SaltLakeCity Landstar Agent

Changes Changes Changes

2011-12-29T06:45:00.001-08:00

Attention Licensed Motor Carriers Serving Non-Container Terminals (Not Equipped with RFID Readers) at the San Pedro Bay Ports of
Los Angeles and Long Beach

Beginning January 1, 2012 All Drayage Trucks Serving Non-Container Terminals Must Have A 2012 Non-Container Terminal Access Sticker

In order to service the Non-Container Terminals at both ports throughout 2012, Licensed Motor Carriers (LMCs) must do the following before December 31, 2011:
· Have their drayage trucks registered in the Ports’ Drayage Truck Registry (PDTR),
· Pay the annual truck registration fee in the PDTR ($100 per truck, per port), and
· Bring their trucks to the Truck Access Center (TAC) to be inspected. Sticker application must be witnessed by TAC staff at the time of issuance
Note: Drayage trucks already equipped with an RFID tag that service both Container and Non-Container Terminals will still need to obtain a 2012 Non-Container Terminal Sticker. However, drayage trucks that have already paid the PDTR truck registration fee ($100 per truck, per port) for container terminal access will not be expected to pay an additional fee for the 2012 Non-Container Terminal Sticker.
Renewal of Annual Non-Container Terminal Access Sticker
The current 2011 Non-Container Terminal Access Sticker will expire on December 31, 2011. To renew the annual Non-Container Terminal Access Sticker, please follow the steps below:
Pay the annual truck registration fee ($100 per truck, per port) in the PDTR, and
Bring the registered truck to the TAC to receive the 2012 Non-Container Terminal Access Sticker.
Register Your Trucks in the PTDR, eModal’s Trucker Check, and the State DTR

All port drayage trucks must be registered in the PDTR, eModal’s Trucker Check, and the State DTR to secure access to the marine terminals in both the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach. Failure to register in all three will result in the truck being denied access to the ports’ marine terminals.

The PDTR can be accessed at https://pdtr.cleanairactionplan.org.

eModal’s Trucker Check can be accessed at www.emodal.com.

The State DTR can be accessed at https://arber.arb.ca.gov.

For more information, including operating hours and directions to the TAC, please call the Clean Trucks Program Helpline at (866) 721 - 5686.

Location of the TAC:
3593 New Dock Street (Pier S Avenue and New Dock Street, Terminal Island),
San Pedro, CA 90731.

Concession/Registrant Administrator
c/o Tetra Tech, Inc.
Helpline: 1-866-721-5686
Email: ctp@tetratech.com

Final Phase Drayage Trk Ban Effective Jan 1 2012

2011-12-28T08:04:00.000-08:00

E-Blast No. 82: Be Prepared – Final Phase of the Drayage Truck Ban Goes into
Effect January 1, 2012

Important Reminder to Licensed Motor Carriers and
Independent Owner Operators!

BE PREPARED – FINAL PHASE OF THE DRAYAGE TRUCK BAN GOES INTO EFFECT
JANUARY 1, 2012

Beginning January 1, 2012, the final phase of the Drayage Truck ban will take effect at the Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach marine terminals. Port drayage trucks equipped with Engine Years 2006 and older will no longer be permitted access.

Be prepared for the January 1, 2012 ban date and make sure your port drayage truck meets the following Clean Truck Program requirements:

Truck Ban Requirements

Drayage trucks with engines that do not meet the 2007 Federal heavy-duty emissions standards will be banned from marine terminal access on January 1, 2012.

This means that drayage trucks equipped with engine years 2006 or older will be banned from marine terminal entry on January 1, 2012.

Drayage trucks equipped with engine years 1994 to 2003 are also banned from terminal entry even if they have been retrofitted with a level 3 verified diesel emission control system (VDECS). Retrofitted trucks will only have marine terminal access through December 31, 2011.

Drayage trucks with 2004 to 2006 engine years will only have access to marine terminals through December 31, 2011.

ONLY drayage trucks with 2007 and newer engine years will have access to marine terminals starting on January 1, 2012.

Verify Truck Engine Year

Licensed Motor Carriers and Independent Owner Operators with 2007 model year trucks not previously inspected must have their truck engine’s model year verified at the Truck Access Center (TAC). This requirement is necessary because the Port Drayage Truck Registry (PDTR) automatically assumes that 2007 model year trucks have engines from the previous year (2006).

Visit the TAC today and make sure your truck has the correct engine year entered into the PDTR.

The Clean Truck Fee Expires on December 31, 2011

The Clean Truck Fee (CTF) of $35 per loaded twenty-foot equivalent container unit will expire and will no longer be collected starting January 1, 2012.

Register Your Truck in the PTDR, eModal’s Trucker Check and the State DTR

All port drayage trucks must be registered in the PDTR, eModal’s Trucker Check, and the State DTR to secure access to the marine terminals in both the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach. Failure to register in all three will result in the truck being denied access to the ports’ marine terminals.

The PDTR can be accessed at https://pdtr.cleanairactionplan.org.

eModal’s Trucker Check can be accessed at www.emodal.com.

The State DTR can be accessed at https://arber.arb.ca.gov.

For more information, including operating hours and directions to the TAC, please call the Clean Trucks Program Helpline at (866) 721 - 5686.

Location of the TAC:
3593 New Dock Street (Pier S Avenue and New Dock Street, Terminal Island),
San Pedro, CA 90731.

Concession/Registrant Administrator
c/o Tetra Tech, Inc.

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T13:55:00.000-08:00

We wish you a Happy and Safe Holiday Weekend

APM updates

2011-11-10T07:18:00.000-08:00

In addition to the previous advisory regarding our out-gate policy, please note the following and please pass this information to your drivers:

Effective immediately drivers queuing up at the out-gate earlier than 5 p.m. will be forced to exit the facility. In addition, these drivers will be required to complete the STEP class before they are allowed to return to the terminal. Please note repeat offenders will be banned from Pier 400.

Keep in mind we provide the added service of remaining open between 5 and 6 p.m. to assist the trucking community by allowing entry to the terminal during this hour and be ready to out-gate at 6:01 (avoiding the TMF fee).

Recently however we have experienced an excessive amount of drivers queuing up at the out-gate as early as 3:30-4 p.m. This causes an excessive amount of traffic and blocks drivers that have paid the TMF fee from exiting the facility.

Please note our Customer Service Team can be reached at 310-221-4496.

APM Terminals Pier 400 Management

FUNNIES IN TRUCKING

2011-11-02T11:40:00.000-07:00

"I am checking on the load to Anytown USA"
"That requires a curtainside van"
a moment of silence
"Does that mean you need curtains in the windows?"

Port Reminder for 2012

2011-11-01T11:33:00.000-07:00

Important Reminder to Licensed Motor Carriers and
Independent Owner Operators!

BE PREPARED – FINAL PHASE OF THE DRAYAGE TRUCK BAN GOES INTO EFFECT
JANUARY 1, 2012

Beginning January 1, 2012, the final phase of the Drayage Truck ban will take effect at the Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach marine terminals. Port drayage trucks equipped with Engine Years 2006 and older will no longer be permitted access.

Be prepared for the January 1, 2012 ban date and make sure your port drayage truck meets the following Clean Truck Program requirements:

Truck Ban Requirements

Drayage trucks with engines that do not meet the 2007 Federal heavy-duty emissions standards will be banned from marine terminal access on January 1, 2012.

This means that drayage trucks equipped with engine years 2006 or older will be banned from marine terminal entry on January 1, 2012.

Drayage trucks equipped with engine years 1994 to 2003 are also banned from terminal entry even if they have been retrofitted with a level 3 verified diesel emission control system (VDECS). Retrofitted trucks will only have marine terminal access through December 31, 2011.

Drayage trucks with 2004 to 2006 engine years will only have access to marine terminals through December 31, 2011.

ONLY drayage trucks with 2007 and newer engine years will have access to marine terminals starting on January 1, 2012.

Verify Truck Engine Year

Licensed Motor Carriers and Independent Owner Operators with 2007 model year trucks not previously inspected must have their truck engine’s model year verified at the Truck Access Center (TAC). This requirement is necessary because the Port Drayage Truck Registry (PDTR) automatically assumes that 2007 model year trucks have engines from the previous year (2006).

Visit the TAC today and make sure your truck has the correct engine year entered into the PDTR.

The Clean Truck Fee Expires on December 31, 2011

The Clean Truck Fee (CTF) of $35 per loaded twenty-foot equivalent container unit will expire and will no longer be collected starting January 1, 2012.

Register Your Truck in the PTDR, eModal’s Trucker Check and the State DTR

All port drayage trucks must be registered in the PDTR, eModal’s Trucker Check, and the State DTR to secure access to the marine terminals in both the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach. Failure to register in all three will result in the truck being denied access to the ports’ marine terminals.

The PDTR can be accessed at https://pdtr.cleanairactionplan.org.

eModal’s Trucker Check can be accessed at www.emodal.com.

The State DTR can be accessed at https://arber.arb.ca.gov.

For more information, including operating hours and directions to the TAC, please call the Clean Trucks Program Helpline at (866) 721 - 5686.
Location of the TAC:
3593 New Dock Street (Pier S Avenue and New Dock Street, Terminal Island),
San Pedro, CA 90731.

APM Terminal

2011-11-01T07:53:00.001-07:00

This is to remind you that the L.A. Port Police will continue to enforce “No Parking” ordinances on public streets, including the approach to Pier 400 on Navy Way. Concurrently, we have observed numerous drivers attempting to enter the terminal before their scheduled appointment (30 minutes prior to the appointment is the allowed) . This activity results in additional congestion at the terminal gate. Drivers arriving early for their appointment will be escorted out of the terminal.

