TheTruckerNewspaper-February_15-29-2020

Vol. 33, No. 4
www.thetrucker.com February 15-29, 2020
Fallout from Celadon bankruptcy continues to
impact trucking industry; sale of assets underway
Official White House Photo
by Shealah Craighead
Trump signs USMCA
President Donald Trump
signed into law a major rewrite
of the rules of trade with
Canada and Mexico. The new
United States-Mexico-Canada
Agreement replaces the
North American Free Trade
Agreement (NAFTA).
Page 3
Navigating the news
Mack attacks new market.......4
Infastructure framework..........5
Truckload 2020.......................6
Fit to Pass..............................7
Pilot rebrands.........................9
Tolls research.......................13
Ask the Attorney...................15
At the Truck Stop..................16
Rhythm of the Road.............18
Tonnage update....................19
Fleet Focus...........................20
Roadcheck moved up...........23
Celebrating diversity.............25
Courtesy: TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY
Iconic trucker dies
John Ray, a former NASCAR
driver and Talladega
Superspeedway icon, died late
last month at the age of 82. He
was widely known for his big
rig sporting a giant American
flag driving Talladega’s
speedway during the track’s
national anthem performances.
Page 25
Kris Rutherford
krisr@thetrucker.com
It’s been more than two months since Celadon,
a carrier based in Indianapolis and serving the
U.S., Canada and Mexico, abruptly shut its doors
only hours before filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
During the weeks since the announcement, many
former Celadon drivers have taken jobs with other
companies, carriers have worked to cover the vacated
market share and the initial shock felt throughout
the trucking industry has begun to fade.
For Celadon’s trustees, bankruptcy courts and
remaining executives, work to wind down operations
continues. As court documents are unsealed,
the story of Celadon’s demise and aftermath continues
to be written.
Late last month, a release of court documents
revealed the days prior to declaring bankruptcy,
Celadon missed a scheduled payment to a partner,
TAD Logistics, and requested a loan from the
same partner to continue operations. Rejecting
the demand, TAD Logistics demanded payment
within 48 hours. A day later, Celadon executives
referred all future TAD Logistics correspondence
to its bankruptcy attorney. TAD Logistics responded
by filing a $6.2 million lawsuit against
the company.
The timeline of the missed payment and reference
to a bankruptcy attorney came days before
Celadon informed employees via a late-night electronic
message that it had ceased operations. Drivers
became stranded across the country when their
fuel cards were deactivated. While Celadon claimed
iStock Photo
The interim final rule notice released by the
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
extends the compliance date for the ELDT final
rule to February 7, 2022.
Associated Press: THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR, MATT KRYGER
More court documents are being released regarding Celdon’s demise. In this photo taken prior to the
bankruptcy filing, a Celadon driver conducts a pre-drive inspection at the Celadon headquarters.
the bankruptcy was an emergency response to
financial conditions, based on the court documents,
the company had a minimum of 11 days
before its announcement to inform employees of
the pending closing of operations.
Four days following the report of the lawsuit,
information emerged from court filings in Canada,
where Celadon employed 200 individuals
FMCSA issues interim final rule delaying
entry-level driving training regulations
THE TRUCKER NEWS SERVICES
WASHINGTON — The Federal Motor Carrier
Safety Administration recently released an interim
final rule that calls for a two-year delay in implementation
of the agency’s December 8, 2016, final
rule “Minimum Training Requirements for Entry-
Level Commercial Motor Vehicle Operators,” more
commonly known as the ELDT final rule.
The FMCSA asked for comments on the delay.
The interim final rule extends the compliance
date from February 7, 2020, to February 7, 2022.
The notice, posted in the Federal Register, said
the delay in the compliance date would provide the
FMCSA additional time to complete development of
the Training Provider Registry (TPR), which will allow
training providers to self-certify that they meet
the training requirements and will provide the electronic
interface that will receive and store (ELDT)
certification information from training providers and
under a subsidiary company, Hyndman Transport.
While the same information remained
sealed in U.S. court documents, the Canadian
court released documents in which Celadon requested
$900,000 to be set aside for three executives
to “wind-down” the company’s operations.
The documents included a statement from
See Celadon on p8 m
transmit that information to the state driver licensing
agencies (SDLAs).
The FMCSA said the extension also provides SD-
LAs with time to modify their information technology
systems and procedures, as necessary, to accommodate
their receipt of driver-specific ELDT data
from the TPR.
The FMCSA said it was delaying the entire ELDT
final rule, as opposed to a partial delay, because of
delays in implementation of the TPR that were not
foreseen when the proposed rule was published.
The Federal Register notice was not a surprise
to the trucking industry because the FMCSA in
late November announced it was preparing the notice,
but did not know when it would be published.
“Following a careful review of the public comments
regarding the Entry-Level Training (ELDT)
rule, FMCSA is extending the rule’s implementation
See Rule on p12 m

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Nation February 15-29, 2020 • 3
Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead
President Donald Trump shakes hands with Rhonda Hartman, a line haul driver for Old
Dominion Freight from Des Moines, Iowa, during the signing ceremony for the USMCA trade
agreement. Hartman is a former ATA America’s Road Team captain. Several professional
truck drivers — members of America’s Road Team — were in attendance.
Trump signs USMCA into law; ATA
hails agreement, commends president
THE TRUCKER NEWS SERVICES
WASHINGTON — President Donald
Trump has now signed into law a major rewrite
of the rules of trade among the U.S., Canada
and Mexico.
Trump said the new United States-Mexico-Canada
Agreement (USMCA) replaces
what he calls the “nightmare” of a Clintonarea
agreement that governed trade among
the three countries.
Trump made renegotiating the North
American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) a
priority during his 2016 campaign.
American Trucking Associations leaders
hailed the signing, ATA President and CEO
Chris Spear and 12 professional truck drivers
from ATA member companies were in attendance.
“[The] signing ceremony is the beginning
of the next phase in our strong and productive
relationship with Mexico and Canada,” said
ATA President and CEO Chris Spear. “ATA and
our members are proud to have been engaged
throughout the process, attending the ministerial
conferences and working with the administration
and our trucking partners in Canada and Mexico
to shape this final outcome. We commend President
Trump for making this a top priority of his
presidency and seeing it through to completion.”
Trump said the previous agreement encouraged
factories to leave the U.S. and relocate
south of the border to take advantage of
low-wage Mexican labor.
He says the new deal with Canada and
Mexico will keep jobs, wealth and growth
in America.
Experts say the impact will be modest,
given that Canada and Mexico already
represent the top two export markets for
U.S. goods.
But the pact Trump signed, along with
a “phase one” agreement with China, dials
down trade tensions that contributed to slowing
economic growth globally.
Trump has been eager to show off a big
policy win during his impeachment trial by
signing the new trade agreement into law.
Spear said the new agreement is projected
to increase annual U.S. exports to Canada
and Mexico by a combined $33 billion above
the current NAFTA baseline. The agreement
is also expected to increase U.S. GDP by
$68 billion, stimulating broad sectors of the
economy that the trucking industry serves,
like agriculture and manufacturing.
The following professional truck drivers—
members of America’s Road Team—were in
attendance, representing a combined 33.2 million
safe-driving miles throughout their collective
careers: Ina Daly, XPO Logistics; Steve
Fields, YRC Freight; David Green, Werner
Enterprises; Rhonda Hartman, Old Dominion
Freight Line; John Lex, Walmart Transportation;
Don Logan, FedEx Freight; Charlton
Paul, UPS Freight; Dion Saiz, FedEx Freight;
See Trade on p11 m
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4 • February 15-29, 2020 Nation
THETRUCKER.COM
Mack attacks medium-duty market with Class 6, 7
models that draw inspiration from Class 8 Anthem
Wendy Miller
wendym@thetrucker.com
SALEM, Va. — Mack Trucks announced
late last month that it is bringing a new bulldog
into the market with the creation of the Mack
MD Series of medium-duty trucks. To produce
this new product line, the company has also
opened a new facility in Salem, Virginia.
Mack has made a $13 million investment
to establish its Roanoke Valley Operations
(RVO) facility, which is being used for equipment,
tooling and building enhancements in
the 280,000-square-foot facility dedicated to
the assembly of this new product line. Virginia
Gov. Ralph Northam also approved a $700,000
grant from the Commonwealth’s Opportunity
Fund for the project.
“The reason that companies want to come
to places like Roanoke County is because we
have one of the most talented workforces,”
Northam said during an unveiling event on Jan.
30. “We are truly blessed to have great colleges
and universities and community colleges that
are very nimble and able to train individuals
that can go into these jobs.”
The Mack MD6, a Class 6 model, has a
gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 25,995
pounds, and the MD7, a Class 7 model, has a
GVWR of 33,000 pounds. Both models are exempt
from the 12% federal excise tax (FET).
The MD6 model does not require a CDL to operate
for non-hazardous payloads. Production
will begin in July.
“We could not be more pleased and honored
to be in this great part of the Commonwealth of
Virginia,” said Martin Weissburg, Mack Trucks
president. “This facility will carry on the Mack
tradition of 120 years.”
The opening of the new facility will create
250 new jobs in the area when all available positions
are staffed, according to Jonathan Randall,
senior vice president of North American
sales and marketing for Mack. Randall added
that the new facility will not have any impact
on the operations at any other Mack facilities,
including the Lehigh Valley Operations facility
located outside of Allentown, Pennsylvania,
which is where Mack’s heavy-duty, Class
8 trucks are produced.
On Jan. 9, Mack announced that 305 employees
would be laid off at LVO, which represented
a 13% reduction in force at the plant.
Those cuts were expected to be made by the
end of February and were not surprising as
Mack said late last year that it would need to
slow production to cope with reduced Class
8 demand. Mack expects the North American
truck market to be down nearly 30% this year.
“It is unfortunate that we had to take the
steps that we had to take in responding to the
Class 8 market,” Randall said. “We continue
to make and will make significant investments
into LVO and that is where we will absolutely
continue to build our Class 8 vehicles. When
we open the positions here, any of those employees
are certainly welcome to apply.”
The Mack MD series lineup will, however,
draw inspiration from the Class 8 vehicles that
are produced at LVO. Roy Horton, director of
product strategy for Mack, said that some of
the familiar features from the Mack Anthem
helped to create unique selling points for the
new product line.
“We’ve got the same bold, unique look that
we have with our heavy-duty product for our
medium-duty product,” Horton said.
In the interior of the MD Series trucks, Horton
said features such as a wraparound dash,
ergonomic controls, telescopic and tilt steering
columns as well as a flat-bottom steering
wheel for “a little more room” will transition
from the heavy-duty world into the mediumduty
market.
There were also many small details that
Mack duplicated from its heavy-duty line including
power windows and locks, optional
two-passenger bench seating with storage
underneath as well as door panels and other
panels in the cab, which makes the cab very
quiet, Horton added. Other features resembling
those of the heavy-duty models include an airsuspended
cab and chassis components, such
as 120,000 psi frame rails.
The launch of the new product line is a step
toward ensuring that Mack can provide a full
spectrum of offerings to its current customers.
Mack exited the medium-duty market in 2002
and has since had a gap in its “family portrait.”
“We have a lot of customers today who run
our Class 8 product but have medium-duty
needs,” Randall said. “They really want to
work with one OEM and have a single-source
provider. It is an expansion of our ability to
meet the market demand.”
Randall said that the market for mediumduty
trucks typically remains steady at between
90,000 to 100,000 trucks each year in the U.S.
and Canada with three fourths of them being
Class 6 models, which allows Mack to enter
the pick-up-and-delivery portion of the market.
On the hood of these medium-duty trucks,
the iconic bulldog will be there, but it won’t be
The Trucker: Wendy Miller
The Mack MD6, a Class 6 model, has a gross
vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 25,995
pounds, and the MD7, a Class 7 model, has
a GVWR of 33,000 pounds. Both will feature
a silver bulldog as a hood ornament, which
represents that some components are not
proprietary to Mack Trucks.
the gold ornaments that are seen on the heavy
duty-models. Instead, it will be silver, which
means that a vendor product is utilized for the
transmission, axles or engine instead of every
component being proprietary to Mack.
“For those medium-duty components that
don’t currently exist in our product portfolio,
we’ve partnered with several suppliers that are
already in the industry for engines, transmissions
and axles and all along the way, we’ve
created unique selling points to help differentiate
us from the market that we are reentering,”
Horton said.
Randall added that even though the bulldog
is silver, “it is still a Mack and application excellence
is still our guiding principle.” 8
USPS 972
Volume 33, Number 4
February 15-29, 2020
The Trucker is a semi-monthly, national newspaper for the
trucking industry, published by Trucker Publications Inc. at
1123 S. University, Suite 325
Little Rock, AR 72204-1610
Chief Executive Officer
Bobby Ralston
bobbyr@targetmediapartners.com
Trucking Division General Manager
Megan Cullingford-Hicks
meganh@targetmediapartners.com
Managing Editor
Wendy Miller
wendym@thetrucker.com
Staff Writer
Kris Rutherford
krisr@thetrucker.com
Production Manager
Rob Nelson
robn@thetrucker.com
Graphic Artist
Christie McCluer
christie.mccluer@thetrucker.com
Special Correspondents
Cliff Abbott
cliffa@thetrucker.com
Lyndon Finney
lyndonf@thetrucker.com
National Marketing Consultants
Jerry Critser
jerryc@targetmediapartners.com
Dennis Ball
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John Hicks
johnh@targetmediapartners.com
Meg Larcinese
megl@targetmediapartners.com
Greg McClendon
gregmc@targetmediapartners.com
Steve McPherson
stevem@targetmediapartners.com
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Nation February 15-29, 2020 • 5
Democrats release ‘framework’ for 5-year, $760 billion investment in infrastructure
THE TRUCKER NEWS SERVICES
WASHINGTON — The chairs of three
U.S. House Committees have released what
they called a framework for a five-year, $760
billion investment in infrastructure that would
address some of the country’s most urgent
transportation issues, from the massive maintenance
backlog, to designing safer streets, to
putting the U.S. on a path toward zero emissions
from the transportation sector and increasing
resiliency.
The plan put forth by Transportation and
Infrastructure Committee Chair Peter DeFazio,
D-Ore., Energy and Commerce Committee
Chair Frank Pallone, D-N.J., and Ways and
Means Committee Chair Richard Neal, D-
Mass., would bolster the Federal role in order
to help communities around the country undertake
transformative projects that are smarter,
safer and made to last.
Among other things, the three chairmen
said the framework outlines major investments,
including those in highways, rail and
transit systems, airports, ports and harbors,
wastewater and drinking water infrastructure,
brownfields, and broadband.
They said it’s infrastructure investment that
is smarter, safer and made to last — with a
framework that:
• Brings existing infrastructure into a state of
good repair and enables the completion of critical
projects through long-term, sustainable funding.
• Sets a path toward zero carbon pollution
from the transportation sector, creating jobs,
protecting our natural resources, promoting environmental
justice, and increasing resiliency
to climate change.
• Ensures a transportation system that is
green, affordable, reliable, efficient and provides
access to jobs
• Provides safe, clean and affordable water
and wastewater services.
• Prioritizes the safety of the traveling public.
• Helps combat climate change by creating
good-paying jobs in clean energy, investing in
energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas
pollution.
• Expands broadband internet access for
unserved and underserved rural, suburban and
urban communities.
• Modernizes 911 public safety networks.
• Creates family-wage jobs with Davis-Bacon
and other strong worker protections.
• Supports U.S. industries, including steel
and manufacturing, through strong Buy America
protections
“Our country has changed dramatically
since the 1950s, yet people and goods are now
literally stuck trying to move on transportation
networks first developed nearly 70 years
ago. It’s past time for transformational investments
to make our infrastructure smarter,
safer, and resilient to climate change, or else
we will keep throwing money at an antiquated
system that is only holding us and our economy
back,” DeFazio said. “The framework
we released today is the launchpad we need
to move forward on those transformational
investments and curb carbon pollution. In the
coming months, I look forward to continuing
our work to make this framework a reality.
The cost of inaction is too great.”
Transportation and Infrastructure Ranking
Member Sam Graves, R-Mo., reacted to
the announcement by saying he looked forward
to a bipartisan process in the T and I
committee.
“I may not agree with all of the principles
in the majority’s outline, but as the Republican
leader of this committee, I expect to
play a constructive role in the development
of infrastructure bills before us this year, including
expected surface transportation and
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See Framework on p11 m

