T2K_02-17_OnlinEdition

FEBRUARY 2017
GENERAL MANAGER
Megan Hicks
SALES MANAGER
Jerry Critser
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF
Tammy Borrelli
Charlene Abernathy
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Chad Singleton
EDITOR
Sean O’Connell
ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES
Meg Larcinese
1.678.325.1025
megl@targetmediapartners.com
John Hicks
1.770.418.9789
johnh@targetmediapartners.com
Greg McClendon
1.678.325.1023
gregmc@targetmediapartners.com
Roger Fair
1.256.676.3688
rogerf@targetmediapartners.com
Sean Hayes
1.256.405.4017
seanh@htwoservices.com
COLUMNS
Bulletin Board...........................14
Highway Angel..........................24
Bottom Line..............................36
Advertiser’s Index.....................48
COPYRIGHT: Copyright 2017 Wilshire Classifieds,
LLC. Publisher as sumes no responsibility for
unsolicited material. Reproduction in whole or in
part without written permis sion is prohibited. All
advertisements, and/or editorials are accepted and
published by Publisher on the representation that
the advertiser, its advertising agency, and/or the
supplier of the contents are authorized to publish
the entire contents and subject matter thereof.
The advertiser, its advertising agency and/or the
supplier of the contents will defend, indemnify and
hold Publisher harmless from and against any loss,
expense or other liability, resulting from any claims
or suits for libel, violation of privacy, plagiarism,
copyright or trademark infringement and any other
claims or suits that may rise out of publication
of such contents. Press releases are expressly
covered within the definition of contents.
TRUCKING 2017 • (256) 835-7610
4 TRUCKING 2017

You’re not just a number at Hurricane Express.
“You’re no longer a number. They actually
know who you are. Your face. Your name.
When you pick up the phone, they know your
voice. You are part of the family.”
That’s how Damian Hunsaker describes
Hurricane Express, a family-owned company
based out of Colcord, Oklahoma that has been
in business since 1988. Hurricane specializes
in lease-purchase trucking and in refrigerated
freight going coast-to-coast--mainly produce,
poultry, and seafood. And like Hunsaker says
(and the company’s website proudly proclaims),
“We still know our drivers by name, not by the
number on their truck.”
This sentiment is shared by fellow Hurricane
Express driver Cliff Thomas, who has been with
the company for almost four years.
“They’re great people,” he said. “They treat
you like family. They know everybody’s name.
You’re not just a number with them. Not just
the office people, but even the owner of the
company is accessible.
“The freight is good. It’s always consistent.
The miles are always good,” Thomas added. “It
is coast-to-coast trucking. It’s over the road,
and I do like that, as opposed to regional. For
anyone looking for an over-the-road job, it’s
perfect.”
Hunsaker has been driving for Hurricane for
almost a year, operating out of his home base in
Phoenix, Arizona.
“Hurricane has been very supportive, as they
seem to be with everybody, because they’d
like everybody to be successful and be able
to move forward. It has been a wonderful
experience. They’re very supportive. They’re
very encouraging. If you have any questions,
someone is always there to help, and if that
person doesn’t have the answer, they will seek
out the answer,” Hunsaker said. “Overall, it has
that small, family atmosphere, which attracts
me quite a bit.”
As for other perks, Thomas reports that the
ease with which he can obtain time off is crucial.
Any time that he needs to be off the road, for
personal or professional reasons, the company is
always willing to work with him.
However, if you are ready to earn money,
Hunsaker says that Hurricane Express is the
place to be.
“Be ready to work,” Hunsaker said. The
company is constantly looking to revise its lease
programs to make business opportunities more
appetizing for drivers who want to own their
own truck and continuously earn.
“A lot of drivers like to do maybe 2,000 or
2,400 miles a week. And that’s in a seven-day
period. And they’re totally comfortable doing
that,” Hunsaker said. “Hurricane doesn’t
operate in that environment. So a driver really
needs to have the willingness to succeed. And
as long as the driver is willing to do that,
Hurricane will be there every step of the way, to
help guide you.”
To find out more, visit www.
hurricaneexpressinc.com. •

