The Trucker Newspaper - March 15, 2019

Vol. 32, No. 6 

www.thetrucker.com March 15-31, 2019 

AP: JUSTIN KASE CONDER 

Pushing twin 33s 

The Americans for Modern 

Transportation Coalition is 

continuing its effort to allow twin 

33-foot trailers on the nation’s 

highways. The coalition identified 

longer trailers as a way that 

policymakers could leverage 

technologies and efficiencies 

developed by the private sector to 

create “the infrastructure system of 

the future.” 

Page 4 

Navigating the news 

Highway Hero finalists............3 

New diabetes rule...................6 

Trucker protest.......................8 

MATS overview.......................9 

Truck Stop............................14 

Tonnage index up.................17 

Lane Departures...................17 

Class 8 engines....................25 

Around the Bend..................27 

Legislation reintroduced to create path for CDL holders 

between ages 18 and 20 to transport interstate commerce 

Lyndon Finney 

editor@thetrucker.com 

WASHINGTON — Sens. Todd Young and Jon 

Tester in a bipartisan move on February 26 reintroduced 

the Developing Responsible Individuals 

for a Vibrant Economy (DRIVE-Safe) Act, 

which the senators said would address the driver 

shortage in the trucking and logistics industry and 

enhance safety training and job opportunities for 

young truckers. 

Reps. Trey Hollingsworth and Henry Cuellar 

introduced a companion bill in the House. 

Though many states allow individuals to obtain 

a commercial driver’s license at the age 18, 

federal law currently prohibits those operators 

from moving goods from state to state until they 

are 21. 

The DRIVE-Safe Act establishes an apprenticeship 

program that would allow for the legal 

operation of a commercial motor vehicle in interstate 

commerce by CDL holders under the age of 

21. 

The apprenticeship training program would 

help ensure these drivers are trained beyond current 

standards while instituting rigorous safety 

standards and performance benchmarks, according 

to the text of the bills. 

Young is a Republican from Indiana, Tester 

a Democrat from Montana. Hollingsworth is a 

Republican from Indiana, Cuellar is a Democrat 

from Texas. 

The DRIVE-Safe Act was first introduced in 

August 2018, during the just-completed Congressional 

session. It was read twice and referred to 

the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation 

Committee, but no further action was taken. 

Introduction of the legislation drew immediate 

praise from Chris Spear, president and CEO of 

the American Trucking Associations, who said the 

legislation is important to the American economy. 

See Legislation on p5 m 

Courtesy: DAVID BRACE 

The DRIVE-Safe Act establishes an apprenticeship program that would allow for the legal operation 

of a commercial motor vehicle in interstate commerce by CDL holders under the age of 21. 

Courtesy: WOMEN IN TRUCKING 

WIT honoree 

“I’ve always loved athletics and 

working on technical things,” says 

Women In Trucking’s February 

Member of the Month Liuba 

Bulavynets of Ukraine, “but most 

of all, challenging myself.” 

Page 27 

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THE TRUCKER NEWS SERVICES 

AKRON, Ohio — For more than 35 

years, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. has 

honored truck drivers who put themselves 

in harm’s way to help others with the prestigious 

Goodyear Highway Hero Award. 

“Since it was established in 1983, the 

Goodyear Highway Hero Award has recognized 

truck drivers who demonstrate extraordinary 

bravery and selflessness,” said Gary 

Medalis, marketing director, Goodyear. “We 

look forward to honoring this year’s Highway 

Hero Award finalists, each of whom took 

decisive action to save lives.” 

Here are this year’s finalists and their 

stories: 

Darrell Atkins of Alvaredo, Texas. Atkins 

was driving down an Arizona interstate 

when he witnessed a vehicle containing an 

elderly couple get struck from behind, flip 

over and come to a stop on a grassy median. 

Atkins worked with a bystander to extract 

the driver, who was hanging upside down by 

her seatbelt. Even as gasoline began to leak, 

Atkins continued to remove her husband 

and the couple’s three dogs from the car and 

remained with them until emergency crews 

arrived. 

Don Frederick of Kimbolton, Ohio. 

Frederick was driving down a state highway 

in Ohio when he witnessed a coal truck flip 

onto its side while making a turn. Frederick 

removed the damaged truck’s back window, 

reached into the vehicle, and applied direct 

pressure to the wounded driver, who was 

bleeding heavily and trapped by the truck’s 

steering wheel. As the truck began to emit 

smoke, Frederick freed the driver’s legs and 

worked with a bystander to help the driver 

out of the truck. Frederick continued to render 

first aid until emergency crews arrived. 

Paul Mathias of Phoenix. Mathias had 

just stopped his truck at a red light in Phoe- 

The Trucker: KLINT LOWRY 

Goodyear Marketing Director Gary Medalis, 

left, presents the 2018 Goodyear Highway 

Hero Award to Frank Vieira. 

nix when he saw a vehicle slam into an SUV 

that contained a mother and her two children. 

Mathias instructed the mother how to 

perform CPR on her son and comforted the 

daughter as she passed away from her injuries. 

Mathias then returned to the boy and 

proceeded to administer CPR to him until 

emergency crews arrived and took over. The 

boy survived. 

Trucking industry journalists will select 

Goodyear’s newest Highway Hero, who will 

be named on March 28 during a special event 

at the Crowne Plaza Louisville Airport Hotel 

in Louisville, Kentucky, during the Mid- 

America Trucking Show. 

Each Highway Hero Award finalist will 

receive a congratulatory trophy and other 

items. The winner of the Goodyear Highway 

Hero Award also will receive a special ring 

and a cash award. 

Goodyear is one of the world’s largest tire 

companies. It employs about 64,000 people 

and manufactures its products in 48 facilities 

in 22 countries around the world. 8 

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4 • March 15-31, 2019 Nation 


Coalition continuing its push for twin 33-foot tandems 

Lyndon Finney 


WASHINGTON — The Americans for 

Modern Transportation Coalition is continuing 

its effort to allow twin 33-foot trailers on 

the nation’s highways. 

The standard for tandems currently is 

twin 28-foot trailers. 

In a letter to House Transportation and 

Infrastructure Committee Chairman Peter 

DeFazio, D-Ore., and Ranking Member Sam 

Graves, D-Mo., the coalition identified longer 

trailers as a way that policymakers could 

leverage technologies and efficiencies developed 

by the private sector to create “the infrastructure 

system of the future.” 

In the letter, coalition Executive Director 

Randy Mullett said years of underinvestment 

and a lack of attention to the nation’s 

infrastructure has left American families in 

harm’s way, spurred economic inefficiencies 

and put undue stress on the environment. 

“At no cost to taxpayers, Congress can 

act to modernize trucking equipment and increase 

the national twin trailer standard from 

28 feet to 33 feet,” Mullett said. 

He listed what he called “immediate and 

meaningful improvements,” such as: 

• Reduced congestion because gains 

from twin 33-foot trailers would mean fewer 

trucks on the road and 53.2 million hours 

saved due to less congestion 

• Improved safety because twin 33s “perform 

better than many other truck configurations 

on four critical safety measures, including 

stability and rollover.” Research shows 

that the adoption of twin 33-foot trailers 

would result in 4,500 fewer truck accidents 

annually, Mullett maintains 

• Economic benefits because 33-foot 

trailers can move the same amount of freight 

with 18 percent fewer truck trips, allowing 

consumers and businesses to realize $2.6 

billion annually in lower shipping costs and 

quicker delivery times 

• Longer life cycles for roads and bridges 

because use of the longer trailers would result 

in 3.1 billion fewer truck miles traveled 

each year, and 

• Environmental gains because these 

trailers would equate to 255 million fewer 

Associated Press: JUSTIN KASE CONDER 

FedEx is a member of the Americans for Modern Transportation Coalition and has long been 

a proponent of twin 33-foot trailers. 

gallons of fuel and 2.9 million fewer tons of 

CO² emissions. 

“The private sector continues to make investments 

in our workforce, new technologies, 

and existing equipment to ensure that our fleets 

are as efficient, sustainable, and safe as possible,” 

Mullett wrote. 

“We need the same forward-looking effort 

from our partners in federal, state and local 

governments so that all Americans have access 

to the full promise enabled by a modern transportation 

system. We look forward to working 

with the House Transportation and Infrastructure 

Committee to seize this opportunity to 

usher the country into a new era of safety 

and infrastructure investment.” 

Among the members of the coalition are 

FedEx and UPS, two companies that have vigorously 

fought to get Congressional approval 

of the longer trailers. 

However, twin 33s continue to have their 

detractors, the Truckload Carriers Association 

being among them. 

“Advocating for a vehicle configuration that 

only benefits a small segment of the trucking 

industry would only exacerbate current industry 

problems such as truck parking, the driver 

shortage and overall vehicle safety,” said TCA 

Vice President of Government Affairs David 

Heller in response to the coalition’s letter. 

“Distracting from the much larger congressional 

conversation of infrastructure reform, which 

would correct the shortfall of funding to the 

Highway Trust Fund and repair our deteriorating 

roads and bridges, would be irresponsible of an 

industry that is clamoring for a fix,” Heller said. 

“Constructive conversations regarding productivity 

should center around the growing issue of 

detention time, that in a new world of ELDs has 

proven itself to be a data-proven problem with a 

solution that may actually make a difference on 

many issues that impede the productive delivery 

of this nation’s freight. 

“TCA will continue to support a position 

of no changes to truck size or weight,” Heller 

said. 8 

Expanded WIT Accelerate! Expo to be held at Sheraton Dallas 


PLOVER, Wis. — The Women In Trucking 

Association will hold its 2019 Accelerate! 

Conference & Expo September 30-October 2 

at the Sheraton Dallas. 

The venue was chosen in part because 

WIT expects continued growth in participation 

at the conference and anticipates more 

than 1,000 attendees. 

The downtown Dallas facility, which will 

be finishing a $100 million renovation this 

month, is one of the only venues that can accommodate 

WIT’s solid growth. 

According to Ellen Voie, president and 

CEO of WIT, the conference is experiencing 

rapid momentum because of the importance of 

gender diversity in transportation — an industry 

that historically has been male-dominated. 

“This is the only conference that solely 

focuses on encouraging the employment of 

women in the industry and finding solutions to 

minimize any obstacles they face,” Voie said. 

The conference will feature 60-plus educational 

sessions on critical transportation 

issues and trends, along with perspectives of 

the positive impact women can have on the 

industry. 

The conference will provide content in 

four key areas, including operations, leadership, 

recruiting and talent management, and 

sales and marketing. 

It also will present various peer-to-peer 

networking opportunities and facilitated discussions 

to open dialogue about the importance 

gender diversity in trucking. 

Registration for the full conference is $695 

for WIT members. 

Reduced registration fees for professional 

drivers and students are available. 

In addition, the conference will highlight 

finalists for WIT’s 2019 “Influential Woman 

in Trucking” award, which allows the association 

to recognize female leaders in the 

industry. 

The event also will recognize the “Top 50 

Companies for Women to Work For” in 2019, 

a new award that is given by WIT’s official 

magazine, Redefining the Road. 8 

USPS 972 

Volume 32, Number 6 

March 1-31, 2019 

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 

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Vice President / Publisher 

Ed Leader 

edl@thetrucker.com 

Trucking Division General Manager 

Megan Cullingford-Hicks 

meganh@targetmediapartners.com 

Editor 

Lyndon Finney 


Assistant Editor 

Dorothy Cox 

dlcox@thetrucker.com 

Associate Editor 

Klint Lowry 

klint.lowry@thetrucker.com 

Production Manager 

Rob Nelson 

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Christie McCluer 

christie.mccluer@thetrucker.com 

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Cliff Abbott 

cliffa@thetrucker.com 

National Marketing Consultants 

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b Legislation from page 1 b 

“The strong bipartisan, bicameral support 

behind this legislation demonstrates how real 

a threat the driver shortage presents to our nation’s 

economic security over the long term 

and how serious our lawmakers are about 

addressing it with commonsense solutions,” 

Spear said. “Given the broad coalition of interests 

backing this measure, there is growing 

understanding across the country that 

the impact of this issue reaches far beyond 

just trucking and commercial vehicles. It is 

a strain on the entire supply chain, from the 

manufacturers and producers on down to retail 

and the end consumer, who will see higher 

prices at the store.” 

Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association 

spokesperson Norita Taylor questioned 

the need for the legislation. 

