The Trucker Newspaper - April 1, 2018

Vol. 31, No. 7
www.thetrucker.com April 1-14, 2018
When it comes to driver job-hopping, it’s not all fun and
games; pay now or pay later as far as carriers are concerned
Courtesy: ATA
MATS debut
There’s nothing like a birthday
to make you look back and take
stock of yourself. It was at the
2014 Mid-America Trucking Show
that Trucking Moves America
Forward was born. This year will
mark the debut of mascot Safety
Sammy.
Page 4
Navigating the news
OOIDA challenges tolls..........6
ELD petition withdrawn..........7
DWLA finalists .......................8
Challenges for women...........9
Truck Stop............................16
Chaplain’s Corner................18
Truck sales strong................21
Shell Safety Series...............25
Mack Over The Air...............29
Flatbed facts........................31
Around the Bend..................37
Courtesy: ARIAN TAYLOR
Lending a helping hand
Ballard Trucking driver Arian
Taylor called the Truckers Against
Trafficking hotline and saved a
19-year-old girl who was stranded
because she refused to be
trafficked.
Page 37
Klint Lowry
klint.lowry@thetrucker.com
“Job-hopping” — sounds like something fun,
doesn’t it? You can almost picture the Monopoly
Man jumping from space to space on a game
board.
In real life, though, and despite there being so
much of it in the trucking industry, job-hopping is
anything but fun and games. For drivers, it means
a stop-and-go career path full of frustrating detours
and dead ends.
The term “job-hopping” describes the practice
more from the drivers’ point of view. From a carrier’s
perspective it’s a matter of holding onto good
drivers who hop in their direction. The name of
that game is retention. As the demand for drivers
increasingly outpaces the supply, the need to succeed
at that game has become a serious business
concern for carriers. It’s a game they can’t afford
to lose, but many are finding that the key to winning
the game is to think beyond dollars and cents.
Jay Green is vice president of business development
at People Element, which works with human
resources departments in various industries,
including transportation. Regarding the “cost”
of turnover, Green said he runs into two kinds of
companies.
“There’s the bean-counting, quantitative, ‘if
I can’t measure it, it doesn’t count’” carriers, he
said. “Then I run into the little more realistic,” he
added. These are the ones who think of “cost” in
every sense of the term.
Shelley Mundy, director of recruiting for
Brown Trucking Company, explained that even
calculating the literal cost of recruiting involves
several factors, such as advertising, salary, bonus-
See Job on p12 m
Courtesy: OMNITRACS
Since the ELD mandate went into effect last
December, inspectors have been conducting
a “soft enforcement” when they inspect a truck
without an ELD-compliant device.
The Trucker: CHRISTIE MCCLUER
Not surprisingly, carriers’ estimates of recruitment costs vary. Many carriers put the figure at
$2,000-$2,500, although some van carriers say it can run as high as $12,000.
Strict enforcement of mandate begins;
if no compliant ELD it is OOS you go
Lyndon Finney
editor@thetrucker.com
WASHINGTON — In the good ole days of
Monday Night Football, the trio of Frank Gifford,
Howard Cosell and “Dandy” Don Meredith
adorned the broadcast booth of ABC.
When the outcome of the game was pretty
much decided, Dandy Don would start singing
the Willie Nelson tune, “Turn Out the Lights, the
Party’s Over,” much to the chagrin of Cosell.
Much to the pleasure — or chagrin depending
which side of the electronic logging device debate
you are on — the party, or in this case soft enforcement
— is over.
April 1, drivers without an ELD or ABORDcompliant
device who are stopped for a traffic violation
or an inspection will be put out-of-service
for 10 hours.
“If a driver is found to not have a compliant
device, whether it be and ELD or an AOBRD,
they will be put out-of-service 10 hours for property
carriers, eight for passenger carriers,” said
Adrienne Gildea, deputy executive director of the
Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance. “At the end
of the 10 or eight hours, the driver can continue
their trip using paper logs, make the delivery or
drop off passengers, but they will not be allowed
to be re-dispatched until the vehicle is properly
equipped with an ELD-compliant device.”
See ELD on p13 m

