100123_TT_AllPages

30 • OCTOBER 2023
THETRUCKER.COM
PILOT cont. from Page 11
way funding solution,” Hendren said. “Insights
reveal the adaptability of the current motor
carrier framework for MBUF implementation,
demonstrating that a weight-based approach
could establish a clear link between road usage
and costs.
“Our work, guided by the MBUF Motor
Carrier working group and MBUF Steering
Committee, has shown there is an intersection
between the trucking industry’s desire
for uniformity, scalability, and streamlined
administrative processes and our country’s
need for sustainable highway funding,” she
continued.
The Coalition’s four major findings from
the newly published report are listed here.
MATTER cont. from Page 8
ing, maintaining regular sleep schedules can help
improve overall mental well-being. And if you
struggle to sleep, consider you need more movement
during the day as the body is like a cup, empty
it during the day so that you can refill it at night,
and when you can’t sleep becomes an issue.
• Practice mindfulness: With so much information
circling around in our heads nowadays, everyone
could use a little instruction on mindfulness.
Simply put, mindfulness means living in the present
moment. This is a great way to clear your mind
of all the clutter. Consider a guided meditation, relaxing
music in bed and guided breathing to help
shift your mind away from the anxiety and stress
• An MBUF can be applied to all commercial
vehicles regardless of weight, fuel type, international
travel, and type of operation.
• A weight-based MBUF has the potential
to provide a more transparent link between
usage and cost of road use.
• Uniformity does not have to be identical
to be scalable and has the potential to substantially
decrease administrative costs on
both the motor carrier and agency sides.
• Clearinghouse frameworks can be adapted
to handle MBUF, but roles and responsibilities
need to be clearly defined.
Bill Sullivan, executive vice president for advocacy
for the American Trucking Associations
(ATA) concurred with the Coalition’s findings.
“The Coalition’s report provides valuable
insight on critical issues that must be resolved
before a mileage-based user fee can be assessed
and onto something else. If you feel like you can’t
do this because your mind is too busy, that is why
to engage.
• Professional help: If anxiety keeps you from
enjoying life or coping with daily living, seeking
professional mental health support through teletherapy
services can bring about significant improvements.
Look into telehealth and teletherapy
to more efficiently manage life over the road.
As per the National Survey on Drug Use and
Health, only about 11% of truck drivers have reported
seeking professional mental help. If companies,
CDL schools and fellow drivers all work to
share resources and normalize this type of support,
more drivers may feel confident continuing their
trucking career when life gets complicated.
on the trucking industry,” he said. “The pilot program’s
findings highlight that the diversity, complexity,
and interstate nature of trucking makes
the imposition of a VMT (vehicle milage tax) fee
a far more difficult proposition than for other
vehicles. The report identifies many of these issues
and provides a roadmap toward resolving
the challenges that must be overcome.
“ATA will continue to support the Coalition’s
efforts to identify and address the many
yet unresolved barriers to implementation,”
Sullivan concluded.
Todd Spencer, president of the Owner-
Operator Independent Drivers Association
(OOIDA) said the Coalition’s research considers
the concerns of small trucking businesses
in its research.
“This is no easy feat. Many small business
truckers are leery of anyone talking about the
Anxiety doesn’t have to be a big part of any
truck driver’s journey. Through some of these small
yet significant changes, trucking can again become
the freedom of the road adventure drivers dream of
rather than a source of unsettled health and anxiety.
After all, on the highway of life, there is much
more to trucking than meets the eye.
Hope Zvara is the CEO of Mother Trucker Yoga,
a company devoted to improving truck drivers’ fitness
and wellness standards. She has been featured
in Forbes and Yahoo News, and is a regular guest
on SiriusXM Radio. Her practical strategies show
drivers how they can go from unhealthy and out
of options to feeling good again. Find out more at
mothertruckeryoga.com. 8
potential conversion to a mileage-based system
to fund our highway infrastructure, largely because
they fear the system will not reflect factors
unique to their operations,” Spencer said.
“Over the years, (the Coalition) has demonstrated
to OOIDA that understanding and
addressing our members’ concerns is a critical
aspect of determining the viability of MBUF.
This commitment is reflected throughout
their latest MBUF truck report,” he continued.
“We commend (the Coalition) for producing
another clear and honest report and look
forward to remaining an active participant in
their ongoing research and outreach.”
TCA’s Heller describes working with the
Coalition on the MBUF pilot as a rewarding
process, noting that he believes it addresses
concerns of TCA members.
“TCA looks forward to being part of these
essential discussions in an effort to support
the Coalition’s critical work to identify and
address the issues that ultimately reflect the
needs of our nation’s professional truck drivers
and the roads they operate on,” Heller said.
The Coalition noted that, while an MBUF
has potential, key challenges and considerations
must be addressed before implementation.
Moving ahead, the Coalition, under
the Surface Transportation System Funding
Alternatives grant program, will focus on
comprehensive role reviews, lighter truck,
and intrastate MBUF-impact assessment, fee
consolidation feasibility, weight definition
complexities, and alternatively powered commercial
motor vehicle participation. 8
RHYTHM cont. from Page 7
the fictional set of many of his movies. And he
certainly was not native to California, where he
shot his 1950s television show, “The Gene Autry
Show,” on a ranch he purchased. Despite the entertainment
business’ ability to parlay the Texas
mystique into untold millions of dollars, in reality,
Autry only occasionally performed live shows
in his home state. The rest, as they said, was
“Hollywood.” It was also reality — Autry didn’t
begin riding the trail to stardom until he drifted
across the Red River to Oklahoma.
Ravia was only a short distance north of Tioga,
but it might as well have been a world away.
After all, Texans stake claim to anything happening
inside Texas boundaries. In North Texas,
the determining factor depends on which side of
the Red River the event occurs. And the privilege
of claiming to be Texan follows along the imaginary
lines dividing Texas from its four bordering
states and Mexico. The width of a cowboy boot
is the difference between being a Texan or just
another cowpoke.
Autry attended school in Ravia, Oklahoma,
and eventually took a job as a telegraph operator
with the Frisco Railroad. Working the late-night
shift, he passed his time singing and strumming
his guitar in the Berwyn telegraph station, a
short distance from his adopted home.
Eventually, he went to work for another telegraph
company in Chelsea, a town in northeast
Oklahoma. Here, company policy prohibited Autry
from playing music on the job, and he soon
found himself unemployed. But before his dismissal,
his singing caught the ear of Oklahoma’s
famed humorist Will Rogers, who suggested the
young singer take his music to a larger stage.
Autry didn’t find that larger stage in Dallas
or San Antonio; rather, he traveled to the Victor
Talking Machine Company in New York City to
get his official start in the music business. That’s
where we’ll pick up next month for the continuation
of Autry’s story.
Until next time, have a listen to the western
side of the country music business. In some cases,
it’ll conjure up old memories, and in others
it may just spur a love for a whole new brand of
listening pleasure. 8
EQUIPMENT EQUIPMENT EQUIPMENT
Marketplace
TAX SERVICES
FOR ADVERTISING INFO EMAIL MEGL@THETRUCKERMEDIA.COM
TAX SERVICES
Call for FREE Consultation!
OTRDRIVER
Tax Services, Inc.
Cab Racks & Side Kits
Aluminum & Steel Storage Boxes
Cargo Control System & Accessories
KANSAS CITY: 800-966-4543 — ST. LOUIS: 800-451-7660
Bookkeeping, Permits, Incorporation
HABLAMOS ESPAÑOL
3010 Mountain Pass Blvd. • Anthony, TX 79821
915-886-3747 or 915-253-7413
Go to otrdrivertaxservices.com for coupons