Accepting Recognition

One of my worst traits is that I’m not good at accepting recognition when I actually deserve it. 

I know you’re thinking wait, what, how can you not accept the recognition you deserve? It’s not always that I don’t accept the recognition but I don’t let others know about the recognition that is deserved.  

I’ve never been good at bragging about myself or my own accomplishments. I know this is the exact opposite of the norm. Most people end up taking credit for someone else’s hard work. I’ve just never been able to do that. In fact, I’ve tried so hard not to do that I end up not getting recognition for what I’ve actually accomplished.

One example in a recent meeting with a new manager I was asked what is it that you do when you travel? My answer was simple, “I talk to the drivers about their Hours of Service and see what issues they are facing. This helps me to determine the real issues we are dealing with in the field.”  

What I should have said was, “When I travel I do my best to spend time with every driver to see what concerns they might be having and how I can help.  It’s great to spend time with them around the job site so I can personally see what issues they are facing when it comes to compliance with regulations and policy. I like to have the employees in the field help determine several solutions to any concerns that we might have found. After the drivers, foreman/superintendent and I find a couple of possible solutions I bring them to the division managers’ attention over a casual meeting.

I also take advantage of the time in the field to give the drivers vital training that they might be missing. This includes Hours of Service, Telogis, and other DOT related facts they might need to know.  

By being in the field I can see their equipment and what kind of condition they keep it in.  If there are any issues that need to be addressed, I address those while on the job site. I have found many different concerns as severe as employees who were not authorized to drive a company vehicle, who were driving, to something simple. Without going to these job sites there’s no way we would have ever caught these issues until they were stopped by law enforcement. 

Last, of all, I do my best to build relationships. This is helpful because in the future when I need something from that division they are more willing to help. Also when they have a question they are more likely to call and ask. These are just a few of the items on my checklist when I travel”

What do you think, which answer is better? The second one of course. It gives a full explanation of what I’m doing and what I’m accomplishing or attempting to accomplish while I’m out there.  It gives me the full credit for what’s actually happening.

So why didn’t I say that during the meeting? Who knows. The real question is how do I fix the issue? I have started utilizing these 5 simple steps to help me.

1.    Pray before, during, and after. I have started asking God to help guide my conversations, this has helped me immensely. Before I would finish a conversation and think, oh man I should have brought this or that up. Now I know that my conversation went exactly how it was supposed to. 

2.    Listen to Listen. I have been working on this myself for quite some time now.  When someone talks all too often we listen only to answer.  I suggest that we listen to the whole question, take a deep breath, and then answer. When I try to compose the answer while they are still talking I might miss an extremely important part of the question. Also, they might be giving me acknowledgment for something that I’ve done and I miss it because I’m not really listening.

3.    Take a deep breath. I pause for a few seconds before I answer the question. This helps me to get my thoughts put in the right order and helps me to take the credit that’s due.

4.    Be honest. I don’t exaggerate my answers at all, if I’m not doing something I don’t lie and say that I am. On the other hand, if I am doing something I make sure to mention it in detail. 

5.    Tell them everything. If I feel that it’s not important I say it anyway, that one simple detail might be what sets me apart from my colleagues. Or even better it might spark an idea in someone on the team.

Don’t be afraid to take credit for what you’ve done. That doesn’t mean that you brag about it every time you get the chance, or take control of every meeting so that you can boast about every little detail.  When you’re asked don’t be afraid of the truth, you’ll be surprised exactly how much recognition you already have just from what others have seen you accomplish. Keep in mind that you are not THE team you are a vital PART of the team!

Thanks

Have a Blessed Day

Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse

No, I’m not talking about the clearinghouse where they show up at your doorstep and give you a giant check for 1 million dollars.  This is the FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse that took effect just over a year ago.  

On Jan 6th, 2020 the FMCSA started the clearinghouse, and every company that has CDL drivers had to start pulling annual queries on all of the CDL drivers.  

A TON of companies have already done this for the drivers, but if you’re not one of those, then you are already out of compliance and there’s no way to fix it.  

Here’s what you can do.  Don’t wait another day to get this done.  Head on over to https://clearinghouse.fmcsa.dot.gov/ and get started by setting up your company and also pulling a limited query on all of your drivers today.  

Some of the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) are:

• What is the Clearinghouse?

The clearinghouse is one of the last items passed during Obama’s last term as president.  It took effect 1/6/2020 and is set to remain in effect until further notice.  It is a database where all drug and alcohol violations are stored for all CDL drivers.  When a CDL drivers fail a drug test the results are then entered into the clearinghouse and that driver will not be able to operate CDL vehicles until they have completed a Return to Duty drug test with negative results (meaning that the test comes back negative for drugs and alcohol in their system).

