Summer Truck Maintenance Tips

1. Cooling System Issues: An estimated 40 percent of downtime is caused by cooling system problems, problems that are 100% preventable. So be sure to perform routine engine maintenance to ensure that your truck is running as efficiently as possible.
2. Engine Coolant: Your engine coolant should be checked every 500 operating hours, 20,000 miles or three months, whichever comes first. It is important to not only monitor coolant levels, but also color. Coolant that appears cloudy or has particulates floating could be an indication of bigger problems.
3. Tire Pressure: The most critical factor in tire maintenance is proper inflation. Proper inflation leads to proper contact with the road, which will improve traction and braking capabilities. It will also ensure your tires last longer.
4. Electrical Systems: Be sure to check the alternator’s wiring, battery, battery cables, and the wiring from the engine’s electrical controls. Make sure everything is in proper working order, wires are not frayed and there are no signs of corrosion.
5. Middleton & Meads: The Middleton & Meads Corporate Headquarters is located at 1900 South Hanover Street in Baltimore. The over four-acre site contains the 35,000 square foot 37 service bay Mechanical Repair building, and the 15,000 square foot 16 bay Collision Repair Center, along with three acres of secure vehicle storage.

If you have any questions about Truck Maintenance, please contact Middleton and Meads by calling 410-752-5588or click here today!

With three locations to serve you throughout Baltimore, Washington and Virginia, Middleton and Meads will keep you “on the road.” So go ahead and do what you do best and let us take care of the rest. Our service professionals are experienced and knowledgeable. That is why companies of all sizes depend on us – day in, day out, mile after mile.

The Middleton & Meads Company has a long and respected history in the transportation industry. We are a family owned and operated company through four generations, celebrating over 90 years quality of truck, bus and equipment repair and service.

We work with you to provide the solutions to your transportation needs!

You can follow us on Facebook and Twitter as well!

Sources:

Summer Weather Maintenance Tips

• Idle Reduction Grant: You can receive 50% off the list price of an APU or other installed idle reduction technology, capped at $4,000 per truck.  There is still $75,000 waiting to be spent on both new trucks and retrofits!  In order to ensure the remaining money is used up, the program has recently been expanded to include leased vehicles, and vehicles purchased from out of state dealers (as long as the trucks are registered in Maryland).  Applications will be accepted until June 15, with awards made on a first-come, first-serve basis, so act quickly!  For more information, call Louis Campion at MMTA or go to http://energy.maryland.gov/Transportation/idle/.
• Maryland Electric Truck Voucher Program: A new voucher program will provide up to $20,000 towards the purchase of electric trucks over 10,000 lbs!  Applications are due by June 6, 2013, but $380,000 of the $500,000 program has already been spent.  To see a full list of vehicles, or for more information on the program, go to www.energy.maryland.gov/Transportation/met.
• Port Dray Truck Grant: The Port of Baltimore’s Clean Diesel Program will award $20,000 toward the purchase of a new truck to help assist port operators in voluntarily replacing their older trucks with a 2007 or newer engine!  For eligibility requirements and an application, call the truck hotline at 301-405-3577, or click on www.efc.umd.edu/cleandiesel.html.

If you have any questions about Trucking Grants, please contact Middleton and Meads by calling 410-752-5588or click here today!

With three locations to serve you throughout Baltimore, Washington and Virginia, Middleton and Meads will keep you “on the road.” So go ahead and do what you do best and let us take care of the rest. Our service professionals are experienced and knowledgeable. That is why companies of all sizes depend on us – day in, day out, mile after mile.

The Middleton & Meads Company has a long and respected history in the transportation industry. We are a family owned and operated company through four generations, celebrating over 90 years quality of truck, bus and equipment repair and service.

We work with you to provide the solutions to your transportation needs!

You can follow us on Facebook and Twitter as well!

• The annual salute to Women Behind the Wheel, honoring professional female drivers
• The Influential Woman in Trucking Award
• An anti-harassment employment guide
• The formation of a scholarship foundation

Mission: Women In Trucking was established to encourage the employment of women in the trucking industry, promote their accomplishments and minimize obstacles faced by women working in the trucking industry.

Women in Trucking is quickly nearing 2,000 members, which includes both individuals and organizations.

“We represent the women who design and build trucks, sell the trucks, fix the trucks, and own the trucks, as well as those who drive them,” said Ellen Voie, president and CEO of Women in Trucking.

For more information on Women in Trucking, visit http://www.womenintrucking.org! Or, if you are interested in becoming a member, you can do so by completing the application.

If you have any questions about the Women in Trucking Association, please contact Middleton and Meads by calling 410-752-5588 or click here today!