6 Professional Truck Drivers
Named Finalists In TCA’s 2016
Driver Of The Year Contest
Six professional truck drivers have been
named finalists in the Truckload Carriers
Association’s 2016 Driver of the Year contest.
There are three finalists in each of the two
categories.
The finalists and grand prize winners are
selected based on their ability to operate safely
on public highways, their efforts to enhance the
public image of the trucking industry, and their
positive contributions to the communities in
which they live.
The two overall winners will receive $25,000
each, while the two runners-up in each division
will win $2,500.
Company Driver of the Year contest finalists
are:
- Murray Manuliak of Bison Transport
- David McGowan of WEL Companies, who
was also a finalist in the 2015 contest, and
- William Poteet of Saddle Creek Logistics
Services.
Owner-Operator of the Year contest finalists
include:
- Gary Buchs of Landstar System
- Philip Keith of WEL Companies, and
- Kevin Kocmich of Diamond Transportation
System.
To be eligible for the contests, driver
applicants were required to meet strict standards,
such as one million consecutive accident-free
miles.
Judges
examined
each
driver’s
operating
information,
work
history
and safety
record,
and each finalist was asked to write a 300-
word essay explaining why he or she is a good
“trucking citizen” and should be considered
for the grand prize. For the owner-operator
candidates judges also reviewed equipment
specifications, business plans, and financial
statements.
The names of the grand prize winners will
be announced at TCA’s Annual Convention to
be held at the Gaylord Opryland in Nashville,
Tennessee, March 26-29.
Dillon Transportation Seeks
Exemption From HOS For Split
Sleeper Periods
Dillon Transportation has filed a request with
the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
for an exemption from the Hours of Service
regulations, seeking permission for its team
drivers to be allowed to take the equivalent
of 10 consecutive hours off duty by splitting
sleeper berth time into two periods totaling 10
hours, provided neither of the two periods is
less than three hours.
The FMCSA is seeking public comments on
the request.
Dillon Transportation is a privately owned and
14 www.TruckDriverMagazines.com TRUCKING 2017

operated company founded in 1997 by Donnie
Dillon in his hometown of Mt. Juliet, Tennessee.
Dillon spent 20 years as an over-the-road
driver.
Dillon operates a fleet of 103 vehicles with 50
team drivers. It delivers products to 48 states
from a diversified customer base.
According to Dillon, the majority of the fleet
drivers are home weekly with 34-48 hours off.
The fact that some divers stay out longer is their
choice to do so; Dillon says it does not require
its drivers to stay on the road for more than five
days.
Dillon’s tractors are equipped with doublebunk
sleepers in the event both drivers need
or want to rest at the same time. Drivers are
allowed to make their own decisions about
when and where to take short rest breaks based
on their personal needs and preferences in
conformance with regulatory requirements.
Dillon asserts that it takes safety, health and
wellness seriously, and only hires well-qualified
drivers who go through a comprehensive
orientation/new-hire training program. Dillon’s
trucks are all equipped with electronic logging
devices for monitoring Hours of Service
compliance.
Dillon said in its request that it is common
knowledge that sleeping in a moving vehicle
is more difficult than for a single driver who
is able to stop the truck during sleeper time.
According to Dillon, having the flexibility to
switch with a partner allows each driver to take
advantage of shorter driver periods when they
feel fatigued even though they have available
driving time. This will result in a more flexible
work pattern improving personal and vehicular
safety. The exemption request would not apply
to trips driven by a single driver.
U.S. Adds 156,000 Jobs in
December; For-Hire Trucking
Adds 1,400
U.S. employers added 156,000 jobs in
December, capping a year of slower but solid
hiring. The report is the last major snapshot of
the economy President-elect Donald Trump will
inherit from President Barack Obama.
The Labor Department says the
unemployment rate ticked up to 4.7 percent
from a nine-year low of 4.6 percent.
Hourly pay jumped 2.9 percent from a
year earlier, the biggest increase in more
than seven years. That is a positive sign that
the low unemployment rate is forcing some
businesses to offer higher wages to attract and
keep workers. Sluggish growth in Americans’
paychecks has been a longstanding weak spot in
the seven-year economic recovery.
The for-hire trucking industry added 1,400
jobs in December bringing the total net added in
2016 to 10,400. The industry lost jobs the first
six months of 2016, and in the last six months
alone added 19,800 jobs.
Auto sales rose for a seventh straight year in
2016 to a record high. Industry analysts expect
sales to slip a bit this year but to remain at a
healthy level.
And home sales reached their highest point in
nearly a decade in November. Mortgage rates
have jumped since the election but dipped this
week, suggesting that rates might level off.
16 www.TruckDriverMagazines.com TRUCKING 2017