• Why do I have to pull a query?

Because it is now a federal regulation that you have the results of a full query before any CDL drivers may operate a CDL vehicle for your company.  It is also federal regulation that you need to pull an annual limited query for all current CDL drivers for your company. 

• How much does it cost?

Both a full query and a limited query will cost $1.25

• Can I do it myself?

Of course, you can do it yourself.  It is fairly easy and you get the results back almost instantly.  If you need more help don’t hesitate to reach out to us so we help get you set up and ready to go.

• What’s the difference between already employed drivers and new drivers?

There’s not much difference except for with the existing driver you run a limited query and with new drivers, you need to run a full query.  

The limited query only requires a consent form to be signed and in the driver file.  While a full query requires the driver to log into the clearinghouse and give the company permission to view their results.

• What are the penalties if I don’t do it?

The Penalties are pretty steep.  They are treating any clearinghouse violation as though it is a drug and alcohol violation.  This means that if you don’t have the query back in your hands before allowing the driver to operate a CDL vehicle then it is the same as if you didn’t conduct a drug test and get negative results back before allowing them to operate a CDL vehicle for you. 

Fines usually start around $5,000 for those types of violations.

• How much should I pay to have this done?

Honestly, if you use our driver file service we include the clearinghouse pull for free.  You only get charged $1.25 for the query itself.  We have seen a lot of companies charging anywhere from $7.5 - $25 per employee to run the query.  

• Can you help us with this?

Of course, we can help with this.  The best deal that we have is utilizing our driver file service.  You get all the forms you need to get your drivers set up, we monitor expiration dates and give you at least 30 days’ notice before anyones’ documents expire.  This service runs a meager $10 per driver per month.  No hidden fees and or charges ever.  

If you don’t want to use that service then we can pull your clearinghouse queries for $10 per driver, this does not include the $1.25 required for the FMCSA.  By federal regulation, you must purchase those for your company.

I sure hope that this helps.  If you have any questions or want more information about our services don’t hesitate to reach out to us at info@eclipse-dot.com 

Set your goals high this year!

 It seems like every year about this time we start setting “New Year's Resolutions”.  

This year I want to encourage you not to set any “Resolutions.”  Instead, I want you to set audacious goals!

That's right you heard me, AUDACIOUS goals.  I want you to set goals that would make Bill Gates, Tony Robbins, Mark Zuckerberg, & even Donald Trump said, “Wow I wish I had goals that big!”

Here’s a couple of key reasons you should ditch the resolutions and go to big, huge, scary GOALS.

First, let’s start with how long do you stick with your resolutions? Resolutions are easier to break than a goal.  A Goal is something that we work towards. Guess what if we don’t make it all the way to our goal then we are still further ahead than if we never started. 

The second is that resolutions are usually not as specific as goals are.  When we make a resolution to get into better shape, that's awesome.  But how long do you actually go to the gym, or workout at home?  When we set a goal, we like to be able to do 50 pushups or 100 sit-ups or jog for 30 min straight. Then we are making more than a resolution. We are getting specific therefore making it easier to see our progress. 

The third reason to ditch the resolution and switch to goals is that you hold yourself more accountable with a goal.  When you head back to work the “water cooler” talk usually has everyone talking about their resolutions and how long they lasted.  

Believe it, not hearing about how your peers didn't hold their resolutions makes it easier for you to ditch yours too.  Subconsciously, you are allowing yourself to drop the resolution because they did.

When you set goals instead your mind doesn't link them not holding to their resolutions, because you don't have a resolution, you have goals.  In your mind goals are different than resolutions. Making it harder for you to quit early or give up. 

Some tips to setting GREAT goals that you can actually achieve.

1. Don't hesitate to set BIG, SCARY GOALS.  If you don't dream big you will never succeed BIG.  Do you think that Steve Jobs thought that Apple would only have one product, the Mac Plus (an old desktop computer)?  NO!  He knew that Apple was going to grow. His vision was to bring creativity to the whole world.

2. Set Reward Levels.  A reward level should be something that you can measure success off of.  Let's say that you want to lose 20 pounds.  You need to give yourself something when you hit 5, 10, 15, 17.5, and 20.  

Remember that what you give yourself shouldn't be anything that will deter you from your ending point.  Like giving yourself a cake for losing 5 pounds probably isn't the best idea.  Like giving yourself a 1-month vacation when you get 5 new customers. Those are more like end rewards.  