“There is not a shortage of truck drivers, 

but very high turnover, and the solution is to 

improve compensation and benefits,” she said 

February 28. 

Later that day, OOIDA President and CEO 

Todd Spencer sent a letter to members of Congress 

urging them to reject efforts to change the 

age requirements. 

In addition, the OOIDA Foundation had 

only recently published two new documents it 

says debunks the driver shortage “myth.” 

The Truckload Carriers Association supports 

the gathering of information related to 

the issue of younger truckers driving interstate 

commerce. 

“Data-driven decision-making should be 

the bedrock of any sound policy. TCA fully 

supports all efforts to gather information and 

actionable evidence on the safety implications 

of incorporating 18- to 20-year-old drivers into 

the interstate truck driving labor force,” said 

David Heller, TCA vice president of government 

affairs. 

ATA is a member of the DRIVE Safe Act 

Coalition, co-led by ATA and the International 

Foodservice Distributors of America and including 

the National Association of Manufacturers, 

National Restaurant Association, National 

Retail Federation, Retail Industry Leaders 

of America and more than 40 other national 

trade associations and companies. 

While 48 states permit individuals to obtain 

a commercial driver’s license and drive trucks at 

age 18, federal regulations prevent those drivers 

from crossing state lines until they turn 21. 

“This restriction bars a vital population of 

job seekers from interstate trucking, exacerbating 

the driver shortage, as qualified candidates 

are lost to other industries,” Spear said. “The 

DRIVE Safe Act would allow certified CDL 

holders already permitted to drive intrastate the 

opportunity to participate in a rigorous apprenticeship 

program designed to help them master 

interstate driving, while also promoting enhanced 

safety training for emerging members 

of the workforce.” 

The ATA said the DRIVE-Safe Act would 

help train younger drivers far and above current 

standards. Under the legislation, once a driver 

has met the requirements to obtain a CDL, they 

would begin a two-step program of additional 

training that includes performance benchmarks 

each candidate must demonstrate competency 

in. In addition, they would be required to complete 

at least 400 hours of on-duty time and 

240 hours of driving time with an experienced 

driver in the cab with them. All trucks used for 

training in the program must be equipped with 

NTSB-endorsed safety technology including 

active braking collision mitigation systems, 

forward-facing video event capture and a speed 

governor set at 65 miles per hour. 

Significantly, the ATA said, all of these 

post-CDL training, safety, and technology 

standards under the DRIVE Safe Act would 

be required on top of all the pre-CDL training 

benchmarks that new drivers will be required 

to satisfy when the Entry Level Driver Training 

Rule goes in to effect in February 2020, 

which includes 59 different topics of knowledge 

and behind-the-wheel training for Class 

A CDL applicants. 


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In his letter to Congress, Spencer said 

younger drivers, especially teens, generally 

lack the maturity and experience to operate a 

commercial motor vehicle at the safest levels. 

“Research consistently concludes that CMV 

drivers under the age of 21 are more likely to 

be involved in crashes,” Spencer wrote. “In 

some states, teenagers entering the apprentice 

program created by the legislation would have 

only recently received a full driver’s license to 

operate an automobile, let alone a CMV. While 

these clear safety implications alone should 

dissuade elected officials from lowering minimum 

age requirements, professional drivers 

understand there are longstanding problems 

within the trucking industry that such a change 

would only worsen.” 

New live chat 

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Enhanced truck driving 

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Rather than developing legislation to allow 

more teenagers behind the wheel of 

80,000-pound trucks, Congress should be taking 

steps to reverse the incessantly high driver 

turnover rate, which remains above 90 percent 

among large truckload carriers, Spencer said. 

“Though allowing CDL holders under the 

age of 21 to engage in interstate commerce is 

unlikely to reduce driver turnover or improve 

safety, we appreciate the DRIVE-Safe Act’s 

approach to robust new entrant training. Aspects 

of the minimum standards included in 

the legislation, especially 240 hours of mandatory 

behind-the-wheel experience, are a good 

starting point for enhancing federal training 

requirements for current entry-level drivers, 

regardless of age,” he said. 8 

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FMCSA issues final rule letting some 

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WASHINGTON — The Federal Motor 

Carrier Safety Administration has released 

a final rule revising federal regulations permitting 

individuals with a stable insulin regimen 

and properly controlled insulin-treated 

diabetes mellitus (ITDM) to be qualified to 

operate commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) 

in interstate commerce. 

Previously, individuals with ITDM were 

prohibited from driving CMVs in interstate 

commerce unless they obtained an exemption 

from FMCSA. 

The action removes major administrative 

and financial burdens for this population of 

CMV operators while maintaining a high 

level of safety, the agency says. 

The rule enables a certified medical examiner 

to grant an individual with ITDM 

a Medical Examiner’s Certificate, MCSA- 

5876, for up to 12 months. 

To do so, the treating clinician — the 

healthcare professional who manages and 

prescribes insulin for the treatment of the 

individual’s diabetes — provides the ITDM 

Assessment Form, MCSA-5870, to the certified 

ME indicating that the individual maintains 

a stable insulin regimen and proper 

control of his or her diabetes. 


WASHINGTON — The Office of the Inspector 

General of the Department of Transportation 

last month informed the Federal 

Motor Carrier Safety Administration that the 

OIG’s office is planning an audit of FMC- 

SA’s medical certificate program. 

In a memorandum sent to the FMCSA, the 

OIG’s office said fatalities in crashes involving 

large trucks or buses grew from 4,397 in 

2012 to 4,879 in 2017, an 11-percent increase. 

“One key area of addressing motor carrier 

safety is to ensure that commercial drivers 

maintain a valid medical certificate, which 

confirms they are healthy enough to safely 

operate the commercial vehicle,” the OIG 

said in its memorandum. “However, since 

August 2014, Office of Inspector General 

criminal investigations have resulted in eight 

indictments and six convictions as a result of 

fraud in the medical certification process.” 

For example, OIG said that an August 

2017 indictment of a medical examiner in 

Georgia resulted in more than 600 truck operators 

having to renew their FMCSA medical 

certifications. 

“Given the rise in motor carrier fatalities 

and the significant safety risk posed by 

fraudulent medical certificates, we are initiating 

this audit,” the OIG told the agency. 

“Our audit objectives are to evaluate FMC- 

The certified ME is then responsible for 

determining if the individual meets FMC- 

SA’s physical qualification standards and can 

operate CMVs in interstate commerce. 

“This final action delivers economic savings 

to affected drivers and our agency and 

streamlines processes by eliminating unnecessary 

regulatory burdens and redundancy,” said 

FMCSA Administrator Raymond P. Martinez. 

“It’s a win-win for all parties involved.” 

The final rule will eliminate the exemption 

program that currently requires individuals 

with ITDM to incur recurring costs to 

renew and maintain their exemptions. 

The FMCSA estimates this will save the 

nearly 5,000 individuals with ITDM that currently 

have exemptions more than $5 million 

per year more than what they would endure 

under the exemption program. 

The final rule will also save new ITDM 

exemption applicants and their associated 

motor carriers approximately $215,000 annually 

in opportunity and compliance costs 

related with the exemption program’s waiting 

period. 

As an agency, FMCSA will save more 

than $1 million per year over the next three 

years in costs associated with administering 

the diabetes exemption program. 8 

U.S. DOT OIG preparing to audit FMCSA’s 

medical certificate program for CDL holders 

SA’s procedures for (1) oversight of its medical 

certificate program, including commercial 

driver medical certificate data quality, 

and (2) validating information in its National 

Registry of Certified Medical Examiners.” 

The FMCSA’s Office of Medical Programs 

requires commercial drivers with a 

CDL to submit a current medical examiner’s 

certificate to state driver licensing agencies. 

A U.S. DOT physical exam for commercial 

driver medical certification is valid for 

up to 24 months. In January 2015, FMCSA 

established a database to receive digital copies 

of medical certificates directly from medical 

examiners. 

In addition, FMCSA is implementing a 

process for states to receive medical certificate 

information directly from DOT. 

FMCSA maintains a list of all physicians 

and other medical professionals authorized 

to conduct medical examinations and certifications 

of CDL holders in its National Registry 

of Certified Medical Examiners. 

The OIG said it plans to begin the audit 

immediately. 8



ATRI report: E-commerce increasing ‘last-mile,’ urban deliveries; hauls getting shorter 


ARLINGTON, Va. — The American Transportation 

Research Institute (ATRI) has released 

an analysis of the impacts that emerging e-commerce 

trends are having on the trucking industry, 

including the challenges and opportunities 

that more regionalized retail supply chains and 

the proliferation of urban “last mile” deliveries 

have presented. 

This research was identified as a top research 

priority by ATRI’s Research Advisory 

Committee. 

The analysis provides background on 

emerging e-commerce and omni-channel retailing 

trends, and maps the implications of these 

trends to trucking operations and the industry’s 

top 10 issues. 

Key findings in ATRI’s report include: 

• From 1999-2017, e-commerce sales increased 

from less than 1 percent of total U.S. 

Alabama governor proposes 

10-cent-a-gallon gas tax 

increase to fund roadwork 

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

MAPLESVILLE, Ala. — Alabama Gov. 

Kay Ivey has proposed a 10-cent-a-gallon gas 

tax increase to fund road and bridge construction 

in a state where she says the infrastructure 

is crumbling. 

The proposed 10-cent increase would be 

phased in over three years and then the state fuel 

tax would be indexed to keep up with construction 

costs. 

The Republican governor said the state gas 

tax, which was last increased 27 years ago, has 

not adequately kept up with the state’s construction 

and maintenance needs. As a result, she said 

the state has dangerous and bumpy roadways, 

obsolete bridges and clogged traffic arteries that 

hinder the flow of motorists and commerce. 

“We must provide safe roads and bridges for 

our people and be sure that the wheels of commerce 

can continue to turn ... . It’s time to make 

our crumbling infrastructure a problem of our 

past,” Ivey said in front of a 55-year-old bridge in 

the central Alabama town of Maplesville. 

The proposed gas tax increase is expected 

to be the dominant issue of the 2019 legislative 

session, which began earlier this month. As the 

Republican governor announced the details of the 

proposal, she made a plea for broad support, saying 

it is an issue that crosses party lines. 

“The fact of the matter is Alabama must, absolutely 

must, address this problem and to be successful 

we’ve got to tackle it together. We all need 

to be all in on this, because this is for the good of 

the people and their safety,” Ivey said. 

To take effect, though, the proposed tax increase 

must be approved by the Republicandominated 

Alabama Legislature, which just last 

week saw the Alabama Republican Party committee 

approve a resolution opposing any gas tax 

increase unless there is an offsetting tax decrease 

somewhere else. 

Ivey earlier shrugged off her party’s opposition, 

noting that the resolution was passed before 

she had announced specifics of the proposal. 8 

retail sales to more than 9 percent, reflecting a 

3,000 percent increase in e-commerce sales. 

• Annual growth of e-commerce has ranged 

between 13 and 16 percent over the last five 

years, outpacing the 1 to 5 percent annual growth 

in traditional retail sales. 

• Retailers are becoming more flexible in how 

they transact with consumers by decentralizing 

their distribution/fulfillment networks to bring 

inventory closer to consumers. 

• There were 2,130 fewer department stores 

and 385,000 fewer jobs at these stores in 2017 

compared with 2015; there were 1,937 more courier 

services operating and just over 85,000 new 

Defending truckers’ rights, providing 

education and saving them money 

for 45 years 

Representation • Information • Truck Insurance 

Medical Benefits • Business Services • Fuel Card 

DOT Drug Testing • Product Discounts 

Become an OOIDA member. 

800-444-5791 • www.ooida.com 

employees hired in that sector during this time 

period. 

• “Last mile fulfillment centers” represented 

73 percent of the industrial real estate market in 

2017, a 15-percentage point increase from the 

previous year. 

• Registrations for single-unit trucks increased 

by 7.8 percent between 2007 and 2016 compared 

with 4.4 percent growth in combination truck registrations. 

• The number of intraregional and last-mile 

truck trips has increased while the average length 

of haul has declined. Average trip lengths have 

decreased 37 percent since 2000, while urban vehicle 

miles traveled have increased for much of 

this time period. 

• Intrastate and local hauls for e-commerce 

could serve as a training opportunity for 18- to 

20-year-old drivers, representing a huge new pool 

of potential interstate CDL drivers. 

