PMTA member company UPS opened a new "super hub" in Middletown, Pennsylvania Wednesday. 

The East Zone Regional Hub, located at 2110 North Union Street in Middletown, is the company's fourth largest domestic hub. The 775,000-square-foot distribution facility features the latest sorting, processing, and data capture technology. More than 2,500 people will be employed at the 192-acre site. 

In 2020, UPS committed to invest $1.4 billion to expand operations and create 1,700 new jobs at four locations in Pennsylvania. The Commonwealth offered UPS more than $9 million in incentives to win this major expansion project. 

In an interview with ABC 27 News, PMTA Board Member Ray Barczak said, “It’s the gateway to the northeastern part of the United States."

The advanced automation of the United Parcel Service (UPS) hub is expected to ship packages quicker to customers in the region and help Central Pennsylvania reach other East Coast cities quicker like Baltimore, Philadelphia and Washington D.C.

The hub will also house the largest renewable natural gas fueling station in the UPS network. There will be a dedicated Employment Center and Automotive Service Center on property. 

The facility will have 87 primary unload doors, 320 outbound doors, 144 package car bays, the most CNG time-fill stations in the UPS network, a first- of-it's-kind-in-the-UPS-network geni-flex automated irreg system, and a 5x5 matrix with ACB small sort. 

Pennsylvania Road Team Bernie Wanyo was recognized at the ceremony for his commitment to the company. He's driven 18 accident-free years with UPS, and says he plans to stay with the company until he retires. 

Congratulations UPS and Bernie from PMTA members and staff! 

PMTA is hosting a series of events for National Truck Driver Appreciation Week in partnership with PennDOT and the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission.

PMTA will be offering free meals, drinks, and other giveaways to truck drivers at service plazas and weigh stations across Pennsylvania. 

National Truck Driver Appreciation Week runs from September 10-16, 2023, to honor the professional truck drivers delivering America's freight safely and securely. Nationally, 3.49 million men and women serve as professional truck drivers, keeping America’s supply chain running. During this week we invite all Americans to show professional truck drivers appreciation and support for the hard work they do.

York Area: September 12, 2023

Location: I-83 Southbound Weigh Station just North of Exit 33 in Yocumtown

Time: 11:00 am – 2:00 pm.

Info: Truck drivers can drive through the weigh station for free donuts and other giveaways from PMTA.

Fulton County: September 12, 2023

Location: Sideling Hills Turnpike Service Plaza (Mile Post 172.4)

Time: 10:00 am – 2:00 pm

Info: PMTA will be handing out vouchers for a free coffee and donut from Dunkin’ inside the service plaza. We will also be entering drivers into a drawing for Hershey Park tickets. PMTA will be giving a “No Zone” safety demonstration for other visitors.

Allentown: September 14, 2023

Location: Allentown Turnpike Service Plaza (Mile Post 55.9)

Time: 10:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Info: PMTA will be handing out vouchers for a free coffee and donut from Dunkin’ inside the service plaza. We will also be entering drivers into a drawing for Hershey Park tickets. PMTA will be giving a “No Zone” safety demonstration for other visitors.

Luzerne County: September 15, 2023

Location: Blue Ridge Travel Plaza, 7121 Blue Ridge Trail, Mountain Top, PA 18707

Time: 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm  

Info: Volunteers will be giving free meals from Buttons Real BBQ to truck drivers as well as other freebies from PMTA.

Statistics about trucking in Pennsylvania:

• There are 68,790 trucking companies in Pennsylvania. These are primarily small, locally owned businesses.
• 96.2 percent of manufactured tonnage is transported by truck in Pennsylvania.
• 87.9 percent of communities in Pennsylvania rely solely on trucks to move their goods.

It is terribly sad to bring you the news of Jim Germak's passing. 

James "Jim" Albert Germak, 72, of Elizabethtown, PA, passed away on Sunday, September 3, 2023. Born October 5, 1950, in Harrisburg, PA, he was the son of the late Andrew Giermak and Elsie (Marinchock) Giermak of Middletown, PA.

From an early age, Jim wanted to be a truck driver. He started his professional trucking career at just 18. In 1982, Jim founded Jagtrux, Inc. of Marietta, PA. Jim was also a founding partner of Hess Auctioneers in Marietta, PA.

Jim graduated from Middletown Area High School in 1968. He was a member of PMTA, and served on the state board of directors and Lancaster PMTA Chapter. Jim was chairman or the organization from 2012-2014, advocating for the industry and encouraging members to get involved in the political process.