Questions or assistance please contact our Customer Service Team at 310-221-4496.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Fran Ohlheiser
Manager, Key Client Services
APM Terminals Pacific Ltd.
2500 Navy Way
Terminal Island CA 90731
310-221-4262 Office
562-577-2732 Cell

Port of Los Angeles Updates

2011-10-28T07:00:00.000-07:00

To the Trucking Community on Behalf of APM Terminals Pier 400, Los Angeles:

APM Terminals is attempting to reduce the number of trucks queuing on Navy Way, with a goal of reducing the drivers’ overall visit time at Pier 400.
The L.A. Port Police is enforcing parking regulations on public roads, including Navy Way. Drayage truckers have been parking on Navy Way, just outside of the North Gate to Pier 400, as early as 3 PM in the afternoon. As a result, the traffic congestion has increased on Navy Way.Please advise your drivers that if they arrive at Pier 400 prior to 6 PM they will be expected to proceed directly into the terminal. If they attempt to park on Navy Way, between the hours of 3 PM and 6 PM, they may be issued a citation.If your truck enters the terminal prior to 6 PM, the driver will be expected to initiate a cargo transaction, which will includes paying any applicable TMF. Your drivers cannot enter the terminal prior to 6 PM to simply “park and wait”, as this action impacts all of the other trucks attempting to enter the terminal.If you have questions regarding the appointment systemcall:
Prior to 5 PM: (310) 221-4496After 5 PM: (310) 221-4395

A TRIP TO NORTHERN NEVADA

2011-08-26T13:19:00.001-07:00

RECENTLY I WAS ABLE TO TRAVEL TO A COUPLE OF THE MINE SITES IN BATTLE MOUNTAIN AND GOLCONDA NV. IT WAS FASCINATING TO SEE A SMALL PORTION OF THE PROCESS. TO BE UP NEXT TO THOSE GIANT HAUL TRUCKS WAS AMAZING. GOOD GRIEF THOSE THINGS ARE BIG. I LOVE HOW THE COLORS CHANGE AS THE MINE GETS DEEPER. THEY WERE GETTING READY TO BLAST YET ANOTHER LAYER OF DIRT WHILE I WAS THERE. IT MAKE ONE WONDER JUST HOW DEEP CAN YOU GO?

Meteor Shower Time

2011-08-12T07:15:00.000-07:00

The Perseid meteor shower is coming up late this week, but this year the full Moon will wash out all but the brightest meteors, according to the editors of StarDate magazine.

Though the shower technically peaks at about 1 a.m. CDT on Saturday, August 13, prime viewing time begins when the constellation Perseus rises into fine view in the northeast around midnight on Friday, August 12. The full Moon will rise in early evening Friday and will be directly overhead after midnight, coinciding exactly with the predicted time of the shower’s peak intensity. The Moon’s brilliant light will overpower most of the meteors.

Perseid meteors appear to fall from the constellation Perseus, but they are not associated with it. The meteors are actually leftover debris from comet Swift-Tuttle. The Perseid meteors recur each year when Earth passes through its debris trail.

If you’d like to try to watch this year’s Perseids, get away from city lights. Look for state or city parks or other safe, dark sites. Lie on a blanket or reclining chair to get a full-sky view. If you can see all of the stars in the Little Dipper, you have good dark-adapted vision.

Published bi-monthly by The University of Texas at Austin McDonald Observatory, StarDate magazine provides readers with skywatching tips, skymaps, beautiful astronomical photos, astronomy news and features, and a 32-page Sky Almanac each January.

Established in 1932, The University of Texas at Austin McDonald Observatory near Fort Davis, Texas, hosts multiple telescopes undertaking a wide range of astronomical research under the darkest night skies of any professional observatory in the continental United States. McDonald is home to the consortium-run Hobby-Eberly Telescope, one of the world’s largest, which will soon be upgraded to begin the HET Dark Energy Experiment. An internationally known leader in astronomy education and outreach, McDonald Observatory is also pioneering the next generation of astronomical research as a founding partner of the Giant Magellan Telescope.

http://stardate.org/mediacenter/201108-full-moon-will-wash-out-perseid-meteor-shower-friday

Got Zucchini????

2011-08-02T12:44:00.001-07:00

Zucchini Gratin
1999, The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, All Rights Reserved

.Prep Time:10 minInactive Prep Time:-- Cook Time:55 minLevel:
EasyServes:
6 servings.Ingredients
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, plus extra for topping
1 pound yellow onions, cut in 1/2 and sliced (3 large)
2 pounds zucchini, sliced 1/4-inch thick (4 zucchini)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup hot milk
3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
3/4 cup grated Gruyere
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a very large (12-inch) saute pan and cook the onions over low heat for 20 minutes, or until tender but not browned. Add the zucchini and cook, covered, for 10 minutes, or until tender. Add the salt, pepper, and nutmeg and cook uncovered for 5 more minutes. Stir in the flour. Add the hot milk and cook over low heat for a few minutes, until it makes a sauce. Pour the mixture into an 8 by 10-inch baking dish.

Combine the bread crumbs and Gruyere and sprinkle on top of the zucchini mixture. Dot with 1 tablespoon of butter cut into small bits and bake for 20 minutes, or until bubbly and browned.

.

There is a snake in my boot

2011-07-26T06:29:00.000-07:00

or under my wheel ..

The above image is a picture of a rattle snake right next to a set of chocked tires. Please pass on to your drivers to be extra careful and have a good look around the area when putting down or picking up chocks.

plenty to do in Utah this weekend

2011-07-22T10:00:00.000-07:00

This weekend begins the biggest celebration of the summer with The Days of 47
go here for details. I was at the float preview last night and the parade on Monday promised to be great. go here for a little video clip. You can go here to the see the progress of one of the floats in the parade.

Nearby Bountiful also has handcart days

Have a Great Weekend

Good News

2011-07-08T08:18:00.000-07:00

California bill to ban owner-operators at ports tabled
By Keith Goble, Land Line state legislative editor

California port truckers, including owner-operators, no longer have to concern themselves with a bill that was described as ill-advised by industry representatives.

The bill called for all drayage truck operators, as well as any owner-operators going onto a port, to be employees of the companies that arrange for their services. The change would have effectively banned owner-operators from the ports.

Facing a deadline to advance it from the Assembly, the sponsor placed the bill – AB950 – on the inactive file. The move effectively killed it for the year.

However, the issue is not over. California rules allow the bill to be brought back for consideration next year.

Assembly Speaker John Perez, D-Los Angeles, said he introduced the bill because drivers at California’s ports and intermodal rail yards are being misclassified. Perez is a cousin of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

The cousins are former labor organizers.

Perez wrote in the bill that classifying affected drivers as employees would ease concerns about retaliation for reporting safety concerns and help ensure that operators have workers’ compensation insurance.

The legislative attack on driver classification mirrors a lawsuit brought by the American Trucking Associations. The group sued Los Angeles over portions of its clean truck program, including an expensive concession requirement that all trucks entering the port would have to comply with. That case is scheduled to begin oral arguments at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit on Friday, June 10.

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association worked to secure a day pass system by which trucks could make occasional port visits without paying expensive concessionaire fees.

About 40 groups, including OOIDA, joined together to oppose the bill. They said it would eliminate the jobs and rights of owner-operators to conduct business at California ports.

In a letter sent to lawmakers, industry representatives pointed out that “owner operators provide necessary capacity and flexibility to meet the varying demands of port drayage. To impose an employee drivers mandate on the companies who arrange for drayage services is simply not consistent with reality of port activity.”

Opponents also note there has been no practical public or driver safety argument made for outright banning owner-operators from California ports. Instead, the letter’s recommendation is that, if the main concern is misclassification, the state would be better served to “focus on existing and established enforcement mechanisms.”

“This bill reaches too far in eliminating a class of drivers and small businesses that represent the dominant model for the drayage industry.”

Because California has two-year sessions, AB950 can be brought back for consideration next year. The full Assembly would get first crack at it. The Assembly Labor and Employment Committee approved the bill this spring.

To view other legislative activities of interest for California, click here.

July

2011-07-02T00:02:00.000-07:00

I love July. I love the sights and sounds and smells of July. I love the pops, whirs, and bangs you hear after dark. I love the sound of children giggling late into the night, of burgers sizzling on the grill. The sound of splashing water as you dive into a pool on a hot July day. I love the smell of flowers in bloom, of steaks cooking near by. I love the smell and smokiness of gun powder. I LOVE SINGING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM especially at church where you can sing all the versus. I love the soft chirp that crickets make. I think crickets are creepy looking but I find the sound they make comforting. I love the smell of freshly cut lawn and the fresh clean air after a summer rain. I love the soft hum of a lawn mower a few houses up. I love that your neighbors are out side and they stop to chat for a few minutes. I love watching the birds eat worms from the grass. I love laying on the grass in the day and watching the clouds, and at night watching the stars. I love that you get to wear a hat , but you don't have to wear a coat. I love that it stays light until almost 10 pm. I love marching bands, and the swoosh of floats as they pass by. I love to watch children scramble for candy that was tossed along side the road during a parade. I love that in Utah we have two holidays in July. I love July.

Bridge Toll Increase Effective July 1st

2011-06-01T10:13:00.001-07:00

WSA would like to remind drivers of big-rig trucks and other vehicles or combinations (including
pickup/boat trailer, auto/trailer and RV/auto) with more than two axles that the toll increase approved in
2010 on Bay Area bridges will begin on July 1, 2011.

From July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2012, the toll rates for multi-axle vehicles on the region's seven state-
owned bridges (Antioch, Benicia-Martinez, Carquinez, Dumbarton, Richmond-San Rafael, San Francisco-Oakland Bay and San Mateo-Hayward) will be:

Axles
Cash or FasTrak

3
$10.50

4
$14.00

5
$18.00

6
$21.00

7+
$24.25

On the Golden Gate Bridge, the toll rates for multi-axle vehicles will be:

Axles
Cash
FasTrak

3
$13.00
$11.25

4
$18.00
$15.00

5
$22.00
$18.75

6
$27.00
$22.50

7+
$31.00
$26.25

Beginning July 1, 2012, the multi-axle vehicle toll increase approved for all Bay Area toll bridges in 2010
will be fully implemented: $5 times the number of axles for state-owned bridges, and $5-FasTrak and $6-cash times the number of axles for the Golden Gate Bridge. State law requires tolls on state-owned
bridges to be based on the total number of axles.

Effective July 1, 2012:

3 axles regular toll of $5.00 times 3 axles: $15.00

4 axles regular toll of $5.00 times 4 axles: $20.00

5 axles regular toll of $5.00 times 5 axles: $25.00

6 axles regular toll of $5.00 times 6 axles: $30.00

7 axles or more regular toll of $5.00 times 7 axles: $35.00

Please visit www.mtc.ca.gov/tolls and www.goldengatebridge.org/tolls_traffic/toll_rates.php for more
information.

Notice from Oakland

2011-05-19T06:33:00.001-07:00

Message from TraPac Terminal
To all,

TraPac's maingate entrance is constantly being used as a U-turn lane to get into the TTI queue lane (heading east on 7th Street) or trucks that are lost which is not only affecting our traffic ingate access but also creating a very unsafe condition for vendors and company personnel exiting the facility. Today, a truck broke down while attempting to make the U-turn and blocked our entrance.

