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CAPITOL RECAP | SAFETY AND SECURITY MEETING | CHAT WITH THE CHAIRMAN
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION o f t h e Truckload Carriers Association
Road to Nowhere
Political bickering weakens chances for infrastructure plan | 6
JULY/AUGUST 2019
IN
THIS
ISSUE
Inside Information: Challenge your mind, trust your gut, says CNBC’s Guy Adami | 14
Cooling Off: For freight carriers, good times not over, but tougher times hover | 16
Hot Topics: FMCSA’s Ray Martinez stops by for a Fireside Chat | 32

JULY/AUGUST | TCA 2019
President’s Purview
Safety Meeting Shows
There’s Strength in Numbers
One of the most significant benefits of membership in an association is access
to a network of its members. Never in my tenure as Truckload Carriers
Association president has that been more apparent than at June’s 38th Annual
Safety & Security Division Meeting in Memphis.
During the three-day, jam-packed event, I watched as 200 of the industry’s leading
safety professionals congregated to make connections and learn with the goal
of improving their company’s safety record as well as our nation’s highways. The
genuine willingness of our members to offer suggestions in the Safety in the Round
Sessions and the participation in the open question and answer format of the panel
discussions ensured that attendees who brought questions left with answers.
Additionally, the industry received answers from Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration’s Ray Martinez as he was joined by TCA’s Vice President of Government
Affairs, David Heller, during an inaugural “FMCSA Fireside Chat.” The two
discussed an update on the Hours of Service rulemaking timeline, the Drug and
Alcohol Clearinghouse, the Our Roads, Our Safety program, and more. Martinez
also stressed the FMCSA’s current focus on partnering with TCA and noted that
they are hearing truckload loud and clear on the issues. Special thanks to SiriusXM
Radio host Mark Willis for moderating the chat.
Participation from high-profile regulators in such meetings would have been
unheard of just a few short years ago. The fact that we have established a great
mutual relationship with the administration in such a short amount of time is a tribute
to our dedication to becoming “The Voice of Truckload” and to the efforts made
by our members in getting our industry’s voice heard on Capitol Hill.
Perhaps TCA Chairman Josh Kaburick summed it up best in his remarks at
the safety meeting when he said the future of the association is to be stronger in
membership, sustainable in its advocacy efforts, and to put forth true data analytics
that are the envy of the industry.
With all this being said, if you aren’t sending a representative to this meeting,
you are missing out on a great wealth of knowledge that could significantly impact
your operations. Mark your calendars for June 7-9, 2020, in Louisville for the next
iteration of the safety meeting.
In closing, make plans to attend our upcoming fall events — TCA’s Board of
Directors and Committee Meetings and our Third Annual Call on Washington —
both taking place in Washington September 24-25. I hope that you’ll join us as your
continued participation in these events forms the basis for our growing influence
on Capitol Hill.
John Lyboldt
President
Truckload Carriers Association
jlyboldt@truckload.org
John Lyboldt
PRESIDENT’S PICKS
Inside Out with Adrian Vigneault
TCA’s associate director of education treats
life as one long learning experience
Page 28
Cultural Change
Driver retention programs must
be driven by C-level leaders
Page 36
Those who Deliver
At Veriha Trucking, four siblings
make it truly a family affair
Page 38
TCA 2019 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 3

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CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
Josh Kaburick, CEO
Earl L. Henderson Trucking Company, Inc.
JULY/AUGUST 2019
PRESIDENT
John Lyboldt
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VICE PRESIDENT - GOV’T AFFAIRS
Dave Heller
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PRESIDENT’S PURVIEW
There’s Strength in Numbers by John Lyboldt | 3
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
Road to Nowhere | 6
Capitol Recap | 9
TRACKING THE TRENDS
Prime Interest | 14
Settling at Zero | 18
A CHAT WITH THE CHAIRMAN
Well Positioned with Josh Kaburick | 20
SPONSORED BY MCLEOD SOFTWARE
TALKING TCA
Member Mailroom: Call on Washington | 27
Inside Out with Adrian Vigneault | 28
Talking the Talk with Ray Martinez and David Heller | 32
Cultural Changes Needed | 36
Carrier Profile with Veriha Trucking | 38
Pictorial Review of Safety and Security Meeting | 40
Clare C. Casey Award | 42
Small Talk | 43
New Members| 46
Important Dates to Remember | 46
REACHING TRUCKING’S
TOP EXECUTIVES
T H E R O A D M A P
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TCA 2019 www.Truckload.org | TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY 5

JULY/AUGUST | TCA 2019
Legislative Update
6 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA 2019

Road to Nowhere
Political bickering weakens chances for infrastructure plan
The likelihood of the U.S. seeing an infrastructure plan
anytime soon (maybe even before the 2020 elections) is
slipping away faster than a glass of cold water on a hot,
sweltering summer day.
Less than a month after President Donald Trump and
Democratic congressional leaders — spearheaded by
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. and Senate
Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. — agreed to work
together on a $2 trillion infrastructure package, a second
round of negotiations went bust on May 22 when Trump
left the meeting, saying he won’t work with Democratic
lawmakers while they continue to investigate him.
Reportedly on the agenda for the second meeting was
to have been a discussion about where to come up with $2
trillion.
Trump took umbrage at Pelosi’s accusation earlier in the
day of him being “engaged in a coverup.”
Trump met briefly with Pelosi, Shumer and other
Democrats that day before exiting to address reporters in
the Rose Garden.
Speaking at the Capitol, Pelosi and Schumer suggested
that Trump was looking for excuses not to take up
infrastructure.
“He just took a pass,” Pelosi said. “And it just makes
me wonder why he did that. In any event, I pray for the
president of the United States and I pray for the United
States of America.”
And so, says Truckload Carrier Association Vice President
of Government Affairs David Heller, progress on an
infrastructure bill is at a standstill.
“They were supposed to have a hard conversation about
paying for the plan,” Heller said, “but obviously no one came
up with an answer.”
The problem now, he added, is the closer the nation
comes to the August Congressional recess and next year the
2020 elections, the harder it’s going to be to pass a funded
infrastructure bill.
“Going into May, I would have said there’s a 50-50 chance
of getting an infrastructure bill passed,” Heller said. “I’d say
the odds are much less now.”
The spat between Trump and the Democrats is nothing
but partisan politics, Heller said, and that’s a problem. He
suspects “politics are going to interrupt” any action on
working toward an infrastructure bill, especially as the 2020
elections draw closer.
The lack of an infrastructure plan is not good for the
trucking industry, Heller said.
“When you have projects that aren’t done, it leads to more
congestion, which impacts safe driving practices,” he said.
“Some of these needed projects have a tremendous impact
on delivering freight. You need new roads, you need extra
lanes of traffic. You need all these things to accommodate
how the demographics of the nation have developed. If you
By Lyndon Finney
don’t have an infrastructure plan, you can’t address these
needs.”
Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., chairman of the House
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, criticized
Trump’s decision to walk out of the meeting.
“We have an infrastructure crisis in this country that
will only be resolved when President Trump agrees to put
partisan politics aside and get serious about investing in
our nation’s crumbling roads, bridges, transit systems,
harbors, airports, wastewater systems and more,” DeFazio
said. “After our initial meeting at the White House several
weeks back, I was hopeful we were seeing the first signs of
political courage that is so badly needed to make progress
and turn a campaign trail talking point into real action. It’s
disappointing that today the president and his team walked
back from both the $2 trillion proposal and from showing
leadership on how to pay for the package.”
There were obvious signs of trouble going into the May
22 meeting, with both sides being guarded about how they
would pay for such an investment. The White House released
a letter in which Trump let Pelosi and Schumer know his
preference for Congress taking up the proposed U.S. trade
deal with Mexico and Canada first.
“Once Congress has passed USMCA, we should turn our
attention to a bipartisan infrastructure package,” Trump said.
Pelosi and congressional Democrats had asked for
the May 22 meeting with Trump to discuss launching an
ambitious building program that’s a top priority for the party
and has been a rare area of potential bipartisan accord
with Republicans. Trump, too, has long promised a big
infrastructure plan.
The dozen Democratic lawmakers in the meeting with the
president had called it a constructive start. They said Trump
agreed that infrastructure investments should go beyond
roads and bridges and include broadband, water systems
and enhancements to the electrical grid.
In that meeting, Democrats also put the onus on Trump
to come up with a funding source.
There probably wasn’t much of a chance of the May
22 meeting yielding anything concrete because it played
out against the backdrop of high tensions over escalating
Democratic investigations following the release of Special
Counsel Robert Mueller’s report into Russian meddling.
Lawmakers and the Republican president also have an
eye on the 2020 elections, meaning every provision of an
infrastructure package — including how to pay for it — will
be made with that in mind.
At least one advocate for an infrastructure package boost
sees a narrow window for action.
“I think a deal can be had if everybody is willing to put
their battle-axes away for a period,” said former Rep. Bill
Shuster of Pennsylvania, R-Penn., who served as chairman
of the House’s transportation committee for six years.
TCA 2019 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 7

Shuster released an infrastructure plan late in the
last Congress, but like almost every meaningful piece of
legislation recently, his plan was run over by a bickering
Congress.
Finding a bipartisan solution to funding surface
transportation and other infrastructure needs remains
a major challenge in Congress, according to the chair
and ranking member of the House of Representatives
Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
Speaking during a recent roundtable in Washington,
Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton, a Democrat and the atlarge
representative for the District of Columbia, didn’t
hold out much hope for coming up with an infrastructure
bill and how to pay for it.
“Money is the long and short of it,” she said. “I would
say that while our committee is the most bipartisan in
Congress, the big divide is how we pay for transportation.”
She added that “we are no further along on the
discussion over money than we were four years ago”
when Congress passed the Fixing America’s Surface
Transportation Act, according to a published report.
“The world of transportation has changed and the way
we are supposed to pay for it is changing,” Holmes added.
Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Ill., the subcommittee’s ranking
member, agreed with Norton’s view, saying it is “difficult
to raise the gas tax,” especially as more fuel-efficient
cars and trucks along with wider use of electric vehicles
is “decimating” the revenue stream feeding into the
Highway Trust Fund.
Davis said during the event that he believes
transportation funding needs to be viewed like a 401(k)
retirement account.
“We need multiple sources of revenues feeding into
the Highway Trust Fund, not just the gas tax,” he said.
“Relying on just the gas tax is like relying on just one
stock to fund your entire 401(k).”
Norton noted, however, that many states are boosting
transportation funding on their own, including raising fuel
taxes.
“That says to me [raising fuel taxes] is not a
controversial issue,” she said. “Congress must have
guts to do what it has to do or come up with a different
system” to fund transportation needs.
Norton added that alternative funding methods such
as a vehicle miles traveled tax, or VMT, are being adopted
slowly.
“Even that [the VMT fee] is controversial in terms
of how we measure it and whether it is an invasion of
privacy,” she said. “There are states in the West trying it
out, but that’s the closest we’ve come to a new vision.”
Norton stressed that in the end, improving
transportation, “is going to cost us one way or another.
We either pay for it or be stuck in the Eisenhower era of
transportation and infrastructure.”
Other industry stakeholders have weighed in on the
infrastructure issue recently.
Trucking Moves America Forward (TMAF), the trucking
industrywide education and image movement, took
advantage of Infrastructure Week in May to encourage
lawmakers to invest in better and safer roads and bridges.
“With 3.5 million truck drivers on our highways every
day working to deliver America’s goods, it’s imperative
that we have safe and modern roads,” said Kevin
Burch, co-chairman of TMAF, president of Jet Express
and a past Truckload Carriers Association chairman. “A
strong infrastructure network is critical to the success
of the trucking industry and all of America. Our lives,
businesses and economy depend on it. Our leaders must
address the nation’s infrastructure gap and provide the
proper funding because, as the industry’s latest television
commercial shows, life won’t wait.”
To help promote Infrastructure Week and its message,
TMAF published an op-ed article in the publication
Morning Consult titled, “The Time to #BuildForTomorrow
is Now,” speaking to the importance of excellent roads
and bridges.
Morning Consult is a global news and technology
company revolutionizing ways to collect, organize, and
share survey research data to transform how decisions
are made, according to its website.
“Despite poor road conditions and the traffic that
results from it, 3.5 million professional truck drivers
travel America’s roads every day,” Burch wrote. “Trucking
professionals travel over 462 billion miles each year to
make on-time deliveries to every corner of America. That’s
because more than 80 percent of American communities
rely solely on trucking for the delivery of their goods,
including the gas in our car, food in our fridge, supplies in
our office and medicine in our cabinet.”
But, Burch noted, faulty infrastructure is threatening
to slow down the trucking industry as well as America as
a whole, adding that according to the American Society
of Civil Engineers, one of every 5 miles on the nation’s
highways are in poor condition and one in eight bridges
are functionally obsolete.
Meanwhile, a panel discussion recently during a
legislative summit sponsored by the American Road &
Transportation Builders Association focused on the major
infrastructure issues facing the United States, especially
in terms of generating more funding for transportation
projects.
“The message we’re trying to get out there is that
[transportation] is not just about building roads like it
was 30 years ago. It’s about maintaining what we have,
operating it as efficiently as possible, and using all modes
as part of a larger mobility network,” said Jim Tymon,
executive director of the American Association of State
Highway and Transportation Officials.
“Transportation really has an impact on quality of
life and it is one of the few areas where we can come
together in a bipartisan fashion,” he said.
Tymon said he is “cautiously optimistic” that some sort
of infrastructure package will be agreed upon and passed
by Congress and President Donald Trump. “Will it be $2
trillion? $1 trillion? We will take what we can get,” he
said. “But any kind of [infrastructure] package will have
to address the Highway Trust Fund shortfall and the time
window is getting tight to do it. Because, come January
1 next year, everything will be locked down for the 2020
presidential election.”
How all the rancor will play out is anybody’s guess.
And by the way, infrastructure extends far beyond
roads and bridges.
It includes a sound water distribution system.
Let’s just hope the president and Congress come up
with a solution before we run out of glasses of cold, clean
water.
Portions of this report were made possible by
Associated Press sources and the American Association
of State Highway and Transportation Officials.
8 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA 2019

CAPITOL RECAP
A review of important news coming out of our nation’s capital.
By Lyndon Finney
“Clearing the way” seems to be the theme in Washington these days. FMCSA is taking applications for a pilot
program for qualified veterans as young as 18 to operate CMVs in interstate commerce, while it is seeking comments
on the possibility of an interstate driving pilot program for all CDL holders 18 and over. FMCSA has also made it
easier for Class B CDL holders to upgrade to Class A. First steps are being taken to remove regulatory roadblocks
for automated truck technology, and a fuel-tax bill to help pay for infrastructure repairs has been introduced. But
wait, there’s also talk of setting a national 65-mph speed limit for 18-wheelers.
FMCSA MULLS YOUNG DRIVER PILOT PROGRAM
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) was less
than one year into its existence when it was faced with making one of its
first major decisions — whether to conduct a pilot program to determine
if 18- to 20-year-old truck drivers could operate safely in an interstate
commerce environment.
The trucking industry environment in 2000 mirrors the environment
of today.
“The trucking industry has suffered from a longstanding and chronic
shortage of drivers, which in turn has led to significant competition
among trucking employers and ‘job hopping’ between companies,” a
petition filed by the Truckload Carriers Association on October 2, 2000,
said. “This is the reason why driver turnover is so high.”
The petition laid out extensive restrictions about who could
participate and how much training would be required.
On February 20, 2001, FMCSA published a notice asking six questions
about the proposed pilot program and requesting public comment on the
TCA petition. The agency received
more than 1,600 comments. Very few
presented data either for or against the
program, and more than 90 percent
were opposed, most on the basis that
individuals under the age of 21 lacked
the maturity and judgment to operate
a CMV. The submitted comments
largely lacked an explanation of how
interstate drivers under 21 would
diminish safety when most states have
concluded that intrastate drivers under
21 do not.
So, on June 9, 2003, FMCSA
denied the TCA petition stating that
“the agency does not have sufficient
information at this time to make a
determination that the safety measures
in the pilot program are designed to
achieve a level of safety equivalent
to, or greater than, the level of safety
provided by complying with the
minimum 21-year age requirement to
operate a CMV.”
Fast forward almost 16 years since
the denial of the petition, and the
FMCSA on May 14 issued a request for comments on a pilot program
very similar to that sought by TCA.
“We need to once and for all generate the data out there that decides
whether or not younger drivers are as safe or safer as their more seasoned
counterparts,” said TCA Vice President of Government Affairs David
Heller. “While intrastate driving for younger drivers has been around
for years, nobody’s ever really taken the time to collect some of this data
in a public fashion, and by public fashion meaning it is not available to
the general public.”
Currently, drivers ages 18-20 can only operate CMVs in intrastate
commerce.
The pilot program, if eventually initiated, would be similar to the
current Commercial Driver Pilot Program required under the Fixing
America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, which allows certain
18- to 20-year-olds with military training to operate CMVs in interstate
commerce.
Currently, drivers ages 18-20 can only operate CMVs in intrastate commerce.
TCA 2019 www.Truckload.org | TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY 9