Each reward you set should have a “prize” that is suitable for the accomplishment.  A good example would be that when you hit 5 pounds you get to go out to buy a healthy lunch, 10 pounds would be you take 1 day off of exercise, 20 pounds could be that you reward yourself with a new bike (the one you wanted but could never bring yourself to buy).  

By making rewards you are encouraging yourself to stay motivated and on track to success.

3. Tell the world about your goals!  One of the best ways to stay motivated to achieve your goals is to tell others about them. 

Let's face it if no one knows about your goals then who will ever know if you don’t achieve them?

When you let others know about the goals you set and when you want to achieve them it will help to keep you motivated and moving in the right direction.  

What I do is start by discussing all of my goals with my wife.  Without your spouse, girlfriend,or significant other on board, you can be sure that you will never get off the start line of your goals.  When you include them, then they are always the first ones there to help encourage you when you hit some rough waters.

Next, I tell my kids.  You’d be surprised how helpful it is to hear, “daddy are we still going on that vacation when you hit 20 clients?”  Or, “How many clients did you say the business had to have before we could go to Disney world?”

 After that, I talk to my circle of influencers.  When they know about it then you are sure to succeed.  If you have a good circle they will make it their goal to help you get where you want to be.  Your circle makes a HUGE difference in your success

4. Lastly, I tell the world through Social Media about my goals.  Keep in mind that I hardly ever share my financial goals there but I do share many other goals.  Usually, I share my BIG HUGE SCARY GOALS with the world because those are the ones that I need the most help with.

Well ladies and gents, that all for now.  I hope that you take what you read here to heart and ditch those resolutions and start setting some AUDACIOUS GOALS!

Get out there and make a difference.

PS one of my biggest goals is to grow the reach of our brands and businesses to over 1 million people in the next 5 years.  My reward is to take my entire family on a trip of a lifetime that all of them will enjoy. (I don't know where yet, or what we will do, but when we get closer to that mark you can be sure that I will let you know!) 

Email me with your biggest goals Dan@Eclispe-DOT.com 

Merry Christmas

Today I want to take a second to wish everyone reading this a Merry Christmas.  

Christmas is a special time of year, where I especially take more time to be with family and enjoy a slightly slower season.

This the season for giving thanks to our creator for the miracle of his son Jesus’s birth.  

Sometimes we get so caught up in giving and receiving presents, food, and of course work that we forget to pause and give God thanks for all the blessings he has given us.  

You see a little over two thousand years ago the Virgin Mary conceived a son from the holy spirit.  Her husband-to-be was going to divorce her quietly until one day an angel of the Lord came to him and told him that the son to be born was from God and he was to name him Jesus.

Jesus came into the world to bring peace and gather his “father flocks”.  He came with a mission and purpose.  

When was the last time that you found your mission or purpose?  Do you know what they are?  Have they ever changed?

Personally, my mission is to be a loyal servant to God, a great father, a loving husband, and a trustworthy person in business and personal life.  But before I was married being a loving husband wasn’t part of my mission.  Likewise being, a great father didn’t really have much of a rating either.  

Don’t worry if your mission changes.  All of our missions change as we move into different seasons of life.  

Today I really want to encourage everyone to slow down and look around you.  Enjoy the season of life that you are currently in.  Give thanks to God for not only creating you but also for giving you the blessing that you have received.  

Take a little more time and look to see how you could improve the lives of those around you.  Maybe it’s by volunteering, or giving a helping hand, or stopping to help change a flat tire on the side of the road.  When you feel moved, get up and go for it.  

From my family to yours.

Merry Christmas!

My God Bless your life and everything and everyone in it. 

Give Memories Not Things

When my wife and I had our first son Christmas started getting more extravagant.  

At first, it was a ton of movies that our family would enjoy. Then it turned into a TON of toys that our kids would enjoy. 

A couple of years ago we looked around our house and realized that it was stuffed to brim with stuff. Our basement was full, our garage was full, our storage sheds were full, even our attic was full.

It was then that we decided that our kids no longer needed stuff and we started giving them experiences instead. 

Here's what worked for us. First, we started traveling as a family more.  We devoted at least 2 full weeks a year to make memories. 

Of course, to begin with, all the amusement parks were on the kid’s lists to go to. And we did visit a few. In fact, after we found the Universal Studios was our favorite we bought season tickets one year. (We found a screaming deal the annual passes cost less than a typical day at the park)  we mainly focused on spending time together without making real plans. 

Our favorite trip to date was a week in a beach house just north of San Diego.  