Illinois Driver Named Highway
Angel For Efforts To Revive
Fellow Trucker
Mark McConachie, of Sparta, Illinois,
a professional truck driver for Maverick
Transportation of North Little Rock,
Arkansas, has been named a Highway Angel
by the Truckload
Carriers Association
for administering
CPR to another
professional driver
who was suffering
from a heart attack.
McConachie is
in his sixth year as
a professional truck
driver after working
many years in the Mark McConachie
HVAC industry.
When asked
about performing
CPR, McConachie
said, “I was taught
to never stop until
a professional gets
there, and I will do
whatever I need to do
when someone is in distress.”
On March 3, 2016, just after lunch,
McConachie was waiting on his load at
the Atlas Tube in Chicago, Illinois, making
small talk with another driver.
A few minutes later he noticed that the
driver he had been talking to leaned against
a steal beam. “I asked him if he was okay
several times, but he didn’t respond back,”
McConachie said.
The driver then fell backwards and
McConachie told an Atlas Tube employee to
call 911.
He rushed to the driver’s side and noticed
his chest was immobile and his eyes rolled
back in his head.
“I was
taught to
never stop
until a
professional
gets there,
and I will
do whatever
I need to do
when
someone is
in distress.”
McConachie
began
performing CPR,
which he learned
years ago while
in basic training
for the Army.
He continued
performing
CPR along with
an Atlas Tube
employee until
EMS arrived.
When the
ambulance pulled away from Atlas Tube, the
driver was still breathing, but unfortunately,
McConachie found out later that the driver
had passed away at the hospital.
For his willingness to assist his fellow
driver, TCA has presented McConachie
with a certificate, patch, lapel pin, and truck
24 www.TruckDriverMagazines.com TRUCKING 2017

decals. Maverick
Transportation
also received
a certificate
acknowledging
Mark McConachie
as a Highway
Angel.
EpicVue
sponsors TCA’s Highway Angel program.
Since the program’s
inception in August
1997, hundreds
of drivers have
been recognized as
Highway Angels
for the exemplary
kindness, courtesy,
and courage they
have displayed while on the job.
26 www.TruckDriverMagazines.com TRUCKING 2017

EXCEPTIONAL
BENEFITS
HUGE
SIGN-ON BONUS
PAID
TRAINING
$5,000 Sign On Bonus
Immediate Need for OTR and Local Drivers
(must live near terminals for local work)
GENEROUS BENEFIT PACKAGE:
• Sign on bonus, Up to $5,000 for
Experienced Car Haulers
• Paid Vacation & Personal time
• Paid Holidays
• Employer Paid Medical & Life Ins.
• 401K Matching
• Paid Training
Terminal Locations
•Detroit, MI •San Antonio, TX •Hapeville/Lawrenceville, GA
•Wentzville, MO •Centreveille, IL
SEEKING:
•Experienced car haulers with
minimum 1 year of experience
•Drivers interested in becoming
car haulers, must have 1 year
of CDL experience
Hiring
map
TRANSPORTATION
Equal Opportunity Employer
866-385-4046

30 www.TruckDriverMagazines.com TRUCKING 2017

The
Bottom Line
By Shasta D. May
TAX TIME
TIPS
It’s time to start gathering the necessary
information to have your tax return prepared.
For many this is a difficult task. If you are
one of the many people who simply hate to
deal with paperwork it may be better for you
to just box all your paperwork and send it to
your tax preparer so that they can prepare a
summary to reflect the year’s tax activities.
Once the summary is done you will be ready
to get your taxes prepared.
For those of you who don’t have any
problem gathering paperwork, you should
be able to complete the income tax organizer
you received from your tax preparer. If
you did not receive a tax organizer from
your preparer you can call various tax
preparers, including us, and request one. A
tax organizer simplifies the information
gathering process and helps to prevent you
from forgetting or overlooking important tax
deductions. It is best to get a tax organizer
from a preparer who specializes in your
industry.
If you haven’t filed in several years and
are hesitant to file now, don’t be. Now is the
time to get past returns done as well. Even if
you know you will owe taxes and are unable
to pay you should get your tax returns
prepared and filed. If you are going to owe
and you can’t afford to pay your tax liability
you can request an, “Installment Agreement”
to set up a payment plan. This is something
to discuss with your tax preparer when the
results of your tax return are reviewed. To be
eligible for an “Installment Agreement” you
must have all back taxes completed and filed.
Many taxpayers that have fallen behind
are reluctant to come forward and discuss
their tax issues. What you may not know
is that the IRS wants taxpayers back on
track and will work with you and your tax
representative to reach workable resolutions.
Many of you are company drivers and
you may be missing out on larger refunds
because you aren’t itemizing. Most people
think they can’t itemize unless they own
a house, this is not always the case. For
example, if you don’t itemize and you are
36 www.TruckDriverMagazines.com TRUCKING 2017

