All truck and bus technicians in Pennsylvania and Virginia are invited to compete in "Supertech Maryland" on Saturday, June 24, 2023 at the Center of Applied Technology – North in Severn, MD. This event is a hands-on contest where technicians gather to test their abilities against their peers.  It showcases the knowledge, training and skill needed by today’s maintenance professionals.

Since Pennsylvania and Virginia do not have their own competitions, and Maryland does, technicians in VA and PA can compete in Maryland’s event. If at least 5 techs from PA and VA compete, the winners will be recognized as their states’ champions and eligible to compete at the national Supertech event. Any truck or bus technician in Maryland, Pennsylvania or Virginia is invited and winners receive over $5,000 in cash and prizes such as tools, trophies, a trip to the national TMC competition and more. All contestants receive lunch, an event t-shirt, and a goody bag.

The entry deadline is May 19, 2023.  For more information, call Maryland Motor Truck Association at 410-644-4600 or go to:

www.mdtrucking.org/files/2023SuperTechRegistrationFormContestants.pdf to register.

The Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee (MCSAC) was established in 2001 by an act of the state legislature. Act 90 of 2022 expanded the MCSAC to 31 members, adding six representatives from the transport industry and retaining the two positions held by the Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association.

Members of the MCSAC include representatives of government agencies, including the General Assembly, PennDOT, the PUC, Turnpike Commission, and State Police and twenty-three public members that are appointed by the Governor to 3-year terms.  The Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association hold two positions on MCSAC and currently has two staff members appointed: Rebecca Oyler, President and CEO, and John Rigney, Director of Safety.  There are also PMTA members appointed to the committee.  They are Mr. Robert Smith, CLI Sheetz; Gregg Troian, PGT Trucking; Dennis McGee, McGee and Associates; Bob Dolan, Vorzik Transportation; and Mr. Rick Varner. 

There are four vacancies currently listed representing the Motor Carrier Manufacturing Industry, Natural Gas Transportation, Independent Trucker Interests and Construction Material Transportation.  Interested parties wishing to fill a vacancy should contact PMTA for instructions on how to do so. 

The committee is tasked with reviewing and commenting on standards for the safe operation of commercial vehicles on the highways of the Commonwealth.  The following is a list of issues examined by MCSAC:  Improving highway safety and freight transportation; Motor Carrier Safety initiatives for the Pennsylvania State Police and Public Utilities Commission; Provide advice and recommendations to stakeholders related to the motor carrier industry and safety; “Develop and maintain a forum for the exchange of ideas, needs, objectives, plans and accomplishments related to motor carrier safety.”

MCSAC has a good cross-section of members from all aspects of the motor carrier industry.  Issues relevant to the safe operation of large trucks on the highway are discussed at length, and the result is a better understanding of the challenges companies and their drivers face every day as they go about their business. 

One issue that has been discussed for many years is parking.  The lack of available truck parking puts a strain on the drivers who must be mindful of the hours-of-service regulations, keep their freight moving in a positive direction towards their destination and have the ability to find a safe area to shut down when they get to the limit of their on-duty hours.  This has a ripple affect up the supply chain. 

The good news is funding for projects is available, and Pennsylvania is moving forward in this area.  There was consensus in the February MCSAC meeting that the topic has been discussed for thirty or more years, and the time for action is now.  FHWA has acknowledged that Pennsylvania is in a good position now with an updated Freight Movement Plan that  opens the door for funding.  A  study commencing currently by the Transportation Advisory Committee will provide information on specific sites to consider for development of parking for commercial vehicles.

Other issues such as the move over law, the snow and ice law, distracted driving and other proposed Federal regulations are reviewed and discussed, and all of the stakeholders are there to comment.  The meetings are held quarterly, and the committee submits annual reports to the Governor, the Secretary of Transportation and members of the General Assembly.

The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI), the trucking industry’s not-for-profit research organization, is seeking truck driver input on the impact of marijuana legalization on their trucking operations.

Current CDL holders are asked to share their input here.  The data collected will be kept completely confidential.  The final report will only be presented in an aggregated, non-identifying format. 

If you have any questions about this survey and research, please contact Jeff Short at [email protected].

ATA Chairman Dan Van Alstine

Dan Van Alstine is President and Chief Operating Officer at Ruan Transportation Management Systems, headquartered in Des Moines, IA. Ruan, started in 1932, is a family-owned asset-based 3PL with more than 300 operations and 5,600 team members across the U.S. Through Dedicated Contract Transportation, Managed Transportation, Brokerage Services, and Valued-added Warehousing, Ruan partners with customers to deliver tailored, integrated solutions. Ruan prides itself on being a great place to work with a focus on safety, transformative technology, customer satisfaction, driver engagement, team member involvement, and giving back to the communities it serves.

Dan will speak on Thursday morning of the conference, April 20. This year's conference is set for April 18-20 at the Omni Resort at Bedford Springs. More information on the conference can be found here. 

