050120_layout_AllPages

Vol. 33, No. 9 | May 1-14, 2020 | www.thetrucker.com 

Owner-operators feel pain of rate decline due to 

pandemic; protesters block freeway in Houston 

The Trucker File Photo 

HOS suspension extended 

As the demand for essential 

items grows along with the 

COVID-19 outbreak, the 

Federal Motor Carrier Safety 

Administration has extended 

the length of its emergency 

declaration exempting certain 

drivers from hours-of-service 

restrictions. 

Page 3 

Navigating the news 

Food trucks for truckers..........4 

CLP waiver..............................6 

Canada requires masks.........8 

Rhythm of the Road.............11 

At the Truck Stop..................12 

Ask the Attorney...................14 

Chaplain’s Corner.................14 

The Trucker Trainer..............15 

Rates peak, then plummet.... 17 

Nuclear insurance verdicts....18 

Safety Series........................20 

PACCAR recalls...................23 

‘An amazing moment’...........25 

Woman on a mission............26 

Cliff Abbott & Wendy Miller 

cliffa@thetrucker.com 

wendym@thetrucker.com 

In the past month, there has been a plethora of 

efforts to show appreciation for the nation’s drivers. 

Free lunches are great, but some of those drivers 

who operate independently are worried about 

how they’ll keep their businesses afloat when rates 

are tanking, insurance rates are rising and regulations 

continue to tighten. 

Some owner-operators have become very selective 

of the loads they accept, with some parking 

their trucks until rates improve. Others are 

working but are complaining and attempting to 

make their voices heard via social media and other 

outlets. In Houston, 75 truckers were issued misdemeanor 

citations for impeding traffic on Houston’s 

East Loop Freeway on April 20. Another 

person was arrested and charged with inciting a 

riot and obstructing a highway. Both charges are 

misdemeanors, according to Houston Police Chief 

Art Acevedo. 

“Everyone that was blocking the highway in 

protest has been cited with a Class C misdemeanor,” 

Acevedo said in a media briefing following 

the incident. “These are independent drivers protesting 

nonpayment by companies that have hired 

them to move [freight]. We’ve explained to them 

that this is an ongoing problem, and this is no way 

to fix that problem by engaging in illegal activity.” 

Acevedo stressed that there is a “distinct difference 

between protected First Amendment rights 

Courtesy: Houston Police Department 

Following a protest blocking Houston’s East Loop Freeway, Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo addressed 

the demonstrating truck drivers, advising them to protest in other ways than blocking city roadways. The 

drivers were cited for impeding traffic, but the police department has said it will investigate the accusations 

of fraud by brokers. 

and illegal activity.” Blocking the flow of traffic on 

a freeway falls into the latter category. 

No matter how they’re coping, truckers are feeling 

the pain of the COVID-19 economy. Unfortunately, 

it’s not going to get better any time soon. 

Rates that had begun to rise in March plummeted 

in April and are still falling as of this writing. According 

to DAT Trendlines, April 13-19 rates for 

van freight average 15 cents per mile less than the 

March average. The April average is $1.72 per 

mile. Flatbed fared worse, dropping 19 cents to a 

See Protest on p9 m 

Trucking industry receives all-American 

‘thank you’ from President Donald Trump 

Courtesy: Ricky Davis 

Small-town hospitality 

Sonic locations in the 

small towns of Valliant, 

Oklahoma, and Fordyce, 

Arkansas, prioritize truckers 

with accessible menus and 

routes. These locations’ 

truck accommodations are 

permanent and available 

year round. 

Page 25 

Official White House Photo by Joyce N. Boghosian 

President Donald J. Trump, joined by Transportation 

Secretary Elaine Chao, delivered remarks on 

the South Lawn of the White House to celebrate 

America’s truckers. 

Linda Garner-Bunch 

lindag@thetrucker.com 

WASHINGTON — Since the first cases of 

COVID-19 were discovered in Wuhan, China, in late 

December, the disease has spread worldwide, “going 

viral” in the worst possible way. At the time of this 

writing, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 

reports a total of more than 830,000 cases in the 

U.S. with more than 47,000 reported deaths. 

During this pandemic, the nation’s truck drivers 

have stepped up to the challenge of keeping stores 

stocked with essential supplies and health care 

facilities equipped with medical supplies, pharmaceuticals 

and personal protective equipment. 

Working long hours, spending days or even weeks 

away from family and loved ones, struggling to 

find necessities such as meals and restrooms — it’s 

all in a day’s work for these long-unsung heroes. 

In mid-April, President Donald Trump honored 

the trucking industry in an event on the 

South Lawn of the White House. Flanked by two 

Class 8 tractors — Interstate One, the image truck 

for American Trucking Associations, and a truck 

from FedEx Ground — along with Secretary of 

Transportation Elaine Chao and driver-representatives 

for several U.S. trucking companies, Trump 

praised the industry for its efforts during the 

COVID-19 crisis. He described truck drivers as 

“the lifeblood of our economy,” not only in times 

of crisis but every day, noting that trucking routes 

“connect every farm, hospital, manufacturer, business 

and community in the country.” 

Trump thanked the nation’s truck drivers, 

See Thanks on p8 m

F 

M 

2 • May 1-14, 2020 Nation THETRUCKER.COM T 

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Nation May 1-14, 2020 • 3 

iStock Photo 

If drivers are hauling essential goods as noted in the FMCSA’s emergency declaration, they 

can be exempt from hours-of-service regulations. Fuel and liquefied gases are two of the many 

qualifying materials. 

FMCSA extends HOS suspension through 

May 15 as COVID-19 crisis continues 

THE TRUCKER NEWS SERVICES 

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department 

of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier 

Safety Administration (FMCSA) has issued 

an extension to its unprecedented suspension 

of hours of service for commercial vehicles. 

This exemption will now expire on May 15, 

2020, as a response to the ongoing nationwide 

COVID-19 outbreak. 

The agency also extended the qualifying 

supplies to include liquefied gases to be used in 

refrigeration or cooling systems. 

The original emergency declaration granting 

relief from hours-of-service requirements 

was issued March 13 and was initially set to 

expire on April 12. The agency’s release states 

that “because emergency conditions have not 

abated” the relief will continue. 

The FMCSA’s declaration provides for regulatory 

relief for commercial motor vehicles 

transporting the following: 

• Medical supplies and equipment related 

to the testing, diagnosis and treatment of 

COVID-19. 

• Supplies and equipment necessary for 

community safety, sanitation and prevention 

of community transmission of COVID-19 

such as masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, soap and 

disinfectants. 

• Food, paper products and other groceries 

for emergency restocking of distribution centers 

or stores. 

