Hamrick School Named As 2011 ACCSC School of Distinction

Congratulations to CVTA Member Hamrick School
of Medina, Ohio

Hamrick School

The Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges has named Hamrick School, located in Medina, Ohio, as a 2011 ACCSC School of Distinction. 

The ACCSC School of Distinction Award is intended to recognize ACCSC-accredited institutions that have demonstrated a commitment to the expectations and rigors of accreditation as well as a commitment to delivering quality educational programs.

To learn more about Hamrick School's CDL Training Program, go to www.bigtrucksbigbucks.com/Hamrick-Profile.htm.  

 

Hamrick School will be honored at the 2011 Professional Development Conference Awards Ceremony.  Congratulations on this wonderful achievement ! 

The Greatness of Labor Day

- The American Worker and Labor Day -
What Does It Mean ?

Labor Day is a celebration of worker's rights and the victories and triumphs that the labor movement has gained over the last couple of centuries.  Many people, including many people that I know personally, think of Labor Day as just another holiday where you have a 3-day holiday weekend, and maybe plan a picnic or some kind of celebration with family and friends.  Many of us don't really take the time to consider what Labor Day is all about.



The First Labor Day Parade
New York City
September 5, 1882



The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union.  More than 100,00 workers marched from New York's City Hall to Union Square.  After the parade they enjoyed a picnic, concert, and speeches at Reservoir Park with their families.

The Central Labor Union held its second Labor Day holiday just a year later, on September 5, 1883. 

In 1884 the first Monday in September was chosen as the official holiday, as originally proposed, and the Central Labor Union urged similar organizations in other cities to follow the example of New York and celebrate a "workingmen's holiday" on that date.  The idea spread with the growth of labor organizations, and in 1885 Labor Day was celebrated in many industrial centers of the country.

Take the day off !  It's Labor Day !

Today, although Labor Day is a national holiday observed by most Americans, the character of celebrations has changed, especially in large industrial centers where mass displays and huge parades have proven to be a problem.  Labor Day addresses by leading union officials, industrialists, educators, clerics and government officials are given wide coverage in broadcast and print media.  Except for maybe Wisconsin .....

Republicans Banned from Labor Day Parade in Wisconsin
Public Employees Stripped of Collective Bargaining Rights by State GOP

A group of Wisconsin union officials has voted to ban Republican politicians from a local Labor Day parade, underscoring how partisan the state has become in the wake of this year's clashes over collective bargaining rights.

The Marathon County Central Labor Council, which sponsors the parade, includes some 30 local unions.  Council President Randy Radtke said in a statement on the group's website "that politicians are only welcome at the festivities if they have demonstrated support for workers' rights."

"It should come as no surprise that organizers choose not to invite elected officials who have openly attacked worker's rights or stood idly by while their political party fought to strip public workers of their right to collectively bargain," Radtke said.  "It is a time for working families to come together to celebrate their hard work and a time where we recognize the labor movement for all they have given us - the weekend, the 40 hour work week, child labor protection, a safe work environment."

In February, the 14 Democratic members of the Wisconsin state Senate left the state to deny their GOP colleagues a quorum and prevent them from pushing forward Gov. Scott Walker's (R) controversial budget repair bill, which stripped most of the collective bargaining rights from public employees.  Republicans were eventually able to pass the measure and all but one GOP state senator voted for it.

- Paying Tribute to the American Worker -

In one way or another ...  at one time or another ...
that may include just about every American.....

U.S. Flag

While this conflict in Wisconsin continues, it's important for all americans to remember that the vital force of labor has added significantly and materially to the highest standard of living and the greatest production the world has ever known and has brought us closer to the realization of our traditional ideals of economic and political democracy. 

Regardless of what your political leanings are, whether or not you believe in the union movement, whether or not you are a democrat or a republican (or an independent), whether or not you believe in the Tea Party, it is not only appropriate - it is essential - that the nation and its Americans pay tribute on Labor Day to the creator of so much of the nation's strength, freedom, and leadership - the American worker.  And in one way or another, at one time or another, I think that may include just about every American.....