CAMP HILL -- The Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association honored 12 Drivers of the Month and named the 2022 Driver of the Year on March 22 at the Penn Harris Hotel in Camp Hill. The Driver of the Year Banquet is sponsored by Sentry Insurance. 

This year’s 12 drivers have combined to drive more than 24 million miles – literally to the moon and back 50 times. It would take the International Space Station, which travels at about 17,500 MPH, nearly TWO MONTHS to travel that many miles.

The 12 Drivers of the Month are as follows:

January: Michael Cable – Ward Trucking
February: Jordan Weber – Lester R. Summers, Inc
March: James Roseberry – Vorzik Transport, Inc
April: John Maiorano – Pitt Ohio
May: Bryan Horninger – Ward Trucking
June: Bernard Paul Wanyo, Jr. – UPS
July: David Wilt – Lester R. Summers, Inc
August: Christopher  Hodle – Walmart Transportation
September: John McClinton – FedEx Ground
October: Donald Weaver – Vorzik Transport, Inc.
November: Michael Zinz – Klapec Trucking Co.
December: Michael Weingartner – Pitt Ohio

The 2022 Driver of the Year is Donald Ray Weaver from Vorzik Transport, Inc., pictured below.

Weaver, of Duncanville, has been a professional driver since 1978 and has been with Vorzik Transportation since 2019. In his 44 years on the road, he has logged more than 3.7 million and only been involved in one incident when another vehicle side swiped his trailer in 2020. He has earned a Three Year Safe Driving Award with Vorzik, a Five Year Safe Driving Award with FedEx Ground and a 10 Year Safe Driving Award with US Foods.

“Don is a very safe driver and is willing to help anyone,” said Dale Knox, Safety Specialist. “Don is no stranger to anyone, he always has a smile on his face and always will give you a handshake. Mr. Weaver has been an inspiration to the whole Vorzik Team whether it’s the dirvers or the management team. Everyone of us at Vorzik looks up to him.”

Don and his wife Dorothy have been married for 55 years and they have a son named David. Don loves spending time with his family and going to flea markets.

To nominate your drivers for the 2023 Driver of the Year Award, you can download the application here.

Click here for more photos from the event.

PMTA will host its Driver of the Year Banquet tonight, March 22, at the Penn Harris Hotel in Camp Hill. The Awards Ceremony will be streamed live on Facebook beginning at 6 p.m.

You can access that here: https://www.facebook.com/PennsylvaniaMotorTruckAssociation

The 2023 Public Comment Period for the update of the 12-Year Program (TYP) opened March 1 and the Transportation Survey is available until Sunday, April 30, 2023. 

In addition to the Survey, PennDOT will also host an Online Public Forum on Wednesday, April 12, from 6:30 – 8:00 PM, featuring a presentation from PennDOT leadership and members of the STC, followed by a Q&A session. 

As the season turns to spring, the annual renewal of apportioned registration heats up along with the temperature. As always, the deadline in Pennsylvania for renewal is May 31, but it is to your advantage to renew sooner rather than later to ensure that your paperwork can be processed before the deadline. PMTA can help you with this process. If you need assistance, please contact us.

If coming to PMTA for your apportioned renewal, please be aware of the following:

PMTA understands from PennDOT that the option to change a fleet’s deadline for their apportioned renewal will be available in the future. In addition, the agency is also working to move the process online for customers. However, dates have not yet been provided for these initiatives. PMTA will inform members when these options is available.

Although little has changed with the process for now, there are several changes occurring in Pennsylvania with apportioned registration that members should be aware of, specifically related to new accounts.

First, due to a bill signed into law last year, which was supported by PMTA, PennDOT has begun providing rolling deadlines for apportioned registration. The result is that, in the future, not all apportioned registration renewals will be due on May 31. For the time being, this only affects NEW accounts. As new apportioned registration accounts are set up, applicants’ renewal deadlines will be one year from the point of registration.

Second, carriers should be aware that PennDOT has been strictly enforcing requirements related to residency when setting up new apportioned accounts in order to prevent incidences of fraud in the industry. These verification requirements have been delaying the process of setting up an account for many applicants, often by several days. PMTA has been working with PennDOT on this process, but delays remain.

No matter where an applicant sets up a new apportioned account – whether at PennDOT, PMTA, or another agent – it is necessary to provide three additional forms of identification to establish proof of residency, each of which is verified and approved by PennDOT.

All Proofs of Residency or documents that Establish Place of Business must show the exact name and address listed on the apportioned registration application. All applicants must provide a valid legible front and back copy of their driver license.

If the applicant is a business, they must provide verification that the business is registered with the Pennsylvania Department of State (a copy of the business’s corporate documents) in addition to at least three of the following:

If the applicant is an individual, at least three of the following must be provided:

Applicants should be aware that additional information may be requested to meet the satisfaction of PennDOT.