• Immediate precursor raw materials — 

such as paper, plastic or alcohol — that are required 

and to be used for the manufacture of 

essential items. 

• Fuel. 

• Liquefied gases to be used in refrigeration 

or cooling systems. 

• Equipment, supplies and persons necessary 

to establish and manage temporary housing, 

quarantine. 

• Persons designated by federal, state or local 

authorities for medical, isolation or quarantine 

purposes. 

• Persons necessary to provide other medical 

or emergency services. 

The expanded and extended declaration 

stipulates that direct assistance does not include 

routine commercial deliveries, including 

mixed loads with a nominal quantity of qualifying 

emergency relief added to obtain the benefits 

of the emergency declaration. 

To ensure continued safety on the nation’s 

roadways, the emergency declaration stipulates 

that once a driver has completed his or her delivery, 

the driver must receive a minimum of 

10 hours off duty if transporting property, eight 

hours if transporting passengers. 

The declaration specifically suspends Parts 

390-399 of the Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations, 

in which HOS is Part 395. This is the first 

time the FMCSA has issued a nationwide relief, 

and the announcement followed President Donald 

Trump’s declaration of a national emergency 

in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in March. 

“The nation’s truck drivers are on the front 

lines of this effort and are critical to America’s 

supply chain,” said U.S. Secretary of Transportation 

Elaine L. Chao following the release of 

the initial declaration. 

Only a few days after the initial declaration, 

FMCSA expanded the declaration to include additional 

items being transported that qualify for 

the exemption. 

To read all of the declarations in their 

entirety visit fmcsa.dot.gov/emergencydeclarations. 

From there, the PDF can be accessed 

by clicking the link below “Declarations 

by FMCSA.” 8 

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4 • May 1-14, 2020 Nation 


FHWA authorizes states to temporarily allow food 

trucks to serve drivers at rest areas across the nation 



With dining rooms closed and many restaurants 

limited to drive-thru or curbside service during 

the COVID-19 pandemic, truck drivers have 

reported difficulty in purchasing prepared food. 

After all, most drive-thru lanes aren’t equipped 

to handle a Class 8 tractor-trailer, and many fastfood 

restaurants don’t permit walk-up orders at 

the drive-thru window. 

To help provide alternatives for the nation’s 

drivers, the Federal Highway Administration 

(FHWA) issued a notice in early April allowing 

states to issue temporary permits for food trucks 

to operate, in accordance with state laws, at federally 

funded highway rest areas. 

“America’s commercial truck drivers are 

working day and night during this pandemic to 

ensure critical relief supplies are being delivered 

to our communities,” said Nicole R. Nason, 

FHWA administrator. “I am grateful to our state 

transportation partners for bringing this idea to 

the department and for their leadership in thinking 

outside the box. It is critical to make sure 

truck drivers continue to have access to food services 

while they’re on the job serving our nation 

during these challenging times.” 

The notice specifies that the permits must be 

rescinded when the federally declared state of 

emergency ends. 

Since the FHWA issued the notice, several 

states have moved to allow food trucks 

at rest areas, among them Arizona, Arkansas, 

California, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Ohio and 

West Virginia. 

Indiana stepped up, allowing food trucks to 

operate at more than 25 of the state’s rest areas 

and welcome centers. Two trucks will be issued 

permits to operate from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day 

on a first-come, first served basis, according to 

the Indiana Department of Transportation. 

The West Virginia Division of Highways 

followed suit, also allowing two food trucks per 

rest area. 

“Allowing food trucks at our rest areas keeps 

[truck drivers] from having to leave the interstate 

to look for something to eat,” said Jacob Bumgarner, 

operations division director for the state’s division 

of highways. 

In Idaho, two food-truck vendors can set up at 

each rest area; the trucks are not allowed to operate 

at sites that already have on-site food service. 

“We heard truck drivers were having difficulty 

Courtesy: Indiana Department of Transportation: Northwest 

The Digzy Dogs & Grill food truck is shown at the Indiana welcome center on the westbound 

side of Interstate 94 waiting to serve truck drivers and other essential drivers per special authorization 

from the Federal Highway Administration. 

finding hot meals with the restrictions placed on 

nonessential businesses during the stay-at-home 

order,” said Nestor Fernandez, mobility services 

engineer for the Idaho Department of Transportation. 

“Our goal is to support them as best we can 

during this pandemic, especially long-haul drivers 

delivering goods across the U.S.” 

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey issued an executive 

order allowing food trucks to operate at eight 

state DOT rest stops — Interstate 10 at Ehrenberg, 

Burnt Wells and Sacaton; Interstate 17 at 

Sunset Point and Christiansen; and Interstate 40 

at Haviland, Parks and Meteor Crater. 

“We want to ensure we’re doing everything 

we can to support the truck drivers 

who are working long hours to our grocery 

stores stocked and our medical professionals 

equipped,” Ducey said. 

Food-truck vendors may also operate at several 

Ohio rest areas, excluding areas along the Ohio 

Turnpike. According to the Ohio Department of 

Transportation, food trucks are not allowed to sell 

prepackaged items, such as chips, snack cakes or 

candy, or sell any beverages other than coffee. 

This stipulation ensures that on-premise vending 

machines, operated by blind or visually impaired 

small-business owners, retain their business. 

Truck drivers in California also have access 

to food-truck fare at rest stops, according 

to the California Department of Transportation 

(CALTRANS), as noted in an executive order 

signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom. 

“The restrictions for commercial activities 

… are suspended for a period of 60 days, to the 

extent necessary to allow commercially licensed 

food trucks to operate and sell food in designated 

safety roadside rest areas,” the order reads. 

The Arkansas Department of Transportation 

and Arkansas Trucking Association created 

a system that allowed food trucks to operate at 

four rest areas within the state — on Interstate 

40 at the eastbound and westbound rest areas at 

Big Piney and on Interstate 30 at the eastbound 

and westbound rest areas at Social Hill. 

“Allowing food trucks to temporarily operate 

in these areas will give truckers easier access to 

meals. The department considers it a privilege to 

help the truckers in this small way. We appreciate 

the job they are doing to keep commodities flowing 

in Arkansas and across the nation during these 

difficult times,” said Lorie Tudor, director of the 

Arkansas DOT. 

“As (truck drivers) continue to protect our 

health, we have to make sure they are equipped 

to maintain their own physical and mental wellbeing,” 

said Shannon Newton, president of the 

Arkansas Trucking Association. “We can’t shake 

their hands or hug their necks right now, but the 

next best way to show people you love and appreciate 

them is to feed them, to break bread and 

meet needs.” 8 

NYC opens temporary overnight parking locations for trucks 


NEW YORK CITY — The New York City 

Department of Transportation has opened two 

temporary overnight parking locations to assist 

drivers hauling COVID-19 relief and essential 

products. The rest areas are located in Hunts 

Point and Staten Island. 