“ATRI’s research provides a critical roadmap 

for trucking industry stakeholders to address the 

challenges and benefits of e-commerce and omni-channel 

retailing,” said Tom Benusa, CIO of 

Transport America. 

“These trends are game-changing, and our industry 

must adapt quickly to ensure that trucking 

continues to be the preeminent freight mode.” 8



Trucker ‘slow roll’ protest in Indiana 

draws far few truckers than expected 


INDIANAPOLIS — Published reports say 

that 78 truck drivers participated in a “slow roll” 

event February 21 in protest of the electronic 

logging mandate. 

Prior to the event, law enforcement officials 

said they were prepared for 400-500 protesters. 

The drivers conducted two laps around I-465. 

The ELD mandate is designed to increase 

Hours of Service compliance. 

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration 

officials have acknowledged it was easy to cheat 

on HOS rules using the old paper logs. Now, drivers 

say that, among other things, the use of ELDs 

force them to end their day at less-than-desirable 

places or they have to cut their hours short to ensure 

finding safe parking. 

“If you wrote in there five minutes later than 

your time, no harm, no foul right? Because traffic 

slowed down a little bit or something. You can’t 

do that now,” Mike Landis, CEO of the United 

States Transportation Alliance, told television station 

CBS 4 in Indianapolis. 

State police said there were no issues during 

the protest. 

“You can call it a protest,” Landis told the 

television station. “It’s basically just a slow-moving 

convoy of trucks.” 

Driving two laps around I-465, Landis said 

the loop, along with the centralized location, 

made Indianapolis the perfect spot for the event. 

Traveling from as far as California and Oklahoma, 

truck drivers converged to take up a lane 

of traffic. 

Landis said drivers are tired of certain government 

regulations, especially the legally required 

electronic logs now tracking their every 

movement. 

“We’re supposed to be a free people,” Landis 

said. “That’s less than free in my opinion.” 

Landis is a third-generation truck driver operating 

his own business. He used to keep his 

ASSOCIATED PRESS VIDEO 

Trucks roll down Interstate 465 in Indianapolis 

Thursday, February 21, in a protest about 

the electronic logging device mandate. Officials 

said 78 truckers participated. 

own manual logs, showing he was complying 

with laws that require him to drive less than 

14 hours a day and to take breaks for 10 consecutive 

hours. Since electronic logs give no 

leeway, he says, it creates problems for drivers. 

Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill told 

the Indianapolis Star the truck drivers’ concerns 

are legitimate, but he questioned their 

method of protest. 

“The ELD requirements might very well 

be motivated by good intentions,” said Hill, 

who’s sent three letters about the issue to federal 

regulators since 2017. “Everyone supports 

the idea of creating a safer work environment 

for drivers. Everyone sees the logic of making 

it easier and faster to accurately track, manage 

and share data related to driving hours. I 

still believe, however, that the current ELD requirements 

were rushed through the approval 

process without sufficient attention to their expense 

and practical workability.” 

The mandate went into effect in December 

2017, but FMSCA officials allowed for a “soft” 

enforcement until April 2018. 8


Mid-America Trucking Show 

March 28-30, Louisville, KY 

Don’t neglect balancing your 

drive and trailer axles! 

Courtesy: MID-AMERICA TRUCKING SHOW 

Visitors to the 2018 Mid-America Trucking Show visit the booth of a major OEM to see the 

latest Navistar offerings. 

Seminars, country music performances, 

truck beauty contest on tap at MATS 

THE TRUCKER STAFF 

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Mid-America 

Trucking Show, which bills itself as the 

world’s largest truck show, begins Thursday, 

March 28, for a three-day run at the Kentucky 

Expo Center in Louisville, Kentucky. 

Held every year, the show attracts attendees 

and more than 1,000 exhibitors from the United 

States and multiple countries who will fill 

the 1 million square feet of exhibition space. 

The show kicks off at 10 a.m. with a VIP 

exhibit. 

The doors open to the general public at 1 

p.m. March 28, and will close at 6 p.m. 

Friday, March 29, show hours are 10 a.m.- 

6 p.m., and Saturday, March 30 from 9 a.m.-4 

p.m. 

In addition to the exhibits, there will be 

seminars open to all attendees. 

Topics include “Owner-Operators: How to 

Negotiate the Most Profitable Freight,” “Top 

5 Trucking Trends in 2019 and the Impact on 

Your Business,” “The Battle for Profit: Helping 

You Navigate the Biggest Obstacles to 

Success in Today’s Market,” “Into Insights: 

Using ELDs and Video to Increase Efficiency 

and Safety,” “Benefits of ELDs and Factoring 

Services for Your Trucking Company,” “Inside 

the Mind of a Shipper: What It Takes to be 

Their Carrier of Choice,” “FMCSA Session: 

Assisted Technologies for Drivers,” “How to 

Increase Profitability in a Heavy Duty Repair 

Shop,” “How Untreated Driver Health Conditions 

Cost Drivers and the Industry Billions 

of Dollars Each Year,” “Owner-Operators: 

Pathway to Independence — Step by Step to 

Becoming Independent,” “Three Ways to Pull 

Ahead of Your Competition,” “Owner-Operators: 

Using Technology to Grow and Manage 

Your Business,” “How to Start a Trucking 

Company,” “Alex Deborgowski — Life on 

the Ice Road,” “FMCSA: Electronic Logging 

Devices Update” and “Commercial Motor 

Vehicle Inspections.” 

Times and locations will be printed in the 

official MATS program. 

The 2019 Mid-America Trucking Show 

will once again feature a free concert for all 

attendees on Friday, March 29, sponsored by 

ExxonMobil and the Mobil Delvac team. 

Appearing will be Michael Ray and Runaway 

June. 

Michael Ray loves a good story. So it’s 

only natural that when it came time to tell his 

own, he gravitated to country music. 

“I feel like in music in general, but especially 

in country music, the story lines have 

always been the foundation,” he says. “No 

matter what changes may happen with the 

sound, I feel like when you listen to a song, 

no matter what walk of life you come from, 

you can really lose yourself in that song and 

put your own story to it.” 

Runaway June offers a sound that hasn’t 

been heard on country radio in quite some 

time — the sound of organic, three-part female 

harmonies, ringing strings and stories 

that speak the language of modern women 

everywhere. 

See MATS on p11 m 

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Louisville offers plenty to do, from Kentucky Derby Museum to ‘slugger’ factory and more 


LOUISVILLE, Ky. — There are plenty of 

things to do in Louisville outside of the Mid- 

America Trucking Show. 

Kentucky Derby Museum 

The Kentucky Derby Museum is a nonprofit 

organization with a commitment to engage, 

educate, and excite everyone about the 

extraordinary experience that is the Kentucky 

Derby. When you visit the Museum, you will 

find yourself immersed in the next best thing to 

actually being at the Derby. Exhibits will take 

you through the journey from the birth of the 

foal to the winner’s circle. Find yourself in the 

middle of Kentucky Derby week activities and 

Derby traditions. Or you can take in the view 

of the track on Derby Day from the middle of 

the Infield. They are the exclusive tour provider 

for Churchill Downs Racetrack offering 

tours seven days a week. 

Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory 

Batter up! It takes a special place to craft 

the No.1 bat in Major League Baseball. The 

Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory is the 

actual factory where world-famous Louisville 

Slugger bats are created and includes the 

World’s Biggest Bat, stretching 120 feet into 

the sky. Visitors can hold bats used by baseball 

superstars like Mickey Mantle, Johnny Bench, 

Cal Ripken Jr. and Derek Jeter, stare down 

a 90-mph fastball hurled by a major league 

pitcher, count the home run notches Babe Ruth 

carved into his Louisville Slugger and step 

into the batting cages and take some swings 

with a replica model of your hero’s bat. Visit 

the official website at sluggermuseum.com 

for up-to-date hours and admission prices. 

Fourth Street Live! 

Fourth Street Live! is Louisville’s premier 

dining and entertainment destination, located 

in the heart of downtown Louisville. A short 

walk from historic downtown hotels, the Kentucky 

International Convention Center, Waterfront 

Park, the KFC YUM Center, Slugger 

Field, and much more, Fourth Street Live! offers 

something for everyone. 

Conrad-Caldwell House Museum (Conrad’s 

Castle) 

The Conrad-Caldwell House Museum is 

an historic, Victorian mansion located in the 

heart of Old Louisville on St. James Court. It 

is one of the finest examples of Richardsonian 

Romanesque architecture and was the masterpiece 

of famed local architect Arthur Loomis 

of Clarke & Loomis. Surrounded by a beautiful 

courtyard neighborhood at the center of 

the largest collection of Victorian Homes in 

the U.S., “Conrad’s Castle” featured all the 

latest innovations of its day, including interior 

plumbing and electric lighting. Known for its 

beautiful woodwork and parquet floors, this 

massive Bedford limestone home, covered 

with gargoyles, beautiful archways, and elaborate 

stone designs, incorporated seven types 

of hardwoods and magnificent stained-glass 

windows in the interior design, making it one 

of the most stunning homes in Old Louisville. 

The Museum has been restored to the Edwardian 

Age, housing a massive collection of 

period items including many original pieces. 

The House offers tours but for security reasons 

there are no self-guided tours. 

Tours are Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 

and Sunday at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. and Saturday 

at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. 

Tickets may be purchased in advance at the 

door 30 minutes prior to each tour. Advanced 

reservations are required for groups of 10 or 

more. More information on the museum and 

our special events can be found by visiting 

conrad-caldwell.org/ 

Muhammad Ali Center 

The museum is a nonprofit cultural center 

dedicated to boxer Muhammad Ali, a native of 

Louisville. It is located in the city’s West Main 

District. 

The cultural center features exhibitions regarding 

Ali’s six core principles of confidence, 

conviction, dedication, giving, respect, and 

spirituality. Throughout his life, Ali strived 

to be guided by core principles in his quest to 

inspire people around the world, dedicating 

himself to helping others, being the best athlete 

he could be, and by standing up for what 

he believed in. 

An orientation theater features a presentation 

on Ali’s life. And a two-level pavilion, 

housed within a large elliptical room, features 

Ali’s memorabilia and history. A showing 

of the film, “The Greatest,” is part of the 

presentation. There are also booths where 

visitors can view video clips of Ali’s greatest 

fights on-demand. For more information, 

visit alicenter.org. 8 

DiamonD has historically kept our Drivers loaDeD, we have the freight to continue. 

FUN FACT: 

Working closely With Allis-chAlmers 

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l.r.Jenkins, developed A trAiler thAt 

could beused for hAuling trActors. 

Come visit 

us at Booth: 

67032 

Call 262-554-4025 or visit www.diamondrecruit.com



b MATS from page 9 b 

With their debut single, “Lipstick,” Runaway 

June became the first all-female trio in 

over a decade to score a Top 25 hit. With the 

help of the trio’s follow-up Top 40 single “Wild 

West,” the breakout trio earned a 2018 American 

Country Music nomination for “New Vocal 

Duo or Group of the Year.” In the fall of 

2018, Runaway June released their self-titled 

EP which features their newest single, “Buy 

My Own Drinks.” 

Doors of Freedom Hall at the Kentucky 

Exposition Center will open at 6:30 p.m. on 

Friday, and the show will begin at 7 p.m. EST. 

Free tickets will be available at the Mobil 

Delvac booth (No. 18160 in the North Hall) 

on Thursday and Friday during regular show 

hours. 

Red Eye Radio will be treating attendees 

to a star-studded celebrity rendezvous featuring 

live appearances and musical performances 

from country music artists. Visitors to 

the booth will also be able to register for daily 

giveaways. 

Here are the artists and the day they will 

appear: 

Thursday 

Jayne Denham 

Jessie G 

Bridgette Tatum 

Gretchen Wilson 

Friday 

Dustin Collins 

Bill Weaver 

Taylor Barker 

Saturday 

Olivia Ooms 

Taylor Barker 

For exact times each of the artists will appear, 

visit redeyeradio.com or go by the Red 

Eye Radio booth in the lobby of the South 

Wing. 

Another popular feature at MATS is the 

Paul K. Young Truck Beauty Championship. 

Named in honor of Mid-America Trucking 

Show founder, Paul K. Young, who started the 

first show back in 1972, this event has become 

one of the star attractions at MATS each year. 

Over the past 30 years the championship 

has grown to become an extremely popular 

part of MATS, with a large group of custom 

show trucks vying to be the best. The event 

will be held in Lot J behind the West Wing 

Pavilion. 