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Nation April 1-14, 2018 • 3
U.S. DOT sends reminder about drug
test changes; synthetic opioids added
THE TRUCKER STAFF
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department
of Transportation sent out a notice March 20
saying that despite changes to its drug testing
rules, there is still a five-panel test required.
All drug tests come in the form of panels,
where each panel is a drug being tested.
A standard five-panel drug urine test is the
test most frequently used by government agencies
and private employers. It typically tests
for commonly abused substances such as THC,
opiates, PCP, cocaine, and amphetamines.
What were once designated as opiates are
now classified as opioids.
Now added to the group are the semi-synthetic
opioids: hydrocodone, hydromorphone,
oxycodone and oxymorphone, which go under
the brand names Oxycontin, Percodan, Vicodin,
Lortab, Norco, Dilaudid and Exalgo.
Under the amphetamines group, testing is
for amphetamine, methamphetamine, methylenedioxymethamphetamine
or (MDMA), and
MDA, a phenethylamine and amphetamine
class of psychoactive drug.
MDMA is a derivative of amphetamine
and a member of the phenethylamine family
of chemicals that may act as stimulants, hallucinogens,
and/or entactogens. Ecstasy is often
used to refer to MDMA in the tablet or capsule
form, which is the most common way people
take the drug.
Since January 1 of this year, DOT has required
testing for 14 drugs under a five-panel
test.
• Marijuana or THC
• Cocaine
• Amphetamines
1. Amphetamine
2. Methamphetamine
3. MDMA
4. MDA
• Opioids
1. Codeine
2. Morphine
3. 6-AM (heroin)
4. Hydrocodone
5. Hydromorphone
6. Oxycodone
7. Oxymorphone, and
8. Phenyclidine (PCP)
DOT said collectors will continue to check
the five-panel box specified for THC, COC,
PCP OPI or AMP.
Labs will continue to report to Medical
Review Officers (MROs) the specific drugs
and drug metabolites they confirm as positive
and the labs will add hydrocodone, hydromorphone,
oxycodone confirmed positives, as appropriate.
On labs’ semi-annual reports to DOT and employers
they will add hydrocodone, hydromorphone,
oxycodone and oxymorphone confirmed
positive totals as appropriate under opioids.
MROs will continue to report to employers
the specific drugs/drug metabolites they verify
as positive and will add hydrocodone, hydromorphone,
oxycodone and oxymorphone positives
as well.
On their MIS reports, employers must continue
to provide the number of verified positive drug
test results in each testing category (marijuana,
cocaine, amphetamines, opioids, PCP). 8
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4 • April 1-14, 2018 Nation
THETRUCKER.COM
Trucking Moves America Forward mascot Safety Sammy
makes his official debut at Mid-America Trucking Show
Klint Lowry
Courtesy: AMERICAN TRUCKING ASSOCIATIONS
Safety Sammy made his Mid-America Trucking Show debut this year, opening each day
at the Red Eye Radio booth before cruising the convention floor throughout the three-day
show. Here he is surrounded by admirers at a recent convention.
klint.lowry@targetmediapartners.com
WASHINGTON — There’s nothing like a
birthday to make you look back and take stock
of yourself.
It was at the 2014 Mid-American Trucking
Show that Trucking Moves America Forward
(TMAF) was born. Ever since then, the
organization, which was created to accentuate
and project a positive image of the trucking
industry, has treated MATS as its unofficial
birthday. With MATS 2018 a little over a week
away, TMAF held a teleconference March 14
to mark its fourth anniversary and to preview
its 2017 annual report, titled “The Many Faces
of Trucking,” which was released at this year’s
MATS, March 22-24 in Louisville, Kentucky.
“As MATS approaches and we celebrate
our fourth anniversary, it’s amazing to think
of how much progress we have made since
inception,” said Kevin Burch, co-chairman of
TMAF and president of Jet Express Inc.
“Through our public relations, social and
digital media, marketing efforts, and more,
TMAF continues to grow and gain even more
support throughout the industry and public.”
Burch was joined in the teleconference by
his TMAF co-chair Steve Ponder and executive
committee members Elisabeth Barna and
Wendy Hamilton in welcoming a new executive
committee member, Steve Bryan, founder
and president of Vigillo.
The group took turns highlighting TMAF’s
accomplishments over the past year, with statistics
to show that the organization has gained
a great deal of traction within the industry,
which will be helpful in its quest to take its positive
image of trucking to the general public.
That mission has been underway from the
beginning. The organization’s trailer wrap program,
which literally spreads positive images
of the trucking industry on the sides of tractortrailers
around the country, grew to 184 trucks
in 2017, Ponder said. It’s estimated each truck
generates 16 million impressions — that is,
sets of eyes that notice it on the highway. You
can do the math on that, he said.
TMAF’s billboard campaign during National
Truck Driver Awareness Week went over
big, as well, Barna added. There were an estimated
17.4 million impressions.
Meanwhile, there were several positive
notes that showed how much TMAF has taken
hold within the industry, Barna said. At last
year’s National Truck Driving Championships,
a pass-the-hat style fundraiser yielded $1,000
in just five minutes. All told, TMAF raised
$1.1million in donations in 2017.
The organization’s presence on social media
improved in 2017, as well, Hamilton said.
The group’s Facebook page now has over
13,500 followers, a 17 percent growth. Twitter
followers rose by 32 percent, to 3,653 followers.
On LinkedIn, followers rose 39 percent, to
224. Instagram followers more than doubled
in the past year, to 389 followers. TMAF also
launched a blog on Medium, an online publishing
forum, which is already closing in on 100
followers.
And of course, 2017 saw the debut of Sammy
Safety, the official TMAF mascot and goodwill
ambassador. Burch commented that back in
August at the Great American Trucking Show
when he announced the results from an online
vote to name the new mascot, he was gratified
to see how much children gravitated to Sammy.
Since then, Safety Sammy has been making the
rounds with appearances around the country.
He made his MATS debut, opening each
day at the Red Eye Radio booth before cruising
the convention floor throughout the three-day
show. 8
Investigators probe death of trucker killed by conduit through windshield
THE TRUCKER STAFF
HARRISBURG, Pa. — Federal investigators
are looking into the recent death of a truck
driver killed when a section of electrical conduit
fell through his windshield.
State police say the driver was killed when
the section of conduit struck him in the head
while he was driving through the Pennsylvania
Turnpike’s Lehigh Tunnel near Slatington.
A coroner has described the conduit as a
large pipe and said it damaged other vehicles.
The Lehigh County coroner identified the
truck driver as Howard Sexton, 70, of Mickleton,
New Jersey.
After the conduit struck Sexton, the truck
apparently coasted to a stop after riding along
the guardrail, Sexton’s wife of 25 years, Michelle,
and other family members said. The
coroner told the family it appeared Sexton died
instantly.
Sexton’s wife became worried when her
husband didn’t call the night of the accident to
see how her day went. East Greenwich, New
Jersey, police had to deliver the tragic news
later that night.
Sexton, who has grown children, had driven
for Raymour & Flanigan Furniture Co. for the
past 19 years, his family said. He had planned
on retiring this summer.
The furniture company, which has stores in
several northeastern states, issued a statement
saying Sexton was a “beloved member” of its
Southern New Jersey team. “He will be missed
terribly,” the statement read.
Initial police activity focused on other vehicles
in the tunnel that sustained only minor
damages.
Sexton’s body and his truck were not found
for about three hours after Raymour & Flanigan
officials requested a welfare check.
The turnpike authority said the tunnel was
last inspected in September 2016. It would not
say if there had been any recent work done in
or around the area where the materials fell.
Officials say the Lehigh Tunnel’s southbound
side is the only tunnel in the turnpike
system that has electrical conduit directly above
drivers, rather than in a parallel tunnel. 8
USPS 972
Volume 31, Number 7
April 1-14, 2018
The Trucker is a semi-monthly, national newspaper for the
trucking industry, published by Trucker Publications Inc. at
1123 S. University, Suite 320
Little Rock, AR 72204-1610
Vice President / Publisher
Ed Leader
edl@thetrucker.com
Trucking Division General Manager
Megan Cullingford-Hicks
meganh@targetmediapartners.com
Editor
Lyndon Finney
editor@thetrucker.com
Assistant Editor
Dorothy Cox
dlcox@thetrucker.com
Associate Editor
Klint Lowry
klint.lowry@thetrucker.com
Production Manager
Rob Nelson
robn@thetrucker.com
Graphic Artist
Christie McCluer
christie.mccluer@thetrucker.com
Special Correspondent
Cliff Abbott
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National Marketing Consultants
Jerry Critser
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Dennis Ball
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megl@targetmediapartners.com
Greg McClendon
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Thetrucker.com
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THETRUCKER.COM
OOIDA sues Pa. turnpike panel for ‘excessive’ increases being used on non-toll projects
THE TRUCKER STAFF
GRAIN VALLEY, Mo. — The Owner-Operator
Independent Drivers Association has filed
a class-action lawsuit against the Pennsylvania
Turnpike Commission for excessive toll increases
that OOIDA says place an undue burden on interstate
commerce while improperly diverting toll
revenue to other projects unrelated to the turnpike.
OOIDA and the National Motorists Association
have requested an injunction to halt
the turnpike from overcharging customers to
pay for non-turnpike projects, stop the turnpike
from borrowing money to help make PennDOT
payments, prevent PennDOT from the spending
the money it received from the turnpike, and to
refund the money to turnpike users.
“The tolls charged far exceed the value of
the use of turnpike and the costs to maintain it,”
said Todd Spencer, acting president and CEO of
OOIDA. “Truckers have especially overpaid the
price at as much as 70 cents per mile.”
The lawsuit was filed in the Middle District of
Pennsylvania in Harrisburg and says that federal
interstate commerce laws for the turnpike hold that
tolls can only be used to maintain or expand the
359-mile highway for which the tolls are levied.
“Truckers and motorists are not ATMs to
fund everything under the sun,” Spencer said.
In 2007, a public-private partnership was
established between PTC and the Pennsylvania
Department of Transportation.
The agreement is good for 50 years.
Per the agreement, PTC would lease Interstate
80 from PennDOT and convert it to a
toll road. PTC must provide hundreds of millions
of dollars annually to PennDOT under the
agreement, Land Line, the official magazine of
OOIDA, has reported.
According to the lawsuit, the transfer of
I-80 to PTC was never implemented since the
Federal Highway Administration never granted
its approval to convert the interstate to a toll
road. Regardless, the agreement moved on and
was eventually implemented.
Legislation required PTC to make payments
to PennDOT in the amounts of $750 million in
FY 2007-08, $850 million in 2008-09 and $900
million in 2009-10. From 2011 to 2022 the payments
are reduced to $450 million a year. Payments
are further reduced to $50 million from
2023 to the end of the agreement in 2057. In total,
PTC will pay PennDOT $9.65 billion, with
nearly $6 billion of that already paid.
Land Line reported that in the suit, OOIDA
points to a 2016 audit that reveals PTC payments
have been dedicated solely to nonhighway
purposes, including transit. In 2008, PTC
announced a large toll rate increase since revenue
was going elsewhere.
According to a 2008 PTC press release,
the 2009 increase “will largely be used by
PennDOT to help finance off-Turnpike road
and bridge projects and the state’s 74 masstransit
operations.” PTC said more than 90
percent of the increase will go to non-Turnpike
projects.
“If those programs have value, however,
they should be paid for by taxpayers,” the lawsuit
states. “Funding these projects with toll receipts
violates constitutional protections guaranteed
to users of the Pennsylvania Turnpike.”
According to the article in Land Line, in
regard to the excessive costs, OOIDA points
out that since 2011 revenues generated by PTC
tolls have totaled to more than 200 percent
of the operation and maintenance costs of the
Pennsylvania Turnpike System. With toll revenues
twice as much as needed, OOIDA argues
that the tolls are being used as a revenue-generating
machine for PennDOT to use for unrelated
projects.
Spencer said, “The ongoing, economic
drain on unsuspecting turnpike users is the
epitome of highway robbery.” 8
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THETRUCKER.COM
Nation April 1-14, 2018 • 7
FMCSA modifies ELD exemption to give carriers time to make AOBRDs mandate-compliant
Lyndon Finney
editor@thetrucker.com
WASHINGTON — Old Dominion Freight
Line has withdrawn its petition for a temporary
exemption to allow an alternate electronic logging
device phase-in period after the Federal Motor
Carrier Safety Administration issued guidance
March 9 that rendered the request moot.
Old Dominion requested the exemption November
28, 2017, in order to give the carrier up
to at least another year from the ELD mandate
to install ELD-compliant software and to run
its fleet’s automatic on-board recording devices
(AOBRDs) in the meantime.
The modified exemption has allowed Old
Dominion’s AOBRD/ELD provider, PeopleNet,
to complete the development of the software necessary
to integrate ELD data with the company’s
fleet management and safety systems to fully
meet the mandate requirements.
FMCSA was considering the request to be on
behalf of all motor carriers in similar situations
concerning the integration of PeopleNet’s ELD
software into all its fleet management systems.
Sources told The Trucker that up to 250,000
units similar to Old Dominion’s are in use in
the industry today.
The March 9 guidance, developed by FMC-
SA after consultation with carriers in the same
situation as Old Dominion, allows a motor carrier
that installed and required its drivers to use
an AOBRD before December 18, 2017, to run
compliant AOBRD software until December
16, 2019, according to Joe DeLorenzo, FMC-
SA’s director compliance and enforcement.
“That is exactly the policy announcement that
gives us the flexibility we need to transition from
our AOBRD-based fleet and safety management
systems to the ELD platform and software and
be able to utilize the grandfather period originally
granted to early adopter fleets,” said David Congdon,
Old Dominion’s vice chairman and CEO.
In a related development, the agency on
March 13 announced additional steps to address
what it called “the unique needs of the
country’s agriculture industries” and provided
further guidance to assist in the effective implementation
of the ELD mandate without impeding
commerce or safety.
The FMCSA revealed an additional 90-
day temporary waiver from the ELD rule for
agriculture-related transportation, including
livestock transporters.
Additionally during this time period, FMC-
SA will publish final guidance on both the agricultural
150 air-mile Hours of Service exemption
and personal conveyance.
The FMCSA said it would continue its outreach
to provide assistance to the agricultural industry
and community regarding the ELD rule.
“We continue to see strong compliance rates
across the country that improve weekly, but we
Great truck insurance
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service are yours as
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are mindful of the unique work our agriculture
community does and will use the following 90
days to ensure we publish more helpful guidance
that all operators will benefit from,” said
FMCSA Administrator Ray Martinez.
Joe DeLorenzo, FMCSA’s director of compliance
and enforcement, told reporters in a conference
call March 13 the compliance rate was
hovering at 96 percent based on data provided by
law enforcement officers throughout the country.
He noted that the agency had asked officers
to document when they inspect a truck that is not
ELD compliant, even though the truck would not
have been put out-of-service until April 1. 8
TL turnover falls, but still
higher than previous year
THE TRUCKER STAFF
ARLINGTON, Va. — The American Trucking
Associations’ Chief Economist Bob Costello
said March 12 that the driver turnover rate at
truckload carriers fell in the final three months of
2017, but that the rate stayed higher than in the
previous year.
“Despite this dip in turnover, the driver market
remains tight and the driver shortage remains
a real concern for fleets and the industry,” Costello
said. “If the economic climate continues to improve,
I expect both turnover and driver shortage
concerns to rise in the near future.”
According to ATA’s Trucking Activity Report,
the annualized turnover rate at large truckload
fleets — those with more than $30 million
in revenue — fell seven points to 88 percent
in the fourth quarter. It was the first time the
rate had dipped below 90 percent since the first
quarter of the year.
Turnover at small truckload fleets fell 4
points to 80 percent. The turnover rate at both
large and small fleets, despite this quarter’s
declines, was still 14 points higher than a year
earlier.
“Despite the continuing tight driver market, I
think there are a couple reasonable explanations
for the dip in turnover this past quarter,” Costello
said. “First, freight demand was very strong...
which may have encouraged drivers to stay. And
second, many fleets implemented announced pay
increases last quarter.” 8
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8 • April 1-14, 2018 Nation
THE TRUCKER STAFF
PLOVER, Wis. — The Women In Trucking
(WIT) Association has announced finalists
for the fourth annual Distinguished Woman in
Logistics Award (DWLA) established to promote
the achievements of women employed in
the North American transportation industry.
Finalists for the award are Renee Krug,
Kendra Phillips and Betty Weiland. The winner
will be announced by the DWLA program
sponsor, Truckstop.com, on behalf of WIT on
Tuesday, April 10, during the Transportation
Intermediaries Association (TIA) 2018 “Capital
Ideas” Conference and Exhibition in Palm
Desert, California.
The award highlights the crucial roles of
leading women in the dynamic and influential
field of commercial transportation and logistics,
which includes logistics service providers
as well as motor carriers.
The finalists for the 2018 DWLA award
have demonstrated superior leadership within
their companies as well as with other professional,
educational or philanthropic organizations.
Renee Krug
As chief financial officer, Krug is responsible
for all financial reporting, mergers and
acquisitions, treasury, accounting, tax and
human resources at GlobalTranz, a $1.1 billion
revenue technology-driven 3PL. She has
more than 15 years of executive leadership
and more than seven years of transportation
industry experience. She was named 2017
CFO of the Year Arizona by CV Magazine
and a finalist for CFO of the Year by the Arizona
Chapter of Financial Executives International
(FEI) and Phoenix Business Journal,
in addition to receiving the CFO Award from
Finance Monthly. Krug led GlobalTranz to
achieve record-setting financial growth and
profitability in 2016 and 2017, completing
five acquisitions in 2017, and effectively preparing
GlobalTranz for future growth.
Kendra Phillips
Phillips currently serves as the group director
of SE Operations for Ryder, a leader
in commercial fleet management, dedicated
transportation, and supply-chain solutions. She
manages a multi-million-dollar P&L, driving
margin improvement with current customers
and sales growth with new targets. In her first
year in this role, she was the top operational
performer within the division. In addition, she
manages a team of over 700 employees. Her
team was awarded Ryder’s prestigious “Chairman’s
Safety Award.” She drives key business
goals and objectives by establishing best practices,
leading through change, and creating a
culture of accountability.
Betty Weiland
Weiland joined J. J. Keller & Associates
Inc., in 1980 and serves as senior editorial
manager of Keller’s Transportation Publishing
Department. In her role, she leads a group
of 10 editors who are responsible for developing
and updating all of J. J. Keller’s transportation
publications, in addition to providing
content for online services, training programs,
webinars, whitepapers and forms. With expertise
in transportation safety issues, Weiland
serves as editor for the industry-standard Fleet
Safety Compliance Manual and other popular
J. J. Keller publications, including the Federal
Motor Carrier Safety Regulations Pocketbook
and Handbook.
THETRUCKER.COM
Three finalists selected for fourth annual Distinguished Woman in Logistics Award
THE TRUCKER STAFF
WASHINGTON — Led by Tennessee Department
of Transportation Commissioner John
Schroer and Colorado DOT Executive Director
Michael Lewis, a group of industry stakeholders
strongly called for Congress and President
Donald Trump to come up with enough longterm
highway and transit revenue to avert a
funding crisis in 2020.
The officials made their comments during
a hearing on “Building a 21st Century Infrastructure
for America: Long-Term Funding for
Highways and Transit Programs” conducted
by the House Transportation and Infrastructure
Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
Schroer, who was also speaking as currentyear
president of the American Association of
State Highway and Transportation Officials
(AASHTO), was the first of the panel to testify.
He said that when a five-year authorization
of surface transportation programs expires in
2020, the Highway Trust Fund faces a “cliff”
in which available project funds will sharply
fall.
“In terms of federal highway obligations,”
Schroer warned, “AASHTO estimates that
Courtesy: WOMEN IN TRUCKING
RENEE KRUG
states may see a 40 percent drop from FY 2020
to the following year — from $46.2 billion to
$27.7 billion in FY 2021.”
He added that “in the past, such similar
shortfall situations have led to the possibility of
a reduction in federal reimbursements to states
on existing obligations, leading to serious cash
flow problems for states and resulting in project
delays.”
And “more alarmingly, due to a steeper projected
shortfall in the [trust fund’s] mass transit
account, new federal transit obligations are expected
to be zeroed out between FY 2021 and
FY 2023, excluding any ‘flex’ of highway dollars
to transit.”
So unless Congress acts soon to head off
that situation, Schroer said that “simply put,
this is a devastating scenario that we must do
all we can to avoid.”
He also noted that AASHTO has drawn up
a list of revenue options Congress could pursue
to fix the trust fund.
Schroer pointed out that many states including
Tennessee have in recent years increased
their own road and transit funding while waiting
for their federal partner to take such action.
Courtesy: WOMEN IN TRUCKING
KENDRA PHILLIPS
Courtesy: WOMEN IN TRUCKING
BETTY WEILAND
Finalists were selected from a vast group
of high-performing women representing thirdparty
logistics, supply-chain management,
and related functional disciplines. Members
of the judging panel were: Dr. Stephanie S.
Ivey, director of Intermodal Freight Transportation
Institute, Southeast Transportation
Workforce Center, and associate professor,
department of civil engineering at the University
of Memphis; Laurie Denham, vice president
of education, TIA; Brent Hutto, chief
relationship officer, Truckstop.com; and Ellen
Voie, president and CEO, WIT.
The winner of the 2018 award will be announced
on stage during the opening session
of the TIA conference on Tuesday morning,
April 10. 8
AASHTO leaders, trucking execs plead for long-term road funds to avert fiscal ‘cliff’
“I mention this,” he said, “because AASH-
TO and its members vehemently disagree with
any notion that federal transportation funding
displaces or discourages state and local investment.
In fact, as evidenced by significant
transportation infrastructure investment needs,
further strengthening and reaffirmation of the
federally assisted, state-implemented foundation
of the national program is even more critical
now than in the past.”
The Colorado DOT’s Lewis reported on
states’ efforts to test mileage-based revenue
alternatives, but told lawmakers they need to
bolster trust fund receipts now through other
means because such road user charges would
not be ready to implement nationwide for perhaps
10 more years.
Chris Spear, CEO of the American Trucking
Associations, and Ed Mortimer, executive
director for transportation and infrastructure
at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, told lawmakers
they are ready to help mobilize support
behind Congressional efforts to increase transportation
revenue.
Both of their groups have proposed increasing
federal motor fuel user fees as the most efficient
way to raise substantial amounts of new
project revenue.
Spear said the committee and stakeholders
are all holding such a discussion now because
of President Trump’s push for a new infrastructure
investment plan, but said the president
would also need to strongly advocate for a new
revenue proposal in order to get lawmakers to
approve it.
Thea Lee, president of the Economic Policy
Institute, said that “allowing the Highway
Trust Fund to become progressively underfunded
in the coming decade would do great
damage . . . To ensure that HTF has resources
to fund planned expenditures, the current gas
tax should be raised or a new dedicated revenue
source for the HTF should be found.”
Lawmakers from both parties said they
would support measures to increase project
funding, but underscored the political difficulty
of the task.
The same day, Democratic senators announced
they would propose rolling back some
just-passed tax breaks for wealthy people and
corporations to pay for a $1 trillion, 10-year infrastructure
package. 8

