Member Weekly Update – June 6, 2025

Master Logger Best Practices Workshops 2025 – Free for PLC Members and Master Loggers!

Please join one of our free interactive workshops designed for all logging companies (owners, foremen, & operators) who are responsible for aspects of harvest planning and implementation. Foresters and land managers that also play a role are invited to register and can attend pending space.

MLOFT Program – Truck Lease RFP and *Instructor Needed

Members, 

Do you have a log truck that is sitting idle this summer when it should be making money? Northern Maine Community College is seeking lease proposals for log trucking equipment to be used to train students as part of the Mechanized Logging Operations and Forest Trucking (MLOFT) Program this summer, and we encourage any PLC Member with an interest to submit a proposal.

Please note – you must at least respond to this RFP to be considered. If chosen, you can turn it down. It is not binding.

The lease would run from July 7, 2025, through November 7, 2025. The college has $30,000 available for the lease, but there may be some flexibility in that amount depending on what bid offers are received.

The lease will be 100% funded by a grant provided by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.

The college is seeking:

One heavy-duty Class 8 three-axle tractor with a three-axle semi-trailer with an installed center-mount crane suitable for loading/hauling/transporting round wood. The heavy-duty tractor must have a hydraulic system set up for a center mount trailer system. It is preferred that the heavy-duty tractor does not have a sleeper cap but does include a headboard. Tractor and trailer should have tires appropriate for off-road driving. The trailer must include straps/cables for load securement.

If the equipment above is not an option, alternate bids can be provided for a four-axle wheeler truck with a crane suitable for loading/hauling/transporting round wood. This unit must include straps/cables appropriate for load securement.

Units must be in operable condition with current inspections, registrations or transport plates, capable of off-road and on-road transportation.

Proposals must be received by Friday, June 27th at 4 p.m.

If you do decide to submit a proposal, please let the PLC know by calling or emailing Donald Burr at (207) 356-1541 or ndburr@nmcc.edu. This equipment is important to the program and we are hoping to determine what is available as soon as possible.

You may view the full RFP by clicking the link below. Please also reach out to Donald Burr with any questions you have. Thank you.

*The MLOFT program is seeking a feller buncher instructor for the 2025 Class! Anyone with feller butcher experience interested in learning more about the position is encouraged to contact Donald Burr at 207) 356-1541 or ndburr@nmcc.edu immediately! Don’t miss out on this opportunity!

New Online Portal for PLC Training:
Northeast Professional Logger

All Northeast Professional Logger Training is Free for PLC Members & Master Loggers

PLC is Hiring – Certification Coordinator

Logger’s Voice Spring Edition Now Available

Notice of Timber Sale – William Ruger Wildlife Management Area

Below is the notice for the upcoming timber sale for William Ruger Wildlife Management Area.

Maine’s Direct Link Loan Program

Are you a Master Logger in Maine who is buying new equipment? Take advantage of the Direct Link Loan Program and get an interest rate reduction of up to 2% on qualifying equipment. Details of the program and how you can take advantage of it are below:

1. A Master Logger signs an Agreement with the Maine Forest Service (MFS), the bank submits Agreement to MFS, and it is approved by the MFS for the purchase of a new or new to them piece of qualifying equipment. (Cut to Length Harvesters and Forwarders, Tracked Feller Bunchers, Stroke Delimbers, Mulching Machines, Road Graders; also includes retrofitting of existing equipment like Flotation tires, Bogey wheels, harvester and processor heads; and Miscellaneous purchases like Metal and Wooden Bridges, Bottomless arches, and sediment and erosion control products) Purchases are considered on a case by case basis, with eligibility based on whether the equipment facilitates the implementation of Best Management Practices.

**Equipment that is NOT eligible: Grapple Skidders, Pull-Thru Delimbers, Tree-to-Tree Feller Bunchers. 

2. The Master Logger gets a loan from a participating bank. (See list below) Example: Loan is for $500,000 at current bank interest rate (ex. 7.00%). Contractor can have multiple loans but can’t exceed the $800,000 aggregate limit allowed by the program.

3. The Master Logger is given an interest rate subsidy (reduction) of 1.50% (up to 2%) – the same amount as the *CD rate for as long as they continue to qualify for the program.

Example: 7.00% loan interest rate less 1.50% rate subsidy = 5.50 effective rate.

The following banks participate in the direct link loan program.

