Web- and mobile-based technology – Claim investigations and defense considerations

Michael Langford, national counsel for a number of motor carriers
Scopelitis, Garvin, Light, Hanson & Feary, PC

We have a wealth of information at our fingertips thanks to the Internet. Cell phones let us talk to anyone, anywhere, at any time. Social media sites like Facebook and Twitter help us keep tabs on people. But how does this web- and mobile-based technology impact your fleet operations? Michael Langford discussed how fleets can use social media sites and online searches to help gather information while investigating and reviewing collision claims.

Driver Retention – A new approach to an old problem

Kelly Anderson, president
Impact Transportation Solutions, Inc.

Finding and retaining qualified drivers in today’s marketplace is more difficult than ever. It is becoming increasingly important for motor carriers to place an emphasis on retaining existing drivers in their fleet. Kelly Anderson shared best practices for retaining drivers during recruitment, orientation and throughout their tenure with a fleet.

Best practices for emerging issues – Medicare reporting

Mark Popolizio, senior legal counsel
Crowe Paradis Services Corporation

Starting in January 2010, the Centers for Medicare Services (CMS) began to mandate that insurance companies and self-insurers report all claimants who are eligible for Medicare in an effort to ensure that the primary payor responsible for the claim would be paying to cover the entire injury. Mark Popolizio reviewed the advance notice of proposed rulemaking in which the CMS has proposed to revise the federal regulations to ensure that its “future medicals” interests are satisfied in relation to the liability system.

Drug testing – How effective is hair testing?

Rob Smaltz, senior account executive
Omega Laboratories

Peggy Levins, senior regional sales manager
FirstLab

Since the 1980s, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has required drug testing for anyone with a commercial driver’s license (CDL). Currently, FMCSA only accepts testing with urine samples. However, many motor carriers have started supplementing urine testing with hair testing. Rob Smaltz and Peggy Levins compared the two tests, breaking down the advantages and disadvantages of each.

Contract and other business issues that (should) keep you awake at night

Robert Moseley, head of Transportation Industry Group
Smith Moore Leatherwood

Fleet owners and managers deal with contracts on a daily basis. On a basic level, contracts are words on a piece of paper. However, those words can cause disputes between parties who disagree on how to interpret the contract. Robert Moseley covered a variety of topics including types of contracts in the trucking world, bills of lading, tariffs, the definition of “seal,” cargo insurance, carrier-shipper agreements and scope of evidence.