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The DOT Doctor Speaks

Friday, February 27 2009

HOT News!

Want EASY access to headline and breaking news?

Visit our Industry News page (http://thedotdoctor/industry_news) for the HOTTEST stories.

Breaking news feed fed to The DOT Doctor's Site. Check out Industry News as well as a variety of our other pages for relevant and related information as it breaks!!!

Here are some samples:

SPECIAL REPORT: Cross-border trucking program funding in jeopardy

Thursday, Feb. 26, 2009 - With a new administration and a new Congress in place, a recent vote by the House of Representatives may mean the end for the embattled cross-border trucking program with Mexico isn't too far off.
more >>

Commission recommends tolls and taxes, but no reform

As if truckers and highway users aren't paying enough in taxes, fees and tolls to run on America's highways, a federal commission is recommending that Congress adopt a sweeping array of new and higher user fees. Critics, including OOIDA, say the report does not address the way transportation money is spent nor does it call for reform. more >>

Illinois truckers credited for stopping bill to double base plate fee

An Illinois state lawmaker gives credit to truckers for helping sideline a bill that would have doubled the fees for base plates in the state. more >>

Colorado House OKs road funding bill; tolls, truck fee increases included

The Colorado House has narrowly approved a bill that includes the option of charging tolls to access existing free routes. By a margin of 34-31, House lawmakers voted to advance the bill, which is intended to raise at least $250 million a year to fix the state's crumbling roads and bridges. more >>

Ormond Beach Love's: 30-minute parking limit during Bike Week

The Love's in Ormond Beach, FL, will limit truck parking to 30 minutes starting Friday, Feb. 27 through Sunday, March 8, during Bike Week. more >>

Hackers plead guilty to broker fraud through FMCSA site

Two Russian immigrants from Southern California have pleaded guilty to defrauding motor carriers out of at least $2.4 million through a double-brokering load scheme using the FMCSA's SAFER Web site. more >>

From the Land Line blog: TWIC gives muleskinners the blues

It seems that anyone who even occasionally visits a major port these days is required to possess a TWIC card. What about colonial-era clothing clad seasonal canal-boat workers, you say? Land Line's Charlie Morasch dives into the latest mainstream news story about the Transportation Worker Identification Credential. more >>

Posted by: The DOT Doctor's Webmaster AT 01:07 am | Permalink | Email

Thursday, February 26 2009

Network Upgrades and Website Updates

Howdy All!

Our new computer system is installed. We have our new computers up and working finally. This will hopefully end the hiatus of silence. It is our intention to return to normal postings to The DOT Doctor Speaks (http://thedotdoctor.com/the_dot_doctor_speaks), resume our live podcasts (available on Blog Talk Radio at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/The-DOT-Doctor) and newsletters. Be a part of our shows. Suggest topics, call in, join our chat room.....just get involved!

Thank you all for your understanding during these last few months as we limped through our difficulties. Hopefully that is all now behind us with the introduction of our new IT Staff and IT Department. This new department brings additional service offerings in the IT Field ranging from Database management, Website Development and Marketing, PC Support, Software Training including the new MS Office, help desk services, spreadsheet design, data capture systems, BETA Testing and more. Visit our new web section - IT SERVICES (http://thedotdoctor.com/it_services).

Remember, we are still expanding and hiring. We openings for sales people (F/T and P/T), receptionist(s) and field consultants skilled in DOT Compliance / Matters and IT technicians. Send your resumes to our HR department at resumes@thedotdoctor.com.

Thank you all for continuing to join our FREE mailing lists (http://thedotdoctor.com/subscribe) and take advantage of our FREE training products (http://thedotdoctor.com/log_auditing), FREE HR Forms (http://thedotdoctor.com/hr_services) (remember the new I-9s that came out in February....we have them here) and other services. Many items are free for signing up to our mailing list and others can be purchased on the spot through our site via PayPal.

Remember we also have the new E-mall coming in April. Some stores are already in place. Come and check out our latest shops! (http://thedotdoctor.com/e_mall) We are open 24 hours a day for your shopping convenience. No parking hassles! Shop in your PJs. We are also taking applications and deposit for store fronts in our new E-mall. Stop by and fill one out today. Space is limited; so don't delay. Pre-Grand Opening rates can't be beat!!!

Special sales offerings, FREE magazine offerings, movies on demand, DISH TV specials, travel saving specials and more are available at our E-mall as well as on the pages throughout our site. Check out our custom Amazon Store (http://astore.amazon.com/thdodo03-20) for a-mazing savings on a wide variety of products. Look for the sidebar ads on each page that relate to the subject matter in which you are viewing for special custom savings.