6 • February 15-29, 2020 Nation
THE TRUCKER NEWS SERVICES
KISSIMMEE, Fla. — The Truckload Carriers
Association’s (TCA) 82nd annual convention
will be held Sunday through Tuesday, March 1-3
at the Gaylord Palms in Kissimmee, Florida.
The theme for the meeting is “Truckload
2020.”
TCA is a trade association whose collective
sole focus is the truckload segment of the motor
carrier industry. Founded in 1938, the association
represents dry van, refrigerated, flatbed,
tanker and intermodal container carriers.
There will be general sessions Monday and
Tuesday, and executive panel discussions Sunday,
Monday and Tuesday.
Beginning Sunday and continuing throughout
the convention TCA will conduct “Trucking
in the Round” breakout session.
An awards banquet Tuesday night concludes
the convention.
The first general session will be Monday
morning and will feature the annual chairman’s
address by TCA Chairman Josh Kaburick,
CEO of Earl L. Henderson Trucking Company
Inc. and the keynote address by former Major
League Baseball’s Iron Man and Hall of Fame
member Cal Ripken Jr.
Ripken spent 21 years playing major
league baseball — all with the Baltimore
Orioles — and set standards for achievement
that are unlikely to be surpassed. During
his career, Ripken compiled 3,184 hits, 431
home runs and 1,695 RBIs, and he won two
Gold Glove Awards for his defensive play.
TCA President John Lyboldt said Ripken will
share a compelling presentation while telling
of lessons of perseverance from the baseball
diamond to business, what it takes to become
an “Iron Man” in your own business and the
eight keys to success in business, from leadership
to loyalty.
The Tuesday morning general session at
8:15 a.m. will include Lyboldt’s presidential
address and remarks by incoming Chairman
Dennis Dellinger, president and CEO of Cargo
Transporters Inc.
Tuesday morning’s featured speaker will be
Curt Cronin, a Navy SEAL for 19 years.
Cronin deployed 13 times and spent more
than four years overseas. In that time, living
and working in an environment where milliseconds
made the difference between life and death
and winning and losing, he honed his talent as
a catalyst for transformation and rose to eventually
lead the nation’s premier SEAL assault
force. In his presentations Lyboldt said Cronin
will address the art of leadership, organizational
change for the information age, and the talent
of harnessing your own courage and heroism to
inspire and empower individuals and teams.
Also Tuesday morning will be an appearance
by Jim Mullen, acting deputy administrator
of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration,
who is responsible for providing
executive leadership and expert guidance on
policy matters.
He will cover the following in his address:
• Reversing the four-year trend of increased
fatalities involving large trucks.
• Potential changes to the Hours of Service
regulations.
• The Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse.
• The FMCSA’s new study to identify factors
to all FMCSA reportable large truck crashes.
The topic of the Sunday afternoon executive
panel discussion will be “Practical Approaches
to Nuclear Verdicts.” Panelists include Daniel
Murray, senior vice president of the American
Transportation Research Institute; Clay Porter,
national outside counsel at Schneider; Doug
Rennie, partner, Montgomery, Rennie, Jonson
law firm; and Charli Morris, a legal communications
consultant.
Monday afternoon’s executive panel at
2:15 p.m. will be a panel discussion on “Leadership
Transition from Today’s Executives featuring
Jon Coca, president, Diamond Transportation
System Inc.; Karen Smerchek, president,
Veriha Trucking Inc.; Kameron Wilson, vice
president, Wilson Logistics; and David Heller,
vice president of government affairs, Truckload
Carriers Association.
THETRUCKER.COM
Truckload 2020: Annual TCA convention to be held March 1-3 in Florida
The Tuesday afternoon executive panel discussion
will be “Current and Future State of
Truckload” with Chris Henry, program manager,
TCA Profitability Program; Jack Porter, program
director, TCA Profitability Program; and Dean
Croke, chief insight officer at FreightWaves.
Lyboldt also announced the Trucking in the
Round topics including:
• Are You Attracting Women to Your Fleet?
• Non-Trucking Engagement and Retention
Tools
• Creating a Winning Orientation Strategy
• Using Research on Driver Commitment to
Improve Retention with an Emphasis on Newto-You
Drivers
• Driver Feedback as Reputation Management:
Take Control of Your Carrier’s Online
Identity
• Bridging the Knowing-Doing Gap to Profitability
• How the Class 8 Cycle Drivers Freight Rates
• Using Technology to Improve Safety Within
Your organization and Effectively Conveying
Those Improvements to Your Insurance Carrier
• Are You Using the Right Coverage for Your
Independent Contractors?
• Get DISC Connected
• 2020 Best Fleets to Drive For: Statistics,
Trends, and Innovations
• Building a Battleplan to Survive AB5 and
the ABC Test
Courtesy: TRUCKLOAD CARRIERS ASSOCIATION
Former Baltimore Oriole Cal Ripken Jr., above,
will deliver the keynote address at the opening
general session of the 82nd annual Truckload
Carriers Association convention on Monday,
March 2. Over 1,000 Truckload Carriers Association
members will attend the convention. TCA
President John Lyboldt (pictured left) will deliver
the president’s address Tuesday, March 3.
• Fraudulent Workers’ Compensation Claims
• Simplify Your Office Through AI
• Assuring the Successful Continuation of
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• Practical Applications to Manage Driver Fatigue
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• Security Logistics — Cargo Theft, Supply
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Nation February 15-29, 2020 • 7
Heart month is a time to remember that drivers are the heart of America
If we treated our tickers as well as our trucks,
not nearly as many truck drivers would have heart
disease. Every year since 1963, the President of
the United States has proclaimed February as
American Heart Month. When you’re on the road,
it’s not hard to spot the warning signs of heart disease
in fellow drivers. The most visible, obesity,
is just one of the problems. Smoking, drinking,
lack of exercise and poor diets all combine to clog
vessels and arteries (and we’re not talking about
rush hour traffic here).
The road to a healthy heart begins with a simple
question. What kind of fuel are you putting in
your engine?
Your doctor or dietician can tell you what to
eat, prescribe an exercise regimen, and help you
stop smoking and drinking, but only you can
make the choice each day to live a lifestyle leading
to improved heart health.
For starters, a few simple tips and questions
to ask yourself:
Eat Colors. You know these foods, assuming
they don’t have “artificial colors” on their labels,
have minerals and vitamins. But you may not realize
eating a variety of fruits and vegetables can help
control weight and lower your blood pressure.
Eat more fish. Add fish to your diet at least
twice a week to boost your omega-3 fatty acids and
help lower your risk of coronary artery disease.
Are you at risk? Heart disease is America’s
No. 1 killer. If any of the following are part of
your lifestyle, medical report, or in your family
history, chances are you are at increased risk of
heart disease: smoking, diabetes, high-cholesterol
levels, high blood pressure, family history of
heart attack, lack of exercise, stress and obesity.
Work in that work out. Regular exercise can
help you maintain your weight and improve your
blood pressure and blood sugar levels. Keeping active
can lower your risk for many chronic diseases,
type 2-diabetes, depression and cancer to name a
few. Just because you can’t get to a gym doesn’t
mean you can’t stay active. Walking, stretching,
push-ups and sit-ups are just a few simple exercises
you can perform almost anywhere.
What type of fuel are you burning? If you
are overweight, eating protein-rich foods instead
of carbohydrates can speed your metabolism.
Studies show people burn fat more quickly after
eating high-protein meals and reducing carbohydrates.
You don’t drive your rig with its lights off
at night; after all, you need to see the road ahead.
Managing your health is similar. Be sure you can
see what’s ahead on the road to health. It’s not
always an open interstate. You will run into roadblocks.
Prepare for them.
There are no big secrets to weight loss, and
there are no ‘quick fixes’ or shortcuts. The steps
to losing weight are straightforward and simple:
eat less, exercise more and even better, do both!
Have you ever put cheap fuel in your truck?
How’d that work out for you? The same applies to
meals. The most common mistake people make
when it comes to to eating is waiting too long
between meals. When our energy levels drop, we
instinctively reach for the closest thing available.
For the trucking lifestyle, that typically means
some sort of processed or fast food.
Plan ahead: When you’re on the go, pack nutritious
snacks to keep your energy level stable.
Then when you are ready to eat, make healthy
choices.
Avoid simple carbs. Simple carbohydrates
may leave a sweet taste in your mouth, but that’s
where the fun ends. Simple carbs are already broken
down to their basic form, meaning your body
quickly converts them to sugar as they enter your
blood stream. A spike in blood sugar releases insulin,
a hormone helping your body to turn the
sugar into energy for movement, growth, repair
of damaged tissues and other needs. But this type
of energy is not what our bodies need.
Fast-rising blood sugar that remains for extended
periods of time, causes an increased workload
on your pancreas. Likewise, elevated blood
sugar won’t help if you’re trying to lose weight.
For you team drivers, it’s a proven fact that
when one partner participates in a weight loss
program, the other is more likely to eat fewer
calories, too. Remember, you don’t drive your
rig with its lights off at night; you need to see
the road ahead. Use the same principle when
managing your health. Be sure you have a clear
view of what’s ahead on the road to health.
Known as The Trucker Trainer by professional
drivers nationwide, Bob Perry brings a unique
perspective to the transportation industry for bus
drivers to OTR truck drivers. Bob comes from a
family of professional drivers and has played a
critical role in the paradigm shift of regulatory
agencies, private and public sector entities, and
consumers to understand the driver health challenge.
He has been a driver-wellness advocate
for over 25 years. For over-the-road workout
programs reach out to Perry at truckertrainer@
icloud.com and for meal suggestions, visit www.
CDLmeals.com. 8
Wondering if an OOIDA
Membership is worth it?
* This figure is for illustrative purposes only and is
based on typical discounts off standard retail
rates. Your specific savings may vary depending
on program participation.
Join OOIDA today and start
enjoying the benefits of membership
Representation • Information • Member Benefits
800-444-5791 • www.ooida.com