In addition, there have been near miss incidents (almost accidents) between truck/cars heading west on 7th Street and trucks making the U-turn. I hope all can agree this is unacceptable and ask all companies speak with their staff regarding this problem. The Port and OPD have been notified and have reacted quickly to this issue.

Safety is everyone's concern and just asking for help to ensure no one is hurt- we all want to go home in one piece at the end of the day.

Jim Yanak, TraPac Berth 30-32, Safety & Security Mgr.

# # #

SPACE SHOW 2011

2011-04-29T14:49:00.000-07:00

OUR AGENCY HAD A BOOTH AT THE SPACE SHOW IN COLORADO SPRINGS. I AM TOLD IT WAS PRETTY INTERESTING

April?????

2011-04-12T06:52:00.001-07:00

Are you sure

A story on Frost Laws (MI)

2011-03-24T08:09:00.000-07:00

Frost Laws in Otsego County
Every year around February or March we get some warm weather and the frost starts coming out of the ground. As it comes out, it leaves soft spots in the ground. You have probably noticed it when the bottom seems to fall out of your driveway in the Spring. Well this same thing is happening under pavement also. If a heavy vehicle drives over the pavement when the ground is soft, the pavement will cave in and crack up. It isn't long after this and we have a large pothole beginning to form.

The counties, cities and State Highway Department decided they needed to protect against this accelerated deterioration of the roads and so developed Spring Frost Laws. These Frost Laws go into effect at different dates each year depending on the weather and are controlled separately by each agency. The Frost Laws limit truckers to 35 MPH and put a lower load limit on them. The Frost Laws have serious effects each spring on the loggers, chip haulers, potato farmers, garbage haulers and oil production truckers in Otsego County. All Extended Transportation permits are invalid during Frost Laws. Frost Laws generally are on for more than a month each Spring. Signs are put up and notices are run in the paper to alert the public that they are going into effect. The Otsego County Road Commission has three employees who are trained as weighmasters, and they carry scales and patrol the roads at all hours during the Frost Laws. Violators are issued tickets and are fined by District Court by the pound for each pound over the legal limits. Large overloads can be fined hundreds of dollars and may also get their truck held up until it is made legal. Fortunately, due to increased awareness and cooperation, the amount of fines have steadily gone down in recent years. None of the revenue derived from fines is given to the Road Commission. A small percentage goes to court costs and the rest goes to the County Library to purchase books.

Some roads are exempt from Frost Laws. These roads are called Special Designated Roads. They have a deeper gravel base and a thicker layer of asphalt to support heavier loads when the ground is soft. Some Special Designated Roads in Otsego County are I-75, Old 27, M-32 and Dickerson Road. Special permits are sometimes issued to move loads exceeding the Frost Laws but "security against road damage" is required to cover road repairs if any damage is done.

I have purposely eluded the maximum weights allowed during Frost Laws because it is quite confusing. It is less than regular weight limits and depends on tire size, the number of axles and distance between axles. It is a trucker's business to know what these are, and the rest of us don't have to worry about it.

http://www.otsegocountymi.gov/frost-laws--121/

A view from the windshield

2011-03-24T08:01:00.000-07:00

Happy St Patrick's Day

2011-03-17T06:21:00.001-07:00

Look what is in the Garden

2011-03-14T11:05:00.001-07:00

SPRING FORWARD

2011-03-11T14:56:00.001-08:00

REMEMBER TO CHANGE YOUR CLOCKS ON SUNDAY ..... DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME BEGINS... YIPPEE TO MORE DAYLIGHT AFTERWORK

Monday is Presidents Day 2/21

2011-02-16T08:09:00.000-08:00

Is your customer open? Be sure to check

Government Facilities could be closed Friday to Tuesday ...

Be Prepared

CA Port News

2011-01-14T11:52:00.000-08:00

Board Approves Expansion of Clean Trucks ProgramOlder ‘Class 7’ rigs to be banned, ‘dray-offs’ penalized

January 10, 2010

The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners on Monday approved the inclusion of smaller 'Class 7' trucks to the landmark Clean Trucks Program and penalties for "dray-offs" - the practice of switching cargo from a “clean” to a “dirty” - within the Harbor District.

“Class 7” trucks are smaller and less powerful than “Class 8” trucks, which are typically used in the movement of shipping containers to and from ports. Under the Clean Trucks Program, Class 8 trucks are subject to strict emission standards and older models have been progressively banned from terminals since the program began in 2008. Class 7 trucks now will be added to the progressive ban starting July 1, 2011.

The program banned virtually all Class 8 trucks that did not meet 2007 emission standards last year. Since then, some trucking companies have begun using older Class 7 models to move lighter loads like empty containers. As many as 550 of the Class 7 trucks may be operating in the San Pedro Bay area, accounting for 2 to 3 percent of truck moves.

The Board also approved charging cargo owners a Clean Trucks fee if their containers are observed being switched from a clean truck to a banned truck within the Harbor District.

The item will get a second reading at the next board meeting, Monday, January 24.

The use of older, more polluting Class 7 trucks and dray-offs give firms an unfair advantage over companies that follow the letter and the spirit of the Clean Trucks Program.

The Clean Trucks Program is landmark pollution control measure that has successfully removed the oldest and dirtiest trucks from port service while reducing truck-related pollution in the port complex by 80 percent, two years ahead of schedule.

Contact: Art Wong, Port of Long Beach Assistant Director of Communications/Public Information Officer, (562) 590-4123, (562) 619-5665 (cell), or wong@polb.com.

12/30/2010 Salt Lake City SnowStorm

2010-12-30T09:13:00.000-08:00

Table in backyard

Front sidewalk

Clean Trucks Program

2010-12-22T07:06:00.001-08:00

Clean Trucks Program to Be ExpandedBoard moves to ban older ‘Class 7’ rigs and stop ‘dray-offs’
December 21, 2010
The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners voted Monday to expand the Port of Long Beach’s landmark Clean Trucks Program to include smaller rigs, and to penalize trucking companies that switch cargo from “clean” to “dirty” trucks outside Port terminals.
“Class 7” trucks are smaller and less powerful than “Class 8” trucks, which are typically used in the movement of shipping containers to and from ports. Under the Clean Trucks Program, Class 8 trucks are subject to strict emission standards and older models have been progressively banned from terminals since the program began in 2008. Class 7 trucks, which are typically not used in drayage, were not included in the Clean Trucks Program.
The program banned virtually all Class 8 trucks that did not meet 2007 emission standards earlier this year. Since then, some trucking companies have begun using older Class 7 models to move lighter loads like empty containers. As many as 550 of the Class 7 trucks may be operating in the San Pedro Bay area, accounting for 2 to 3 percent of truck moves.
The Board on Monday authorized Port staff to draft revisions to the Clean Trucks Program that would ban older Class 7 trucks and to draft requirements similar to those in effect for Class 8 trucks. The California Air Resources Board (ARB) and the Port of Los Angeles will be taking similar steps.
The Board also authorized staff to find a way to penalize trucking companies that employ “dray-offs,” or switch cargo from a Clean Trucks Program compliant truck to a polluting truck once the vehicle is outside a cargo terminal. Although, there are no statistics on dray-offs, there is anecdotal evidence that a few companies are using the practice to circumvent the Clean Trucks requirements.
The use of older, more polluting Class 7 trucks and dray-offs give firms an unfair advantage over trucking companies that follow the letter and the spirit of the Clean Trucks Program.
The Clean Trucks Program is landmark pollution control measure that has successfully removed the oldest and dirtiest trucks from port service while reducing truck-related pollution in the port complex by 80 percent, two years ahead of schedule.
Contact: Art Wong, Port of Long Beach Assistant Director of Communications/Public Information Officer, (562) 590-4123, (562) 619-5665 (cell), or wong@polb.com.

Christmas and New Years Closures

2010-12-16T14:41:00.000-08:00

go here

Mind your P's and Q's in California

2010-12-02T13:15:00.000-08:00

One of our teams called me this morning. They were at the Pilot in Lost Hills, CA at midnight last night and the DOT and CHP officers that were in there having breakfast told the truckers that starting at midnight (DEC 1st) they were going to be pulling drivers over, checking logs and if they found any problems at all, it would lead to full inspections. The cops said they were just told to do this during their daily briefing at the beginning of their shift.
Heads up to all drivers in the golden state in December. Keep your logs up to date and avoid an inspection.

STP-s26 launch

2010-11-24T13:07:00.001-08:00

see launch here

Thanksgiving Travel restrictions

2010-11-17T07:28:00.000-08:00

as posted today.... check this link

Turkey Leftovers?

2010-11-12T08:58:00.000-08:00

You can substitute the chicken in this receipe for turkey.. for a yummy after Thanksgiving dinner.

Chicken Manicotti

1 box manicotti pasta
1 (6 oz) box Stove Top stuffing
1 1/2 c. sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 c. grated cheese
6 skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed

Season and cook the chicken (or use rotisserie chicken and skip this step!

Add the manicotti tubes to a pan of boiling water. Boil for 12 minutes and be careful not to overcook. The noodles start to tear if overcooked. It is also a good idea to stir them occasionally so they don’t stick to the bottom of the pan.

Prepare the Stove Top according to the direction on the box.

In a medium bowl, mix together soup sour cream, 1 cup of the grated cheese. Reserve 1 cup of this mixture and set aside.

Combine the chicken, stuffing, and sour cream mixture. It doesn’t look very appetizing, but it tastes scrumptious!

When the noodles are done drain and rinse. Place them on a towel to let them cool and prevent sticking to each other.

Using a spoon stuff that little noodle as full as you can get it. Once they are filled place them in a 9×13 pan. When all of the filling is gone, or all of your noodles are stuffed–whichever comes first–cover the noodles with the remaining sour cream mixture and sprinkles the cup of cheese over the top.

Cover with foil and bake at 350 for approximately 30 minutes.

The Biggest College Game of Season

2010-11-05T07:01:00.000-07:00

is being played right here in Salt Lake City, UT this weekend..

Read this from KSL

or this CBS Sports

HAPPY GAME DAY ......GO UTES

Cruise anyone

2010-10-25T11:05:00.000-07:00

If you find yourself boarding a cruise ship in S. California you just might be walking on this bridge to do it .

Our Resident Fashionista

2010-10-04T08:31:00.000-07:00

A Wish is Granted

2010-09-24T08:14:00.000-07:00

Kaidence, 3, is a beautiful little girl. She had a heart transplant, and her vocal cords were paralyzed from a long stretch in a coma. But she can say a few words now, like mama, ice cream, and love you, and more every day. And she isn’t shy about hugs and kisses.

