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Time of India
2 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Blood banks gear for festive season surge in donation
Mumbai: Across the state, blood banks have been advised to prepare for a surge in blood donation camps during the upcoming festive season, as social organisations and political outfits often mobilise large numbers of donors. In a circular issued on Aug 12, the State Blood Transfusion Council (SBTC) instructed blood centres that during the months of Aug, Sept, and Oct, collections should be planned according to the average demand of the past three years. The notice stated: "During this period, there should be no excess blood collection by your blood centre and care must be taken to ensure that blood does not expire and go to waste." The validity for one unit of whole blood is 30 to 35 days. The notice is in contrast to the situation just a couple of months ago when the city was struggling with a severe shortage of blood. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai | Gold Rates Today in Mumbai | Silver Rates Today in Mumbai "During the first few weeks of the festive season, there is often excess blood collection. It's hard to give an exact figure, but it's likely that a few units go to waste at nearly every blood bank," said a senior blood bank officer from a BMC hospital. "Each unit can save three lives, and once donated, a person cannot give blood again for another three months. Excess collection today can lead to shortages in the future," the officer said. Mumbai alone has 53 blood banks. Some officials attribute the over-collection to political pressure to continue donations even when demand is already met. Others point to inefficient management by both the SBTC and individual blood banks, with some centres attempting to hit their annual target of around 2,000 units. The city's daily blood requirement is between 1,000 and 2,000 units, and SBTC has asked organisers to hold donation drives when shortages are more likely. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Happy Independence Day wishes , messages , and quotes !
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Lawmaker introduces bill codifying English proficiency for truckers
WASHINGTON — A change in policy this week by the Trump administration placing truck drivers out of service for violating English proficiency regulations was followed up on Friday by new legislation that, if passed, would codify the new policy into law. Introduced in the House by U.S. Rep. Dave Taylor, R-Ohio, the bill, to be called Connor's Law, is named after Connor Dzion, an 18-year old killed in Florida in 2017 by a distracted truck driver unable to read warning signs alerting to upcoming traffic. Taylor will formally announce the legislation next week, according to his office. The Small Business in Transportation Coalition (SBTC), which lobbies on behalf of small-business truckers and owner-operators, petitioned to get the bill introduced on behalf of a group of grass-roots trucking organizations.'This is a big win for public safety, for truckers who share the road with other truck drivers, and the motoring public alike,' said SBTC Executive Director James Lamb in a press release. 'We applaud Congressman Taylor, all co-sponsors, and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for their commitment and leadership in moving forward with SBTC's proposed common sense, life-saving legislation to make the roads safe again.' SBTC's partners pushing for the legislation include American Truckers United, National Owner Operators Association, Past Time for a Change, Professional Trucking Association Group, United Coalition of American Drivers and United Truckers of America. The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association and the American Trucking Associations also support the bill, Taylor's office to a draft of the bill, to get a commercial driver's license – in addition to passing driving tests and being able to provide certification of successfully completing driver training – an individual must be able to 'read and speak the English language sufficiently to converse with the general public, understand highway traffic signs and signals in the English language, respond to official inquiries, and make entries on reports and records.' A person operating a commercial motor vehicle and determined by an enforcement officer to be noncompliant with federal English proficiency laws 'shall be declared out of service,' the bill states. Trump requiring that truckers speak and read English Is English proficiency enforcement the right focus for safer roads? FMCSA exempts deaf drivers despite CVTA objections Click for more FreightWaves articles by John Gallagher. The post Lawmaker introduces bill codifying English proficiency for truckers appeared first on FreightWaves.
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Feds taking another look at truck-broker contract rules
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has given renewed hope to truck owner-operators that the government will make it easier for them to review broker transaction records to combat alleged price gouging and help ensure they get a fair price for hauling freight. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is reopening the comment period for its 'Transparency in Property Broker Transactions' notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) at the request of the Small Business in Transportation Coalition. The initial 60-day comment period, which ended on Jan. 21, received close to 5,000 comments. SBTC petitioned FMCSA on Jan. 19 for an additional 14 to 30 days based on the high number of comments coming in at deadline, and to give drivers affected or displaced by the wildfires in Southern California an opportunity to respond to the proposed rule. 'Other potential commenters to the NPRM may benefit from an extension as well,' FMCSA stated in a notice posted on Friday. The new comment period ends on March which claims more than 21,000 members that include small shippers, freight brokers and trucking companies, contends that FMCSA's proposed broker transparency rule does not go far enough to protect truckers from unscrupulous brokers. In requesting the rulemaking in 2020, SBTC wanted brokers to be barred from requiring carriers to waive their rights to review transaction records, and called for new regulatory language stating that broker contracts cannot exempt brokers from having to comply with transparency requirements already on the books. The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association also asked for those contract prohibitions, as well as a requirement that brokers automatically provide transaction information within 48 hours of the completion of contractual services. FMCSA's proposed rule, which was published for public comment in November, attempts to give motor carriers more leverage in obtaining freight contract information when disputes arise with brokers, but it stops short of the strict requirements sought by SBTC and to comment, SBTC Executive Director James Lamb told FreightWaves in an email that he appreciates FMCSA's reopening the comment period. He added, however, that 'something is very wrong' with FMCSA's approach to the rulemaking based on information showing that the agency had required a major freight broker to remove waiver language in a contract with one of its carriers – a requirement that SBTC wants to end permanently. 'How does FMCSA tell [the broker] in writing to remove the waiver language … in November of 2023 and then not include a prohibition of waivers in the November 2024 rulemaking as we and OOIDA requested?' FreightWaves has reached out to FMCSA for comment. The Transportation Intermediaries Association, meanwhile, wrote in comments filed in the docket that the rulemaking is 'a solution in search of a problem.' 'Rather than doubling-down on vestigial economic regulations, FMCSA should focus its efforts on addressing highway safety and addressing the proliferating fraud pandemic in the supply chain, which is costing the U.S. economy over $1 billion annually.' Fight over truck broker contracts awaits Trump's next move FMCSA shuts door on brokers in rate transparency dispute Trucker rally for fair rates gets White House attention Click for more FreightWaves articles by John post Feds taking another look at truck-broker contract rules appeared first on FreightWaves.