Pre-show registration is the only way to 

guarantee a space in the truck beauty contest. 

Questions about competing in the contest 

should be directed to Bud Farquhar via e-mail 

budnucom@aol.com or by phone at (949) 

500-1818. 

The lights-at-night show will feature a wide 

array of colored lights on the show trucks and 

will be held in Lot J Thursday, March 26 from 

dark until 10 p.m. 

All attendees are invited to the awards ceremony, 

where the winners of each class will be 

announced, along with Best of Show, People’s 

Choice, and other awards. 

The awards ceremony will be held at 10 

a.m. Saturday, March 30, in conference room 

B101 in the South Wing. 

Truckers are invited to the contest parade as 

competitors line up to take a victory lap around 

the Expo Center. It will be held in the parking 

lot adjacent to the Circle of Champions at 5 

p.m., Saturday, March 30. 

Truckers can pre-register for the contest 

by going to www.truckingshow.com on the 

Events/PKY Truck Beauty Championship tab. 

To register for MATS, go to truckingshow.com. 

8 


Truckers as well as visitors of all ages attending the Mid-America Trucking show make the 

main exhibition halls fun places to be. 


The Mid-America Trucking Show offers visitors the chance to get a close-up look at the 

latest engines.

Perspective March 

15-31, 2019 • 12 

Letters 

Editor’s note: Readers had lots of responses 

to articles posted on thetrucker.com 

website, stories on everything from black 

ice skids to allowing 18- to 20-year-old 

truck drivers to deliver interstate freight. 

Regarding lowering the age for truck 

drivers, Robert had this to say: 

Don’t we already have enough inadequate 

drivers already? Now they want 

to give a kid the keys to an 80,000-pound 

death rocket. 

I can see the death toll on our interstates 

rising greatly if this [bill] passes. 

They don’t require enough training now 

for the driver mill. The inadequate training 

these drivers receive should be up for discussion, 

not hiring kids to drive trucks. 

It takes a special kind of person to be a 

truck driver. I don’t believe kids fresh out 

of high school driving 18-wheelers is the 

answer for our country’s driver shortage. 

Better pay, and better treatment for professional 

drivers is the answer. 

* *` * 

Frank gave a tongue-in-cheek response 

to the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers 

Association’s (OOIDA) reaction to another 

push to increase truck size and weight limits. 

No to [size and weight] limits. 

We need our trucks and loads as big as 

possible so when we plow into families we 

kill all of them. 

We already have to worry about driving 

with CBs, food, radios, TVs, phones, internet, 

Facebook, Instagram, DVDs and all 

our other gadgets. 

We want bigger loads and no weight 

limits. 

* *` * 

And, to OOIDA’s Todd Spencer’s comments 

on debunking the driver shortage 

“myth,” Greg wrote: 

Mr. Spencer says that a driver shortage 

is a myth. After 30 years driving over-theroad, 

I agree. 

However, why did Mr. Spencer go on 

[the] Fox Business Network’s [show with 

host Stuart] Varney and say the opposite? 

* *` * 

A story posted on the website about a 

news camera capturing a big rig sliding on 

black ice elicited a couple of comments. 

Martin Vaughan said: 

It looks to me like the car was either 

stopped or coming to a stop in the right 

lane and the tractor-trailer swerved to avoid 

rear-ending it. We only get to see the end 

of the accident, though; from the time the 

trailer first appears it is at an angle coming 

from behind the car that is stopped or stopping 

and we don’t see why the car stopped 

in the middle of a traffic lane. 

* *` * 

James Stark also commented on the 

black ice footage: 

See Letters on p13 m 

Young driver bill back, same quotes, likely same outcome 

Lyndon Finney 


Eye on 

Trucking 

Here we go again. 

News came late last month that Indiana 

Republican Sen. Todd Young has been part 

of bipartisan group of members of Congress 

who had introduced (oops, reintroduced) a 

bill that they said would address the driver 

shortage and enhance safety training and 

job opportunities for young truck drivers. 

Of course, the first order of business last 

August was to come up with a flashy name 

that could be boiled down to a fancy acronym 

— Developing Responsible Individuals 

for a Vibrant Economy (DRIVE-Safe) 

Act. 

Next was coming up with a constituentsatisfying 

quote to promote the bill. 

“Indiana is the crossroads of America 

and the truck driver shortage has a significant 

impact on our state,” Young said in a 

news release issued last August. “As I’ve 

traveled throughout Indiana, I have heard 

from Hoosiers that a pathway is needed to 

qualify more drivers to move goods safely 

and efficiently. The DRIVE-Safe Act will 

help address the driver shortage, enhance 

safety, and create new career opportunities 

for young Hoosiers.” 

Hey, what worked well once, might work 

again. 

“Indiana is the Crossroads of America 

Bad, rough roads and highways cause 

all sorts of physical harm. Your body is 

shaken and bounced, your nerves are on 

edge, and you are exhausted. And don’t 

get me started on the way roadwork is set 

up or just trying not to run over stupid car 

drivers. 

— Kathy Blailock Williamson 

and the truck driver shortage has a significant 

impact on our state,” the quote in the 

February 2019 news release read. “As I’ve 

traveled throughout Indiana, I have heard 

from Hoosiers that a pathway is needed to 

qualify more drivers to move goods safely 

and efficiently. The DRIVE-Safe Act will 

help address the driver shortage, enhance 

safety, and create new career opportunities 

for young Hoosiers.” 

But it didn’t work last time. 

Nothing did. 

The DRIVE-Safe Act never got out of 

committee. 

So many pieces of legislation wind up on 

the cutting room floor. 

Prediction: Don’t expect this session’s 

DRIVE-Safe to fare any better. 

The DRIVE-Safe Act would establish an 

apprenticeship program that would allow 

for the legal operation of a commercial motor 

vehicle in interstate commerce by CDL 

holders under the age of 21. 

The apprenticeship program would require 

young drivers to complete at least 

400 hours of on-duty time and 240 hours of 

driving time with an experienced driver in 

the cab with them. All trucks used for training 

in the program must be equipped with 

safety technology including active braking 

collision mitigation systems, a video event 

capture system and a speed governor set at 

65 miles per hour or below. 

The truck must have an automatic manual 

or automatic transmission. 

As for helping with the driver shortage, 

the industry can’t agree on whether there is 

even a driver shortage. 

There has been much talk recently about the poor condition of the 

nation’s infrastructure, something that Congress can remedy with a new 

infrastructure package. How do poor roads impact the ability to do your 

job and how do poor roads impact your compensation? 

The poor road conditions impact my ability 

to do my job by the resulting delays from 

all of the lane closures and detours. We need 

media to help us educate drivers on how to 

keep traffic flowing better through these restricted 

areas. Somebody needs to review 

how many strobe safety lights are necessary, 

as they hinder flow by blinding drivers — especially 

truck drivers sitting four feet above 

the roadways. Every day, I unsafely suddenly 

have to brake firmly because somebody 

has seen a flashing light (of any color) and 

dropped their anchor abruptly. 

—James Stark 

The American Trucking Associations 

says yes to the tune of 50,000. 

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers 

Association says no and what’s really 

needed is better pay and benefits. 

One thing’s for sure. 

There are plenty of trucks sitting empty. 

Our office is located in Little Rock, Arkansas. 

Two large truckload carriers call this 

area home: Maverick USA and CalArk International. 

Drive by their locations any time of the 

day and there will be numerous empty tractors 

on the lot. 

Those tractors are not there just for 

show; they cost money and they aren’t making 

any money for Maverick and CalArk. 

(I wonder if our transportation system 

could handle 50,000 more trucks on the 

road every day, but that’s another story.) 

The final quirky piece of this puzzle is 

intrastate versus interstate. 

My wife and I grew up in Fort Smith, 

Arkansas, which borders Oklahoma (there’s 

one street, half of which is in Arkansas, the 

other half in Oklahoma). 

Fort Smith provides goods and services 

to a goodly portion of extreme eastern Oklahoma. 

Somehow, it’s never made sense that an 

18- to 20-year-old CDL holder could drive 

back and forth between Little Rock and Fort 

Smith (160 miles), but not between Fort 

Smith and Sallisaw, Oklahoma (25 miles). 

Bottom line is don’t expect to see 18- 

20-year-old truckers driving interstate commerce 

any time soon. 8 

I am a team driver. I can’t sleep while he 

is on these poor roads. It makes it dangerous 

for me to drive at night when I couldn’t 

sleep all day. 

— Linda Simpkins 

h 

i 

s 

a 

r 

a 

e 

c 

i 

i 

i 

t


b Letters from page 12 b 

Looks like possibly the Swift driver might 

have gotten crossed up in that jackknife dodging 

that parked car. The other vehicles did not 

seem to be driving as if there was black ice. 

* *` * 

Upon reading the news story announcing an 

audit of FMCSA’s medical certificate program, 

reader Leth commented: 

Try looking into all the new idiots you are 

allowing to get behind the wheel, [both] foreign 

and domestic. 

* *` * 

The video from conservative program 

commentator Glenn Beck elicited the following 

comment from Melinda Lewis: 

Hey, [Beck’s video was] a really interesting 

video; [I] learned a lot. 

My son is a truck driver and I don’t like 

it at all with him on the dangerous roads all 

the time, but then like you were saying in the 

video, I do understand. We have to have truck 

drivers, not only my son … but we have friends 

out there too. 

To all truck drivers, be safe, love you all for 

what you do. 

* *` * 

Randall North had a response to a story 

about Indiana police expecting up to 500 big 

rigs for a “slow roll” protest about ELDs: 

Regarding truck driver Donald Day’s comment, 

since he failed to elaborate how the ELD 

devices have forced drivers to have shorter 

amounts of time to deliver products to their 

destination,” I will. 

[They] stop drivers from making anywhere 

from a subtle adjustment to completely rewriting 

the HOS rules in his favor. 

Not only is this extremely dangerous to 

the public, it cheats compliant drivers out of 

freight. 6 

Perspective March 15-31, 2019 • 13 

ABF Freight names 2019 Freight Load Team 


FORT SMITH, Ark. — ArcBest’s less-thantruckload 

carrier ABF Freight has named members 

of its 2019 ABF Freight Load Team. 

The ABF Freight Load Team is an elite group 

of freight-handling professionals from service 

centers throughout North America, according to 

Andy Upchurch, ABF vice president, service center 

operations. 

The 2019 ABF Freight Load Team members 

are: Jim Bavolacco, Stratford, Connecticut; Gordon 

English, Dallas; Jeffrey Fuller, Sacramento, 

California; John Gibson, Charleston, West Virginia; 

Eugene Gray, Memphis, Tennessee; Russell 

Holland, Fort Worth, Texas; Rich Jones, South 

Bend, Indiana; Gyah Kekula, Atlanta; Johnny 

Ketelaar, Little Rock, Arkansas; Michael Krause, 

South Chicago, Illinois; Chris Martin, Dayton, 

Ohio; Stacy McKinsey, Norfolk, Virginia; Darrell 

Mielke, Albuquerque, New Mexico; Mike 

Meyer, Denver; Adam Myers, Carlisle, Pennsylvania; 

Dan O’Connell, Omaha, Nebraska; Randall 

Ross, Kansas City, Missouri; Martin Ruiz, 

Salt Lake City; and Roy Word, Winston-Salem, 

North Carolina. 

“Again this year, our load team members 

provided us with some great suggestions to improve 

our cargo handling, including some tips 

we intend to incorporate into our new hire training,” 

Upchurch said. “I could not be more pleased 

with the can-do, customer-driven attitude that this 

team exemplifies every day.” 

ABF Freight Load Team members are chosen 

based on their safety records, their involvement 

in the quality process, their personal integrity and 

their ability to load trailers in an optimal fashion. 

ABF Freight established its Load Team in 

1994 to honor outstanding performance and draw 

upon dock employees’ expertise regarding dock 

procedures, training and equipment. A new team 

is chosen annually. 

For more information, visit arbc.com. 8 

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14 

AT 

THE TRUCK STOP 

PRESENTED BY CAT SCALE, VISIT WEIGHMYTRUCK.COM 

After 31 years on the road, driver sees more is lost 

than gained through ELD oversight 

The Trucker: KLINT LOWRY 

Thomas Bast has made a good living for more than three decades hauling high-priced automobiles. He thinks ELDs have done little more than add more restraints to an industry 

that is “choking” in overregulation. 