Kaidence wished for a playhouse, one of many playhouse wishes we have granted in the last few years. Boys have wished for treehouses, pirate ships, and Harry Potter hideouts. But for girls, the houses are nearly always princess-themed. And Kaidence is quite a princess! Her playhouse is a pastel fantasy well suited to her personality. It even has an array of princess apparel inside.

Kaidence’s brothers really love her wish as well, even if it is girly. They have all sorts of adventures there. Just today, said their mother in a recent phone call, she found them making and throwing paper air planes out of the top window. One of the best impacts of this wish, she added, was the sibling bonding and family closeness it has promoted. We are making wonderful memories, she told us. The family has added lovely little touches to the playhouse. They put flower baskets on the windows, a lantern on the porch, and a little battery operated doorbell by the front door.

Now that it’s March, we are headed for the season of playhouse wishes again; but these photos, wreathed in sunlight and in Kaidence’s shy smiles, brightened many of our winter days.

Wish Granters: Joyce Smith and Ann Harbertson

Wish Sponsor: Landstar

article copied from Make a Wish

I Wish

2010-09-22T14:47:00.001-07:00

there were something cool or interesting to blog about ...... but there just isn't.

Please have a good week

This weeks Recipe

2010-09-17T13:23:00.000-07:00

GRILLED BEEF PINWHEELS

Ingredients:

¾ Cup Vegetable Oil
2/3 Cup Water
¼ Cup Soy Sauce
1 teaspoon Lemon Pepper
2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
4 Drops Hot Pepper Sauce
1 (2 pound) Flank Steak

Directions:

1. In a bowl, combine oil, water, soy sauce, lemon pepper, Worcestershire sauce and hot pepper sauce, set aside. Pound the flank steak on each side. Cut into ½ inch strips on the diagonal; add to marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. Divide meat strips into 8 portions, Roll and shape strips, using larger strips around edges, into pinwheels. Secure each with askewer. Grill over hot coals for 5-6 minutes per side or until done

Makes 8 servings
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook time 10 minutes
Ready in 25 minutes

The Utah State Fair Starts Today

2010-09-09T11:49:00.001-07:00

Go to this link for more information.

UTAH BEATS PITTSBURGH

2010-09-03T11:10:00.000-07:00

Utah beats No. 15 Pittsburgh in OT

By DOUG ALDEN (AP) – 13 hours ago

SALT LAKE CITY — After being unable to hold an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter, Utah's defense redeemed itself in overtime.
Utah freshman Brian Blechen intercepted a pass for on the first play of overtime, setting up Joe Phillips for a 21-yard field goal that gave the Utes a 27-24 victory against No. 15 Pittsburgh on Thursday night.
Pittsburgh had rallied with 14 points in the fourth quarter, forcing overtime on Dan Hutchins' 30-yard field goal on the final play of regulation.
But after Utah won the toss and elected to play defense, Blechen quickly doused any hopes the Panthers had of completing the comeback when he bolted in front of Pitt receiver Mike Shanahan and grabbed Tino Sunseri's pass at the sideline.
Jordan Wynn passed for 283 yards with three touchdowns for Utah, including two to Jereme Brooks.
Wynn's third TD was a short pass over the middle that DeVonte Christopher broke for a 61-yard touchdown that put Utah up 24-13 with 7:59 left to play.
The more comfortable margin didn't even last a minute.
The Panthers struck back on a 44-yard pass from Sunseri to Jon Baldwin, who was all alone inside the 10-yard line because of a breakdown in Utah's secondary. Sunseri went to Baldwin again for the 2-point conversion that pulled the Panthers within a field goal at 24-21 with 7:11 left to play.
Utah wasn't able to run enough time off the clock to keep the Panthers from one final drive, which Hutchins capped with the tying field goal despite having to kick the ball three times.
His first attempt went through the uprights, but Utah coach Kyle Whittingham called time out just before the snap and Hutchins had to kick again.
Whittingham did the same thing on the re-kick, which was wide and had fans and Utah players celebrating before they learned there was yet another kick to come. This time Hutchins was back on target and tied it at 24.
But Blechen got the momentum and the ball back for the Utes with his pick in overtime and Utah to played it safe from there. The Utes never attempted another pass, running it down inside the 10 and leaving Phillips with a chip shot to win it.
Utah won its 18th straight, and other than a fourth quarter breakdown, did it mostly with defense. The Utes allowed few easy yards to Pitt star Dion Lewis, who ran for 1,799 yards last year as a freshman. He finished with 75 yards on 25 carries.
Utah held Pitt to just 60 yards in the second and third quarters combined, but the Panthers' defense kept the Utes from building much of a lead with some timely stops of their own.
Copyright © 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Utah wide receiver Jereme Brooks (85) celebrates a touchdown with teammates during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Pittsburgh on Thursday, Sept. 2, 2010, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Steve C. Wilson)

port closures

2010-09-03T11:04:00.000-07:00

Labor Day Holiday Schedule
Terminal Gate/Yard Schedule for 09/06/2010
Oakland, CA- 09/03/10

Monday, September 6, 2010
APL Terminal -- Closed
Trapac Terminal -- Closed
Ports America Terminal -- Closed
SSA Terminal -- Closed
Ben E Nutter Terminal -- Closed
TTI Terminal -- Closed
Transbay Terminal -- Closed
All information was compiled off each terminals website on 09/03/10. Click on any terminal name above to check for updates and/or changes to the Holiday schedule.

# # #

Holiday Awareness - Shippers, manufacturers and transportation companies must remain aware of the increased security risks during the upcoming Labor Day weekend.

Holidays can cause long delays for drivers attempting to deliver loads. These delays will increase the risk to drivers and loads in-transit by leaving them vulnerable for longer periods of time.

FreightWatch and other cargo theft tracking organizations have seen continuing cargo theft activity, specifically targeting electronics, pharmaceuticals and other high end products. Shippers of these commodities in particular should avoid putting any loads on the road that will not travel directly to their destination.
FreightWatch recommends drivers remain vigilant and maintain communication with their dispatch when stopping at high risk areas such as truck stops and rest areas. Loads should be staged at secure company yards when ever possible.

For warehousing operations, ensure your security alarm systems are functioning properly. Freight Watch also recommends the following:
Treaty all alarm trouble signal as an intrusion alarm
Do not rely on a backup (cellular/radio) system
If primary alarm fails, assign security officer to patrol facility exterior

THE THINGS PEOPLE USE

2010-09-02T11:12:00.001-07:00

GENERATOR

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

2010-08-26T14:48:00.000-07:00

Salmon or Trout
Olive Oil
Citrus Grill (seasoning)

This works on whole fish as well but I usually use fillets of salmon, steelhead or fresh trout.
You can use any olive oil you like but a peppery one like Filippo Berio is our favorite.
“Citrus Grill” seasoning…the only difficult thing about this recipe is finding this. The only place we’ve ever found it is Sam’s Club.

Wash and pat dry the fillet(s) and lay them skin side up on heavy duty foil large enough to wrap and seal.
Liberally coat the fish with the olive oil and then shake the Citrus Grill to pretty thoroughly cover the fish. You can use a lot, really.
Turn the fish over and do the same with slightly less seasoning.
Fold the foil over and seal longitudinally and then roll the ends to complete.
Preheat your grill…and this is important…it’s got to have an upper rack. Ours is equipped with a thermometer (who knows how accurate) that shows about 400 degrees when ready.
Place the fish on the upper rack and “bake” about 20 minutes. You’ll hear the fish sizzling like mad in the foil but the olive oil and the tight seal protect the fish.
Now for the only exotic touch…and this is optional…
Place some water soaked wood chips on the burner and when they are really smoking, carefully open the longitudinal seal and spread apart to allow the smoke to get to the fish. Be careful that you don’t tear the foil and allow the oil to escape. Turn down the heat and smoke to taste. Usually the chips will smoke better on the lowest setting rather than on high which tends to combust the smoke or with the fire completely off, which usually causes the chips to catch fire and burn clean. We usually smoke the fish until the smoke runs out. Be careful here and don’t allow the fish to dry out too much.
When serving the fish, lift the fish off of the skin which usually sticks to the foil anyway. Remember it’s also overloaded with the Citrus Grill too…pretty salty.
We traditionally serve with Basmati rice and grilled asparagus spears wrapped in Prosciutto sprinkled with Parmesan.
For a much spicier dish you can use the same technique but substituting the Citrus Grill with “Ball’s Cajun Seasoning”…good luck finding it! We have to order ours direct from Reggie Ball at the factory in Louisiana.
No pots, no pans, no clean up and the house stays “fish free” as well.

Labor Day Closures

2010-08-25T06:37:00.000-07:00

http://www.comdata.com/comdata/solutions_regulatory_compliance_state_holiday.jsp

Go to this link for more information on closures and restrictions for the Labor Day Weekend
September 3-6 2010

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

2010-08-20T08:03:00.000-07:00

Basil Shrimp

Ingredients:

2 ½ Tablespoon Olive Oil
¼ Cup Butter Melted
1 ½ Lemons (Juiced)
3 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
½ Cup Minced Fresh Basil Leaves
1 Clove Garlic, Minced
Salt to Taste
White Pepper
3 Pounds Fresh Shrimp Peeled and Deveined
Skewers

Directions:

In a Shallow, non-porous dish or bowl, mix together olive oil and melted butter. Stir in lemon juice, mustard, basil and garlic, and season with salt and white pepper. Add shrimp, and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Preheat grill to high heat. Remove shrimp from marinade and thread onto skewers. Discard marinade.
Lightly oil grill grate, and arrange skewers on pre-heated grill. Cook for 4 minutes, turning once, or until opaque

Serves 9
Prep Time: 25 minutes

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

2010-08-13T13:11:00.000-07:00

Grilled BBQ Chicken Pizza
½ cup chopped Cilantro
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onions
½ cup of your favorite BBQ sauce
Any prepared pizza dough ( I use Pillsbury thin crust in a can)
1-2 cups shredded chicken
½ cup Mozzarella cheese

Make sure you have all your ingredients cut up and ready to go prior to grilling because this goes fast. Heat your Grill up to 450’ range. While that’s heating take your warmed chicken and toss in BBQ sauce. Reserve enough to brush on your crust. When grill is ready put your crust on the grill and when it starts to bubble up flip over and turn your heat down to medium. Brush your sauce on quickly and then sprinkle your cheese on . Next you place your chicken on top of that. Layer red onions and cilantro on top of that close the lid and turn the grill off. If you are worried about burning the bottom you can lay a piece of tin foil down on the grill and when all ingredients are on move the pizza over to the tin foil side and close the lid. Depending on the thickness of your crust this will take 5-9 min generally. I prefer thin crust pizza on the grill versus a thick crust.
*Another option- If you have some wood chips you can soak for 30 min prior to grilling. Drain and put in a tin foil packet with some holes. Place in the smoker while grill is heating up. This will give you a smokier brick oven flavor.

yum

2010-08-09T06:48:00.000-07:00

If you have not tried the recipe below you should. I tried it Friday night and it was super yummy and super easy. I used boneless chicken thighs, and paired it with some fresh corn on the cob bought at the farmers market that afternoon.