8 • February 15-29, 2020 Nation
THETRUCKER.COM
Michigan panel OKs $3.5 billion in borrowing to rebuild state roads, bridges
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
LANSING, Mich. — A state panel has authorized
borrowing $3.5 billion to roughly
double spending on Michigan road and bridge
construction and improvements over five years,
a step Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said is crucial to
address crumbling infrastructure. She also cautioned
that the funds are not a long-term fix to
the state’s highway funding shortage.
The State Transportation Commission, split
evenly among Democrats, Republicans and independents,
unanimously endorsed the Democratic
governor’s plan a day after she unveiled
it in her State of the State speech. The bonds
will boost spending on roads including Interstate
highways, U.S. routes and Michigan state
roads from $3.8 billion to $7.3 billion between
now and September 2024.
“Over the long haul we believe we will actually
be saving money as a result of this. It’s
an important component of any strategy to fix
a crisis as big as the one that we’re confronting,”
Whitmer said.
She stressed that the additional spending
is only for infrastructure designated as the
worst state roads and bridges. Roads controlled
by local governments or agencies are
not eligible.
“I’m hopeful that the Legislature will get
serious about moving forward,” Whitmer said.
She does not intend to unveil a new permanent
road-funding proposal nearly a year
after the Republican-controlled Legislature
blocked her proposed 45-cents-a-gallon fuel
tax increase. GOP legislative leaders worried
that she left the public with the impression that
bonding is the solution, even though she clearly
said it is not long-term funding.
“I’m concerned that we’ve now got people
convinced that she’s magically found money that
can take care of roads, and that’s not the case at
all,” said Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey,
of Clarklake.
Whitmer said the Rebuilding Michigan
bond proceeds will add or expand the scope of
122 major projects, improve high-traffic highways
and other roads with the greatest economic
impact, save money by avoiding future
higher construction costs and rebuild rather
than using the quick fix and temporary repair
of patching pavement. Seventy-three future
projects will start and end sooner than expected
under the revised five-year plan; 49 others will
involve rebuilding rather than patching or resurfacing
roads.
It was unclear if or when Whitmer and Republicans
may resume road-funding talks that
broke down in September and led to a monthslong
budget impasse.
Shirkey and House Speaker Lee Chatfield
chafed at Whitmer’s claim that they had never
countered with a “serious” proposal. They said
the state could remove the sales tax on fuel —
which primarily goes to schools and municipalities
and is not levied in many other states — and
pass an equivalent per-gallon tax at the pump
dedicated to roadwork, raising $900 million with
no tax hike. Funding for education and local governments
could stay intact, they said, if the state
refinanced and delayed the repayment of debt in
the school employees’ retirement system.
“That’s on the table and she needs to respond
to that,” Shirkey said.
Whitmer has opposed such a move because
it would generate less than the net $1.9 billion
she sought, and she has concerns about the proposal’s
impact on K-12 funding.
“I don’t consider (it) a serious solution because
it’s not full, it’s not dedicated. You can’t
make one problem worse to make a little bit of
improvement on another,” she said.
Chatfield, of Levering, pointed to how Whitmer,
in her address, said drivers on state roads
should know that her administration is fixing them.
“She is wanting a loan to trick the people
into thinking that’s a long-term plan so when
iStock Photo
The bonds approved by a Michigan state panel will boost spending on state roads — I-, U.S.-
and M-numbered routes — to $7.3 billion between now and September 2024, from more than
$3.8 billion.
they see an orange barrel, she gets the credit.
This not about who gets the credit. This is not
about checking off a box from a campaign list,”
he said. “This is about fixing the problem, and
until she fixes the root of the problem” — the
sales tax on fuel — “we’re always going to
have a road-funding problem in our state.”
Michigan’s annual debt service on past
State Trunkline Fund bonds is $118 million this
fiscal year and is currently scheduled to drop
gradually and substantially to appoximately $6
million by the 2027-28 budget year. Whitmer’s
administration estimated the $3.5 billion in
borrowing will cost the state $207 million annually
over 25 years.
Former Grand Rapids Mayor George Heartwell,
who serves as an independent on the State
Transportation Commission, said the bonding is
“a smart, cost-effective way to address a looming
crisis on our roads. This is not a permanent fix.
We still need an increased, dedicated source of
revenue from the Legislature to solve the longterm,
going -forward problem. But this will put us
back on track to fixing our Michigan roads.”8
b Celadon from page 1 b
Celadon that it would be “unable to achieve
significant value” during disposition of assets
without the executives. Further, Celadon
states the executives “possess irreplaceable
skills and experience.”
U.S. Trustee Andrew Vara, assigned to
oversee Celadon during its bankruptcy hearings,
opposed the six-digit payments. The
funds are defined as “bonuses,” meaning they
must offer an incentive for the executives to
officially bury Celadon. Vara states there is
no evidence the payments meet the criteria.
Likewise, Vara claims no precedence exists
to allow such payments in a situation like the
one leading to Celadon’s bankruptcy.
A hearing on the matter was held on Jan.
30, with a ruling pending as of press time for
The Trucker.
Just two days before the release of documents
requesting executive bonuses, a
Canadian labor lawyer representing Celadon’s
former employees north of the border
accused the company of delaying its request
Courtesy: BOYLE CONSRUCTION MANAGEMENT
PAM Transport, a carrier based in northwest Arkansas, has purchased Celadon’s Laredo,
Texas, terminal, including over 50 acres of property for $19.8 million.
to have its U.S. bankruptcy ruling accepted
in Canadian courts. The lawyer claimed that
during the six-week delay, Celadon had been
liquidating assets with no consideration of
its Canada operation Hyndman Transport or
its obligations. Eventually, Celadon agreed
to place Hyndman Transport’s assets into a
receivership, an arrangement guaranteeing
former employees in Canada will receive at
least a portion of unpaid compensation when
the assets are sold.
Canadian lawyers and the employees
represented raised a valid claim related to
Celadon’s liquidation of assets. On Jan.
24, the company reached an agreement to
sell its North Carolina subsidiary, Taylor
Express, to White Willow Holding of Newfields,
New Hampshire. The agreed transaction
amount of $14.5 million is only a
fraction of the $43 million Celadon spent in
2015 to acquire the carrier.
In the days since Celadon agreed to
sell Taylor Express, news of a major
liquidation of Celadon’s assets in Texas
emerged. PAM Transport Inc. a carrier based
in northwest Arkansas, agreed to purchase
Celadon’s trucking terminal in Laredo, Texas.
PAM Transport, like Celadon, is a major
carrier in the transcontinental movement of
freight, already serving the U.S., Canada and
Mexico. For its $19.8 purchase, PAM will
take control of Celadon’s former terminal
along the U.S.-Mexico border including its
offices, garage, a 130,000-square-foot warehouse
and 53 acres of property.
Finally, as the deal with PAM Transport
was being announced, Paul Svindland, CEO
of Celadon when the company declared bankruptcy,
was introduced as CEO of Chicagobased
STG Logistics. In its news release,
STC noted Svindland’s 25 years of experience
in the transportation logistics field and
alluded to his work at Celadon as an example
of his familiarity with “managing turnaround
situations.” Svindland initially joined Celadon
in July 2017 — after two of the carrier’s
executives were charged with federal fraud
in a scheme that cost company shareholders
$60 million. 8

THETRUCKER.COM
Nation February 15-29, 2020 • 9
Pilot Flying J rebrands as The Pilot Company,
a nod to the past while preparing for the future
The Trucker File Photo
In 2018, 4,951 people died in crashes involving large trucks, a 46% increase over 2009 data.
Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety
releases ‘2020 Vision for Safety’ report
THE TRUCKER NEWS SERVICES
WASHINGTON — The Advocates for
Highway and Auto Safety (AHAS), an alliance
of consumer, medical, public health and safety
groups and insurance companies and agents,
has released its “2020 Vision for Safety.” The
57-page report outlines areas Advocates will
be focused on improving this year and a stateby-state
report card on all 50 states based on
the passage of 16 laws recommended by the
organization.
Cathy Chase, president of AHAS, noted
that at the start of a new decade, the organization’s
“clear vision is to eradicate the horrific
death and injury toll occurring on our roadways.”
Chase noted that every day, approximately
100 people are killed and nearly 7,500
injured in motor vehicle crashes.
“The economic devastation inflicted on
families from crashes also comes with a significant
annual economic cost of $242 billion,”
Chase said. “This results in each person living
in the U.S. essentially paying a ‘crash tax’ of
$784 every year.”
The “2020 Vision for Safety” is AHAS’
17th annual report, and it focuses on five areas
of motor vehicle laws — occupant protection,
child passenger safety, graduated driver
licensing, novice teen drivers, impaired driving,
and distracted driving. Regardless of the
category, responsibility for increased highway
safety falls on manufacturers of vehicles and
child safety restraints, each state’s Department
of Motor Vehicles, Law Enforcement, manufacturers
of technology such as cell phones,
lawmakers, and motor vehicle operators. The
five areas for law improvement fall under seven
overall issues of concern for AHAS. And,
while only one area of emphasis is truck-specific,
drivers should become educated on all of
the AHAS issues of concern, as they share the
road with motorists less educated and careful
when it comes to safety.
See Safety on p12 m
THE TRUCKER NEWS SERVICES
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — As Pilot Flying J expands
into market segments beyond truck stops
and travel centers, the company has announced it
is taking on a new identity — The Pilot Company.
“The work our team has put into our
60-plus-year legacy has prepared us for what’s
ahead as we set out to advance our next phase
of growth,” said Jimmy Haslam, CEO of Pilot
and son of the company founder. “We are an innovative
company that is the leader in the supply
and distribution of fuel in North America.
As the industry evolves, it’s important that we
do as well. We must continue to expand our
business and develop more capabilities that enable
us to successfully serve our team members
and guests. Pilot Co. is another step in our company’s
bright future.”
The beginnings of Pilot Flying J came in
1958 when Jimmy Haslam’s father bought
a single Virginia gas station. Today, 62 years
later, the company operates about 1,000 travel
centers throughout the U.S., employing 28,000
people. Likewise, Pilot Flying J maintains a
fleet 1,800 tanker trailers and trucks, a number
making the company the third largest operator
of this specialized delivery in the U.S. As
the increased emphasis on the petroleum side
of Pilot Flying J has grown in recent years,
the change to “The Pilot Company” provides
an opportunity for the Pilot to position itself
for expansion, both in current and new market
segments. Essentially, The Pilot Company will
serve as the umbrella organization for existing
and future business efforts.
“It’s actually a way of organizing where we
can explain to our 28,000 team members that
this is what the company really looks like,”
Haslam said. Customers visiting the company’s
existing travel centers, he noted, will not see
anything different or experience any change in
customer service.
Pilot grew modestly until 1981 when various
business transactions and acquisitions
Courtesy: THE PILOT COMPANY
Pilot Flying J has rebranded as The Pilot
Company, debuting a new logo reflecting its
1958 founding as a single Virginia gas station.
enabled the primarily gasoline vendor to grow.
In 2010, Pilot acquired Flying J. Over the next
decade, the company’s annual revenues grew
to $31 billion.
Today, Pilot Flying J’s retail division consists
of two fuel networks — Pilot Flying J and
One9; Parts and Service Solutions and Pilot
Flying J Truck Care service stations; travel
centers under the branded names including Pilot,
Flying J, Mr. Fuel, Stamart, and Pride; a
partnership with Speedway for fuel marketing;
and PJ Fresh and Pilot Coffee food brands. On
the energy side of the company PFJ includes
numerous subsidiaries focusing on everything
from biodiesel to water.
According to Haslam, a large reason driving
Pilot Flying J to engage in other business
sectors is that competition in the travel center
business does not allow for unlimited expansion.
“There’s a finite number of truck stops
you can have in the U.S. and Canada,” Haslam
said. “The growth may be coming to an end.”
For that reason, beginning in 2016 the company
explored related segments of the transportation
business. The change in the company
name does not mean Pilot will stop its travel
center growth. Haslam said the company expects
to open 20 new stores annually through
2022 as well as expand its diesel marketing
agreements. Activity beyond 2022, he says, is
to be determined. 8
ALL THINGS TRUCKING
News • Gear • Reviews • Demos • Rig Report • How-to’s • Trade Shows
@truckbossshow

10 • February 15-29, 2020 Nation
THETRUCKER.COM
THE TRUCKER
News Channel
Join Dave Compton and Jessica Rose every week as they
bring you the only weekly news show just for Truckers.
Tune in and watch at TheTrucker.com

THETRUCKER.COM
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
PHOENIX — Transportation planners are
spreading the word that the start of a multiyear
project to rebuild a critical freeway corridor
in the heart of the metro area is only
about a year off.
The project includes adding traffic lanes
and building new bridges on parts of an 11-
mile stretch of Interstate 10. That stretch extends
northward from the junction with the
State Route 202 freeway in Chandler to where
I-10 meets Interstate 17 in central Phoenix near
Sky Harbor International Airport.
“This is going to be the most disruptive
project we’ve had in this region from a transportation
perspective,” warned Eric Anderson,
executive director of Maricopa Association
of Governments.
Construction work for the project is expected
to begin in spring 2021 and take about four
years to complete, according to the Arizona
Department of Transportation.
Primary funding for the $700 million project
comes from a half-cent sales tax approved
by Maricopa County voters in 2004, ADOT
spokesman Tom Herrmann said Friday.
Herrmann said department officials anticipate
completing the final environmental assessment
and receiving a favorable finding of “no
significant impact” within the next 60 days.
The heavily traveled stretch is often
jammed in the mornings and late afternoons
with commuters and long-distance travelers,
though the recently opened South Mountain
Freeway circling part of metro Phoenix is expected
to divert some traffic heading across
the metro area or just passing Phoenix and its
sprawling suburbs.
Anderson told Phoenix City Council members
recently that the project could save up to
Nation February 15-29, 2020 • 11
‘Disruptive’ freeway project planned to begin in spring 2021 in central Phoenix
2 million hours of travel time a year, KJZZ-
FM reported.
Much of the reconstruction will center
around a segment where five bridges will
be built in the vicinity of State Route 143, a
short north-south freeway. Its alignment east
of Sky Harbor.
In the northern part of the project area,
a collector-distribution road system will be
built to reduce the number of lane changes
on the main portion of I-10 and improve traffic
flow, the Arizona Department of Transportation
says.
Other work includes expanding interchanges
with SR 143 and U.S. 60, another freeway
that connects with I-10.
John Bullen, MAG’s transportation program
manager, said a dynamic traffic simulation
model is being developed to help plan the
construction work.
iStock Photo
Interstate 10 will undergo a major reconstruction
estimated to begin in spring 2021
and end in the of summer 2024.
“So based on the real world inputs, we’ll
be able to develop ‘what if’ scenarios to understand
how construction might impact traffic
and what tools really we have at our disposal
to be able to mitigate some of those impacts, to
make things smoother,” Bullen said. 8
b Trade from page 3 b
Russ Simpson, Holland; Dee Sova, Prime Inc.;
Tony Spero, ABF Freight System; and Derrick
Whittle, Cargo Transporters.
In 2018, trucks moved more than $770 billion
worth of goods between the U.S., Canada
and Mexico, and transnational trade between
the three countries supported roughly 90,000
U.S. jobs in the trucking industry—including
60,000 truck drivers. Those figures should
only increase as USMCA is implemented.
b Framework from page 5 b
water resources legislation. Any serious effort
toward enacting infrastructure legislation
must incorporate Republican principles
as well. The time for partisan posturing from
House Democrat leadership is over. On this
committee, we know the recipe for success
in addressing America’s infrastructure needs
is through partnership, so let’s get to work.”
Pallone said there was no better way to
strengthen our economy for the future than
to modernize our badly aging infrastructure.
“This bold framework not only helps us
rebuild our nation, it also combats climate
change by reducing carbon emissions and
moving us towards a clean energy future,” he
said. “It will also create good paying jobs,
ensure that no community is left behind in
the digital economy and help protect Americans’
drinking water. These are investments
that we must make for the American people,
and I look forward to moving this proposal
forward.”
“Because of decades of underfunding
and neglect, America’s infrastructure system
is falling apart and we’re falling behind
our global competitors. The deficiencies of
our roads, bridges, transit, water systems,
broadband and electrical grids hold our nation’s
economy back,” Neal said. “When
we invest in infrastructure, it results in a
“Trucks move 70% of all freight in the
U.S. and 76% of the freight that moves between
the U.S. and our closest neighbors,
so we expect trucking will see significant
benefits from USMCA as the agreement
boosts exports to Canada and Mexico and
generates a measurable increase in our gross
domestic product in the years ahead,” ATA
Chief Economist and Senior Vice President
of International Trade Policy and Cross-
Border Operations Bob Costello. “We look
forward to working with leaders in all three
countries to ensure smooth enactment of
USMCA.” 8
Associated Press: TOM WILLIAMS/CQ Roll Call
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, and Ways
and Means Chairman Richard Neal, left, and
Energy and Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone
conduct a news conference in the Capitol
Visitor Center to announce a new infrastructure
investment framework on Jan. 29.
significant economic multiplier — with
each dollar spent, our nation becomes more
competitive and prosperous. Democrats’
new infrastructure framework creates jobs,
bolsters American industry, and builds the
smart, safe connections between communities
that our country needs to advance.” 8
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12 • February 15-29, 2020 Nation
THETRUCKER.COM
b Safety from page 9 b
In 2018, fatalities in motor vehicle crashes
were down 2.4% from the previous year.
Still, over 36,000 people died in crashes and
2.7 million were injured. Nearly half of those
killed in crashes were unrestrained, 14%
were motorcyclists, and 2,841 died as a result
of distracted driving.
Chase introduced seven areas of motor
vehicle safety on which AHAS is working to
improve:
• Driver Assistance Technology: a proven
aid in avoiding or mitigating crashes but
lacking minimum performance standards or
requirements for all new vehicles
• Autonomous Vehicles: technology that
may become of great benefit in the future, such
vehicles are developed and deployed without
sufficient information. Public opinion polls indicate
a high rate of skepticism and fear of this
developing technology.
• Drug-impaired driving: legalization of
marijuana in many states has led to an increase
in drivers impaired while behind the wheel. In
surveys, 12 million people nationwide admitted
to using marijuana while driving.
• Automated enforcement: traffic laws such
as speeding and ignoring traffic lights are increasingly
enforced via technology. Drivers
and passengers are more likely to be injured
while sitting at a stoplight than in any other
type of crash. Increased technology use will
significantly reduce these statistics.
• Rear seat safety: whether it involves the
proper installation of child restraints, failure
to use them, or drivers who forget a child is
strapped into a safety seat behind them, action
must be taken to require a detection and alert
system to decrease the dangers of equipment
required to increase safety.
• Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety: roadways
are not used by only motorists. Bicyclists and
pedestrians are at increased risk of injury or
death. Vehicles, however, can be designed with
features to make collisions with less protected
users less catastrophic.
• Large Truck Safety: in 2018, 4,951 people
died in crashes involving large trucks, a 46%
increase since 2009. Likewise, 100,000 people
are injured in such crashes annually. In terms
of fatalities, 97% are occupants of a passenger
vehicle, not trucks. AHAS recommends additional
safety measures in truck design and
requirements including speed limiting devices,
automatic electronic braking systems and underride
guards to prevent crashes in which a
passenger vehicle becomes trapped beneath
large trucks.
“Over the last three decades, AHAS efforts
to secure passage of legislation in state capitals,
while also pursuing strong vehicle safety
standards at the federal level, have resulted in
significant progress toward achieving our mission
of safety drivers, passengers, road users,
and roads,” Chase said. 8
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b Rule from page 1 b
for two years,” said an FMCSA spokesperson in
November. “This extension is reflective of the
agency’s continued efforts to develop a secure
and effective electronic trainer provider registry
for the new rule.”
“While news of the full delay is not unexpected,
it is very disappointing to the entire commercial
vehicle training community as well as safety advocates
who have seen this as a critical step toward
improving highway safety,” said Commercial Vehicle
Training Association President Don Lefeve,
who noted that the ELDT rule applies to both interstate
and intrastate commercial drivers seeking a
CDL. Unlike numerous state laws on commercial
driver training that provide exemptions for employers,
or have lax training requirements, ELDT
requires anyone seeking a CDL to receive formal
training, register with the FMCSA, and teach the
proper curriculum. “From large organizations to
one-man trainers, ELDT will create a training
standard that will positively impact every driver responsible
for driving an 80,000-pound vehicle on
our roadways. Put simply, the ELDT rule is in the
interest of everyone’s safety.”
CVTA members have been piloting various
training and reporting requirements since September
of 2018 in anticipation of the original
compliance date to be best prepared to implement
when it does come out.
“CVTA will continue to push for ELDT implementation
prior to the 2-year delay. We look
forward to working with the FMCSA and all interested
parties to speed up implementation and
lead outreach to states and industry stakeholders,”
added Lefeve.
In the notice, the FMCSA said the extension
applies to all requirements established in the December
2016 final rule, including:
• The date by which training providers must
begin uploading driver-specific training certification
information into the TPR, an electronic database
that will contain ELDT information;
• The date by which 5DLAs must confirm
that applicants for a commercial driver’s license
(CDL) have complied with ELDT requirements
prior to taking a specified knowledge or skills test;
• The date by which training providers wishing
to provide ELDT must be listed on the TPR; and
• The date by which drivers seeking a CDL or
endorsement must complete the required training,
as set forth in the ELDT final rule.
To comment, visit www.regulations.gov
and follow the online instructions for submitting
comments. 8