Stop by today and check out all the new additions to our site. We are constantly evolving. Be a part of our future today! You will notice changes when you visit our site. Some pages have new "homes" are we re-designed our website in order to add our new IT Section. We have added a Troop Picture of our Brownie Troop that we support to our main page. Remember, it is Girl Scout cookie time. Contact us (asitler@thedotdoctor.com) today for your annual GS Cookie order. Don't delay. Flavors are selling out quickly!!! Order direct on our Cookie Page (http://thedotdoctor.com/cookies). To view all the fine organizations that we support; visit our About Us page (http://thedotdoctor.com/about_us). Remember OOIDA members always receive a 10% discount.

Be sure to look for The DOT Doctor on networking sites like: Facebook, MySpace (http://www.myspace.com/andrealsitler), You Tube, Twitter, Flickr, Word Blog, Linked In and more. Drop by and send us a "friend" request. We are happy to add you to our network.

Remember Dr. Sitler's Book Pu: Energy Source or Death Source is available through Amazon (http://astore.amazon.com/thdodo03-20), is Kindle ready and available at a special price on our website (http://thedotdoctor.com/clean_and_green_technologies). Get your copy today!

Catch the DOT Doctor online for a FREE Chat session. Let the DOT Doctor answer your pressing questions via our chat link at the bottom of our Blog page and many other pages within our site. Be sure to join our DOT HELP GROUP via Yahoo Groups and/or DOT HELP on Linked IN. We look forward to seeing you there. Add your comments on our services provided on our Comment page. Our site is very interactive, as are our groups, and all work best when you interact. Make your posting today! Use our SHARE link on the top left of each page to post us to your favorite networking site and to share our content with your friends and co-workers. Be sure to subscribe to our RSS feed for instant updates. A quick click of your mouse and all of newsflash postings are at your fingertips. Be sure to check out our Logistics page (http://thedotdoctor.com/logistics), Safety Page (http://thedotdoctor.com/safety_newletter) and various other pages for automatic updated information from a variety of global services. Always be current by bookmarking and visiting The DOT Doctor's Website often. We offer free safety videos on our Safety page (http://thedotdoctor.com/safety_plan); technical writing services (http://thedotdoctor.com/authorship), listing of DOT Fines (http://thedotdoctor.com/dot_compliance) and don't forget about our all inclusive NEW BUSINESS SET UP Package. This package establishes a DOT Number for your new company, provides a written safety plan and includes a year of IFTA filing, UCR filing and log auditing services as well as list of other services. Visit: http://thedotdoctor.com/business_package for all the details. Just IFTA filing services (http://thedotdoctor.com/quarterly_ifta_filing) or Logbook auditing (http://thedotdoctor.com/quarterly_ifta_filing). We offer a combined Presidential Package for your filing and auditing needs (http://thedotdoctor.com/quarterly_ifta_filing#presplanprice). All this begins at just $10/truck.

These are just a small sampling of what we have to offer. If you haven't been to our site or haven't been there lately; come visit us at: http://thedotdoctor.com today.

The DOT Doctor has the cure for ALL your compliance ills..... and more.

Thank you for your continued patronage!

Andrea Sitler, PhD

The DOT Doctor

asitler@thedotdoctor.com

Click to join dot_help

Posted by: Andrea Sitler aka:The DOT Doctor AT 10:58 pm | Permalink | Email

Thursday, February 26 2009

New IT Service Offerings at the DOT Doctor

The DOT Doctor is now offering more than just transportation related solutions. We have expanded to include IT Service Offerings.

Our new IT DIVISION will offer:

Web Design
Web Site Maintenance
Web Site Marketing
Help Desk Support
PC Repair
Software Installation
Hardware Installation
Configuration (network, email, etc...)
MS Office Training
Database Management
DB import / export
DB Maintenance
System Transfer of Files
Backup Services

........... and other related services

Check out our new IT Page today.

(http://thedotdoctor.com/it_services)

Posted by: Help Desk for the DOT Doctor AT 10:56 pm | Permalink | Email

Sunday, February 22 2009

Lung Cancer, whats that got to do with Delivery Drivers?

Have you seen this article from the Curiosity Shop?

Lung Cancer, whats that got to do with Delivery Drivers?

Quite a lot actually. Especially if you don’t want one of these ugly tumours on your lungs. If you are a courier, trucker or delivery driver, read through the information below, and tell me what you think.

: Image via Wikipedia

An up to date article in News Inferno was very interesting reading and informative…

Recent research suggests that lung cancer risks are higher among trucking industry workers because of diesel fume exposure. According to a new study published in the January issue of the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, workers in the trucking industry with an estimated 20 years on the job have an elevated risk of lung cancer with each increasing year of work due to their diesel fume exposure.

A lot of drivers are career drivers. They start in their 20s and still drive until they are retired, some often continuing part time during retirement. For many, driving for a living is something they really enjoy.