CAPITOL RECAP
The FMCSA’s May 14 notice requests comments on a second pilot
program to allow nonmilitary drivers ages 18-20 to operate CMVs in
interstate commerce.
When it requested comments on the pilot involving military drivers,
the FMCSA received 67 comments to the docket, 18 of which asked
the agency to expand the current pilot program or initiate a new one
specifically for younger drivers to operate in the agricultural sector.
The request for comments comes just over two months after
companion bills were introduced in the House of Representatives and
the Senate called the “Developing Responsible Individuals for a Vibrant
Economy Act” (DRIVE-Safe Act), which proposes to lower the age
requirement for interstate drivers to 18 as long as the younger drivers
participate in an apprenticeship program that includes separate 120-
hour and 280-hour probationary periods, during which younger drivers
would operate CMVs under the supervision of an experienced driver
and must achieve specific performance benchmarks before advancing.
Younger drivers would also drive vehicles equipped with active braking
collision mitigation systems, forward-facing video event capture and
speed limiters set to 65 miles per hour.
Similar legislation was introduced in the last Congress, but never
made it out of committee.
FMCSA requests comments on the training, qualifications,
driving limitations, and vehicle safety systems that FMCSA should
consider in developing options or approaches for the possible
second pilot program for younger drivers.
The request from comments on the all-encompassing pilot program
suggests the need for answers to several questions:
• What data are currently available on the safety performance of 18-
to 20-year-old drivers operating CMVs in intrastate commerce?
• Are there concerns about obtaining insurance coverage for drivers
under 21 who operate CMVs in intrastate commerce, and would these
challenges be greater for interstate operations?
• What is the minimum driving experience that should be required for
a driver to be admitted to a pilot?
• Should there be a requirement for experience driving noncommercial
vehicles (e.g., to hold a regular driver’s license for some minimum
period of time)?
• Should there be a requirement for experience driving a CMV in
intrastate commerce for some minimum amount of time? If so, what
should that amount be and how should it be measured (e.g., time with a
CDL, hours driven, vehicle miles traveled) and why?
• Is there a minimum amount of time a younger driver should be
required to hold a CLP or CDL? If so, how long and why? Are there
driver training topics that should be required for younger drivers beyond
those covered in the ELDT final rule? If so, what are they and why?
• Should younger drivers have more limited hours of service, such as
a maximum of eight hours of driving each day? If so, what limits should
be applied and why?
BREAKING DOWN AUTOMATED BARRIERS
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and
FMCSA have issued advance notices of proposed rulemaking on the
removal of unnecessary regulatory barriers to the safe introduction
of automated driving system (ADS) vehicles in the United States.
NHTSA and FMCSA are seeking comments at this stage to
ensure that all potential approaches are fully considered as the
agencies move forward with these regulatory actions.
The ANPRM released by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration seeks public
comment on questions regarding several key regulatory areas to better understand how
changes to its rules can account for significant differences between human operators and
automated vehicles.
“This is the coming technology, and if science backs it and the
data supports it, obviously it becomes an avenue we have to go
down,” said David Heller, TCA’s vice president of government
affairs.
But it’s important to remember that automated technology is not
going to replace drivers, he quickly added.
Heller believes automated technology is so far down the road
that the request for comments is just the
beginning for the questions that must
be asked or answered, including where,
what, when and how.
“And in order to get those answers,
automated technology has to be tested,”
he added. “And right now, there are not
very many areas when they can be tested,
and that’s holding up this playing field a
little bit.
“Everyone wants to be part of the
talk about automated technology,”
Heller said. “Everyone wants to be in
the front of new technology that can
basically revolutionize the delivery of
freight across this country, and that’s the
endgame,” he said. “It’s getting to the
endgame that really muddies the water,
things such as safety, costs, insurance,
liability and cybersecurity.
“All these things come into play and
have to be ironed out, and we’re not even
close to getting any of those answers. So,
10 TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY | www.Truckload.org TCA 2019

seeing a contingent of automated trucks on our highways, I think
we are a ways off.”
NHTSA seeks comment on identifying and addressing
regulatory barriers to the deployment of ADS vehicles posed by
certain existing Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS).
The agency said it is also interested in hearing from the public on
various approaches that could be used to measure compliance with
the FMVSS for vehicles without conventional controls, including
steering wheels and brake pedals. Public comments received during
this stage will help inform NHTSA’s path forward, the agency said.
The ANPRM released by FMCSA seeks public comment
on questions regarding several key regulatory areas to better
understand how changes to its rules can account for significant
differences between human operators and ADS.
These questions focus on topics such as requirements of human
drivers; CDL endorsements; Hours of Service rules; medical
qualifications; distracted driving; safe driving, inspection, repair,
and maintenance; roadside inspections; and cybersecurity.
“Our mission is to protect Americans on our roads,” said NHTSA
Deputy Administrator Heidi King. “As automated driving systems
develop, NHTSA will continue to adapt to make sure the agency is
equipped to ensure public safety while encouraging innovation.”
“FMCSA is hoping to receive feedback from commercial motor
vehicle stakeholders and the motoring public on how the agency
should adapt its regulations for the development of increased
automated driving systems in large trucks and buses. We know
that while many of these technologies are still in development, it is
critical that we carefully examine how to make federal rules keep
up with this advancing technology,” said FMCSA Administrator
Raymond Martinez.
Deadline for comments on the NTHSA proposal is July 29.
Deadline for comments on the FMCSA proposal is August 26.
GAS-DIESEL FUEL TAX HIKE BILL
Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., has introduced the Rebuild America
Act of 2019, which would incrementally increase the federal gasoline
and diesel fuel taxes to invest in America’s infrastructure.
The legislation would raise the federal fuels tax by five cents a year
over five years, index it to inflation, and establish Congress’ intention
to replace it with a more equitable, stable source of funding within
10 years.
“The gas tax was last raised more than 25 years ago, which means
we are paying for our 2019 infrastructure needs with 1993 dollars.
That is unacceptable,” Blumenauer said. “Our nation’s infrastructure
is falling apart as we fall behind our global competitors. The cost of
underinvestment falls especially hard on working families and lowincome
individuals who can’t afford the cost of a blown tire or lost
wages due to congestion. It is past time that we get real about funding
our infrastructure needs. We can’t afford inaction any longer.”
The Truckload Carriers Association is supportive of Blumenauer’s
efforts.
“We’d love to see it happen,” said TCA’s Vice President of
Government Affairs, David Heller. “The disruptors, like the
infrastructure struggle between President Donald Trump and
the Democrats, are becoming more frequent and that just delays
conversation about the need to raise the gas and diesel tax. A gas and
diesel tax hike is the best way to sustain the Highway Trust Fund.”
Making the tax self-adjusting is the right approach to take, he added.
“Then you don’t have to go down this road again and have more
conversations. It’s a hard conversation to have in the first place.”
Where the bill goes from here is anybody’s guess.
To have any chance of passage, it will have to be attached to a larger
bill, such as an infrastructure bill.
Once more, the Trump administration might stand in the way.
Introduction of Blumenauer’s legislation followed just days after a
report was published stating that the White House had been reassuring
conservative leaders that it has no plans to hike the gas and diesel tax
to help fund the massive infrastructure package that Trump hopes to
negotiate with Congress.
The report said that both acting White House Chief of Staff
Mick Mulvaney and Trump’s budget director, Russ Vought, have
repeatedly downplayed the possibility in private meetings with fiscal
conservatives who are expressing alarm that Trump might embrace
a massive tax increase. Concerns have specifically centered on a
potential gas tax boost, an idea that Trump has flirted with during his
presidency.
“It is my understanding that they are not going to be agreeing to
any tax increases,” said Americans for Tax Reform President Grover
Norquist.
Norquist said he has discussed the matter with White House
officials, but he did not disclose specifics. He was spotted at the White
House, attending a meeting with Vought in which conservative leaders
discussed upcoming spending battles, according to two attendees.
Blumenauer, a senior member of the House Ways and Means
Committee and a longtime advocate for infrastructure investment,
said the U.S. faces the largest infrastructure funding gap in the world.
He said the sector with the greatest shortfall is surface transportation,
which the American Society of Civil Engineers estimates needs more
than $1.1 trillion of investment by 2025. Since 2010, 35 states with
legislatures controlled by both parties have voted to raise their gas
taxes. Inaction will cost families $3,400 in annual disposable income
by 2025, whereas a 25-cent gas tax increase costs the average driver
less than $3 a week and contributes nearly $400 billion toward
upgrading roads, bridges and transit systems. Every $1.3 billion in
infrastructure investment adds 29,000 construction jobs, yields $2
billion in economic growth, and reduces the federal deficit by $200
million.
The Truckload Carriers Association is supportive of any legislation
that would increase the gas and diesel fuel tax to support
the Highway Trust Fund.
TCA 2019 www.Truckload.org | TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY 11

CAPITOL RECAP
DANGERS OF SPEEDING
A bill was recently introduced in Congress to set a nationwide
speed limit of 65 mile per hour for 18-wheelers.
This bill comes on the heels of a new report by the Governors
Highway Safety Association (GHSA) that highlights excessive
vehicle speed as a persistent factor in nearly one-third of all motor
vehicle-related fatalities.
Despite this, speeding is not given enough attention as a traffic
safety issue and is widely deemed culturally acceptable by the
motoring public, the report said.
Implementation of a comprehensive strategy to reduce speedrelated
crashed is on the National Transportation Safety Board’s
Most Wanted List of Transportation Safety Improvements.
Also, Road Safe America, citing an increase in large-truck
crashes, has repeatedly called for speed limiters on heavy trucks.
FMSCA data show that speed-related fatal accidents among
large trucks declined from 7.6% in 2015 to 7.1% in 2016 and to
6.5% in 2017, the latest year for which data is available.
“Most Truckload Carriers Association members have already
limited their trucks somewhere in the 58 to 68 mph range,” said
TCA Vice President of Government Affairs David Heller. “Our
policy supports 65 miles per hour.
“The reality is that as carriers have rolled out their ELD
systems that recoupled with telematic kinds of things, they are
doing more with speed control programs than they ever did with
speed limiters,” Heller said. “Speed limiters only give you a
limit. They don’t address driving 45 miles an hour in a 25-milean-hour
zone. If a bill does get introduced, what are the chances
of it going anywhere? Well, nothing gets done standalone.
Most Truckload Carriers Association members have already limited their trucks somewhere in
the 58-68 mph range.
It has to be attached to something else. Clearly, it won’t get in
appropriations because a lot of that work has already been done.
Then you have to look at surface transportation reauthorization or
infrastructure. If infrastructure doesn’t get done, they are talking
about reauthorization.”
The GHSA’s “Speeding Away from Zero: Rethinking a Forgotten
Traffic Safety Challenge” takes a fresh look at this challenging
topic, outlining the latest available data and research, federal
and state policies, existing programs to reduce speeding-related
crashes, and promising future approaches, according to GHSA
Executive Director Jonathan Adkins.
“If we want to get to zero deaths on our roads, we need to
address speeding on a much deeper and more comprehensive level
than we have been,” Adkins said. “This clear and present danger on
our roadways makes it imperative to devote additional resources
toward getting drivers to slow down in order to save lives.”
Speeding by motorists particularly threatens the safety of
pedestrians and bicyclists by not only increasing the chances of a
crash, but also increasing the risk of serious injury or death when
crashes occur, the report said.
A 2017 national survey of drivers conducted by AAA Foundation
for Traffic Safety found that half of motorists (50.3%) reported
exceeding the speed limit by 15 mph on a freeway, and 47.6%
reported driving 10 mph over the speed limit on a residential
street in the past month. In addition, this study found that there is
a greater disapproval by drivers for speeding on residential streets
than on freeways.
Of those respondents, 79.3% feel that speeding on freeways
is a serious or somewhat serious
threat to their safety, and 88.2%
view drivers speeding on
residential streets as a very serious
or somewhat serious threat to their
personal safety. However, 23.9% of
respondents believed that speeding
15 mph above the posted speed limit
on the freeway is “completely” or
“somewhat” acceptable.
These self-reported behaviors
and attitudes have varied only
slightly in the previous 10 years,
the report said.
On the other hand, even small
decreases in travel speed can
reduce crash and injury severity
and save lives.
While some urban areas have
had success in reducing vehicle
speeds (for example, by lowering
the speed limits in New York City
and Boston), a greater proportion
of speeding-related fatalities
actually occur on rural roadways,
claiming more than 5,000 lives in
2016 alone.
To download the GSA report,
visit www.ghsa.org.
12 TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY | www.Truckload.org TCA 2019

CDL UPGRADE PROCESS
The FMCSA said it recognized that because Class B CDL holders
have prior training or experience, they should not be required
to receive the same level of theory training as individuals
who have never held a CDL.
The FMCSA has issued a final rule streamlining the process and
reducing costs to upgrade from a Class B to a Class A commercial driver’s
license (CDL).
By adopting a new Class A CDL theory instruction upgrade curriculum,
the final rule will save eligible driver trainees and motor carriers $18
million annually.
“This action demonstrates the department’s commitment to reducing
regulatory burdens and addressing our nation’s shortage of commercial
drivers,” said Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao.
The FMCSA is also amending the entry-level driver training (ELDT)
regulations published on December 8, 2016. The ELDT rule requires the
same level of theory training for individuals who already hold a Class B
CDL and are upgrading to a Class A CDL as for those who are obtaining
a CDL for the first time.
The FMCSA said it recognized that because Class B CDL holders have
prior training or experience, they should not be required to receive the
same level of theory training as individuals who have never held a CDL.
The FMCSA has concluded this change will maintain the same level of
safety established by the 2016 ELDT rule.
“This effort is a commonsense way of reducing the regulatory
burdens placed on CDL applicants and their employers,” said FMCSA
Administrator Raymond Martinez. “FMCSA continues to strategically
reform burdensome regulations to improve the lives of ordinary
Americans by saving them valuable time and money, while simultaneously
maintaining the highest level of safety.”
The FMCSA estimates that over 11,000 driver trainees will benefit
annually by this rule and see an average reduction of 27 hours spent
completing their theory instruction. This will result in substantial time and
cost savings to these driver-trainees, as well as to the motor carriers that
employ these drivers.
The final rule applies only to Class B CDL holders and does not change
the behind-the-wheel (BTW) range and public road training requirements
set forth in the 2016 ELDT rule. All driver trainees, including those who
hold a Class B CDL, must demonstrate proficiency in all elements of the
BTW curriculum in a Group A vehicle.
To learn more about FMCSA’s entry-level driver training regulations,
visit fmcsa.dot.gov/registration/commercial-drivers-license/eldt.
MILITARY PILOT PROGRAM DRIVERS SOUGHT
The FMCSA is accepting applications for a pilot program to
permit 18- to 20-year-olds who possess the U.S. military equivalent
of a commercial driver’s license to operate large trucks in interstate
commerce.
“This program will help our country’s veterans and reservists
transition into good-paying jobs while addressing the shortage of truck
drivers in our country,” said Department of Transportation Secretary
Elaine Chao.
As directed by Section 5404 of the Fixing America’s Surface
Transportation (FAST) Act, the pilot program will allow a limited
number of individuals between the ages of 18 and 20 to operate large
trucks in interstate commerce, provided they possess the military
equivalent of a CDL and are sponsored by a participating trucking
company. During the pilot program, which is slated to run for up to
three years, the safety records of these drivers will be compared to the
records of a control group of drivers.
“We are excited to launch this program to help the brave men and
women who serve our country explore employment opportunities in
the commercial motor vehicle industry,” said FMCSA Administrator
Raymond Martinez. “With the nation’s economy reaching new
heights, the trucking industry continues to need drivers and have job
openings. We encourage veterans and reservists to apply and to learn
more about this exciting new program.”
The program was revealed by Chao in July 2018 during a news
conference in Omaha, Nebraska, which was attended by Sen. Deb
Fischer, R-Neb.; and Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., himself a military
veteran who served in the United States Air Force from 1985 to 2014,
reaching the rank of brigadier general.
“This innovative program offers a way for our younger veterans
and reservists to transition to the civilian workforce,” Bacon said.
“I personally thank Secretary Chao and officials with the DOT who
continue to find ways to utilize the training and talent of the men and
women who served in uniform for our country.”
During the military pilot program, the safety records of the participants
will be compared to the records of a control group of drivers.
TCA 2019 www.Truckload.org | TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY 13

