When is a tractor not a tractor?

When is a farm tractor not a farm tractor? When it’s a commercial motor vehicle.

That’s how thousands of tractors, combines, and other agricultural vehicles could be classified if the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has its way. In late May, FMCSA issued a notice requesting public comment on how the agency regulates farm vehicles and their drivers, and whether states should change they way they apply those regulations.

FMCSA and groups such as the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) want to make farm vehicles subject to many of the same rules imposed on long-haul truck drivers. The proposed revision to 49 CFR Parts 383 and 390 (Docket no. FMCSA 2011-0146) would require drivers of farm machinery and other vehicles to abide by such regulations as the hours-of-service rule and commercial drivers license requirements. The agency also wants to ensure that the states consistently apply federal regulations to agricultural vehicles and that they adopt a uniform definition of who and what types of equipment are subject to those rules.

Will we soon see John Deeres and International Harvesters lined up at truck stops? Probably not. But over-the-road drivers who are renewing their CDLs may see a lot of guys in overalls waiting in line with them. ;

We’re green—and
we can prove it

“Supply chain sustainability” is a term we’re hearing a lot lately. But it’s not always easy to distinguish the truth from the marketing hype. To bring some transparency to the process, the International Warehouse Logistics Association (IWLA), an organization of warehouse-based logistics companies, has developed a program that will help its members quantify and verify their achievements. Called the Sustainable Logistics Initiative, the program requires participants to track, report, and monitor their progress in three areas:

▪ Environmental responsibility, including the “green” aspects of sustainability, such as waste disposal, recycling, and consumption of electricity, fuel, and water;

▪ Social responsibility, including safety and community activity measurements; and

▪ Profit responsibility, including cost savings through increased efficiencies and improved operational excellence.

By participating in the Sustainable Logistics Initiative, IWLA member companies will be able to provide their clients with proof of sustainable practices. All sustainability-related processes and accomplishments will be verified by a neutral, independent organization, the Sustainable Supply Chain Foundation. SSCF provides consulting services, funding, and research related to sustainability in global and domestic supply chain and transportation-related industries. ;

inbound

DC VELOCITY, Supply Chain
Quarterly win national
journalism awards

Throughout its eight-year history, DC VELOCITY has received a steady stream of awards for journalism and design. And the beat of recognition goes on.

On Aug. 4, DC VELOCITY and its sister publication CSCMP’s Supply Chain Quarterly received gold “Azbee” awards at the American Society of Business Publication Editors’ (ASBPE) 33rd annual awards banquet.

DC VELOCITY’S monthly “Outbound” column, written by Group Editorial Director Mitch Mac Donald with Executive Editor Karen Bachrach, received a first-place award for best regular staff-written column for publications with more than $2 million in annual revenue. Outbound appears on the last page of every issue of the magazine as well as at dcvelocity.com.

The “Perspective” column written by James Cooke, editor of CSCMP’s Supply Chain Quarterly, won a gold Azbee award for best regular staff-written column for publications under $2 million in revenue. The Quarterly also received the first-place award in the special supplement category for magazines under $2 million in revenue for its “2010 Special Issue: The State of Logistics.” Cooke, Managing Editor Toby Gooley, Associate Managing Editor Susan Lacefield, and Director of Creative Services Keisha Capitola were cited for their work on the special issue.

“Amidst all the change in the business world generally, and in the B2B publishing space specifically, a few things do remain constant. One of those constants is the importance of serving readers and advertisers from a foundation built upon the highest-value content available,” said Mac Donald. ”To be recognized as having the best content, not just in the logistics and supply chain sectors but in all sectors, is heartening. It reminds us that quality and timeliness of content remains the most important tenet of our business.” ;