The article goes on to say -

Scientists have long known that diesel fumes might play a role in the development of lung cancer. According to a report on SFgate.com, diesel fumes consist of a toxic stew of about 400 chemicals, including benzene, formaldehyde, arsenic, cyanide and lead. Breathing large amounts of diesel fumes could cause respiratory diseases, and people with asthma, heart disease and emphysema can worsen if exposed to the exhaust. Long-term exposure leads to chronic obstructive lung disease as well as lung cancer.

So, it’s the long term exposure that does the damage. The longer you drive, the more chance you have of getting it. A case control study was done back in 1990 and the report says at the end..

Overall, our results suggest that diesel truck drivers have an excess risk of lung cancer compared to other teamsters in jobs outside the trucking industry. However, our findings were not uniformly consistent and our data have many limitations, the most important of which is the lack of data on exposure to diesel fumes.

Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

In the US, the EPA have been making big inroads into reducing the danger. A tough task considering most areas of the US and the Uk are urbanised so diesel fumes are in every breath we take. As much as 25% of the breath we take in highly urbanised areas, more if there is a port nearby and the diesel fumes from the ships engines are in the air.

Early in 2001, the EPA issued landmark standards to clean up dirty diesel trucks and buses, comparable to the advent of the catalytic converter on cars several decades ago. When the standards take full effect in 2007, they are expected to reduce emissions from trucks and buses by more than 90 percent, the equivalent of taking 13 million of the nation’s 14 million trucks and buses off the roads.

Source: ENS

The article from the ENS website goes on to outline the effort from the Bush administration. It also clearly higlights the failings in the US - emissions trading programs. So rather than clean up their act the worst polluters get to trade credits with cleaner, greener companies. I cannot see how this would work myself, and seems like a fraudulent way of dealing with the issue.

In addition to concluding that diesel fumes likely cause lung cancer, the EPA found that diesel exhaust triggers asthma and other respiratory effects, calling the fumes “a chronic respiratory hazard to humans.” Based on animal testing and studies of people in jobs with high exposures, the fumes were shown to be carcinogenic, or cancer causing.

The agency did not attempt to quantify the cancer risk from exposure to diesel emissions, though the report notes that the risk is likely to be higher for people who regularly work with or around diesel engines. But even everyday exposure to background levels of diesel fumes probably puts people at risk, the EPA said.

What can an employer do to limit diesel fumes for their drivers? Is there an efficient way of filtering the exhaust fumes so that the carcinogens are contained?

My thoughts on this are two fold, is this coming to light now to try and encourage people to buy environmentally vehicles? Is it diesel that is doing the evil deed? Why isn’t it coal fires, petrol or another type of fuel? Or is it the sad fact that all of these contribute to it, and its our delivery drivers that are taking home the tumours.

For excellent information and research on cancer, more information can be found on the pharma strategy blog written by Sally Church.

Sarah

Posted by: The DOT Doctor AT 10:22 pm | Permalink | Email

Sunday, February 22 2009

GS Cookie Time YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!

It's that wonderful time of the year when we all have the opportunity to purchase fresh, wonderful Girl Scout cookies. Not only are these a wonderful treat; they help the girls in many ways. Brownie Troop #9376 are using their profits to attend a special Space Center Houston Camp.

Camping is not the only benefit for the girls when you purchase theses delicious cookies. The girls learn leadership skills, marketing skills, sales, entrepreneurial skills, budget management and most importantly they build self confidence. Girls in Scouting learn to stand tall and proud. They know they are independent and believe in themselves. This inspires them to work for their goals, attend Ivy League Colleges, participate in school activities and achieve top grades. Girl Scouts stand in the shadows of no one and learn how to be self sufficient. These are life skills that all girls should know and thanks to GS; learn is fun and begins in kindergarten.

Be a part of girl's life and future today! Buy a box of these delicious cookies and make a difference today.

Click here to purchase online via PayPal.

(http://thedotdoctor.com/cookies)

Email me (asitler@thedotdoctor.com) if you want local pickup or case orders (mix and match 8 flavors)

The Girl Scouts of NE Texas proudly support our Troops. Buy a box today and we will deliver it for you to a Troop overseas.

THE DOT DOCTOR PROUDLY SUPPORTS GIRL SCOUT BROWNIE TROOP #9376

Posted by: A Sitler AT 08:57 pm | Permalink | Email

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Please dial direct at: 903-910-9075

Product

Monthly Scoop August 2015 - Focus on logs.
Monthly Scoop September 2015 - Focus on Distracted Driving and School Zones
Monthly Scoop October 2015 - Focus on Winter Driving and Equipment Readiment
Monthly Scoop Holiday Edition 2015 - Looking back at CSA, Highway Bill 2016, Carrier Loss, ELD Implementation, Driver Cohesion, What's Ahead?
Monthly Scoop - Special Edition - Understanding the Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs)
Monthly Scoop January 2016 - Tax Man Commeth

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With the small profit margin, while pay unnecessary fines? TDD can help!