With three locations to serve you throughout Baltimore, Washington and Virginia, Middleton and Meads will keep you “on the road.” So go ahead and do what you do best and let us take care of the rest. Our service professionals are experienced and knowledgeable. That is why companies of all sizes depend on us – day in, day out, mile after mile.

The Middleton & Meads Company has a long and respected history in the transportation industry. We are a family owned and operated company through four generations, celebrating over 90 years quality of truck, bus and equipment repair and service.

We work with you to provide the solutions to your transportation needs!

You can follow us on Facebook and Twitter as well!

Leadership Through Athletics is excited to announce that our 5th Annual Celebrity Legends Golf Tournament has been scheduled to Monday May 7, 2012 at the beautiful Chartwell Golf and Country Club in Severna Park, Maryland.

We hope that you will consider sponsoring this important event that provides for nearly 15% of the annual operating budget at Leadership Through Athletics. Below you will find different sponsorship opportunities. All donations are tax-deductable.

Corporate Sponsor – $1,500 Donation

• Golf for four (4) at Chartwell Golf and Country Club on May 7th
• Corporate Sign at a Tee Box
• Recognition in the Golf Program
• Recognition on a group 2012 Golf “Thank you” sign in the LTA gym

Leadership Sponsor – $2,500 Donation

• Golf for four (4) at Chartwell Golf and Country Club on May 16th
• Corporate Sign at a Tee Box
• Recognition in the Golf Program
• Recognition on a group 2012 Golf “Thank you” sign in the LTA gym
• Corporate Sign in the LTA gym for one year (September 2012 – June 2013)

Event Title Sponsor – $5,000 Donation

• Golf for four (4) at Chartwell Golf and Country Club on May 7th
• Corporate Sign at entrance to Chartwell Golf and Country Club
• Recognition in the Golf Program
• Recognition on a group 2012 Golf “Thank you” sign in the LTA gym
• Corporate Sign in the LTA gym for two years (September 2012 -  September 2014)

Registration will begin at 9;00AM with a shotgun start at 10:00 AM. There will be a coffee & tea served from 8:30 AM – 10:00 AM. There will be box lunch given out to all golfers at the start, and cook-out on the patio, drinks, and prizes awarded after all rounds are completed.

Please fill out the information below. We will also need proper artwork to be included in signs and other media. Thank you for supporting Leadership Through Athletics.

PAYMENT IN FULL NEEDED NO LATER THAN APRIL 23, 2012 TO SECURE YOUR SPACE

For more information: bgreene305@google.com

————————————————Please Detach and Return with Payment——————————————–

Company Name: _______________________________________

Contact Name: ________________________________________

Address: _____________________________________________

Phone Number: ________________________________________

E-Mail Address: _______________________________________

We would like to be a:

___ Corporate Sponsor ($1,500)

___ Leadership Sponsor ($2,500)

___ Event Title Sponsor ($5,000)

Check Amount: $_________________ Check #_________

If you have any questions about the 5th Annual Celebrity Legends Golf Tournament, please contact Middleton and Meads by calling 410-752-5588 or click here today!

With three locations to serve you throughout Baltimore, Washington and Virginia, Middleton and Meads will keep you “on the road.” So go ahead and do what you do best and let us take care of the rest. Our service professionals are experienced and knowledgeable. That is why companies of all sizes depend on us – day in, day out, mile after mile.

The Middleton & Meads Company has a long and respected history in the transportation industry. We are a family owned and operated company through four generations, celebrating over 90 years quality of truck, bus and equipment repair and service.

We work with you to provide the solutions to your transportation needs!

You can follow us on Facebook and Twitter as well!

The Hunter Alignment Systems can diagnose problems with a vehicle’s caster, camber, and toe so that the correct adjustments can be made to the vehicle.

Benefits of the Hunter Alignment Systems

• Optimized for speed and efficiency.
• Hunter Alignment Systems significantly reduce service time.
• Having a correctly adjusted alignment can help improve fuel economy and life expectancy of a vehicle’s tires.
• Hunter Alignment Systems significantly reduce the distance required from the front turnplates to the front bay wall to secure accurate alignment readings.
• The Hunter Alignment System provides detailed documentation of alignment issues and their adjustments.
• The Hunter Alignment Systems use a minimum amount of bay space. 

If you have any questions about the Hunter Alignment Systems, please contact Middleton and Meads by calling 410-752-5588 or click here today!

With three locations to serve you throughout Baltimore, Washington and Virginia, Middleton and Meads will keep you “on the road.” So go ahead and do what you do best and let us take care of the rest. Our service professionals are experienced and knowledgeable. That is why companies of all sizes depend on us – day in, day out, mile after mile.

The Middleton & Meads Company has a long and respected history in the transportation industry. We are a family owned and operated company through four generations, celebrating over 90 years quality of truck, bus and equipment repair and service.

We work with you to provide the solutions to your transportation needs!