Jim loved spending time at his cabin and enjoyed various outdoor activities including hunting, boating and driving his ranger. Jim had a passion for auctions and a "good deal." The biggest enjoyment in his life was spending time with his children and grandchildren and sharing stories with friends.

He is survived by his wife, Linda (Hilsher) Germak; daughter Rita Sovereign (Calvin Sovereign); sons Andrew Germak (Sarah Germak) and Zachary Germak (Linsey Stitt-Germak); nine grandchildren; brother Thomas Germak (Susan); and sister Barbara Thomasco (Dan).

Services will be held at Community Bible Church, 331 Anderson Ferry Rd, Marietta, Pa. 17547, on September 16, 2023, visitation is scheduled from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. with the service to promptly start at 11:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to ECHOS at 105 East Washington Street, Elizabethtown, Pa. 17022, an organization Jim felt strongly about.

Memories and condolences may be shared at www.FinkenbinderFamily.com. Arrangements entrusted to Miller-Finkenbinder Funeral Home & Crematory, Elizabethtown. www.pennlive.com/obits

We at PMTA are saddened by this tragic news. Jim was a very active member of the organization and champion of PMTA's mission. On top of it all, he was a great man -- kind, caring, generous. He lead his family, company and this organization with pride. We are so thankful for the time and effort he put into PMTA ensuring this organization accomplishes the goals of the trucking industry for decades to come. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Germak family during this trying time. 

The highway support beams are now set in the permanent reconstruction of Interstate 95 in Northeast Philadelphia. 

The bridge collapsed in June in a fiery crash that officials initially thought would close the major East Coast transportation thoroughfare for many months.  

The beams on the southbound side were installed on Tuesday, August 29, and the northbound installation was completed on Thursday, August 31 for a total of eight 100-foot beams installed. According to PennDOT, each beam cost about $50,000 each and weighs 31,000 pounds.

There will be an additional eight beams installed over the coming months.

The temporary roadway structure will remain in place until the outside sections of the new bridge are completed later this year. Pennsylvania Secretary of Transportation Mike Carroll says he predicts this will happen this fall.

Traffic will then be shifted onto the completed sections of the overpasses while the center section of the permanent bridge is built in 2024. 

The recycled glass aggregate PennDOT used to construct the temporary fix for I-95 will be reused in other projects along the I-95 corridor, including the I-95 Cap project at Penn’s Landing. According to state officials, this project is expected to be finished in spring 2024. 

PennDOT has not released a specific timeline for when construction will be complete. 

According to PennDOT, throughout construction three lanes of traffic will be maintained in both directions on this section of I-95. 

The state agency is encouraging drivers to take the construction zone slow. Automated Work Zone Speed Enforcement is deployed.

Any time a company purchases and registers a new vehicle of 55,000 pounds or more, a heavy highway vehicle use tax form must be filed with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) by the end of the month following the month that vehicle is first used on public highways.

For example, truckers who first used their vehicle in July on a public highway, August 31 is the payment deadline to file the 2290.

Failure to meet the HVUT deadline could put your vehicles at risk of being placed out of service.

The IRS cautioned truckers should not confuse the federal tax filing deadline with being linked to a heavy truck’s registration date.

“Taxpayers must file Form 2290 by the last day of the month following the month in which the taxpayer first used the vehicle on a public highway during the taxable period, regardless of the vehicle’s registration renewal date,” the IRS stated.

According to the IRS, taxpayers that have 25 or more taxed vehicles registered in their name must e-file Form 2290 and pay the tax.  However, vehicles expected to be used 5,000 miles or less, or 7,500 for farm vehicles, owners are required to file a return but will not have to pay a tax. If the vehicle exceeds the mileage use limit during the tax period, then the owner must pay the tax.

For more information on filing from the IRS, check out the Trucking Tax Center.

If you need help filing your 2290, PMTA Titling and Registration Agent Wendy Palermo can help. Please call 717-970-3226.

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced a new, modernized commercial driver's license (CDL) skills test will be implemented starting August 28, 2023.

According to PennDOT, the new test will waive outdated requirements that hold workers back. As new technologies emerge, PennDOT said, the modernized CDL skills test will ensure CDL drivers have the knowledge and skills to drive safely on the road.

The new test will be offered at all PennDOT Driver License Centers that offer CDL skills tests and at all third-party CDL driving skill testers.

According to PennDOT, the skills test has received a “much needed” update to reflect modern vehicle features. Applicants must pass the full CDL Skills Test – which includes pre-trip inspection, basic control and a road test – to receive their CDL. Prospective applicants scheduled to take the test after August 28, 2023, are encouraged to review and study the updated Commercial Driver License Manual to prepare for each portion of the knowledge and driver skills test.