JULY/AUGUST | TCA 2019
Tracking The Trends
By Klint Lowry
Back in the late ’70s, the brokerage firm EF
Hutton launched a very popular ad campaign
built around the slogan, “When EF Hutton speaks,
people listen.”
Guy Adami knows the feeling. And after 12 years
offering his insights into the world of finance on
CNBC’s “Fast Money,” he’s as comfortable in the role
of high-profile media influencer as he is with himself
personally, and that’s pretty darn comfortable.
His body language is as relaxed as his voice,
which resonates from the diaphragm with just
enough of a New York accent to add character
without crossing over into caricature. He doesn’t
think twice about slipping in an expletive now and
then, but just often enough that it emphasizes his
conviction in what he’s saying.
It’s no wonder he made it on television, and
why he is frequently asked to speak at events, as
he was for the general session on the third day
of the Truckload Carriers Association’s 81st Annual
Convention. Adami had arrived early and was
hanging out in the meeting room before the start
of that morning’s general session. His game plan
for his presentation was similar to the way he approaches
his TV show.
“TV is an entertainment medium,” he said. “So,
you have to entertain, but it doesn’t mean you
can’t be smart. We’re not splitting the atom up
there, we’re trying to help people navigate markets
and sort of learn what’s going on in the world.
And you can make that fun.”
People ask him how he prepares for the show,
he said. “Just existing prepares you for the show,
just paying attention to what’s going on.”
Adami said his morning routine is to start reading
an article, “and it’ll take you down the rabbit
hole of another article, and 45 minutes to an hour
later, you’re into some deep stuff.”
People don’t do enough of that nowadays, Adami
said as he started in on one of the themes he
would cover in his speech.
“We live in a society where people want to do a
pushup and look like Charles Atlas,” he said. “They
want to take a pill and lose 50 pounds. Very few
people are willing to put in the time necessary to
look good, to lose weight, to ramp your game up
on the information front.”
People also tend to cherry-pick their information
and filter it to their liking, he said.
14 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA 2019

“The truth is out there, but more often than
not, people don’t really want the truth,” he said. “They’ll
ask for it, but they don’t really want it. That’s unfortunate,
because what you wind up doing, in my opinion,
you’re looking for the answer that will back up your own
belief system, and that’s a problem.”
And with today’s media, he added, it’s easy to do.
“You tune into FOX for 10 minutes, then you tune
into MSNBC, and you’ll think you’re living on two different
planets,” he said.
One of the things they try to do on “Fast Money,”
he said, is to help people ask the right questions, dig
deeper, explore all of what he calls the “tentacles” of a
story — when something happens in business, consider
all the possible cause-and-effect repercussions.
“Natural curiosity takes you a long way in life,” he
said.
Adami said he did a little homework about trucking,
“but I’m not going to get up there and pretend I know
this industry better than they do, because I don’t,” he
added. “I don’t want to insult anybody and pretend
that I was parachuted in and I’m an expert in trucking.
“When I am in the audience, I want to learn a little
bit about the speaker,” he said. Sometimes it helps to
know where someone came from to understand where
they’re coming from. Besides, people are always curious
about how he wound up on TV, and there are some
important points woven into his backstory.
Be bullish about yourself
Adami started at the beginning — before the beginning,
actually, to 1960, three years before he was
born.
“My mother was in her first day of law school at
Fordham University,” Adami said. “She was one of five
women in her class. The professor looked at them and
said, ‘Why are you here? Are you here to meet your
husband?’ What he was saying was, you may find a
husband here, but you gals aren’t going to get a law
degree.
“Well, he was half right,” Adami said. In fact, his
parents met later that same day. But his mother also
earned her law degree, passed the bar and set an example
for her newborn son: “Don’t let people define
who you are. You are in charge of your own destiny.”
Years later, Adami said, when he told his high school
counselor he wanted to go to Georgetown University
the counselor told him don’t even bother applying,
he’d never get in.
“I said to myself, who’s this guy to tell me what I can
and cannot do?” That spring he went to his counselor’s
office again, laid a copy of his acceptance letter from
Georgetown on his desk, and walked out.
Wall Street provided its own kind of education, Adami
said, and that education began immediately.
In 1985, as he was nearing graduation from
Georgetown, Adami’s parents were representing a client
from the investment bank Drexel Burnham Lambert,
who agreed to let Guy spend some time at their
trading desk. When he got there the first morning,
they had a seat set up for him at the end of the desk,
so he sat down.
“And I sat there, and I sat there. Day one, nobody
said a word. Next day, same thing.”
Finally, around lunchtime Friday, Adami said, “some
guy with suspenders walks over and says, ‘Listen,
junior, you been coming all week, you been sitting in
that seat. You haven’t said a word. What exactly do
you want to do?’ And I said I was hoping to get a job.
And he said, ‘Well, maybe you should have said something
on Monday.’”
He got the message: “If you want something in life,
you have to advocate for yourself. You have to put
yourself out there,” Adami said.
“So I said to him, ‘I want a job when I graduate this
spring.’ He said, ‘Great, come the Monday after graduation.’
And that’s how I got my start on Wall Street.”
A lifelong sports fan, Adami likes to say he only
went into finance after he accepted he was never going
to play shortstop for the Yankees or tight end for the
Giants.
TCA 2019 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 15

“Wall Street to me was professional sports
without the contact,” he said. As a commodities
trader, “each day there was a final score. You knew
if you’d won or lost. And I loved that mentality. I
loved that competition every day. That, to me, was
the hook of Wall Street.”
He quickly worked his way up to be head gold
trader at Drexel Burnham Lambert. Then in 1996,
he got a call from Goldman Sachs. He met with
two of the company’s executives, who explained
their head gold trader was leaving and they wanted
to offer him the position.
“And I remember sitting there thinking, wow,
this is pretty amazing.” Adami said when he asked
if he could have a little time to talk to his wife and
think about it, they looked him in the eye and said,
“You can have all the time you want, but we need
a decision before you leave this room.”
They were testing him, he said.
“You have to trust your instincts in life,” he
said. “We make thousands of decisions each day,
most of them mundane — ‘What shirt am I going
to wear?’ ‘What am I going to have for breakfast?’
But every once in a while, you have to make a decision
that’s going to change the outcome of your
life.
“I think we’re all born with great instincts. I
think we get ourselves in trouble when we fight
against our instincts.
“So I said: ‘You know what? You’re right. I don’t
need any time at all. When do I start?’ I trusted
my instincts and they proved to be right.”
A few years later, he faced another big decision.
Adami could see he wasn’t on track to make partner.
He’d have to decide if he should stand pat or
take his Goldman Sachs pedigree and parlay that
into an opportunity somewhere else.
In 2003 he got a job as an executive director
with CIBC World Markets. It proved to be a serendipitous
move.
Barely a week into his new job, CNBC came in
to do a segment on CIBC’s annual Charity Day.
When several colleagues balked at going on-camera,
it fell to Adami to do the segment.
“So, I went on air with Bertha Coombs, and we
talked about aluminum prices and steel companies,”
Adami said. “It was probably about 45 seconds
to a minute, and it went really well.”
In fact, it went so well that about a week later
Liz Claman called and asked if he’d like to come on
her show once or twice a week and give a report
from the trading desk.
He did this for about six months. Meanwhile,
CNBC was developing a new show, an “ESPN for
trading.” After a long audition process, Adami was
picked to be one of the “Fast Money Five.”
“Fast Money” began as an 8-minute segment
on another show. Then after a one-week run filling
in for another show, the network decided to give
“Fast Money” its own one-hour time slot.
“Now, I still had this day job at CIBC World
Markets,” Adami said. They’d been OK with him
doing his short segments, but they felt an hourlong
show was too much of a commitment. Adami
countered that it would be great publicity for the
company.
“The guys at CIBC didn’t see it that way,” he
said. “Once again, I had to make a choice.”
He was 42 years old, had three kids and was
making a good living. But how often does an opportunity
like this come along? Never again, he
figured, not if he turned down this one.
16 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA 2019

He trusted his instincts, made his choice, and here
it is, 12 years later.
As good as it looks
Adami’s high school football coach once told him
that the best time to coach a team is after a win.
The Great Recession is a decade behind us, Adami
said, and the country has been riding a long winning
streak. “Right now, when things are going right in the
markets, that’s the best time to talk about what could
go wrong,” he said.
Adami said he has concerns, and a lot of them
have to do with the Federal Reserve. Back in 2008 and
2009, the Fed “did what they had to do” to prop up
banks that were overleveraged “because people were
making bets they shouldn’t have made.”
“I’m not going to question what [the Fed] did in
2008 and 2009,” Adami said. His problem is that
they’ve kept doing it.
It’s a popular notion that the economy is strong and
high consumer confidence is one of the indicators of
that, Adami said. “I take a little bit of umbrage with
that. You have to ask, ‘What is consumer confidence?’”
It’s mostly a matter of perception, he said. When
the Dow and the S&P go up, so does consumer confidence.
“Not because they’re any richer,” he said.
“They may not even own stocks.” But people see those
numbers go up and they think, “If the stock market
is doing well, the economy must be doing well. If the
economy is doing well, I should be able to spend.”
By the same token, Adami said, look what happened
last October. The stock market plunged and
consumer purchasing collapsed.
“People have been whispering lately, ‘Are we due
for a recession?’” Adami said. “The question is, does a
recession cause a stock market selloff, or does a selloff
cause a recession?
“I think it’s the latter. I think the stock market sells
off, the evening news runs with it, and if they lead
with ‘the stock market is down 500 points,’ people take
notice of that. If it happens enough, people start to
wonder if they should buy that cup of coffee or go on
that trip.”
Adami said he believes Fed policy over the last 10
years has the economy on a “sugar high,” and it’s part
of a problem that goes back even further than that.
In 1871, Adami said, there was a fire in Peshtigo,
Wisconsin. It was the deadliest fire in American history.
Afterward, the National Forestry Service was created
with fire sequestration as its main duty. And they
were good at it, too good.
“What they failed to recognize is that fires are an
essential part of the cycle,” Adami said. “Old trees burn
down, new growth comes up. What wound up happening
was when fires did happen they were 10 times
worse because they prolonged the inevitable.”
In the 1980s, something similar happened with the
Federal Reserve, Adami said. “Alan Greenspan said, ‘I
can take out the recession portion of the cycle.’”
But what Greenspan didn’t or wouldn’t recognize,
Adami said, “is that recession is essential; companies
that aren’t viable go away, new companies come up
and the economy is stronger for it.”
Ever since then, Adami said, “the downturns that
would have been bad have been worse.”
Now, we’re on this prolonged sugar high, Adami
said, but at the same time “the chasm between the
haves and the have-nots continues to grow, and why is
that? In my opinion because of Fed policy.”
The markets are inflated, he said, “and the wealthiest
5%, the ones who own all the stocks, are making
all the money.”
Meanwhile, corporations have gotten lazy, Adami
said. They borrow money cheap, pay out dividends or
buy back their stocks. The stock goes up, and the investors
are happy. All the while they neglect the business
itself. Look what’s happened to General Electric,
Adami said.
People argue about which is better, a strong dollar
or a weak dollar, Adami said. A weaker dollar can
increase exports, he added, but it also diminishes consumers’
buying power. If there’s one thing the trucking
industry doesn’t need to be told, it’s the importance of
consumer spending.
“I try to live a healthy life,” Adami said, “and one
thing I know, processed sugar is one of the worst
things for you. We also know if you get off it, you’re
going to feel great. The problem is that painful period
in between.
“If the economy is so strong, how come we can’t
raise rates without causing a panic? If I was the Fed
chair, I’d say, you know what, we’ve been on this processed
sugar for 10 years, we’re going to get off it.”
Raising rates may hurt the multinational corporations
for a while, he said, but it will help the consumer,
and in the long run that’s healthier for everyone.
Throughout his presentation, Adami kept reiterating
that what he was saying was strictly his opinion,
an implied invitation to the audience to do their own
homework, to dig below the surface.
“Ask yourself the hard question, ‘Is the economy as
strong as I’d like to think it is, or are there underlying
things going on that I don’t want to acknowledge?’”
When he started his presentation, Adami casually
mentioned he’d been at the convention the evening
before, when TCA held its Truckload Strong fundraising
event, and he saw people were walking around in
these cool bowling shirts. He commented that if there
was an extra one lying around, he’d like to have one.
Adami swore later that it was a totally off-the-cuff
comment. But by the time his speech was over, then-
Chairman Dan Doran came on stage to present him
with a Team TCA bowling shirt.
It just goes to show what happens when you advocate
for yourself.
TCA 2019 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 17

Settling at
Forecast for trucking: Remaining steady with slow growth or decline
By Cliff Abbott
“We think we’re going to settle somewhere around
zero. That’s not a bad thing, it just means we won’t
see rapid growth or decline, and carriers can plan accordingly.”
That’s according to Avery Vise, vice president of
trucking for FTR, a Columbus, Indiana-based provider
of freight transportation analysis and forecasting. Vise
was discussing the climate for freight haulers in the
coming months, using FTR’s Trucking Conditions Index
(TCI), a proprietary tool that incorporates available
data on freight volumes, rates, industry capacity, fuel
pricing and costs of financing to calculate a monthly
score.
A TCI indicator of “zero” means that conditions for
operating a trucking business remained steady in that
month, neither improving nor declining.
As with many such measurements, trends are
more predictive than individual monthly scores. For
the past few years, the TCI has been climbing steadily
as freight availability and hauling rates increased with
the growing economy while fuel prices and interest
rates remained relatively stable. By dipping into negative
territory for the first time in years, the March TCI
seems to confirm what industry analysts have been
predicting for months: The good times aren’t over yet,
but tougher times, including a potential recession,
hover on the horizon.
“We’ve just had an extraordinary market that has
lasted since quarter three of 2017, so when you look at
the graph, things look pretty tough,” Vise said, referring
to the downward turn of the data on the graphic
that accompanied the TCI report.
“We predict freight will continue to grow at a rate of
about 2% through 2019,” he added.
In a follow-up conversation held after the April TCI
came in at -0.64, Vise revised the FTR prediction. “Our
current outlook is growth of about 1.6%,” he said.
18 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA 2019