You can follow us on Facebook and Twitter as well!

• Time resting in a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) will now be counted as off-duty time in lieu of the current on-duty time.  It is important to note that this off-duty time does NOT extend the 14 consecutive hour daily limit; however, it can be used to allow a driver to extend his weekly limits.  There is no limit on the amount of time that a driver can rest in a parked commercial vehicle.
• A new “egregious” hours of service violation – defined as exceeding the maximum daily drive time of 11 hours by three or more hours – begins in February.  The penalty for this violation can be as much as $2,750 for a driver and $11,000 for the motor carrier.

Are you having trouble keeping up with these new rules? If so, you are not alone. But you are in luck!

HOS Handbook coming soon to MMTA: This spiral bound 200+ page handbook clearly explains the new HOS final rule with compliance dates 2/27/12 and 7/01/13. The book also includes logging scenarios and examples, and a list of FAQ’s.

LIMITED TIME OFFER: All books preordered by April 7^th are only $5.25 regardless of quantity ordered!

Call 410-644-4600 today and reserve your copies, or email Selena at sgriffin@mmtanet.com.

More information, including Q&A, a copy of the rule, and a comparison chart summarizing key changes, is available at www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/topics/hos-final/hos-final-rule.aspx.

If you have any questions about the Hours of Service Handbooks, please contact Middleton and Meads by calling 410-752-5588 or click here today!

With three locations to serve you throughout Baltimore, Washington and Virginia, Middleton and Meads will keep you “on the road.” So go ahead and do what you do best and let us take care of the rest. Our service professionals are experienced and knowledgeable. That is why companies of all sizes depend on us – day in, day out, mile after mile.

The Middleton & Meads Company has a long and respected history in the transportation industry. We are a family owned and operated company through four generations, celebrating over 90 years quality of truck, bus and equipment repair and service.

We work with you to provide the solutions to your transportation needs!

You can follow us on Facebook and Twitter as well!

.

• Require mandatory off-loading of vehicles carrying perishable products if they exceed the gross vehicle weight limit by more than 5,000 lbs.
• Permit Baltimore City to install height detectors to electronically enforce time-of-day restrictions on prohibited truck routes.
• Authorize the Maryland State Police to adopt certain sections of Parts 385 and 386 of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, governing new entrant carriers and carriers declared as imminent hazards.
• Tighten the procedures for public hearings and notice requirements before the MD Transportation Authority approves a toll increase.
• Prevent transfers of monies out of the Transportation Trust Fund.
• Eliminate an outdated certification requirement for drivers carrying controlled hazardous substances.
• Expand the sales tax to dozens of services, including motor vehicle repair and maintenance.
• Make the state’s cell phone ban a primary offense.

Perhaps the most controversial proposal came straight from Governor Martin O’Malley, himself. On March 14^th the House and Senate committees in the Maryland General Assembly began deliberations on the Governor’s proposal to apply the state’s 6% sales tax to both gasoline and diesel.

• The current motor fuel excise tax of 23 cents/gallon for gasoline and 24.25 cents/gallon for diesel would remain intact.
• The 6% sales tax would be phased in at 2% per year over three years.
• The sales tax would be calculated based on the six month average cost of the lowest grade of gasoline and then applied to both gas and diesel.
• The tax would be calculated after subtracting the current federal and state excise taxes.

Maryland Motor Truck Association members joined the MMTA in opposition to the proposal. Where do you stand on the Governor’s proposal? Let us know how you feel!

MMTA’s top priority remains its opposition to any new fuel taxes that include diesel.  on a proposal introduced by Governor Martin O’Malley that would  If passed, the plan would generate $650 million in transportation revenues.  Details include:

More importantly, voice any displeasure to your legislators and express your opposition to any fuel tax increase. Legislators can be called at 1-800-492-7122. The operator will tell you who your legislators are based on your home or business address.  E-mails can be sent by looking up your legislators’ addresses at www.mdelect.net.  Please act now!

The General Assembly adjourns on April 9.  A list of all bills that MMTA is tracking is available at www.mmtanet.com.

If you have any questions about Governor O’Malley’s Tax Plan, please contact Middleton and Meads by calling 410-752-5588 or click here today!

With three locations to serve you throughout Baltimore, Washington and Virginia, Middleton and Meads will keep you “on the road.” So go ahead and do what you do best and let us take care of the rest. Our service professionals are experienced and knowledgeable. That is why companies of all sizes depend on us – day in, day out, mile after mile.

The Middleton & Meads Company has a long and respected history in the transportation industry. We are a family owned and operated company through four generations, celebrating over 90 years quality of truck, bus and equipment repair and service.

We work with you to provide the solutions to your transportation needs!

You can follow us on Facebook and Twitter as well!