To grill the corn I just cut off the silk off the top and emerged the unhusked corn in water for about 20 minutes. I then placed it on the grill right beside the chicken. They were done about the same time.

It was a perfect Friday night summer dinner.

Tune in Friday for a new recipe

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

2010-08-06T10:15:00.000-07:00

Quick & Easy Chicken BBQ Glaze

1 Lipton's onion dry soup mix
½ jar apricot jelly
¼ cup soy sauce
optional dash of lemon pepper
Marinate a bit or just brush on & grill

grill some fresh veggies along side with spray butter and your favorite seasonings
for a tasty side dish.

More funnies

2010-08-03T12:12:00.000-07:00

My friend works for a physician. One day there was an elderly gentleman who's family had scheduled him a biopsy, he was not happy about this and decided the following day to call the physicians office and state that he was canceling his appointment for his autopsy. He was a real grouch about it…

And my funny story goes like this

2010-07-30T07:23:00.000-07:00

........as a kid I thought I could be like Superwoman and fly off the top of a ladder, onto the trampoline. But I landed totally wrong and broke my arm in 2 places. My mom swore my arm wasn’t broken because I wasn’t crying. Then it swelled up with a big lump and she realized we better go to the hospital. The only good part of having to wear a cast all summer was that I could use it to bop my brothers on the head.

So.. What is your funny story

2010-07-29T06:31:00.000-07:00

A few years back me and a couple of friends went fishing down in Southern Utah to a place we had gone the previous year. The fishing was good so we decided to go back and try again.
So we loaded up the boat and headed out. When we arrived we noticed that there was no one else around, but thought we had the entire lake to ourselves. We launched the boat and started to troll. Hours went by but we had no luck. We could not believe it since the year before was so good. A few vehicles drove by and kind of looked at us weird. After most of the day with no fish we decided to go into a near by town we went into a convenience store and casually asked the clerk what was with the fishing at the lake. He told us that the Lake had been Poisoned with chemicals to get rid of trash fish a few months ago. Of coarse we said nothing about us fishing on a poisoned Lake all day. We thought about the good laugh we must have given to all those people driving by.

Thoughts

2010-07-28T10:41:00.001-07:00

Don't be concerned with what you can't do. Work on what you can do - then count your blessings.

Alan Robinson, 56-year-old partially paralyzed marathon runner

2010 July 24th-Pioneer Day events

2010-07-23T08:54:00.000-07:00

If you happen to find yourself in Utah the Weekend of the 24th there will be activities galore to keep you busy. Click on this link for more information through out the state 2010 July 24th-Pioneer Day events

Here are some closer to the Salt Lake Valley

Salt Lake City – July 23 - Brother Brigham's Ball, 7-9 p.m., This is the Place Heritage Park, 2601 East Sunnyside Ave., Tickets $6 adults, $4 children, $10 per couple, $25 per family.July 24 - Sunrise Service - 7 a.m. Tabernacle at Temple Square.Days of 47' Parade - 9 a.m., starts at South Temple and State Street and ends at Liberty Park at 600 East. The Native American Celebration in the Park - Liberty Park, 1100 South 600 East, Food and Craft Booths 7 a.m. until fireworks, Powwow noon until dusk.Fireworks - Liberty Park at dusk, 700 East.

West Valley City - July 19 -24 - Days of '47 Rodeo, 7 p.m. each night, The Maverik Center, 3200 South Decker Lake Dr. Tickets: $5-$45.50 plus fees, Parking $5July 23 - Rocky Mountain Raceway Annual MX Pioneer Day ExtravaganzaJuly 24 - Rocky Mountain Raceway Beehive Nationals, fireworks following race conclusion 655 W. 2100 S. (tickets required).

Sandy – July 24 – Fireworks, Rio Tinto Stadium following Real Salt Lake Soccer match.

Bountiful - July 23 - Handcart Days - Grand Parade, 6 p.m. Main Street from 1500 North, then west to 100 West, Games and activities, noon-10 p.m., games and activities 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, July 24 - Bountiful City Fireworks Show at begins at dusk at Mueller Park Jr. High

What is your funny Story

2010-07-16T09:55:00.000-07:00

Here is one :

When I was little my brother, about 5, and I, about 3, were playing in the backyard while my dad was putting up the new fence. I was playing in the dirt and my brother was practicing his golf swing. I decided the dirt where my brother was looked more fun and when I walked over he took a swing at the ball and hit my head instead. My mom was frantic but my dad wanted to finish the last section of fence before we went to the hospital…and he did!! I had to get stitches in my head and the fence looked great!!

LET FREEDOM RING

2010-07-01T09:05:00.000-07:00

The 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays. The celebrations are numerous all across the country. From the smallest town to the grandest city in the Nation we celebrate our Independence.

We watch parades, we spend time with families, we run the hundreds of 5k's available. We eat too much, and laugh like crazy. We light sparklers and stay up late to see fireworks.

I have stood in this room, where the Declaration of Independence of signed and I have imagined what it must have been like. How they and the country must have felt to have fought for and gained their and our independence.

We can only pray that as Americans we will not forget this gift that was given to us by those that came before. That we will preserve and protect our Freedoms with all our might.

Signs Signs Everywhere Signs

2010-06-22T10:01:00.001-07:00

Happy Memorial Day --- Be Safe

2010-05-28T09:17:00.000-07:00

A History of Memorial Day ---- http://www.usmemorialday.org/backgrnd.html

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service. There are many stories as to its actual beginnings, with over two dozen cities and towns laying claim to being the birthplace of Memorial Day. There is also evidence that organized women's groups in the South were decorating graves before the end of the Civil War: a hymn published in 1867, "Kneel Where Our Loves are Sleeping" by Nella L. Sweet carried the dedication "To The Ladies of the South who are Decorating the Graves of the Confederate Dead" (Source: Duke University's Historic American Sheet Music, 1850-1920). While Waterloo N.Y. was officially declared the birthplace of Memorial Day by President Lyndon Johnson in May 1966, it's difficult to prove conclusively the origins of the day. It is more likely that it had many separate beginnings; each of those towns and every planned or spontaneous gathering of people to honor the war dead in the 1860's tapped into the general human need to honor our dead, each contributed honorably to the growing movement that culminated in Gen Logan giving his official proclamation in 1868. It is not important who was the very first, what is important is that Memorial Day was established. Memorial Day is not about division. It is about reconciliation; it is about coming together to honor those who gave their all.

General John A. LoganLibrary of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, [LC-B8172- 6403 DLC (b&w film neg.)]
Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11, and was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in 1873. By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states. The South refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on separate days until after World War I (when the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war). It is now celebrated in almost every State on the last Monday in May (passed by Congress with the National Holiday Act of 1971 (P.L. 90 - 363) to ensure a three day weekend for Federal holidays), though several southern states have an additional separate day for honoring the Confederate war dead: January 19 in Texas, April 26 in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi; May 10 in South Carolina; and June 3 (Jefferson Davis' birthday) in Louisiana and Tennessee.

In 1915, inspired by the poem "In Flanders Fields," Moina Michael replied with her own poem:

We cherish too, the Poppy red

That grows on fields where valor led,

It seems to signal to the skies

That blood of heroes never dies.

She then conceived of an idea to wear red poppies on Memorial day in honor of those who died serving the nation during war. She was the first to wear one, and sold poppies to her friends and co-workers with the money going to benefit servicemen in need. Later a Madam Guerin from France was visiting the United States and learned of this new custom started by Ms.Michael and when she returned to France, made artificial red poppies to raise money for war orphaned children and widowed women. This tradition spread to other countries. In 1921, the Franco-American Children's League sold poppies nationally to benefit war orphans of France and Belgium. The League disbanded a year later and Madam Guerin approached the VFW for help. Shortly before Memorial Day in 1922 the VFW became the first veterans' organization to nationally sell poppies. Two years later their "Buddy" Poppy program was selling artificial poppies made by disabled veterans. In 1948 the US Post Office honored Ms Michael for her role in founding the National Poppy movement by issuing a red 3 cent postage stamp with her likeness on it.

Traditional observance of Memorial day has diminished over the years. Many Americans nowadays have forgotten the meaning and traditions of Memorial Day. At many cemeteries, the graves of the fallen are increasingly ignored, neglected. Most people no longer remember the proper flag etiquette for the day. While there are towns and cities that still hold Memorial Day parades, many have not held a parade in decades. Some people think the day is for honoring any and all dead, and not just those fallen in service to our country.

There are a few notable exceptions. Since the late 50's on the Thursday before Memorial Day, the 1,200 soldiers of the 3d U.S. Infantry place small American flags at each of the more than 260,000 gravestones at Arlington National Cemetery. They then patrol 24 hours a day during the weekend to ensure that each flag remains standing. In 1951, the Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts of St. Louis began placing flags on the 150,000 graves at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery as an annual Good Turn, a practice that continues to this day. More recently, beginning in 1998, on the Saturday before the observed day for Memorial Day, the Boys Scouts and Girl Scouts place a candle at each of approximately 15,300 grave sites of soldiers buried at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park on Marye's Heights (the Luminaria Program). And in 2004, Washington D.C. held its first Memorial Day parade in over 60 years.

To help re-educate and remind Americans of the true meaning of Memorial Day, the "National Moment of Remembrance" resolution was passed on Dec 2000 which asks that at 3 p.m. local time, for all Americans "To voluntarily and informally observe in their own way a Moment of remembrance and respect, pausing from whatever they are doing for a moment of silence or listening to 'Taps."

The Moment of Remembrance is a step in the right direction to returning the meaning back to the day. What is needed is a full return to the original day of observance. Set aside one day out of the year for the nation to get together to remember, reflect and honor those who have given their all in service to their country.