THETRUCKER.COM
Nation February 15-29, 2020 • 13
New ATRI research explores who pays and who benefits from toll revenue
THE TRUCKER NEWS SERVICES
ARLINGTON, Va. — The American Transportation
Research Institute (ATRI) has released
new research that documents the collection and
distribution of $14.7 billion in U.S. toll revenue,
representing 82% of U.S. toll collections. The research
sheds light on many questions about tolling,
including how much toll revenue is generated
versus reinvested in toll facilities, and the data
contrasts truck-generated toll revenue versus truck
utilization of toll roads.
This study was identified as the top research
priority for the industry by ATRI’s Research Advisory
Committee in 2019.
To better understand tolling, researchers collected
public financial data from comprehensive
annual financial reports published by toll systems
and attempted to standardize financial comparisons
across systems. Key metrics included toll
facility charges by user type, toll facility expenditures
and toll revenue diversion to non-toll entities.
ATRI’s research found that the 21 major toll
systems analyzed collected more than $14.7 billion
in revenue with nearly 50% of toll revenue diverted
to other uses. In addition, toll revenue increased
more than 72% over the last decade compared to
inflation growth of just 16.9%.
The report includes a first-of-its-kind data
analysis to better understand the relationship between
interstate commerce and toll road utilization.
Through an analysis of truck GPS data, the
researchers were able to quantify toll revenue
impacts on local truck activity versus interstate
commerce.
“It is clear from this research that highway
funding mechanisms that return our tax investments
to highways are far superior to tolling,” said
Darren Hawkins, YRC Worldwide chief executive
officer. “We need greater oversight and transparency
to ensure that the billions of dollars paid by
our industry goes back into the roads and bridges
that generate the revenue.” 8
Secretary Chao calls on transportation industry
to ‘Put the Brakes on Human Trafficking’
iStock Photo
The American Transportation Research Institute found that the 21 major toll systems analyzed for
the study collected more than $14.7 billion in revenue with nearly 50% of toll revenue diverted to
other uses.
MCCOLLISTER’S AUTO TRANSPORT
FLEET EXPANSION
THE TRUCKER NEWS SERVICES
WASHINGTON — U.S. Transportation Secretary
Elaine L. Chao has announced a series of
efforts to combat human trafficking in the transportation
sector. Secretary Chao was joined by
leaders from Congress, state governments and
the transportation industry responding to this call
to action.
“The U.S. Department of Transportation is
committed to working with our public and private
partners to fight human trafficking on America’s
transportation system,” Chao said.
Among the initiatives announced by Secretary
Chao is a renewed focus on the “Transportation
Leaders Against Human Trafficking” pledge
to train the transportation workforce and raise
public awareness on the issue of human trafficking
across all modes of transportation. Secretary
Chao is challenging the transportation industry to
commit to “100 Pledges in 100 Days.” The Department
anticipates over a million employees
across all modes of transportation will be trained
because of this initiative.
Human trafficking is modern-day slavery,
affecting millions of adults and children in the
United States and worldwide. Victims are of
every age, race, gender, background, citizenship,
and immigration status. Some are trafficked
within their own communities on various forms
of transportation, while others are transported to
new locations.
To amplify counter-trafficking efforts, Secretary
Chao established an annual $50,000 award
to incentivize individuals and entities, including
non-governmental organizations, transportation
industry associations, research institutions, and
state and local government organizations, to think
creatively in developing innovative solutions to
combat human trafficking in the transportation
industry. The Department will review applications
and determine the individual or entity that
will most effectively utilize these funds to combat
human trafficking.
Secretary Chao also announced $5.4 million
iStock Photo
The Department of Transportation wants to
train the transportation workforce, including professional
truck drivers, on the issue of human
trafficking. The DOT anticipates over 1 million
employees across all modes of transportation
will be trained because of this program.
in grant selections through the Federal Transit
Administration’s (FTA) Human Trafficking
Awareness and Public Safety Initiative. Twentyfour
organizations across the country will each receive
funding for projects to help prevent human
trafficking and other crimes on public transportation.
A list of the selected projects is available
online.
To support the Department’s counter-trafficking
efforts, the DOT Advisory Committee
on Human Trafficking completed a report in
July 2019 that recommends actions the Department
can take to help combat human trafficking
and best practices for states and local transportation
stakeholders. 8
FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL:
JOE CSIK, DRIVER SUPPORT
609-526-9490
MCCOLLISTER’S ENCLOSED AUTO TRANSPORT
FLEET IS CONTINUING TO GROW DUE TO OUR
CLIENTS AND OUR TALENTED DRIVERS.
OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE
FOR OWNER OPERATORS &
COMPANY DRIVERS.
NEW TRAILERS COMING IN
MONTHLY.
WWW.MCCOLLISTERS.COM

Letters
Is there really a driver shortage?
I keep seeing in different publications
(The Trucker included), stories about the
“driver shortage,” supposedly across the
country. This just irritates me to no end! Why
you ask? Well, in the past few months I have
been looking for something that’s more regional
to my area. I have listed my resume on
LinkedIn and Zip Recruiter, among other job
sites, and here’s what I am finding:
First and foremost, the larger transportation
companies are looking for the “younger
driver(s)” that would be willing to go out for
weeks on end (a minimum of 4-5 weeks at
a time) and pay them $.30 to $.35 a mile to
start. I would not say this if I had not heard it
myself, from one of these recruiters!
Secondly, when I tell them I have tanker,
hazmat, and triple/doubles endorsements, they
start stuttering about what I would be doing.
And thirdly, when I tell them how much
I make per mile, they automatically say, and
I quote, “Well, I hope you find what you’re
looking for.”
This is why I believe there is no driver
shortage. The younger people DO NOT want
to go out for weeks at a time and leave their
families, especially for the measly pay they
are going to get, which I understand totally.
The bottom line is this, trucking companies
just don’t want to hire experienced
drivers and pay them for their experience!
So, they need to stop “whining” that there’s
a driver shortage and start paying people a
more livable wage, including us old timers.
— Jeff Davis, Florida
* * *
Non-trucker concerned about industry
The recent Celadon bankruptcy and its
impact on the trucking industry and our
country has given me reason to provide my
views on this and other issues facing carriers
and drivers.
I am not a driver, but I have been a trucking
enthusiast for over 50 years. I keep up
with the ever-changing conditions of truck
driving. I have the greatest respect for the
safe and professional men and women behind
the wheel.
After reading the recent article on the Celadon
bankruptcy in The Trucker, I felt it was
my duty to say something. This is a situation
that is getting worse with each passing year.
The critical shortage of drivers and trucking
lines going under not only affects the industry
but the entire nation. There is no Plan B
to replace trucking. There are no more railroads;
they were killed off decades ago. Our
nation’s ability to transport freight is a crisis
that needs to be made public, addressed,
and resolved.
As an everyday person, all I can say is
this is an issue that needs to be taken seriously,
and now. I wish I had solutions. There
needs to be an in-depth study of the industry
See Letters on p15 m
Perspective February
Wendy Miller
editor@thetrucker.com
Mad Dog’s
Daughter
Point of View
I bring my medicines with me on the road.
I usually eat at truck stop restaurants, but
I’m not one to worry too much about what I
eat. Exercise? Securing a load with tarps is
enough exercise for anyone!
— Allan Alvarenga, Honduras
15-29, 2020 • 14
Fellow journalist has editor considering attempting CDL test
The last week of January was an interesting
week for your new managing editor of
The Trucker. Until then, I had never attended
a press conference that was any more than
an hour long. I had also not been on a plane
in about three years. Even then, I had only
flown a handful of times. I didn’t realize that
covering the trucking industry would include
traveling across the country. I suppose
I should have though. I mean, it is only fair.
You guys spend your lives traveling.
The story on page 4 of this issue is about
Mack Trucks’ new line of medium-duty
trucks, which was super top secret up until
the above mentioned press conference. The
story basically sums up the reason for my
recent experience with air travel.
Surprisingly, everything went well even
though I wasn’t necessarily optimistic. I
didn’t have an anxiety attack, which is great.
I navigated the airports and even ate lunch in
the midst of the chaos that is the Hartsfield-
Jackson Atlanta International Airport almost
like I belonged there. But that isn’t what I
found the most interesting about my trip.
This conference, as expected, was attended
by several other journalists who cover not
only the trucking industry, but all kinds of
transportation. I was comforted to see that
my peers were a group of mixed company.
There were almost as many women as there
were men and both were of a wide range of
ages. I wasn’t even the youngest! That’s still
not what I found most interesting.
I discovered that out of everyone wearing a
press badge that day, I was one of the few who
had even mild experience with trucking prior
to accepting a job with a trucking publication.
If you’ve been following the column that has
occupied this space for the past few issues,
you’ve gotten to know a little bit about me and
that my dad has been a truck driver for more
than 30 years. So, I’ve had a little bit of experience
in the passenger seat of a truck and on
the road. I’ve also spent countless hours staring
under the hood alongside Mad Dog (my
dad) and my brother while they diagnosed
problems that I didn’t even know we had. But
what I’ve never done is actually get behind the
wheel of one of those big trucks.
But should I?
During a conversation over dinner with
an editor from another transportation publication,
he shared with me that he obtained
his CDL shortly after taking his current position.
I was intrigued.
Of course, the first question I asked was
“why?” That’s generally my first question
when someone tells me anything. “Not necessarily,”
he said. “But wouldn’t you expect the
editor of Karate Magazine to have practiced
Karate?” That statement caught me off guard,
since I had never thought about a CDL being a
requirement to sit at a desk, type, design pages
and conduct interviews. But he had a point. He
continued by saying that it was only fair that
we, as journalists, experience what it takes to
actually drive a truck.
Whether it is to ensure you can pass a DOT
physical or for personal health concerns,
what do you do on the road to stay healthy?
My wife and I are a team. I try to remain
healthy. I eat healthy foods, and I park in the
farthest available space from truck stops
and other places I stop so I’ll have to walk.
With a 10-hour break, by the time we shower
and eat, that leaves us 8 hours to sleep, and
when it gets dark early, we don’t walk much.
When it warms up and the days get longer,
we’ll do a lot more walking. We really like
walking anyway, and it helps us stay healthy.
— Roger Manlove, Ohio
That stuck with me all the way back
home. I kept mulling it over and the more
I considered what he had said, the more I
started to think that this guy is right. It really
is only fair.
When I got back, I found a practice test
online for the written portion of the Arkansas
CDL exam. There were 50 questions and
I stopped at 32. I had 12 answers incorrect
so far. The standard to pass was 10 incorrect
answers. Keep in mind, though, that I haven’t
looked at the manual for the test because this
idea just manifested itself in my brain a about
a week ago, so I am not yet fully committed.
As you can tell, though, I am definitely
considering it. With that being said, I pose
two questions for you guys and girls out there
reading The Trucker. A.) Should I do it? B.)
If I were to embark on this endeavor, would
you be interested in reading about it? I’m
sure Mad Dog would be tickled to hear that I
am even entertaining the idea.
The scariest part — other than attempting
to back up a truck and trailer — is that
if I embark on this journey, there’s always a
chance that I will fail. The little experience
that I do have from growing up in a trucking
family tells me that it isn’t as easy as it
looks. Let’s be honest, here. I’m not even
confident with my ability to back up a car.
I am, however, always up for a challenge. I
am interested in hearing your thoughts on
this idea. I bet I’ll also hear thoughts from
my boss when this issue rolls off the presses.
I haven’t even floated the idea to him. He
might be afraid I’m looking to make another
career choice.
Until next time, be cool and be careful. 8
When I stop at a truck stop for the required
30-minute break, I usually walk
around the lot. That’s usually a long way!
More truck stops are providing walking
paths and other types of exercise. I watch
what I eat and drink lots of water.
— Chris Jacobson, New York