While it may be difficult to find the
bad news in predicted growth, the
growth in another area is contributing
to the problem. Sales of new
Class 8 trucks are growing at a rate
25.1% higher than last year, which
was a very good year for truck sales.
America’s capacity to haul freight is
increasing by about 10,000 trucks
per month. There are enough orders
already on the books to keep the
build going for another seven to eight
months.
The law of supply and demand
applies to trucking. For the past few
years, there haven’t been enough
trucks to haul all the freight made
available through the growing economy,
sending freight rates skyward
and providing record profits for
many carriers. Today, as more trucks
hit the road, the balance is shifting.
Spot rates are already stagnant and headed downward
in some regions, with longer-term contract rates soon to
follow. “If you are operating in the spot market, things
will be softer,” Vise stated. “Those that keep costs down
will be ok, while those that spent the extra earnings realized
during the rate spikes will have a more difficult
time.”
Contract rates are far less volatile. “We’re expecting
this year to be almost flat,” Vise said. “For the remainder
of this year, we’re expecting softer contract rates to offset
higher rates from earlier in the year.”
While freight rates are expected to decline gradually,
there are a few factors that could accelerate the process,
the proverbial monkey wrench in the economic system.
One factor that looms large is the prospect of tariffs, those
imposed by the Trump administration and even those that
are threatened.
“We’ve seen a sharp decline in imports in quarter one,
partly due to the threat of tariffs,” Vise said. “That pushes
the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) upward. But remember
that imports create business for the trucking industry,
too.”
Vise said threatened tariffs on goods from Mexico
would have had far greater impact on the U.S. market and
on transportation than tariff issues with China.
“The risk of upsetting the economic apple cart is much
greater with Mexico than with China,” he said. “Mexico is
the world’s second-largest exporter of goods, more than
twice the size of China.”
Still, carriers that haul a lot of imported freight from
West Coast ports will see a reduction in Chinese trade.
Some of that reduction will be picked up by other Asian
countries, such as Taiwan and South Korea.
“Asian trade, excluding China, is growing well,” Vise
said. “But what does happen is there will be winners and
losers.” He pointed out that imports from Europe are growing,
particularly from France and Italy. Overall, he said,
carriers hauling imports from ports west of the Mississippi
will see a reduction of import freight while carriers hauling
from eastern ports will see an increase.
Recent demonstrations in Hong Kong, if they have an
impact at all, will have a greater impact on financial and
service industries than on goods produced, which take up
a much smaller share of the market.
Fuel price fluctuations can have a devastating impact.
“We’re looking at fuel being moderately higher,” Vise said,
FTR Trucking Conditions Index
“but nothing drastic, unless the market is impacted by
something unexpected, like a refinery shutdown due to a
hurricane.”
Vise noted that May prices for crude oil remained subdued,
helping salve any volatility in the market.
Interest rates are another factor. When the cost of borrowing
rises, carriers pay more for investments in new
equipment, terminals and other capital.
“We don’t expect any sudden increases, but financing
could be impacted by the tariff situation.” Vise said.
While all of this may seem to be of more interest to
carrier ownership than to drivers, the conditions could
impact drivers, as well. Driver pay, for example, can be
influenced.
“We’re not seeing upward pressure on driver pay, so
that incentive to switch carriers might be curtailed,” Vise
said, adding that the implementation of the Federal Motor
Carriers Safety Administration’s new Drug and Alcohol
Clearinghouse, set to go into operation January 6, 2020,
could also have an impact on hiring.
As driver turnover decreases, carriers can be more selective
in their hiring, making it more difficult for drivers
with less-than-perfect records to qualify.
Those who are considering buying a truck and becoming
an owner-operator will want to carefully consider the
conditions before jumping. Vise pointed out two factors
that could impact the decision: “Financing is not great
right now, and spot rates are down, impacting owner-operators
who depend on brokered freight.”
He also pointed to the trend of carriers moving away
from the leased operator model and instead dealing with
owner-operators through a brokerage model.
“There may be more opportunity for a new trucking
business owner in that area,” Vise said, citing ongoing litigation
in which courts are ruling that lease operators are
employees as one of the potential reasons for the shift.
While change is the one constant in the trucking industry,
Vise notes that predictions of recession have eased
somewhat.
“Carriers can consider themselves lucky for this year,”
he said. “There were some fears it would be much worse.
We’re looking at some very small negatives, following a
year of huge positives. So far, the lows aren’t as low as the
highs were high. It’s still a good environment for trucking.”
Carriers may not repeat the record profits from last
year, but there are still profits to be made.
TCA 2019 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 19

JULY/AUGUST | TCA 2019
A Chat With The Chairman
20 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA 2019

Sponsored by
Well Positioned
Foreword and Interview by Lyndon Finney
Josh Kaburick is no stranger to the truckload environment. First of all, his heritage is strong, as Josh has followed
in the footsteps of his late father, John Kaburick, a past Truckload Carriers Association chairman. In his own words,
Josh says as a teenager, he worked in the shop, cleaned out trucks, washed trailers and emptied wastebaskets. No job
was too small for him, and that allowed Josh to build a work ethic that educated him in trucking from the bottom up.
Today, his company, Earl L. Henderson Trucking, operates as a full truckload dry van and refrigerated carrier with
350 power units and 700 trailers. Nor is Josh a stranger to the association itself, with his TCA life experience mirroring
his truckload life. Those life experiences have prepared Josh to lead TCA as chairman of a growing association.
In his second Chat With the Chairman, among other topics, he talks about what the association has accomplished
during his first two months in office and looks ahead to the coming months, addresses the increase in truck crashes,
speaks to trucking’s frustration with Washington’s inability to find a way to bolster the Highway Trust Fund and urges
members to make plans for September’s Call on Washington.
TCA 2019 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 21

Sponsored by Mcleod software
McLeodSoftware.com | 877.362.5363
As we conduct this interview, you’ve just
completed your second month as chairman.
Share with our readers what the experience
has been like and some of the things you’ve
accomplished during that short timeframe.
And share with us what you will be working
on in the next couple of months.
We continue to move the ball forward on
our initiatives that provide sustainable growth
and strength for TCA. With FreightWaves buying
StakUp, which is the data platform behind
the TPP program, this will only strengthen TCA’s
ability to provide the most real-time data in the
industry. It will also provide TPP members with
the expertise to glean better data analytics. The
TPP program, as well as our advocacy efforts,
continues to grow. TCA is seeing more members
come to DC for scheduled successful Hill visits.
TCA is becoming a well-known and respected
voice of the truckload segment on Capitol Hill.
These efforts are vital for truckload’s voice to
be heard on the Hill. Truckload Academy will be
releasing its rebuilt and revamped educational
program in the third quarter. More to come on
this, but the wait is well worth it. Membership
is growing at TCA. Membership currently sits at
nearly 700 members. In March, we launched
Truckload Strong to strengthen TCA’s efforts to
be recognized as the association of choice for
the truckload industry.
When this issue reaches the membership, the TCA Safety
and Security Division will have held its annual meeting.
Every carrier calls safety its No. 1 priority, yet the largetruck
fatality rate increased 9 percent in 2017 over 2016.
The number of fatalities in 2017 was the most since 2007. In
fact, in the last two years for which data is available,
large-truck fatalities have increased 16.3 percent. What
does the industry need to do to reverse the upward
trend?
Yes, the data certainly isn’t favorable. In fact, if you look at
the data, speeding and distracted driving remain the top two
issues that that are cited in regard to our accident numbers,
symptoms that can certainly be remedied by our industry, and
should be. Today’s trucks are aligned with technology that
has the potential to improve the safety performance of our
industry. Speed management practices are being utilized more
than ever before and it doesn’t just stop with speed limiters,
but rather practical speed management programs employed
by fleets that have incorporated telematics systems with their
ELDs. Distracted driving, as it relates to cellphone usage, has
become an epidemic of sorts and carriers need to do a better
job of policing their driving force. While over 90% of drivers
say reading a text while driving should be considered distracted
driving, that hasn’t yet translated into accident reduction,
as nearly 50% have stated they read a text while operating a
CMV. That message must continue to resonate within our fleets
so that we can reverse these trends. The secrets in safety displayed
at our recent meeting have shown that carrier interest
in operating safely continues to climb and the efforts to reduce
the trends in accidents have been placed front and center.
It’s been almost two and a half years since President Donald Trump first mentioned the need for an
infrastructure plan. Recently, what appeared to be progress toward an actual plan fell victim to partisan
politics when Mr. Trump walked out of a meeting with Democrats after they mentioned the possibility
of a coverup on a matter completely unrelated to the infrastructure. Is there anything the trucking
industry can do to encourage the administration and congressional leadership to finally produce a plan?
If only our infrastructure problem was two and a half years old. The progress made during the Trump/Democratic
meeting on infrastructure should only have been viewed as the easy conversation to have. The much more difficult
part of this whole discussion has been the pay-fors, which will continue to plague these conversations until many of
the congressional distractions are eliminated and our elected officials commit themselves to an infrastructure plan
that works. The most economically feasible plan should include an increase to the federal fuel taxes to support the
Highway Trust Fund so that our roads and bridges can be upgraded to an acceptable level. I believe that TCA staff
and its members should continue to ring that bell so that our representatives continue to be faced with the fact that
our infrastructure problems are not going to cure themselves.
22 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA 2019

TCA 2019 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 23

Sponsored by Mcleod software
McLeodSoftware.com | 877.362.5363
By all accounts, the transition to electronic
onboard recorders has gone extremely well.
But now we are nearing another deadline that
was part of the electronic logging device (ELD)
mandate, whereby carriers operating with
automatic onboard recorders must convert to
ELDs by December 16 of this year. Based on your
experience, what would you say to carrier members
who are still using AOBRDs and have yet to begin
the conversion process?
If members have not yet begun the transition from
AOBRD technology to ELDs, then they may already be
behind the eight ball when making the switch. Reports
from industry have ranged the entire gamut, with some
saying the change had been easy and for others, not so
much. My advice would be to start this practice as soon
as you can in order to avoid some of the pitfalls that
have already happened and find an ELD solution that
best fits the makeup of your fleet. The very last thing
any fleet needs are problems with implementation two
days before the grandfather clause expires.
Coming up with a plan is one thing. Funding a plan is
another. Democratic Rep. Earl Blumenauer of Oregon
has introduced the Rebuild America Act of 2019,
which would incrementally increase the federal
gasoline and diesel taxes to invest in America’s
infrastructure. On the other side of the fence, the
Trump administration has reportedly been assuring
Republicans that the White House does not favor
an increase in the gas and diesel tax. The Truckload
Carriers Association has long favored a fuel tax
increase as the best way to bolster the Highway
Trust Fund, but if the two sides can’t agree on an
increase, what then?
Great question, and one that has created the largest
problem. Many have perceived a fuel tax increase as
a four-letter word, while others have said it represents
the biggest bang for the buck. Clearly, the timeline has
traversed well past the 2016 presidential election, which
gives the industry concern that an infrastructure plan to
create a fully sustainable Highway Trust Fund has fallen
by the wayside. Over half of the U.S. states have increased
their fuel tax to raise funds to pay for road projects,
yet we cannot get the ball rolling on a campaign issue
that was front and center during the last presidential
election.
Recently, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration (FMCSA) issued a request for
comments on a potential pilot program that would
allow drivers ages 18-20 to operate commercial
motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce. TCA,
by the way, petitioned for such a pilot program back
in 2000, but the petition was denied. Of course, TCA
supports the current proposal. If the pilot program
is conducted and FMcsA changes the rule to allow
18- to 20-year-old CDL holders to drive interstate
commerce, what would be the biggest benefit to
the trucking industry?
Eighteen- to 20-year-old CDL holders represent a demographic
that has largely gone untapped in the trucking
market when it comes to potential new drivers. We
recognize that other industries take advantage of this
demographic to allow for them to develop a long career
in that particular profession. It is also fair to note
that TCA is always a safety-first organization and that
very little public data exists which can demonstrate the
safety performance of this younger generation. That being
said, the pilot program, if the agency proceeds with
it, should be able to generate significant data regarding
the safety performance of this group that can determine
whether or not this demographic is a viable one moving
forward. Our industry must continue to improve upon
the outlook of this profession and ensure those who enter
the industry view it as a long-term proposition with
reason to stay in it.
24 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA 2019

The road to
protecting
The FMCSA and the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) have issued an Advance Notice
of Proposed Rulemaking on the removal of unnecessary
regulatory barriers to the safe introduction of
automated driving systems vehicles in the United
States. FMcsA and NHTSA are seeking comments at this
stage to ensure that all potential approaches are fully
considered as the agencies move forward with these
regulatory actions. Additionally, Daimler Trucks has
established its own Autonomous Technology Group as
a global organization for automated driving, bringing
together its worldwide expertise and activities.
Everyone knows automated trucks will become a
reality, the only question is when? Where does TCA
stand on the issue of automated trucks and how
should its members be preparing for this eventuality?
your fleet
The “when” is the most important part of this question. Autonomous
vehicle technology is an issue that does need to be
planned for. In accordance with that, we need to focus on the
development of “driver assist” technology over “driver replace”
technology. Ninety-two percent of all vehicle crashes are the
fault of human interaction, and driver assist technology will aid
in reducing that number. However, federal policy, which had
only previously addressed automobiles and not trucks, needed
to be changed so that the testing of advanced technology could
move forward while the industry continues to examine the issues
that we face on this forward-thinking technology. Questions
including cybersecurity, liability and even infrastructure
still remain at the top of an already long list of issues and our
industry must continue to iron them out well before the idea of
highly autonomous vehicles becomes mainstream.
Any day now, possibly by the time readers see this, FMcsA
will issue its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM)
on changes to Hours of Service. In your Chat With the
Chairman in the previous issue, you listed sleeper berth
flexibility and detention time/productivity as two
key regulatory issues. Should the NPRM not adequately
address these two issues, what can TCA members do to
ensure they are appropriately addressed in the final
rule?
First and foremost, TCA members must comment on the
proposed rule. Tell your story. Make no mistake about it, our
government affairs staff has hammered home the ideas of
flexibility and detention time, yet it is truly important that
FMCSA hears from those who deal with these problems on a
daily basis. Decisions are made by those who show up, and
filing comments is a lot like voting in an election — always
take advantage of opportunities that are presented to you and
provide real-life data to an issue that has plagued our industry
for years.
www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 25
Transportation Insurance
Specialists Since 1970
888-313-3226 www.ecbm.com
Offices in PA & MD

Sponsored by Mcleod software
McLeodSoftware.com | 877.362.5363
J. J. KELLER’S ELD INSIGHTS
AOBRDs vs. ELDs:
5 Key Differences
Updating to an ELD mandate-compliant device by the December 16, 2019
deadline may require a mere software conversion for most AOBRDs, but
don’t count on it being this simple. Your drivers will need to understand the
significant differences between AOBRDs and ELDs, making training
imperative. Here are 5 critical requirements your drivers will need to be aware
of as you prepare for the transition:
1. In-Vehicle Documentation
Before allowing drivers to log into an ELD, the carrier must swap out
AOBRD documentation for ELD documentation, including:
• The ELD user manual,
• Instructions for how to transfer data,
• Instructions for handling ELD malfunctions, and
• Enough blank paper logs to last at least eight days
2. Unassigned Driving Events & Automatically Recorded Drive Time
When a driver logs in, they must accept or deny any unassigned driving
time on the ELD. If the driver has unassigned driving events at the time
the officer is reviewing the ELD data, the logs are considered not
accurate, and can result in a citation for falsifying logs.
Additionally, ELDs switch to driving status when the vehicle reaches five
miles per hour, unless the driver has selected one of the special driving
categories. Conversely, with an AOBRD, the driving threshold can be
determined by the carrier and vendor, as long as it is reasonable.
3. Form and Manner Requirements
Drivers must manually input information when prompted by the ELD
and required by the motor carrier or FMCSA, including notes, and a
location description if needed. Drivers must also input or verify the
power unit number, trailer number(s), and shipping document number if
the information is not automatically loaded into the header information.
4. Edits, Annotations, and Submissions
Unlike AOBRDs, drivers must be provided full editing rights in an ELD
system. To adjust to this change, they will need to be trained on:
• What constitutes an acceptable and unacceptable edit,
• How to make edits,
• How to accept edits done by back-office personnel, and
• Making an annotation when limit violations or something out of
the ordinary occurs
5. Data Transfers
When using an ELD, the driver will be asked during a roadside inspection
to transfer the log data directly to the officer via the FMCSA email or
wireless web service, and must know whether
his/her device uses the telematics or local
transfer method.
Not sure which type of electronic logging device you’re using?
Find out by requesting your FREE ELD Compliance Check at
JJKeller.com/Verify.
Fleet Management System
with ELogs
In this issue of Truckload Authority, there is an in-depth
article on the TCA Profitability Program and the successes
its participants have enjoyed. Share with TCA members the
importance to their company of availing themselves of this
benefit.
There is no other program like it. It’s the ONLY program in
which a carrier can have their operational performance dissected
in so many different ways. For example, carriers can review costs
and revenue by mile or percentage of revenue or look at their
gross margin. TPP also allows carriers to benchmark against their
peers. That’s very powerful from an owner’s standpoint to then
help hold your team accountable. Numbers and facts are the only
way to manage a successful business.
The Call on Washington, which this year will be held
September 25, is one of TCA’s most important efforts to
increase truckload’s visibility with our legislators and
regulators in Washington. Even though it’s still almost
three months away, it’s not too early to begin planning to
attend, as TCA wants to increase the number of participants.
Why should TCA members consider attending Call on
Washington?
There is a lot going on in trucking and D.C. these days and
judging by the growth and positive effect our government affairs
team has had in spreading our message, our members should be
leading the charge. Issues like infrastructure, drug and alcohol
testing, and even truck size and weight will continue to be spoken
about and we must be sure that we are part of the conversation.
Our first Call on Washington generated 32 attendees with over
75 meetings. Last year, there were 50 attendees and over 275
meetings. We, as an association, should expect positive growth
from our membership that reflects the message we delivered in
Las Vegas that our association should be viewed as “Truckload
Strong” and continue to spread the message on Capitol Hill.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
26 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA 2019