Wisconsin Truck Driver Missing Since Monday, August 22

Heim Trucking Co. Asks for Help in
Locating Missing Driver

Co-workers and friends of Donald F. Badora, age 66, say Badora hasn't been heard from since Monday, August 22nd, when he checked in while heading eastbound on Interstate 90 near Spokane, WA.

A driver for Heim Trucking Co. of Denmark, WI, Badora was driving a 2003 flat top single bunk Peterbilt 379.  The truck is dark maroon with black fenders and a long wheel base.  It has a Wisconsin license plate 2953, and is marked "unit #164."  Badora was hauling a 1996 Great Dane spread axle reefer with a load of cheddar block cheese.  The trailer's license plate reads ST20306, and is marked "unit 50T."

Gone Missing
Donald F. Badora
Truck Driver for Heim Trucking Co.

Heim Trucking Co., operated by OOIDA Members Dean Heim and Mike Heim, is asking the public for help in locating Badora, whom they say has gone missing.

Heim said Badora's family is attempting to file a missing persons report, though most police departments require a waiting period for adults believed to have gone missing.  "They have a picture of a truck going through the port of entry in Montana," Heim told Land Line Magazine on Friday.

The company also said police departments in Idaho and Montana have issued attempt to locate orders.

Heim Trucking Co
Is Asking for the
Public's Help

Anyone with any information about Donald F. Badora or the truck is asked to contact the Heim Trucking Co. by calling 920-863-2924.

Illinois Increases Passenger Tolls on January 1, 2012

Illinois Tollway Authority Truck Toll Increase
Part of a $12 Billion Plan to Reconstruct Interstates

The Illinois Tollway had already set a schedule to increase commercial truck tolls 60 percent between 2015 and 2017.  By 2017, truck tolls will have gone up 60 percent from the 2008 rate.

Illinois Tollway

In 2005, a congestion-relief plan was  launched which increased truck tolls.  Another truck toll increase was approved in 2008 which kept plans moving forward.  This is part of a $12 billion plan to reconstruct, widen and improve portions of Interstates 90, 94, 294 and 57.

The 2005 program also included a car toll increase for 2008 to pay for so-called green lanes.  However, since the impeachment of Gov. Rod Blagojevich, Illinois has worked to modify the plan which  no longer carries the "green lanes" moniker.

Under the most recent plan by the agency, tolls for passenger vehicles would increase $.35 cents at mainline plazas in January 2012.  It's the first proposed increase for I-PASS users in 28 years according to the agency.  I-PASS users make up 75 percent of the Tollway's traffic.  Cash-paying customers will pay double the I-PASS rate under the proposed schedule.

The Illinois Tollway operates 286 miles of toll roads and much of the system is 52 years old.  The agency was seeking public input about its $12 billion capital improvement plan and toll increase.

A series of 15 public hearings attracted 1,900 participants, and according to the authority, 85 percent of the comments received were supportive of the improvement plan.

The proposed improvements include widening Interstate 90 from I-294 to Rockford; reconstructing 20 miles of I-294 and I-94; preserving I-88 and I-335 and constructing a new interchange at I-294 and I-57.

Passenger tolls currently average $.40 cents at mainline toll plazas, which will jump to $.75 cents in 2012.

Trucking Social Media Subject of Truth About Trucking Blog Radio-LIVE

Does The Trucking Industry Lags Behind in
Effectively Using Social Media ?

Thursday, August 25th, 7 PM, EST
Special Guest and Internet Marketing Expert Landon Middleton
Discusses Trucking Social Media

on Truth About Trucking 'LIVE' Blog Radio

In this exciting, innovative and progressive age of technology, social media has become a primary source of interactive dialogue for both business and personal strategies.  The ability to connect and communicate around the globe within seconds is nothing short of  'awesome'.