THETRUCKER.COM
Better equipment, better pay,
better for you!
Perspective February 15-29, 2020 • 15
Breaking down damage calculations: a view from 30,000 feet
Brad Klepper
exclusive to the trucker
Ask the
Attorney
In my last article, I talked about a DUI
case where a jury awarded over $1 billion
in damages. When I read of such an award,
I wanted to know how the jury calculated
the damages. And if an attorney can’t fully
comprehend a jury’s decision, it makes
me think that maybe you may also want
to know a little bit about how damages are
calculated in personal injury cases (you
may not, but I need something to write
about). So here we go.
There is an old saying in the legal profession
that a single lawyer in a small town
will starve; however, two lawyers in a
small town will make a good living. This
adage often comes into play in personal injury
cases.
In a case involving injury you will typically
have two types of damages: special
damages and general damages.
It is easiest to think of special damages
as the amount of money actually lost as a
result of the alleged negligence of the other
party. This includes costs like lost wages
and medical bills.
General damages are less quantifiable.
They include losses a victim of negligence
may have already endured and may continue
to endure. Examples of general damages
includes things like pain and emotional
distress.
In a “small” case (one without lawyers
involved), you may only deal with an insurance
adjuster. The adjuster will review the
matter and documentation supporting your
claim and make you an offer. You can accept
this offer or counter it, but eventually
you and the adjuster will reach a number
agreeable to everyone without the magic of
attorneys. This is why the single lawyer in a
small town starves.
On the other hand, if you are involved in
a larger case (with two attorneys involved),
the damages calculation and settlement
negotiations are more involved. You still
have special and general damages. But now
you have something to argue about!
If your claim for damages is large
enough, you will likely find yourself in negotiations
(or possibly litigation) dealing
with an attorney for the insurance company
of the “at-fault” driver or person.
In this scenario, the attorney (and adjuster)
will still review all your documentation,
but they may also use a personal
injury calculator. This tool is essentially a
computer program designed by insurance
companies to help determine a fair assessment
of damages. The program takes many
factors into consideration including settlement
amounts for similar injury suits, the
geographic location of the accident and
whether the plaintiff is represented by an
attorney.
In contrast, a plaintiff’s counsel generally
does not use software to help calculate
damages. Special damages in a personal injury
case are the cornerstone of the case and
may include financial burdens such as past
and future lost wages; medical bills; outof-pocket
expenses such as medications;
physical therapy; childcare; housekeeping;
and loss of personal items. The costs associated
with these items are usually easy to
determine.
General damages, as noted, are not as
quantifiable. In a large personal injury case,
plaintiff’s counsel will seek to include items
and concepts including emotional distress;
anxiety and depression; loss of consortium;
loss of ability to concentrate; loss of sleep;
extreme mental anguish; and permanent
pain or injuries.
As you can imagine, an attorney has no
easy way to assign a dollar value to general
damages. Doing so is a “softer” process
than determining special damages. Regardless,
once a plaintiff and his/her counsel
determine a value for special damages, the
total may be multiplied by a factor of two
or more to determine the general damages
amount.
The amount claimed by a plaintiff considering
all the factors included in general damages
and the defending insurance company’s
calculations rarely match (okay, never in
the history of the world have they matched.
Ever.). At this point, the fun begins. The parties
negotiate and attempt to convince each
other why their calculations are best. And
this, my friends, is how two lawyers in a
small town make their livings.
Most of the time the parties reach a settlement;
however, they do not always come to
an agreement. If the parties fail to negotiate
an agreement, the matter may proceed to the
courts, and another consideration — punitive
damages — may come into play. Punitive
damages are awarded to punish the defendant.
With punitive damages, things can get
crazy. The craziness is what generates those
eye-catching headlines.
Brad Klepper is president of Interstate
Trucker Ltd., a law firm dedicated to legal
defense of the nation’s commercial drivers.
Interstate Trucker represents truck drivers
throughout the 48 states on both moving and
nonmoving violations. Brad is also president
of Driver’s Legal Plan, which allows member
drivers access to his firm’s services at
discounted rates. He is a lawyer that has focused
on transportation law and the trucking
industry in particular. He works to answer
your legal questions about trucking and life
over the road.
For more information, contact him at (800)
333-DRIVE (3748) or interstatetrucker.com
and driverslegtalplan.com. 8
b Letters from page 14 b
covering such things as rate of pay, working
conditions, the industry’s image, its benefits,
and how the future looks.
— Richard Dickson, New York
* * *
FMCSA, Maverick Transportation
put safety first
I read The Trucker page for page and I see
many opinions on many subjects pertaining to
the trucking industry. I know the industry is not
perfect in every aspect. I do get tired of all the
complaining about FMCSA not knowing anything
about trucking industry and truck drivers.
In fact, the FMCSA has the best interest
of the trucking industry and the drivers based
around safety for all truckers, shippers, receivers,
the general public and especially our
families who travel the same roads that an
80,000-pound truck also travels.
I am also compelled to mention Mr. Steve
Williams, owner of Maverick Transportation. I
have read where drivers write in to complain
about what Mr. Williams has done and continues
to do for the trucking industry.
I believe that Mr. Williams has done more
for the industry and drivers than any other person.
He is all about safety. Safety for drivers,
safety for the general public, just look at his
trucks his equipment and his drivers and you
will see what I am talking about.
Mr. Williams knows that his drivers are his
greatest asset. I also believe Mr. Williams sets
the standards in the trucking industry.
In closing, we should work with those
who make the decisions that affect the trucking
industry. Complaining gets us nowhere.
— Billy Wyatt, Kentucky
To submit a letter to be considered for
publication in The Trucker, email
editor@thetrucker.com or mail it to
The Trucker Editor at 1123 S. University,
Suite 325, Little Rock, AR, 72204. 8
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16
AT
THE TRUCK STOP
PRESENTED BY CAT SCALE, VISIT WEIGHMYTRUCK.COM
Team drivers found love for driving and each other
after crossing paths at Ohio career fair
Wendy Miller
wendym@thetrucker.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio — A lot of career
success stories start with a resume. The
same can’t typically be said for love stories.
For Gwenetta and Julian Binns, however,
both became reality. The two got the best of
both worlds when they struck up a conversation
at a local career fair in Ohio.
Julian was looking into the possibilities
of getting funding to attend CDL driving
school, while Gwenetta was checking out
local vendors and updating her resume. She
had already obtained her CDL three years
earlier but had not started driving professionally
just yet.
“I helped him with his resume, and he
helped me with things, and we just hit it
off,” Gwenetta said. “I talked to him for
about four or five hours that day. I never
called him, but he called me. I decided to
give him a chance, and we started dating.”
In the time that Gwenetta and Julian
were dating, Julian obtained his CDL
through the same program Gwenetta had
completed years earlier.
The couple got married in June 2019
and only three months later, the two hit the
road as a pair. Now they are team drivers
of a 2020 Freightliner Cascadia hauling for
Cleveland-based Formica Flooring where
they drive a dedicated route from Indiana to
Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Although Gwenetta had her CDL for
quite some time before meeting Julian,
she already knew she wanted to drive as
a team with someone she could get along
with. When she met Julian, everything just
seemed to fall into place. Gwenetta was
then able to stop working jobs outside of
the transportation industry and put her CDL
to use.
It took some searching, though, to find
a company that would train them together.
“There are a lot of companies that will
take teams but won’t train you together,”
she said. “We wanted to be able to train
together. When we finally found someone
who would train us together, it was basically
three of us and a trainer in the truck.
It worked out.”
Gwenetta admits that she was initially a
bit nervous about training with Julian, but
she quickly found that they made a great
team and having the trainer with them in the
beginning helped them to learn how to work
together and get better acquainted with being
behind the wheel.
“We are still learning each other,” she
said. “I’m learning his habits, and he’s
learning mine. We are figuring out what we
like and don’t like. Driving together teaches
us a lot, but we rarely bump heads about
anything. We work really well together, and
there’s a lot of teamwork. We call ourselves
Team Binns.”
Although being in a confined space with
a spouse during the first few months of marriage
can seem challenging, Gwenetta said
that taking shifts allows for the two to get
plenty of space. Typically, while she is driving
Julian is sleeping and vice versa. Their
designated route is about eight hours of
drivetime one way, which makes for an ideal
length of time before needing to switch
drivers. Working as a team helps to keep the
truck moving while a single driver would
need to stop for rest.
“Every once in a while, we might get on
each other’s nerves, but for the most part, we
don’t really cross paths like that,” Gwenetta
said. “[When one of us isn’t sleeping] we
listen to music and talk. It might be hard,
but if you can find that person that you can
tolerate all day every day, [driving] is a perfect
job.”
Also under the category of a “perfect
job,” Gwenetta said the couple normally
spends all week on the road but is back
home for the weekend, which allows for
plenty of time to spend apart or relax with
family and friends.
Long before Gwenetta became a part of
“Team Binns,” she wanted to pursue culinary
arts and even attended college to do
so. A little later, she did a little research
and found out that the money in that industry
wasn’t exactly what she had in mind,
and she quickly lost her passion for cooking
professionally. With the encouragement
of a few friends who were truck drivers,
Gwenetta started to consider getting
her CDL. The deal was sealed when she
realized that driving a truck provided the
ideal financial stability she was seeking in
a career.
Driving as a team, though, allows for
even more financial stability since Gwenetta
and Julian can save money by minimizing
bills at home while they are on the road
all week.
“We can both save up like we want to
now,” she said, adding that the two have
plans of buying a house soon.
Even though she is a part of a team,
Gwenetta said she still gets interesting
Courtesy: GWENETTA BINNS
Gwenetta Binns had her CDL three years before meeting Julian, but once the two hit it off
at a career fair, they quickly decided to pursue driving as a team. Julian got his CDL shortly
afterward, and now they haul a regional route in Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
responses when some people see a woman
driving a truck, but that has never detoured
her from wanting to grow in the trucking industry.
If anything, she said it encourages
her to continue.
“Don’t underestimate us women. We can
outdrive just about anybody,” she said. “I
tell my husband that all the time.”
As Gwenetta and Julian learn more
about the trucking industry and each other,
the two hope to someday be their own business,
but for now they are happy to have the
opportunity to work together every day.
“We love what we do and hopefully
we will be able to purchase our own truck
someday,” she said. “We really like the
company we are with and we love seeing
the world together.” 8

