The Chairman's Corner

by Jay Casey

July 2014

I hope the summer is treating you well.  I expect that we are all experiencing our normal summer challenges and I trust that you and your team are fighting a good fight like we do every summer season.  Don’t worry about the small overflow in your warehouse that belongs to your VIP account. It will get picked up. And your No. 1 driver who just told you he needs the last two weeks of July off for a family reunion, I’m sure he meant to say January, not July. 
           
One challenge that we saw coming, but didn’t know the full effect was the CARB compliance.  I have talked to a number of different California van line agents and they all have the same question: “Where are the trucks?” It seems it doesn’t matter if it is a 2,000-pound shipment or a 10,000-pound shipment, it’s harder and harder to get a direct pickup out of California.   Most major van lines do have a lease trailer program or some type of crate and freight system, but nothing can match the professionalism of the traditional van operator.  We are going to learn a lot this summer and hopefully our new plan of attack for the summer of 2015 will be solid.
           
In June, I was able to visit the CPUC with CMSA President Steve Weitekamp and Senior Chairman PJ Welch. It was a very educational meeting for me, being my first visit with Commission staff.  We had a productive time with the new supervising transportation representative of licensing.  What was expected to be mainly a meet and greet meeting was much more productive and ended with a clear understanding that we are in support of CPUC staff and welcome open dialogue. Our next meeting was with Commissioner Michael Picker and Ken Koss. CMSA Regulatory Consultant and former CPUC Director Bill Schulte also joined us for the meeting.  We shared our concerns with the Commissioner on enforcement against illegal movers in our state and had information for him detailing approximate numbers.  We also reminded him of AB 2118, updating the Household Goods Carrier Act in order to protect consumers from fraudulent moving companies that was signed into law by Governor Brown in 2012.  As a result of our meeting, he is aware of our fight and we will continue our communication with the commissioners and their staff.

July 2014 - CMSA Communicator