• Katahdin Trust Company – David Cambridge
• Farm Credit East – Shannon Webber
• Machias Savings Bank – Anita Madden
• Acadia FCU

**Note: Maine Municipal Bond Bank buys a $500,000 CD for up to five years from bank for up to 2.00% less than the bank’s going CD rate matching the term of the loan. Ex. 1.50 % – (up to 2%)

Don’t see your bank on the list? Reach out and encourage them to get involved!

Not yet Master Logger Certified? Email Sydney at sydney@plcloggers.org, call (207)-688-8195, opt. 2 or visit masterloggercertification.com.

Five Important Topics Related to Commercial Trucks in Vermont

Members, here is an update on five important topics related to commercial trucks in Vermont which we are providing after consulting with Vermont’s Department of Motor Vehicles. Many of these topics were discussed at our recent PLC Safety Training in Vermont, and questions raised by members there are answered below.

1. Registrations of large pickups that haul trailers: The bottom line is that you need to register the pickup for the total weight of that pickup and trailer when loaded. The example I sent to Vermont was: How much do I register my F350 with a GVWR of 14,000 lbs. for when I haul my excavator (CAT 304) on a trailer, which weighs 9,867 lbs. The answer I received was that I need to register my pickup for 24,000 lbs. 

2. When do you need a CDL to drive a large pickup with a trailer: The answer is sometimes. This is a federal rule; See this flow chart. The bottom line is you need a CDL “A” if your truck & trailer weighs more than 26,001 lbs. 

Lt. Cuttita of the Vermont DMV discussed issues from our Vermont safety trainings with the commercial enforcement unit troopers. The following is a summary of their responses: 

1. When a truck hooks onto some lowbeds, it activates the ABS light on the dashboard of some trucks. Lowbeds that have a GVW greater than 120,000 lbs. are not required to have ABS, and they trigger the light even when there is no problem, so it should be ignored during the roadside inspection. (See attached Inspection Bulletin) 

2. There was a question about where to measure an overlength load of logs. Multiple drivers complained that they were measured from the point where the wood last made contact with the trailer.  

The rule is to measure from the furthest point of the trailer (the DOT bumper). Once you exceed four feet from the furthest point, you need a minimum of one flag.  If there is more than two square feet of overhang, or if there are two different pieces sticking out separately (ie. if you have one stem on the bottom right of the trailer and you have another stem mid-level on the left sticking out further than 4 feet) then you would need two flags.  

3. They added that if the truck is involved in interstate commerce, and the driver is required to have a CDL A, then in most cases the company will need to have an International Registration Plan (IRP) registration and an International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) permit. (See attached Vermont manual for IRP & IFTA)

Please do not hesitate to reach our the PLC if you have further questions.

Notice of Timber Sale – William Ruger Wildlife Management Area

Below is the notice for the upcoming timber sale for William Ruger Wildlife Management Area.

Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Weekly Report

Vermont News Clips

Vermont Land Use Review Board to host public meeting June 16 on Act 250 – Bennington Banner
Game of Logging Level I | Farm Labor Dashboard – University of Vermont
Northeast Kingdom Student Wins Land Steward Award – The North Star Monthly
ALC met with Representatives of the U.S. Trade Representative office

Free CPR Classes – Schedule Your Class Today!

Are your logging employees CPR/First Aid/Bloodborne Pathogen certified? Did you know that evidence of training is required every two years for OSHA and Master Logger compliance?

Currently scheduled locations:

• 6/13/25 Hartland, VT

Email Jessica@plcloggers.org to register. If the listed dates don’t work for your company or you have more than 10 employees and would like to schedule a company-specific training, we can work with you and companies in your area to schedule an alternative date for free training.

If your employees need this training in 2025, the PLC is offering the course, and it is free to members and their employees. If you would like to schedule or sign up for an existing training, contact Jessica@plcloggers.org or 207-688-8195.

Upcoming Classes.