Klint Lowry 

Klint.lowry@thetrucker.com 

Standing at the grill counter, picking out the 

side dishes to his early afternoon meal, Thomas 

Bast seemed to be in no particular hurry. Or at 

least he didn’t seem like a man who felt rushed. 

He chatted a bit with the woman who was 

putting together his meal, and once he had his 

Styrofoam container in hand, he turned casually, 

in no great rush to get back to his truck. 

Did he have time to talk? Yeah, sure, he could 

spare a few minutes. After 31 years behind the 

wheel, he wears his experience. You can see it in 

how he carries himself, taking his days in stride. 

Just don’t get him going about ELDs. 

Bast has seen a lot of changes to the business, 

and for his money there has been a decided 

turn for the worse in the last few years, and the 

reason? “This,” he said, tapping his finger on a 

picture of an ELD. 

“These ELDs are a joke,” he said, “and 

they’re here to stay.” 

Of course, the popular argument is that it’s 

not the ELDs, it’s the rules they are designed to 

monitor. But it’s the technology, Bast argues, 

that brings out the rigidity in those rules. 

“The trucking industry is the most regulated 

industry in the country,” Bast said. “You have 

to be safe, that’s understood. But the more you 

regulate, it’s like choking” drivers who are 

trying to do their jobs. 

“You can’t control what goes on outside 

your windshield,” he said. “You got roads, 

traffic, weather conditions. You’ve got four 

clocks to follow that don’t abide by any of 

those conditions at all.” 

A prime example, he says, is the premise that 

he must take a 30-minute break “not before five 

hours and not after eight.” 

“Listen, you got to be safe, right? We all 

know when to stop. Eleven hours is enough, a 

14-hour day is long.” 

Drivers know what they’re doing, Bast said, 

but the world doesn’t always cooperate with 

your schedule, and with paper logs, a driver 

could stretch the truth sometimes. Now, he said, 

the ELDs and other technology track drivers so 

closely it feels like a game of “Gotcha!” — a 

big money grab. 

“They can fine you for talking to a dispatcher 

when you’re off duty, and they do,” he said. 

“Now, what’s happening is you got truck 

stops filled up at 5 o’clock in the afternoon. 

You got guys sleeping on the side of the road. 

You’ve got troopers knocking on the window 

in the middle of the night who don’t care if 

they’re going to put them into violation; they 

got to get them off the side of the road.” 

You didn’t see so much of that two years ago, 

Bast said. As he sees it, the emphasis on safety 

has actually cut into efficiency in the industry. 

Eventually, he said, we’ll all see the effects in 

higher prices for, well, everything. 

“You got to be safe,” he said, “but you got 

to get out of the way more.” He even questions 

whether we’re really getting safety. 

“You think this is going to slow them down?” 

he said. “It’s going to speed them up, because 

they got to get to the truck stop, got to get to 

that break, got to pull over.” 

Bast, 52, became an over-the-road trucker at 

21. He came to trucking by horse, racehorses, 

to be exact. 

“My family was in the equine business,” Bast 

said. When he was young, he shoed horses. 

From there, he progressed to transporting them. 

When the family business folded, he moved 

from horses to horsepower, moving racecars. 

Throughout his career, Bast has specialized 

in enclosed car transport, hauling racecars, 

antiques and exotic cars. “Lambos, Ferraris, 

Bugattis … ,” he said. He’s a private contractor 

currently with United Routes Transport. 

“I never did general freight,” Bast said. “I 

never ran by the mile. I always specialized, 

because that’s where you make good money.” 

Still, the time restrictions matter. His contracts 

call for a percentage of the gross receipts of the 

truck. “When you broker a deal it’s three to five 

days, five to seven, or seven to 10 days. And 

when you don’t hit those deadlines, it comes off 

your gross receipts,” he said. 

Being out on the road five or six weeks at a 

time, Bast said he’s pulling in about $90,000 a 

year, and he pretty much gets to call his own 

shots, professionally speaking, which goes a 

long way in offsetting his frustrations. 

He’s also a little concerned about the driver 

shortage, or rather the reaction to it. “They’re 

spitting guys out of those schools that don’t 

know a steering wheel from a fifth wheel,” he 

said. 

“A lot of these guys are here because they 

were middle management, they lost their job 

in ’08, and this was the easiest thing to jump 

into. When I started, you were there because 

you wanted to be there.” 

He still does, but after more than three decades 

doing it, he’d be a lot happier if there was a little 

more trust that he knows what he’s doing. 

And with that, he excused himself. He had 

to get going. 8

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16 • March 15-31, 2019 Perspective 


A law degree comes in handy for quoting 

such phrases as ‘fruit of the poisonous tree’ 

Brad Klepper 

exclusive to the trucker 

Ask the 

Attorney 

Apart from providing you with a legal 

education, law school is good for a few 

other things. First, you get to learn Latin 

phrases, like “caveat emptor” (“buyer beware”), 

which you can use in conversation 

to try and create the impression that you are 

smarter than the average bear (it normally 

fails miserably for me — and Yogi). 

Second, you also get to use cool metaphors 

like “fruit of the poisonous tree” as 

shorthand for legal doctrines which you can, 

again, try and use to impress your friends. It 

never really seems to work, though. 

For what it’s worth, fruit of the poisonous 

tree simply means that evidence that 

was obtained illegally is inadmissible in 

court. The reasoning is that if the source 

of the evidence was tainted, then anything 

gained from it is tainted, as well. 

Fruit of the poisonous tree includes almost 

all evidence arising from any police 

conduct that violates a defendant’s constitutional 

rights. For example, say the police 

conducted an illegal wiretap of your phone 

and heard your conversation with an alleged 

drug dealer discussing where he left 

some drugs for a buyer to pick up. Assuming 

the police go and pick up the drugs, not 

only would the drugs be inadmissible as 

evidence, so would the recorded statement. 

Quite simply, because the wiretap was illegal, 

any evidence gained from the recording 

would be inadmissible, as well. 

Of course, just like any legal doctrine 

there are exceptions. The fruit of the poisonous 

tree doctrine is subject to four major 

exceptions. In other words, the tainted evidence 

is admissible if: 

• It was discovered as part of an independent, 

untainted source, or 

• It would inevitably have been discovered 

despite the tainted source, or 

• The chain of causation between the illegal 

action and tainted evidence is too attenuated, 

or 

• The search warrant was not found to 

be valid based on probable cause, but was 

executed in good faith. 

For an example of the inevitability exception 

we can use the wiretapping example 

discussed above. However, let’s assume 

that after the drugs were seized the police 

were told by an informant that had provided 

reliable information in the past about the 

location of the drugs and the drug dealer. 

In this scenario, many courts would allow 

the drugs into evidence reasoning that the 

drugs would have inevitably been found by 

the police without the wiretap. 

An example of the attenuation doctrine 

can be found where police stop a person illegally; 

however, upon performing a background 

check, they discover that the person 

has several outstanding arrest warrants. 

Based on these facts, there is a good chance 

that if the officer searches the person, any 

evidence of a crime found on that person 

would be admissible. 

Of course, there are more examples and 

many more nuances we could discuss. But 

perhaps the main takeaway is that if you are 

facing criminal charges you should contact 

an experienced criminal defense attorney 

who understands the nuances and can take 

steps to protect your rights. 

Brad Klepper is chairman of Interstate 

Trucker Ltd., a law firm entirely dedicated 

to legal defense of the nation’s commercial 

drivers. Interstate Trucker represents truck 

drivers throughout the Lower 48 states on 

both moving and nonmoving violations. Jim 

is also Chairman of Drivers Legal Plan, 

which allows member drivers access to his 

firm’s services at greatly discounted rates. 

He is a lawyer that has focused on transportation 

law and the trucking industry in 

particular. 

For more information contact him at 

800-333-DRIVE (3748) or interstatetrucker.com 

and driverslegalplan.com. 8 

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Business 

March 15-31, 2019 • 17 

ATA ’s Truck Tonnage Index (Seasonally Adjusted; 2015=100) 

118 

116 

114 

112 

110 

108 

106 

104 

102 

100 

98 

JAN - 14 

APR - 14 

JUL - 14 

OCT - 14 

JAN - 15 

APR - 15 

JUL - 15 

OC T - 15 

Klint Lowry 

JAN - 16 

klint.lowry@thetrucker.com 

Lane 

Departures 

AP R - 16 

U.S. Xpress delivers new driver development 

program to boost training, safety up a notch 

Cliff Abbott 


Ask the drivers who train recent graduates 

of CDL schools hired by your company. Ask 

members of America’s Road Team, the trucking 

ambassadors recognized by the American 

Trucking Associations (ATA). Listen closely 

and you’ll learn where deficiencies exist and 

where training can help create safer and better 

drivers. 

Then, devise effective and efficient ways to 

create and deliver that training. 

That’s the blueprint for the new US Xpress 

driver development program, delivered at the 

carrier’s redesigned development center in 

Tunnel Hill, Georgia. 

“Our Road Team captains regularly meet 

to discuss how we can improve our development 

here at US Xpress,” explained COO Matt 

Hey, in case you missed it, remember the 

DRIVE-Safe Act? That was the bill that laid 

out training criteria by which anyone as young 

as 18 would be able to drive commercial trucks 

interstate. 

Well, that bill died on the vine last year. The 

clock ran out on the legislative session before 

the bill could get it out of committee. But it 

left gums flapping over the pros and cons of 

the prospect. 

JUL - 16 

OC T - 16 

JAN - 17 

APR - 17 

JUL - 17 

OCT - 17 

JAN - 18 

APR - 18 

JUL - 18 

OCT - 18 

JAN - 19 

Herndon. “We spoke to them and to our trainers 

about what they see and do on the road. We 

wanted to look at it from a driver level rather 

than a management desk.” 

The result is a training program that brought 

Herndon to say, “I think we’re setting the training 

benchmark for the industry.” 

In order to increase student interest and 

participation, US Xpress got rid of the lecture 

teaching format for much of the training. 

“That’s still a component of our training,” 

said Senior VP of Human Resources Amanda 

Thompson, “but we’ve replaced a lot of it with 

self-paced training delivered through our computer 

labs and with hands-on training in the lab 

and on the range.” 

Computer labs are equipped with work stations 

where students can engage in training on 

See Driver on p19 m 

A couple weeks ago, the idea was reintroduced 

in a new bill, with bipartisan support, no 

less. But that was among congressmen, who 

are generally noted as a collegial, congenial 

lot, at least compared to the trucking industry. 

Among trucking folk, letting 18-year-olds 

run hither and yon over state lines has drawn 

battle lines, most between the usual sectors of 

the industry. In my capacity as a fly on the 

wall with nothing to gain either way, I have 

listened to both sides of the argument, and as 

is often the case I’m not completely sold in 

either direction, but I’m leaning. 

One of the strongest arguments in favor 

of opening up interstate driving to younger 

drivers is that 48 states allow 18-year-olds to 

get CDLs for intrastate driving. How is driving 

a couple hundred miles in one big state 

any different than driving the same distance 

Tonnage up 2.3 percent in January 

after 1.0 percent decline in December 

Cliff Abbott 


ARLINGTON, Va. — The American Trucking 

Associations’ advanced seasonally adjusted 

(SA) For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index moved up 

2.3 percent in January after a decline of 1.0 percent 

in December. The January Index was 117.3, 

rising from 114.7 in December. The January Index 

was 17.3 percent higher than the baseline of 

100 established for 2015. 

“After monthly declines in both November 

and December, tonnage snapped back in January,” 

said ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello. 

“I was very pleased to see this rebound. But we 

should expect some moderation in tonnage this 

year as most of the key sectors that generate truck 

freight tonnage are expected to decelerate.” 

Compared with January 2018, the SA Index 

rose 5.5 percent. The 2018 Index was 6.7 percent 

higher than the January 2017 mark, the largest annual 

gain since 1998. 

The not seasonally adjusted index, which represents 

the change in tonnage actually hauled by 

the fleets before any seasonal adjustment, equaled 

113.1 in January, which was 2.9 percent above the 

See Tonnage on p18 m 

Courtesy: U.S. XPRESS 

U.S. Xpress’ driver development program allows drivers to complete training assignments 

and refresher courses on their own time, and at their own pace, with the opportunity to check 

in and practice skills as they feel necessary. 

A battle for the ages: Who’s too young to drive a truck? Why not ask who’s too old? 

in five or six itty-bitty states? 