Sources:

Maryland Motor Truck Association – MMTA E-News

• CDL applicants will be required to certify which of the four types of commercial driving (commerce) they will be performing.

• CDL holders operating in interstate commerce, and subject to medical eligibility requirements, will be required to provide a copy of each new Med Cert document to the MVA prior to the expiration of their current documentation. Drivers in other categories may also be required to provide this information to the MVA.

• All CDL holders will be required to provide the MVA with updated self-certification status and Med Cert documentation, if required, by January 30, 2014. The MVA will begin contacting CDL holders for updated Med Cert documents beginning January 30, 2012.  Failure to supply the required information or downgrade to a noncommercial license will result in cancellation of the CDL holders entire commercial and noncommercial driving privilege/license.

• CDL holders can conveniently submit their information through the mail, e-mail, or by faxing the necessary documentation. Specific details regarding this process will be included in the notices provided by the MVA. Please read the FAQ’s for more information.

You DO NOT need to submit your medical certification information to the MVA until you have been directly contacted by the Administration. However, if you visit a MVA branch office to renew or obtain a duplicate, corrected, or new CDL, you will be required to present valid Med Cert documentation at that time

For more information, go to www.mva.maryland.gov/Driver-Services/CDL/default.htm.

If you have any questions about the FMCSA’s New Regulations for CDL Holders, please contact Middleton and Meads by calling 410-752-5588 or click here today!

With three locations to serve you throughout Baltimore, Washington and Virginia, Middleton and Meads will keep you “on the road.” So go ahead and do what you do best and let us take care of the rest. Our service professionals are experienced and knowledgeable. That is why companies of all sizes depend on us – day in, day out, mile after mile.

The Middleton & Meads Company has a long and respected history in the transportation industry. We are a family owned and operated company through four generations, celebrating over 90 years quality of truck, bus and equipment repair and service.

We work with you to provide the solutions to your transportation needs!

You can follow us on Facebook and Twitter as well!

Sources:

Confusion over Medical Certificate Cleared

New Medical Certification Requirements – A Guide for CDL Holders

Highlights of Governor O’Malley’s Plan

• Applying the state’s 6% sales tax to motor fuels, phased in at 2% per year over three years.
• There is a braking mechanism that slows the phase in if gas prices rise significantly in years two and three.
• This proposal will raise the cost of fuel by at least 18 cents per gallon.
• The sales tax would be applied to the retail price of motor fuel, based on the six-month average cost of the lowest grade of gasoline, minus federal and state excise taxes.
• The tax would be paid by the wholesaler/distributor as it first enters the state.
• The legislation also includes some modest protection that the monies will be used for transportation purposes, as well as restoration of some lost local transportation aid to counties and municipalities.

A full list of the bills that MMTA is tracking in the General Assembly is available at www.mmtanet.com.

If you have any questions about the Governor O’Malley’s Tax Plan, please contact Middleton and Meads by calling 410-752-5588 or click here today!

With three locations to serve you throughout Baltimore, Washington and Virginia, Middleton and Meads will keep you “on the road.” So go ahead and do what you do best and let us take care of the rest. Our service professionals are experienced and knowledgeable. That is why companies of all sizes depend on us – day in, day out, mile after mile.

The Middleton & Meads Company has a long and respected history in the transportation industry. We are a family owned and operated company through four generations, celebrating over 90 years quality of truck, bus and equipment repair and service.

We work with you to provide the solutions to your transportation needs!

You can follow us on Facebook and Twitter as well!

Synopsis: Altering the definition of a “taxable service” under the sales and use tax to impose the tax on specified services; exempting from the sales tax the sale of a parking facility or service by a political subdivision of the State; etc.

If passed, House Bill 1051 will expand sales tax to incur motor vehicle repairs and services, including:

•      Service contracts

•      Extended warranty contracts

•      Road service

•      Towing

House Bill 1051 will be costly for every Maryland car owner, and will also raise insurance premiums for all drivers.

For the above reasons, AAA is urging you to ACT NOW and write your personal General Assembly representatives (House and Senate) as well as members of the Ways & Means Committee to voice your strong opposition to taxing motor vehicle repairs and towing in House Bill 1051 through the AAA Issues Action Center.

If you have any questions about the House Bill 1051, please contact Middleton and Meads by calling 410-752-5588 or click here today!

With three locations to serve you throughout Baltimore, Washington and Virginia, Middleton and Meads will keep you “on the road.” So go ahead and do what you do best and let us take care of the rest. Our service professionals are experienced and knowledgeable. That is why companies of all sizes depend on us – day in, day out, mile after mile.

The Middleton & Meads Company has a long and respected history in the transportation industry. We are a family owned and operated company through four generations, celebrating over 90 years quality of truck, bus and equipment repair and service.

We work with you to provide the solutions to your transportation needs!

You can follow us on Facebook and Twitter as well!