Single the Standard Deduction for 2016 is
$6,300 and your refund is based on that
amount. What this means is that the IRS
allows you $6,300 in deductions with no
receipts, no questions. But if you have more
than $6,300 in deductions you can itemize
(with receipts and/or backup documentation)
that you have over $6,300 in legitimate
deductions.
A good example of someone who should
itemize would be the single company driver
with non- reimbursed expenses, such as
Bottom Line
The
MANY OF YOU ARE
COMPANY DRIVERS AND
YOU MAY BE MISSING
OUT ON LARGER
REFUNDS BECAUSE YOU
AREN’T ITEMIZING.
meals. Let’s say you are away from home
working and are not reimbursed for your
meals (per diem) and you’re out 250 days
on the road working. 250 x $63. (per diem/
meal allowance) = $15,750. The deduction
allowed is 80% which equals $12,600
that’s $6,300 more in deductions if you
itemize and $945 more in refund if you’re
in the 15% tax bracket (more if your tax
bracket is higher). Please note if you are
reimbursed for meals you are not able to
take the deduction. In addition to meals you
can deduct other non-reimbursed business
expenses such as, work boots, gloves,
weather/safety gear, cell phone (business
use only), motels, union and professional
dues. Do some research and make sure you
are getting the best results possible for your
situation.
If you don’t feel your tax preparer is
looking out for you and providing the best
service possible, look around for someone
new. You should be able to call and talk with
your tax preparer and feel confident in the
service being provided and a sense of trust
in the individual you’ve chosen to handle
your tax matters.
This article has been presented by MBA
Tax & Bookkeeping Service, a company proud
to provide Corporate/LLC filings, income tax,
bookkeeping and IRS problem resolution
services to truckers in all states. If you would
like additional information or have questions,
calls are always welcome. Contact us at
888-407-1669 or visit our website at www.
mbataxhelp.com.
This article is provided for informational
purposes only and is not intended as legal or
tax advice. Each individual business situation
is different and the information contained
herein is meant for general information
purposes only. Specific tax and legal
recommendations can only be made after an
individual has consulted his or her qualified
tax or legal professional.
38 www.TruckDriverMagazines.com TRUCKING 2017

42 www.TruckDriverMagazines.com TRUCKING 2017

ADVERTISERS INDEX
Alabama Motor Express.......................26
ATS....................................................... 37
Beacon Transport.................................10
Bennett Motor Group...........................50
CalArk............................................ 15, 51
Carrier One..........................................20
Celadon .........................................17, 29
Central Hauling.................................... 27
Covenant Transport.............................. 23
Freight Logistics..................................18
Harris Quality................................30, 42
Heartland.............................................. 43
Hurricane Express............. Cover, 6-7, 41
JK Hackl................................................. 5
JMN......................................................28
Johnsrud Transport...............................42
K & B Transportation.........................8-9
Lilly Trucking of VA............................ 47
Marten Transport.................... 2-3, 44-45
MATS................................................... 35
Melton Truck Lines........................12, 39
Minstar................................................. 33
MTS.....................................................49
Petro/TA...............................................34
PGS 360...............................................22
Redneck Trailer Supplies.....................19
RTI.................................................13, 52
Schuster................................................ 31
Smith....................................................32
The Trucker..........................................40
Trans Am.............................................. 11
Transport Design..................................30
TruckJobSeekers.com..........................46
UPS...................................................... 21
Koch Trucking..................................... 25
48 www.TruckDriverMagazines.com TRUCKING 2017