JULY/AUGUST | TCA 2019
Member Mailroom
How can I show my
support for TCA’s
government affairs
department?
It’s easy! There are two main ways
to get involved: First, attend TCA’s Third Annual Call on
Washington. Second, make a voluntary donation to the
TCA’s government affairs fund.
This year’s Call on Washington, set for September 25,
will once again be held in conjunction with TCA’s Fall Business
Meetings at the Capital Hilton in the nation’s capital.
This event is one of TCA’s most important efforts to increase
truckload’s visibility with our legislators and regulators.
There is no better way to advance these efforts
than to attend the 2019 event, which will provide members
with the opportunity to meet face-to-face with policymakers
and their staffs and tell truckload’s unique story.
Building on the success of last year’s event, which
boasted a combined 230 Hill visits, TCA members will
have the opportunity to talk with their elected officials
about industry-specific issues such as Hours of Service,
sleeper berth flexibility, infrastructure and more.
Attendees can expect the day to begin with an education
session, where members will be briefed on the state
of the 116th Congress and TCA’s policy positions. Next,
armed with their industry know-how and passion, as well
as new strategies gained from the briefing, participants
will arrive on Capitol Hill prepared to promote the truckload
industry and to ask the tough questions that need to
be asked of legislators and their staffs.
Thanks to the sponsorship of DriverFacts, attendees will
receive a bag and an informative congressional booklet.
TCA members received a government affairs invoice
in late May or early June. And while TCA encourages all
members to contribute, the decision is voluntary and will
not affect your membership status or access to the benefits
provided by the TCA government affairs department.
It is TCA’s hope that members recognize and support
the substantial benefits they receive by having TCA provide
the sole truckload-focused lobbying presence for the
industry.
For more information about the Third Annual Call on
Washington, to view a program, or to register, visit www.
truckload.org.
To view photos from TCA’s inaugural and Second Annual
Call on Washington, visit truckload.org/Flickr.
TCA 2019 www.Truckload.org | TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY 27

JULY/AUGUST | TCA 2019
Talking TCA
Adrian Vigneault | Associate Director of Education
BY klint lowry
We have a tendency in today’s society to try to label
people, to categorize them based on just one aspect of their life —
a characteristic, an opinion, or a matter of taste — and assume we
can extrapolate everything there is to know about them.
It’s easy, it’s quick, and it’s always a mistake. No one is onedimensional.
For some people the whole definition of a life welllived
is to keep adding dimensions to who they are.
Take Adrian Vigneault, for example. If he was presented as TCA’s
new associate director of education, and it was explained he has a
background in designing and implementing educational programs.
Add that he’s an avid history buff and you might figure him to be
the academic sort.
But suppose the first thing you were told about Vigneault was
that he started his working life as an auto technician, and that even
today one of his favorite ways of relaxing is to work on cars at his
home garage. You might conclude, “Oh, he’s a nuts-and-bolts kind
of guy, the hands-on type.”
Then again, if your introduction included the fact that Vigneault
had been a defense contractor in Iraq and that he used to teach
U.S. military personnel how to detect and avoid hidden explosives,
that would skew your first impression in a different direction.
All three of those impressions are accurate in their own narrow
context, but even put together they don’t complete the picture. A
person’s character is more than a sum of its parts, especially when
the dominant moving part is the desire to constantly learn and
grow and expand.
Considering that Vigneault has both a mechanical streak and a
penchant for history, it’s not surprising that he’s had a fascination
with and has closely studied the life of Henry Ford. On one of
Vigneault’s social media pages, there is a quote from Ford:
“Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at 20 or 80. Anyone
who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep
your mind young.”
Vigneault may not have adopted the American industrialist’s
words as the official mission statement for his life, but they sync up
perfectly to the way Vigneault has conducted the business of living.
“I consider myself a lifetime learner,” he said. “If it’s not reading
books, it’s taking new classes. I like to be a person of many trades,
of many skills, and try to be great at whatever I’m tasked to do.”
Sometimes it’s just life that offers the learning opportunities,
and the fact that Vigneault is always willing to expand his comfort
zone has played a large part in how he came to be the right man
at the right time as TCA has made the expansion of its educational
offerings a priority.
“My background is in instruction and learning design, so I was
a good fit for their goals with TCA’s Truckload Academy and also
helping to revamp their current online certificate program,” he said.
His mechanical, automotive background helps, too, as it translates
easily while he acclimates himself to the language and culture of
trucking. There’s a lot to learn, a lot of terms and acronyms and
abbreviations. It’s a challenge, but that’s part of what makes it
enjoyable, and it’s a way to get acquainted with people in the
industry.
If there’s one thing all lifetime learners know, it’s not to be shy
about asking questions.
In one way, Vigneault has an advantage over many of his TCA
colleagues when it comes to feeling at home. He was born and
raised in Fairfax County, Virginia, just a modest commute to TCA’s
office in Alexandria.
That’s if you take the direct route.
After graduating from Annandale High School in Fairfax County,
Vigneault went to Universal Technical Institute in Orlando, Florida,
where he studied automotive technology, then he went on to the
Ford Accelerated Credential Training Program, where he earned
specialized certification in Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles.
After graduating, Vigneault got himself a job as a technician
at a Ford dealership back in Fairfax County, where he worked for
about four years. About a year in, he started going to night school
at a community college, earning an associate degree in 2010. By the
end of 2010, Vigneault was working as an instructor for a military
contractor in Iraq.
Wait, it feels like we may have skipped a chapter.
It didn’t happen quite that fast, Vigneault explained, but was a
surprisingly simple turn of events that sent his life in an unexpected,
dramatically different direction. It began one lazy afternoon on an
island in the Potomac River.
One of Vigneault’s friends had taken him out on his boat, and
they decided to drop anchor at the island and hang out on the
beach. After a while, a couple pulled up in another boat. They all
introduced themselves and started casually chatting.
“He asked what I did, and I told him I just finished my two-year
degree and I’m working for Ford right now,” Vigneault said. “He
said, ‘listen, a good friend of mine is looking for people with your
background to teach overseas, and if you’re interested, here’s my
card, let me know.’”
Vigneault didn’t think much about it until a couple days later. He
went home for lunch that day, “and it dawned on me that guy gave
me his business card. It was still in my swimsuit. I called him up, and
he said, ‘Yeah, shoot me your resumé.’”
Vigneault didn’t even have a resumé at that stage of his young
career, but the one he threw together had one essential element.
The contractor was working with the Department of Defense. All
the nontactical vehicles supplied to the Iraqi Ministry of Defense
28 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA 2019

TCA 2019 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 29

Vigneault spends a leisurely moment with a member of
his personal security detail, as well as his interpreter,
Bashar, at Abu Ghraib in Iraq.
Spring is in the air as Vigneault and his wife Melissa trek
across Matanuska Glacier during a trip to Alaska in May.
police were Fords, and they needed someone who was
Ford-certified to go over and teach the Iraqis how to
diagnose and perform maintenance on the vehicles.
The economy was still staggering back to its feet
following the recession, and Vigneault’s immediate
career prospects felt stagnant. Besides, the offer
appealed to his sense of adventure, and on a more
personal level. Vigneault’s father had been in the Air
Force. His uncles had been in the Navy and the Marine
Corps, and his brother currently serves in the Army
National Guard. This felt like a way to do his bit for his
country.
He accepted the offer, filled out a bunch of
paperwork — then he didn’t hear anything for four
months. Finally, he got a phone call — it was on a
Wednesday, he recalled. By that Sunday he was on
a plane for Camp Atterbury, in southern Indiana, for
training, and from there he was off to Iraq.
Vigneault spent about 10 months teaching the Iraqis.
It was also a continuous learning experience for him. For
starters, it set him on a whole new career path.
“I got my feet wet in instructing, I got my feet wet in
curriculum design,” Vigneault said.
It was also a great opportunity to put his character
and ingenuity to the test. He didn’t always have the
equipment or the tools he needed to teach the skills he
was there to teach. In that kind of situation, Vigneault
said, you can throw your hands up and say, “It can’t be
done,” or you commit yourself to finding a way to get
it done. “Sometimes you have to find what you need or
make what you need,” he said. “I don’t have any military
background, but I’m very mechanically inclined.”
Vigneault made enough of an impression that when
the U.S. withdrawal from Iraq was complete, he was
offered another contract traveling the country and
abroad as an instructor and field representative with the
Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization.
“I was training American soldiers in bomb detection
using handheld equipment and truck-mounted
equipment,” Vigneault said. Of course, that meant
he had to learn about the equipment himself, and
he became licensed to drive Mine Resistant Ambush
Protected vehicles, or MRAPs.
The job wasn’t nearly as dangerous as it sounds,
Vigneault explained. They don’t use real explosives in
training. But it was important work; I.E.D.s pose the
greatest danger soldiers face overseas, he said. When
he was in Iraq, nothing made him more nervous than the
drive between Camp Victory and Abu Ghraib.
In 2013, that contract ran out, and Vigneault came
home. He worked as a substitute teacher at first,
before getting a job as a technical skills instructor with
the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority,
teaching high school students skills working with
electrical and electronic systems.
“It was an alternate program for students who were
more interested in skilled trades as opposed to going
the college route,” Vigneault said. During the summer,
he also got the chance to pay forward one of the great
influences from his own youth.
“I grew up with the Boy Scouts, and I’ve always
wanted to give back because Scouting always taught
me hard work and being able to think on my feet
and the leadership skills that I need and gave me the
opportunity to learn and be prepared for life,” he said.
“So I reached out to some old friends and one of their
fathers was still active in scouting.”
He became certified as a shotgun instructor, and
he qualified scouts for their Shotgun Merit Badge. But
it was a lot more than a summer of shooting things
up with the kids, he said. “I got involved with the kids,
teaching them skills, the buddy system, helping each
other out.
“In a school environment, a lot of kids or young
adults might not listen to their instructors very well.
I knew that from substitute teaching. But when you’re
at a camp, as a staff member, they look at you like you
Q & A With Adrian Vigneault
DATE AND PLACE OF BIRTH: February 9, Fairfax, Virginia
MY TRADEMARK EXPRESSION IS: If you ain’t first, you’re last.
MOST HUMBLING EXPERIENCE: Working at Camp
Olmsted
PEOPLE SAY I REMIND THEM OF: Andy Dwyer, from
“Parks and Rec”
I HAVE A PHOBIA OF: Discussing my phobia
MY GUILTY PLEASURE: Mowing the lawn
THE PEOPLE I’D INVITE TO MY FANTASY DINNER
PARTY: Teddy Roosevelt, Abe Lincoln, Alexander the Great,
John McCain, Dave Grohl, Dakota Meyer, Keanu Reeves,
George Washington, Bill Watterson, Deborah Sampson, Henry
Ford, Clara Barton, Mark Wahlberg, Steve Irwin, Nikola Tesla,
Ron Swanson, Tony Stark and Ryan Reynolds
I WOULD NEVER WEAR: Skinny jeans
A GOAL I HAVE YET TO ACHIEVE: Run a full marathon
THE LAST BOOK I READ: For professional development, “15
Invaluable Laws of Growth,” by John Maxwell. For fun, “Grunt:
The Curious Science of Humans at War,” by Mary Roach
LAST MOVIE I SAW: “Captain Marvel”
MY FAVORITE SONG: “Jack Daniel’s” by Eric Church
IF I’VE LEARNED ONE THING IN LIFE, IT WOULD BE:
What you reap is what you sow
THE THING ABOUT MY OFFICE IS: If you burn popcorn in
the microwave, you may want to bring a gas mask to work for
the next few days
ONE WORD TO SUM ME UP: Motivated
30 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA 2019

are the end-all, be-all, everything that’s cool, and they
want to be just like you. So that’s an opportunity to try
to help young adults and teens to be future leaders.”
As he was giving back, Vigneault was also moving
forward. He had gone back to school and was earning
a bachelor’s degree in military conflict analysis at
George Mason University. Meanwhile, he found
himself expanding his range of experience designing
and implementing educational programs for a variety
of industries: automotive, cancer cell research and
Veterans Affairs benefits advisors.
“My end goal was to have full-time, noncontract
employment, just to give myself a little stability,”
Vigneault said. His priorities had changed in that way.
About a year ago, Vigneault embarked on his greatest
adventure, one in which the learning curve is neverending.
He got married. He met Melissa while he was
finishing up at George Mason. And as with everything
else, he wants to do marriage right. “Things in my life
have changed as far as work/life balance,” he said.
“You can’t spend all your time on the job and expect
your family life to just take care of itself.”
It was cool back when he traveled 100% of the
time, teaching I.E.D. defense. Now when he travels, he
wants it to be with Melissa. In fact, they just got back
from a trip to Alaska. It was great, Vigneault said. No
packaged tours for them, they set their own agenda,
hiking glaciers, going to Denali. They even saw some
grizzly bears.
It’s an exciting time. At work, he’s figuring out
how to apply his educational skills to a new industry.
“Especially with the development of Truckload
Academy, it all has to do with adult learning theory
and style and knowing how people learn,” Vigneault
said. At the same time, he thinks it helps that he can
relate to students as someone new coming into the
business, “being able to start them down the right
path and explaining things step by step in a logical
manner instead of just being kicked into the deep end
and hoping they retain some knowledge without being
overwhelmed.”
At the same time, he’s still adjusting to being
a family man, to coming home, having dinner and
spending time with Melissa. And he can still get back to
his roots whenever he wants.
“Mechanics is always going to be a hobby of mine. I
enjoy working with my hands and being on my feet and
building things, fixing things,” he said. I have a garage
and cars I like to work on about every other day.”
He has a group of old friends, technician buddies,
he said, with whom he shares his pastime and engages
in a little friendly competition. He appreciates the
challenge. It’s a great way to unwind and let inspiration
come to him.
“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been working
under a hood or under a car and just thinking and it
suddenly he has an epiphany about something totally
unrelated, something he’s been studying, an issue at
work,” he said. “I think I’ve solved or understood or
found myself coming up with many solutions while
working in the garage.”
When all the pieces to fit together, work together,
there’s no better feeling.
As a contracted instructor to the military in improvised
explosive detection, Vigneault was trained to drive Mine
Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles, or MRAPs.
The transition to family man wouldn’t be complete
without Vigneault’s dog, Nitro.
Knowledge is Power
Not All Trucking Companies Are Alike
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Our agents work with you. Not every insurance agent can represent Great West. With a keen
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TCA 2019 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 31

Talking the
Talk …
FMCSA’s Martinez, TCA’s Heller extol the value of communication to
get things done for the trucking industry
By Klint Lowry
Truckload Carriers Association Vice President
of Government Affairs David Heller (left) listens
as Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
Administrator Raymond Martinez responds to a
question from SiriusXM Radio host Mark Willis during
TCA’s inaugural “FMCSA Fireside Chat” at TCA’s 38th
Annual Safety and Security Division Meeting.
On June 2, the first day of the Truckload
Carriers Association’s 38th Annual Safety & Security
Division Meeting, attendees arrived at the Guest
Theater inside the Guest House at Graceland in
Memphis, Tennessee, with an almost playful sense of
anticipation.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
Administrator Raymond Martinez was scheduled to
be at the opening day’s general session for what had
been billed a “fireside chat.” In the hours leading up to
the session, speculation — most of it tongue-in-cheek
— was running rampant. A fireside chat, eh? Had they
figured out a way to rig up an actual working fireplace
onstage?
32 TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY | www.Truckload.org TCA 2019