CATTheTrucker111519.qxp_Layout 1 11/15/19 4:08 PM Page 1
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GO TO
2020
JOEYHOLIDAY.COM
fOr TOur DATEs
18 • February 15-29, 2020 Perspective
Kris Rutherford
krisr@thetrucker.com
Rhythm of
the Road
When it comes to trucking songs of the
“golden era” (1963-1977), songwriters were, for
the most part, inspired by locations or experiences
in the South, Midwest and on the West
Coast. Most of the artists recording the songs
hail from the same areas, although Canada has
offered up a few trucking songs receiving U.S.
radio airplay. But even Canada, where U.S.
country music has a large following, has likely
inspired more songs than its neighbor — Maine.
A full-time country radio station of note didn’t
even exist in the state until 1967. Even today, the
number of nationally recognized country artists
native to Maine can be counted on a few fingers.
Dick Curless, a trucker turned musician has yet
to be surpassed as the most successful.
Dick Curless was born in 1932 in Fort Fairfield,
Maine. Today, Fort Fairfield is a hamlet
of 120 residents in the secluded northeastern
area of the state bordered to the east by New
Brunswick, Canada. Before turning 10 years
old, Curless’ family relocated to Massachusetts,
where in 1948 he began his music career
with a local band. A few years later, he was
in Korea driving an Army truck and known
to soldiers as “The Paddy Ranger” on Armed
Forces Radio. Upon returning to Maine, Curless
didn’t immediately resume singing, instead
buying a truck to haul timber. He did
eventually return to the stage, his stature,
baritone voice and eye patch helping him earn
the nickname, “The Baron of Country Music.”
Dan Fulkerson, a young DJ and aspiring
songwriter in early 1960s Bangor, Maine, hitchhiked
the roads around the city in hopes of
catching a ride northward to Aroostook County.
Truckers often gave Fulkerson a lift, and they
traveled Route 2A northward from Haynesville,
a tiny town equal in size to Dick Curless’
birthplace. Route 2A was long considered one
of Maine’s most unforgiving roads (“highway”
would be giving it far too much credit), but at the
time, it was the only way to Aroostook County
from points south. The winding, secluded route
could be impassable in the winter months, and it
supposedly claimed its share of truckers’ lives.
Fulkerson had intended to pitch his song to
Johnny Cash but instead chose Curless, preferring
a local artist who could identify with
Route 2A. His choice turned out to be a good
one, as “Tombstone Every Mile” topped out at
No. 5 on the Billboard country music charts.
The focus of “Tombstone Every Mile” is
the road Fulkerson traveled as a tag-along
in big rigs, one he described as “a stretch of
road up north in Maine that’s never ever, ever
seen a smile.” Specifically, Fulkerson’s lyrics
described only the portion of the road passing
through the Haynesville Woods, just a few
miles north Haynesville.
THETRUCKER.COM
Famed trucking song boosts artist’s
career, publicizes lightly traveled road
The two-lane road was known for a few harrowing
90 degree turns virtually invisible to a
driver not acquainted with the route. It’s location
experiences average high temperatures below
the freezing mark three months of the year, low
temperatures below freezing nine months annually,
and snowfall an average of seven months.
When Fulkerson wrote the lyrics of “Tombstone
Every Mile” and referred to the road as a “ribbon
of ice,” he was not exaggerating.
The most memorable phrase in Curless’s
recording is, “if they buried all the truckers
lost in them woods, there’d be a tombstone every
mile.” Now, pinning down the number of
truckers killed along Route 2A is difficult; in
fact, the precise length of the stretch of Route
2A Curless sings of isn’t easy to determine. But
local folklore supports the claim that the road
isn’t exactly the most hospitable route for drivers
of any vehicle.
Route 2A is frequently noted as “the most
haunted place in Aroostook County,” if not in
the entire state. Locals and ghost hunters tell of
paranormal experiences along the road, but few
tales mention trucks. Still, even if “a tombstone
every mile” isn’t an accurate statistic, the road
has apparently snuffed out more than its share
of lives.
After riding “Tombstone Every Mile” into
the top 5 singles charts, Curless recorded on
and off over the years. When he did, he relied
on his first song’s success and firmly implanted
himself in the country sub-genre of trucking
music. Other Curless hits through the mid-
1970s included “Tater Raising Man,” “Travelin’
Man” and “Highway Man.” In addition to
“The Baron,” Curless left no doubt he was a
“man.” As many low to mid-level U.S. country
artists do, he gained his greatest popularity
overseas and ended his career in Branson,
Missouri. He passed away in his beloved home
state of Maine in 1995 at the age of just 63.
It’s hard to say how much of “Tombstone
Every Mile” is fact versus fiction. Even in
Haynesville, locals debate the question. One
longtime resident told a group of college kids
what he thought of the stories. “All I know
is that the road is a dangerous one,” he said.
When asked if he’d change his mind if he
saw a ghost, he answered, “Sure. If [someone]
sat down beside me and vanished, I’d
believe in ghosts.”
Today, Route 2A is even more lonely and
secluded than 50 years ago. Interstate 95 now
stretches from Maine’s southernmost point to
Houlton, about 25 miles northeast of Haynesville.
Truckers bypass the dangerous and reportedly
haunted Route 2A in favor of faster,
safer interstate travel that ends at the Canadian
border.
Still, the legacy of “Tombstone Every Mile”
lives on. Notable accidents have and continue
to occur along Route 2A. In fact, just two years
after Curless became a mainstay of trucking
music with his recording, two young girls were
killed on Route 2A. Both girls died on August
22, 1967. And both were hit by tractor trailers.
Until next time, keep the rhythm, and watch
out for those blind twists in the road ahead. 8

Business
February 15-29, 2020 • 19
iStock Photo
Cass Information Systems reported a decline in freight numbers for December, while the
American Trucking Associations reported an increase. The difference is because Cass reports
on shipments by other modes of transportation, which often do not haul as much Christmas
merchandise as trucking.
Georgia seaports set new record cargo
volumes in 2019; container units up 5.6%
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
SAVANNAH, Ga. — The amount of cargo
moving through Georgia’s seaports reached record
levels in the past year, in part because of
continued growth fueled by larger ships traversing
the expanded Panama Canal, according to the
Georgia Ports Authority’s top executive.
The state-operated ports in Savannah and
Brunswick handled a total of 38.5 million tons of
imports and exports in calendar 2019, the agency
reported. That’s an increase of 4.3% compared to
last year.
The number of cargo containers, large metal
boxes used to ship goods from consumer electronics
to frozen chickens, moving across the docks at
the Port of Savannah also reached record highs last
year. The port handled 4.6 million container units
through December, up 5.6% from 2018.
Griff Lynch, the port authority’s executive
director, attributed much of the 2019 growth to
the expansion of the Panama Canal that opened
nearly four years ago. He said shippers are still
increasing the size of the vessels using the route,
funneling more cargo to the East Coast.
“On the container side, I think it still comes
down to the expansion of the canal,” Lynch said.
“We’re still enjoying the fruits of that.”
Savannah is the fourth-busiest U.S. port for
shipping containerized cargo, behind only the
Port of New York and New Jersey, and the ports
of Los Angeles and Long Beach, California.
The Army Corps of Engineers is overseeing
a $973 million deepening of the shipping channel
that connects Savannah’s port to the Atlantic
Ocean to make room for the larger ships. Work on
See Ports on p20 m
ATA freight index shows 4% increase,
but overall 2019 was ‘very uneven’
Cliff Abbott
cliffa@thetrucker.com
How well the freight market performed in December
might depend on who you ask. The advanced,
seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage
Index calculated by the American Trucking
Associations (ATA) rose 4% in December following
a 3.4% November decline. The index,
which is based on a 2015 starting point of 100,
came in at 118.2 for December. In other words,
December’s reported freight levels are 18.2%
higher than the 2015 average.
Compare the 4% increase with the result
for the whole year 2019, 3.3%. While the index
grew and ended the year on a high note, 2019
was still a turbulent year. “Last year was not a
terrible year for for-hire truck tonnage,” said
ATA’s Chief Economist Bob Costello, “and despite
the increase at the end of the year, 2019 was
very uneven for the industry.”
The ATA Index is calculated from data submitted
by ATA member carriers and represents
mostly freight hauled under contracted rates.
The ACT Research For-Hire Trucking Index
for December rose 4% to 55.5. The ACT Index
uses a baseline of 50, so anything higher than 50
shows growth while less than 50 indicates contraction.
ACT Vice President and Senior Analyst
Tim Denoyer thinks better days are ahead. “We
see encouraging signs that the freight downturn is
in its late stages and the market will rebalance in
See Freight on p20 m
Courtesy: GEORGIA PORT AUTHORITY
Georgia’s seaports are reporting record cargo volumes moving across their docks in the
2019 calendar year.
Traton makes proposal to acquire
Navistar for $35 per share in cash
Courtesy: NAVISTAR
There can be no assurance that any negotiations between Navistar and Traton regarding the
proposal will take place.
THE TRUCKER NEWS SERVICES
LISLE, Ill. — Navistar International Corporation
confirmed in late January, that it received an
unsolicited proposal from Traton SE regarding a
potential transaction to acquire the company for
$35 per share in cash.
Traton SE is a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG
and a worldwide commercial vehicle manufacturer
offering light-duty commercial vehicles, trucks and
buses. Navistar is a holding company whose subsidiaries
and affiliates produce International brand
commercial trucks, proprietary diesel engines and
IC Bus brand school and commercial buses. An affiliate
also provides truck and diesel engine service
parts. Another affiliate offers financing services.
According to a news release from Traton,
Navistar and Traton have benefitted from a strategic
alliance that has delivered significant value
to both companies through increased purchasing
power and the integration of new technologies
since 2017.
Traton currently owns 16.8% of the outstanding
common shares of Navistar but has offered to
acquire all of the outstanding shares of common
stock of the company that is not already owned
See Navistar on p20 m

20 • February 15-29, 2020 Business
Cliff Abbott
cliffa@thetrucker.com
Small trucking businesses depend heavily
on the used truck market but potential buyers
trying to nail down the best choice are trying
to hit a moving target. Prices fluctuate depending
on economic conditions, freight availability
and, increasingly, government mandates for
emissions and fuel economy.
For much of 2019, the economy was expected
to slow, possibly going into recession. New
truck purchases added capacity to the market.
Spot freight rates slowed and then began falling,
followed by contract rates. Several large carriers
shut their doors due to (take your pick) tightening
markets, rising costs, mismanagement or
malfeasance. In theory, the used truck market
should have received an influx of trucks. It did.
According to a report from ACT Research,
used truck sales declined by 15% in 2019 compared
to 2018. Average prices declined too, by
7%, according to the same report.
“Dealers are reporting used truck sales have
slowed and inventory levels are building, particularly
with late-model aerodynamic sleepers,”
said Steve Tam, vice president at ACT
Research. “The price depreciation is largely
the result of inventories that have grown due
to more trades coming to dealers, slowing
www.stellarelectronic.com
freight, and the cyclical nature of truck sales.”
While lower used truck prices may be attractive
to smaller trucking businesses, including
independent contractors, there’s a catch. In
an effort to reduce emissions and increase fuel
efficiency, the rules keep changing.
The year 2007 brought a huge change. Drivers
and owners of new trucks complained of lost
time and expense due to an issue older trucks
didn’t have, regeneration of the particulate filter
that replaced the muffler. Drivers of older
trucks smiled as they passed new equipment
sitting on the shoulder for a “regen” or waiting
for a tow. 2006 models sold in record numbers
as carriers “pre-bought” trucks during the last
year the “old” technology would be available.
When those trucks hit the used truck market, an
event hastened by the recession of 2008, prices
dropped due to the large number available.
Then 2010 brought a new set of standards
and a product that drivers must have thought
was a mechanic’s joke like “blinker fluid” or
“muffler bearings.” New trucks were built with
Selective Catalytic Reduction technology, necessitating
the use of the now-familiar Diesel
Exhaust Fluid (DEF). New trucks were more
expensive but there was a tradeoff — fuel mileage
was expected to improve, and it did.
However, the first phase of EPA standards
$
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continued until 2017. Manufacturers achieved
more power from smaller engines, made better
use of aerodynamic technology and increased
use of auto-shift transmissions to get top performance
from each vehicle.
While all this was happening, other technological
advances increased safety levels. Collision
mitigation systems that automatically
apply brakes, lane departure warning systems,
stability control and other safety features became
standard equipment.
Trucks became safer as they became cleaner
and more fuel efficient. Purchase prices rose, but
increased fuel economy offset the price, according
to the non-profit Transport & Environment,
an international group that promotes moving to
an emissions-free transportation network. According
to a January 2018 report from the group,
a truck purchased in 2017 cost $2,400 more than
one bought in 2011 but provided $8,200 in fuel
cost savings over the older model.
That was Phase 1 of the EPA’s plan. Phase
2 started in 2017 and ends in 2027. Another
10% improvement in fuel economy has been
THETRUCKER.COM
Fuel economy, maintenance and freight rates must be considered for used trucks
b Freight from page 19 b
2020,” he said in a Jan. 22 press release.
Rates are another matter. “The ongoing rate
pressure, even as volumes ramped into the holidays,
is symptomatic of ongoing excess industry
capacity,” he explained. “Our survey respondents
clearly get it, and reduced capacity for a sixth
straight month, so we can pretty easily deduce
that private fleet capacity additions through yearend
2019 are the main factor continuing to pressure
for-hire rates.”
Cass Information Systems, which reports
shipments from a variety of modes of transportation,
wasn’t as positive. The Cass Freight Index
for December was 1.052, a decline of 6.4% from
November shipment numbers and down 7.9%
from December 2018 numbers. It was the lowest
reading since January 2018 as well as the sharpest
decline since the Great Recession of 2008-2009.
One reason the Cass Index didn’t do as well
as the ATA report is that it measures shipments by
rail and ship, two modes that don’t haul a lot of
Christmas merchandise in December. Shipments
by barge, air and pipeline are also counted. These
do not always impact trucking. When they do,
such as lumber hauled by rail for the home-building
industry, the results are often seen in trucking
weeks or months later.
Cass also maintains a trucking linehaul index,
which came in at 135.5 in December. That was
1.9% below the November linehaul index, a smaller
decline than the index for all modes of shipping.
“The focus in the coming quarters will be
on the capacity situation (how many trucks are
chasing what was throughout 2019 a shrinking
amount of freight) and how that may unfold in
the first half of 2020,” the Cass report stated. Also
mentioned as having a potential impact were the
Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse, which experienced
a database crash during its first week, and
rocketing insurance costs.
The report concludes that things will start
getting better. “[It] appears that supply and
Fleet Focus
demand will find equilibrium around mid-year,
and spot rates will resume their premium to contract
rates and give contract rates room to rise
again in 2021,” the report concludes.
ACT Research, in its Commercial Vehicle
Dealer Digest, reported that freight-generating
sectors of the U.S. economy are “on the cusp of
transitioning from contraction to growth, aligning
with freight cycles of the past, which typically
last about two years.”
The U.S. economy grew again in the fourth
quarter, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic
Analysis, which reported a Gross Domestic
Product increase annualized at 2.1% for the
quarter. The same report also noted that personal
income rose by $148.7 billion while personal savings
declined slightly, from a rate of 7.8% in the
third quarter to 7.7% in the fourth quarter.
The positive GDP growth marks the longest the
U.S. economy has ever gone without a recession.
b Navistar from page 19 b
by Traton. This represents a 45% premium over
Navistar’s closing share price of roughly $24 on
Jan. 29 and a 19% premium over Navistar’s 90-
day volume weighted average price of $29.40.
Consistent with its fiduciary duties, Navistar’s
Board of Directors, in consultation with its financial
and legal advisors, will carefully review and
b Ports from page 19 b
the projects second half began in September and is
expected to be complete by the end of 2021.
A boost in automobile exports also helped
to grow Georgia’s cargo volumes last year. GM
and Volvo began exporting vehicles through
mandated, with improvements in emissions
also required. In the meantime, advances in
alternative fuel vehicles, including electric,
will undoubtedly bring further changes to
the industry, perhaps making diesel engines
obsolete in the not-so-distant future.
For the used truck shopper, the choices can
be overwhelming. Buyers must consider more
than simply price and mileage. Purchase price
savings for a truck just a year or two older can
be swallowed up in increased fuel costs. Plus,
some states and metropolitan areas have restrictions
on the type of equipment they allow
to operate within their jurisdictions.
Large carriers with newer equipment can
offer lower freight rates, making competition
more difficult for an independent owner with an
older truck. Insurers may offer lower rates for
trucks equipped with modern safety equipment.
For drivers contemplating a used tractor purchase,
research is more important than ever. The
best deal available may not be the best decision.
Before discussing price with a dealer, it may help
to talk to carrier representatives, potential customers
or other truckers with similar businesses.
Equipment pricing must be weighed against
fuel economy, anticipated maintenance costs and
expected freight rates. The advantageous choice
could be the newer, more expensive model. 8
Other factors that may impact the freight market
in upcoming months include tariffs, including
the recent trade deal between the U.S. and China,
the uncontrolled Coronavirus outbreak in China
that is spreading worldwide, and the U.S., Mexico
and Canada Agreement.
The USMCA replaces the old NAFTA agreement
with one that is purportedly more favorable
to the U.S. and provides more incentive for manufacturers
to stay in the country.
Politics can also have an economic impact,
both from the impeachment acquittal of President
Trump and from the upcoming elections in
November. The stock markets are often impacted
as results come in from the various primaries and
even the latest poll can have an effect.
As it stands, 2020 is set for moderate growth
and the trucking business should be profitable,
but there are too many “ifs” to write predictions
in stone. 8
evaluate the proposal in the context of Navistar’s
strategic plan for the company in order to determine
the course of action that it believes is in the
best interest of the company and its stakeholders.
Navistar advises its shareholders to take no action,
and no shareholder vote is required at this time.
There can be no assurance that any negotiations
between Navistar and Traton regarding this proposal
will take place, and if such negotiations do take
place, there can be no assurance that any transaction
with Traton will occur or be consummated. 8
Savannah last year, with Volvo also shipping cars
through Brunswick. Overall, the ports moved
more than 657,000 cars, trucks and tractors, up
2% from 2018.
Lynch said tariff increases last year during
the U.S. trade war with China likely slowed the
Georgia ports’ 2019 growth.
Now he expects Georgia to benefit from first
phase of the new U.S. - China trade agreement. 8