But what may be needed to return the solemn, and even sacred, spirit back to Memorial Day is for a return to its traditional day of observance. Many feel that when Congress made the day into a three-day weekend in with the National Holiday Act of 1971, it made it all the easier for people to be distracted from the spirit and meaning of the day. As the VFW stated in its 2002 Memorial Day address: "Changing the date merely to create three-day weekends has undermined the very meaning of the day. No doubt, this has contributed greatly to the general public's nonchalant observance of Memorial Day."

Can't you just "sneek" it through

2010-05-28T09:11:00.000-07:00

OD Holiday Restrictions

2010-05-25T06:56:00.000-07:00

Go to this link

Where to get an RFID Tag

2010-05-13T06:17:00.000-07:00

Good Afternoon,

We have run out of our supply of complimentary RFID tags located at the LBC and ITS agencies in the L.A./Long Beach area. We still have an ample supply at the FMC agency in Oakland. Please be advised that drivers needing RFID tags for L.A./Long Beach access will need to purchase them from www.mycleantrucks.com when they purchase their day passes. The cost is $95.00 for the RFID tag and $30.00 for the day pass and must be paid for with a credit or debit card. Once purchased, the tags can be picked up at The Clean Truck Center located at the corner of Pier S and New Dock Street at the Port of Long Beach.

Benjamin Church
Landstar Systems
Power Only Coordinator
(800) 862-9286 ext. 1391
(866) 807-8202 fax
Bchurch@Landstar.com

A Day in the Life of a Cinnamon Bear

2010-05-07T12:23:00.000-07:00

The End of the Story

2010-05-05T06:56:00.000-07:00

Minotaur IV Lite Launch

2010-04-23T14:15:00.000-07:00

4/22/2010 - The first Minotaur IV Lite launch vehicle was successfully launched from Vandenberg AFB at 4 p.m. April 22 from Space Launch Complex-8. The rocket launched the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's Falcon Hypersonic Technology Vehicle 2. We played a major role in this launch, all 3 solid rocket motors were delivered to the launch site by Landstar Carrier Group Salt Lake City Utah. These rocket motors required specialized handle equipment and special drivers to properly deliver the asset to the launch site.
The Minotaur family of launch vehicles are provided via the Orbital/Suborbital Program 2 and managed by the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center, Space Development and Test Wing's Launch Test Squadron located at Kirtland AFB, N.M.

NY/NJ to Implement Clean Truck Program

2010-03-30T09:26:00.001-07:00

Effective January 1, 2011 the ports in NY/NJ will ban all engine model years 1993 and older will be denied access to the marine terminals. On January 1, 2017 only trucks equipped with engines that meet or exceed model year 2007 federal emission standards will be allowed access to the marine terminals. Please be aware that most engine model years are 1 year older than the year of the truck. For instance, a 1994 truck will have an engine model year of 1993.

Port drayage truck owners equipped with engine model year 1993 or older and regularly call the marine terminals (approx 200 times over the last 12 months) can seek financial incentives to replace older vehicles with cleaner, safer and more fuel efficient trucks. Interested parties can visit www.replacemytruck.org or www.cambiamicamion.org. An e-mail address and 800 number has also been set up to answer any questions regarding the financial incentives available. Truck Replacement Program (TRP) can be reached at info@replacemytruck.org or 877-309-1680.

This is just another step towards clean truck programs that will soon be enforced at all the major ports. As most of you know the California Ports were the first to implement such a program but has been riddled with all types of issues. I don’t anticipate other ports following in the same footsteps as California but it is their intention to clean up the air in and around the major ports across the country.

As I receive additional information on how the NY/NJ ports intend to enforce this ruling I will pass along. We have noticed in recent months that NY/NJ ports were added as an option on the eModal website that we currently use to register driver access to the ports in California, Baltimore and Philadelphia. At this point in time we are unsure on how they intend to utilize this function.

I would suggest passing along this information to any broker carriers that you may utilize to access the ports in NY/NJ to ensure they are compliant at the beginning of the year when this ruling is enforced.

Signs of Spring

2010-03-24T13:34:00.000-07:00

MN Frost Laws

2010-03-08T06:41:00.000-08:00

Minnesota Department of Transportation

Office of Materials & Road Research
Mailstop 645
1400 Gervais Avenue Office: 651-366-5592
Maplewood, MN 55109 Fax: 651-366-5461

SEASONAL LOAD LIMIT NOTIFICATION

Date: March 4, 2010

Subject: ENDING DATE for Winter Load Increases and STARTING DATE for Spring Load Restrictions in the SOUTH, SOUTHEAST and METRO FROST ZONES
POSTING UPDATE

The ENDING DATE of Winter Load Increases and STARTING DATE of Spring Load Restrictions in the SOUTH, SOUTHEAST and METRO FROST ZONES will be Monday, March 8, 2010 at 12:01 AM.

Spring Load Restrictions are not yet in effect for the CENTRAL, NORTH-CENTRAL, and NORTH FROST ZONES. Until further notice, Winter Load Increases remain in effect in these zones.

Road Restriction maps indicating the locations of weight restricted routes and those state highways open to maximum ten-ton axle weights are listed on the Mn/DOT Seasonal Load Limits website at www.dot.state.mn.us/materials. Click on “Seasonal Load Limits,” then click on “Spring Load Restrictions (SLR).” Also available is a text list of the restricted segments along with exceptions to the map.

MIDDLE-RANGE and FULL-SUMMER OVERWEIGHT PERMITS
Use of middle-range and full-summer overweight permits end when the Winter Load Increases are removed. No overweight permits are issued during the Spring Load Restriction period. Middle-range overweight permits are available within each frost zone starting when Spring Load Restrictions are lifted. Full-summer overweight permits are available within each frost zone starting two to three weeks after Spring Load Restrictions are lifted. Use of middle-range and full-summer overweight permits end when the Winter Load Increases are removed the following year.

For questions about legal weight/size trucking call:
Minnesota Department of Public Safety
State Patrol - Commercial Vehicle Enforcement
(651) 405-6171 (select Option 3, Option 3)

For questions about over legal weight/size "heavy haul" trucking call:
Minnesota Department of Transportation
Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations - Oversize/Weight Permits
(651) 296-6000

The ending dates for Spring Load Restrictions are based on how weather is affecting roadway strength. These dates are established by monitoring roadway strength as weather conditions change. Therefore, the ending dates for Spring Load Restrictions are variable.

Note that the ending date of the Winter Load Increases is NOT directly tied to the start of Spring Load Restrictions, ALTHOUGH they COULD be the same date.

All changes are made with a minimum three-day notice.

As soon as a date is set, Mn/DOT will report this date on its 24-hour automated message center at 1-800-723-6543 for the USA and Canada, and locally at 651‑366‑5400 for the Minneapolis/St Paul area. This information is also published on the Mn/DOT Seasonal Load Limits website: www.dot.state.mn.us/materials.

We thought it was over

2010-03-05T11:34:00.001-08:00

photo taken from the Photo of the Day Link Snowbird

What are Frost Laws and Where should I look for them

2010-03-04T14:08:00.000-08:00

Frost law
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Frost laws are seasonal restrictions on road traffic weight limits and speeds.
In climates that experience below freezing temperatures, frost heaving damage to roads have led to many states to enact laws.
The U.S. State of Michigan, for example, during the months of March, April and May reduce legal axle weights of vehicles by up to 35%. Some areas also require heavy vehicles to travel a maximum of 35 miles per hour (56 km/h), regardless of the posted limit.
Frost laws have a significant impact to the excavation and construction industries. Building projects, in some cases, cannot begin because the excavation equipment can not be legally transported until the ground thaws.

USA Rocks

2010-02-18T09:00:00.000-08:00

go here for some great pictures from the olympics

here are some others... I think I want to be a sports photographer..

As of this morning 2/18 the USA holds 14 Metals. see chart here

Happy Valentines

2010-02-12T08:54:00.001-08:00

The History of Valentines.... from History.com

Every February, across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint and why do we celebrate this holiday? The history of Valentine's Day — and its patron saint — is shrouded in mystery. But we do know that February has long been a month of romance. St. Valentine's Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. So, who was Saint Valentine and how did he become associated with this ancient rite? Today, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred.

One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men — his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.

Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured.
According to one legend, Valentine actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself. While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl — who may have been his jailor's daughter — who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed 'From your Valentine,' an expression that is still in use today. Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories certainly emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and, most importantly, romantic figure. It's no surprise that by the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most popular saints in England and France.
While some believe that Valentine's Day is celebrated in the middle of February to commemorate the anniversary of Valentine's death or burial — which probably occurred around 270 A.D — others claim that the Christian church may have decided to celebrate Valentine's feast day in the middle of February in an effort to 'christianize' celebrations of the pagan Lupercalia festival. In ancient Rome, February was the official beginning of spring and was considered a time for purification. Houses were ritually cleansed by sweeping them out and then sprinkling salt and a type of wheat called spelt throughout their interiors. Lupercalia, which began at the ides of February, February 15, was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus

If your in Oakland CA

2010-02-11T06:33:00.001-08:00

Customer Service Center Open House
Learn more about the Oakland Port Registry Program, meet the staff and enjoy great Bar-B-Que

Open House
at the Port's
New Customer Service Center
DATE: Wed. February 17, 2010
TIME: 11:30am - 2:30pm
LOCATION: Enter location here
MORE: 2475 B West 12th Street
Off Maritime Street accross from Port America Terminal
You will have an opportunity to receive presentations and more information regarding the Oakland Port Registry, including STEP compliance and data entry into the Port of Oakland's DTR.

Come and meet Port of Oakland staff and Customer Service personnel.
Port of Oakland
Customer Service Center
Oakland, California 94607
(510) 267-1800 (866) 332-70

go here for more information

What to do in February in Utah

2010-02-04T09:50:00.000-08:00

Yes, there is more to do in Utah than Ski in February... however if here you should at least have dinner at one of our fabulous resorts.