THETRUCKER.COM
Nation April 1-14, 2018 • 9
Women stakeholders list obstacles to attracting females to trucking and what’s working
Dorothy Cox
dlcox@thetrucker.com
Women think of trucking and picture heavy
machinery and an all-male job. Recruiting ads
don’t speak to women and many females are
afraid to be alone in a truck with a male trainer
they don’t know.
Those are a few of the obstacles to attracting
more women to the industry, said women
industry stakeholders Wednesday in a Web
roundtable discussion made open to individual
drivers and members of the news media.
It was sponsored by Omnitracs and featured
Omnitracs’ Senior Director of Analytics
and Modeling Lauren Domnick, Sherri Garner
Brumbaugh, president and CEO of Garner
Trucking, and Ellen Voie, president and CEO
of Women In Trucking.
Domnick said Omnitracs’ data-capturing
technology shows that women tend to stay longer
with their carriers than men, drive 800 to
900 more miles a month than male drivers, and
have fewer preventable accidents than their
male counterparts.
Recruiters should target those facts, she
said.
Voie said trucking has to do a better job
of letting women know that technology and
equipment such as automated transmission,
better ergonomics in the cab and improved
truck stop facilities for women are just a few
of the things that have changed about trucking
over the years.
“The industry has changed, the job’s
changed, trucks have changed,” she said. “It’s
a lot different now.”
Brumbaugh agreed that misconceptions
about driving a truck abound, one of them being
that a driver has to be out on the road three
to four weeks at a time.
She said, “not all companies operate that
way.” Her company, for instance, has slip-seating
where two drivers share a truck and spend
four days home and four days driving.
“You have to be creative with your lanes
and get folks home,” she said. And it’s not just
women who want more home time she said,
more men are wanting to be part of the childrearing
process.
Carriers must do a better job of training
new recruits not just how to drive the truck, but
about the lifestyle, and communication is key,
Brumbaugh said.
There need to be peers in place to discuss
the challenges of being home for long periods
of time and carriers’ communication channels
must be open “24/7 365” in case of home emergencies
or problems out on the road, she said.
Voie said a WIT-commissioned survey
found that only 16 percent of women have been
offered mentors but that mentoring is high on
women drivers’ wish list.
As to technology, the panelists agreed that
technology like automated transmissions and
safety enhancements not only attract women
drivers, but millennials as well, although Voie
pointed out that women drivers want everyone to
know they can shift gears just as well as a man.
The Trucker file photo
Women make up just under 7 percent of the nation’s truck drivers but more and more
are finding they fit just fine behind the wheel of a big rig.
Voie said it’s also important that career days
emphasize to young women that there’s excellent
money to be made in trucking and that
women already enjoying a driving career need
to encourage their female family members and
friends to get into trucking.
Both Voie and Brumbaugh emphasized that
carriers need to have a zero-tolerance policy
against harassment and that the policy needs to
be communicated clearly and often.
Brumbaugh said, “a fish stinks from the
head down” and that company executives
need to set the example, have a whistle-blower
policy in place and provide a safe atmosphere
for employees to air their concerns.
She added that harassment can come from
customers, too, and it’s important to communicate
the zero-tolerance policy to them.
Where possible, female new hires appreciate
and want women trainers, Voie said, adding
that male executives still need to provide mentoring
in the right situations and don’t need to
be so afraid of the “Me Too” movement that
they refuse to provide leadership guidance to
women employees they’re in charge of.
Brumbaugh pointed out that in her career,
her father and other male mentors in the industry
got her where she is today. 8
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10 • April 1-14, 2018 Nation
TMP names David Compton to head trucking division
New thetrucker.com site
scheduled for April launch
THE TRUCKER STAFF
LOS ANGELES — David Compton, a
senior vice president at Target Media Partners
(TMP) since 2016, has been chosen to
head the organization’s Trucking Division.
Compton has more than 25 years of executive
management experience, most recently
with three news-related internet companies
— tradingmarkets.com, thestreet.
com and realmoney.com — and will be
responsible for the trucking division’s digital
and print businesses, which will become
more tightly integrated than ever.
“Our trucking team has done a terrific
job building our
digital business
to complement
our already strong
print business,”
said Jim Sington,
CEO of TMP.
“With the pending
launch of a new
website and Dave
now leading the
team, we are very
Courtesy: TMP
well positioned to
DAVID COMPTON
take the next significant
step toward our digital future.”
“Today, many trucking websites lack the
features we see on the newer and more social
websites, especially when it comes to
mobile,” Compton said. “What we are doing
with our new website (thetrucker.com) is
adding many of these features with the design
bias of mobile first. The end result will
be a site like the industry has never seen.”
The new thetrucker.com is slated to go live
in April.
Compton will head a leadership team
of Ed Leader, vice president of operations;
Megan Hicks, general manager of the trucking
division; and Lyndon Finney, digital and
print editor.
TMP digital and print content is tailored
to audiences within the trucking industry,
including company drivers, owneroperators,
teams and company management
personnel. The company is a leader in the
long-haul truck driver recruiting market and
in providing news and information to the
industry.
For more information, visit thetrucker.
com and targetmediapartners.com. 8
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12 • April 1-14, 2018 Nation
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b Job from page 1 b
es, transportation, referral, gifts and job fairs.
Not surprisingly, carriers’ estimates of recruitment
costs vary. Green said many of the
carriers he works with put the figure in the
$2,000-$2,500 range, although some van carriers
have told him it can run as high as $12,000.
Recruitment is an unavoidable expense.
What is avoidable is having to do it so often.
You have to spend money to make money, but
if you spend it wisely you may not have to
spend as much.
Green recalled how People Element first
got involved with trucking in the early ’90s.
Frito-Lay came to them because they were
having a big problem with driver turnover.
People Element began conducting external
exit interviews with the departing drivers.
The insights gained from those interviews
helped cut driver turnover at Frito-Lay in
half.
Word spread, and People Element now
has about 100 clients in transportation. “We
seem to do something a little bit different
each time,” Green said. You can’t just go
with what works at one carrier and apply it
everywhere, he added. In today’s labor market
one size does not fit all, not in how you
approach carriers and not in how you approach
drivers.
Mundy, who is also chairman of the
Truckload Carriers Association’s Recruitment
and Retention Human Resources Committee,
said many carriers now have departments
dedicated to driver retention.
“You really have to hang on to those
people and see what their issues are and their
friction points, making sure they have people
to talk to, to express what their needs are and
what they’re going through,” she said.
Mundy and Green agree that the American
workforce is changing everywhere. Employers
need to acknowledge that while salary
and benefits are as important as ever, it’s
the quality-of-life factors that keep employees
satisfied these days — and keep employees,
period.
Look at the difference in retention rates
between large and small carriers, Green said.
With large carriers, “the advantage is lots of
work opportunities; they’ll keep you moving.”
And yet small carriers have decidedly
lower turnover rates than large carriers.
At large carriers, Green said, “The disadvantage
is you can get lost in the weeds at a
place that big.” At smaller carriers — and by
smaller he means 500 trucks or fewer — it’s
much easier to create a “family atmosphere.”
Mundy agrees that smaller carriers have
an advantage in that regard.
“I think the level of communication is
more direct with smaller carriers,” she said.
“When you get something over your Omnitracs
system as opposed to when you walk
in and you hear it from your fleet manager, it
has a different effect.”
Communication technology has improved
so much in recent years, Mundy said. Unfortunately,
this has led to companies stacking
50 or 60 drivers on one fleet leader. “A driver
can’t get any attention when that manager
has 50 employees. It’s just unrealistic.”
Operational efficiency is one of those areas
that is difficult to quantify at any level.
Any driver knows the hassles of being new
at a job, Mundy said.
“It takes longer to get things done,” she
said. “Something as little as not knowing
people’s phone numbers — you have to take
the time to look things up. Or you have to
ask other people, which means you’re cutting
into their time.”
That new-guy inefficiency can cost the
company, too. Mundy recently did a ridealong
with one of her company’s veteran
drivers.
“He knew all the people who unloaded
him. He knew their families. He knew things
about them,” Mundy said. “Obviously, he’d
spent time with them. And I think that’s reassuring
to people in general to have someone
that knows your business, that you feel good
about delivering your freight. You know it’s
going to be on time.”
Compare that to the impression it leaves
when carriers are regularly sending out drivers
See Job on p13 m

Thetrucker.com
b Job from page 12 b
who are unfamiliar and unsure of themselves.
“You think your customers don’t notice, but
they do,” she said.
One way to create a sense of belonging
within a company is with outreach, Mundy
said. “A lot of people want to work for a company
where they have the same values and they
can see their values expressed in a corporate
way,” Mundy said. “Are you out there doing a
5K run for the homeless, does anyone at your
company do Meals on Wheels?”
b ELD from page 1 b
The CVSA is the nonprofit association comprising
local, state, provincial, territorial and
federal commercial motor vehicle safety officials
and industry representatives, and which
aims to achieve uniformity, compatibility and
reciprocity of commercial motor vehicle inspections
and enforcement by certified inspectors
dedicated to driver and vehicle safety.
Its mission is to improve commercial motor
vehicle safety and uniformity throughout
Canada, Mexico and the United States by providing
guidance and education to enforcement,
industry and policy makers.
If put OOS, drivers shouldn’t worry about
being left out in the cold, so to speak.
“If the truck is stopped in an unsafe area,
the inspector will escort them to a safe location
where they can spend the 10 hours,” Gildea
said. “We are not going to put somebody
out on the side of the road in the middle of the
interstate.”
Since the ELD mandate went into effect last
December, inspectors have been conducting a
“soft enforcement” when they inspected a truck
without an ELD-compliant device.
Drivers could be issued a citation, but they
were not put OOS nor did the citation impact
their CSA scores.
Gildea said the CVSA realizes the need
to constantly review how well the mandate is
working.
“We are continuing to work very closely
with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
and our industry partners to make this
an as easy of a transition as possible,” Gildea
said. “If drivers come across problems or challenges
they should raise them with their local
law enforcement and talk about it. This [mandate]
is a new thing for everybody and if there
are hiccups, we want to get it right as bad as the
driver community.”
Efforts to derail the mandate continue.
The latest came from U.S. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp,
D-N.D., who on March 13 urged Transportation
Secretary Elaine Chao to immediately
address “several serious concerns” about the
electronic logging device rule being enforced
in April.
Earlier in the month, in a letter addressed to
the leadership of the House Transportation and
Infrastructure Committee, the Owner-Operator
Independent Drivers Association requested the
committee to “urgently conduct an oversight
hearing on the critically flawed implementation
of the FMCSA’s electronic logging device
mandate.” 8
The trucking industry is known for jumping
in “when there’s a disaster or something goes
haywire in the world” and contributing machines
and manpower to relief efforts, she said.
“Most drivers will jump at the chance of doing
that. They don’t care what hardship they have
to go through, they want to do it.”
Carriers can devote only so much of their
time and resources to outside causes, Mundy
said, but as they weigh the costs, they should
remember one of the benefits is the boost these
kinds of activities have with employee pride
and morale.
Fostering an inclusive atmosphere can pay
off even when it doesn’t seem to at first, and a
driver decides to leave, Green said.
“We did a study a number of years ago
Nation April 1-14, 2018 • 13
IT’S ALL ABOUT THE
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All new trucks and most of fleet have
automated transmissions and power inverters
with some of the major carriers, and when we
look at the productivity data, rehires turn out
to be good hires,” he said. “You don’t have to
teach them as much as when you hired them
the first time so that investment is less. They
understand how to work within your company.
Plus, they just came back from thinking
they’d found something better and changing
their minds.”
This even applies if a driver leaves and
comes back a third time, Green said. After that,
well, they’ve pretty much proven they’re not a
good bet.
Some drivers seem destined to be job-hoppers.
They come to trucking seeing themselves
as a lone wolf, a vagabond. They won’t be satisfied
anywhere. On the flip side, Green said,
there are many companies that don’t take responsibility
for their problems with retention.
The successful carriers “don’t blame things
on today’s driver,” he said. “They don’t blame
it on customers. They adapt, they change. Instead
of blaming the industry, blaming the type
of job it is. They talk a good game about putting
the driver first, but their actions contradict
that.”
Job-hopping is a two-way street that sends
drivers and carriers in opposite directions.
“Some get it, some don’t,” Green says of both
sides.
This isn’t the sort of issue that can be resolved
with a rule or regulation. It’s an industrywide
issue that can only be addressed one
driver, one carrier at a time. 8
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Perspective April
1-14, 2018 • 14
Letters
Driver: People upset by
ELD mandate need to
quit whining or get out
I work for a great company and yes, we
run ELDs in Canada as well as the states.
The owner is an old school no b*** s***
guy.
I get my miles every week; we have a fantastic
open-door policy. We get home whenever
you ask, with benefits and pension plan.
I get respect for the job I do.
To all the drivers out here whining about
electronic logs: You do have a choice. Live
with it or please leave the industry.
I for one am tired of the B.S.
— Jeff Sutton
Truckers leave carriers
because of people, not the
carrier itself, veteran says
I am approaching 25 years as a commercial
driver. I have worked for 12 carriers and
eight either went out of business or were
bought out by larger firms.
Of course, one would prefer to remain
with one company as an employee, and some
do [but] most don’t.
People move or relocate to other areas.
Is it [job hopping] any different than say, a
construction worker jumping to a new construction
job?
This is not an excuse for “leap-frogging.”
These trucking companies have no indifference
to whether a driver has 10 years of
experience or one.
We’re all paid the same, and THAT to me
is the difference.
So leap-frogging is not an issue. If one has
the skill and ability, one can find a job as a
driver. Our profession is a two-edged sword because
you might be an experienced driver, but
the people you work with (dispacthers, people
in operations, etc.) don’t know the profession.
The bottom line to leap-frogging from
one company to another is not the company
you work for, it’s the people you work with.
— Robert Rowe
Afro-American group hopes
that new Dems grow
prosperity in ‘Black Belt’
The Afro-American Truckers Association
believes the stunning success of Birmingham,
Alabama’s young progressive mayor Randall
Woodfin and Democratic U.S. Senator Doug
See Letters on p15 m
Toby’s ‘dad’ wants his pet dog returned safe; we do, too
Lyndon Finney
editor@thetrucker.com
Eye on
Trucking
We frequently visit a truck stop near our
home office in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Virtually every time we go there and
stand alongside the fueling area, we’ll see a
truck pull in with a pet dog or cat staring out
the window.
We remember one time the dog was large
and was sitting on its owner’s lap.
It looked for all the world as though the
dog was driving the tractor.
(Hopefully, the dog was not out of hours.)
As an owner of two dogs who a while
back had to be put down because of agerelated
illnesses, we were touched when we
received a call for help.
The letter read like this.
“Hello, Toby is lost. He has ridden with
his dad Terry Galambos for four or five
years. Larry has been a trucker for 44 years.
On January 30, 2018, Larry rolled his truck
and was trapped for several hours. When
he was cut out Toby escaped. The accident
happened in Glenn Allen, Virginia, at the
intersection of 295 north and 64 West. It’s
possible a trucker has picked Toby up. Toby
is a family member that needs help getting
home. Thank you for reading this. Please,
I’m praying you find it in your heart to help
bring Toby home.”
Lack of flexibility needs addressing.
With parking shortages on the rise and
shippers and receivers not allowing you to
complete your mandated break, it causes
some concerns where it can mess up your
entire day of hours. Yes, we try to plan the
best we can, but it’s truly unknown if you
will be there two hours or six hours.
— Tom Giersch
Although we’ve never been their shoes, the
life of an over-the-road trucker potentially can
be lonely, very lonely.
That’s why a pet companion can be so
helpful.
Notice the letter called Toby’s owner “dad.”
That’s what a pet can become — a member
of the family.
That’s why it is important to find Toby
and return him to his on-the-road “dad.”
If you find him or know his whereabouts,
please email us at editor@thetrucker.com.
* * *
Word came down recently that the trucking
industry’s effort to keep states from passing
laws that conflict with federal motor carrier
regulations has hit another bump in the
road.
If you recall, the California law requires
employers to provide a “duty-free,” 30-minute
meal break for employees who work
more than five hours a day as well as a second
“duty-free,” 30-minute meal break for
people who work more than 10 hours a day.
Other states have followed California,
prompting trucking lobby groups to attempt
to push lawmakers into ending what they
see as “patchwork” legislation. Close to 20
states have their own separate meal and rest
break laws outside federal HOS rules.
The House Appropriations Committee recently
filed its report with the Rules Committee
and language to block states from passing
laws conflicting with federal regulations was
not included in the report.
Trucking interests had worked hard to get
Hours of Service is still in the news.
If you had an opportunity to make a change in
HOS, what would it be?
Maybe something like a basic 12-hour
workday limit which could be extended to
16 if enough sleeper (delay) time occurred
in the middle of it. That would be better in
my situation, anyway.
— Brad Starkey
the same language in the FAST Act last year,
but it was stripped out during conference.
“It’s important that we as an industry operate
with one standard,” said David Heller,
vice president of government affairs at the
Truckload Carriers Association. “Without a
doubt our drivers literally on a daily basis
can go through several different types of municipal,
state and regional operations and ensuring
that they operate under one standard
is obviously the safest way to operate.
“Trying to keep track of all those local
rules and regulations on top of keeping track
of the federal HOS regulations becomes a
geographical nightmare and logistical problem
at the very least.”
In a letter to members, American Trucking
Associations President and CEO Chris
Spear promised to keep up the fight.
“We will now extend our efforts beyond
Congress and are continuing to strategize
new options, including possibilities within
the Department of Transportation,” Spear
said. “Whether with DOT, the Supreme
Court, or by Congress, we will find the path
to resolve this issue and achieve federal preemption
for interstate commerce.” 8
Fourteen hours to use as you see fit,
on-duty or driving. What’s the difference
if you drive your 11th hour in hour 13? If
they did that I wouldn’t mind the mandatory
half-hour break in the middle.
— Grant West