thetrucker.com
Features February 15-29, 2020 • 21
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22 • February 15-29, 2020 Business
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Equipment
February 15-29, 2020 • 23
Courtesy: BENDIX NORTH AMERICA
Werner’s first electric-powered truck is the result of a partnership with Peterbilt, Meritor
and TransPower. It is the first fully collision mitigated TransPower truck and can haul up to
80,000 pounds.
Roadcheck moved to May in hopes of
better weather conditions for inspections
THE TRUCKER NEWS SERVICES
Truckers will need to double check their
equipment and ensure that they and their trucks
are ready for the Commercial Vehicle Safety
Alliance’s (CVSA) International Roadcheck,
which is scheduled a month earlier this year.
Typically held in June, this year’s International
Roadcheck will take place May 5-7
in order to hopefully take advantage of more
favorable weather.
The International Roadcheck is a highvolume,
high-visibility three-day enforcement
initiative that highlights the importance of commercial
motor vehicle safety through roadside
inspections. Over that 72-hour period, commercial
motor vehicle inspectors in jurisdictions
throughout North America will conduct inspections
on commercial motor vehicles and drivers.
Each year, International Roadcheck places
special emphasis on a category of violations.
This year’s focus is on the driver requirements
category of a roadside inspection. According to
the U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s
fiscal 2019 data as of Dec. 27, 2019,
of the 3.36 million inspections conducted,
944,794 driver violations were discovered, of
which 195,545 were out-of-service conditions.
“With last year’s federal electronic logging
device full-compliance mandate in the U.S., the
Alliance decided that this year’s International
Roadcheck would be the perfect opportunity to
See Roadcheck on p24 m
Courtesy: KENWORTH
West Point Kenworth is approximately one hour south of Sioux City, Iowa, and located
along Highway 275, a major trucking route in the area.
Werner announces electric truck pilot
program utilizing Peterbilt 579 EV
THE TRUCKER NEWS SERVICES
OMAHA, Neb. — Werner Enterprises has
announced its first electric-powered truck pilot
program. The 2019 Peterbilt 579 EV Class 8
electric truck will run for a year on a dedicated
account in southern California.
“Werner continues to be at the front edge of
technology, and we are committed to finding alternative
ways to keep our trucks environmentally-friendly
while using renewable energy,”
said Werner President and CEO Derek Leathers.
The 579EV delivered to Werner utilizes a
TransPower Energy Storage Subsystem with a
total storage capacity of 352 kWh. It is driven
by a Meritor Blue-Horizon Mid-Ship Motor
Drive Subsystem with up to 430 HP, features
an estimated range of about 150 miles and a
THE TRUCKER NEWS SERVICES
WESTMINSTER, Md. And West Point,
Neb. — Kenworth now offers additional locations
for parts and services. Mid Atlantic
Kenworth has added a full-service location
in Westminster, Maryland, while Sioux Falls
Kenworth has opened a new parts and services
dealership in West Point, Nebraska.
Maryland
In Westminster, Maryland, the 17,400-squarefoot
facility features a full parts and service department,
with 10 service bays to maximize
customer uptime for truck operators passing
through the area. A drivers’ lounge is available
charging time as little as one hour when a fastcharging
system is utilized.
“Werner Enterprises has long been regarded
as an industry pioneer, and Peterbilt is honored
to partner with them and have our 579EV lead
their electric operations,” said PACCAR Vice
President and Peterbilt General Manager, Jason
Skoog.
When the truck hits the road, the professional
drivers at the wheel will be supported by
Bendix Wingman Fusion — the flagship collision
mitigation system from Bendix Commercial
Vehicle Systems LLC. The truck features
the first full-electric TransPower motor paired
with a complete collision avoidance system.
“Werner has been a valued safety partner of
See Electric on p24 m
The Trucker File Photo
If an inspector identifies critical vehicle inspection item violations, he or she may render the
vehicle out of service, which means the vehicle cannot be operated until the vehicle violations
are corrected.
New Kenworth parts, service locations
now open in Maryland and Nebraska
to customers while their trucks are serviced.
The facility, Kenworth Mid Atlantic Westminster
is located on three acres, which offers
customers ample room to park their trucks.
The Westminister, Maryland facility is located
at 821 Baltimore Blvd. and its hours of
operation are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through
Friday and 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday.
Nebraska
With its new parts and service dealership in
West Point, Nebraska, Sioux Falls Kenworth can
now offer expanded support to fleets and operators
in the greater Sioux City, Iowa area.
See Kenworth on p24 m

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b Electric from page 23 b
Bendix for years, so when their team requested
that this groundbreaking truck include the same
advanced driver assistance technologies as their
fleet’s diesel units, we embraced the opportunity
and challenge,” said Lance Hansen, Bendix
North America regional vice president of aftermarket
sales, fleet, service and operations. “The
future of our industry is in electric trucks — but
it’s not going to happen overnight, and fleets need
to count on safety systems that work consistently
b Roadcheck from page 23 b
revisit all aspects of roadside inspection driver
requirements,” said CVSA President Sgt. John
Samis with the Delaware State Police.
During International Roadcheck, CVSAcertified
inspectors primarily conduct the
North American Standard Level I Inspection,
a 37-step procedure that includes two main inspection
categories: an examination of driver
operating requirements and vehicle mechanical
fitness. A third category, hazardous materials/
dangerous goods, may also be part of a Level
I Inspection.
The inspector will verify the driver’s documents,
identify the motor carrier, examine the
CDL, check record of duty status and review periodic
inspection report(s). Inspectors will also
check drivers for seat belt usage, illness, fatigue
and alcohol or drug possession or impairment.
The vehicle inspection includes checking
critical vehicle inspection items such as brake
systems, coupling devices, driveline/driveshaft
b Kenworth from page 23 b
West Point Kenworth is approximately one
hour south of Sioux City and located along
Highway 275. The 12,800-square-foot building
is situated on 3.5 acres. The facility features an
Equipment February 15-29, 2020 • 24
and uniformly, no matter what kind of vehicle
their drivers are operating.”
Werner’s first electric-powered truck is the
result of a partnership with Peterbilt, Meritor
and TransPower. It is the first fully collision
mitigated TransPower truck and can haul up
to 80,000 pounds. The truck is 100% electric,
releases zero emissions and requires a 5- to 10-
hour charge time. The truck will operate in the
Los Angeles metro area.
Funding for the tractor was provided by
the California Climate Investments (CCI),
the state’s climate change-fighting, cap-andtrade
program. 8
components, exhaust systems, frames, fuel systems,
lighting devices, steering mechanisms, suspensions,
tires, van and open-top trailer bodies,
wheels and windshield wipers.
If no critical item violations are found, a
CVSA decal will be issued, indicating that the vehicle
successfully passed a decal-eligible inspection
conducted by a CVSA-certified inspector.
If an inspector identifies critical violations,
he or she may render the vehicle out of service
if the condition meets the North American
Standard Out-of-Service Criteria. This means
the vehicle cannot be operated until the vehicle
violation(s) are corrected. A driver can
also be placed out of service for credentialrelated
issues or driver conditions, such as fatigue
or impairment.
“Announcing the dates of International Roadcheck
has always been a deliberate, thoughtful
and purposeful decision by the Alliance,” said Sgt.
Samis. “By announcing the dates in advance, we
hope to remind motor carriers of the importance of
proactive vehicle maintenance and remind drivers
to be prepared for inspections and to always conduct
pre- and post-trip inspections.” 8
8,600-square-foot service department with eight
service bays. Also included is a 1,200-square-foot
parts retail display area and a 1,900-square-foot
space for bulk storage.
The West Point facility is located at 1805
Sycamore St. in West Point. Hours of operation
are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through
Friday and 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday. 8
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Courtesy: TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY
John Ray, whose diesel big rig sporting the giant American flag became iconic during the
Talladega Superspeedway’s national anthem performances, died late last month at 82.
Talladega Superspeedway’s iconic trucker
Former NASCAR driver John Ray dies
THE TRUCKER NEWS SERVICES
TALLADEGA, Ala. — John Ray, whose
diesel big rig sporting the giant American flag
became iconic during Talladega Superspeedway’s
national anthem performances, died late
last month. The former NASCAR driver was 82
years old.
Since 2001, Ray had driven his gold, brown
and chrome Peterbilt with a large American flag
down the Talladega frontstretch prior to the start
of races.
“National anthems at Talladega Superspeedway
are the most iconic, and it’s because of our
great friend John Ray,” said Speedway President
Brian Crichton. “What he brought to our
fans can’t be duplicated. He was an incredible,
Courtesy: BRITTNEY RICHARDSON
Brittney Richardson drives a pink 2019
Volvo for Riverside Transport as a company
ambassador. The truck serves as a moving
reminder of breast-cancer awareness.
Features
passionate man who supported the track and all
of motorsports with everything he had. His spirit
will live here forever. Our thoughts and prayers
are with the Ray family.”
For more than 40 years, Ray was a member of
the White Flag Club, a dedicated service group of
local businessmen from surrounding communities
that assist during race weekends.
In 2001, after the 9/11 terror attacks and the
tragic passing of his longtime friend Dale Earnhardt
Sr., Ray, along with then Talladega Superspeedway
Track Chairman Grant Lynch, looked
to boost the morale of a country and a fan base
that had gone through tough times.
“I had a crazy idea to run my rig out on the
See Iconic on p27 m
Wendy Miller
wendym@thetrucker.com
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — When now
36-year-old Brittney Richardson said she wanted
to go to CDL school, a lot of her friends told
her they didn’t think she had it in her. Now,
8 years later she is traveling the country in a
bright pink Volvo as a lease-purchase driver for
Riverside Transport Inc.
Even without immediate support from friends
and family, Richardson is never one to back down
from a challenge. She said that if anything, discouraging
comments only empowered her.
“Almost everyone told me I’d fail,” Richardson
said. “So in January 2012 I set off to truck
THE TRUCKER NEWS SERVICES
Trucking Moves America Forward (TMAF),
the industry-wide education and image movement,
is celebrating the accomplishments of four
professional truck drivers during Black History
Month.
There are many achievements by African
Americans to celebrate within the transportation
and trucking industries. For example, Frederick
McKinley Jones, an inventor, played a critical
role in the development of air conditioning
and refrigeration for the transportation of food
by truck and railroad. The inventor, Garrett Augustus
Morgan, developed the early traffic light
system, which helped make roads safer.
To celebrate the modern-day achievements
of African Americans in the trucking industry,
TMAF selected four drivers who exemplify excellence
in trucking. They were selected because
of their professionalism and dedication to their
jobs, commitment to safety and continuous efforts
to move America forward every day.
The drivers are being featured on TMAF’s
blog and social media pages throughout the
month of February as well as on The Trucker’s
website. The stories highlight the drivers’ accomplishments
and safety records and share the
personal story of each driver.
Henry Bruster: Making a difference
through trucking
Henry Bruster, a professional truck driver
from Woodville, Mississippi, has been driving for
UPS Freight for more than 20 years. Bruster was
also featured in TMAF’s video, The Delivery.
Bruster’s love for trucks began at an early
age. During an interview with TMAF, Bruster
said, “When I grew up in rural Louisiana and I
ordered shoes online, I remember the UPS truck
coming to my house and I knew the shoes were
here! I was so excited.”
school and six weeks later I graduated top of
my class and found myself quickly in a semi
going across country.”
What most who doubted her didn’t know
was that Richardson had developed an interest
in driving trucks when she gained some experience
while working with fire departments in
both southwest Kansas and central Missouri.
“I was hooked,” she said. “I loved the challenge
of learning to drive a big truck and loved
even more the shock when people saw it was a
woman driving.”
But how did she wind up with a truck that
can be spotted miles away? Short answer: she
simply walked into the RTI office and came
February 15-29, 2020 • 25
Celebrating diversity: TMAF recognizes
drivers during Black History Month
Courtesy: TRUCKING MOVES AMERICA FORWARD
Henry Bruster, Mississippi
Courtesy: TRUCKING MOVES AMERICA FORWARD
Alphonso Lewis, Sr., Alabama
While serving in the military, Bruster learned
to drive a truck. After completing his service in the
U.S. Army, Bruster joined the trucking industry.
As a veteran, Henry has said there is no
greater responsibility than protecting the lives
of others. That responsibility has carried over to
his job as a professional truck driver where road
safety is a priority throughout the industry.
While competing in the 2017 National Truck
Driving Championships (NTDC), all competitors
were asked to pledge their commitment to
safety, honesty and respect. While taking the
See Diversity on p27 m
Pink power: RTI company ambassador spreads breast-cancer
awareness as a lease-purchase operator of eye-catching truck
out with an opportunity to serve as a company
ambassador. RTI was looking for someone to
lease-purchase the bright pink 2019 Volvo and
help to raise breast-cancer awareness while
also inspiring women to join the industry. She
sent in a video competing for the position, and
she was selected.
Although the truck’s exterior design is a
bit uncommon on the roads, the 2019 Volvo is
still driven coast-to-coast as a work truck for
RTI. Other than documenting her journey on
her YouTube channel and serving as an ambassador,
Richardson said she is a normal leasepurchase
operator.
See Pink on p26 m