To help truckers safely meet Federal 

Motor Carriers Safety Administration (FM- 

SCA) mandatory rest periods, the city has 

established the temporary rest areas at two 

strategic freight hubs. Each area will be 

open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 

for rest periods during the day or overnight, 

with bathrooms, mobile lights, trash cans 

and security patrol. 

Below are details about each location. Drivers 

should keep their vehicles secure, as the 

City is not responsible for any stolen items. 

BRONX 

1400 Viele Ave. 

Hunts Point Food Distribution Center 

(Entrance on Halleck Street between the 

Produce Market and Baldor Foods) 

Capacity: 55 trucks 

STATEN ISLAND 

North Washington Avenue 

Global Container Terminal 

(From westbound I-278, take exit 3/Western 

Avenue, continue west and follow signs to 

rest stop; from eastbound I-278, take exit 4/ 

Forest Avenue and follow signs to rest stop) 

Capacity: 25 trucks 8 

USPS 972 

Volume 33, Number 9 

May 1-14, 2020 

The Trucker is a semi-monthly, national newspaper for the 

trucking industry, published by The Trucker Media Group 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 


Staff Writer/Designer 



Production Manager 

Rob Nelson 

robn@thetrucker.com 

Graphic Artist 

Christie McCluer 

christie.mccluer@thetrucker.com 

Special Correspondents 

Cliff Abbott 


Lyndon Finney 

lyndonf@thetrucker.com 

Kris Rutherford 

krisr@thetrucker.com 

For advertising opportunities, 

please contact Megan Cullingford-Hicks 

at meganh@targetmediapartners.com. 

Telephone: (501) 666-0500 

Fax: (501) 666-0700 

E-mail: news@thetrucker.com 

Web: www.thetrucker.com 

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per year. Periodicals Postage Paid at Little Rock, AR 

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POSTMASTER: 

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6 • May 1-14, 2020 Nation 


FMCSA temporarily waives some restrictions on student 

drivers, licensing process; veteran drivers share concerns 

Courtesy: American Trucking Associations 

Chris Spear, president and CEO of the 

American Trucking Associations, has been 

appointed to the transportation portion of the 

White House’s Economic Revival Group. 

Industry leaders 

join White House 

economic group 


WASHINGTON — President Donald J. 

Trump has announced a group of executives, 

economists, scholars and industry leaders who 

together will form various Great American 

Economic Revival Industry Groups. Among 

transportation leaders named to the group is 

American Trucking Associations President and 

CEO Chris Spear. This initiative is convening 

bipartisan groups of industry leaders from 

across all sectors of the U.S. economy. These 

groups will work with the White House to chart 

the path forward for the economy as it rebounds 

from the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“I am honored to serve our President and 

the nation in this capacity, representing the 

trucking industry and joining four ATA member 

company CEOs, to bridge this crisis to a safe, 

speedy and full recovery,” said Spear. “Just as 

they have during the mitigation and response 

efforts, truckers will be at the forefront as we 

revive our economy’s engine and get our country 

moving again. No industry will be more vital, 

and we embrace the opportunity to play a 

leading role in this national effort.” 

The following trucking CEOs were also 

named to the administration’s transportation 

group: 

• Fred Smith, FedEx 

• David Abney, UPS 

• John Roberts III, J.B. Hunt 

• Darren Hawkins, YRC Worldwide 

Trucking is the central link in the United 

States’ supply chain, moving more than 70% 

of the nation’s freight tonnage. More than 80% 

of U.S. communities depend solely on trucking 

for delivery of their goods and commodities. In 

2018, the trucking industry hauled 11.49 billion 

tons of the nation’s goods. 

Throughout the mitigation and response 

phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, truckers 

continue to serve on the front lines, delivering 

food, personal protective equipment, 

medicine and other essential supplies to meet 

the needs of medical professionals, first responders 

and the American people. 8 



In response to the national emergency resulting 

from the global COVID-19 pandemic, 

in late March the Federal Motor Carrier Safety 

Administration (FMCSA) issued a three-month 

waiver that relaxes some regulations for commercial 

learner’s permit (CLP) holders. 

The two-pronged waiver is designed to facilitate 

the flow of essential products and personnel 

during the national crisis declared by 

President Trump and will continue until June 

30 or until the president revokes the declaration 

of national emergency related to COVID-19, 

whichever comes first. 

The waiver states that because of the closing 

of many state driver licensing agencies (SDLA) 

in accordance to guidelines from the Centers 

for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 

“some SDLAs may be unable to process and 

issue a commercial driver’s license (CDL) 

credential to eligible CLP holders who have 

passed the driving-skills test.” 

Because of the national emergency and the 

need for timely transport of essential supplies, 

equipment and personnel, the waiver provides 

relief from two regulations: 

First, the requirement that a CDL holder 

with the proper CDL class and endorsements 

be seated in the front seat while a CLP holder 

operates a commercial vehicle on public roads 

or highways is lifted; however, the CDL holder 

must be present in the vehicle, the waiver states. 

Second, states may now administer drivingskills 

testing to any nonresident CDL applicant 

regardless of where the applicant received 

training. Normal restrictions limit nonresident 

testing to applicants who received training in 

that state. 

“FMCSA finds that the granting of this 

waiver is in the public interest, given CDL and 

CLP holders’ critical role in delivering necessary 

property and passengers, including, but 

not limited to, shipments of essential supplies 

and persons to respond to the COVID-19 outbreaks,” 

the waiver states. “This waiver is in the 

public interest because it would allow drivers 

covered under this waiver to deliver essential 

supplies and persons across state lines to address 

the national emergency. This waiver will 

also reduce the administrative burden on CLP 

holders during this national emergency.” 

FMCSA says the waiver should not impact 

highway safety, citing the “limited scope of this 

waiver and the ample precautions that remain 


JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — In response 

to the COVID-19 crisis and shortage of safe 

truck-parking facilities, the Missouri State 

Highway Patrol has announced that truck 

parking, including overnight parking, will be 

permitted at the state’s scale houses during 

the national state of emergency declared by 

President Donald Trump. 

iStock Photo 

Under the FMCSA’s waiver, a CLP holder can operate the vehicle without a licensed CDL 

driver in the cab. The trainer must, however, be in the truck. 

in place.” The agency emphasizes that “this 

waiver does not alter any of the knowledge and 

skills testing requirements for a CDL, a CLP or 

a necessary endorsement.” 