THETRUCKER.COM
b Letters from page 14 b
Truckload Authority: Full Page
8.375x10.875 (Live area is 7.875x10.375, with .15 bleeds on each side, which is set up for you)
Submit: Press Quality PDF with crop marks and bleeds turned on.
Jones could change one of the most antitrucking
states into one of the most protrucking
states in the U.S.
Jones’ and Woodfin’s new forward-looking
pro-people agenda should prvide a treasure
trove of
When
urgently needed benefits
it
for
comes
truckers
and the entire state moving forward. The kind the under-developed Black Belt region was
that will reflect the value of human rights, very crucial to Jones’ statewide victory. Birmingham,
Huntsville, Montgomery, Mobile
social justice, global and trade and increased
economic
Driver
growth for the advancement
Compliance,
of all. and Tuscaloosa are already primed markets
Their highly improbable victories should for robust economic growth in 2018.
also attract more business allocation and Statistically, a whopping record-setting
open the door to new investment, greater 98 percent of Afro-American women and 92
economic
nobody
development and a better
works
image. percent of Afro-American men in these key
Afro-American truckers are fighting for precincts cast deciding votes to propel him
more national service providers, maintenance over the top.
facilities, hotels, truck driver training schools However, the economically depressed
Truckload Authority: Full Page
and other
8.375x10.875 (Live
harder
trucker-specific infrastructure
area is 7.875x10.375, with .15
than
in
bleeds on each side,
you.
Black Belt region that runs east to west across
which is set up for you)
neglected, inner city communities where south central Alabama should be the biggest
Submit: they Press are Quality needed PDF the with most. crop marks and bleeds turned on. beneficiary of their pro-growth policies.
When It’s time to it make comes to
Driver your job easier. Compliance,
nobody works
harder than you.
It’s time to make
your job easier.
Community activists are intensifying
political pressure for an elaborate Afrocentric
style mega mall anchored by Ikea. The
international high-quality home furniture
store conglomerate recently purchased
25,000 acres of pristine forest land in
Lowndes County, in addition to building
a viable high-speed light rail system in
Birmingham.
Alabama’s five largest metro areas and
Perspective April 1-14, 2018 • 15
This blighted region is the best example
of a real economic empowerment zone. It
should be the top priority for revitalization
and ground zero for targeted investment,
mass resource allocation and higher economic
growth and development.
Certainly, their monumental upset has
raised expectations, boosted voter registration
Got an opinion on a key
trucking issue?
Send it online to:
editor@thetrucker.com
Have your own truck
and looking for a
partnership?
and energized Democrats ahead of the pivotal
2018 mid-term elections exponentially.
This very hard-fought special election
put the power of Afro-American votes on national
display to effect positive change in the
heart of Dixie. Go Democrats, go!
— Shakir Muhammad
Alexandria, Virginia 8
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16
AT
THE TRUCK STOP
PRESENTED BY CAT SCALE, VISIT WEIGHMYTRUCK.COM
Holland driver Herschel Evans named ’18 driver
excellence award winner by CVSA
Courtesy: HOLLAND
Numerous accolades have been bestowed on Holland driver Herschel Evans during his 30-year career, the latest being named the 2018 International Driver Excellence Award winner.
Lyndon Finney
editor@thetrucker.com
Everyone knows that professional truck drivers are the heart
and soul of the trucking industry and it’s wonderful when an
organization takes the time to honor a man or woman for exemplary
service.
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance has done just that in
naming Herschel Evans of the Holland trucking company as the
winner of the 2018 International Driver Excellence Award (IDEA).
Evans has driven more than 3 million miles over the past 30
years, 25 of those years with Holland.
“After my company nominated me, I read the impressive bios of
the previous winners and I did not think I belonged in that group,”
Evans said. “I feel extremely honored to be selected.”
Launched in 2015, IDEA recognizes commercial motor vehicle
drivers who distinguish themselves conspicuously and beyond the
normal call of duty through the achievement of safe operation and
compliance carried out with evident distinction for an extended
period of time.
Like many commercial motor vehicle drivers, Evans truly loves
what he does.
“It is never the same day twice,” he said. “There is nothing boring
about driving for a living. You get to see the inner workings of
many different places. All of the places that make your community
run are kept running by us drivers delivering what they need. Every
day has a sense of doing something that is necessary.”
“Herschel is an exceptional model for what a professional driver
should be,” said Holland President Scott Ware, who nominated
Evans for the award. “His unquenchable desire for great safety and
his need to share his safety message make him a key participant
in our organization’s safety efforts. He is committed to protecting
himself and all those who share the road with him.”
In 2013, Evans became the first person from Holland to be
selected by the American Trucking Associations for the high honor
of representing the trucking community as an America’s Road
Team Captain.
ATA’s America’s Road Team is a national public outreach
program led by a specially selected group of professional truck
drivers who share superior driving skills, remarkable safety records
and a strong desire to spread the word about safety on the highway.
America’s Road Team Captains speak at schools, with community
groups, to reporters, legislators, industry and government officials
about highway safety and the importance of the trucking industry.
In fact, Evans considers being selected as an America’s Road
Team Captain to be one of the biggest professional accomplishments
of his driving career.
“The opportunities and experience that I’ve gained have
been immeasurable,” said Evans. “Being part of this group of
professionals is hard to describe. Being mentored by the veteran
captains and now passing my knowledge on to the new captains, I
believe, has a massive impact on our industry.”
As you might expect for such an extraordinary driver, CVSA’s
IDEA isn’t the only award Evans has received throughout his career.
In 2012, he was honored with the Destination Green Environmental
Excellence Award for his efforts toward environmental sustainability.
He was also honored by ATA in 2017 with the Mike Russell
Trucking Image Award, an award that recognizes individuals
who are committed to promoting the advancement of the trucking
industry’s positive message.
In 2006, Evans was named Rookie of the Year and won the Grand
Championship at the Georgia Truck Driving Championships.
He is a two-time five-axle champion (2008 and 2011) at the
National Truck Driving Championships and a four-time five-axle
champion (2006, 2008, 2011 and 2012) at the Georgia Truck Driving
Championships. In 2012, Evans earned the distinct title of Georgia
Driver of the Year at the Georgia Truck Driving Championships.
In 2017, Evans earned first place in the sleeper category at the
Georgia Truck Driving Championships and was part of the winning
team that was presented with the 2017 Clifford Williams Award for
Small Team.
Evans’ devotion to philanthropy has also spanned his professional
career.
Evans is the driving force behind the Safety Drive for a Cure
Truck Safety and Skills Competition benefiting the Pediatric Brain
Tumor Foundation. Hundreds of drivers travel from across the
country to compete in the Safety Drive for a Cure, improving their
safety skills while supporting advocacy and service.
Evans has also donated his time and services to the Convoy
of Care, helping to deliver critical supplies to families affected
by major natural disasters such as the flooding in Baton Rouge,
Louisiana, in August 2016, tornado victims in southern Georgia in
February 2017 and the flood victims in Houston in August 2017.
“Some drivers demonstrate their safety focus at a personal level
by racking up remarkable records of collision-free driving,” said
Ware. “Other drivers devote their attention to promoting safety
among other drivers and the public. Herschel Evans is a ‘do-itall’
champion of safety who does both — training trainers and
dedicating most of both his business and personal time with tireless
efforts to make our roads safer and help save lives.”
Evans serves as Holland’s safety advisor, driver trainer and DOT
compliance leader. He is also an active member of the Holland
Safety Committee and serves on the Holland Safety Review and
Editing Board. He is a member of the YRC Accident Review Board
and a volunteer for the Mid-Atlantic Professional Truck Drivers
Association. And on top of all of that, Evans also routinely holds
ATA practice sessions on his own time, providing the materials at
his own expense.
“Herschel’s motivation is not simply to provide himself with
the opportunity to practice but to increase safety awareness and
promote a positive image for all professional drivers,” said former
Atlanta Terminal Manager Lyle Metcalf.
A perfect example of Evans’ commitment to the safety of all
drivers was when he put together the “Battle of the Borders” which
allowed Holland and YRC Freight employees to practice together
for the state truck driving competition.
“Herschel spearheaded the event,” said Tim Coffey, safety
manager for YRC Freight. “He really put a lot of hard work and
dedication into making the event very successful in its first outing.”
“There is no doubt that Herschel is a great driver but what sets
him apart is his willingness to organize activities and help others.
It is that willingness that has made him a great resource for the
Holland safety department,” said Holland’s former Manager of
Safety Chris Ashford. “In my opinion, he is our driver of the year
every year.”
With decades of driving experience and millions of crash-free
miles driven safely on the road, Evans knows exactly what to do to
ensure he is operating safely.
“When I talk to young drivers, I always tell them that space
and time are your two best friends on the road. You need space to
maneuver and time to decide and react. Lots of crashes could be
prevented just by drivers giving themselves more space and time.”
“One day at a time. One mile at a time. You can never be in such
a hurry that you take chances. Taking chances has such a small
benefit for the enormous risk. It just simply isn’t worth it.”
Evans will be presented with his award on April 9, 2018, at the
CVSA Workshop in Portland, Oregon. 8

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18 • April 1-14, 2018 Perspective
thetrucker.com
Trees, plants coming back to life in spring
mirror Christ’s resurrection, His life in us
Rev. Marilou Coins
Chaplain’s
Corner
Spring is here after a cold winter. April 1 is
known as April Fools’ Day. But this year it is also
Easter Sunday.
Well now, you may be able to figure out just
where I am going with this.
Christ was put to death on Good Friday and
said He would be raised again in three days. Satan
said, “ Good! Jesus is dead! I won!” But, you
know what happened? Up from the grave, Christ
arose. The grave could not hold Him. Wow! Jesus
had the last laugh on Satan when He said,
“Guess what, Satan, I fooled you! Ha! Ha! April
Fools’ to you!”
Jesus did exactly what He told everyone He
would do. Can you just imagine how Satan felt
once Christ arose from the dead? Do you think
he felt like a fool? Or, what about Thomas the
disciple? He was called doubting Thomas because
he did not believe that Christ rose from
the dead, either. He had doubts and only totally
believed when he saw the scars and Jesus told
him to touch them.
Through the years, so many have been
fooled into doubting that what Christ did and our
salvation aren’t real. So many doubting Thomases.
So many not believing in the risen Christ!
Where do you see yourself? Do you need to see
the wounds? Or are you in awe of what Christ
has done for us?
Just look around you and see all nature coming
back to life from the “death” of winter. Trees
are sprouting new leaves. Grass is starting to
sprout and yards are turning green again. Yep.
Time to get out that lawn mower again.
Flowers are now starting to blossom and
bloom again. That is nature’s resurrection. When
we see this happening we know spring is here.
Well, what do you see happening when Easter
is here? Is it just new clothes? Or the Easter
basket full of goodies? Or the little cotton tail of
the Easter bunny? If all our spring fling is built
around nature and Peter Cottontail, we miss the
true meaning of the resurrection.
Christ is the life and the resurrection. He
brings life to our spirits. He took all that Satan
tried to destroy and fooled evil with the purity
and freshness of the newness of life He gave to all
who believe in Him.
Death is not the end. It is the beginning of our
eternal life. We plant a bulb in the ground and
wait and watch for the sprout to come up through
the soil to know that soon there will be a beautiful
flower or plant. Let’s put our trust in the risen
Lord on April 1 Easter Sunday.
We are not dead but alive in the resurrected
Christ. Are you ready to celebrate spring? Are
you ready to celebrate the resurrection of Christ?
All nature is coming back to life. Let us all come
back to life! Our life is in Christ. What more
do we need than to know Christ took all our
sins and nailed them to the cross and left them
dumped at Hell’s gate?
We are the people of a risen Christ. We are
alive and well and can celebrate the resurrection
of Christ.
Time now for all of us to say, “April Fools,
Satan! I am born again and alive in the risen
Christ — the Savior of my soul who gives me
eternal life.” Are you ready to celebrate Easter?
Just tell Satan he has no control over you and
your eternal life.
We are the people of Easter! We are the people
of a risen Christ. So as the grass grows, flowers
bloom and trees get new leaves, “HE IS RISEN”
and believe it and feel alive this Easter.
Happy spring and happy Easter.
Best of the roads and all gears forward in Jesus,
Rev. Marilou Coins. 8
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THETRUCKER.COM
I just received a ticket in the mail for hitting
a car in Ohio but I swear I did not hit
that car. I drive a white Pete with a white
trailer with pictures of food on it. There
was no damage to my truck or trailer, no
paint smudges and I did not feel any contact
when I passed through Ohio. My court
date is next month. What can I do now as
my job depends on me getting this ticket
taken care of?
— Jerry
Receiving a ticket in the mail is not that unusual.
It happens all the time with the so-called
red light camera tickets, but still it does happen
with accidents and hit-and-runs.
What often happens is that a car is hit by
a truck and the driver freaks out and calls the
cops. In all the excitement, all the automobile
driver knows is that it was a big white truck and
it hit them and drove off.
That information puts the officers on notice
and they start looking for a big white
truck to stop and write a ticket. It sounds like
your truck may have been photographed by a
toll booth camera and you were the lucky one
to get the ticket. Or, an officer noticed your
truck on a truck stop camera and it was within
a reasonable time and distance from the accident
so you were chosen as the perp. Anything
could be the reason you received the ticket but
you are just concerned about defending yourself
and keeping your job.
You should keep in mind that any accident
with personal or property damage will result
in two different types of trials. The first is the
criminal side, with the officer and the prosecutor
who will try to convict you of such charges
as reckless driving, speeding, failing to report
an accident, leaving the scene of an accident
and as many other charges that come to mind.
The other matter will be brought to civil
court. In this venue, the plaintiff (the allegedly
injured driver) will sue for monetary damages.
This suit will likely not only involve you, but
if you are employed by a motor carrier, your
employer as well. In a civil action, the plaintiff
must prove, by a preponderance of the evidence,
that you were somehow negligent in
order to win their case. If the plaintiff prevails
in a civil action, he could receive damages in
an amount ranging from $1.00 to millions of
dollars.
As you can tell, a finding of guilt or innocence
in the criminal law suit will go a long
way in determining liability in the civil action.
As a result, it is critical that you take immediate
action to defend yourself in the criminal
matter. The money you spend in this defense
will be some of the best money you will ever
spend. Also, it is extremely important that you
Perspective April 1-14, 2018 • 19
Truck driver says he didn’t hit person’s car in Ohio but is ticketed, will have to go to court
Jim Klepper
exclusive to the trucker
Ask the
Attorney
make your employer aware any time you are
involved in an accident since they may be able
to help.
We will focus on the criminal trial. It is up
to the prosecutor to prove beyond a reasonable
doubt you were involved in the accident. He
will use the car driver as a witness to describe
your truck and trailer and how it hit him as he
was minding his own business in his own lane
and traveling within the posted speed limit. If
other cars stopped to help with the accident
they may also be called to testify.
Evidence against you could be photos of
your truck in the area showing if it could have
been you who hit the car. The prosecutor may
also subpoena your GPS system, bills of lading,
receipts for tolls, fuel, food and your logs
to show your travel and times when you were
in the location of the accident. He will also get
the information on the truck and trailer you
were driving that day to see if it matches the
witness’s description of the truck that hit him.
If you go to trial on this you will be able
to cross examine the plaintiff and any of his
witnesses as well as provide evidence, yourself,
as to whether there was damage to your
truck and trailer as well as where you were at
a specific time and date. If you are charged
with causing the accident where there was no
contact with your truck, then it becomes a he
said/she said deal as to whether or how you
caused the accident. Here, think of changing
lanes without signaling, speeding or reckless
driving, improper lane use and any one of a
hundred other things that could cause that car
driver to have an accident. It could be something
as simple as the car driver was frightened
by your truck and caused his own accident.
Something that comes to mind is that
you would want to check their phone to see
if they were using it when the supposed accident
occurred. Keep in mind the plaintiff
could just be looking for money or they could
be looking for an excuse to get their car fixed
for something they caused. You see the areas
of concern when it comes to trial, but just remember
in the criminal trial you do not have
to prove anything but the prosecutor has to
prove you caused the accident beyond a reasonable
doubt.
Jim C. Klepper is president of Interstate
Trucker Ltd., a law firm dedicated to legal defense
of the nation’s commercial drivers. Interstate
Trucker represents truck drivers throughout
the 48 states on both moving and nonmoving
violations. He is also president of Drivers
Legal Plan, which allows member drivers access
to his firm’s services at discounted rates. A
former prosecutor, he is also a registered pharmacist
with considerable experience in alcohol
and drug-related cases. He is a lawyer that has
focused on transportation law and the trucking
industry in particular. He works to answer your
legal questions about trucking and life overthe-road
and has his CDL.
For more information contact (800)
333-DRIVE (3748) or interstatetrucker.com
and driverslegalplan.com 8