The Vehicle Inspection (VI) test and the Basic Control Skills (BCS) test have also been updated. CDL applicants may be asked to identify up to 90 different components on the vehicle and describe what they are looking for to ensure it is safe and ready for use compared to the current requirement of more than 100 items. In addition, a checklist is now authorized to be used as a memory aid for this segment.

The BCS Test will require CDL applicants to demonstrate four maneuvers to demonstrate control: 

• Forward Stop to demonstrate an applicant's ability to judge the front of the vehicle; 
• Straight-Line Backing to demonstrate the applicant's ability to back the vehicle in a straight line; 
• Forward Offset Tracking to demonstrate an applicant's ability to maneuver the vehicle around other objects while moving forward; and 
• Reverse Offset Backing to demonstrate an applicant's ability to offset reverse and park the vehicle.

Applicants who have already completed portions of the skills testing prior to August 28 will need to complete current versions of CDL Skills Testing. These applicants should continue to review and study the current Commercial Driver License Manual to prepare for each portion of the knowledge and driver skills test.

“PennDOT is working to make our services more accessible and effective for the people of Pennsylvania," said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll. "As someone with a CDL, I know that technology in our vehicles has greatly evolved and improved, even in our commercial vehicles. This modernized test is another way PennDOT is enhancing its services to better serve our CDL applicants while still ensuring the safety of school bus passengers."

According to the Shapiro administration, this change was implemented specifically to address the school bus driver shortage. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has created a long-term waiver extension that allows a state to modify the Commercial Driver's License test for applicants looking to drive a school bus. 

For example, PennDOT will waive the "Under the Hood requirement" for school bus driver applicants through November 27, 2024, which means that potential school bus drivers will no longer need to take the portion of the CDL test that requires them to identify engine components.

The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) released a new study that statistically proves motor carriers who are active in state and national membership associations are safer than both former association members and carriers who have never been association members.

According to the American Trucking Associations (ATA), it has always been anecdotally assumed that association membership supports safety through a variety of association services and resources, but the necessary industry safety data and methodology had never before been assessed. This new empirical research processed public safety data from the Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS) through a series of statistical tools to confirm the relationship between association membership and safety performance.

"PMTA does a lot for safety – between regular safety training, speakers, and events; monthly Safety Management Council meetings; and connecting our members to safety products and services, we’re proud to have built our culture around safety. Ask any member, and they’d probably tell you that their companies are safer because they are members of PMTA. But until now, we didn’t have the data to back that up," said President and CEO of PMTA Rebecca Oyler. "Now we have the statistic information to prove that PMTA membership makes a difference. If you want to be a safer trucking company, PMTA is a great place to start."

The research compared motor carrier MCMIS crash and violation data for trucking fleets that are members of trucking associations, are former members and those who have never been members. According to ATRI, this carrier status data came from a geographically representative sample of state trucking associations as well as from ATA.

"I have been involved in Motor Carrier Safety since 1985 and have found that companies working together in the trucking industry to share best practices and the like could always be counted on to do the right thing," said PMTA Safety Director John Rigney. "This study confirms my conviction.  Our member companies promote safety every day with employees from top to bottom."

The research data confirms that among the three carrier groups, current members of an association, like the Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association, have fewer overall crashes and violations than former members and companies who have never been members. Companies with previous membership also had fewer crashes and violations than fleets who have never been members. 

“All safety stakeholders in the trucking industry are looking for strategies and solutions for improving large-truck safety,” said Dr. Brenda Lantz, Associate Director of the Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute. “This new ATRI research confirms that association membership is another important and proven safety tool for trucking companies.”

The ATRI association safety research also provides some guidance on how the findings might be applicable to commercial transportation insurers, enforcement agencies and academic researchers.

You can find a full copy of ATRI's report here.

They might be far away, but we have mountains, snow and construction too! 

The Colorado Motor Carriers Association (CMCA), Colorado State Police and the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), teamed up to launch a campaign called "The Mountain Rules." 

The organizations are releasing a series of videos to educate trucking companies and their drivers on the challenges of driving in mountainous regions of the country. 

This newest release covers hot breaks, winter driving and construction zones. The organizations say these are critical pieces to driving in any state, not just Colorado. 

“We know that our state’s terrain and unpredictable weather conditions create immense challenges for semitruck drivers,” said CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew. “We’ve created this series as a way to equip truck drivers with the necessary knowledge and awareness to safely and confidently navigate our highways, especially in the high country.”

CDOT and its partners encourage all truck drivers to educate themselves and view the videos, which can be found on CDOT’s YouTube channel and at freight.COtrip.org. The Mountain Rules videos also are distributed to truck driving schools, trucking companies, and other trucking-related entities.