We spent a full 6 days on pretty much a private beach for less than $200 a night. We literally made no plans. And ended up making some of the best memories ever. We went to eat at our favorite burger place in Ocean Beach, Hoodads.  We got in the ocean several times a day, took surfing lessons, chilled, played games, and ate home-cooked meals most of the trip. 

It was amazing.

This year we talked to the kids to see if they wanted stuff for Christmas or more family time. They all said they'd like a few small things (less than $20 each) but really wanted to keep making memories. 

We wouldn't trade our memories for all the stuff in the world. 

You see we realized that our kids would be out of the house into time at all and we were really being selfish by making memories.  Our kids loved making those memories though and I can't wait to see memories we make next. 

Maybe Costa Rica, Alaska, Hawaii, Florida Keys, New York City, who knows??  The possibilities are endless. 

The FLEET side of DOT compliance

We have been getting a ton of questions around the fleet side of DOT compliance.

Let’s start with all the companies that send you letters saying your out of compliance and in danger of being fined $10,000 a day.

Have you ever gotten one of those letters?

We feel that this should be illegal, and we know that it is immoral to send those letters out.

Unless the letter is from the FMCSA and has their symbol on it, don’t worry about it.  It’s just a “schistery” company that is trying to scare you into giving them your business.

MCS 150 

Your MCS-150 needs to be updated every 2 years.  Your DOT number tells you everything you need to know about when it has to be updated.  US DOT 1234567 The last number in your DOT number tells you when it needs to be updated. For instance, 1 means January, 2 -February, 3 – March, 4 – April, 5 – May, 6 – June, 7 – July, 8 – August, 9 – September, 0 – October.

The second to the last number of your DOT number explains if you update on odd or even years.  US DOT 1234567.  If it is an even number then you need to update your MCS 150 on even years. If it is an odd number then you would update it on odd years.

If your USDOT number is 1234567, then your MCS 150 would need to be completed by June of even years. 

Note that you can update your MCS 150 as often as needed. But it must be done at least once every 24 months.  

Make sure that you report accurately when you update anything for the DOT.  

If you have your DOT Pin number you can update your MCS-150 free here website, It’s fairly simple, but if you would like any assistance please don’t hesitate to reach out to our team.

UCR (Unified Carrier Registration)

The UCR is only for commercial vehicles that operate in interstate commerce.  

Really it’s just another tax for Interstate CMV’s.  

A CMV is defined by the federal government as any vehicle that has a GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) over 10,000lbs. Is used in interstate commerce. If you are not registered with the UCR and are operating in interstate commerce. Then you could get detained at a Port of Entry (POE).

The UCR is extremely easy to complete. If your MCS-150 is up to date then the system can pull those numbers directly from FMCSA.  

Most years the UCR is required to be completed by December 31st.  It depends on the year when it opens.  If the government is struggling to define the costs I have seen it open as late as March. If they have the costs determined it has opened as early as September.

If you have both Intrastate and interstate vehicles you can use exemptions when filing. And it might lower the cost of your UCR.  Make sure that you are reporting accurately and not fabricating your numbers to get a lower cost.

Visit their website

IFTA (International Fuel Tax Agreement)

IFTA is the easiest way to file and pay fuel taxes for each state you drive in.  Unlike UCR, IFTA is only needed for vehicles with a GVWR over 26,000lbs that are crossing state lines.  

This renews every year on January 1st and is fairly cheap to get the license and decals for your company.  Most decals are under $5 and the licenses are usually included with the decal fee.  

A few things that you need to remember for IFTA is that you must track your fuel purchases and miles driven in each state for every truck that has IFTA.  You will also need to track which decals are placed on which trucks.  Both of these are as simple as keeping a spreadsheet and your fuel receipts.

If you would like an example spreadsheet click here and we’ll send you directly to your email.  

All companies that utilize IFTA do not need to buy fuel permits for each state they travel in.  It saves you a ton of time and in the long run $$ if you are crossing state lines regularly. If you don't have IFTA then you would need individual fuel permits.

Note that you must report every quarter your fuel purchased, where it was purchased, & the miles you drove in each state.  This is reported to the state where your IFTA is purchased originally. That should be the state where your vehicles are registered.

There are a few states that require more than IFTA and you need to know about them too.  They are New York, Kentucky, New Mexico.  Each of those states requires an additional annual permit and also requires that you file with them quartile.