20 • April 1-14, 2018 Perspective
thetrucker.com
Get your free
digital copy of
The Trucker
online!
Go to
TheTrucker.com
and click on
“Current Issue”
to see the
latest issue!
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Business
April 1-14, 2018 • 21
Courtesy: NAVISTAR
With sales of 4,403 year-to-date compared with 2,599 for the same period last year, International
sales are up 69.4 percent this year. Pictured is the International LT series.
Trucks most heavily utilized mode in
NAFTA trade in 2017, carrying 63%
Dorothy Cox
dlcox@thetrucker.com
All five of the U.S. major transportation
modes carried more freight by value in trade
with NAFTA partners Canada and Mexico in
2017 than in 2016, the Bureau of Transportation
Statistics (BTS) reported late last month.
Trucks continued to be the most utilized
mode of moving cargo into and out of Canada
and Mexico, carrying 63.3 percent of the
freight transported.
In fact, trucks accounted for $720.8 billion
of the $1.1 trillion in freight with Canada
and Mexico, BTS reported.
A 17.3 percent increase in the year-overyear
price of crude oil in 2017 played a key
role in the annual increases in the dollar
value of goods shipped by pipeline, up 31.3
percent, and vessel, up 29.6 percent.
As a result, the share of freight moved by
other modes decreased: air by 0.1 percent;
rail by 0.2 percent and truck by 2.2 percent.
Trucks carried 60.2 percent of the $614.0
billion of goods imported from Canada and
Mexico in 2017 at 18.5 percent; pipeline at
8.4 percent; vessel by 6.4 percent and air, 3.1
percent.
The value of U.S.-Canada freight flows
increased by 7.1 percent to $582.4 billion,
with trucks carrying 57.7 percent.
And although trucks carried the largest
share of U.S.-Canada freight by value in
2017, its share of the total decreased by 2.4
See NAFTA on p24 m
Class 8 sales, orders continue strong
upward trend; annual forecast revised
Lyndon Finney
editor@thetruker.com
Class 8 truck sales in the United States
continued a strong upward trend in February.
Ditto for truck orders.
“I would say February was through-theroof
good,” said Kenny Vieth, president and
senior analyst at ACT Research, a publisher
of commercial vehicle industry data, market
analysis and forecasting services for the North
American market. “Our U.S. retail sales number
was 17,056. That number incudes 12,341
tractors and 4,815 vocational trucks.”
WardsAuto, another publisher of commercial
vehicle data, reported a slightly lower
sales figure at 16,68, compared with 14,458
in January, an increase of 15.4 percent, but
comparing February with December sales of
22,355 resulted in a considerable decline.
See Sales on p24 m
Associated Press: RICARDO SANTOS/The Laredo Morning Times
Trucks accounted for $720.8 billion of the $1.1 trillion in freight with Canada and Mexico,
BTS reported.
Analyst: ‘trade war’ could happen because
of new tariffs, potential NAFTA scuttle
©2018 FOTOSEARCH
“A potential trade war would have a negative impact on cargo growth to the detriment of
both the consumer and U.S. industry,” Hackett Associates Founder Ben Hackett said.
THE TRUCKER STAFF
WASHINGTON — Imports at the nations’
major retail container ports were expected to
dip slightly in February, but that would be the
result of annual Asian factory shutdowns for
the Lunar New Year (February 16) rather than
new tariffs on steel and aluminum, according
to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released
by the National Retail Federation and
Hackett Associates. Nonetheless, those and
other tariffs could eventually have an impact
on the ports, the reports said.
“With steel and aluminum tariffs already in
place, new tariffs on goods from China being
threatened and the ongoing threat of NAFTA
withdrawal, we could very quickly have a
trade war on our hands,” NRF Vice President
for Supply Chain and Customs Policy Jonathan
Gold said. “The immediate impact would
be higher prices for American consumers that
would throw away the gains of tax reform and
put a roadblock in front of economic growth.
But in the long term we could see a loss in
cargo volume and all the jobs that depend on it,
from dockworkers on down through the supply
chain.”
“A potential trade war would have a negative
impact on cargo growth to the detriment of
both the consumer and U.S. industry,” Hackett
Associates Founder Ben Hackett said. “The
likelihood of an increase in exports evaporates
as well, killing off any chance for an improvement
in the balance of trade.”
Ports covered by Global Port Tracker
handled 1.73 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent
Units in January, the latest month for which
after-the-fact numbers are available. That was
up 0.2 percent from December and up 1.8 percent
from a year ago. A TEU is one 20-footlong
cargo container or its equivalent. 8

22 • April 1-14, 2018 Business
thetrucker.com
Recruiting Area
Terminals
Courtesy: AMSA
Able Moving & Storage started out with one truck. The business was housed in the basement
of a home.
Able Moving & Storage named top
independent moving company in U.S.
THE TRUCKER STAFF
ALEXANDRIA, Va.— Able Moving & Storage,
headquartered in metropolitan Washington,
D.C., has been named the nation’s top independent
moving company for 2017 by the American
Moving & Storage Association (AMSA).
The company earned this honor for strong
business growth, high customer satisfaction
and a commitment to community service, according
to Scott Michael, AMSA president and
CEO.
The award, also known as “the Indy,” reflects
the association’s and the industry’s commitment
to outstanding performance among
independent movers as demonstrated through
innovative business methods and practices,
community involvement, customer service
practices, employee relations, and operations
that address a current and compelling social or
economic issue. The recipient is selected by a
panel of industry experts.
“We are honored to win the Independent
Mover of the Year Award this year. Everything
we do is a team effort and this win honors our
dedicated team,” said Joe Singleton, president
of Able Moving & Storage.
Able Moving & Storage was founded in
1987 by Bill, Jim and Joe Singleton.
Like many successful moving companies,
Able started with one truck out of the basement
of a house.
During the past 30 years Able has grown
steadily, and today serves household and commercial
clients. Able employs over 200 people,
has a fleet of 75 trucks and operates out of more
than 200,000 square feet of warehouse. Future
expansion is planned across all lines of business.
Last year, Able collected over 100,000
pounds of donated goods and delivered them to
those in need in Houston following Hurricane
Harvey.
The company also provided support for the
Wounded Warrior Foundation, the Warmth for
Winter Clothing Drive, and other local charities.
More information about the AMSA Awards
is at ProMover.org/Awards. 8
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thetrucker.com
Business April 1-14, 2018 • 23

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First they came for the Small Brokers, and I did not speak out-
Because I was not a Small Broker.
Then they came for the Small Carriers, and I did not speak out-
Because I was not a Small Carrier.
Then they came for Owner-Operators, and I did not speak out-
Because I was not an Owner-Operator.
Then they came for meand
there was NO ONE left to speak for me.
24 • April 1-14, 2018 Business
b Sales from page 21 b
b NAFTA from page 21 b
thetrucker.com
Not to worry, however.
“You have end-of-the-year tax buying
that pulls units early in the year to later the
previous year. Knowing this seasonality that
December is always going to be strong and
Januarys and Februarys are always going to
be weak, we do seasonally adjust the retail
sales to help us better understand the trend
rather than saying January and February were
bad again.
“On that basis, if I look at February at just
that tractor number, the seasonally adjusted
U.S. Class 8 tractor sales were 14,500 units.”
By that measure, February was the best
month since March 2016, the last time seasonally
adjusted Class 8 retail sales were better
than February, Vieth said.
WardsAuto reveals an impressive 40.6
percent gain year-over-year during the first
two months of 2018 compared with the first
two months of 2017.
A total of 31,145 units were sold during
the first two months of 2018 compared with
22,144 during the same period last year.
Vieth said it appeared that the 2018 sales
increase was related to fleets purchasing new
tractors because fuel economy has improved
so much during the past two or three years.
“If you are not adding drivers — and the
Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that the
industry is not adding a lot of drivers — I
think the vast majority of this is fuel economy-related
replacements.”
He said carriers are also buying new tractors
with automatic transmissions and safety
technology features.
“The way the OEMs have brought fuel
economy to the market has really been impressive,”
Vieth said.
According to the WardsAuto data, the
Volvo nameplate showed the biggest gain in
February over January, selling 1,973 units in
February compared with 1,266 in January, a
gain of 55 percent.
Kenworth had a 24 percent gain, selling
2,100 units in February compared with 1,693
in January.
All OEMs are showing gains when comparing
year-to-date 2018 to the same timeframe
last year.
International showed the largest gain, having
sold 4,403 units in 2018 compared with
2,599 during the same period in 2017, an increase
of 69.4 percent.
Orders continue to be strong.
“Robust Class 8 order placements continued
in February,” Vieth said. “For the month,
Class 8 orders totaled 40,600 units — the
eighth best order month on record and the
ninth time in history in which orders eclipsed
the 40,000-unit mark. Seasonal adjustment
reduces the month’s order largess to 37,600
units, up 63 percent compared to last February’s
order intake.”
Demand for new tractors has reached the
point that industry order slots are stretching
out, Vieth said.
“Depending on your favorite OEM, if you
ordered a truck today you might not get one
built until the fourth quarter,” he said. “The
lead times are pretty long in the marketplace
right now.”
The positive sales figures have caused
FTR, another commercial vehicle data analyst,
to significantly increase both its Class
8 truck and commercial trailer forecasts for
2018.
The new estimates from FTR peg North
American Class 8 truck factory shipments for
2018 at 330,000 units and commercial trailers
at 334,400.
The increase comes as truck orders have
averaged 41,500 a month over the last three
months and trailers have averaged 46,000 a
month over the same period.
“There is a capacity crisis occurring as
surging freight growth is combining with lower
productivity because of ELD implementation.
Many shippers began having problems finding
trucks to move goods as early as September
2017. Conditions continued to tighten and now
it is a nationwide issue,” said Don Ake, vice
president of commercial vehicles. “In early
2017, FTR freight models began to give warning
signs about a critical capacity environment
likely in first-quarter 2018. That’s why our
forecasts have been so optimistic for 2018 over
the past year. When the economy exceeded
expectations in the second half of 2017, those
forecasts were increased further. And now with
the tax reform package, the economy is generating
even more freight and orders for trucks
and trailers are pouring in.”
Barring any economic shock, FTR expects
freight growth and equipment demand to continue
to be sturdy into 2019. 8
percentage points, BTS noted.
Trucks hauled 50.1 percent of the $300
billion in goods imported from Canada in
2017, followed by rail at 20.6 percent; pipeline
at 17.2 percent; vessel at 5.0 percent and
air at 3.8 percent.
The top category of freight transported
between the U.S. and Canada in 2017 was
vehicle parts worth $107.4 billion. BTS said
$60.7 billion or 56.7 percent, moved by truck
and $43.7 billion or 40.7 percent moved by
rail.
In trade with Mexico, the value of goods
transported increased 6.1 percent to $557 billion,
with trucks carrying 69.1 percent followed
by rail at 14.4 percent; vessel, 9.5 percent;
air, 3 percent and pipeline .7 percent.
Trucks carried the largest share of U.S.-
Mexico freight in 2017 at 69.1 percent, although
year-over-year, that was down 1.9
percent from 2016.
Trucks carried 69.9 percent of the $314
billion in goods imported from Mexico in
2017, followed by rail at 16.5 percent; vessel
at 7.8 percent; air at 2.4 percent and pipeline
at 0.1 percent.
In goods exported to Mexico in 2017,
trucks carried 68 percent of the total $243
billion, followed by vessel, 11.6 percent; rail,
11.5 percent; air, 3.8 percent; and pipeline,
1.4 percent.
The top commodity hauled between the
U.S. and Mexico last year was vehicles and
parts totaling $104.8 billion, with $48.9 billion
or 46.7 percent moved by truck and $44.7
billion or 42.7 percent moved by rail. 8

25
Presented FIRST ISSUE of EACH MONTH by shell ROTELLA
Visit ROTELLA.com
DOT physical exams aren’t what they used to be but don’t have to be career stoppers
Cliff Abbott
cliffa@thetrucker.com
Electronic logs, autonomous vehicles and
other advances in technology have dominated
trucking media headlines for some time, but
another change with the potential to impact
the lives of more drivers has gone mostly unnoticed.
DOT physical exams aren’t what they
used to be. Drivers who take them lightly can
find themselves out of work without recourse.
Taking, and passing, a DOT physical exam
used to be a minor nuisance for most drivers.
When the expiration date came around, the
driver found a clinic that performed the exam,
or went to one used by his carrier-employer.
Thirty minutes later, new two-year certification
card in hand, the driver was good to go.
These days, since the implementation of the
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s
National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners,
more drivers are getting certified for only
one year or even less. Examiners are performing
more tests and often require further information
from the driver’s primary physician. In
some cases, examiners require treatment for
conditions that are merely suspected and won’t
certify the driver until they receive it.
A prime example is testing for sleep apnea.
Although the FMCSA has issued no requirements
for testing for this condition, drivers
who appear overweight or report being tired or
sleepy are often required to obtain a sleep study
before the examiner will certify them to drive.
Drivers who are already being treated for the
condition may need additional documentation
from their own physician so that the examiner
can verify that the treatment is working.
Blood sugar is another issue that is treated
differently today. In the past, a test was performed
to detect sugar in the urine. A driver
who had not followed a prescribed diet or had
forgotten to take a pill or two could get serious
a few days before the exam and pass. Today,
the examiner can require “A1C” blood test results,
usually from the primary care physician,
that can provide information about glucose levels
going back six to eight weeks.
Bear in mind, there is no requirement that a
problem actually exists — it’s enough that the
examiner is suspicious. Finding another examiner
won’t work, at least not for long. States are
required to disqualify drivers from operating
commercial motor vehicles if there is no current
medical certification on file. What happens
when a new exam doesn’t match one currently
on file?
Each person who performs DOT physical
exams is governed by the 260-page FMCSA
Medical Examiner Handbook. The handbook
starts off with an overview of the regulations
and even a description of the driving job, designed
to help the examiner understand the
tasks a driver must be healthy enough to accomplish.
Following this is a description of the “average”
truck driver. According to the handbook,
he’s male, over 40, sedentary, overweight,
and a smoker with poor eating habits. Stretch
pants and flip-flops aren’t mentioned, but the
handbook does state that the same driver is less
healthy than the average person, and has more
than two medical conditions, one of which is
likely to be cardiovascular disease.
Armed with this knowledge, the examiner
is charged with accurately assessing whether
the driver poses a risk to public safety when
behind the wheel. Failure to do so risks loss of
the examiner’s FMCSA certification as well as
inclusion in potential litigation in the event of
an accident.
To reduce the chances of a problem with
the DOT physical exam, drivers must take their
health seriously. Of course, a healthy diet and
daily exercise are a great start, as is quitting
smoking, but for some drivers the answer takes
far less effort. Drivers who stop taking prescribed
medication for high blood pressure or
glucose control, both available in cheap generics,
are setting themselves up to fail the exam
ROTELLA
ROUNDUP
The 411on10W-30
By Dan Arcy, Shell Lubricants
Many fleets are switching to 10W-30 engine oils from traditional 15W-40 oils.
The reason is fuel economy. Thinner viscosities mean the engine doesn’t have
to work as hard and uses less fuel. Think of it like swimming through honey vs. water.
Honey is thicker than water, so more energy is used to move through it. The same
goes for an engine’s moving parts. A 15W-40 oil requires more energy to move
through it whereas 10W-30 oil produces less drag on your engine.
But can a 10W-30 protect as well as a 15W- 40? You bet. It comes down to quality
additives and composition of base oil. In fact, Shell ROTELLA ® T5 10W-30 can
protect as well or better than industry-standard 15W-40 oils. Give it a shot in
your fleet.
To learn more go to ROTELLA.com/products
as well as for far more serious health problems.
Drivers who stopped using their CPAP machine
can expect a return to their own physician
for another sleep study. Doctors know that
these medical issues don’t go away as people
age, they generally just get worse.
Choosing a medical examiner and then
passing the DOT physical exam is more difficult
than in the past, but it doesn’t have to be a
career stopper. Just doing what the doctor said
to do is a good head start to getting through
it. Take the pills. Use the machine. Bring the
glasses. Relax. 8
©2018 FOTOSEARCH
These days, since the implementation of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s
National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners, more drivers are getting certified for only
one year or even less.
Comments, questions or ideas?
Email us at RotellaRoundup@JWT.com
1151572_A127_Nov_2017_TheTRUCKER_5.125x7.5.indd 1
10/20/17 1:47 PM