There’s an equally strong argument on the 

other side: “Are you kidding? Let 18-yearolds 

drive interstate? They’re too flighty, too 

flaky, too dumb.” 

Well, I can’t say as I disagree. Being 18 is 

40 years in the rearview mirror for me. With 

each passing year I wish I could go back in 

time and whisper words of wisdom in the ear 

of my younger self, then smack him upside 

the head to make sure it sticks. 

Yeah, it scares me to have kids behind the 

wheels of big rigs. Kids that age are careless, 

they’re reckless, they’re mindlessly aggressive. 

They think they’re going to live forever. 

But you know what else scares me? The 

thought of old drivers behind the wheel of big 

rigs. They’re ornery, they’re stubborn. They’re 

gradually falling apart mentally and physically, 

and they either can’t see it or won’t admit it. 

They think they’re going to live forever. 

There have long been calls for additional, 

more frequent testing of drivers after a certain 

age, especially commercial drivers. After living 

in Florida through eight snowbird seasons, 

I’m one of those callers. It’s even been suggested 

that there should be a mandatory retirement 

age for commercial drivers, just as there is for 

commercial pilots. 

You don’t hear these suggestions much 

nowadays, now that the driver shortage has 

become an industry obsession. In fact, age has 

become a recruitment tool. “Hey, there, all you 

baby boomers! Still got some good working 

years in ya? Well, come to trucking. You won’t 

find any age discrimination here. We know you 

still got it.” 

See Lane on p19 m

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18 • March 15-31, 2019 Business 

b Tonnage from page 17 b 


previous month (109.9). In calculating the index, 

100 represents 2015. 

While available freight remains plentiful, 

economists are keeping a close eye for storm 

clouds on the horizon. According to a March 

1 release from the U.S. Department of Commerce 

Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), 

personal spending dropped slightly, by 0.1 percent, 

in January following an increase of a full 

percentage point (1.0 percent) in December. 

According to the release, annual payments for 

farm subsidies, stock dividends and other income 

that generally isn’t repeated in January is 

the cause for the drop. The January decline in 

personal income was partially offset by annual 

cost of living adjustments to Social Security recipients 

and other government credits. 

If consumers are earning a little less, they’re 

spending less, too. According to the same BEA 

release, personal consumption spending decreased 

by $77.9 billion in December, a decline 

of 0.6 percent. That’s the largest monthly decline 

since 2009. 

The stock market didn’t do well in December, 

either, and the government shutdown may 

have impacted spending as well, as consumers 

were cautious about spending until the shutdown 

ended. 

Personal consumption figures for January 

were not included in the release. 

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP), usually 

an indicator of overall economic health, 

grew by 3 percent in 2018, reaching the 3 percent 

mark for the first time since 2005, prior 

to the Great Recession. Growth of 3.4 percent 

in the third quarter declined to 2.9 percent in 

the fourth quarter, another indicator that the 

economy is slowing. The BEA estimated that 

the government shutdown was responsible for 

preventing 0.1 percent of growth. 

Growth is tracking at a slightly cooler 

pace in the first quarter, according to a March 

4 blog entry by FTR, which cites “the stimulus 

effect of tax cuts and fiscal increases” for 

the growth experienced in the second and 

third quarters. 

The FTR report cites the Chicago Fed National 

Activity Index, which declined to -0.43 

in January, as an indicator that the economy 

is growing at a below-average rate. 

Another indicator of potential trouble 

in coming months, according to the U.S. 

Census Bureau, is residential construction. 

Housing starts fell 11.2 percent in December 

to an annual rate of 1.078 million units. 

Starts for multi-family units took a larger hit, 

falling by 20.4 percent to an annual pace of 

320,000 units. On the positive side, permits 

issued for housing starts increased slightly 

by 0.3 percent. Depending on how interest 

rates react, housing starts could increase in 

the coming months. Housing starts directly 

impact trucking due to building materials, 

appliances and other products used in construction 

and finishing. 

Orders for new tractors fell precipitously in 

January. This could be an indication that carriers 

are cautious about investing in new equipment, 

but could also be a result of a 10-month 

backlog in current orders. 8 

Client: CTGO AD: KC Job Number: CTGO0194 Job N 

Date Produced: 2/28/2019 Live Area: Trim


a variety of subjects. The proprietary training 

is developed and produced in-house by the US 

Xpress training team. Students complete required 

courses prior to the on-road portion of 

their finishing process, but experienced drivers 

can access the training as needed, too. 

“We use a Learning Management System to 

make our training available from anywhere,” 

Thompson said. Drivers can access refresher 

courses from anywhere an Internet connection 

is available and even practice skills they feel 

they can improve on. Over 150 e-learning videos 

are available. 

Hands-on training is accomplished with actual 

truck components and systems where students 

practice pre-trip inspections, installing 

tire chains and other important skills. 

A state-of-the-art driving simulator is used 

for competency-based training, allowing students 

to gain proficiency in a safe (and fuelless) 

environment. 

The range is where driving maneuvers are 

practiced, allowing students to gain proficiency 

in skills they will need once on the road, all in 

a safer and less stressful learning environment. 

Range stations include instruction in straight 

line backing, alley docking, serpentine, coupling 

and uncoupling maneuvers. 

The company is already seeing benefits 

from the revised training. “One example is our 

enhanced backing training,” Thompson said. 

“We found that we had a huge gap with students 

from CDL schools that couldn’t pass 

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backing component of our training regimen. 

Because of our enhanced backing module, 

we’ve been able to add 150 drivers to the fleet 

that would have been disqualified otherwise.” 

Helping those drivers improve their backing 

skills makes them safer and also allows onroad 

trainers to spend more time teaching the 

intricacies of the driving job rather than basic 

driving skills. 

With the current consideration of allowing 

18-year old drivers to operate interstate, could 

the improved training gain extra importance? 

“I think that it would no doubt have an impact, 

if we choose to go that route,” Herndon 

explained. He was, however, careful to stipulate 

that US Xpress will make its own decision 

when, and if, 18-year old drivers are allowed 

by law. “There are other considerations, such as 

safety and insurance requirements,” he noted. 

Driver development training and facilities 

aren’t the only things that have changed at the 

8,000-truck carrier, according to Herndon. “US 

Xpress has undergone a transformation in the 

past months, including multiple changes in 

management,” he said. “Driver development is 

one of the changes we’ve experienced. We’re 

excited with this ‘driver first’ initiative.” 

US Express offers a “Full Ride” scholarship 

program along with first-day medical benefits 

and equipment offering the latest technology. 

“The new program positions U.S. Xpress as an 

industry innovator,” said Thompson, “and empowers 

drivers’ continued learning and development 

on and off the road.” 

More information about driving careers at 

US Xpress is available at the company’s website 

at usxjobs.com. 8 

Business March 15-31, 2019 • 19 

b Lane from page 17 b 

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 

the average age among commercial truck drivers 

is 55. It’s also worth noting that with truck drivers’ 

legendary lifestyles, their life expectancy is 

61. So, yeah, there is a real crisis looming. 

A 2016 study by CBS News found that 10 

percent of CDL holders were 65 or older. They 

broke down the statistics in five-year increments, 

starting at age 70. The good news was there were 

very few accidents attributed to drivers over the 

age of 90. The bad news was there are, in fact, 

professional drivers out there over the age of 90. 

There are always those who will trot out the 

“age is just a number” argument. “Who’s to say 

who’s too old? Not everyone is the same.” 

Fair enough, and if you can make that argument 

about who’s too old, wouldn’t it also hold 

true as to who’s too young? 

Have you seen what these 18-year-olds would 

have to go through under this proposal? After they 

qualify for a CDL, they have to successfully complete 

another two-step training program. Then 

they have to log 400 hours of on-duty time, plus 

240 hours of driving time with an experienced 

driver on board. 

Sheesh, it sounds like by the time they’re 

done, they’ll be more than halfway to 21 anyway. 

It seems to me the process itself will weed out the 

ones who are too immature and it will help galvanize 

the ones who are ready to accept the responsibility. 

I say give the kids a chance, or at least a 

chance at a chance. If it’s a bad idea, it will reveal 

itself in no time. 8 

Daseke names Chris Easter 

as company’s new COO 


ADDISON, Texas — Daseke, a flatbed and 

specialized transportation and logistics provider 

in North America, has named Chris Easter 

as the company’s chief operating officer. 

Easter brings Daseke more than 30 years 

of operational leadership serving in key 

transportation and logistics roles with the 

United States Army, Walmart and Schneider 

National. 

For the past six years, he served as CEO 

of Keen Transport, a specialized transportation, 

warehouse, and logistics company focused 

on serving the industrial equipment 

market. 

During more than a decade with Walmart, 

he was responsible for overseeing the transportation 

of goods from around the world. 

Easter graduated from the United States 

Military Academy at West Point. He then 

served in the U.S. Army, where he was a 

leader in heavy machinery logistics. 

Easter was awarded the Bronze Star during 

Operation Desert Storm. 

Believing in giving back to the industry, 

he serves the industry on the board of directors 

for the Specialized Carriers and Rigging 

Association (SC&RA). 

As COO, Easter will be responsible for 

overseeing the industry-leading scale that Daseke 

has built over the last decade-plus, according 

to Don Daseke, chairman and CEO. 8


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Business March 15-31, 2019 • 21 

TravelCenters partners with Heinz Inc. to 

convert 4 Coffee Cup locations to TA Express 


WESTLAKE, Ohio — TravelCenters of 

America, nationwide operator of the TA, 

Petro Stopping Centers and TA Express travel 

center networks, has signed an agreement 

with Heinz Inc., operator of Coffee Cup Fuel 

Stops, to convert four of its Coffee Cup locations 

to TA Express sites. 

The first of four locations that will become 

a TA Express is a facility located at Interstate 

94/ND Highway 3, Exit 200 in North 

Dakota. 

This location was the first Coffee Cup Fuel 

Stop and will be the first of the four to join TA’s 

nationwide network of 257 travel centers. 

The TA Express branding is expected 

to take place by the end of April, with the 

three other locations following suit within 12 

months. 

The remaining Coffee Cup Fuel Stops converting 

to TA Express are in South Dakota at 

Vermillion, Summit and Hot Springs. 

Heinz also plans to build two new TA Express 

travel centers in Rapid City and Sioux 

Falls, South Dakota, in the coming years. 

“We are proud to welcome these Coffee 

Cup Fuel Stops to the TravelCenters and 

TA Express network,” said Barry Richards, 

president and COO of TravelCenters. “We 

launched the TA Express brand to provide 

professional drivers the benefits of our fullservice 

network in areas where large truck 

stops like our TA and Petro travel centers 

are not feasible. These existing Coffee Cup 

Fuel Stops are well suited for the TA Express 

brand, and we are always glad when we can 

expand our network and offer more amenities 

to our customers.” 

Tom Heinz, president of Heinz Inc., is a 

veteran in the petroleum industry and a member 

of the NATSO (National Association of 

Truck Stop Operators) Foundation Board of 

Directors. 

Courtesy: COFFEE CUP FUEL STOPS 

The Hot Springs, South Dakota, Coffee Cup 

Fuel Stop will be one of four that will become 

a TA Express this year. 

“We’re very eager to join the TravelCenters 

and TA Express network,” Heinz said. 

“Being a part of the TravelCenters fueling 

system will allow us to participate in trucking 

fleet fueling contracts and grow our business 

in a way we weren’t able to on our own. 

Professional drivers and fleets trust the TA, 

Petro and TA Express brands, and now our 

travel plazas can be a part of this iconic network.” 

Plans for improvements and amenities to 

be added to the Steele location include the 

addition of a Cinnabon, five more driver 

showers and a three-bay TA Truck Service 

shop. Professional drivers will also be able to 

earn and redeem UltraONE loyalty program 

points at all of the rebranded locations. 

TravelCenters of America, headquartered 

in Westlake, Ohio, conducts business in 43 

states and Canada, principally under the 

TA, Petro Stopping Centers and TA Express 

brands. 

For more information on TA and Petro, 

visit ta-petro.com. 

Coffee Cup Fuel Stops were co-founded by 

Tom Heinz in 1981. The Steele, North Dakota, 

location was the first travel plaza. The brand then 

expanded to South Dakota and Wyoming. 8 

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Proper engine oils still needed to lubricate parts, keep them clean and running smoothly 

Cliff Abbott 


It’s just oil, right? Every driver knows that 

the engine needs oil to keep running. With 

the technology used today such as built-in 

sensors and warning lights to indicate low oil 

levels, some drivers don’t include checking 

the oil as a part of their pre-trip inspection. 

