News

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced what will likely be the last round of Emergency Connectivity Fund funding for eligible schools and libraries to purchase equipment and services such as Wi Fi hotspots, modems, routers, and connected devices (such as laptops and tablets). The application period will be April 28-May 13 and will include equipment and services purchased between July 1, 2022, and December 31, 2023.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on Heavy-Duty Engine and Vehicle Standards.  The NPRM would reduce air pollution from highway heavy-duty vehicles and engines, including ozone, particulate matter, and greenhouse gases. This proposal would change the heavy-duty emission control program—including the standards, test procedures, useful life, warranty, and other requirements— to further reduce the air quality impacts of heavy-duty engines across a range of operating conditions and over a longer period of the operational life of heavy-duty engines. This proposal would make targeted updates to the existing Heavy-Duty Greenhouse Gas Emissions Phase 2 program, proposing that further GHG reductions in the MY 2027 timeframe are appropriate considering lead time, costs, and other factors, including market shifts to zero-emission technologies in certain segments of the heavy-duty vehicle sector. Comments to this NPRM must be received by May 13, 2022.  The entire NPRM may be found here:  2022-04934.pdf.

The EPA plans to hold a virtual public hearing on this NPRM on April 12, 2022. An additional session may be held on April 13, 2022. In order to attend the virtual public hearing, all attendees (including those who will not be presenting verbal testimony) must register in advance using the following registration link: https:// www.epa.gov/regulations-emissions-vehicles-and-engines/proposed-rule-and-related-materials-control-air-1.

UPDATE, March 21, 2022:

The Department of Transportation has extended the comment period for their Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on Oral Fluid Drug Testing to April 29, 2022.

ORIGINAL ANNOUNCEMENT, February 28, 2022:

The Department of Transportation Office of the Secretary has issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on Procedures for Transportation Workplace Drug and Alcohol Testing Programs: Addition of Oral Fluid Specimen Testing for Drugs. With this NPRM, the U.S. Department of Transportation is proposing to amend the transportation industry drug testing program procedures regulation to include oral fluid testing. Comments are due on this proposal by March 30, 2022.

Here is a brief summary of the proposal:

1. Permit Oral Fluid testing as an alternative drug testing method for DOT-regulated workplace testing,
2. Harmonize, as needed, with the new Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing Programs established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
3. Allow direct observation urine collections by any licensed or certified medical professional legally authorized to take part in a medical examination in the jurisdiction where the collection takes place,
4. Allow MRO staff to contact pharmacies to verify a prescription that an employee provided,
5. ‘Un-cancel’ a test that was ‘cancelled’ by the MRO if circumstances dictate,
6. Allow the use of options of official identification numbers issued by State or Federal authorities to be used instead of Social Security Numbers,
7. Laboratories provide to DOT bi-annually data that is categorized by test reason and specimen type,
8. Laboratories withdrawing from the National Laboratory Certification Program provide DOT with the final data report for the reporting period in which they withdrew,
9. Laboratories would be required to keep non-negative specimens for only 90 days,
10. Require that the phone number provided on the Federal Drug Testing Custody Control Form for collectors connect directly to the collector and/or the collector’s supervisor and not a general call center,
11. Remove provisions that no longer are necessary (such as compliance dates),
12. Remove the ‘cross-reference’ sections found at the end of the ‘subpart’ sections,
13. Add clarifying language to other provisions (such as updated definitions and web links where necessary), and
14. Allow Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) to conduct evaluations virtually.

The full NPRM can be found here: 2022-02364.pdf (govinfo.gov).