Winter is the time for "shows" in our fair state at the Southtown Expo we have

Feb 6-7 The Great Train Show

Feb 11-14 The Utah Boat Show and Watersport Expo

Feb 18-21 Utah RV Show

Feb 26-27 The Safe Kids Fair

At the Salt Palace

Feb 11-21 Western Hunting & Conservation Expo

Feb 23-24 Western Winter Sports Reps Expo

Feb 25 BSA 100th Anniversary

Olympic Events Feb 12-28

Ice Oval Opening Ceremony Feb 12th

Enjoy your stay

Utah Events

Be Ware of Frost Laws

2010-02-02T13:55:00.000-08:00

It’s that time of year again when several Northern states enact frost laws to protect their roadways during the spring thaw. The states of Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and the Canadian provinces have frost law restrictions during the spring. These laws greatly reduce the weight allowances for permitted shipments over 80,000lbs gross weight. In some cases, it can take 9 or 10 axles to move a commodity that would normally be moved on 6 axles. These frost laws normally begin in March and could remain in effect until June.

It is the Agent’s responsibility to make sure overweight shipments will be able to travel in these states and Canada before dispatching the load.

Last year, Wisconsin began some of their restrictions on March 3, Minnesota began on March 8, and Michigan began on Feb 12. Nevada already has restrictions in place on certain highways.

Please click on the state links below for more information or give the Heavy Specialized Operations department a call in Jacksonville at 800-235-7039 or in Rockford at 800-684-7968.

Michigan Alberta
Wisconsin British Columbia
Minnesota Manitoba
Nevada New Brunswick
North Dakota Northwest Territories
South Dakota Nova Scotia
Ontario
Prince Edward Island
Quebec
Saskatchewan
Yukon Territory

Happy Ground Hog Day

2010-02-02T07:04:00.000-08:00

February 2, 2010 - around 7:30 am ET - Punxsutawney, PA
Phil saw his shadow and thus we are headed for 6 more weeks of winter!

Groundhog Day is a holiday celebrated on February 2. It is held in the United States and Canada. According to folklore, if a groundhog emerging from its burrow on this day fails to see its shadow, it will leave the burrow, signifying that winter will soon end. If on the other hand, the groundhog sees its shadow, the groundhog will supposedly retreat into its burrow, and winter will continue for six more weeks.[1] The holiday, which began as a Pennsylvania German custom in southeastern and central Pennsylvania in the 18th and 19th centuries, has its origins in ancient European weather lore, wherein a badger or sacred bear is the prognosticator as opposed to a groundhog.[2] The holiday also bears some similarities to the medieval Catholic holiday of Candlemas.[3] It also bears similarities to the Pagan festival of Imbolc, the seasonal turning point of the Celtic calendar, which is celebrated on February 1 and also involves weather prognostication.[4]
Modern customs of the holiday involve celebrations where early morning festivals are held to watch the groundhog emerging from its burrow. In southeastern Pennsylvania, Groundhog Lodges (Grundsow Lodges) celebrate the holiday with fersommlinge,[5] social events in which food is served, speeches are made, and one or more g'spiel (plays or skits) are performed for entertainment. The Pennsylvania German dialect is the only language spoken at the event, and those who speak English pay a penalty, usually in the form of a nickel, dime or quarter, per word spoken, put into a bowl in the center of the table.[6]
The largest Groundhog Day celebration is held in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, where crowds as high as 40,000[7] have gathered to celebrate the holiday since at least 1886.[8] Other celebrations of note in Pennsylvania take place in Quarryville in Lancaster County,[9] the Anthracite Region of Schuylkill County,[10] the Sinnamahoning Valley[11] and Bucks County.[12] Outside of Pennsylvania, notable celebrations occur in the Frederick and Hagerstown areas of Maryland,[13] the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia,[14] Woodstock, Illinois,[15] and among the Amish populations of over twenty states and Canada.[14] The University of Dallas in Irving, Texas has taken Groundhog Day as its official university holiday and organizes a large-scale celebration every year in honor of the Groundhog.[16]
Groundhog Day received worldwide attention as a result of the 1993 film of the same name, Groundhog Day, which was set in Punxsutawney and featured Punxsutawney Phil.[17]

information from Wikipedia

photo National Geographic

Full Moon

2010-01-29T13:29:00.000-08:00

Tonight's full moon will be the biggest and brightest full moon of the year. It offers anyone with clear skies an opportunity to identify easy-to-see features on the moon.

This being the first full moon of 2010, it is also known as the wolf moon, a moniker dating back to Native American culture and the notion that hungry wolves howled at the full moon on cold winter nights. Each month brings another

full moon name.

But why will this moon be bigger than others? Here's how the moon works:

The moon is, on average, 238,855 miles (384,400 km) from Earth. The moon's orbit around Earth – which causes it to go through all its phases once every 29.5 days – is not a perfect circle, but rather an ellipse. One side of the orbit is 31,070 miles (50,000 km) closer than the other.
So in each orbit, the moon reaches this closest point to us, called perigee. Once or twice a year, perigee coincides with a full moon, as it will tonight, making the moon bigger and brighter than any other full moons during the year.

Tonight it will be about 14 percent wider and 30 percent brighter than lesser full Moons of the year, according to

Spaceweather.com.

As a bonus,

Mars will be just to the left of the moon tonight. Look for the reddish, star-like object.

Full moon craziness

Many people think full moons

cause strange behavior among animals and even humans. In fact several studies over the years have tried to tie lunar phases to births, heart attacks, deaths, suicides, violence, psychiatric hospital admissions and epileptic seizures, and more. Connections have been inclusive or nonexistent.

The moon does have some odd effects on our planet, and there are oodles of other

amazing moon facts and misconceptions:

A full moon at perigee also brings higher ocean tides. This tug of the moon on Earth also creates tides in the planet's crust, not just in the oceans.

Beaches are

more polluted during full moon, owing to the higher tides.
In reality, there's no such thing as a full moon. The full moon occurs when the sun, Earth and the moon are all lined up, almost. If they're perfectly aligned, Earth casts a shadow on the moon and there's a total lunar eclipse. So during what we call a full moon, the moon's face is actually slightly less than 100 percent illuminated.

The moon is

moving away as you read this, by about 1.6 inches (4 cm) a year.

The moon illusion

Finally, be sure to get out and see the full moon as it rises, right around sunset. Along the horizon, the moon tends to seem even bigger. This is just an illusion.
You can prove to yourself that this is an illusion. Taking a small object such as a pencil eraser, hold it at arm's length, and compare its size to that of the moon just as it rises. Then repeat the experiment later in the night and you'll see that the moon compares the same in both cases. Alternately, snap two photos of the moon, with a digital camera or your cell phone, when the moon is near the horizon and later when it's higher in the sky. Pull both photos up on your computer screen and make a side-by-side comparison.

Astronomers and psychologists agree the moon illusion is just that, but they don't agree on how to explain it.

Tonight's Full Moon: What You Can See
See Mars at its Best Right Now
Gallery: Full Moon Photos
Original Story: Biggest and Brightest Full Moon of 2010 Tonight

Story from Yahoo news

A Glilmpse of today's temperatures

2010-01-12T07:17:00.000-08:00

Let the Games Begin

2010-01-06T08:11:00.000-08:00

February 12 marks the opening of the 2010 Winter Olympic in Vancouver Canada . They will end on February 28, 2010. For more information regarding the games you can go here.

We will be transporting these buses from Salt Lake City to the Games Site. They will assist in transporting spectators , reporters, and athletics to the various events .

It is always fun to be involved in these types of events even if it is in the smallest manner.

I can remember when the games were held here in Salt Lake City in 2002. (click Salt Lake City for more information). There was such an electricity in the air. The high rise buildings were draped with images of athletes. The Olympic Rings burned on the hill side. This blog writer actually hiked up to the rings late one Friday night. My camera malfunctioned and much to my distress I don't have any photos... just an amazing memory of this beautiful site.

These photos are from the KSL.com website... this one is just gorgeous

This blog writer is also a runner and we (my husband and I) run at the Olympic Ice Oval near Salt Lake City. Since summer it has been fun to watch the training process of the speed skating athletes, and the making of the ice. (this is an absolutely fascinating process). We have watched the the following teams train, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Norway as well as the USA. There was even one sighting of Apollo Anton Ohno Olympic and World Cup Champion.

We here in SLC wish the Athletics and the hosts of the games success and good luck.

The Road to Success

2010-01-05T09:54:00.001-08:00

Landstar publishes a magazine called the Road to Success. In the winter 2009 issue there is an article called "Do You Tweet". It highlights all the ways social media is now beginning used in the business world. Our Blog site is featured in the article on page 41. (I will post photo later)
I just wish they would have published the blog address for people to look at.

If you have access to the magazine take a peek at it. ( I do not believe they have an on line site)

ALL PASSENGERS MUST CARRY TWIC

2009-12-09T14:46:00.000-08:00

Truck Drivers Are Not Authorized To EscortAnyone On The Marine Terminals

Please advise your drivers they are not allowed to bring driver trainees*, children, spouses, friends or relatives to the marine terminals. The US Coast Guard and Customs and Border Protection prohibit unauthorized passengers in truck cabs when entering marine terminals at the Port of New York and New Jersey.
Everyone who needs access to the restricted areas of marine terminals must have a TWIC in his or her possession. There are no exceptions. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in an arrest for criminal trespassing and/or the suspension of your SeaLink privileges.
Additionally, for safety reasons, passengers cannot be dropped off outside the terminal gates while you or your driver are inside the terminal.
Please make sure that all of your drivers are aware of these requirements and the consequences for non-compliance. We appreciate your cooperation and assistance in keeping our ports secure.

Sincerely,
Bethann RooneyManager, Port Security The Port Authority of NY & NJ 225 Park Avenue South 11th Floor New York, NY 10003 212.435.4215
*Check with terminal operators for their policies. Driver trainees with a valid TWIC may be admitted with advanced notification.

Lights Lights every where lights

2009-12-08T07:21:00.000-08:00

If you find yourself in the Salt Lake City area during December .... here is a list of the many light displays that I am aware of that are worth the time seeing . You might need to trade your big truck for a car for the driver through one. Must have a fee attached... the lights at Temple Square there is no charge.

Thanksgiving Point Lehi Utah

Hogle Zoo-- Zoo Lights

I hear this display is amazing

Candlelight Christmas at This is the Place Monument

Spanish Fork Festival of Lights... (no on line pictures)

Temple Square --Salt Lake City

this display is a walk through and the cost is free.... and you must see it to believe it ... absolutely amazing... they begin putting the lights up in August and finish taking them down in March or April... Truly a sight to behold

Gallivan Center--

There is not charge to walk through the center. There is an outdoor public skating rink.

Fantasy at the Bay---- Willard Bay State Park--Willard Utah

I have seen this display from I 15-- but have never taken the time to drive through it ... but it does look amazing...