Veteran OTR drivers and trainers expressed 

concern to The Trucker about the first prong of 

the waiver — allowing CLP holders to operate 

a commercial vehicle without a CDL holder in 

the passenger seat — but agree that ultimately 

the decision should be made on a case-by-case 

basis depending on the skill level of the trainee. 

“There’s a lot involved with driving a truck, 

like keeping your safe distance, making sure 

that the driver can make turns — that they get 

in the habit of swinging the truck wide — lane 

control and more. If at any time as a mentor, if 

I feel like the student is not ready to be up in 

the seat by himself, I will continue to stay up 

there,” said Orlando Roberts, a driver-trainer 

for Phoenix-based Swift Transportation. 

“I personally believe that giving the permit 

holders the ability to drive unsupervised is not 

necessarily a good thing,” said Jonathan Markum, 

a Tennessee-based OTR driver with more 

than 20 years of experience and two million 

safe miles with his current carrier. “I believe it 

actually could endanger lives, depending upon 

the individual’s skill level, and I have to specify, 

also depending upon the level of training 

they’re receiving from their trainer.” 

Markum added that he believes the purpose 

of the waiver is to help drivers move freight 

According to post on the agency’s Facebook 

page, truckers must make sure parking 

does not interfere with the operation of the 

facility: 

• No parking on ramps or turnaround areas; 

• No parking in the scale lanes or in front 

of the inspection buildings; 

• No parking in areas designated for staff or 

handicap parking; and 

faster by allowing students and trainers to operate 

like a team, allowing each other to rest while 

staying on the road. 

“It takes quite a bit of practice to sleep when 

the truck’s going down the road, hitting all 

the potholes and sways of the road, the wind, 

the noise, all the rest,” he said. “I don’t think 

[the students] will get proper sleep because it 

takes time to break into that rhythm; you can’t 

just start out and drive like a team operation 

overnight.” 

Roberts and Markum agree that allowing 

states to issue CDLs to nonresident CLP 

holders, regardless of where they obtained 

their training, could be a good way to expedite 

licensing and keep drivers on the road. 

“Because we do have an emergency situation 

right now with the coronavirus, it is going 

to help the industry move freight a lot faster, because 

of the simple fact that these people don’t 

have to go back to another state to get their license,” 

Roberts said. 

Markum said he believes that, regardless of 

what state issues a CDL license, the most important 

thing is to make sure that drivers are adequately 

trained before receiving their license. 

“First off, it’s the call of the company: 

Have they trained the trainer correctly? Second, 

it’s the call of the trainer,” Markum 

said. “And third, these new drivers should be 

truthful enough to say, ‘I’m ready’ or ‘I’m not 

ready.’” 8 

Missouri allows truck parking at scale houses during pandemic 

• No parking in other areas identified by onsite 

Missouri State Highway Patrol personnel. 

In addition, drivers should take note of the 

following: 

• No littering of any kind. 

• No alcohol or drug consumption on state 

property. 

• Restroom facilities may not be available 

at some sites. 8


Nation May 1-14, 2020 • 7 

TruckPark teams up with providers to offer telehealth, COVID-19 testing for truckers 



CHICAGO — As the COVID-19 pandemic 

continues to spread across the U.S. 

and many Americans work from home, it’s 

“business as usual” for the nation’s truck 

drivers, who work long hours to make sure 

medical supplies, food, fuel and other essentials 

arrive safely at their destinations. 

With most restaurants closing their dining 

rooms and going to drive-thru and take-out 

only service, some gas stations closing public 

restrooms and other amenities, and truckparking 

at a premium, these hardworking 

men and women are facing new challenges 

in their paths. 

One question we at The Trucker have 

heard from several OTR drivers is, “What 

happens to me if I get sick out here on the 

road? What if I get COVID-19? Where can 

I go?” 

To help drivers stay safe and healthy, 

TruckPark Inc. has partnered with Urgent- 

Care Travel and GenieMD to provide additional 

telehealth solutions to the transportation 

industry. Through the partnership, users 

of the TruckPark app (available from the 

Apple App Store and Google Play) will have 

access to health care providers and valuable 

medical resources. 

“This telehealth service is a safe way 

for a driver to get an initial evaluation (of 

COVID-19 symptoms) from their truck versus 

having people congregate at the clinic,” 

said Mitch Strobin, senior vice president of 

marketing and relationship management for 

UrgentCare Travel. 

“Many drivers on the road today suffer 

from a chronic condition, like diabetes or hypertension, 

that puts them more at risk for the 

coronavirus,” he continued. 

Dr. Soheil Saadat, founder and CEO of 

GenieMD, said the partnership is designed 

to help some of the nation’s most essential 

workers. 

“We are excited to partner with TruckPark 

to offer our service to hardworking drivers, 

who play a critical role in our transportation 

industry,” said Dr. Soheil Saadat, founder 

and CEO of GenieMD. 

“Most of these drivers spend many days 

at a time on the road and away from home, 

and often, when they need medical help, 

they are in unknown territories during off 

hours,” Saadat said. “By using our telemedicine 

platform, these hardworking individuals 

can have easy access to medical professionals 

who can provide expert care and, if 

necessary, prescribe medication to the nearest 

pharmacy.” 

Truckers experiencing symptoms of 

COVID-19 — including fever, cough and 

shortness of breath, according to the Centers 

for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 

— can access the telehealth services from 

the TruckPark App’s Services page or from 

truckpark.com. Both UrgentCare Travel 

and GenieMD charge a fee (less than $50) for 

the service, payable by credit or debit card. 

“We are thankful for truck drivers all 

over and what they’re doing right now while 

we’re staying at home in our living rooms. 

They’re out there moving products safely,” 

said Anthony Petitte, CEO and co-founder of 

TruckPark Inc. 

To help drivers who need secure parking, 

whether overnight or for a medical quarantine, 

TruckPark is offering 25% off parking at 

its secure lots when drivers book through the 

TruckPark app and use the code “PARK25” 

at checkout. 

Individuals and businesses looking for a 

way to help truck drivers can reserve parking, 

either for a specific driver or any driver, 

still at a 25% discount, Petitte added. To reserve 

a spot for a trucker, email info@truck 

park.com or call 872-205-6024. 

“We will make a reservation for the driver, 

and the driver won’t have to pay anything 

for parking because of the generosity of another 

person,” Petitte said. 

“It’s a way to show appreciation for 

truckers with everything that’s going on 

right now. We call it ‘old-school trucking,’ 

when people come together and help each 

other out,” he continued. “Sometimes with 

technology, the drivers become just another 

number — but they’re not just another number; 

they’re people. And they’re people with 

big hearts, and we want to help them make 

a difference.” 8 

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8 • May 1-14, 2020 Nation 

Truckers, other essential workers must wear 

protective face covering when entering Canada 


TORONTO — Essential workers must wear 

a protective face covering when crossing the 

border from the United States to Canada, according 

to a notice released in mid-April by the 

Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA). 

