CA with a bachelor's of science in business administration. They both are members of Freightliner's Team Run Smart, providing real-world advice about the trucking industry based on their professional expertise. Mr. Albert will share his thoughts on such topics as: fuel savings, modern-day trucking technology and advancement and industry regulations. As a driver of a CNG truck, Mr. Nevarez will discuss various issues such as: CNG operations, fuel mileage, safety and the future of compressed natural gas vehicles. Join the conversation as we take a look at how trucking technology can pave the way to advancement in many areas of the industry which can lead to "Running Smarter."

The President of the Association of Independent Property Brokers and Agents (AIPBA) took a bold new step at the recent Mid-America Trucking Show toward transparency in broker-trucker relations, addressing numerous industry problems such as e-logs, driver harassment, driver pay and ethics in the transportation industry. James Lamb has introduced the Small Business in Transportation Coalition to the trucking industry, which encourages the formation of new partnerships between truckers and brokers as members of the same small business supply chain team. Mr. Lamb is stating that transparency should be voluntary and left to market forces to embrace the new paradigm. He is willing to lead by example as serving as the General Manager of the newly formed brokerage firm: 12PL, as he continues to work toward building support for small business in transportation. As President also of DOT Authority, Mr. Lamb joins us as our special guest to discuss the "New Deal" and his push for small brokers to be more transparent

Our first show post MATS and a lot went on there, and it was not just about "pretty trucks." There is also a great deal of news within trucking and it is affecting drivers in a big way: ELD's (EOBR's), New Entrant Testing, Increased Fuel Efficiency, and the infamous truck driver shortage! Tonight we'll talk about it all (time permitting), so call in and let's hear your voice to the topics on our Open Forum broadcast. Call In Number: 347-826-9170.

The battle is over and the Affordable Care Act is indeed law. Now what? How will it affect those within the trucking industry? Many are faced with this question and will need to understand in order to make an informed decision prior to the March 31st deadline. Owner operators, company drivers, and trucking companies (who will be mandated in 2015 to provide coverage) will all need to know their options. Motor carriers, depending on the number of employees, will be required to offer health insurance. What about cost, is it affordable?  What other options do we have? What happens if you refuse coverage? How do you Calculate your AGI to see if you're eligible? What is the “On Exchange” and “Off Exchange?" What happens if carriers do not offer coverage to their employees? What will happen to those employees whose coverage is dropped by the employer? Even for those who disagree with the act, knowing the facts will help  to comprehend how this law will impact you, your family, and even you career. Regardless of

Are you ready to talk trucking? Some of the hottest topics such as Truck Driver Health, Fuel Efficiency technology and research, Forced Dispatch and CDL Training Standards are all on the table for our open forum, or whatever is on your mind to discuss. In addition, the FMCSA has published a notice requesting comments as it relates to CDL Training, so join us "LIVE" as we open up the lines to talk about anything trucking. What's on your mind?

Join us for our Open Forum as we focus on President Obama's order for the DOT and EPA to develop and issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) by March 2015 to increase fuel efficiency standards for big trucks, while also calling for technological innovations and alternate fuels. Joining us will be Mr. Samuel Burlum, CEO/President/Chairman ofExtreme Energy Solutions and Mr. Anthony Evans, Founder/COO of Onboard Oil Tech. What will this new order mean for Owner Operators? Will they be able to meet the financial obligations? How can truck drivers influence the NPRM and can Owner Operators, fleets, meet the standards now? Come join the conversation as our guests share their insight into how meeting higher fuel efficiency standards will have an impact on the future of trucking.

It's your chance to speak up and share your thoughts about trucking: Regulations, Sleep Apnea, CSA ( including the recent report by GAO ) The Highway Bill, Driver Pay, Driver Health, Recruiting Tactics, Whistleblowing, or even the infamous Truck Driver Shortage. Richard Wilson from TCRG consulting attended the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee (MCSAC) meeting. Feb 10-12th in in Alexandria, Va. Richard is known for actively addressing government issues that affect professional drivers and the trucking industry. He'll be joining us tonight as he shares what drivers can expect from FMCSA in 2014. Whatever it is....let's talk about it. Come join the conversation . . .