“The steep downgrades, winding roadways, and fast changing weather conditions, make for a challenging drive, for even the most experienced truck driver,” said CMCA President Greg Fulton. “The Mountain Rules program and videos provide a great educational tool for truck drivers, especially those unfamiliar with Colorado's mountains. It helps them to understand how to navigate our mountainous roadways in a safe manner.  We believe this tool and other strategies by our state and local partners will make mountainous corridors like I-70 safer and reduce delays and closures.”

Find the videos and more information here: https://freight.colorado.gov/mountain-rules/mountain-rules

(Picture from PennTrux, June 1990)

Samuel, J. Lansberry, 82, passed away on Sunday, July 2 in Pittsburgh. 

Mr. Lansberry founded Samuel J. Lansberry, Inc. in 1959 in Woodland, PA with one 10-ton two-axle dump truck that he used to haul coal from local strip mines to tipples for processing. As business grew, Sam began to haul additional commodities and added tractor-trailer end dumps to the fleet. In the 1980s, Sam added pneumatic tank trailers, and the late 1990s saw the addition of tri-axles. 

Today, Lansberry Trucking, Inc. is a diversified dry-bulk transportation firm offering services to customers throughout the U.S. and Canada. 

Lansberry Trucking continues to be a PMTA member. 

In 1975, Sam and his wife Sandy co-founded Woodland Equipment & Supply Company, which provided trucking, stockpiling, and transloading services for customers in the northeast. In 1989, they also co-founded Cress-Wood Co., LLC, a commercial real estate company. Sam also founded a river terminal and warehousing company, Armstrong Terminal, Inc., in Schenley, PA in 1991, and acquired a hydraulic hose company, World Wide Equipment Co., LLC in 2018.

Sam was involved in PMTA throughout his career, helping to shape legislation and grow the trucking industry in Pennsylvania. He served as Chairman from 1989-1991. 

Sam was an avid Harley Davidson rider and enjoyed long trips with his wife and friends throughout Pennsylvania and beyond. Sam was also an enthusiastic racing fan, particularly of sprint car racing and the "World of Outlaws." He enjoyed visiting sprint car tracks. 

Sam was an outdoorsman, including hunting and fishing in Pennsylvania and beyond. He made many trips west and to Canada to hunt elk, moose, mule deer, and antelope, as well as to fish with his friends and family over the years.  

Sam served in the U.S. Army Reserves.

He is survived by his wife, Sandy L. Lansberry of Woodland; two sons, Samuel J. Lansberry, II of Treasure Lake, and Adam T. Lansberry and wife Angi of Clearfield; and two grandchildren, Alex and Alayna Lansberry. 

Private services will be held at the convenience of the family. A public memorial service will be announced at a later day. 

PMTA's thoughts and prayers are with Sandy and the entire Lansberry family.

Sam was an outstanding leader, businessman and friend. We will miss him.

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/gantdaily/name/samuel-lansberry-obituary 

 

In light of the announcement that Yellow Corp. has ceased operations, American Trucking Associations (ATA) launched a new database to help jobseekers find new employment in the trucking industry.

This portal will connect former Yellow employees with prospective employers who are eager to utilize their unique and in-demand skills and experience.  

ATA President and CEO says he wants to ensure former Yellow employees remain part of the industry they have done so much to build and strengthen.  

Providing this personal information is completely voluntary and will not be given to employers outside of ATA membership, nor will it be disclosed to third-party vendors.

“Yellow’s closure is a substantial blow to America’s economy and the company’s 30,000 hardworking employees and their families in all 50 states," Spear said in a statement to PMTA. “The past several days have been especially difficult for drivers, dock workers, mechanics, salespeople, administrative and support personnel, and other employees, many of whom dedicated decades of their careers to the company.  Yellow personnel earned a well-deserved reputation as being professional and solution-oriented, helping countless customers to seamlessly navigate the complexity of logistics to ship their products on time virtually anywhere in the country.  

Spear said ATA hopes this tool will help former Yellow employees find work in the industry. 

“Since its founding nearly a century ago, Yellow has been an integral part of our supply chain.  As the nation’s first less-than-truckload carrier, it was a key part of trucking history as well.  Through the company’s involvement with the American Trucking Associations, Yellow employees promoted the industry and were tremendous advocates for highway safety, leading by example."

PMTA's Northwest Chapter is hosting a job fair in Erie, PA August 19. Employers from across PA will be hiring on the spot for a variety of trucking industry jobs. It is free to attend, though we suggest bringing a resume.