Heat Illness Prevention – June 10, 2025 l 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.  Sanford Adult Education, 668 Main Street, Sanford Every year, dozens of workers die and thousands more become ill while working in hot or humid conditions. This course educates employers on signs and symptoms of heat illness, recognizing heat hazards, and provides resources to keep workers safe.   Trenching & Excavation – June 16, 2025 l 8:30 a.m. –12:30 p.m.  SafetyWorks! Training Institute, 45 Commerce Drive, Augusta This course explains the dangers to employees from trenching and excavation operations, soil classifications, OSHA requirements, and the types of protective systems to prevent cave-ins. You will also learn what is meant by “competent person”.   Developing & Conducting Assessments, Audits, and Inspections – June 17, 2025 l 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. SafetyWorks! Training Institute, 45 Commerce Drive, Augusta Identifying hazards is a key element to preventing injuries in the workplace. This course explores the timing, frequency, and process of various hazard identification tools that can be used to proactively protect your workers.   Scaffolding & Fall Protection – June 18, 2025 l 8:30a.m. – 4:30 p.m.  SafetyWorks! Training Institute, 45 Commerce Drive, Augusta This one-day training session is designed to help owners, managers, and supervisors recognize and respond appropriately to employee-impairment in the workplace to reduce worker accidents and injuries. Participants will be taught procedures to detect impairment regardless of the substance or cause. This class is designed to fulfill the federal DOT requirements for reasonable suspicion training of supervisors. In addition, participants will learn how to develop and implement policies that address impairment in the workplace and are in compliance with Maine’s Substance Use Testing Law.   Machine Guarding – June 23, 2025 l 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. SafetyWorks! Training Institute, 45 Commerce Drive, Augusta Participants will learn how to identify hazards which require machine guarding and the methods available to protect employees from those hazards.   Safety & Health Management Systems – June 24, 2025 l 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. SafetyWorks! Training Institute, 45 Commerce Drive, Augusta Successful safety and health programs are more than just compliance with the OSHA standards. Injuries and illnesses are reduced when employers possess common elements to identify and address safety and health hazards. This course outlines roles and responsibilities, common principles, required functions and programs of a successful safety and health management system. This course prepares organizations who would like to pursue SHARP/ SHAPE. Register and browse more SafetyWorks! classes: https://www.safetyworksmaine.gov/training/scheduled_classes/register.shtmlIf you have questions about safety or upcoming classes, reach out to SafetyWorks! at 1-877-SAFE-345 or general.bls-safetyworks@maine.gov. If you have questions about Wage and Hour compliance, please reach out to the Wage and Hour Division at 207-623-7900 orbls.mdol@maine.gov, or visit https://www.maine.gov/labor/bls/

New Small PLC Operator/Driver First Aid Pack!

In response to demand for a smaller/”must have in an emergency” first aid pack to be stored in a machine or pickup, the PLC has created a new Operator/Driver First Aid Pack.

• Contains “must have in an emergency” bleeding control items 
• One pack is recommended per machine/truck 
• Detachable velcro panel ideal for mounting in a machine or truck
• Meets OSHA requirements for a logging first aid kit
• Supplements PLC’s larger first aid back pack but is not a replacement

More information on the pack and its contents is available HERE. 

Purchase

PLC Crew First Aid Backpack

PLC First Aid Pack: In response to widespread interest from members, we have created a PLC First Aid Pack that has everything you need for emergencies in the woods.

This Military Elite Tactical Trauma First Aid Backpack was designed for the PLC by Paul Stewart – EMT Houlton, ME. 

Purchase

Now Free to Maine Loggers! A $300 value!

PLC Members Only! Equipment Cost Calculators Available

Members,

With expenses rising rapidly in the industry we know you are struggling to get a handle on your costs. This is a great time to utilize the cost calculators created in 2021 for PLC Members.

These easy to use, logging equipment and log trucking cost calculators are available on the PLC Members Only section of our web site You may access this private section of the web site with your member login or set up a login HERE. Please note – All PLC Contractors have access, simply use your email address to login and if you do not know your password for the Members Only account hit “lost password” and you will be emailed a link to add one.  Then to get to resources simply click “Contractor resources” at the top.

These calculators allow you to quickly estimate the hourly cost of operation for any piece of your equipment.

DISCLAIMER: These calculators are being made available for your business use as a member benefit. They produce equipment estimates and are not official products of the PLC nor should they be used for negotiation purposes.

PLC Online Store

Looking for great PLC items and apparel? Gifts? First Aid packs, safety items and more?

You will find them at the new PLC Online Store on our web site. Ordering is easy.

Shop Here

Member Discounts

ALC Member Discounts

PLC Members, because the PLC is a member of the American Loggers Council YOU are entitled to special discounts!

Fabian Oil Discount

Wallingford’s Discounts

Dirigo Waste Oil

10% Discount on new furnaces. Contact Justin at 207-873-0881

Maine Trailer Discounts

Maine Trailer Discounts

Treeline Discounts

Click Here Discount Pricing on Skidder Bridges and Crane Mats

PLC Members get a 5% discount on culverts purchased at Treeline and Frank Martin & Sons

Hale Trailer Discounts

Hale Trailer discounts for PLC Members on new trailer purchases! Call Neal at 207-232-7969 for details!

Preferred Supporting Members

Enhanced Supporting Members