26 • April 1-14, 2018 Business
thetrucker.com
Pilot Flying J opens four new locations in Canada, South Carolina, Virginia and Texas
THE TRUCKER STAFF
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Pilot Flying J has
opened four new locations in recent weeks.
“We’re thrilled to serve the communities
where these stores are located and contribute
to the local economy,” said Ken Parent,
president of Pilot Flying J.
The Flying J Travel Center in Summerville,
South Carolina, off Interstate 26 exit
194, features full amenities for area residents
and the traveling public, while adding approximately
110 local jobs and other economic
benefits to the community, spokesmen
said.
This Flying J Travel Center offers 16
gasoline fueling positions, two RV fueling
lanes and seven diesel lanes with highspeed
pumps for quicker refueling; PJ Fresh,
fast casual food offerings, including handstretched
PJ Fresh Pizza, soup, sandwiches,
salads, home-style hot food, and additional
fresh cold food offerings; Pilot’s Best Gourmet
Coffees, including bean-to-cup selections;
a Wendy’s; Dunkin Donuts Express;
Western Union; a driver’s lounge; CAT
Scale; and everyday products for quick shopping
needs.
The new facility at 799 Jedburg Road will
be Pilot Flying J’s 27th company-operated
location in South Carolina and it is expected
to contribute $2.4 million annually in state
and local tax revenues.
Flying J Canada Inc. opened Flying J
Travel Center in Ste. Agathe, Manitoba,
Canada, off Lord Selkirk Highway (Highway
75). The travel center adds approximately 45
local jobs and other economic benefits to the
community. The new facility at 354 Voyageur
Road will be the 28th company-operated
travel center in Canada and is expected to
contribute $1.6 million annually in provincial
and local tax revenues.
This Flying J Travel Center offers eight
gasoline fueling positions and five diesel
lanes with high-speed pumps for quicker refueling,
34 truck parking spots, 41 car parking
spots, four showers, fresh, fast casual
food offerings, including pizza, sandwiches,
salads, and additional hot and cold food offerings;
Pilot’s Best Gourmet Coffees and
Western Union services.
The new Pilot Travel Center in Suffolk,
Virginia, features full amenities for area residents
and the traveling public, while adding approximately
110 local jobs and other economic
benefits to the community. The new facility
at 2400 Holland Road will be Pilot Flying J’s
19th company-operated location in Virginia
and is expected to contribute $2.2 million annually
in state and local tax revenues.
This Pilot Travel Center offers 10 gasoline
fueling positions and six diesel lanes
with high-speed pumps for quicker refueling;
17 truck parking spots and 39 auto
parking spots; two showers; PJ Fresh; Pilot’s
Best Gourmet Coffees; Dunkin Donuts
with drive-through; Western Union; driver’s
lounge; CAT Scale; and everyday products.
The new Pilot Travel Center in Falfurrias,
Texas, adds approximately 70 local jobs and
other economic benefits to the community. The
new facility at 1419 U.S. Highway 281 will be
Pilot Flying J’s 61st company-operated location
in Texas and is expected to contribute $1.8
million annually in state and local tax revenues.
This Pilot Travel Center offers six gasoline
fueling lanes and six diesel lanes with highspeed
pumps for quicker refueling; 54 truck
parking spots and 50 auto parking spots; three
showers; PJ Fresh, fast casual food offerings,
home-style hot food, and additional fresh cold
food offerings; Pilot’s Best Gourmet Coffees;
Dunkin Donuts Express; Western Union; driver’s
lounge; and a CAT Scale.
Customers can download the myPilot app
to receive a 3-cent gas or auto diesel discount.
Customers can also take advantage of free offers
and discounts when using the myOffers
feature on the myPilot app. Simply download
the app, create an account or log in, and start
saving.
The combined network of more than
750 Pilot and Flying J Travel Centers across
North America serves more than 1.6 million
customers daily. For more information on Pilot
Flying J, visit pilotflyingj.com. 8
HOME DELIVERY: CALL
800-666-2770 EXT. 5029
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Company Driver Owner Operator Teams Lease Purchase Flatbed Van Reefer HAZMAT Expedited Specialized Tanker
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D&D Sexton, Inc.
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For For ad ad information
call call (800) 666-2770
or or email email publisher@
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100% Owner OperatOrs
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Operator Success = Diamond Success
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Technology
April 1-14, 2018 • 29
Remote software updates now can be
done swiftly by Mack Over The Air
THE TRUCKER STAFF
ATLANTA — Mack Trucks continues to
expand its extensive suite of uptime services
with the rollout of Mack Over The Air, which
enables remote software updates for powertrain
components and vehicle parameters
for Mack trucks equipped with Mack 2017 or
newer engines.
Mack gave an update of this rollout at the
American Trucking Associations’ Technology
& Maintenance Council (TMC) annual meeting
March 5-8 at the Georgia World Congress
Center here.
“Mack Over The Air enables customers
to ensure their trucks are operating at an optimal
level without disrupting their schedules
in today’s hyper competitive just-in-time
economy,” said David Pardue, vice president
of connected vehicles and uptime services for
Mack Trucks. “This is just the latest step in our
journey to provide industry-leading uptime for
our customers.”
Mack Over the Air is the newest offering
in Mack Connect, an uptime and productivity
solution that turns data from trucks, drivers and
the service process into insights to help customers
run their businesses more effectively.
Mack Connect combines technology like Mack
GuardDog Connect integrated telematics and
the Mack ASIST service management system
with the human expertise of Mack OneCall uptime
agents in Mack’s 24/7 Uptime Center to
keep customer trucks where they should be —
on the job generating revenue.
Mack Over The Air is powered by Guard-
Dog Connect, which also provides proactive
monitoring and repair planning for 65,000
Courtesy: PETERSON
By signaling trailer issues as they happen, PULSE enhances the safety of driver and cargo,
and helps avoid road incidents, CSA violations, and costly fines, a Peterson official said.
Courtesy: MACK TRUCKS
Mack Trucks continues to expand its suite of uptime services with the rollout of Mack Over
The Air.
Peterson’s new smart trailer controls,
relays tire, brake, cargo temp status
THE TRUCKER STAFF
GRANDVIEW, Mo. — Back in 2007,
GE Global Research Center engineers told
members of the trucking media that the next
wave of technology would build on people
communicating with their devices to devices
talking to one-another, and to “smart” roads
and bridges.
Truck technology has borne that out, and
Peterson thinks it’s time that fleet trailers got
as smart as today’s high-tech trucks, and has
introduced its patented PetersonPULSE intelligent
trailer system.
PULSE is the unique trailer solution that
brings CAN-Bus technology and telematic capability
to trailers, according to Cory Adams,
director of engineering.
Engineered specifically for fleet trailers,
PULSE not only controls and detects real-time
in-service Mack trucks. Mack Over The Air
uses GuardDog Connect, standard on all Mack
models with Mack engines, to deliver software
and parameter updates directly to customers’
trucks. Mack OneCall uptime agents in Mack’s
24/7 Uptime Center work with customers to
schedule the updates based on when it works
best for their operations.
Since going live in October 2017, 20 customers
and about 3,500 vehicles have benefited
from Mack Over The Air. Mack has performed
more than 380 updates, saving customers more
than 500 days of downtime and decreasing the
time needed to do a software update from days
to minutes, according to a Mack Trucks news
release.
Mack customer Brooklyn Ready Mix in
Brooklyn, New York, updated engine and aftertreatment
software on all 10 of the company’s
concrete mixers during a single day. Updates
were completed as the trucks were in between
jobs or at the depot being refilled, allowing the
concrete supplier to continue regular operations
while optimizing the performance of its
trucks.
“The Mack Over The Air program is fantastic
because it greatly reduced the time we typically
spend on software updates,” said Manny
Paradiso, plant supervisor for Brooklyn Ready
Mix. “Sometimes it would take us up to four
days. These updates allowed us to complete
them in about a half-hour’s time. That’s a huge
difference and enables us to better keep our
trucks onsite, doing what they need to do to get
the job done.”
Mack Over The Air is provided at no charge
during the initial two-year base engine warranty,
with customers having the option to extend
the service after two years. Mack Over The Air
is also included with Mack’s extended engine
coverage plans. New uptime contract subscriptions
have Over The Air features, including
two customer-initiated parameter updates per
vehicle per year.
Mack Over The Air is just one of several
recent investments Mack has made in technology,
resources and services to improve uptime
for customers. Those investments also include
a more than 50 percent increase in Mack OneCall
staffing in Mack’s Uptime Center in
Greensboro, North Carolina; over $2.5 million
invested in technology for improved vehicle
data and analytics; monitoring triple the
number of codes on trucks; and introducing
mobile communication capabilities for uptime
services via the app for Mack ASIST, Mack’s
Web-based service management system.
Another part of Mack’s uptime offerings are
117 Mack Certified Uptime Centers — dealer
shops that have met stringent requirements to
better improve service and help keep customers’
trucks up and running. By routing vehicles
needing shorter repairs to reserved “uptime
bays,” Certified Uptime Centers have been able
to streamline their processes, resulting in a 24
percent improvement in shop efficiency and a
21 percent reduction in repair times. 8
status of vital trailer systems –– lights, ABS
brakes, tire pressure, cargo temperature, and
more –– but also alerts drivers and fleet managers
via Bluetooth and cellular communications.
“PULSE brings trailers up-to-speed with
today’s smartest trucks,” Adams said. “By signaling
trailer issues as they happen, PULSE
enhances the safety of driver and cargo, and
helps avoid road incidents, CSA violations, and
costly fines.”
Peterson developed PULSE in partnership
with industry leaders in TPMS/ABS and
telematic technology.
The system features Peterson’s LumenX
LED lighting package and the harness-building
expertise of the company’s Maxi-Seal division.
PetersonPULSE is engineered to CAN-Bus
specifications, with high-speed, twisted-pair
See Controls on p30 m

30 • April 1-14, 2018 Technology
b Controls from page 29 b
communication wires and sensors installed
throughout the trailer. All components are fully
sealed, vibration tested, and built for long life,
Peterson officials said.
Compared to the heavy, multi-wire cabling
of traditional harnesses, PULSE twisted-pair
cabling is lighter weight, flexible, and installation
friendly.
The PULSE cabling links front and rear
control modules, system sensors, and communication
components — just like computers in
a network.
“It’s like an information super highway,”
Adams said. “Whether a trailer is parked or
under way, PULSE enables real-time monitoring
of all trailer systems — anytime, anywhere.
There’s even a backup battery to power the system,
whether or not the trailer is connected to
the tractor.”
With a mobile device, a driver can do pretrip
walk-around inspections to check for issues
with any trailer system — a “know before you
go” safeguard. On the road, PULSE’s trailer
intelligence detects any issues and sends alerts
via Bluetooth to the driver’s smartphone or tablet.
Alerts can also be sent to fleet managers via
a cellular network.
“PetersonPULSE makes fleet trailers as
smart — and safe — as today’s new trucks,”
said Steve Meagher, Peterson vice presidentsales.
“It’s intelligence that allows fleets to
truly manage and protect their equipment and
the cargo it carries. …” 8
California passes legislation to allow testing
of driverless vehicles without human aboard
Christopher Weber
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
LOS ANGELES — Driverless cars will be
tested in California for the first time without a
person behind a steering wheel under new rules
that state regulators approved recently for the
fast-developing technology.
The regulations are a major step toward getting
autonomous vehicles to dealerships and onto
the streets of California, where companies such
as Tesla and Waymo are leading the way on the
technology. Until now, driverless cars could only
be tested on public roads in the state if a person
could take the wheel in an emergency. (See related
article page 37.)
“I think this is a move that had to happen for
California to stay competitive in this field,” said
Nidhi Kalra, a Rand Corp. senior scientist who
has been studying the issue for a decade.
Although the technology is being developed
in California, companies such as Waymo have
already been testing in other states such as neighboring
Arizona because requiring a human driver
limits the kind of car that can be tested, she said.
“You can’t test what true, full autonomy looks
like” unless there’s no driver at all, Kalra said.
“To be able to test it right in your backyard is a
really big deal.”
But the advocacy group Consumer Watchdog
slammed the new rules, claiming autonomous
cars have not yet been proven safe enough to be
deployed without a human backup driver.
“It will be just like playing a video game, except
lives will be at stake,” said John Simpson,
the group’s privacy and technology project director.
Fifty companies already have permits to test
on public roads and highways in California, a
prime proving ground given its size as the most
populous state, its clout as the nation’s biggest car
market and its longtime role as a cultural and environmental
trendsetter.
The vehicles will no longer need to have drivers
inside during tests, but people will still be in
charge. Under the regulations, driverless cars being
tested on public roads must have a remote operator
monitoring at all times, ready to take over
as needed. The remote operator must also be able
to communicate with police as well as any passengers
in the event of an accident.
Law enforcement must provide permission to
test on local roads and be provided with routes the
cars will take.
Manufacturers can apply for permits allowing
driverless testing when the regulations go into effect
April 2.
The rules, written by California’s Department
of Motor Vehicles and approved by the state’s Office
of Administrative Law, also create the framework
under which consumers can eventually buy
driverless cars.
Department of Motor Vehicles Director Jean
thetrucker.com
Associated Press: TONY AVELAR
In this May 13, 2015, file photo, Google’s
new self-driving prototype car is introduced
at the Google campus in Mountain View,
California.
Shiomoto said it’s a big boost for regulations in
the works for years and that “safety is our top
concern.”
Major automakers like Mercedes, BMW,
Ford, Nissan and Volvo have all said it will likely
be at least 2020 before their driverless vehicles
are available, and even then, they could be confined
to ride-hailing fleets and other shared applications.
Tesla Inc. said last year that the cars it’s making
have the hardware they need for full self-driving.
The company is still testing the software and
won’t make it available to owners without regulatory
approval.
Industry leader Waymo, Google’s self-driving
car spinoff, is not commenting on its rollout
schedule.
The California regulations do not include testing
and deployment of autonomous trucks and
other commercial vehicles. 8
Associated Press writers Justin Pritchard
and Robert Jablon contributed to this report.