The release states that the CTA has been 

informed by the Canadian Border Services 

Agency (CBSA) that the Public Health Agency 

of Canada (PHAC) is directing the agency, effective 

immediately, to implement a policy requiring 

all essential workers crossing the border 

to wear a nonmedical mask or face covering and 

to provide drivers with a mask should they not 

have one. 

In a conversation with a spokesperson for 

CBSA, CTA was told that no drivers will be 

turned away from entering Canada as a result of 

this policy and that the border-services agency 

will attempt to provide drivers with a mask 

should they not have one. 

Health Canada offers guidance regarding 

nonmedical face coverings. Because nonmedical 

masks offer limited protection, the agency 

offers the following and other notations. 

Wearing a nonmedical mask is an additional 

measure you can take to protect others around 

you (in situations where physical distancing is 

difficult to maintain given recent evidence related 

to transmission from persons who are presymptomatic 

or have no symptoms). 

AP Photo/David Zalubowski 

Truck driver Camilo Diaz of Miami wears a 

mask after parking his rig at the Flying J Truck 

Stop. American truck drivers are now required 

to wear face coverings when entering Canada. 

Wearing a nonmedical mask is another way 

to cover your mouth and nose to prevent your 

respiratory droplets from contaminating others 

or landing on surfaces. Just like our recommendation 

not to cough into your hands (instead, 

cover your cough with tissues or your sleeve) a 

mask can reduce the chance that others are coming 

into contact with your respiratory droplets. 

If you choose to use a nonmedical face 

mask: 1) You must wash your hands immediately 

before putting it on and immediately after 

taking it off (in addition to practicing good hand 

hygiene while wearing it); 2) It should fit well 

(non-gaping); and 3) You should not share it 

with others. 8 


Courtesy: Arizona Department of Transportation 

The Arizona Department of Transportation has temporarily opened two rest stops to accommodate 

trucks only during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Arizona reopens two rest areas for trucks 


PHOENIX — The Arizona Department of 

Transportation has temporarily reopened two 

long-shuttered northern Arizona rest areas to 

support truckers hauling essentials during the 

current public health situation. 

The Parks Rest Area along Interstate 40 

west of Flagstaff (milepost 182) and the Christensen 

Rest Area on Interstate 17 south of Flagstaff 

(milepost 324) offer parking, portable toilets 

and hand-washing stations exclusively for 

commercial-vehicle drivers. 

“Long-haul truckers are working tirelessly to 

support our nation during this difficult time, and 

we will do all we can to support them,” ADOT 

Director John Halikowski said. “Opening these 

temporary rest stops provides a place for drivers 

to get the rest they need as they help all of us.” 

ADOT crews have restriped the parking 

lots of both rest areas. Portable toilets and 

hand-washing stations have been brought in, as 

well as trash bins. There will be staff at the rest 

areas for a few hours every day. 

The Parks and Christensen rest areas are 

only available to commercial vehicles. Other 

ADOT rest areas remain open for all travelers, 

with staff following enhanced sanitation protocols, 

including regularly wiping down frequently 

touched surfaces. 

When additional services became available 

in and around Flagstaff, and along I-40 and 

I-17, Christensen closed in 2002, and Parks 

closed in 2009. There are no plans to reopen 

either rest area permanently. 8 

b Thanks from page 1 b 

describing them as “the foot soldiers who 

are really carrying us to victory” in the battle 

against the coronavirus. 

“From the moment the invisible enemy 

landed on our shores, America’s 3.5 million 

truckers have never wavered at all, and they 

have never let us down,” he said. “I know I 

speak for the 330 million-plus Americans when 

we say, ‘Thank God for truckers.’” 

When called to the podium by Trump, 

Chao also praised the trucking industry. “The 

whole country is cheering you on,” she said. 

“Without you, it would be impossible to keep 

our economy moving and get food, medical 

equipment and essential supplies to where 

they need to be.” 

She assured members of the industry that 

the Department of Transportation is listening to 

the concerns of industry members and working 

to provide regulatory relief and ensure that 

drivers have access to food, rest stops and other 

amenities. 

During the event, four drivers shared experiences 

and praised their fellow industry 

members. Trump presented each driver with a 

ceremonial key in recognition of their contributions. 

Trump and Chao also presented a key 

to American Trucking Association’s President 

Chris Spear at the close of the event. 

Charlton Paul, a driver for UPS Freight and 

a leader in New York Teamsters Local #707 

who drives a 606-mile route between New 

York and Pennsylvania each day, described 

hauling barrels of hand sanitizer, adding that 

some of his colleagues are tasked with delivering 

hand sanitizer to the New York City Police 

Department. 

“I’ve been with UPS for nearly 25 years. 

Growing up, the only thing I wanted to do 

was sit behind the wheel of one of these massive 

trucks,” he said. “It’s an honor in having 

a role in part of fighting this coronavirus. I’m 

also honored to be here representing more than 

495,000 UPS workers worldwide (who) get 

essential supplies to our front-line health care 

and emergency responders every day.” 

Dylan Madigan, a driver for DHL Express 

who delivers personal protective equipment 

in New Jersey, said he is proud to provide 

service to first responders and health care 

workers. 

“For myself and my colleagues at DHL 

Express, who are picking up and delivering 

essential shipments every day, we are on the 

front lines,” he said. “But we also know that 

our true heroes are the medical professionals 

who are battling to save thousands of precious 

lives each day. It is an honor to serve 

them.” 

Steven Richardson, who has nearly 30 

years of experience in trucking and has driven 

for Big G Express of Shelbyville, Tennessee, 

for nearly 20 years, gave a shout-out to Jack 

Daniel’s Distillery of Lynchburg, Tennessee. 

“They make some of the greatest Tennessee 

whiskey, if I could say. I’ve had a few swigs 

here and there,” he said amid chuckles from the 

assembled group. “But now that we’re in this 

time of a pandemic, Jack Daniel’s has switched 

over to making hand sanitizer.” 

Official White House Photo by Joyce N. Boghosian 

President Donald J. Trump presents truck 

driver Stephen Richardson with a commemorative 

key on the South Lawn of the White 

House during an event recognizing the efforts 

of truck drivers during the COVID-19 crisis. 

Richardson also expressed gratitude to other 

drivers, both men and women, throughout 

the country. 

“I hope that, if you pass a trucker out there 

on the road, if you get a chance, say thank 

you,” he said. 

Tina Peterson is an owner-operator who is 

leased to FedEx Ground. Along with her husband, 

also a driver, she makes 10 round-trip 

hauls each month from St. Paul, Minnesota, to 

Dallas, a trip of nearly 1,000 miles each way. 