That’s a mistake. 

Lubricating moving engine parts is only 

one part of the job of engine oil. Modern engines 

are built with closer tolerances and often 

operate at higher temperatures than older 

models. Engine oils help ensure a proper seal 

Fleet Focus 

between parts and carry away contaminants 

that can harm critical components. They also 

help transfer heat to the vehicle’s cooling 

systems. 

Good drivers check the oil daily. It’s 

not enough to verify oil levels; the appearance 

of the oil on the dipstick can also indicate 

trouble. Oil in diesel engines tends to 

darken quickly, so a black color isn’t cause 

for alarm, but the presence of foam or other 

unusual substances may indicate a coolant 

leak into the oil. Rubbing the oil between the 

fingers to detect “grit” can help identify foreign 

substances like particles from an eroding 

bearing. Unusual odors can also indicate 

trouble. 

Engine manufacturers recommend oil and 

filter changes at specified intervals, and most 

carriers and truck owners try to follow these. 

Some change the oil more often. Ignoring 

maintenance intervals or extending them beyond 

recommended limits can prove costly. 

Buying “add” oil on the road can be an 

issue, as well. Oils that are made for gasoline 

engines may not have enough protection for 

diesel power plants. Some oils may not be 

of the correct viscosity for your engine. The 

wrong oil, or oil that is dirty, contaminated 

or worn out can cause loss of engine performance, 

poor fuel mileage and early wear of 

critical parts. 

To be sure, skip all of the sales slogans 

printed on the bottle or package and look for 

the “donut.” That’s the printed “circle in a 

circle” that contains information from the 

American Petroleum Institute (API). 

The first thing to look for is the “API Service” 

designation. It starts with either “S” 

or “C.” The “S” designation means the oil 

is formulated for engines that are fired by 

spark, i.e., gasoline engines. A designation 

of “C” is for engines fired by compression, 

like diesel engines. 

In the case of oils formulated for diesels, 

there will be another letter after the “C,” in- 

ALWAYS dicating how modern the blend is. Currently, 

Moving 

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most truck engines use “CK-4” oil, which 

replaced CJ-4 on shelves in 2017. If your engine 

is older and uses CJ-4 oil, don’t worry. 

CK-4 is “backward compatible,” meaning it 

will work in older engines, too. 

A newer designation is “FA-4,” a new 

blend designed to work in some of the newest 

engines. FA-4 is generally not backward 

compatible with older engines. It’s thinner 

oil, super slippery even at high temperatures, 

and is necessary for some new engines 

to obtain maximum performance and fuel 

economy. The thinner layers of oil on critical 

engine parts may not be enough to protect 

some older engines. 

Make sure you know which type of oil 

your engine needs. 

Another concern with buying oil is viscosity. 

Most modern oils have a viscosity 

range, such as 10W-30 or 5W-50. Again, the 

viscosity is usually recommended by the engine 

manufacturer, but truck owners sometimes 

vary from these recommendations to 

provide extra protection in extreme weather 

environments or other conditions. As long as 

the oil added is a similar viscosity to what’s 

already in the crankcase and both meet manufacturer’s 

specifications, there shouldn’t be 

a problem. 

A component of engine oils that isn’t as 

easy to identify is detergent and additive content. 

The cheapest engine oil may not have 

the ability to keep your engine clean and protected 

of the more popular name-brand. 

When it comes to engine oil, some drivers 

are meticulous about making sure every 

drop in the crankcase is the same brand, type 

and viscosity. Others assume it’s all the same 

and buy the cheapest. Your mileage, and the 

lifespan of your engine, may vary. 8

RECRUITING at a Glance 

Company Driver Owner Operator Teams Lease Purchase Flatbed Van Reefer HAZMAT Expedited Specialized Tanker 

Cargill 

www.cargillmeatlogistics.com 

(316) 462-7220 

See our ad on page 6! 

FedEx Custom Critical 

www.customcritical.fedex.com 

(866) 729-9789 


Mercer 

www.mercertown.com 

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P.I.&I. Motor Express 

http://www.piimx.com 

(855) 693-8963 


Smith Transport 

www.smithdrivers.com 

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CD OO T LP F V R H E S TK 





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(877) 592-3642 


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National Carriers 

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D&D Sexton, Inc. 

www.ddsextoninc.com 

(800) 743-0265 


Landstar 

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(877) 472-0097 


Penske Logistics 

www.gopenske.com/careers 

(855) 235-1361 


Schneider 

www.schneiderjobs.com 

(800) 44-PRIDE 


Tribe Transportation 

www.TribeTrans.com 

(877) 628-6285 







Diamond Transportation 

www.diamondtrans.net 

(262) 554-4025 


McColister’s Transportation 

www.mccollisters.com 

(800) 257-9595 ext. 9490 

See our ads on pages 26 & 28! 

PFS Brands 

www.jobs@pfsbrands.com 

(573) 893-1361 


Skelton Truck Lines 

www.skeltontruck.com 

(800) 387-9796 ext 231 





CD OO T LP F V R H E S TK



Recruitment 

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Equipment 


Courtesy: NAVISTAR 

Alternative power is being developed, tested and refined, even as diesel engines are transitioning 

to become more fuel-efficient and clean. Pictured is the Navistar MaxxForce 13. 

Class 8 engine production to continue 

growth; type of diesel units uncertain 


COLUMBUS, Ind. — Class 8 engine production 

is expected to continue its growth trend 

into 2019, and diesel is still the dominate power 

source, but changes in demand for straight 

trucks and tractors will impact the type of diesel 

engines ordered. 

That’s the primary takeaway from the recently 

released “N.A. Commercial Vehicle On- 

Highway Engine Outlook” published by ACT 

Research and Rhein Associates, 

“Tractors continue to be more impacted 

by cyclical demand than vocational trucks, 

said Tom Rhein, president of Rhein Associates. 

The truck share of Class 8 vehicles fell to 

just below 27 percent in 2018, and is forecast 

to reach a similar level in 2019. 

Rhein said average truck production from 

2019-2023 is expected to increase nearly 8 

percent over the average of the past five years, 

while average tractor production is forecast 

at almost 3 percent below the past five-year 

average. 

“Diesel power is under attack long-term 

for use in on-highway commercial vehicles,” 

said Kenny Vieth, president and senior analyst 

at ACT Research. “Alternative power is being 

developed, tested, and refined, even as diesel 

engines are transitioning to become more fuelefficient 

and clean. Emission regulations are 

See Engines on p26 m 

Omnitracs enhances devices to empower CMV drivers 


DALLAS — Omnitracs has revealed the 

latest in the company’s line of mobile communication 

and management devices aimed at 

enabling drivers to work anywhere, anytime 

using the latest LTE connectivity, the company 

said in a news release. 

The new Omnitracs Active Mobile Gateway 

with Communications (AMG-C) provides 

commercial transportation companies with 

more opportunities to empower their drivers, 

according to Paul Nagy, Omnitracs’ chief product 

officer. 

As drivers take on additional duties, ranging 

from customer service tasks to order reconciliation, 

they now need more flexibility to 

get work done, he said, adding that with connection 

options and a dedicated cellular connection 

for vehicle tracking independent of 

the driver, the AMG-C is an advanced bringyour-own 

device (BYOD) solution that combines 

the best features of the current hardware 

lineup to offer more computing power and 

durability. 

The AMG-C joins Omnitracs’ Intelligent 

Vehicle Gateway (IVG) in-cab device, that 

has been recently enhanced with new usability 

updates to offer even more device options to 

customers. 

Features available with the AMG-C include: 

• BYOD device pairing that enables drivers 

to use Android phones or tablets to access the 

Omnitracs One fleet management platform and 

suite of applications 

• Flexible connection options that include 

Wi-Fi, 4G-LTE, secure Bluetooth, and mobile 

hotspot that extend to the driver’s hand-held 

devices using the Omnitracs One mobile application, 

and 

• Management simplicity that offers 

15-minute install and over-the-air updates. 

Updates to the IVG device include: 

• Operation on the enhanced performance 

and reliability of 4G LTE networks 

• Enhanced touchscreen that provides a 

better user experience, is more sensitive and 

more durable 

• Improved Wi-Fi connectivity, and 

• Backwards-compatible cabling with no 

need to rewire existing connections to the Omnitracs 

Intelligent Vehicle Gateway (IVG) incab 

device. 

“Commercial transportation operations face 

different challenges, and our customers want 

flexible device options to accommodate an 

ever-increasing variety of needs,” Nagy said. 

See Omnitracs on p26 m 

Courtesy: OMNITRACS 

The AMG-C joins the Omnitracs Intelligent 

Vehicle Gateway (IVG) in-cab device that 

has been recently enhanced with new usability 

updates to offer even more device options 

to customers. 

Eaton Cummins expands automated transmission offerings 

Courtesy: EATON 

The Eaton Cummins dual Endurant Power 

Takeoff provides customers with two PTO 

mounting locations: An 8-bolt bottom mount 

and a 4-bolt rear mount with a combined 95 

horsepower capability. 


GALESBURG, Mich. — Eaton Cummins 

Automated Transmission Technologies has 

expanded the Endurant automated transmission 

portfolio to include a new dual Power 

Takeoff (PTO) version of its 12-speed model. 

The new dual PTO option of Endurant 

provides customers with two PTO mounting 

locations: an 8-bolt bottom mount and 

a 4-bolt rear mount with a combined 95 

horsepower capability. A single PTO model 

with an 8-bolt bottom mount location also is 

available, giving fleets enhanced flexibility 

in the secondary market. 

“We’re very excited to put our awardwinning 

Endurant in the hands of more 

fleets,” said Charles Masters, general manager, 

Eaton Cummins Automated Transmission 

Technologies. “The dual PTO model will allow 

more fleets to experience the many industry-leading 

features of Endurant.” 

Since the launch of the 12-speed overdrive 

model in late 2017, the Endurant portfolio 

has expanded to include an 11-speed directdrive 

model with calibrations optimized to 

meet the needs of linehaul and regional fleets 

typically operating at lower cruise speeds 

and on flatter terrain. Having overdrive and 

direct-drive models gives fleet managers the 

choice to select the best ratio for their application 

and route, Masters said, adding that 

all Endurant transmissions have a variety of 

features designed to reduce maintenance and 

increase uptime: 

• Internal electrical system routing minimizes 

exposure and corrosion to wires and 

connectors for improved reliability. 

• A smart prognostics feature provides 

clutch replacement notification to better plan 

maintenance scheduling. 

• An industry-exclusive transmission fluid 

pressure sensor notifies drivers of low oil 

levels to provide burn-up warranty coverage. 

• Smooth and intuitive shift strategies that 

enhance the operator’s driving experience. 

• Predictive shifting using look-ahead 

technology to execute shift decisions that 

improve fuel efficiency and provide additional 

driver comfort. 

• A maintenance-free 430 mm self-adjust 

See Eaton on p26 m

26 • March 15-31, 2019 Equipment 


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b Engines from page 25 b b Omnitracs from page 25 b 

one of the main drivers of alternative fuel adoption, 

which is why the engine outlook includes 

a section on the commercial vehicle regulatory 

environment.” 

The latest outlook report highlights powersource 

activity for CV GVWs 5-8, including 

five-year forecasts of engines volumes and 

product trends. It ties to the detailed North 

American commercial vehicle forecasts published 

monthly by ACT. 

Rhein Associates is a supplier of powertrain 

information to worldwide clients. 

For more information visit rheinreport. 

com/ 

ACT Research is a publisher of commercial 

vehicle truck, trailer, and bus industry data, 

market analysis and forecasting services for the 

North American and China markets. 

For more information, visit actresearch. 

net. 8 

b Eaton from page 25 b 

clutch that requires no grease. 

• An industry-leading 750,000-mile lube 

change interval in linehaul applications. 

• Endurant requires only 16 pints of lubricant, 

about half the amount of competitive 

models. 

• A replaceable input shaft sleeve allows 

for affordable and quick repair, while competitive 

transmissions require a costly and 

time-consuming full teardown. 

• Capable of maximum 510 horsepower 

and 1,850 ft.-lbs. of torque. 