Equipment
April 1-14, 2018 • 31
Courtesy: GREAT DANE TRAILERS
Courtesy: Enforcer Transport Security
The advent of the 53-foot flatbed heralded the availability of all-aluminum trailers, although Enforcer Transport Security company offers an anti-theft device that fits over two valves on
many carriers continued with steel and aluminum trailers. Pictured is the all-aluminum Great the dashboard and prevents a thief from releasing the brake.
Dane FXP Model.
Flatbeds help economy, move building materials, steel, can be very lucrative
Lyndon Finney
editor@thetrucker.com
The editorial calendar says the April feature
in The Trucker should be titled “Flatbed Facts.”
So, let’s start with this basic fact: Flatbed
trailers aren’t flat.
LOL. Smiling emoji.
They have a hump in the middle because
you can’t design a flatbed trailer to be ultralight
and rigid.
They need to arch when empty so they flatten
out when fully loaded.
OK, so much for the attempt at humor.
The real fact is that the flatbed segment of
the trucking industry has rebounded from some
tough days during the recession of the previous
decade and is poised to take its rightful place in
an industry bursting at the seams with freight.
In our research for this article, one of the
best descriptors of the flatbed we found is part
of the website of PLS Logistics Services of
Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania.
We share this with their permission.
• Flatbed shipping is highly dependent on
weather. It is a cyclical and seasonal business,
dependent upon construction and capital expenditures.
This makes fleet optimization very
difficult for flatbed carriers, as it is hard to keep
all drivers busy during off seasons while still
maintaining enough drivers to handle large
Courtesy: VOLVO TRUCKS NORTH AMERICA
The new Volvo VNX series is available in three cab sizes — daycab, 42-inch sleeper and
70-inch sleeper. The VNX 740 features a 70-inch sleeper with all of Volvo’s latest interior
enhancements.
THE TRUCKER STAFF
GREENSBORO, N.C. — Volvo Trucks has
debuted what it calls a “rugged, yet refined”
new VNX series built specifically for the needs
of heavy-haul trucking operations.
Available with up to 605 horsepower and
2,050 lb.-ft. of torque, the VNX provides the
power and performance demanded for heavyhaul
applications such as logging, heavy equipment
transport, and long combination vehicles,
according to Göran Nyberg, president of Volvo
Trucks North America, who said the new VNX
series is the latest step in Volvo’s revitalization
of its North American product range, complementing
the new VNR series for regional haul
and the new VNL series for long-haul operations,
both introduced mid-2017.
volumes of freight during the peak season.
• There are more than 14 types of flatbed
trucks, but flatbed, stepdeck and double-drop
deck are the three most common types of flatbed
trailers. Flatbed trailers are versatile, making
them a common asset for carriers. Stepdeck
trailers can haul taller loads than flatbed
trailers, usually have a ramp for loading/unloading,
and tend to be safer for forklift pickup.
Double drop-deck trailers have extra axles for
better balance, have a 25- to 29-foot well to
hold freight, and are used to haul flatbed freight
that’s over 10 feet tall.
• Typical flatbed freight includes auto parts,
construction equipment, excavators, generators,
lumber, mining/drilling equipment, solar
panels, tubing and steel.
• Flatbed shipping gets tricky with overdimensional
freight such as cranes. Certain
over-dimensional flatbed shipments need pilot
vehicles, lights and signs designating oversize
freight, and/or proper cargo securement procedures.
• Cargo securement is a big issue in flatbed
shipping. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration has a lengthy section of rules
for securement, even taking the time to write
commodity-specific requirements on working
load limits and blocking and bracing. The rules
See Flatbed on p32 m
Volvo trucks debuts ‘rugged yet refined’
VNX series for heavy-haul applications
“We’re excited to bring the new VNX to
the heavy-haul market and we know that it
will live up to the expectations of those doing
heavy, hard jobs,” Nyberg said. “Volvo Trucks
in part built its reputation as a global heavyduty
leader by knowing how to deliver heavy
loads in far less than ideal road and weather
conditions.”
The Volvo VNX series is available in three
cab configurations.
“The VNX 300 day cab provides muscle
and maneuverability for local heavy-haul applications,”
Nyberg said. “The VNX 400 flatroof
regional sleeper is built for occasional
overnights. The new VNX 740 features a 70-
inch sleeper and all of Volvo’s latest interior
See Volvo on p34 m

32 • April 1-14, 2018 Equipment
Indiana’s Talbert Manufacturing marks its b Flatbed from page 31 b
80th year making heavy-haul truck solutions go through just about every type of cargo and
THE TRUCKER STAFF
RENSSELAER, Ind. — Talbert Manufacturing,
a North American provider of specialized
heavy-haul solutions, is marking its 80th
year in business.
Austin Talbert started the company in 1938
as a heavy-haul, crane rental and construction
equipment business in Lyons, Illinois, and
quickly became known as a pioneer in heavyhaul
trailer safety with his invention of the industry’s
first gooseneck model with removable
rear suspension.
Since then, the Talbert name has become
synonymous with multiple other industry innovations,
including removable goosenecks and
beam deck units.
“We’ve been in this business for a long
time,” said Andrew Tanner, Talbert Manufacturing
president. “But we’ve always stayed true
to that same mission Austin Talbert had in 1938
when he set out to change the heavy-haul industry:
to design and build safety, quality and
durability into every last detail of our trailers.”
Talbert offers a comprehensive approach to
trailer design, bringing in representatives from
each department during client consultations.
This allows the entire organization to understand
each customer’s needs and how every
part of the design and manufacturing processes
will contribute to solving clients’ challenges,
including bridge laws as well as overheight and
overweight issues, Tanner said.
Talbert offers a wide variety of base model
trailers, such as 10- to 30-ton tag-a-longs, hydraulic
tails, oilfield, heavy hauls and traveling
axles.
The company has also built thousands of
custom units and prides itself not only on the
relationships that it has nurtured along the way,
but also on the trailers’ durability and longevity;
92 percent of the Talbert Trailers built since
1985 are still on the road today.
“We have never been a take-it-or-leave-it
manufacturer,” Tanner said. “If our customers
have a need, we listen and then we fulfill it. It’s
how Austin Talbert made Talbert Manufacturing
what it is today.”
Talbert designs and builds its trailers at its
facility in Rensselaer, Indiana — the same facility
Austin Talbert purchased in 1957 when
he sold his crane rental and heavy-haul divisions
to focus solely on trailer manufacturing.
This is when Talbert Construction Equipment
Company became Talbert Manufacturing.
Austin Talbert passed away in 2010 at the
age of 97.
Tanner said Talbert offers complete lines
of heavy-haul trailers and specialized transportation
equipment for the commercial, industrial,
military and government sectors. Its
trailers and equipment are used in diverse applications.
8
method of cargo securement to demonstrate
their appropriate uses. Obviously, insecure cargo
is a serious safety hazard, especially while
decelerating or accelerating in reverse.
Of course, a flatbed trailer begins on the
manufacturing line.
Flatabeds started out as predominately allsteel
structures, according to Keith Monroe,
director, flatbed products group at Great Dane.
Originally, there were 40-foot, 42-foot and
45-foot flatbeds.
“Somewhere in the late ’80s, we transitioned
to a 48-foot length which became accepted
nationwide,” Monroe said. “Shortly after
the 48-foot flats became predominant, most
carriers realized they were too heavy. “We had
to reduce the weight.”
So in the early 1990s, the combinations of
steel and aluminum became the norm for flatbeds.
The weight problem was mostly solved
since the steel and aluminum trailers weighed
2,500-3,000 pounds less.
The advent of the 53-foot flatbed heralded
the availability of all-aluminum trailers, although
many carriers continued with steel and
aluminum trailers.
Flatbed production doesn’t tend to follow
vans or refrigerated trailers, Monroe said.
“It seems like we are in our own category.
Flatbed demand is based upon on carriers’
needs and it is basically hauling either building
thetrucker.com
materials for construction or hauling steel. So,
we as a manufacturer really follow automotive
and home building. One other area that tends
to have more influence on us than people think
would be oil and gas exploration. When all the
oil rigs shut down year before last, crude oil
tanked and the flatbed business tanked with it.
We were getting a lot of flatbed loads based on
oil and gas exploration.”
A big maintenance issue with flatbed trailers
is corrosion.
“The de-icing solution they use in the northeast
absolutely corrodes steel, anybody’s steel,
so a lot of the fleets in that area are concerned
about corrosion protection. That’s one reason
we’re seeing a reemergence to all aluminum
flats, which today comprise 35-40 percent of
the market, and growing.”
Baggett Transportation, which is celebrating
its 90th anniversary this year, offers
multiple disciplines, but much of its cargo
carried by both dry van and flatbeds is unique
— transporting explosives for the U.S. Department
of Defense.
It’s located in Birmingham, Alabama.
Only teams can transport DOD freight.
“They have to be teams because of the high
level of security in handling the loads and having
to be constantly attended,” said Gene Garza,
director of recruiting. “They have to have
a secret clearance from the DOD because we
haul arms, ammunition and explosives commonly
referred to in the industry as A and E.”
DOD teams have been known to fall in behind
a Baggett truck pulling a load just to make
sure procedures are being followed.
See Flatbed on p34 m
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thetrucker.com
Equipment April 1-14, 2018 • 33

34 • April 1-14, 2018 Equipment
b Volvo from page 31 b
enhancements, making it the perfect tool for
heavy hauls over long distances.”
Approved gross combination weight ratings
(GCWR) span from 125,000 to 160,000
pounds. Ratings of up to 225,000 pounds are
available with application approval and appropriate
components. Optional steer axles, lift axles,
tridem drive axles, and longer fifth-wheel
slides help meet a diverse range of weight distribution
requirements.
“The new VNX is the ultimate blend of
Volvo’s modern, aerodynamic design and pure
purpose-built performance,” said Chris Stadler,
Volvo Trucks North America product marketing
manager, regional haul. “From end-to-end,
every feature of the VNX is built to stand up to
any heavy-haul job you throw at it. Improvements
are easy to see throughout the VNX including
the bumper, axles, suspensions, braking,
powertrain, and more.”
JOIN THE
S!
Available in 6x4 tandem, 8x4 tandem and
8x6 tridem configurations, the Volvo VNX offers
a wide range of heavy-haul components to
ensure it’s properly spec’d for the job, Stadler
said. Front axle ratings range from 16,000 to
20,000 pounds with parabolic springs. The
VNX is available with up to 445 tires to match
front axle load capacity. Available rear axles
range from 46,000 to 55,000 pounds and the
premium rear heavy-haul suspension ranges
up to 52,000 pounds. Dual steering gears provide
excellent maneuverability while under a
heavy load. The imposing VNX provides an
increased ride height to accommodate more
articulation and front ramp angle, while the
VNX bumper features a heavy-duty tow pin
and center tow frame that equalizes forces to
the chassis.
The standard powertrain package for the
Volvo VNX is a Volvo D13 engine with 500
horsepower and 1,850 lb.-ft. of torque, paired
with the 13- or 14-speed Volvo I-Shift with
Crawler Gears automated manual transmission.
8
b Flatbed from page 32 b
“Clearance [to haul DOD freight] is not
easy to obtain,” Gazra said, “and it takes a long
time. There is stringent security. You are limited
as to where you can park if you are carrying
certain types of explosives. Both drivers
can’t get out of the truck at the same time once
you’re under your load. You are committed to
very specific protocols.”
Not every professional truck driver can pull
flatbeds, Garza said.
“A flatbed driver can pull just about any
type of trailer, but not just any driver can haul
flatbed,” he said. “Cargo securement adds another
level to it and we don’t do any training
for load securement. Physically, driving flatbed
is definitely more challenging.”
Joe Kerola is president and owner of P.I.
and I. Motor Express, an all-flatbed company
with 500 tractors and 650 trailers that hauls primarily
metal, but also carries building materials
and energy products.
Driving a flatbed gives the driver more flexibility
than the van carrier and they are home
more.
“We have local, regional and road opportunities
and a driver has the ability to pick one or
go in between them,” Kerola said. “If they have
to be home a week or two then they run the local.
If they are bored and want to do something,
they can run over-the-road. Regionals are
home every weekend, home one or two nights
a week. One of the differences is the more you
run the road the more money you make.”
thetrucker.com
Local routes are 100 miles or less, regional
600 miles and long-haul beyond that.
P.I. and I. runs primarily the Southwest,
Midwest and Southeast.
They don’t go to New England, nor do they
go west of the Rockies.
“They (the Rockies) were put there for
a reason, and trucks shouldn’t go over them,
Kerola said.
Recruiting for drivers is difficult, he added.
“Unfortunately, we went from a profession
as Knights of the Highway to ‘I’ll do this until
I find a better job,’” he said. “The American
Trucking Associations, the Truckload Carriers
Association and state organizations have been
trying to get the image of the truck driver back
up, but some of the requirements for drivers to
hurry up and get places have made people have
to hurry.”
For instance, he said if a driver stops to help
a stranded motorist, that’s time off the clock.
If the split sleeper berth rule was restored,
drivers could stop, go off the clock, help the
motorist and return to duty.
Kerola said his carrier has been using ELDs
for years.
“I think it’s a good idea,” he said. “I think
people who don’t like them are not following
the rules.
“We take pride in safety, that has to be
No. 1 along with following the rules. That’s
why we buy all trucks with disc brakes, collision
avoidance, rollover stability, automatic
transmissions. Every new piece of equipment
we’ve bought since 2013 has been equipped
that way.”
See Flatbed on p36 m
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Equipment April 1-14, 2018 • 35