She related stories of the appreciation drivers 

have seen from the public during the crisis. 

“My husband Dave and I have had a family 

give us a meal out of the back of their pickup 

truck at a rest area. We’ve received thumbs-up 

from motorists on the highways and have seen 

people standing on overpasses waving American 

flags to the passing trucks,” she said. She 

also mentioned the experiences of FedEx’s 

last-mile drivers. 

“The delivery drivers bringing packages to 

doors have been sharing photos of thank-you 

letters, notes, cards and sidewalk chalk messages 

telling us, ‘Thank you for still working,’ 

thanking drivers for delivering what their families 

need right now.” 

In his closing remarks, Trump noted some 

of the steps the federal government has taken 

to help ensure truck drivers remain “safe, fed 

and on the road” — such as lifting hoursof-service 

regulations in some instances, 

helping to keep rest areas open and easing 

commercial driver licensing requirements in 

other cases. In addition, he said, Congress 

is seeking additional funding for the Paycheck 

Protection Program, part of the Coronavirus 

Aid, Relief, and Economic Security 

(CARES) Act. 

“Truckers are playing a critical role in 

vanquishing the virus, and they will be just as 

important as we work to get our economic engines 

roaring,” he said. 

“With the same spirit of faith and grit and 

abiding patriotism that defines everything 

they do, we know our truckers will never let 

us down. They’re very exceptional people,” he 

continued. “And so I say, God bless our great 

truckers. God bless every worker who is serving 

our nation in this time of need. God bless 

all who are sick. And God bless America.” 8


Nation May 1-14, 2020 • 9 

Virginia weigh stations temporarily converted to rest areas for commercial drivers 


RICHMOND, Va. — While all 13 Virginia 

weigh stations are temporarily closed, 

the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles 

is offering weigh stations as additional rest 

areas to accommodate the increased number 

of commercial drivers working to deliver 

food and supplies during the COVID-19 

crisis. 

“The trucking industry is a vital link in 

our country’s supply chain,” said Virginia 

Secretary of Transportation Shannon Valentine. 

“During these unprecedented times, 

we are especially grateful to these men and 

women serving on the front lines, and we 

are proud to help in any way we can.” 

The DMV is offering the use of 246 truckparking 

spaces at 10 weigh stations across the 

commonwealth as rest parking for commercial 

drivers. The spaces are available 24 hours a 

day, seven days a week, until further notice. 

To make truckers aware of the service, the Virginia 

Department of Transportation (VDOT) 

is partnering with the DMV to utilize portable 

changeable message signs advertising the 

availability of truck parking. 

Weigh stations that are currently open as 

rest areas for commercial drivers include: 

• Alberta (I-81, mile marker 22); 

• Bland (I-77, mile marker 52); 

• Carson (I-95, mile marker 39); 

• Dumfries (I-95, mile marker 154); 

• Middletown (Rt. 11, across from the I-81 

weigh station); 

• New Church (Rt. 13, 2 miles south of the 

Maryland state line); 

• Sandston (I-64, mile marker 203); 

• Stephen City (I-81, mile marker 304); 

• Suffolk (Rt. 58, 1 mile west of the Chesapeake 

city line); and 

• Troutville (I-81, mile marker 149). 

“We recognize that these are unusual 

iStock Photo 

While Virginia’s weigh stations are closed, the state’s department of motor vehicles is allowing 

the stations to be used as rest areas. 

times for tractor-trailer drivers hauling goods 

in Virginia and across the nation with the industry 

working around the clock to deliver 

food and emergency supplies to those who 

desperately need them,” said DMV Commissioner 

Richard D. Holcomb. “We applaud 

their efforts and are proud to offer a place of 

refuge in this critical time.” 8 

b Protest from page 1 b 

flat $2. Refrigerated dropped by 20 cents per 

mile to an average of $1.99 per mile. Rates for 

all three modes will likely continue falling for 

the remainder of the month. 

However, rates are only one part of the data 

to be considered. In the van market, for example, 

the load-to-truck ratio was 0.9. Anything 

below 1.0 means there are fewer loads on the 

DAT load boards than there are trucks. Good 

loads are taken up almost as quickly as they 

are posted, leaving the loads with less-thanaverage 

rates to pick from. 

It’s no secret that near-record buying of 

Class 8 trucks in late 2018 and early 2019 

resulted in an overcapacity situation in the 

freight market. Throw in crashing oil prices, 

which actually traded at less than zero at one 

point, and the shutdown of oil fields, and the 

result is a large number of trucks looking for 

other freight to haul. Shut down shipping 

from the largest U.S. trading partner, China, 

and another group of truckers is looking for 

new freight. To all of this, add the closing 

of businesses all over the U.S. and the loss 

of freight those businesses would normally 

generate. 

Large carriers are scrambling to keep trucks 

moving and to keep drivers busy so they don’t 

leave. Many carriers are hitting the spot market 

more than usual for loads to supplement those 

from their own customer base. It all adds up to 

not enough freight to go around. 

Accusations of broker malfeasance are 

commonplace, but whether those claims have 

substance is sometimes questionable. Undoubtedly 

there are brokers who take advantage 

of their trucker clients, but brokerages are 

watching their revenue dwindle, too, as shippers 

refuse to pay more in a market where supply 

exceeds demand. 

In the case of the Houston protest, claims 

were made that brokers weren’t paying owneroperators, 

but it wasn’t clear whether that meant 

some were not paying at all for loads hauled 

or they were simply offering lower rates than 

they did prior to the COVID-19 restrictions. 

Acevedo announced that the department will 

look into allegations of fraud by brokers, but 

he was also clear that truckers who participate 

in further obstruction will have their equipment 

impounded. Additionally, Acevedo urged the 

drivers to work with the police department to 

find other locations for them to exercise their 

First Amendment right to protest. 

“Theft of wages is inexcusable and a criminal 

offense,” the department tweeted following 

the event, noting that the department will 

be “initiating a criminal investigation into 

allegations of widespread theft of wages. We 

won’t tolerate exploitation of hard-working 

people, or unlawfully impeding the movement 

of traffic.” 

In the meantime, owner-operator Amet 

Borrego has organized a GoFundMe account 

in an attempt to raise $15,000 for Stephany 

Ramirez, another owner-operator who was 

charged with inciting a riot and obstructing 

traffic as a result of the protest. 

A DAT press release dated April 20 states 

that the last two weeks of April and first two 

weeks of May will be “crucial for small carriers 

and independent operators.” The release 

cautions of a significant impact to agricultural 

and food supply chains if rates become or 

remain too low to operate or even if trucking 

businesses don’t financially survive. 

