|
July 19, 2004
Construction
Industry Advancement Fund and CDTOA
Dear Trustees
and CDTOA EC:
Following are some of
the major issues your Industry Transportation Consultant
has been dealing with to date.
Caltrans has approved
our request from November 8, 2003, to the current Reducible
Load Policy.
"Tow Legal Vehicle behind Extra Legal Fixed Load
Vehicle". This change should be implemented approximately
by September 1, 2004
Caltrans has approved our request
from November 8, 2003, Hours of Travel 24 / 7. This change
is currently waiting on Pilot Car maps to be approved
and printed. This change should be implemented approximately
by September 1, 2004.
Caltrans has approved the Crane Boom
Dolly proposal submitted by the work group. This change
should be implemented approximately by September 1, 2004.
Caltrans has also approved the STAA
Annual Permits. This change is currently waiting on Pilot
Car maps to be approved and printed. This change should
be implemented approximately by September 1, 2004.
Caltrans has put the Tridem Axles
proposal on hold until it has reviewed and responded to
letters from Industry in opposition of the changes. I
have requested that the proposal be separated into two
issues, Fixed Loads and Hauled Loads. The Industry opposing
the change is concerned with Haul Loads not Fixed Loads.
We have many members that this will affect and requested
that they be separated. This change has been put on hold.
Caltrans has approved our request
from June 30, 2004, Uniform Pilot Car Requirements for
Green and Yellow Routes. This change is currently waiting
on Pilot Car maps to be approved and printed. This change
should be implemented approximately on September 1, 2004.
The County of Los Angeles is reviewing
their Hours of Travel 24/7 policy to mirror Caltran's.
We explained that this change would not effect the current
curfew area requirements.
We requested that the County's curfew areas
be uniform with Caltrans. They agreed, but until they're
able to produce maps that would show the curfew areas,
they're not able to. They hope to see maps produced in
the near future.
We requested that Annual Permits be increased, from 14'
to 16' in height. The County will consider this request.
The County has lowered their permit fees
from $16.00 to $14.00 for a single trip permit. The Annual
Permits will be reduced from $90.00 to $85.00. They will
review them again next year and are hoping for another
reduction if the costs have been reduced. This will be
a savings to the Industry of $40,000.00.
The Increase in fees for loads that exceed
250,000 lbs. has created a problem for some of our members.
The County is requiring that each permittee leave a $500.00
deposit up front with each permit submitted. They are
being required to take a check in each time, where otherwise
they would be submitting the permit by fax or over the
Internet. I met with the County and we discussed a solution
to the problem. If a company doesn't have an account already
established with the County, they can put $2,000.00 in
a Trust Account and draw on it. Those that have an account
already will have their accounts charged. County Officials
will be meeting with their Finance Department and will
let us know.
The City of Lancaster has stopped
allowing Los Angles County to issue their permits, which
were issued in minutes over the Internet. The City is
requiring 48 hours notice and taking in excess of 24 hrs
to issue. The City is charging $117.00 for a routine permit
load and issuing it under an encroachment permit. A member
recently was issued a permit and charged $80.00 for an
inspection that never took place plus $37.00 for the issuance
of the encroachment permit, for a total of $117.00. This
permit should have not exceeded Caltran's fee of $16.00
per C.V.C. 35795 (b).
We are waiting for a response from the City Manager.
The City of Santa Barbara has just
approved a new Permit Fee schedule that will exceed what
is mandated by C.V.C.35795 (b) in the amount of $368.00
per Annual Permit. The approved Annual Permit fee of $368.00
will not be able to be changed until next year. The City
does agree that the fee will need to be lowered.
The City of Indio: City Council on
July 7th approved the issuance of Annual Permits. They
have also agreed to change their current Pilot Car requirements.
Currently the City requires 1 Pilot Car for loads exceeding
10' in width and 85' in length, they have agreed not to
require 1 Pilot Car until the load exceeds 12' in width
and 120' in length.
The uniform Truck Routes based on Primary Roads in the
Thomas Guide will be on the July 21, 2004 City Council
agenda.
Sincerely,
Gregory D. Dineen
Industry Transportation Consultant
Cc: John Hakel, AGC Jim Burton, SCCA
Gary Futral, ECA Seth Hammond, MCOG
Richard Lambros, BIA Lee Brown, CDTOA
Aimee Shook, DCA
|
