Did you know that we have Tank Chassis in stock at our La Porte, Texas facility. Both new and used chassis available. Contact us today for information!
Today is day two of the 72 hour commercial vehicle check sponsored by the CVSA (Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance). During this three day period all state DOT agents from the state trooper department are out in full force checking thousands of commercial vehicles for safety violations. If your vehicle is found out of compliance, the truck will be grounded where it sits until repairs are made. As we all know roadside work is much more costly than repairs performed at a local truck shop or in your own maintenance department, so make sure your vehicles maintenance is up to par! Each year this is publicly announced and each year about 20% of truck are put out of commission. The incident will also be on your company’s SAFESTAT record for 30 months. This is the most stringent commercial vehicle check, so make sure your trucks are ready to meet DOT standards. Best of luck!
Transportation secretary Ray LaHood spoke to journalists today about the possiblity of increasing the 18.5 cent gas tax. Many have proposed raising it by 10 cents to help raise funds for the Highway Trust Fund. Mr. LaHood stated, “With the economy the way it is right now, trying to propose a 10-cent-a-gallon increase in the gasoline tax is not going to fly anywhere in America, including Washington, D.C.” He has made it clear that the Obama administration is not interested in a fuel tax increase, but wants to see new ideas emerge about how to generate revenue. Some other proposals are allowing states more freedom to increase toll roads and private sector partnerships. What are your thoughts?
I just wanted to take a moment and give the storagetanks.wordpress blog a personal thanks for recognizing us on their blog. They write, ” there are two companies I wanted to recognize for taking the initiative to become environmentally friendly.” To follow the rest of the story click here.
This refers to the practices we set in place at National Chassis to eliminate our impact on our environment and preserve our world for the future generations to come. Click here to visit the site.
Before I begin to address some of the details in this legislation, I wanted to apologize for the long gap between post 1 and 2. For the first time in history the IEP’s (Intermodal Equipment Provider) including ocean carriers, railroads, chassis pool operators will be subject to the FMCSA roadability regulations. I’m going to address a few points that were of greater interest to me and give you some links for further exploration on your part.
1. Here is what the FMCSA states the IEP is responsible for in regards to this new legislation.
Each IEP must:
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2. Safety requirements have also changed
- Before operating IME over the road, the driver accepting the equipment must inspect the equipment components listed in § 392.7(b) and be satisfied that they are in good working order; and
- A driver or motor carrier transporting IME must report to the IEP, or its designated agent, any known damage, defects, or deficiencies in the IME at the time the equipment is returned to the IEP or its designated agent. If no damage, defects, or deficiencies are discovered by the driver, the report shall so indicate. The report must include, at a minimum, the items in § 396.11(a)(2).
3. What are the penalties?
| Although FMCSA will not assign a safety rating to an IEP as a result of a roadability review, it will cite the IEP for violations found and may impose civil penalties. | In very general terms, consequences range from a written citation (with or without a monetary penalty), to placing an item of IME out-of-service at roadside, to prohibiting a motor carrier from transporting IME, to prohibiting an IEP from tendering IME. |
4. In general what are the major changes?
The final rule makes IEPs subject to many of the same vehicle and equipment safety regulations that apply to motor carriers. An IEP must:
- Identify its operations to the FMCSA by filing the Form MCS-150C.
- Mark its IME with the USDOT number, as required by § 390.21, before tendering the equipment to a motor carrier.
- Systematically inspect, repair, and maintain all IME intended for interchange with a motor carrier.
- Ensure that IME intended for interchange with motor carriers is in safe and proper operating condition.
- Maintain a system of driver vehicle inspection reports submitted to the IEP as required by § 396.11.
- Maintain a system of inspection, repair, and maintenance records for equipment intended for interchange with a motor carrier.
- Periodically inspect IME intended for interchange.
- At facilities at which the IEP makes IME available for interchange, have procedures in place and provide sufficient space for drivers to perform a pre-trip inspection of tendered IME.
- At facilities at which the IEP makes IME available for interchange, develop and implement procedures to repair any equipment damage, defects, or deficiencies identified as part of a pre-trip inspection, or replace the equipment, prior to the driver’s departure. The repairs or replacement must be made after being notified by a driver of such damage, defects, or deficiencies.
- Refrain from placing IME in service on the public highways if that equipment has been found to pose an imminent hazard, as defined in § 386.72(b)(1).
Most of these responses were taken directly from the FMCSA’s FAQ’s page, found here http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/about/other/faq/faqs.asp?FAQType=23&FaqQ=&FAQTypeSub=0#name5
The Intermodal Association of North America IANA also has extensive information on their website.http://www.intermodal.org/leg_reg_files/reg_docs.shtml
To sum it up IEPs will be responsibly will be to:
- Establish a systematic inspection, repair, and maintenance program to ensure the safe operating condition of each intermodal container chassis;
- Maintain documentation of the program;
- Display the USDOT Number, or other unique identifier, on each intermodal container chassis offered for transportation in interstate commerce;
- Provide a means to effectively respond to driver and motor carrier reports about intermodal container chassis mechanical defects and deficiencies; and,
- Ensure that intermodal chassis are roadable before the equipment is made available to the driver for transport.
Let me hear some feedback on what you think!
It isn’t too often we get the chance to laugh out right when dealing with trailers and transport. But we received a great “inquiry” through the website today and I just had to share. (This inquiry came in to our ISO tank container division.)