Ken Adamo, chief of analytics at DAT, 

warned of continued rate declines in an earlier 

interview with The Trucker, saying, “I’m starting 

to think we’ll see a steep drop-off.” Adamo 

encouraged owner-operators to be as knowledgeable 

as possible and to use technology, 

such as DAT load boards, to make sure they’re 

getting the latest information. Add to this some 

standard business advice: Accounting for every 

penny and making sound decisions becomes 

more critical in a tough market. 

In the meantime, expect more grumbling — 

and possibly more protests — as independent 

truckers struggle to keep their businesses afloat 

in tough economic times. Truckers will continue 

to serve in the COVID-19 era, but will they 

survive economically? Time will tell. 

Editor’s Note: For the full article and interview 

with Ken Adamo, chief of analytics at 

DAT, see page 17. 8 

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Perspective May 

1-14, 2020 • 10 

Letters 

RE: Fellow journalist has editor 

considering attempting CDL test 

Welcome to our new editor. I would 

agree with your friend (mentioned in 

the original column) that your insight 

into promoting what is relevant to 

your readers depends entirely on your 

knowledge of the subject. 

Including a CDL would be the base 

of any resume that I would demand of 

any new hires to my magazine about 

trucking. 

Not to offend you, but the righthand 

seat, although (it) does give 

some experience, lacks the knowledge 

of actually being in top mental condition 

for 11 to 14 hours a day. 

I would encourage you to seek out 

a CDL certification. It’s not that hard, 

and in some cases TOO easy. Fortunately, 

you seem to be worried that 

you will fail. I wish that some of our 

current workforce had that same attitude. 

Stay scared; that is what keeps 

you alive at 3 a.m. turning your 14th 

hour. 

I am getting a little windy here, so 

I’ll close with GO FOR IT. Please remember 

this: The term “professional 

truck driver” is not indicative of experience 

or skills; it just means you get 

paid to do the job. 

Best of luck, 

-Bryan Ballantyne 

Hopefully, the positive image of trucking is here to stay 

Wendy Miller 

editor@thetrucker.com 

Mad Dog’s 

Daughter 

As I sit down to write this column, I’m 

not even sure where to start. This past month 

has been a whirlwind. Like many other workers, 

The Trucker news team has been working 

from home since the last issue of the newspaper 

was sent to press in mid-March. Because 

of this, we were not able to produce an April 

15 print edition of The Trucker. I hope you 

didn’t miss us too much! We are SO happy to 

be back in print, even though we’re still working 

from home. In the meantime, we have 

been typing away, battling our pets and other 

distractions as we work to bring you news. 

In next month’s issue, we will feature a 

special keepsake insert that I hope you all will 

enjoy. Our team is working to produce a glossy 

magazine that will include inspiring, uplifting 

stories of the resiliency of truck drivers 

through the COVID-19 pandemic. This global 

crisis is something that I have most definitely 

never seen in my lifetime, and it is likely that 

you guys and gals haven’t either. Let’s hope 

that none of us ever see it again. 

As we prepare this new product, we are 

also working daily to not only cover the issues 

you all face on the road, but we are also 

looking to find the good in all of this. If we 

don’t focus on the “good,” we will all go 

crazy, right? For instance, the story on Page 

26, written by the newest addition to the team, 

Linda Garner-Bunch, is a beautiful story of a 

woman who was called to show a small token 

of appreciation to the trucking industry in 

these trying and unprecedented times. These 

are the stories I enjoy telling. 

With that being said, I realize that those 

kind gestures, no matter how sincere, do not 

adequately explore the experiences truck drivers 

are having on our roads and in their financial 

dealings. This issue’s cover story isn’t 

fun, and it isn’t necessarily pretty. It involves 

one of my favorite things, though — the First 

Amendment. Our right to protest is one that is 

quite unique in the world, and this is the same 

freedom that ensures I am able to produce this 

newspaper. 

The reality of the situation is that even 

with a newfound appreciation for the undervalued 

front-line workers of the supply 

chain, there are serious issues going on 

behind the scenes and behind the wheel. 

These issues deserve not only the attention 

of The Trucker staff, but also the attention 

of the key players in the trucking industry, 

as well as those in governmental leadership 

roles. Hopefully, extensive news coverage of 

these problems will lead to a solution. That 

is, after all, one of the fundamental purposes 

of the news industry. The Trucker will undoubtedly 

dig into these issues and attempt 

to bring them to light. 

In my last column, I expressed disappointment 

that truck drivers did not immediately 

gain recognition as the driving force behind 

keeping our nation’s stores stocked and providing 

us with the products we need to stay 

at home. Now, however, there’s an outpouring 

of support. I just hope that this support has 

staying power. Another story I’d like to call 

your attention to is on Page 18. In this story, 

Kris Rutherford delves into the possibility 

that this positive image of truck drivers that 

has currently consumed the general public 

will translate into the courtroom when a driver 

and/or trucking company is slammed with 

a “nuclear verdict.” 

We have seen small (and even larger) 

trucking companies closing their doors each 

day because of such courtroom verdicts and 

the high insurance premiums that follow. That 

is another issue that no one is considering 

right now as everyone shares thank-you’s on 

social media. 

Seeing the outpouring of support does 

warm my heart, and I smile every time I see 

or hear of someone going out of their way to 

show appreciation for truck drivers. Those 

are stories that need to be told, but more importantly, 

those are stories that need to be remembered 

once life returns to normal. 

The pandemic has hopefully taught our 

country a much-needed lesson about logistics 

and the supply chain. Can you believe how 

many people really never made the connection 

between the toilet paper on the grocerystore 

shelves and the trucks they yelled at for 

driving too slow on the interstate? Now they 

get it. All we can do it hope that the public 

remembers that when everything goes back to 

normal. As much as I crave “normal,” I hope 

that this is something that sticks. 

Again, from the bottom of my heart and 

the hearts of those on The Trucker news staff, 

we thank you for all that you do every day. 

Until next time, be cool and be careful. 

And more importantly, be safe. 8 

WORTH REPEATING 

In this section, The Trucker news staff will select quotes from stories throughout 

this issue that are just too good to only publish once. In case you missed it, you 

should check out the stories that include these perspectives. Don’t worry, though, the 

Point of View section will return soon. In the meantime, if you have an opinion you 

would like to share, email editor@thetrucker.com. 

“We can’t shake (truck drivers’) hands or 

hug their necks right now, but the next best way 

to show people you love and appreciate them is 

to feed them, to break bread and meet needs.” 

— Shannon Newton, president of Arkansas 

Trucking Association, on FHWA allowing 

states to permit food trucks to operate 

at rest stops to serve truckers. 