 

New York State imposes a highway use tax (HUT) on motor carriers operating certain motor vehicles on New York State public highways (excluding toll-paid portions of the New York State Thruway). The tax rate is based on the weight of the motor vehicle and the method that you choose to report.  NY HUT 

Kentucky KYU is a tax license issued for all carriers traveling on Kentucky roadways. With a combined license weight greater than 59,999 pounds. KY WD 

New Mexico imposes a weight-distance tax on owners, operators, and registrants of intrastate and interstate commercial vehicles with a declared gross vehicle weight in excess of 26,000 pounds. This tax is based on vehicle weight and miles traveled on New Mexico roads. Companies must register and annually for New Mexico.  NM WD

 

IRP (International Registry Plan)

The IRP takes place of your registration for CMV’s that have a GVWR or GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating) of over 26,000lbs.  This is extremely useful when you are crossing state lines regularly.  

If you don’t have IRP on your CDL vehicles then you have to get a “trip” permit every time you travel in any state other than the state your vehicle is registered in.  

Let’s say that your truck is registered in Colorado but not registered as IRP.  You haul it to Arizona for a job.  You would need to get a temporary registration to operate that vehicle legally while you are not in Colorado.  

If you had IRP on that truck then you would no longer need the temp registration for the other state.  

There are several things you should know about IRP.  One is that it is good for one year from the date you purchase it.  You will also need to know the miles driven in each state. So you can file those when you renew after the first year.  

Each truck will get their own cab card, that takes place of the registration for that vehicle. That document needs to be kept in the vehicle. 

2290 (Heavy Use Tax)

The heavy use tax is required to be filed annually for every vehicle that is registered gross weight over 55,000lbs.  2290 must be filed and the taxes due paid to the IRS by no later than July 31st.  

There are several factors to this tax.  One is what your vehicles are registered at.  The second is how many miles they have driven annually. 

You can get the 2290 form here.  

Hopefully, this helps you to know when everything is due and what exactly is needed to help keep your fleet in compliance. You can continue to operate your CMV’s and move your company forward. 

Until next time, stay safe and keep the rubber side down.

Family, Spending time where it matters

If you have been following my social media you have probably seen that I have been spending more time with my family and we have been doing quite a bit of traveling.  

We have been driving, mainly because it costs a ton to fly 6 people, but also because we love spending time together in the car seeing all of God’s creation.  

It seemed that we woke up one day and our oldest son was 14!  Then we said hey we only have 4 more years until he (most likely) moves out and on with his life.  We want to make the most of this time.  

So we made the decision to stop buying junk and start investing more in making memories.

One thing we did is sit down with all the kids and ask them where they wanted to go and what they wanted to do. 

We got all kinds of answers!

Some were out of this world, while others made our hearts glow.  Our daughter said that she wanted to learn more about fixing things.  One son said he wanted to spend more time as a family.  Of course one wanted to do more hunting (mostly in exotic places). 

All of this made us think.

Not one of them asked for more stuff!  They didn’t want us to buy items that they could play with.  They wanted us to give them experiences.  That’s the same thing we wanted.  Less stuff and more memories.

Have you ever sat down with your kids and had them tell you what they really want?  Not asked them what they want for Christmas or their birthday but asked them what they want to do, or where they want to go, or even what they want to experience.  

You see we have trained our children across the world that when we ask them what they want they automatically ask for things, not experiences.   Because whether you believe it or not, we have trained them to ask for things.  You know why?  It’s because things are easier to give than an experience is.  It takes way less time to go on Amazon and buy a dollhouse than it does to build one with/for your daughter.  

I want you to try something today, go home, and talk to your family about the experiences you remember as a child.  Fishing with your grandpa, working on a truck with your dad, decorating cakes with your mom, riding in the tractor with your other grandpa, or maybe baking bread with your grandma.  While you are talking about your memories watch your kids and see what makes them light up.  

I also want you to think back and try to remember the “things” you got that excited you the most.  Can you remember any of them?  Do you still have any of them?  I do.  One Christmas I got a few remote control toys.  They brought me a lot of joy.  But now when they bring even more joy when I see my kids playing with them!  You see I thought that the toy brought me joy, but the truth is that it was the experience of playing with the toy and now watching my kids play with the same toys that bring me true happiness.

It was NEVER the items in my life that brought me joy, it was the experience that I remember.  

With all of that being said, what can you do to bring more experiences to your family?  How can you “show up” for your kids in a way that they will remember.  

I guarantee that the family trip to San Diego and eating at your favorite hamburger place in Ocean Beach (Hodads), will bring more happiness and make a lasting impression way more than getting them a new phone every year! 

Get out there and make some GREAT memories with your family while you still have time!

As for me, you better keep watching my Facebook and Instagram see where life takes us over the next few years!