State Directors,

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has kicked off the 2022 Clean School Bus Program, which provides $5 billion over the next five years to replace existing school buses. Each year, approximately $500 million will be available for electric school buses and $500 million will be available for electric buses and multiple types of cleaner alternative fuel school buses. They will be hosting a zoom webinar on Wednesday, March 23 at 1pmET to explain the application and funding of the Clean School Bus Program. Details on the webinar can be found here:  https://www.epa.gov/cleanschoolbus/events-related-clean-school-bus-program#webinar.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is preparing to release a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to reduce air pollution from highway heavy-duty vehicles and engines, including ozone, particulate matter, and greenhouse gases. This proposal would change the heavy-duty emission control program to further reduce the air quality impacts of heavy-duty engines across a range of operating conditions and over a longer period of the operational life of heavy-duty engines. In addition, this proposal would make targeted updates to the existing Heavy-Duty Greenhouse Gas Emissions Phase 2 program, proposing that further GHG reductions in the Model Year 2027 timeframe are appropriate considering lead time, costs, and other factors. The notice also includes limited amendments to the regulations that implement air pollutant emission standards for other sectors (e.g., light-duty vehicles, marine diesel engines, locomotives, various types of nonroad engines, vehicles, and equipment).

As soon as this NPRM is published in the Federal Register a link will be sent to you.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is withdrawing a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) allowing States to permit third-party skills test examiners to administer the Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) skills test to applicants to whom the examiner has also provided skills training, a practice now prohibited under FMCSA regulations. FMCSA decided to withdraw the NPRM after reviewing comments received following publication of the NPRM. The NPRM was published July 9, 2019 and is withdrawn as of March 9, 2022. The withdrawal notice can be found here: 2022-04968.pdf.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has withdrawn a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would have allowed driver applicants to take the commercial driver’s license (CDL) general and specialized knowledge tests in a State other than the applicant’s State of domicile. The NPRM also proposed that the applicant’s State of domicile would have been required to accept knowledge test results. FMCSA is withdrawing the Notice after reviewing comments received following the publication of the NPRM. The NPRM was published on July 29, 2019 and is withdrawn as of March 9, 2022. The withdrawal notice can be found here: 2022-04966.pdf.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has issued a Final Rule amending its regulations to eliminate the requirement that drivers operating commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce prepare and submit a list of their convictions for traffic violations to their employers annually.

The agency has determined that this requirement was largely duplicative of the separate rule requiring each motor carrier to annually to obtain the motor vehicle record (MVR) for each driver it employs from every State in which the driver holds or has held a CMV operator’s license or permit in the past year.

To ensure motor carriers are aware of traffic convictions for a driver who is licensed by a foreign authority rather than by a State, the Agency amends the rule to provide that motor carriers must make an annual inquiry to each driver’s licensing authority where a driver holds or has held a CMV operator’s license or permit. This final rule is effective May 9, 2022 and the full text can be found here:  2022-04930.pdf.

Visit https://nasdpts.org/stop-arm-violations/#instructions to find out how you and your state can help!

“Joe will be your primary contact with PTSI going forward”

Syracuse, NY, March 7, 2022. Ms. Nikki Hughes, President of the PTSI Board of Directors announced today that Joseph LaMarca has been selected as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the company. An experienced school transportation director and business leader, Joe succeeded Kathy Furneaux and assumed all PTSI management responsibilities on January 18, 2022. After a long and rewarding career as Executive Director, Kathy Furneaux will take a part-time consulting role with PTSI and enjoy her well-deserved retirement in the years to come.

Joe’s school transportation career started in 1985 as a driver for Golden Arrow Bus Service. After six months, he was promoted to a management trainee, and over the next seven years he experienced every operational level within the transportation department which set the foundation for his career. In 1993 he was promoted to Director of Transportation where he served three New York State school districts over his 36-year career.

As CEO of PTSI Joe will manage internal and external operations and maintain customer service to achieve maximum customer satisfaction, and he will oversee the day-to-day operations with an emphasis on fiscal responsibility.

“Joe is a take charge kind of person that will move the organization in the right direction, at the right time” said Jaime Gallego, Treasurer for PTSI. All PTSI Board Members agree, “Joe will be a good fit for the company” said Kanoe Cockett, Secretary for PTSI.

PTSI is committed to delivering the highest quality training materials and support to allow clients to exceed their respective safety missions. We are a leading provider of school transportation training resources to public and private sector organizations throughout North America.

PTSI
10 Adler Drive, Suite 102
East Syracuse, NY 13057
(800) 836-2210