Summary
of Significant
NTDC Committee 2009 Decisions
1. San Jose
Out/Pittsburgh In: We learned while we were in San Jose for our planning
meeting that the Fire Marshal was not okay with us driving in the convention
center despite numerous e-mails over a 2 ½ year period to the contrary. I’ll
spare you the details of the efforts made to change his mind, because in the
end, we all decided it was in everyone’s best interest to walk away. In truth,
it was a lifesaver. San Jose would have been expensive in a year where I had
already been notified that I would be losing $45,000 in sponsor-ships. Which
brings me to Pittsburgh – they have agreed to host our competition at a
considerable savings both in terms of room rate and convention center rate - so
in the end all is well with the world. The dates are the same –Aug. 18-22,
2009.
Step Van: The Committee approved the creation of a National Step Van
Driving Championships. Here are the details:
Although it is a
separate competition it will be run at the same time and place as the NTDC.
Depending on how many competitors we have (how many State TDC’s hold a Step Van
competition and send winners), the step vans may be integrated into the existing
course or on a separate course.
It is a two year trial to see if we have the level of participation and
commitment that warrants a competition.
For now, there will not be a separate rulebook. There will be a supplemental
document that will accompany the TDC rulebook that will refer to the
qualifications/eligibility rules of the TDC rulebook that apply to the SVDC
competition. Facts for Drivers will be the study tool for SVDC competitors.
It will be an open competition – that is a driver does not have to be a step van
driver to compete in the Step Van championships, although he/she does have to
perform the regular duties of a truck driver (as set forth in the NTDC
Rulebook). Note: Having it an open competition will no doubt guarantee we have
the level of participation and commitment to warrant its continuance.
Can be a CDL or non-CDL driver but if non-CDL he/she must drive step van or
other Commercial Motor Vehicle (must be employed by a motor carrier or be a
dedicated owner operator in accordance with the current rulebook). No driver may
drive his/her own company’s equipment (at NTDC).
The SVDC competitor will have the same areas of competition: written exam,
pre-trip inspection and skills course. (See “Personal Interview” decision
below). The SVDC written exam will be the same as the NTDC exam. The time
constraints for the pre-
trip and skills test will be the same as straight truck. Skills test course will
be left up to the course designer – i.e., whether it needs to be tightened.
There will be a SVDC finals competition run on Saturday.
Because technically it is a separate competition, it is not counted in the NTDC
Grand Champion or the other “special awards” – it will not be counted toward the
Team Trophy – at least for year one.
Three points of contact and “normal driving position” will be required (i.e., no
hanging outside the step van door.
The step van to be used in competition should have a GVWR of more than 10,001
lbs. but less than 26,000 lbs. (will be at NTDC).
The NTDC Committee will be tracking participation, scores, timing, etc. over the
two year period to determine if any changes need to be made or if it’s
continuation makes sense.
The SVDC has its own wildcard and first timer (doesn’t count towards TDC’s).
Personal Interview:
The NTDC Committee voted to discontinue the Personal Interview portion of the
NTDC Competition. After looking at several years of experience, they determined
it was too subjective, the judges carried their own biases, and it was hard to
get law enforcement judges that wanted to do Personal Interview.
Summary of Rulebook Changes:
Chapter V, Section B,
clarifies that in order to be eligible to compete, owner opera-tors, driver
owners and the like, as well as driver trainers and driver supervisors must meet
the requirements set forth in bullets 2-5 (in short, perform the regular duties
of a truck driver at least 1200 hours and 60% of the time, and for 11 of the 12
months), and further states that those whose primary duties are supervising,
and/or managing the operation and/or business are not eligible. Also language
will be added to recognize that the professional truck driver may and often does
perform functions in addition to the “regular duties of a truck driver” as set
forth in this paragraph 2 and that it is just as important that such driver
perform these additional responsibilities safely and professionally; therefore,
the accident-free, safe driving requirements and definitions set forth in this
Chapter V, Section D (below) shall apply to those additional functions that
involve the operation of equipment, including but not limited to hostling or
driving the company automobile. (We will be adding language further defining
commercial motor carrier vehicle.)
Chapter V, Section J is eliminated (no longer applies)
Chapter V, Section K – new last subparagraph is added: Those motor carriers
whose employees, dedicated owner-operator, driver-owner, or the like, are being
entered into a Truck Driving Championships competition, are responsible for
collecting and maintaining records that, if requested, would prove such
contestants’ eligibility including but not limited to dates employed or
contracted, hours worked and miles driven performing the regular duties of a
truck driver, residence and/or CDL issuing state, and accident-free record. If
formally requested, such documentation must be provided to the asking party
(State TDC rep or NTDC rep.) within 30 days of the request or no later than two
weeks prior to the nationals, whichever is earlier.
Chapter V, Section M: Adding language (as bolded) to further clarify. In the
event that a State Champion is unable to compete due to disqualification,
ineligibility or for personal reasons, the second place winner in the same
class may compete in the ATA National Truck Driving Championships if otherwise
qualified. For purposes of this rule, disqualifying acts are defined in Chapter
V, Section M paragraphs 17-19; acts or situations that render a State Champion
ineligible are defined in Chapter V; and personal reasons are intended to
include family emergencies, financial circumstance and/or a desire not to
compete. For further clarification, in the case of a State Champion who is a
non-ATA member and neither subparagraphs (a) nor (b) of Chapter V, Section A,
paragraph 1 apply, the second place winner in the same class may compete.
Chapter V, Section C: The NTDC Committee determined that an exemption to (a
“relaxation of”) the “Length of Employment” rule was necessary and appropriate
during times of significant economic difficulties. Therefore, for 2009 (a year
of recession), a driver who has been laid off due to “the economic conditions of
[his/her] employer” will still be eligible to compete if he/she performs the
normal duties of a truck driver for at least 10 of the 12 months and 1200
hours; he/she meets all of the other eligibility requirements; and he/she is
performing the regular duties of a truck driver at/during the time of the State
and National TDCs. In other words, the Committee is allowing a driver to be laid
off for as many as 60 days as long as he/she meets all the other rules and is
working as a truck driver for the entering employer at the time of competition.
Retirement Rule: ATA will be sending a note to those drivers (and their
supervisors) who have competed at NTDC in the same class for two years in a row
or who competed at NTDC in the same class in 2006 and 2007 and sat out in 2008
to remind them that they must sit out of that class of competition for two
years. ATA will also provide the states with the complete list of those drivers
(who we know about) that must select another class in order to be eligible to
compete in 2009; however, State TDC may want to remind those who competed and
won at the State TDC two years in a row (who might not have gone
to NTDC).
5. TR Forms: We will be providing the TR forms at no cost electronically to state associations this year – everyone is going to need all the help they can get!
6. State Committee
Members: Last, but certainly not intended to be least, because
the input of our State Trucking Association representatives on the NTDC
Committee has been extremely valuable and appreciated, the NTDC Committee made
Patti Olsgard (CMCA) and Rick Cates (NCTA) permanent members of the Committee
(until such time as they can’t or don’t want to serve) and added a third State
Trucking Association seat on the NTDC Committee with a two