But one industry that is still lagging behind in effectively using social media is, you guessed it....the trucking industry.  Although the number of users and followers are staggering, only 44% of trucking companies report that they are using any form of social media with their business strategies.  That means that less than half of the reported 100,000 (all shapes and sizes) trucking companies are using Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and/or others.

The Biggest Decision of Your Truck Driving Career

For many, your first year as an otr driver is going to

bring many new opportunities, exciting changes - and

perhaps a few serious challenges.

There is no way around it - you have to pay your dues to earn the right to move up the career ladder as an experienced otr driver. Perhaps the second biggest career decision you make is selecting the right company to work for after graduation from cdl training school.

So, what is the first biggest career decision you will have to make?

The first biggest
decision ....

The biggest and most important career decision you will make is sticking it out no matter what company you went to work for, and no matter how tough it gets! Get that all-important one year (or more) of OTR driving experience under your belt no matter what it takes!

You've heard the expression "forewarned is forearmed"..... doing you research and diligence can make a big difference, but if you have not done diligent research on cdl driver training and trucking companies, and you went to work for the wrong company, don't leave and become just another statistic.

If you leave before you've completed that first year, you may be sabotaging your professional truck driving career. If you couldn't go the distance on this job why would any other trucking company believe that you will last with them? These are just some of the repercussions that can occur:

Truckers Insulted by 125 Percent Tax Increase in New York and New Jersey

Fast-Tracked Plan has left truckers with feelings

of betrayal .....

They vowed not to raise taxes....but, in a deal struck last Friday with the local port authority, the governors of New York and New Jersey have increased truck tolls by 125 percent and car tolls by 67 percent!

Unfortunately, only a fraction of the new revenue will be used to improve infrastructure, leaving truckers with feelings of betrayal with what has been described as a 'fast-tracked plan'.

Toll Bridge Increase

The plan includes a $40 truck toll on the George Washington Bridge, which will increase to $50 on September 1st, 2011.  After that, the truck rate will increase $10 each December from 2012 through 2015, finally capping at $90.  This amounts to a 125 percent truck toll increase by 2015 !

Cash Customers fare worse ...

And that’s for the E-ZPass customers. Cash customers will fare much worse. In addition to the $10 increase each year, cash customers will have to pay an additional “penalty” of $3 per axle, according to the agreement reached Friday, Aug. 19.

The final kicker is that just $9 billion of the proposed $33 billion in estimated new revenue will actually go to fix up the facilities. The rest goes into capital improvements and economic development that have little if anything to do with toll bridges.

OTR Truckers and IRS Tax Deductions

Organizing Your OTR Driver Expenses for the IRS

Not filing your income tax return can get you into serious trouble with the IRS.  If you don't file for one year the odds are you are not going to file for the next year, the next year, and so on.  Suddenly, you haven't filed for several years, and now you are afraid to contact the IRS and resolve this.



Attn:  IRS...

 The good news is that typically, the IRS is more interested in getting delinquent taxpayers back into the habit of filing their returns and getting past due returns filed.  Non-filers usually do not have to worry about going to jail.  But why take the chance?

It is best to file the omitted returns before the IRS contacts you.  Even if you cannot pay back taxes, filing is much better than not filing.  Once you have filed your past due returns, the IRS will gladly set up payment options for you.  You just might find that they are surprisingly lenient; they'd rather you be proactive and contact them then the other way around.

You may be successful in getting penalties waived if you have valid reasons for not filing your returns.  However, the interest cannot be waived and you will have to pay that.

Are Your Receipts Everywhere But Where They Should Be?

When you are on the road for long periods of time, the lifestyle is not conducive to keeping receipts and records organized for necessary (and unnecessary items), like gas, snacks, bottled water, tolls, maybe a mini refrigerator or small cooker.  But there is a solution and we hope you will take advantage of it.  An OTR trucker worksheet is available at our website designed specifically as a way for OTR truckers to log and record expenses and have a record at the end of the year of expenses, per category.