When they entered,
they saw there were no
flames dancing in a hearth
onstage, no portable fire pit, not even
a Smokey Joe. There was nothing cozier
than an unadorned pair of tables set end to end
at the foot of the stage.
So, the anticipation shifted to what Martinez
was there to talk about. TCA’s Vice President of
Government Affairs David Heller was to be there
with him. This implied there’d be deep diving into
one regulatory issue or another. The target date for
FMCSA’s highly-anticipated unveiling of a Notice of
Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), the next step in a
process that could lead to some big changes to the
Hours of Service regulations, was less than a week
away. Might they be in for a sneak preview, or at least
a few veiled hints of the proposed changes?
That was wishful thinking. But there were plenty of
other hot topics they might address: the impending
pilot program for 18-year-old drivers with certain
military experience to drive interstate; the Drug and
Alcohol Clearinghouse, due early next year; the
mandatory switch from automatic on-board recording
devices (AOBRDs) to electronic logging devices
(ELDs) later this year; the perennial parking problem;
and our eternal infrastructure woes — there’s always
something to talk about.
It was an informal but purposeful presentation, in
the tradition of the original fireside chatter, Franklin
Roosevelt. In the space of an hour they managed to
touch on all those topics, and a few others. But the
central theme of the discussion was discussion itself
and the importance of communication among all
trucking industry stakeholders for positive change to
happen.
The chat’s moderator, SiriusXM Radio Host Mark
Willis, handled the duty expertly, tossing out a wellshaped
question then sitting back and letting Martinez
and Heller run with it.
The starting point of the discussion was FMCSA’s
efforts since Martinez became administrator about
a year and a half ago to improve relationships with
trucking’s various organizations, TCA in particular.
Martinez explained open communication is vital for his
organization to fulfill its function and for the industry to
get the government cooperation and support it wants
and needs.
“This has got to be a two-way conversation,”
Martinez said, and the format of this discussion was
representative of that. “In the past, maybe we’ve had
FMCSA administrators come and give a speech, wave,
then leave.”
Martinez explained that in his opinion, that sort
of star-turn “interaction” isn’t particularly useful. The
importance of attending events like this is not what
he says but what he hears, because the potential is
there to get a measure on where a huge portion of the
trucking industry stands on the issues under FMCSA’s
purview.
“I’m a firm believer in associations,” he said. “Not just
for its members, but it helps in directing communication
with the agency. I need to deal with the associations
to clarify the issues you’re dealing with. There’s a lot
of challenges out there. It’s a very diverse industry. In
order for us to do our job better, we have to have that
open line of communication. I really believe we’re in
the same boat. It’s what you want, it’s what we want.”
Heller, TCA’s point man in governmental interactions,
picked up on that point, adding that that when that
communication is solid, the industry and the agency
can act as partners working toward a common goal —
sensible, workable, productive regulations.
“It provides the industry, and truckload specifically,
an opportunity to tell our story,” Heller said.
Since Martinez has stepped into the administrator’s
role, Heller added, FMCSA has encouraged
discussion, not just with TCA but with the entire
industry. “It’s important you know what to expect,”
Heller said. “We as an industry should expect nothing
less than sensible rules from the agency. They’ve been
very open, they’ve been very forward. They’ve been
very direct with us. I don’t think there’s ever been an
administration that’s been more open and willing and
honest.”
Judging from the applause that line received, much
of TCA’s membership in attendance shares that
assessment.
Having a strong relationship with FMCSA comes at
an opportune time for TCA, as the organization has
made it a priority in the last few years to hone its
political voice, most notably with its annual Call
on Washington, as well as more consistent
interaction with lawmakers.
Trucking has always had a heck
of a calling card, Heller said. It’s
an industry that handles 78%
of the goods sold in this
country. When lawmakers
hear statistics like that,
“They know you are the
big dog in the room,”
Heller said. You have their
attention. But the real trick
is making good use of it.
The power of the message
they can deliver to those
lawmakers is derived
from the data and
the fervor its
TCA 2019 www.Truckload.org | TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY 33

members contribute when they visit Capitol Hill.
Martinez acknowledged he was aware coming in that
there are some in trucking who perceive FMCSA in
almost adversarial terms. He has been markedly visible
and available to the trucking public since assuming the
administrator’s post. He said he learned to appreciate
the value of keeping open lines of communication
while he was a state motor vehicle commissioner, first
in New York and then in New Jersey.
“That is my inclination,” Martinez said. It’s how
he got things done, and it was what he envisioned
when he threw his hat into the ring for the FMCSA
post. Fortunately, or maybe it was part of the reason
he got the job, it is a viewpoint shared by his boss,
Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao. In fact, he
said, it’s something she insists on from all branches of
the DOT, “that we need to engage the industry to get
the best ideas that are out there from the people that
really know what’s going on.”
Breaching the wall some people in trucking have
built about FMCSA needed to be a two-way process,
and Martinez knew he had to be the one to lower the
drawbridge. He recalled less than a month after he
became administrator, he attended his first listening
session at an industry event, “and boy, did I get beat
up.”
The first phase of the ELD mandate was about to go
into full effect after a brief grace period, and that had
already ratcheted up the industrywide conversation
about the need for HOS reform. The crowd gave
it to him with both barrels. Now, he can laugh
when he remembers thinking, “What could I
have possibly done in three weeks” to have
deserved this?
He knew it wasn’t him. “What I
heard was a lot of frustration,
even to the point that they
couldn’t even articulate what
they were so frustrated about,”
Martinez said. “I felt that right
away, the drivers were like, ‘you
don’t know what we do.’
“That’s not healthy for the
industry, and it’s not healthy for
us as a regulator, because it
undermines our mission.”
FMCSA wound up doing five listening sessions
concerning HOS. Part of that was to collect comments,
but it was also to send a message, that the agency
wants input from everyone, not just the guys in the
front office.
“We got to make them feel that, yeah, we’re here,
we’re listening, and it doesn’t all have to be roses
and sunshine,” Martinez said. “Tell us what’s wrong,
because that’s the only way it’s going to get fixed.”
He added that he knew full well what a diverse
industry trucking is, but he never fully appreciated the
extent of that diversity and all the unique challenges
each segment faces.
He also thinks that by being consistently available,
consistently asking for comments, the reception he’s
received at industry events has improved, that there
is an overall acceptance that the agency genuinely
wants as much input as it can get, in every form and
from all quarters.
“I’m asking industry to engage, from the driver level,
safety director level to the C suite folks — give us
your ideas. If you have data, if you have technology
that you think is proving out, tell us what it is so that’s
something we can follow up with.”
Martinez and Heller agreed HOS revision is a great
example of what can be done when people in the
industry are engaged. FMCSA asked for input, and
thousands did so, online and in person.
“We tried to boil it down, and that’s what we articulated
in the Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking,”
Martinez said. “And we’ll see what comes out of the
process.”
It may seem like a long, dragged-out process,
Martinez added, and some of that is just built right into
the process. “The reason is to ensure that all parties
can be heard from, and that’s a good thing.”
But, Heller added, here we are, possibly just days
away from an NPRM. Usually, you could expect it to
take two years or more to get this far on something
like this. What’s this taken, eight months? “That is light
speed for government,” Heller said.
It’s important to consider why HOS reform has been
able to move as quickly as it has, and why the push has
happened, Heller said. People have been clamoring for
more flexibility in the HOS rules for 15 years. With the
34 TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY | www.Truckload.org TCA 2019

proliferation of ELDs and other technologies in recent
years, there are mountains of data being produced. It
has made it much easier to make the case not only
that reform is needed, but also regarding what that
reform should look like.
That data comes from the industry. Whatever
eventually comes out of HOS reform, this shows what
happens when enough interested parties demonstrate
their concern. But, Heller pointed out, even if the
process yields HOS reform that checks off every box
on every driver’s wish list, it’s not a cure-all. Trucking
will still have plenty of other issues that will need
addressing.
Martinez concurred. “It’s always a work in progress,”
he said. “Once you’ve established that level of
communication, let’s say we’ve moved past hours of
service and full implementation of ELDs, there are
going to be other issues. And talking with this crowd,
I’m interested in hearing from people who have the
data, who are trying out new technologies, what
works, what doesn’t work, where your data is telling us
we should go. Because you have information that we
would like to be privy to.”
Nevertheless, he’s encouraged that the walls are
coming down, that more people in the industry are
understanding that his job and theirs are ultimately
pushing toward the same results.
“The agency’s goal, as always, is safety,” Martinez
said. “If in doing so, it also can be more efficient, that’s
a huge win for everyone.”
TCA 2019 www.Truckload.org | TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY 35

Cultural
Change
DE-
Efforts to reduce turnover must start at the top
and permeate every layer of management
By Cliff Abbott
How do some carriers achieve such low turnerover rates? It starts with
a plan, and that plan “starts with the acknowledgement that turnover is
man-made and not inevitable,” says past TCA Chairman and current TCA
Profitability Program (TPP) Retention Coach Ray Haight.
“One of the things that always gets me is when I attend a conference
where someone says, ‘this or that organization reports turnover at over 100%,
but we’re only at 80% so we’re doing good.’ My advice is, don’t worry about
the industry. What can you do?”
Haight doesn’t just talk trucking, he’s experienced it on many levels. He
knows the ins and outs of making a living on the road, having racked up more
than a million accident-free miles as a company driver and owner-operator.
In 1984, he started Southwestern Express in London, Ontario, growing the
company to 50 tractors before entering a 1990 partnership with Guelph,
Ontario-based MacKinnon Transport. The two companies were completely
merged in 2000, with Haight serving as president and COO.
Prior to the merger, he said, turnover at Southwestern was very low.
Nondriver staffing was minimal and everyone knew everyone else. After the
merger, the retention dynamic began to change. Turnover rose to 120% and
Haight knew something had to be done, and that meant a culture change.
That culture change resulted in turnover rates dropping by more than
83%, in addition to other benefits.
“The point is, we didn’t just reduce driver turnover from 120% to 20%
in two years,” Haight said, “we doubled operating margins. We drastically
improved our safety record. We impacted nearly every KPI that owners and
CEOs track to determine the success of their organizations.”
Those are the rewards Haight wants every carrier to realize.
“Do the math,” he said. “At 120% turnover, we were hiring 300 drivers a
year just to stay the same size. At a rate of about $6,000 per hire to recruit
and train each new driver, that’s $1.8 million that didn’t need to be spent.”
In his role as TPP retention coach, Haight teaches his retention program to
carriers all over North America, and he commands attention.
“It bothers me when companies delegate retention to a ‘retention coach’ or
‘retention manager,’” he said. “Solving the turnover problem requires a culture
change. That starts at the top and permeates every layer of management in
the organization.”
The people at the top, however, often aren’t the ones in attendance at
the retention programs he presents at TCA and at other events. “Who goes
to these things?” he asks. “It’s recruiting and safety managers. The ‘C-level’
people aren’t there.” That adds more steps to the solution, Haight said. “In
addition to learning the material, they have to go back and convince C-level
leaders to take the necessary steps.”
When Haight makes the presentation directly to a carrier, he’s adamant
about making sure the program will be supported from the top. “When I’m
asked to help out at a company I don’t even do these programs unless I can
talk to the owner or CEO,” he said. “Culture change isn’t possible without
C-level buy-in.”
A part of his reasoning comes down to trust, and he thinks some carriers
overestimate the trust drivers have in their leadership. Trust is related to
turnover, he said. “The higher your turnover rate, the less likely the team is to
believe what you’re saying.”
Haight’s retention program is based on a psychology theory first proposed
in 1943 by Abraham Maslow in “Psychological Review” and more fully fleshed
out in his 1954 book, “Motivation and Personality.” Maslow’s theory is that
the needs of an individual start with basic physiological needs and progress
through several stages, including safety, love/belonging, esteem and selfactualization.
The “Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs” diagram, a pyramid with the
most basic needs at the base and more complex needs near the top, is a staple
of many management classes.
Haight relates each level of the pyramid to the driver hiring experience. He
begins with a groundwork session, obtaining a commitment to change before
teaching how turnover is accurately measured and guiding participants
through a SWOT Analysis process. SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses,
Opportunities and Threats.
In each of the next six sessions, he zeroes in on each level of Maslow’s
hierarchy, discussing the carrier’s need for drivers and where they come
from, improvements in standard operating procedures and just do its, hiring
policies and performance management.
He discusses how to address the social needs of employees, including
establishment of a communication action team and a recruitment and
retention action team. Haight points out that there are more options for
communicating with drivers and their families than ever before, and points
to social media as a great tool.
“Carriers like Bison and Nussbaum have really figured out how to use
social media,” he said. “They use video so much, they even have bloopers and
outtakes from some of their videos that drivers find very entertaining.”
Communication comes in many forms, however, and isn’t always as
complicated as recording videos or handling social media platforms. “If your
trucks, terminals and offices look like they aren’t well cared for, it gives the
impression that your company is not well-run,” he said.
Communication also involves sharing information that isn’t necessarily
related to job tasks, such as industry news. Haight pointed out that any news
worth sharing around the office is worth sharing with drivers, too.
“It’s fairly arrogant that we get information on our desks that we study and
share with other managers and never think to share with our drivers,” he said.
36 TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY | www.Truckload.org TCA 2019

TCA Profitability Program Retention Coach Ray Haight says unfortunately much of the time C-level people don’t attend his
workshops on driver retention.
In the section on esteem, Haight addresses recognition and celebration of
accomplishments. He stresses the importance of sharing success stories. “If you
have a good safety record, flaunt it,” he said. “That’s an incredible achievement
and a great indicator of the teamwork that occurs at your company.”
Expectations are incredibly important, too, according to Haight. “I’m huge
on sharing of expectations so that drivers are clear on how they are being
evaluated,” he said. “Coaching is more effective when the dispatcher can say,
‘I expected this, and then this’ and go over where the breakdown occurred.”
He cautions, however, that expectations are a two-way street. “Conversely,”
he said, “we have to ask the driver, ‘what’s your expectation?’ If we fail to
do that, it’s only a matter of time until the driver is disappointed in our
treatment.”
The pinnacle of Maslow’s pyramid is self-actualization. Every top-level
manager knows what success looks like at the carrier, expressed in terms
of operating ratio, safety record and other key performance measurements.
What most don’t know, according to Haight, is how the driver defines success.
“We need to know, ‘what does success look like to you?’” he explained. “That’s
more than just getting the job done.”
Haight loves the “full-ride” scholarship program offered by U.S. Xpress to
its drivers. Under the program, drivers and their family members have an
opportunity to earn a degree at no cost from Ashford University, an accredited
school the carrier has partnered with. It’s the best of both worlds, as drivers
pursue their own success while helping the carrier to achieve its own.
That’s just one example, Haight said. “What if the driver’s idea of success
is to buy a house?” he asked. “Could some company set up an escrow account
to help the driver accumulate the down payment? Could they arrange for
favorable interest rates for the purchase through the carrier’s financial
vendors?”
Another area of driver success, and one in which many carriers already
participate, is a lease-purchase program. Haight thinks those programs
should provide more than an opportunity to buy a truck. “Many carriers have
lease-purchase programs, but how many help the driver start and run the
business?”
Even voluntary skills-enhancement or safety training can be seen as a
benefit by some drivers. “Drivers want to learn,” Haight said. “At MacKinnon,
we had 20% of our drivers voluntarily taking safety courses at computer
terminals in our offices. While their truck was in the shop, they took safety
courses. They can do that on their phones now.”
Haight’s program culminates with a session he calls the “Circle of Success,”
in which he stresses building a sense of community.
In discussing the end of the program, he returned to the beginning. He
discussed the awards handed out to carriers at events like the TCA Annual
Convention. “When you see representatives from carriers up onstage getting
awards for ‘Best Fleets to Drive For’ or ‘Fleet Safety Awards’ you should ask,
‘what do they have that you don’t.’ Why aren’t you up there?”
It’s not an easy hill to climb, but retention coach Ray Haight stands ready
to assist those that want to get there.
He posts a regular blog entry on the TCA TPP Retention Project page at
tcaingauge.com/retention and is available to present the TCA Retention
Action Plan, designed to produce a minimum reduction in turnover of 33%
to 50% upon completion. On the same page, visitors will find a survey that
will produce a “TCA Retention Score” as well as a video providing more
information on the program.
TCA 2019 www.Truckload.org | TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY 37