Like all automated transmissions from 

the Eaton Cummins joint venture, Endurant 

is available with IntelliConnect, a telematics 

capable system that provides near real-time 

monitoring of vehicle fault codes, prioritizes 

critical events and provides accurate and comprehensive 

action plans by technical experts 

at Eaton, Masters said. The primary objective 

“The new IVG in-cab device and AMG-C will 

offer the most advanced mobility experience on 

the market for companies looking to maximize 

driver productivity both inside and outside of 

the cab.” 

Nagy said the introduction of AMG-C gives 

Omnitracs the broadest array of device options 

on a single platform. 

Customers can access the same set of applications 

using the Omnitracs Telematics Gateway 

(TG), which offers basic LTE GPS tracking 

and driver performance monitoring with no 

in-cab display; the Intelligent Vehicle Gateway 

(IVG), a dedicated in-cab solution that’s hardwired 

to the vehicle’s engine control module for 

maximum security; and the AMG, an in-cab device 

that uses the phone or tablet’s connection 

to transmit vehicle and driver data. 

For more information, visit omnitracs. 

com. 8 

of IntelliConnect is to increase a fleet’s uptime 

by reducing unplanned downtime and providing 

quicker repair diagnostics through remote 

communication with a vehicle’s transmission. 

The joint venture’s components are backed 

by Eaton’s Roadranger network of more than 

180 drivetrain professionals who provide solutions, 

support and expertise to fleets and 

dealers. For more information visit www.eaton.com/roadranger, 

where the latest product 

information is available, as well as service, 

parts and training assistance, 24 hours a day. 

Experts are available in the Roadranger 

Call Center by dialing 800-826-4357 in the 

U.S. and Canada. In Mexico, dial 01-800- 

826-4357. 

To learn more about Endurant, visit eatoncumminsjv.com/endurant. 

8 

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33 

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AREA 

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Features 


Logistics computer programmer, 

former triathlete Liuba Bulavynets 

puts best foot forward in trucking 

Dorothy Cox 


Fortunately for her, and for the trucking 

and logistics industry, Liuba Bulavynets likes 

a challenge. 

Working for Amous International’s office in 

Lviv in western Ukraine as a project manager and 

back-end Java software developer, this 23-yearold 

former triathlete never imagined herself doing 

anything connected with trucking. 

But Liuba, Women In Trucking’s February 

Member of the Month, is determined as well as 

smart, and she realized that her prowess in running 

and winning numerous medals in triathlons 

in her native Ukraine was not something “you 

can do all your life.” So at the ripe old age of 21, 

she began looking for her next challenge. 

“I’ve always loved athletics and working on 

technical things,” says Liuba, “but most of all, 

challenging myself.” 

She said she came across Amous’ logistics 

company online and decided to apply because “I 

was looking for a new opportunity and challenge 

after my athletic career.” 

Liuba’s determination is one of the characteristics 

that made Amous, headquartered in Oak 

Brook, Illinois, take a second look at her resumé. 

They learned that at age 12, Liuba entered 

boarding school in Ukraine as an orphan, and 

Dorothy Cox 


Around 

the Bend 

I read an advertisement the other day that 

maintains what we’re feeding our dogs and 

cats from off the grocery store shelves isn’t 

good for them. 

Then I talked with two of The Trucker News 

Organization’s top executives who happened to 

say in passing that they feed their dogs homemade-from-scratch 

food. One said his older 

pooch has a new lease on life because of it. 

On the other hand, I ordered some cat food off 

the internet the other day that supposedly has no 

artificial or harmful ingredients and is made from 

scratch and my two cats won’t touch it. 

What does that say about the food we humans 

eat? I know I would feel better if I made all my 

meals from scratch out of wholesome ingredients, 

but who has the time? I hope that when I 

Women to Watch 

retire I’ll get back into the habit of cooking with 

fresh ingredients rather than going out to eat or 

microwaving frozen dinners. 

One of The Trucker execs cut out sugar entirely 

and said he got an immediate migraine when 

he ate a few bites of something sweet. I’m trying 

to cut down on refined sugar and eliminate high 

fructose corn syrup altogether because I’m very 

allergic to anything with corn syrup in it. I dream 

of being able to drink a real Coke without feeling 

later like I have the flu. 

I told myself I was getting more wholesome 

ingredients by buying a pint of Haagen Dazs ice 

cream the other day because they usually don’t 

sweeten their frozen confections with corn syrup. 

Wouldn’t you know it? The Dulce de Leche 

I bought had high fructose corn syrup in both the 

caramel and the cream part. Doh! 

I should be used to reading label ingredients 

by now. Even if you’re a staunch label-reader, 

however, there are apparently some really harmful 

things in our foods that don’t show up on the 

ingredient labels. Things like weed killers and 

other herbicides. 

Not that I trust mainstream news reports 

much anymore, but CNN last summer reported 

Courtesy: WOMEN IN TRUCKING 

“I’ve always loved athletics and working on technical things,” says WIT February Member of 

the Month Liuba Bulavynets of Ukraine, “but most of all, challenging myself.” 

that some types of oat cereals, oatmeal, granola 

and snack bars have higher levels of a chemical 

found in the weed killer Roudup than what the 

government says is safe for human consumption. 

Of course, Monsanto, the makers of Roundup, 

say it ain’t so. 

I don’t know about that, but I do know that 

when my late husband worked as an RN on 

the cancer ward of a leading teaching hospital 

in Little Rock, Arkansas, my hometown, a majority 

of his patients seemed to come from the 

eastern Arkansas delta, where the economy is 

heavily agricultural. 

Now I don’t particularly trust the EPA, but 

something must be causing the numerous cases 

of cancer that keep cropping up in this country. 

Quaker Oats protested the CNN report by 

saying the chemical in question, glyphosate, is 

applied to the oats “pre-harvest” and that they 

thoroughly cleanse the oats so that no harmful 

levels of the chemical remain. 

But then according to CNN, five of 16 “organic” 

oat food samples also contained levels of 

this glyphosate. 

Even if something is in minute levels in your 

food, what if you eat oatmeal every day, patting 

found running to be not only an outlet, but a way 

to excel in life and prove that she could do anything 

she put her mind to. 

Mark Shevchuk, CEO and founder of Amous, 

says the logistics company was inspired by Liuba’s 

life and what she had made of it, and that “we 

wanted to see more success stories of women in 

the world of logistics and coding, which led us 

to sponsor more women around the world. With 

the help of Women In Trucking and other organizations, 

we hope to be an example of others to 

follow as well.” 

Amous is also helping sponsor Oksana Raita, 

a member of the Ukrainian National and Olympic 

Team, who is preparing for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic 

Games and according to Amous’ website will 

transition into becoming a full-time developer 

for one of the firm’s Transportation Management 

Systems (TMS) teams after her athletic career. 

“I had no idea that logistics/software development 

would be in my future,” Liuba told The 

Trucker with the help of Shevchuk and his command 

of English. “I am loving every minute of it, 

as there is always something new to be learned.” 

She says she is learning the ropes of becoming 

a project manager and realized early on that 

although “from the outside, logistics seems like 

an easy task” of getting a truck and its freight 

from point A to point B, there are many, many 

other things that go into that delivery. 

Often, she adds, there are ways to improve the 

process, which “is why I am excited to be a part 

of a company that is trying to help the industry 

get better.” 

Amous offers software solutions for small, 

medium and large logistics companies, specializing 

in intelligent analytics and helping companies 

scrutinize their operations through “control towers,” 

enabling them to track their loads, communicate 

directly with drivers, assess load profitability, 

oversee maintenance for tractors and trailers, 

and achieve optimum fuel and load rates, according 

to a company tutorial. 

Liuba, who now lives with her brothers, admits 

that learning about logistics and software 

development from scratch was “a difficult task,” 

but “it was very fun, especially with the [TMS] 

team.” 

Her free time is spent hanging out with her 

siblings and with friends, and there is certainly 

See Watch on p28 m 

Weed killer in oatmeal? Dog and cat food that’s harmful? Say it ain’t so, but it may be 

yourself on the back that you’re consuming something 

that’s good for your heart? So you stave off 

a heart attack only to succumb to cancer? 

One group of bio scientists says nobody on 

earth consumes enough glyphosate to hurt them 

and at least one scientist says the same thing. 

I’m thinking this may be just the tip of the iceberg, 

though. 

According to the National Cancer Institute, 

the overall cancer death rate in the U.S. has declined 

since the early 1990s. But that didn’t comfort 

me at all when I was going through breast 

cancer back in 2006-2007. 

The Institute also says the number of new 

cases of cancer (cancer incidence) is 439.2 per 

100,000 men and women per year, based on 

2011–2015 cases. 

The number of cancer deaths is 163.5 per 

100,000 men and women per year, again, based 

on 2011–2015 figures. 

Plus, the number of cancer survivors is expected 

to increase to 20.3 million by 2026. 

Is it something we’re eating and/or drinking? 

Let’s pray for one another. We need all the 

help we can get. 

Be safe out there and God bless. 8

MCCOLLISTER’S AUTO TRANSPORT 

FLEET EXPANSION 

Driver 

Retention Program 

First year $3,500 

2nd $5000 

3rd $7000 

MCCOLLISTER’S ENCLOSED AUTO TRANSPORT 

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NEW TRAILERS COMING IN 

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28 • March 15-31, 2019 Features 


NASCAR exec: New rules package 

will be given more time to unfold 

Zach Albert 

NASCAR.COM 

LAS VEGAS — The race Sunday. March 3, 

with both the tapered spacer and aero ducts as 

part of the 2019 rules package for NASCAR’s 

top series, was as unpredictable as anticipated at 

Las Vegas Motor Speedway. But the setup’s performance 

was also noteworthy for how several of 

those pre-race forecasts didn’t take. 

At day’s end, Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR executive 

vice president and chief racing development 

officer, said the package won’t be judged by 

Sunday’s Pennzoil 400 alone. O’Donnell said he 

saw positive indicators at the 1.5-mile track, but 

the package will continue to be a work in progress. 

“We’ve said from the beginning that this is 

going to be a season that we’re going to analyze,” 

O’Donnell said. “We’re not going to go to every 

race and say, ‘Was that a good race, was that not?’ 

I know fans do that, but for us, directionally are 

you improving upon where you wanted to be? 

And if you look at last year versus this year, I 

would say we are. 

“Was it a tremendous improvement? Probably 

not. But again as a fan, you want to see lead 

changes. We saw that today, and I think if you 

would’ve looked in the past with no cautions, we 

would’ve seen someone check out all race long 

and we wouldn’t have seen a lead change.” 

The race March 3 was an extension of the 

previous weekend’s event at another intermediate 

track in Atlanta Motor Speedway, with increased 

downforce and a reduction in horsepower. The 

Las Vegas event went a step further with the addition 

of aerodynamic ducts to produce a larger 

wake from a leading car to trailing cars. 

An organizational test, qualifying and practice 

fed a variety of pre-race predictions, but the 

package’s predicted resemblance to restrictorplate-style 

racing on a smaller-scale track didn’t 

quite pan out, with only glimpses of pack-style 

competition during restarts. Prophecies of mass 

destruction and multi-car crashes faded with a 

caution-free race, save for the two stage breaks. 

And the prognosis for an underdog surprise also 

fizzled, with an array of heavyweights making a 

clean sweep of the top five. 

“You go back even before the race — and I 

think even some of the media and it probably 

came from the garage: ‘We’re going to wreck 

the entire field, this isn’t going to be a race.’ 

Didn’t happen,” O’Donnell said. 8 

T 

FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL: 

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PAUL (WEST) 

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b Watch from page 27 b 

a lot to do in Lviv, a UNESCO world heritage 

site and often called the “little Paris” of Eastern 

Europe. 

In addition to Liuba and Oksana, the company 

employs other young people around the 

globe, both men and women. 

Liuba has learned that logistics “doesn’t 

just mean being a truck driver. There is so 

much more to it.” 

In fact, the trucking industry, itself, is “big,” 

she has learned, and says she would “absolutely 

recommend the field of logistics to other 

women. … There is so much to do” in the industry 

and “you can choose from so many options 

where you can be a part of logistics. 

“I think no one should be afraid to take that 

step if that is your passion. Take me as an example,” 

she said. 

And as for her running, after taking a break 

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If Liuba’s performance with Amous International 

is any indication, she will continue to put her 

best foot forward, no matter what she does. 8 

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thetrucker.com March 15-31, 2019 • 29 

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Features March 15-31, 2019 • 31 

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