36 • April 1-14, 2018 Equipment
b Flatbed from page 34 b
Zach Pletcher is services manager at Pro
Fleet Transport, a flatbed carrier based in
Elkhart, Indiana, started by Chris Wood and
Kelly Pletcher, both of whom have backgrounds
in flatbeds.
The company runs mostly flatbeds with
Conestoga kits.
“It allows us to haul about anything you can
haul on a regular flatbed, but we don’t have to
throw 120-pound tarps around,” Pletcher said.
He likes the flexibility of a flatbed operation.
“You can put anything on a flatbed,” he
said. “We’re actually hauling building materials
and we can put unique items on the flatbed,
over-sized loads, building materials and steel
I-beams. If it fits on there, you can ship it.”
His drivers like the idea of drop-and-hook,
which the company utilizes in its operation.
“We have local guys who will deliver local
freight that comes back to our area to preload,”
he said. “There’s a lot of freight coming in and
freight going out, so what we do is figure two
trailers for every tractor.”
Visit The Home Depot and you’ll likely
find a Pro Fleet truck.
“We haul a lot of crown molding. We deliver
to 270 Home Depot stores a week, so the
crown molding is pretty much our bread and
butter.”
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They have problems finding flatbed drivers.
“The generation that are flatbedders are
getting older,” Pletcher said. “They are getting
closer to retirement, they are not able to
do securement and the tarping and we do find
it hard to recruit the younger generation. A lot
of younger people don’t like the in-depth securement
we have to do. They just want to sit
there and hold the steering wheel. They don’t
want to get out with the freight.”
How can a carrier overcome the problem
of finding drivers?
“You need to incentivize with the pay
program,” Pletcher said. “We’ve introduced
a good pay program that’s set up on a tier
system. That seems to entice a lot of younger
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people. Also, we try to get our drivers home as
much as we can.”
The drop-and-hook concept is another incentive,
Pletcher said.
Of course, for a company to be successful,
the freight has to get to its destination.
That’s where The Enforcer Transport Security
comes in.
“We have a lock that goes in the dashboard
of a truck to keep the trucks from being hotwired
and driven away and we have 45 different
locks we put on the trailers and the tractors
to keep thieves from breaking in,” said John
Albrecht, vice president. “And, we recently developed
a device that prevents seals from being
tampered with on food loads.”
Forty years ago, Albrecht said, you might
hear about a truck being stolen once a month.
“Today it’s really hurting these trucking
companies, especially on these flatbed loads,
because thieves are targeting them as the result
of the price of steel and metal products,” he
said. “It’s gotten very expensive for the trucking
companies when someone drives off with a
whole trailer load of steel.
“There’s no way to protect the cargo on the
flatbed so we prevent the tractor from being
stolen because normally if a thief is going to
steal a flatbed load he’s going to hotwire the
tractor and steal the tractor.”
The device Albrecht’s company offers fits
over two valves on the dashboard and prevents
a thief from releasing the brake.
And just how much more theft is there today
than 10 years ago?
“First off, the change in Hours of Service
has changed things. There was a time when a
driver going from Pennsylvania to Los Angeles
could go from terminal to terminal, or at
least a more protected area, to spend the night
to park his truck,” Albrecht said. “Now, a lot of
times they have to stop at a rest area or parking
lot or retail center, rather than a truck stop, so
trucks are more vulnerable because you can’t
put cameras up, you can’t put up fences and
you can’t put up protective lighting. The truck
is in a more exposed area. The theft of flatbed
loads is increasing.”
Albrecht cited a specific incident.
“A driver pulled into a Walmart parking lot
where he had been parking for 10 years every
Sunday night,” he said. “He’d pull in there, go
home and come back the next day. This time,
the truck and trailer were gone. He was more
exposed.”
But thefts do sometimes occur in more safe
locations, such as a truck stop.
“I talked to a carrier the other day who had
a driver … who pulled into the truck stop about
9 at night, got coffee, took a shower, got what
else he needed and was going to come back out
and sleep in his truck, but when he came back
out an hour later, the truck and trailer were
gone,” Albrecht said. “He asked the trucks
sitting around there if they saw anyone take
his truck. One of his competitors said he saw
someone jump in the truck and take off.” 8
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Features
April 1-14, 2018 • 37
Ballard trucker Arian Taylor saves
girl after she refused to be trafficked
THE TRUCKER STAFF
Truck drivers make a contribution to this
nation every day by keeping the economy
going.
On January 9, professional driver Arian
Taylor made a contribution that most likely
saved someone’s life.
This Ballard Trucking driver pulled into
a Compton, California, business to make a
delivery at 3:30 a. m. and shortly after that,
he heard a knock at the cab door. When he
opened it, there stood a 19-year-old girl,
clothes heaped in her arms.
“She didn’t even know where she was,”
said Taylor, 44.
From Nicholasville, Kentucky, Taylor
has been driving OTR since 2001. He hauls
distilled spirits, mostly whiskey, all over
the country for Ballard, a small company
(around 55 trucks) in Bardstown, Kentucky,
that Taylor said is family owned and oriented.
He said Ballard had put Truckers Against
Trafficking (TAT) stickers on all their
trucks and told drivers: “You may be helping
someone and not know it.”
Taylor said the girl came to the “doggie
Dorothy Cox
dlcox@thetrucker.com
Around
the Bend
On Sunday evening, March 18, a self-driving
Uber vehicle hit and killed a 49-year-old
woman as she was walking her bicycle across a
road in Tempe, Arizona.
“The vehicle is one of Uber’s self-driving
vehicles,” police said in a statement, adding
that the car was “in autonomous mode at the
time of the collision with a vehicle operator behind
the wheel.”
Officials believe the death of the pedestrian,
Elaine Herzberg, makes it the first fatality involving
a fully autonomous car.
We shouldn’t be surprised, and neither
should all the car manufacturers who are
chomping at the bit to get their autonomous
vehicles to market.
Uber says it has taken all its self-driving
test cars off the road. At least for the time being.
And the National Transportation Safety
Board is investigating the fatality.
That’s a step in the right direction, at least.
We already know a man driving a Tesla car
using Tesla Autopilot was killed because the vehicle’s
technology couldn’t distinguish between
window” on his passenger-side door and
the moment he saw her, “You could just tell
something was wrong.”
He had heard a car speed away shortly
before she knocked, and said it’s an industrial
district and the kind of neighborhood
where “you’re dropped off and never heard
from again. … She was thrown out of the
car not even a block away.”
Taylor learned that her girlfriend’s older
boyfriend was trying to force the two girls
into prostitution. She said she had refused
and tried to argue, but the man dumped her
out and sped away, leaving her cold and exhausted
with no money and no identification.
She was carrying all she owned and
asked Taylor if he could help her get to Las
Vegas, where she lived. “I just want to go
home,” she said.
Taylor promised her: “I will find a way
to get you home.”
He let her step inside and get warm and
gave her some water to drink.
Taylor happened to look at one of the
TAT stickers on his windows displaying the
See Taylor on p38 m
Upon news of driverless car killing pedestrian, ‘what’s the rush’ with autonomous testing?
the bright summer sky and the white side of a
tractor-trailer that was turning in front of him.
The truck driver said the Tesla’s driver, who
was killed on impact, was behind the wheel
but watching a movie at the time. In that fatal,
Tesla’s technology was found not to be at
fault. Well, yeah, the Tesla driver was being
ridiculous, but the question remains: Why did
the technology not stop the car when a tractortrailer
was turning in front of it? And why was
it ruled that the technology wasn’t at fault? It
sounds like to me that it was.
People are fond of saying that most accidents
are caused by human error so it will be
safer to take humans out of the equation altogether.
Sure. Who is creating the technology, anyway?
Martians?
It seems to me, there are still some bugs to
be worked out of the technology, itself, and that
it’s premature to have self-driving cars zigging
and zagging around the roads the rest of us are
using.
Questions have already been raised about
whether self-driving cars are able to process
dealing with pedestrians and bicyclists on the
road.
So, what’s the dad-gum hurry already?
California (see article Page 30) has recently
passed legislation to allow testing of driverless
vehicles without a human aboard and 50 companies
already have permits to test on public
roads and highways in the Golden State.
Courtesy: ARIAN TAYLOR
Arian Taylor helped save a 19-year-old girl who had been stranded because she refused to
be trafficked.
I hate the be the bearer of bad news but I
hope we don’t have more deaths in connection
with these driverless four-wheeled vehicles.
I mean, if an 18-wheeler had run over the
Arizona pedestrian people would be screaming
to high heaven: “Off with his (or her) head.”
Well, not exactly, but you get the picture.
Scientists said the California legislation is
necessary for California to stay “competitive”
in the rush to autonomy and that you can’t test
what true autonomy looks like until you test,
well, full autonomy.
Well, call me an old fuddy-duddy but do
you want to put pedestrians in harm’s way before
you know if the driverless car is going to
hit and kill somebody?
Whatever happened to crash dummies, anyhow?
They seemed like a nice bunch who didn’t
really mind getting rammed, slammed and
flim-flammed.
I’m beginning to remind myself of my
mother, here, but really, do you want to jump
off a bridge just because everyone else is doing
it?
I read that some of the research areas where
the driverless vehicles are being tested look
just like downtown and suburban streets but
aren’t using real people to walk across the road
but stand-in, cutout people that are engineered
to flip up out of nowhere when a vehicle approaches
a stop sign or crosswalk.
Sure, they’re going to have to test in traffic,
but can’t that be simulated, too? I mean, if they
can send a man to the moon, can’t they figure
this out?
I’m not talking about scuttling the whole
thing. And I’m not talking about commercial
trucks with different levels of autonomy or
even “driverless” trucks.
I say let’s let the cars duke it out first but
don’t do it using real live people, for Pete’s
sake.
I guess we’ll have to see what happens in
California, first, with their testing, but I’m not
happy about it.
Consumer Watchdog isn’t happy about it,
either, saying autonomous cars haven’t proven
to be safe enough to be deployed without a human
backup driver.
Ya think?
Even WITH a backup driver, they’re not
proving to be safe.
Researchers say real people will still be in
charge of these driverless cars, with a remote
“operator” being in control at all times.
So. … What’s that about wanting to get rid
of the human factor, again?
A Consumer Watchdog spokesman said
having a remote operator for the test vehicles
will be just like playing a video game, only
with human lives at stake.
I tend to agree with him.
Like I said before, what’s the rush?
Just sayin.’
Be safe out there and God bless. 8

38 • April 1-14, 2018 Features
Rules tinkering by baseball bosses ruining
sport of summer (and fall), writer says
Hal Bock
AP SPORTS WRITER
The proprietors of baseball, charged with
the task of protecting and preserving the sport,
insist on tinkering with it instead.
They keep fooling around with the game,
changing the rules every so often, adding a designated
hitter here, and a wild card team there.
And now they have come up with the goofiest
idea of all.
This season, every minor league game that
is tied after nine innings will begin each extra
inning with a runner on second base. This will
be a better opportunity to break the tie so we
can all go home.
That’s fine. It just isn’t baseball.
In baseball, runners are not awarded bases
for no reason. They earn their way there. Not
this season. Not in the minor leagues. Forget
hits, runs and errors. Welcome to the baseball’s
brave new world where we are in a hurry to get
done with the game.
This is not new. It has been going on for
some time. They insist on monkeying around
with a sport that seemed awfully good in its
original form.
It started with the designated hitter, a gimmick
that turned a nine-player game into 10.
Never mind that the DH leads to us having
the World Series played with two sets of rules
depending on whether games are played in
American League parks, where the DH is embraced,
or National League parks, where it is
dismissed. Doesn’t that make a lot of sense for
the showcase event of the sport?
Oh, and speaking of the World Series, it
once was a best-of-seven affair played in the
shadows of October. Now, extended playoffs
require 11 or 12 wins to claim the championship
of the summer game’s biggest stage,
which often ends in the autumn chill of November.
And all of the games are played at night,
decided when the next generation of fans are
safely tucked away in their beds. No wonder
kids play soccer instead.
Once, the World Series was the only time
the leagues played each other. Now the lords
of baseball have homogenized the sport with
interleague games every day, removing the
uniqueness of the Series.
Then there is the clever wild card scheme,
a one-and-done shootout, eliminating teams
from the postseason if they lose a single game
when they played 162 for that opportunity. A
mistake here or there and a team that fought
for one more chance at the postseason gets sent
home in a heartbeat.
With analytics and algorithms encroaching
on the game, sooner or later, technology was
sure to follow. So now, after complaining that
games were taking too long, we have video
replays and umpires huddling to debate their
calls for what seems an eternity while both
teams stand around waiting for a decision.
To make things move along, we now have
the automatic intentional walk. No need to
throw four balls. Just take your base. That
saves, oh, at least a minute or two each game,
depending on how many walks are issued.
Sometimes, there are none at all.
And now, they have come up with what
might very well be the wackiest idea of all, an
invitation to break ties as fast as possible.
Do the tinkerers understand how annoying
they are? They are messing around with a
product that was perfect in its previous form. It
could be again, if they would just leave it alone.
If the length of games is really an issue, there
is another method which will limit the time spent
in the ballpark considerably. The solution is
simple. Set up a table at home plate with the two
managers seated across from each other. Give
them a set of dice and some neat spinners and
they can decide the issue with a board game in
an hour or so, just like kids did years ago. 8
b Taylor from page 37 b
trafficking hotline numbers at 1-888-3737-
888 in the U.S. or 1-800-222-TIPS in Canada.
And he realized 19-year-old had been
eye-level with it as she stood knocking on
the cab door.
“I thought she might be someone who
qualified for their services,” he said.
Taylor called the hotline number and
handed her his phone so she could give them
her vital information and what she needed.
They arranged for the girl to stay at a nearby
shelter and sent a pre-paid cab to take her to
the facility. Then they arranged a chaperoned
train ride for her to Las Vegas the next day.
Finally, she was reunited with her family.
“I have a daughter that’s 25,” Taylor said.
“I thought, this has got to be somebody’s
daughter. I hope to God if my daughter were
in that situation there would be one decent
human being to help her out.”
He looked after her until the cab picked
her up and asked TAT to keep in touch with
him until she got safely home.
“Truckers want to see a deed through,” he
explained. “I wasn’t going to be satisfied until I
knew for a fact she was safely home. Two days
later they called and said she was back at home.
“I told her, ‘I think you might have called
on the right truck.’”
A fellow truck driver who was parked
nearby told him, “Doggone, you’re my hero.”
Because of a small sticker on his truck
cab window, Taylor knew who to call.
And, he said, “now that I know what TAT
is actually about I’m able to spread the word.”
He said he’s getting phone calls from fellow
Ballard drivers, some he doesn’t know, and
he’s telling them if they’re ever in the same
situation, not to panic, “just call the [hotline]
number and they’ll walk you through it.”
Designated as the eyes and ears of our
nation’s highways since 9/11, professional
truck drivers are in a unique position to make
a difference and close loopholes to traffickers
who seek to exploit the nation’s transportation
system for their personal gain.
thetrucker.com
The TAT website was created “to inform
members of the trucking industry and other
travelers of the basic issues involved in human
trafficking and a summary of ways they
can help” says the site, adding, “We invite
you to travel through this website (http://
truckersagainsttrafficking.org/) and learn
how you can join this worthy cause and save
lives.”
TAT is a 501(c)3 that exists to educate,
equip, empower and mobilize members of
the trucking and busing industries to combat
human trafficking.
Its goals are to:
• Saturate trucking and related industries
with TAT materials.
• Partner with law enforcement and government
agencies to facilitate the investigation
of human trafficking, and
• Marshal the resources of its industry
partners to combat this crime.
They offer training on how to spot trafficking
victims. Call them at (612) 888-2050
to take the short, online course. You will
learn about trafficking and who to call, and
then be asked to answer a short questionnaire
on what you’ve just learned to become TAT
certified.
TAT recently announced that the organization,
Change a Path, has offered a matching
grant to TAT of up to $45,000 for both
gifts from new donors and increased gifts
from returning donors through May 31.
“TAT loves this goal because it will enable
us to diversify our revenue streams, enhance
our sustainability as an organization
and expand capacity to do our work, which
will result in more lives being saved along
our nation’s highways,” said TAT Executive
Director Kendis Paris.
She added that the money will be used to
help more stories like the one about Taylor
and the rescued girl become possible. 8
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Features April 1-14, 2018 • 39

40 • April 1-14, 2018 thetrucker.com
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