Those Who Deliver
with Veriha Trucking, Inc.
By Lyndon Finney
PROFILE
Veriha Trucking, Inc. operates 250 power units.
Karen Smerchek has headed
up Veriha Trucking since
2005.
Take a minute and Google “characteristics of a baby boomer” and here’s what you’ll
find:
• Strong work ethic
• Self-assured
• Competitive
• Goal-centric
• Team oriented
• Disciplined
• John Veriha
John Veriha, you ask? Google didn’t say anything about John Veriha.
Maybe not, but if you met the 74-year-old founder of Veriha Trucking, Inc., it’s likely
you’d understand why he certainly should be on the list.
“He grew up on a family farm, the oldest of three brothers,” said his daughter Karen
Smerchek, who now owns and operates as president of the company. “He was truly
looking at farming, but he decided to go out on his own and let his two brothers do the
farming. The work ethic of others wasn’t the same as his, so he decided he didn’t want
to work for anyone other than himself.”
So, in 1978, Veriha put down his hoe and rake, bought a truck, and started his own
business with a team of one, ready to compete against all comers.
By 1994, Veriha was operating 60 trucks; now it has 250.
Today, the Marinette, Wisconsin-based company provides transportation solutions
in 48 states and parts of Canada.
Its fleet operates out of three terminal locations to serve a variety of customers and
industries, hauling everything from paper products, groceries and produce, pet food and
auto parts.
Want to talk about teamwork?
All four of John Veriha’s children are part of the company.
“I think my dad really wanted to see his kids in the business,” Smerchek said. “We
each were asked the same question of ‘do you have an interest in being part of the
family business?’”
Two of the four said yes immediately; the other two, later on.
“Dad takes a ton of pride in having all four of his kids working for this business now,”
Smerchek said. “For me, I think it’s cool to have my siblings to lean on. Yet, when we’re
at work, it’s business. We say we’re a ‘family’ business, yet we’re really focused on the
business when we’re at work.”
Jeff is the oldest of the four children and he initially didn’t have an interest in the
family business, branching out on his own in screen printing and later the construction
business. When he came back to Veriha, he was a load planner and is now doing
building and grounds.
Joe, the next oldest, operated the business from 1997-2005 until Smerchek took
over after completing her education. Joe now is part of the company on the equipment
and maintenance side.
Kim started her career as a nurse, working her way through various leadership roles
at the local hospital. One year ago Kim decided to join the family business and is now
director of recruiting.
Today, John Veriha spends his winters in Florida, but when he is home in Wisconsin,
you can still find him around the office.
“Drivers and office team members are impressed when they get to meet the founder
of the company,” Smerchek said. “My personality is serious and driven. My dad lightens
the mood and usually is cracking jokes when he comes in the office.”
Veriha Trucking operates around five core values, which could also be defined as
goals — Safety, Personal Development, People First, Go the Extra Mile and Sustainable
Results.
The values encourage everyone associated with Veriha Trucking to be better every
day, to pursue excellence, be driver-centric, to not allow titles to define them, to give
back, to care and to make responsible decisions — just to name a few.
38 TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY | www.Truckload.org TCA 2019

Veriha’s drivers and employees are known as Veriha Industry
Professionals, or VIPs. The name “VIPs” gives everyone a way
to connect with one another and a way for the company to show
respect to employees.
Its drivers and employees are known as Veriha Industry
Professionals, or VIPs.
The name “VIPs” gives everyone a way to connect with
one another and a way for the company to show respect to
employees.
“Our employees are the bread and butter of our organization,
so they are truly the ones that I need to take care of,” Smerchek
said. “We thought it was a unique way to use the VIP acronym.”
The core service of Veriha is its truckload division.
“Over the last 10 years I would say we are truly focused on
creating dense markets throughout the Midwest and Northeast,
which has really allowed us to provide solid home time,”
Smerchek said. “For our drivers that means we’re committed to
48 consecutive hours of home time [between trips]. Creating
this dense network has allowed us to have better service to our
customers as well as to our drivers.”
The average length of haul for truckload drivers is 370 miles,
but there are routes available with over a 1,000-mile length of
haul for drivers who choose that work.
There is also a group of home-daily drivers who carry two to
four loads a day.
Has this flexibility been an asset to Veriha Trucking when it
comes to driver recruiting and retention?
“I feel that over the last few years a lot of carriers have shifted
into some home-daily roles, whereas we’ve been doing it for
several years,” Smerchek said. “There’s more competition in that
area than there was when we were [first] doing it.”
Unfortunately, she added, there are occasions where Veriha
Trucking loses drivers who want to be home daily in a region
where the company is not able to offer that option.
However, she also feels that the truck driving role has gained
some ground, where being away from the house isn’t always
that negative.
“I just sort of look at the trucking industry and the work that
we’ve done, yet we still have work to do on how others see us,”
she said. “If you work in a sales role, it’s not seen negatively that
you’re away from the house for five nights a week, yet as a truck
driver it’s seen negatively. We have had to ask ourselves, what
are we doing to promote the true impact our drivers are making
so they take pride in their work and being away from the house
isn’t seen so negatively, because the more they can feel the
impact that they make, the more they are likely to understand
the need to be in that truck. We definitely have some that need
the home-daily roles and don’t want to shift from it. Has it
helped? Yes. Our retention in our home-daily fleet is better than
our OTR fleet. We also set a pretty high bar for those who want to
be in that fleet that there are certain parameters that you have
to meet and revenue that you have to attain.”
Veriha Trucking also has an “Entertainment Division” and a
logistics group.
The Entertainment Division, which transports the equipment
of touring groups from venue to venue, started earlier this year.
“I have a friend who is an entertainment tour manager.
We’d chatted in the past and he asked if I would be interested in
getting involved at some point. He made some introductions for
me and we made the move.”
The Entertainment Division started with 21 trucks and
continues to grow.
“There are several similarities to truckload, however there is
so much to learn, as well,” Smerchek said. “We have had great
success with drivers shifting to this division. Veriha is unique in
the truckload space by offering 48 hours of home time versus
the standard 34 reset. But the Entertainment Division is quite
the opposite, with drivers staying out for months at a time.”
Quadway Freight logistics became part of the Veriha family
of companies in 1984. At one point it covered the overflow
of freight that Veriha did not have capacity to cover. It now
operates as a stand-alone entity with eight full-time employees.
It is really no wonder Veriha Trucking is successful.
At age 40, Smerchek is at the late end of the Generation Xers.
They are independent, resourceful, and self-sufficient. They
value freedom and responsibility in the workplace. Many in this
generation display a casual disdain for authority and structured
work hours. They dislike being micromanaged and embrace a
hands-off management philosophy.
Quite a complement to someone with a strong work ethic
and who is self-assured, competitive, goal-centric, team
oriented and disciplined.
Veriha Trucking, Inc. offers its
drivers a variety of route options.
The average length of haul for
truckload drivers is 370 miles,
but there are routes available with
over a 1,000-mile length of haul
for drivers who choose that work.
There is also a group of homedaily
drivers who carry two to four
loads a day.
Founded: 1978
TCA Member Since 1998
President: Karen Smerchek
VP of Operations: Leigh Olsen
Director of Driver Recruitment:
Kim Ducane
250 Power Units
All four of the Veriha siblings
work at the company. From
left, Karen, Joe, Kim and Jeff.
TCA 2019 www.Truckload.org | TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY 39

Memphis,
The Truckload Carriers Association hosted its 38th Annual Safety &
Security Division Meeting June 2-4 at the Guest House at Graceland
in Memphis, Tennessee. The event has consistently brought truckload
carrier safety professionals together to discuss problems, share ideas,
and seek solutions to make their businesses and our roads safer. This
year, nearly 200 attendees had the opportunity to hear from industry
executives during the following panels: “Safety Vision – Industry
Outlook: Beyond Safety,” “Safety Culture Change through the Years,”
“Safety Perspectives – A Panel Discussion of Past and Present Winners”
and “The Top 10 Things that will Put You in Court and How to Avoid
Them.”
New this year, FMCSA Administrator Ray Martinez joined TCA’s David
Heller for an inaugural “FMCSA Fireside Chat,” moderated by SiriusXM
Radio Host Mark Willis.
The event also offered its highly popular “Safety in the Round” sessions,
which gave attendees the opportunity to draw knowledge from the group
to solve common safety management and human resource problems.
Topics included workers’ compensation issues, employee/employer
communication, improving driver-hiring procedures, among others.
In addition to specialized educational sessions, attendees made
the most of several networking opportunities and were able to learn
about the latest products and services in the sold-out exhibit hall.
Special thanks to our exhibitors: Omnitracs; Cura Emergency Services;
EBE Technologies; DriverFacts; HireRight; Creative Concepts; Custard
Insurance; TruckRight; Drivers Legal Plan; Add on Systems, Inc.; Driver
iQ; Netradyne; Idelic; NATMI; Napa River Insurance / Hudson Insurance
Group; J.J. Keller & Associates, Inc.; Incentive Management Group;
CDL Legal; Corporate Medical Services; Luma Brighter Learning;
Pulsar Informatics; Instructional Technologies Inc.; Lytx; FSSolutions;
SmartDrive Systems; Frontier Adjusters; Psychemedics Corporation;
SuperVision; DriverTech; and Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems.
To view additional photos from the event, visit www.truckload.org/
Flickr. To see updates and photos from colleagues, search #TCASafety19
on social media networks.
“To have the opportunity
to hear FMCSA Administrator
Ray Martinez and David
Heller of the TCA staff asked
questions by Mark Willis was
fantastic. Ray Martinez is very
transparent and really listens
to the people impacted by his
decisions. The vendors did
a fantastic job of explaining
their wares ... throughout the
event.”
1 2
Neil Voorhees
Safety Director
Southern Refrigerated Transport
3
4 5
6 7 8
40 TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY | www.Truckload.org TCA 2019

9 10 11
12
13
16
“I am always so impressed
with TCA’s Safety & Security
Division Meeting. The TCA
team has always been an
incredible resource for us, and
the work they put into this
conference to make it relevant
to issues safety professionals
are dealing with. We walk away
with answers to questions we
didn’t even know we had yet.
Thank you, TCA, for all you do
to help ensure our fleets are
safe, compliant, and on the
cutting edge of technology!”
14 15
Emory A. Mills, CDS
Director of Safety & Driver Administration
FTC Transportation
17 18
8
1. TCA’s Vice President of Government Affairs David Heller talks with
FMCSA Administrator Ray Martinez during TCA’s inaugural “FMCSA
Fireside Chat.” Special thanks to Hudson Insurance Group, who made
the chat possible. Moderator SiriusXM Radio Host Mark Willis, right,
listens in. 2. Halvor Lines Inc.’s Chief Risk Officer Adam Lang talks
during a general session panel discussion. 3. TCA President John
Lyboldt announces during Monday’s general session that FreightWaves
has acquired StakUp Inc., TCA inGauge’s software platform as of June 1.
Read full press release at truckload.org/newsroom. 4. Don Osterberg
speaks during the “Safety Culture Change through the Years” portion
at Monday’s general session. 5. Tennessee Trucking Association’s
Director of Safety Jeremy Snapp welcomes attendees to the state
of Tennessee Sunday afternoon. Snapp captured the attention of
attendees by sharing top 10 facts about the Volunteer State. 6. TCA
awards its 2019 TCA Safety Professional of the Year - Clare C. Casey
Award to John Christner Trucking Inc.’s John Mallory, second from right.
Pictured from left are TCA President John Lyboldt, Maverick USA’s Dean
Newell, Bison Transport’s Garth Pitzel, Mallory and Melton Truck Lines
Inc.’s Angie Buchanan. 7. Attendees participate in Safety in the Round
workshops Monday afternoon. These highly popular sessions use
group knowledge to solve common safety management and human
resource problems. 8. Past and present TCA Safety Professional of the
Year - Clare C. Casey Award recipients speak during a panel discussion.
9. Congratulations to Bison Transport, the grand prize winner in the
large carrier division of TCA’s 43rd Annual Fleet Safety Awards. Pictured
from left are FMCSA Administrator Ray Martinez, Bison Transport’s
Director of Safety and Driver Development Garth Pitzel, and contest
sponsor Great West Casualty Company’s John Joines. 10. The Guest
House at Graceland hosted the meeting. 11. Congratulations to Grand
Island Express, the grand prize winner in the small carrier division of
TCA’s 43rd Annual Fleet Safety Award winners. Pictured from left are
FMCSA Administrator Ray Martinez, Grand Island Express Inc.’s Safety
Director Lucas Mowery, and contest sponsor, Great West Casualty
Company’s John Joines. 12. The exhibition scavenger hunt winner was
chosen during Tuesday’s general session. Congratulations to Riverside
Transport Inc.’s Orientation Manager/Safety and Compliance/HR
Amber Whillock, who won a $100 Omaha Steak Package. 13. The 2019
TCA Safety Professional of the Year-Clare C. Casey Award was presented
to John Christner Trucking Inc.’s John Mallory. 14. Safety Council
Chairman and G&P Trucking Inc.’s Ben Harman thanks attendees for
attending the meeting. 15. National Carriers Inc.’s Director of Safety Jill
Maschmeier has fun with attendees as she channels her inner fortuneteller
skills during Tuesday’s “Ensuring Onboarding Success” workshop.
16. The 43rd Annual Fleet Safety Award winners pose for a group
photo with FMCSA Administrator Ray Martinez, second from the left,
back row, and Great West Casualty Company’s Vice President of Safety
John Joines, far left. 17. Challenger Motor Freight’s Dan Einwechter,
center, shares insights during Sunday afternoon’s general session. He
is joined by Big G Express Inc.’s Randy Vernon, and TCA Chairman and
Earl L. Henderson Trucking Company’s Josh Kaburick, right. 18. Truckers
Against Trafficking’s Training Specialist Louie Greek shared staggering
trafficking statistics.
TCA 2019 www.Truckload.org | TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY 41

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Now accepting:
John Christner Trucking’s
John Mallory recipient of
Clare C. Casey Award
By Marli Hall
John Mallory, recipient
of the 2019 TCA Safety
Professional of the
Year — Clare C. Casey
Award, serves on the
American Trucking
Associations’ Safety
Management Council
for driver recognition
and accident review.
The Truckload Carriers Association
has named John Mallory, John Christner
Trucking’s director of safety, as the 2019
TCA Safety Professional of the Year — Clare
C. Casey Award recipient. The award was
presented during TCA’s 38th Annual Safety
& Security Division Meeting in Memphis,
Tennessee.
John Christner Trucking is located in
Sapulpa, Oklahoma.
The award is bestowed upon a trucking
industry professional whose actions and
achievements have made a profound
contribution to enhancing safety on North
America’s highways.
“John has an absolute passion for our
industry, particularly making it safer,” said
Shannon Crowley, John Christner Trucking’s
vice president of risk management. “He
spends much of his free time in pursuit of
just that.”
In addition to being employed by
John Christner Trucking for 13 years in its
safety department as well as being a thirdgeneration
professional truck driver for more than two decades, Mallory has an
extensive list of other accomplishments.
“His tenacity is what got him in the door and that same tenacity is what led him
to achieving his Certified Director of Safety designation and becoming our director of
safety,” Crowley said.
During his career, Mallory has served on the Oklahoma Safety Management
Council for 12 years, is a member of the Oklahoma Trucking Association, and
serves on the American Trucking Associations’ Safety Management Council for
driver recognition and accident review.
He is also a recipient of John Christner Trucking, Inc.’s Pete Osborne Lifetime
Achievement Award in 2017; Oklahoma State Management Council’s Past Chairman
Award; and Oklahoma Trucking Association’s 2012 Safety Professional of the Year.
He serves as a judge, chairman, and as “The Duck” mascot at the Oklahoma Truck
Driving Championships.
“John is also active in other organizations such as Truckers Against Trafficking,” said
his wife, Dianne Mallory, who nominated him for this award. “He is most loved by
many for his role as ‘The Duck.’”
He serves on the Tulsa Tech Truck Driving School advisory council, is a member,
usher and greeter at Life Church in Owasso and Catoosa, Oklahoma, and is active in
the Owasso Police Department K9 unit training canines and officers how to maneuver
around and inside 18-wheelers. He also participates in the annual Sapulpa Truck Touch.
On behalf of John Christner Trucking, Mallory has accepted numerous Fleet Safety
Awards from TCA, several other industry associations, and both Walmart and Tyson
Foods.
“If there is someone more deserving of this recognition, I haven’t met them,”
Crowley said.
Nominees for TCA’s award must exemplify leadership and demonstrate the goals of
protecting lives and property in the motor transportation industry while serving their
company, industry, and the motoring public. The award is named after Clare Casey, a
safety professional who actively served TCA from 1979 until 1989. He was devoted to
ensuring that all truckload safety professionals build a strong safety network and was
instrumental in forming the first Safety & Security Division meeting in 1982. The first
Clare C. Casey Award was presented in 1990, one year after his death.
For more information about the award, visit truckload.org.
42 TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY | www.Truckload.org