—–Original Message—–
From: Tad Pohl [mailto:t.pohl@marineattractions.com]
Sent: Thursday, April 16, 2009 8:49 AM
Subject: Website Contact Form
email: t.pohl@marineattractions.com
realname: Tad Pohl
FirstName: Tad
LastName: Pohl
Company: Marine Attractions Incorporated
Country: U.S.A.
How_did_you_hear: RADIO
Newsletter: No do not subscribe me to newsletter
additional_info: Dear Sir, Please quote the following, a portable 1,375,000 gallon salt water shark tank with filter. The M.A.P. (mobile aqua pod ) Would require the following: Seamless front glass with rounded corners for optimum viewing 12′ thickness 55′ x 10′ x10′ High-performance ultra-bright lighting Surface-skimming system- Zeon water Tension g4 Mechanical hydrostatic diatom filter We will supply all the tubing required as well as the colored gravel. If you have any questions please call. If you have already quoted this job please disregard. Please send quote and lead times. Regards, Tad Pohl
I’d have to say that’s more time than I have on my hands, but it gave me a really good laugh!
If you’re dealing with portable transport and storage of bulk liquids, then you’re probably using tank containers. ISO tank containers are the same dimensions as a standard ISO ocean container, typically made of steel, used to haul hazardous and non-hazardous chemicals, food grade products such as milk and juices, gases, and more. A good site to visit for more information about the tank container is www.isotankcontainer.wordpress.com. I’ve had several people approach me asking about the best way to transport these tank containers. Well here is my best answer.
The only legal and safe way to transport a loaded tank container within the USA is by using a tank container chassis. These are specialty 40 -43 ft. long drop frame chassis with a standard deck height of 40″. The tanks loaded with liquid cargo tend to shift their payload weight drastically while intransit. The lower deck height provides a lower center of gravity to compensate for the phenomena and reduce the likelihood of a turn-over accident. Because of the heavy weight of the loaded tank, the longer length of the tank chassis helps to legally scale most tanks. Twistlocks provide a secure mounting mechanism for the tanks and eliminate the need for straps or chains. These chassis can be fitted with additional options including: lift kits to facilitate product discharge, hose tubes, and other features. Tank chassis come in tandem axle, tri-axle, and spread axle configurations. Tandem axle chassis will handle a large part of loaded tank chassis. Tri-axle tank chassis can haul heavier loads typically with a GVWR of 80,000 lbs. Spread axle tank chassis can haul the heavier loads that tri-axles do but with a lighter tare weight due to the dual axle design. Hi/lo combo kits are also available to allow drayage of 2 empty tank containers.
Tank chassis are a necessity for any tank container handler or operator. For more information on tank container chassis you can visit http://www.nationalchassis.com/Tank_Chassis.html
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20-40 Heavy Duty Combo Chassis
As most of you in the intermodal world already know, the FMSCA signed the new “Roadability Rule” (section 4118 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act) into law December 17, 2008. The final rule is scheduled to go into effect June 17, 2009. I wanted to post the summary of this law on this entry and then go into detail on some issues that might concern my audience in Part 2. Please read the summary below:
SUMMARY: FMCSA adopts regulations to implement section 4118 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA–LU). The regulations require intermodal equipment providers (IEPs) to: register and file with FMCSA an Intermodal Equipment Provider Identification Report (Form MCS–150C); establish a systematic inspection, repair, and maintenance program to assure the safe operating condition of each intermodal chassis; maintain documentation of their maintenance program; and provide a means to effectively respond to driver and motor carrier reports about intermodal chassis mechanical defects and deficiencies. The regulations also require IEPs to mark each intermodal chassis offered for
transportation in interstate commerce with a U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) identification number. These new regulations, for the first time, make IEPs subject to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs), and call for
shared safety responsibility among IEPs, motor carriers, and drivers. Additionally, FMCSA adopts inspection requirements for motor carriers and drivers operating intermodal equipment. Improved maintenance is expected to result in fewer chassis being placed out-of-service (OOS) and fewer breakdowns involving intermodal chassis, thus improving the Nation’s intermodal
transportation system. Because inadequately maintained intermodal chassis create risks for crashes, this final rule will also help ensure that commercial motor vehicle (CMV) operations are safer.
Visit my website www.NationalChassis.com
Well the stimulus package was finally passed through congress and signed into legislation two weeks ago. I wanted to write a short blurb outlining the break down of the bill. Here’s how all that money will be allocated:
- $27.5 billion to highway funding (some of which is already being put to use).
- $9.3 billion for Amtrack and high speed rail.
- $6.9 billion for the Federal Transit Administration.
- $400 million for transportation electrification (can include anti-idle projecdts at truck stops).
- $300 million for grants to fleets to retrofit or replace older trucks to reduce diesel emissions.
- $520 million for border-crossing construction and Customs screening equipment.
- $142 million for the U.S. Coast Guard to alter bridges.
Some fleet owners are optimistic the additional construction projects will translate into increase trucking business in materials transportation. There was however some concern from the American Trucking Association that going forward those non-contributors benefitted by this stimulus wouldn’t be seeking additional funds from the Highway Trust Fund money. Individual states still have to put forth their proposals for obtaining their share and will also be responsible for dispersing the funds within their respective states. Now let’s wait and see what happens.
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