Enjoy your Holiday Stay while here in the Salt Lake area... Merry Christmas

Container Terminals Introduce TruckTags to Comply with Port of Oakland’s Ban on Dirty Trucks

2009-12-03T06:59:00.000-08:00

OAKLAND, Calif., December 2, 2009 – Beginning Tuesday, December 15, 2009, the container terminals at the Port of Oakland will require trucks to be equipped with radio frequency identification (RFID) devices called TruckTags and be registered in eModal’s TruckerCheck system.
In order to reduce air pollution, the Port of Oakland has announced that as of January 1, 2010, it will ban from marine terminals all drayage trucks with engine year models earlier than 1994. Model year 1994 to 2003 trucks must be retrofitted with diesel particulate filters or engines that meet equivalent standards. The ban requires the Port of Oakland’s container terminals to deny entry to drayage trucks that don’t meet these standards, which are set by the California Air Resources Board (CARB). Tags are required by December 15 to allow for testing and ensure operational capacity in advance of the January 1, 2010, deadline.
With TruckTags, the port’s container terminals are using RFID technology to meet the heightened air quality requirements while maintaining the efficient flow of cargo through the Oakland port and minimizing truck idling time. Similar to E-ZPass and FasTrak automated toll systems, RFID tags installed on the truck’s driver-side rearview mirror are automatically read at the port using specialized scanning antennas that validate the CARB clearance of the truck.
Trucking companies should complete the following steps to prepare for the January 1, 2010, clean trucks requirement:
• Register in eModal’s TruckerCheck system.
• Obtain tags by logging onto www.emodal.com and selecting "Trucks/RFID/Buy RFID Tags."
• Once you receive your RFID TruckTag, register the tag numbers in the eModal TruckerCheck system, which will activate the TruckTag in the system.
• Install the RFID TruckTag using the instructions included with the tag.
• Register your truck in CARB’s Drayage Truck Registry (www.arb.ca.gov/drayagetruck).
More information about the TruckTag program is available at the website of The Oakland Marine Terminal Operators Association, http://www.oakmtoa.org , www.emodal.com and www.portofoakland.com.

From support_oak7th@mtcorp.com

Important Notice

2009-11-30T14:42:00.001-08:00

Important Message to Licensed Motor Carriers and
Independent Owner Operators!

dECEMBER 1, 2009 THE PORTS OF LONG BEACH AND LOS ANGELES WILL REINSTATE THE $30 dAY pASS FEE
Licensed motor carriers (LMCs) that require intermittent access to the marine terminals at both the Port of Long Beach and the Port of Los Angeles must obtain and pay $30 for a Day Pass to enter the marine terminals. The Day Pass fee for both Ports is scheduled to take effect on December 1, 2009.

The $30 Day Pass fee will require intermittent users of the marine terminals to purchase a new Day Pass for each day that access to the ports is required. Intermittent visitors to marine terminals will be required to equip their trucks with a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag. A registered RFID tag is required to access all terminals in both ports.

The Day Pass system has the following features.
A Day Pass must be purchased using a major credit card online at www.mycleantrucks.com. Cost for the Pass is $30.
A Day Pass will be good for one calendar day only and provides access to all marine terminals at the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. Once the calendar day is over, a new Day Pass must be purchased to access the terminals.
LMCs will be limited to a maximum of 24 Day Passes per truck per year.
A valid, activated and properly registered RFID tag is required to access all terminals in both ports.
If you have been issued an RFID tag by eModal, Pier Pass or Port Check previously, you will be able to reuse that RFID for Day Passes you purchase.
If you have not acquired and registered an RFID tag for this purpose in the past, you may purchase an RFID tag for $75 plus local sales tax as part of the Day Pass purchase.

For more information regarding the purchase of a Day Pass please visit the following websites: www.portoflosangeles.org/CTP/idx_ctp.asp or www.polb.com/cleantrucks.
Call the Clean Trucks Program Help Line - (866) 721 - 5686
Contact the Clean Trucks Center - 888-KLN-TRUX (888-556-8789

Dang it

2009-11-28T22:27:00.000-08:00

The Utes lost 26-23 in overtime. Better luck next year.

Thanksgiving Weekend

2009-11-25T12:45:00.000-08:00

Everyone at SAM/SLC wish you a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving Holiday. We have so much to be thankful for. Just look around you and you will see.

Our office will be closed on Thursday 11/26 and will reopen on 11/27 at 6am. We will have a small crew here to handle your needs.

Also this weekend kicks off the UPS Holiday freight season, and there will be someone in the office 24/7 until Christmas. There are still some opportunites available if you are interested please call our office.

And the most awaitied for game of the season... Red vs Blue.... or in other words
Utah VS BYU at Provo. GOOOOOOOOOO Utah !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is a much anticipated game here in Utah... if you are around SLC at all you will most likely see a sea of RED dotted with Blue... if you jump over the point of the mountain to Utah County... you are likely to see the opposite.

you can go here to read an interesting blog regarding the match up.

Have a nice weekend...

UTAH BY FIVE

Thanksgiving is coming soon

2009-11-19T10:25:00.000-08:00

please click on here for a list of road closures

(photo from flickr)

A Salute to our Military past and present

2009-11-12T07:20:00.000-08:00

Happy Veterans Day ...

Fall in Utah

2009-10-27T10:24:00.000-07:00

Beautiful Photos of fall submitted by members of our office staff

Pumpkins at Gardner Village W Jordan, Utah

Sundance, Utah

Mini Pumpkin

Millcreek Canyon Near Salt Lake City

A Tree in a Taylorsville, UT Neighborhood

American Fork Canyon near American Fork, UT

Fall in Utah is short, but beautiful. Enjoy---- because today it is snowing

Eagle Marine Services - Los Angeles: GGS Announcement effective immediately

2009-10-15T14:10:00.000-07:00

Dear Valued Truckers,

Recently there have been a large number of wherenet tags being removed from the chassis prior to ingating the terminal. This is a serious offense as the tags are a vital part of our inventory system. We are currently reviewing our data and those truckers we deem to be removing the tags will be billed accordingly . We will be invoicing truckers by trucking company and license plate numbers. The amount billed is $150. per offense.

If you have any questions regarding the billing please contact:

David Mendez @ 310-548-8854

Terin Cygan @ 310-548-8743

Thank you,
GGS Management

(received information from a broadcast e mail from E Modal )

Holy Cow!!!!! That is big

2009-10-15T06:46:00.000-07:00

Bert and Edith Weins

Mid tower section (of a windmill) from the Port of Houston (orgin Shanghai) to... The Shakopee Sioux Community resort in Prior Lake Minnesota.

Article from the Peninsula Daily News

2009-10-02T08:41:00.000-07:00

INDIAN ISLAND -- Three rocket boosters that will be used in a 2010 launch from Kodiak Island will stop off at Naval Magazine Indian Island late this month.

The Navy base in Port Townsend Bay will assist the Air Force Space Command's Space Development and Test Wing at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico in transporting the rocket boosters.

The three motors, which will use rocket fuel, will be shipped from Hill Air Force Base, Utah, to Naval Magazine Indian Island, said Tonya Racasner, Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center media relations representative, based in El Segundo, Calif., who did not specify which day the motors are expected to arrive at the base.

The three rocket motors will be transported to Indian Island over the road on commercial heavy haulers.

The rocket motors will be installed at the Kodiak Launch Complex starting in early 2010 for the launch planned for May 2010.

photos supplies by BCO's

Golfing for Wishes

2009-09-29T13:32:00.000-07:00

Every year the SAM/SLC agency hosts a Golf Tournament in September. All proceeds go to the Make-A-Wish Foundation®. This year the Make-A-Wish® Golfing for Wishes Tournament earned $12,500.00. Here are also a few pictures of the family that was helped through Make-A-Wish®.

"Since 1980, the Make-A-Wish Foundation® has enriched the lives of children with life-threatening medical conditions through its wish-granting work. The Foundation's mission reflects the life-changing impact that a Make-A-Wish® experience has on children, families, referral sources, donors, sponsors and entire communities." make a wish mission statement

Click here to learn more about Make-A-Wish® or to find out how you can help make a child's wish come true.

Save The Manatees

2009-09-18T14:35:00.000-07:00

Manatees are Florida’s official state marine mammal. They are listed as endangered at the international level by the IUCN World Conservation Union, at the federal level by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and at the state level by the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).

The Florida Manatee Recovery Plan was developed as a result of the Endangered Species Act. The recovery plan is coordinated by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) and sets forth a list of tasks geared toward recovering manatees from their current endangered status.

With the help of drivers Hoyt and Steve from TOG Transport Inc we delivered these heaters

that will be placed in the bay to keep the water warm.... so that the Manatees will not get cold and leave. Most Manatee deaths are reported to be caused by being hit by boats or other vessels.

If you would like more information about the Manatees click here

Red Rock Country

2009-09-04T11:53:00.001-07:00

We had a few deliveries in beautiful Moab Utah. These pictures are from BCO Danny Price 551939 and the person next to the truck is Gary McKinnon , Project Manager on the job.

If you have not ever visited Moab UT you should do so. I do believe it is some of the most beautiful scenery in the US..

REMINDER

2009-08-28T09:06:00.001-07:00

NEXT WEEKEND IS LABOR DAY...

LOTS OF TRAFFIC DELAYS FOR OD LOAD

PLEASE BE SAFE

New SeaLink Office

2009-08-17T07:06:00.000-07:00

Giant Granite Lions

2009-08-10T15:15:00.000-07:00

What a fun time I had this morning. I was able to watch these lions be unloaded at their new home, the Utah State Capitol. BCO's Joe Moraski 548552 and Harland Shade 534058 brought them safe and sound all the way from OH. They will sit in all their majesty on the west side of the capitol building. Last year we were able to deliver their cousins that sit on the east side of the building. Each Lion was about 11 feet long 8 feet tall and just shy of 20,000 lbs. On the truck they looked small... but on the capitol they look huge... funny how prescective works

Please enjoy this slide show... leave us a comment if you feel so inclined.

Loads, Loads, Loads

2009-07-31T10:58:00.000-07:00

Pieces for the project in Climax Colorado .

More on the Days of 47

2009-07-23T06:41:00.001-07:00

I was finally able to confirm there WILL be fireworks at Liberty Park the night of the 24th ... generally they begin about 10pm. Go here for more information . Happy Pioneer Day
Be Safe

Co Worker Thomas Sporting a New Hat

2009-07-17T11:34:00.000-07:00

we are not sure when the safari is .... we will keep you updated. :)