26 • February 15-29, 2020 Features
b Pink from page 25 b
Driving the pink Volvo, however, does get
Richardson plenty of attention, and she has
encountered several fans who have drawn a
personal connection to the truck’s message.
Although there are more than she can count,
she shared a few notable interactions with The
Trucker.
“I had an older gentleman come up to my
window in Ohio in tears,” Richardson said. “He
shared a heart-felt story about losing his wife to
cancer and thanked me so much for driving for
awareness. I see people waving with enthusiasm
in passing cars, people giving thumbs up and
running up to get photos with the truck.”
Richardson has found that the truck also accomplishes
the mission of showing young girls
that women do in fact drive 18-wheelers as she
travels across the country.
“One day I passed a school bus in northern
Ohio and there was a row of girls on the right
side of the bus as it passed me,” she said. “The
girls got so excited about seeing a pink truck.
This one girl who was maybe in the sixth grade
smiled so big, whipped her head around to tell
her friends to look at the pink truck. I am so
blessed to have these moments on dash cam over
the last year. I couldn’t help but wonder if that
moment inspired another little girl to do something
she didn’t think she could do one day.”
Chelsee Patton, Director of Recruiting at
RTI said that Richardson is a great example
of a company ambassador, and she and Toya
Cosby, who drives a 2020 pink Freightliner,
help to promote women in the industry and
raise breast-cancer awareness in a unique way.
“Brittney is a great driver at RTI, and we
are incredibly lucky to have her on our team
and have her showcase her trucking journey in
her pink truck,” Patton said.
Richardson said her main role as an ambassador
is to inspire and support women (and men) in
the trucking industry as well as represent RTI as a
company that stands with women in the industry
and give them all the support needed to succeed.
Although Richardson doesn’t have a personal
connection to breast cancer, she does
have an interest in inspiring others, which
is evident through her Brittney Richardson
YouTube channel. She also hosts American
Trucker on YouTube, which is maintained
separately and geared toward anyone in the
trucking industry.
“One night I decided to bring the camera
along and film my night at work in the truck,”
Richardson said. “It was an instant hit and the
amount of people who responded back that I
had made there day was unreal. That’s when I
really realized I could inspire a lot of people by
simply sharing my life on film.”
Richardson also documents her journey in the
pink Volvo on her Facebook page, Brittney in Pink.
Richardson said she gets feedback from
both male and female drivers who tell her she
is an inspiration to them. She sees photos of
new trucks and driving certificates, which she
said keeps her going and continues her passion
to inspire others both inside and outside of the
trucking industry. 8
THETRUCKER.COM
Courtesy: BRITTNEY RICHARDSON
Brittney Richardson, center wearing pink,
poses with a group in front of her pink Volvo
at a Kansas City breast-cancer walk.
The Trucker Crossword
The Trucker Crossword Puzzle
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Across
2 Research company providing
statistical data on trucking
industry.
5 ATA praised President Trump
for signing this (acron.)
6 Organization holding 2020
annual convention in
Kissimmee, Fla.
7 Finding this costs
carriers/truckers an average of
$72.00/hr.
8 National Guard & Reserve
Patriot awardee
11 Truckers use these to say
"thank you."
13 Curless' home county
14 John Ray drove flag carrying
semi here
17 Richardson drives a ______
Volvo.
20 Released new dashcam
technology
21 Fourth largest U.S. port for
container cargo
21
Down
1 Safety of drivers and _______
requires secure overnight
parking.
3 "100 Pledges in 100 Days"
addresses this
4 USMCA replaces this trade
agreement (acron.)
9 The Pilot Company umbrella
covers travel centers and
expansion into this industry.
10 When even with this, motorists
signal intent to change lanes in
front of truck.
12 Highway patrol/police officer
14 This issue's "At the Truckstop"
features this couple (2 wds.)
15 Released study of highway
tolling (acron.)
16 Wheel attachment device
18 2019 trailers orders were _____
51% compared to 2018.
19 Expanded _____ through Panama
allowing larger ships to pass.

THETRUCKER.COM
b Diversity from page 25 b
pledge, Bruster felt a great sense of camaraderie
among the drivers. Drivers from different companies
who were competing against each other came
together to celebrate their commitment to safety.
He found the unifying spirit of safety within the
trucking industry to be inspiring.
“Safety has no shortcuts!” Bruster said. He
has received awards based on his strong safety record,
including being named Driver of the Year at
the 2016 Louisiana Motor Transport Association
(LMTA) Truck Driving Championships.
Bruster has also received strong recognition
for his work within the industry. He was asked
to serve as a member of ATA’s America’s Road
Team and ATA’s Share the Road highway safety
program and to lead the Wreaths Across America
truck convoy in 2017. Recently, Bruster was
asked to accompany ATA to the White House, a
memorable experience provided by trucking.
When asked about some of the reasons that
Bruster loves trucking. He said it’s the freedom
of the highway, ability to meet different people
and opportunities provided by industry. One of
the most rewarding parts of the job for Bruster is
educating children on road safety and blind spots
during Share the Road events.
Bruster takes strong pride in his job and the
work of the industry. He told TMAF, “When we
make deliveries, it’s about knowing that you are
making a difference. We make it happen.”
Alphonso Lewis, Sr.: Making NTDC history
Alphonso Lewis, Sr. is a professional truck
driver from Montgomery, Alabama. Lewis has
been driving for YRC Freight for over 27 years.
b Iconic from page 25 b
track with an American flag attached to the back,”
said Ray, who lived down the street from the track
in Eastaboga, three years ago. “It started off as a
tribute to the country and to Dale.
“I never thought it would become the heartfelt
moment that it has over the past some-odd
years, but I’m glad it has become a tradition that
means so much to the fans and the Talladega family.
It represents such a sense of pride that we all
share together as a nation and as a community. It
is my honor and privilege to do it,” added Ray,
who eventually gave up the driving duties of his
big rig and handed them off to his late friend Roger
Haynes, and last year to his son Johnny.
That wasn’t Ray’s first time at the 2.66-mile
track. Ray, who owned John Ray Trucking Company
since the early ‘70s, actually set the world
speed record for a semi-truck and trailer around
the mammoth track at 92.083 mph in 1975 — in a
powerful Kenworth.
“We were testing brakes for a company out at
the track,” Ray said. “One thing led to another —
and there I was truck, trailer and all — making my
way around the track, trying to set a speed record.
It was something else.”
Ray drove in the NASCAR Cup Series from
1974-1976. He competed in eight races, four at
Talladega (where his best career finish was 22nd
in 1974), but an accident at Daytona in 1976 ended
his driving career. He continued as a car owner
and essentially gave one of the sport’s greatest
legends one of his first opportunities: 10-time Talladega
winner Earnhardt. It would be Earnhardt’s
third career start. 8
Courtesy: TRUCKING MOVES AMERICA FORWARD
Joe Pryor, Pennsylvania
Trucking has been a part of Lewis’s life
from a young age. While growing up, his father
was a truck driver. During an interview
with TMAF, Lewis said, “My father was that
Features February 15-29, 2020 • 27
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Courtesy: TRUCKING MOVES AMERICA FORWARD
Sammy Brewster, Georgia
big superhero that was driving that big truck,
which I totally admired!” Lewis’s father let him
ride along in the truck. Lewis told TMAF, “He
would also let us ride along with him during the
summer months while we were out of school
which cemented my desire to one day be a professional
driver myself.”
Lewis started in the trucking industry while
serving in the U.S. Army as a light wheel vehicle
mechanic for six years. He was trained
and learned how to drive trucks in that role.
Once he completed his service, Lewis became
a professional truck driver for the company
now known as YRC Freight.
Lewis said that the military gave him a strong
foundation to build on in his life and career in
trucking: pride, teamwork, confidence, integrity,
commitment and drive.
Safety is a priority for Lewis while he’s on
the road. Lewis told TMAF, “every day safety
See Diversity on p28 m
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28 • February 15-29, 2020 Features
b Diversity from page 27 b
comes first, second and last in this industry.
No short cuts!” In 2007, Lewis won the honor
of National Truck Driving Grand Champion
at the National Truck Driving Championships
(NTDC), which is also known as the “Superbowl
of Safety.” Lewis made NTDC history
as the first African American to earn the title of
Grand Champion.
Lewis’s safety record has been recognized
within the industry and he was asked to serve as
a member of the ATA’s America’s Road Team.
In 2016, Lewis shared safety tips for drivers
and helped educate motorists on the dangers of
distracted drivers in ATA’s Share the Road highway
safety program instructional video. Lewis
was one of two drivers to lead the 2019 Wreaths
Across America truck convoy.
Lewis has described his career in trucking
as tremendously rewarding and a job one can
take considerable pride in doing. “What I love
about trucking is the freedom you have to do
your job on a daily basis,” Lewis said. “Your
deliveries and pickups are mostly left up to the
driver to plan his or her route to be successful.”
In additional to the flexibility and freedom
granted by the job, Lewis also enjoys meeting
different people and having a difference in
scenery from day to day.
With a strong love for trucking, Lewis said
his wife, Regina, “recognizes often how much I
enjoy being a driver.”
Joe Pryor: Spreading kindness through
trucking
Joe Pryor has been a professional truck driver
for 19 years. Originally from Pittsburg, also
known as the “Steel City,” Pryor’s early career
was as a fireman. As a firefighter, Pryor learned
to drive trucks.
After retiring as a firefighter, Pryor joined the
trucking industry and has been driving for Jet
Express, Inc. since he moved to Dayton, Ohio
in 2001.
Pryor is passionate about his job and enjoys
working for Jet Express. During an interview
with TMAF, Pryor said the trucking industry
is an exciting one and one that has been
100%
OWNER
OPERATORS
good to him. Pryor describes his job as a truck
driver as fun. When asked what he loves most
about trucking, Pryor said one of the reasons
is that you get to meet a lot of different people,
such as customers, while driving a truck.
Drivers also get to see different parts of a city
or state.
While on the road, Pryor is safety oriented,
and strives to be one of the most courteous drivers
on the nation’s highways. Pryor told TMAF that
patience is critical to the job. Pryor is always willing
to lend a helping hand to those who need it
and goes above and beyond to help other drivers
in the industry. Pryor said, “If I can help someone,
I’m going to.”
At Jet Express, Pryor works with new hires
as a trainer and handles their road tests. When
giving advice to new drivers, Pryor highlights
the importance of patience and kindness while on
the road and on the job. Pryor also tells drivers
to prioritize safety: that includes always scanning
the road, paying attention and remaining alert.
During inclement weather, such as rain or snow,
Pryor tells drivers to take their time and be careful.
New hires know if they have any questions,
they can always call him.
When describing the industry, Pryor said,
“Trucking is what keeps this world going…truck
drivers deliver everything you rely on.” Pryor
also discussed the great job opportunities available
within the industry. “There’s a lot of demand
for drivers,” he added. “Freight keeps coming and
coming.”
Sammy Brewster: Dedicated to safety
Sammy Brewster, a professional truck driver
for ABF Freight for the past 12 years, has been a
truck driver for 29 years. He resides in Powder
Springs, Georgia.
Brewster, is a second-generation truck driver.
During an interview with TMAF, Sammy
said, “I got my start at an early age by driving
for my father. He also ran a small family logging
business.”
When asked what Brewster loves most
about trucking, he told TMAF that he loves
the free feeling of being out on the open road
and the opportunity to travel and see different
parts of the country. Most importantly, Brewster
said, it has been a great support system to
raise his family.
Proudly serving the 2armed Research forces company for providing over 75 years!
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Across
Brewster’s son, who just got his trucking license
last year, is continuing in his father and
grandfather’s footsteps as a third-generation
truck driver.
Prior to joining the trucking industry,
Brewster served in the U.S. Army. Brewster
said that dedication to safety is one of the
lessons instilled in him during his service.
He carries that lesson into his job as a truck
driver.
Prioritizing and promoting safety are essential
for Brewster while on and off the road.
Call 262-554-4025 or visit
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The Trucker Crossword
C A C T
4 5
N U S M C A R
T C A R
7
P A R K I N G
F G F
8
9
10
T H O M P S O N F W
A E
11
12
L I G H T S
T C E M
13
A R O O S T O O K E O
O I L K
14
15
T A L L A D E G A N E
L E E T G Y
U A U R
G M M
17
P I N K
N B
U I
18 19
D C
T R A N S F L O A
N W N
21
S A V A N N A H
L
6
16
20
statistical data on trucking
5 ATA praised President Trump
for signing this (acron.)
6 Organization holding 2020
annual convention in
Kissimmee, Fla.
7 Finding this costs
carriers/truckers an average of
$72.00/hr.
8 National Guard & Reserve
Patriot awardee
11 Truckers use these to say
"thank you."
13 Curless' home county
14 John Ray drove flag carrying
semi here
17 Richardson drives a ______
20 Released new dashcam
technology
21 Fourth largest U.S. port for
container cargo
1
Because of his strong safety record, Brewster
has received many safe driving awards,
including the 11-year safe driving certificate
and the 10-year Safety Performance Award
from ABF Freight.
Brewster was appointed as a member of
ATA’s 2019–2020 America’s Road Team.
He also serves as member of ATA’s Share
the Road highway safety program, helping
to educate motorists about road safety during
heavy traffic weekends, such as Memorial
Day. 8
The Trucker Crossword Answer Key
2
With your experience in over-dimensional
freight and our professional support, we
can show you the true value of Diamond.
3
Down
1 Safety of drivers and _______
requires secure overnight
parking.
3 "100 Pledges in 100 Days"
addresses this
4 USMCA replaces this trade
agreement (acron.)
9 The Pilot Company umbrella
covers travel centers and
expansion into this industry.
10 When even with this, motorists
signal intent to change lanes in
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12 Highway patrol/police officer
14 This issue's "At the Truckstop"
features this couple (2 wds.)
15 Released study of highway
tolling Scan this (acron.) qr code to learn
16 Wheel
more
attachment
about Diamond
device
Transportation System, Inc.
18 2019 trailers orders were _____
51% compared to 2018.
19 Expanded _____ through Panam
allowing larger ships to pass.

thetrucker.com February 15-29, 2020 • 29
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thetrucker.com
Features February 15-29, 2020 • 31
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