A QUICK LOOK AT IMPORTANT TCA NEWS
SMALL
A QUICK LOOK AT
IMPORTANT TCA NEWS
TALK
Highway Angels
Peter Lester, Sam Dyess, and Michael Morgan have been named
Highway Angels by the Truckload Carriers Association in recognition
of heroic action while on duty.
Lester, who lives in Vero Beach, Florida, and is a professional truck
driver for Carroll Fulmer Logistics Corp. of Groveland, Florida, is being
recognized for saving a fellow truck driver’s life and thwarting fire at
a facility.
Dyess, who lives in Killeen, Texas, and is a professional truck
driver for Melton Truck Lines of Tulsa, Oklahoma, is being recognized
for assisting a couple whose vehicle was pushed into his truck on a
mountain overpass during a blizzard.
Morgan, who lives in San Angelo, Texas, and is also a professional
truck driver for Melton Truck Lines of Tulsa, Oklahoma, is being recognized
for his willingness to assist motorists after they lost control of
their SUV on a slick road and veered off the highway.
On December 8, 2018, Lester
was making an early morning
delivery at the Coca-Cola facility
in Jacksonville, Florida. There
were a few parking spots available
on a residential street, so
Lester pulled in to do some paperwork
as he had arrived early
to the delivery. There were two
trucks parked there already, and
there was just enough room for
Lester to back in behind the second
truck. Once he got settled,
he noticed a light coming from
the front of the first truck that
seemed out of place. He realized
PETER LESTER it was not a light, but a flame, and
he then saw smoke coming out
from under the front wheels of the truck.
He pulled around and started to blow his horn in an effort to alert
the driver, not knowing if someone was in the cab or not.
“I pulled the airhorn to notify anyone in there and the truck in front
of him, as well,” he said. “The flames then all broke out and more
smoke came rushing out. I hit the horn again with one hand and
called 911 with the other.”
Lester pulled his truck up to the Coca-Cola entrance to alert the
guard that there was a fire near the premises, which backs up to a
wooded area. By that point the fire department was on its way, so
Peter knew first responders would be able to take it from there. Although
Lester never saw anyone get out of the trucks, he later found
out there were people in both trucks, and saw the second truck pull
out to safety.
“I’ve been driving since 1984 and I’ve never seen anything blow
up the way this did so quickly,”
Lester said. It started out looking
like headlights, and then
mushroomed into flames. I
don’t believe the security guard
would have noticed, so I am glad
I pulled in when I did.”
On November 24, 2018, Dyess
was just west of Cheyenne, Wyoming,
going over the mountains
on Interstate 80 with a load on
his flatbed headed west to Washington.
The day was overcast
when he’d left Cheyenne, and a
heavy snow had started to fall on
his journey. The temperature was
SAM DYESS
in the low 20s.
“It was really coming down and I couldn’t see the lines in the
road,” Dyess said.
He slowed to 30-40 mph. Three to four inches had already accumulated
by the time he reached an overpass.
There was another truck up ahead of him and a Jeep Wrangler was
traveling between the two trucks. Suddenly, for no apparent reason,
the truck in front of the Wrangler stopped in the middle of the interstate
and the Wrangler stopped behind him. Dyess had plenty of follow
distance and stopped 20-25 feet behind the Wrangler. There was
another truck behind him. Dyess checked his mirrors and a moment
later saw the first truck rolling backward. “We were on an incline. I
don’t know if he missed a gear or was sliding,” he said.
The Wrangler shifted into reverse but could only go so far before
being struck by the first truck and pushed into Dyess’s truck. Dyess
couldn’t roll back because of the truck behind him. The Wrangler’s
spare tire was pushed into Dyess’s front bumper and the force blew
out the back window of the Wrangler. “I was laying on the horn to
get the other trucker’s attention,” Dyess said. “Then it moved forward
and took off, never stopping to check on the Wrangler.” The Wrangler
resumed driving, as did Dyess. He called the safety manager at Melton
to report the incident, relaying the information he was able to get off
the first truck. He followed the Wrangler to the first exit, where they
both pulled to the side of the road. Dyess jumped out and went to
check on the driver and passenger. “They said they were okay and
had called the state troopers but were told it would be at least an hour
before a trooper could arrive.” Dyess invited the driver and his wife to
sit in his warm truck for nearly two hours while they waited. “We had
a great conversation,” Dyess said.
Dyess’s good deed that day didn’t go unnoticed. The couple he
helped contacted Melton Chairman and CEO Bob Peterson with a letter
describing the incident firsthand. The driver and his wife were traveling
home after a holiday weekend spent with family and were grateful
for Dyess’s help. “He offered us water and waited patiently with us.
TCA 2019 www.Truckload.org | TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY 43

TALK
A QUICK LOOK AT IMPORTANT TCA NEWS
SMALL
A QUICK LOOK AT
IMPORTANT TCA NEWS
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We thanked him for his help and then he said something I won’t soon
forget: ‘We are the knights of the highway and it’s our duty to make
sure everyone is safe.’ He possesses an attitude and professionalism
that should make you proud.”
Dyess is humble about his role that day. “I was just doing the right
thing; trying to take care of business and maintain integrity,” he said.
“Being a professional driver, it’s about more than just getting from
Point A to Point B. You also need to take care of everyone around you;
that’s my job.”
It was 8 a.m. February 12, and
Morgan was on Highway 295 en
route to Camden, New Jersey.
He was trying to get ahead of
a heavy storm. It was snowing
and sleeting and the roads were
starting to get bad. Because
of the poor conditions, Morgan
was going about 45 mph in the
right lane. Suddenly, a Lexus SUV
came around on his left and got
just far enough in front of Morgan
for him to see the vehicle’s
license plate before the driver
lost control on the slick road and
spun out of control. Morgan had
MICHAEL MORGAN
just enough time to apply the
brakes, slow the truck, and miss
hitting the SUV by inches before it veered off the road and slammed
into a tree.
Another truck driver traveling behind Morgan saw what happened
and radioed him asking if he was okay and that he would call emergency
services. Morgan pulled his truck to the shoulder and went to
check on the SUV. There was extensive damage to the vehicle. The
driver’s side had hit the tree. All the windows were broken and the
roof was smashed in, preventing the doors from being opened. There
were two men inside. Although they were badly shaken, they didn’t
appear to be injured.
Morgan saw a wedding band on the driver’s hand and started asking
him questions about his family to distract him as they waited for
state troopers to arrive. “He told me he had an 8-month-old son at
home named Michael,” Morgan said with some emotion in his voice.
“I have four kids of my own. I would hope that if something like that
happened to me someone would stop to help. I was raised in a small
community where everyone takes care of everyone,” he said. “You
have to have compassion for others. It’s the right thing to do, otherwise
we’re not doing what we’re supposed to in life.”
For their willingness to assist others in need, TCA has presented
the three drivers with a certificate, patch, lapel pin and truck decals.
Their employers have also received a certificate acknowledging their
driver as a Highway Angel. Since the program’s inception in August
1997, over 1,200 drivers have been recognized as Highway Angels for
the exemplary kindness, courtesy and courage they have displayed
while on the job. EpicVue sponsors TCA’s Highway Angel program.
Do you know of a deserving driver who has completed a good deed
while on the road? Nominate him/her at truckload.org/Highway-Angel.
StakUp is the developer of the TCA “inGauge” online benchmarking
platform used exclusively by the TCA Profitability
Program to compare and contrast financial and operational
performance.
FreightWaves acquires StakUp
FreightWaves, the leading data and content source for the freight
markets, has acquired StakUp Inc. as part of a multifaceted partnership
with the Truckload Carriers Association that will build on a
previously announced data and marketing agreement established in
November 2018.
StakUp is the developer of the “inGauge” online benchmarking
platform, used exclusively by the TCA Profitability Program (TPP) to
compare and contrast financial and operational performance. As the
exclusive software service provider for TPP, StakUp has built a significant
database of carrier and brokerage profiles since its founding in
April 2014 by then-TCA Chairman Ray Haight and StakUp President
Chris Henry.
Henry now has dual roles, continuing as TPP program manager and
also serving as FreightWaves’ vice president of carrier profitability. In
this role, he will enhance the data and features offered through the
FreightWaves SONAR freight intelligence platform, promoting SONAR
features specifically for North American truckload carriers. Jack Porter
has remained as TPP managing director and will work closely with
Henry to achieve growth targets, enhance group meeting content, and
drive strategic direction.
This new partnership between TCA and FreightWaves further fuels
TCA’s membership growth and enhances active participants in the TCA
Profitability Program. The outlined goal is to increase TPP participants
to 2,000 by the end of 2025. In addition to the value of a larger pool
of participants, especially for the curation of best practices and new
initiatives, TCA and FreightWaves will be emphasizing the importance
of increased technological sophistication of member companies.
In addition, FreightWaves and TCA will conduct research to improve
the efficiency and profitability of North American trucking companies
and their related supply chain partners. Quarterly research objectives
will be established to leverage FreightWaves’ growing datasets and
its data scientists. TCA’s government affairs team will work closely
with FreightWaves staff to establish the research objectives.
Also, the two organizations have developed an incentive program,
exclusively for TPP participants, to use the FreightWaves SONAR platform
free for six months (limit of one SONAR seat per member, non-
API access) that began June 1 and will end November 30. Carriers that
join TPP will receive access to SONAR beginning on their join date and
ending on November 30, 2019. Current TPP participants are strongly
encouraged to activate their trial to maximize their evaluation period
before the November 30 deadline.
“Having previously established a close working relationship with
TCA, this acquisition and partnership was the logical extension to
build on each other’s strengths,” said FreightWaves’ founder and CEO
Craig Fuller. “TCA has established the premier benchmarking and
knowledge-sharing platform in trucking. Our goal is to add features,
services and data to enhance the value for current and future TPP participants.
If you are a truckload carrier, this service is a no-brainer.”
44 TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY | www.Truckload.org TCA 2019

“FreightWaves has carved out a unique position in the North
American transportation industry as the data and content provider
of choice,” said TCA Chairman Josh Kaburick, who is CEO of Earl L.
Henderson Trucking Company. “The TCA Profitability Program is an
exceptionally valuable service for participating carriers. Just like any
other business, it is imperative that TPP stays relevant, and expands
its services available to carriers of all sizes.”
To learn more about the TPP, or to take advantage of the SONAR
program, contact Henry at chris@tcaingauge.com.
Refrigerated Division Meeting
It’s not too late to register for TCA’s 36th Annual Refrigerated Division
Meeting, scheduled for Wednesday, July 10 through Friday, July
12 at the Sunriver Resort in Sunriver, Oregon.
The meeting kicks off with fellowship time — a registration reception
from 2 to 6 p.m. and dinner at 7 p.m.
On Thursday morning there are three Trucking in the Round sessions:
“Legal Update on the Owner-Operator Model and Alternatives,”
with E. Eddie Wayland, partner, King & Ballow; “IT Malware and Ransomware
— Target Trucking,” with Sam Anderson, president and CEO,
Bay and Bay Transportation, Tom Grojean, chairman, Hirschbach Motor
Lines, and Bob Twining, senior director of information technology,
Hirschbach Motor Lines; and “Equipment Spotlight — Reefer Update,”
with Scott Bates, N.A. product manager and marketing, Thermo King
Corporation.
The Thursday morning general session will feature remarks by Refrigerated
Division Chair Wendell Erb, president and CEO of Erb Group
of Companies, and TCA Chairman and Earl L. Henderson Trucking
Company’s Josh Kaburick. The session will continue with a “Refrigerated
Industry Outlook” with John Larkin, managing director, transportation
and logistics, STIFEL Investment Banking, and conclude with an
address by Chris Stirewalt, political editor at FOX News.
There’s golf in the afternoon and a reception and dinner Thursday
evening.
The Trucking in the Round sessions will be repeated Friday at 7:15
a.m. with the general session at 8:30 a.m., beginning with the annual
business meeting followed by remarks by TCA President John Lyboldt.
The meeting will end with a panel discussion, “Building A Stronger
Supply Chain Network,” featuring Chris Kozak, director of Contract
Carriers at Tyson Foods; Greg Hancock, transportation manager at
Nestle USA; and panel moderator Jack Porter, managing director of
the TCA Profitability Program.
To register, visit truckload.org.
TCA, ATFI Continue to Advocate for
Better Solutions
The Truckload Carriers Association has partnered again this year
with the Alliance for Toll Free Interstates (ATFI), a national coalition
that includes individuals, businesses, and organizations working to
maintain the longstanding policy of protecting existing interstates
from new tolls.
As a partner, TCA is working with like-minded businesses and organizations
to push back against tolls. ATFI and TCA have been working
diligently to fight tolls in several different states.
As of May, Connecticut is undergoing a heavy battle on how to
finance its Special Transportation Fund to support its transportation
Connecticut and Maryland have recently joined the charge
when it comes to abusing tolling policy and creating harmful
transportation solutions.
system. At the start of the 2019 Connecticut General Assembly session,
Gov. Ned Lamont proposed establishing electronic tolls on Interstates
84, 91 and 95 and on the Merritt Parkway. Lamont thinks tolls
could raise $800 million annually and as much as 40% of revenues
could come from out-of-state travelers. Republican legislators have
offered a counterproposal, named Prioritize Progress, which would
steer clear of tolls. Lamont also began to push for public-private partnerships
(known as “P3s”) to help find a suitable funding solution.
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan wants to expand several toll interstates
in the metropolitan Washington, D.C., area using P3s. Hogan thinks
the project would reduce congestion in the region, which has some
of the most gridlocked roads in the nation. Challengers say the governor’s
approach focuses too much on highways and not enough on
transit and other forms of transportation. Opponents tried to block the
project at the Maryland statehouse this year, but their efforts were
unsuccessful. The state is presently conducting environmental impact
studies about the project.
Rhode Island has led the charge when it comes to abusing tolling
policy and creating harmful transportation solutions. In the winter of
2016, Rhode Island passed RhodeWorks, a bill to create an entire network
of new tolls across the state. The plan exploits a federal exemption
that is meant to repair lone, ailing bridges, and instead creates a statewide
tolling system. The implementation so far has been rocky, with the
state facing both constitutional and legal hurdles, including the American
Trucking Associations filing of a federal lawsuit against the state.
Taking its lead from Rhode Island’s use of the federal bridge exemption,
Indiana began to look at tolling its highways in 2017, when
a transportation package passed by the Indiana General Assembly allowed
for the study and consideration of tolling practically all major
Indiana highways. After months of debate, in November 2018, Indiana
Governor Eric Holcomb announced he would not move forward with
adding tolls on Indiana roads. ATFI was central to pushing the antitolls
message in Indiana. Since 2017, ATFI has run NoTollsIndiana.
com and facebook.com/notollsindiana. The campaign continues to
encourage Hoosiers to oppose tolls in Indiana through emails and
social media. Their website petition has received more than 3,700
signatures and over 1,000 emails to Indiana legislators have been
generated.
During the 2019 Virginia General Assembly session, there were
several bills to toll Interstate 81. ATFI partnered with the state trucking
association, Virginia Manufacturers Association and several other
trade associations to oppose the toll proposals. After defeating that
legislation during the regular session, six weeks later when legislators
returned to consider vetoed legislation, the General Assembly
adopted a series of tax increases and higher fees to fund improvements
to I-81. This was coupled with an informal agreement that the
current administration would not seek tolls on I-81 in the future.
ATFI and TCA will continue to work together to stop tolls from
spreading across the country. For more information, visit tollfreeinterstates.com.
TCA 2019 www.Truckload.org | TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY 45

MARK YOUR
CALENDAR
JULY 2019
>> July 10-12 — 36th Annual Refrigerated Division
Meeting, Sunriver Resort, Bend, Oregon
SEPTEMBER 2019
>> September 5 — TCA Profitability Program Seminar,
Hyatt Regency O’Hare, Chicago
>> September 6 — Independent Contractor & Open
Deck Division Meeting, Hyatt Regency O’Hare, Chicago
The Truckload Carriers
Association welcomes
companies that
joined our association in
April and May.
Leavitt’s Freight
Service
Cox Transfer, Inc.
Platform Science
Luma
ELD Solutions
April 2019
May 2019
Valmont Industries
Corporate Medical
Services
Emerson & Elder PC
Pan American Express
Sawyer & Finn Logistics
Openforce
>> September 24 – TCA’s Fall Business Meetings,
Washington, D.C.
>> September 25 – TCA’s Third Annual Call on
Washington, Washington, D.C.
NOVEMBER 2019
>> November 20 – Third Annual Bridging Border
Barriers, Lionhead Golf Club, Brampton, Ontario
MARCH 2020
>> March 1-3 — TCA’s 82nd Annual Convention, Gaylord
Palms Resort and Convention Center, Kissimmee,
Florida
JUNE 2020
>> June 7-9 – 39th Annual Safety & Security Division
Meeting, Louisville Marriott Downtown Hotel, Louisville,
Kentucky
MARCH 2021
>> March 7-9 — TCA’s 83rd Annual Convention, Gaylord
Opryland Resort and Convention Center, Nashville,
Tennessee
For more information or to register for the events, visit truckload.
org/Upcoming-Events or contact TCA at (703) 838-1950.
46 TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY | www.Truckload.org

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