Trucker to be Recognized at GATS -Saves 8 minors and Breaks up 13 State Prostitution Ring

This Press Release was posted on Facebook by Allen Smith of AskTheTrucker.com, and we are publishing it here....


For Immediate Release:

P.O. Box 816
Englewood, CO. 80151
    720-202-1037 * tat.truckers@gmail.com
August 18, 2011


When Trucker Willie made the 911 call in 2005 to request law enforcement intervention for two girls he’d seen soliciting sex at a truck stop, he had no idea his call would result in the rescue of eight minors, the break-up of a 13-state prostitution ring and the arrest of 31 traffickers. But it did.


In 2011, with the release of the Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT) training film and the details of that call’s outcome, a chaplain for Transport for Christ (www.transportforchrist.org) recognized the trucker’s voice, contacted him and told him the results of his call. He was amazed.

On Friday, Aug. 19, 2011, at 2 p.m. in Conference Room D171at this year’s Great American Trucking Show (GATS) at the Dallas Convention Center, Trucker Willie and a number of other “truckers against trafficking” will be publicly recognized for their contribution to the fight against human trafficking.

For OTR Truckers Looking for a Truck Driving Job It's Like Fishing with No Bait

There's A Better Way Than Just

Slapping It Against the Wall

Does this look familiar?  ..."if you're a trucker looking for a otr truck driving job, our free service will help you find the best truck driving jobs out there.  No need to fill out multiple job applications ... just fill out our online application once and we will forward it to trucking companies that are looking for drivers with your experience and skills.  Then, just sit back and wait for the trucking companies to contact you." 

What's wrong with this picture?  I liken it to just 'slapping it against the wall' and seeing what sticks.  It's easy, convenient and quick.  But does this approach really get the results you want?  After all, many other truckers are doing exactly the same thing because it's easy, convenient and quick.



 If you think your phone is going to ring off the wall from trucking company recruiters who can't wait to hire you, you are mistaken.  It just doesn't work that way.  For the trucking companies it's a numbers game only; they can pick and choose at will.  And they do.  For otr truckers looking for a truck driving job it's like fishing with no bait.  Throw the line out there and wait to see if anything bites.

While this approach gets results for some truckers, is there a better way and a more professional way to find a good driving job?  You bet there is ......

Did You See Diane Sawyer's Special Report?

If Every American Spent Just $64 More Than Normal on USA Made Items This Year It Would Create 200,000 New Jobs!

ALL items were removed from a typical, middle class family's home that were NOT made in the U.S.A.  There was hardly anything left except for the kitchen sink.  Literally.

During the special they showed truckloads of items - USA made - being brought in to replace everything that had been removed, and talked about how to find these items and the difference in the price.

Diane said that if every American spent just $64 more than normal on USA made items this year - not this week or this month - but this year - it would create something like 200,000 new jobs !

Choosing the Right CDL Training School

The Choice You Make Will Determine the Quality of Your Education and the Amount of Money You Spend for That Education ......

When we began Trucking Careers of America more than 10 years ago, our mission was to help CDL Class A drivers become successful - and not just another statistic.  It took time and a lot of hard work to weed through the good, the bad and the ugly, but it's been a very worthwhile journey.

We have placed thousands of drivers in good paying jobs with trucking companies that we feel good about.  We make it our business to remain informed about trucking companies, training schools, and the overall trucking industry.  And unfortunately, we often hear horror stories from our drivers, and often it's about the abuse from CDL training schools.

It's all too easy for new drivers, new to the industry and its inherent pitfalls, to fall prey to unethical schools whose primary objective is financial gain.    

So, for purposes of this article, we are concentrating on the new driver, the student, the applicant that is looking for the best way to get his  or her CDL Class A license.