Full story on Page 4. 

“If at any time as a mentor, if 

I feel like the student is not ready to 

be up in the (front) seat by himself, I 

will continue to stay up there.” 

— Orlando Roberts, driver-trainer for 

Swift Transportation, on FMCSA restriction 

waivers for student drivers. 

Full story on Page 6. 

“When that man said that (someone) was 

still trapped in the burning vehicle, I’m like, 

‘We gotta get him out.’ I don’t know how yet. I 

haven’t seen it yet, but we gotta get him out.” 

— Ed Zimmerman, recipient of 

Truckload Carriers Association’s Highway Angels 

of the Year for 2019, on how he and his wife Tracy 

saved the life of a motorist. 

Full story on Page 25.


Louisiana-born Ted Daffan (1912-1996) had 

already made his mark as a singer/songwriter in 

southeast Texas when he pulled into a roadside 

diner one evening in 1938. 

Little did he know the diner would inspire a 

new song — a short, simple tune that would make 

Daffan a pioneer of a new category of American 

music. Historians agree that when Ted Daffan 

went home and penned the lyrics to “Truck 

Driver’s Blues,” he gave birth to “truck-driving 

music,” a genre that lives on 82 years later. 

The irony of the background to “Truck Driver’s 

Blues” is that Daffan’s simple observations 

and simple lyrics satisfied the needs of a society 

in the grips of the Great Depression, a society for 

which simplicity was a luxury. In the process, the 

song also made Ted Daffan quite wealthy for a 

musician of the time. 

After graduating from Lufkin (Texas) High 

School in 1930, Daffan taught himself to play the 

Hawaiian guitar, the metallic sound of Hawaiian 

music catching his ear. By 1933, he played well 

enough to land a spot with The Blue Islanders, 

a band with a regular radio show on Houston’s 

KTRH. When The Blue Islanders folded, he 

played with other bands such as The Blue Playboys 

and The Bar-X Cowboys, signaling a movement 

toward western swing. 

Daffan held an interest in electronics, particularly 

how they could be used to improve instrumental 

music. During the 1930s, he experimented 

with amplified guitars and operated a shop in 

Houston specializing in electrical instruments. By 

the end of the decade, Daffan and his amplified 

steel guitar blazed a new trail in western swing, 

a style of music previously known for its use of 

twin fiddles. The steel guitar put the “twang” in 

western swing — and eventually in mainstream 

country music. Today the instrument is regarded 

as one of most difficult to master. 

But Daffan was ahead of his time. 

Daffan considered himself a songwriter first 

and a performer second. “Truck Driver’s Blues,” 

the song for which he is arguably best remembered, 

took shape two years before he began a 

serious recording career. Daffan turned to fiddleplaying 

bandleader Cliff Bruner with his song, 

hoping Bruner and his Texas Wanderers could 

make it suitable for airplay. Likewise, Bruner had 

a contract with Decca Records, the label that gave 

Bing Crosby his break in the music business. 

History proves Daffan made a wise choice. 

The story of “Truck Driver’s Blues” is almost 

too perfect to be anything but legend, but it is a 

story music historians repeat as factual. Daffan’s 

stop at the unknown roadside café, perhaps a 

precursor to the truck stops of later years, gave 

him the chance to observe several truck drivers. 

As Daffan waited for his meal he watched, as one 

after another, the drivers parked their rigs and 

Perspective May 1-14, 2020 • 11 

Ted Daffan: Musical pioneer satisfies 

society’s simple needs with simple song 



Rhythm of 

the Road 

entered the diner. Before sitting down, every 

driver stopped at the jukebox, put in a couple of 

nickels and hung around to hear a favorite tune. 

Realizing that Depression-era truck drivers 

willingly spent five or 10 hard-earned cents 

on something as simple as a song gave Daffan 

an idea. What would truck drivers pay if one of 

those songs in the jukebox focused on the drivers 

themselves? As the story goes, Daffan saw dollar 

signs — or at least a lot of nickels — all destined 

for his pockets. 

A few hours later he penned what would become 

the first truck-driving song. When the Texas 

Wanderers recorded “Truck Driver’s Blues” in 

early 1939, it was an instant success. In the early 

days of country music, a major hit sold about 

5,000 copies. Released on the Decca Records label, 

“Truck Driver’s Blues” was not only the top 

selling record of 1939, but it also sold a staggering 

100,000 copies. Ted Daffan had indeed struck 

a chord with a new audience, and in the eight 

decades since, many songwriters and performers 

have made their marks on music following Daffan’s 

lead. 

“The blues” had been around a lot longer than 

Ted Daffan. In the first few decades of the 20th 

century, the blues, a music genre thought to have 

originated in Africa, became mainstream. The 

Great Depression was a period when most Americans 

had a case of the blues, and the songs of the 

1930s are nothing less than a musical history of 

the years of poverty. Whether the blues performers 

sung of breadlines, tax collectors, the Dust 

Bowl, prohibition, Wall Street, milk cows or perhaps 

the most collective, “The All In and Down 

and Out Blues,” the songs struck the collective 

nerve of society. Daffan recognized the same look 

of “the blues” in the faces of truck drivers. 

More than 80 years after The Texas Wanderers 

recorded “Truck Driver’s Blues,” the lyrics 

are just as applicable as they were in 1939. Drivers 

of the 21st century may travel America on 

controlled-access highways designed for speed 

rather than the winding two-lane roads following 

pig trails of days gone by, but the worries of yesteryear 

remain alive in the trucking industry. 

Like many blues-related songs, “Truck Driver’s 

Blues” begins with a familiar line of misery, 

“Feelin’ tired and weary.” Beyond those opening 

words, however, Daffan sums up the life of a 

truck driver in just three short phrases: 

“Keep them wheels a-rolling, I ain’t got 

no time to lose. 

There’s a honky-tonk gal a waitin’ and 

I’ve got troubles to drown. 

Never did have nothin’, I got nothing 

much to lose — just a low-down feelin’, truck 

driver’s blues.” 

Those sentiments, the same truck drivers have 

today, are what “Truck Driver’s Blues” put to 

music — no time to lose, troubles to drown and 

nothing left to lose (other than the blues). 

“Truck Driver’s Blues” is a simple song written 

in simple times. And as Daffan discovered 

after an evening in a roadside café, satisfying 

Americans’ simple desires through simplicity itself 

can be lucrative — and groundbreaking. 

Until next time, when you’re feeling tired and 

weary, stay safe and pull off the highway. Staying 

safe can keep the blues at bay. 8 

MOVINGFORWARD 

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12 

AT 

THE TRUCK STOP 

PRESENTED BY CAT SCALE. VISIT WEIGHMYTRUCK.COM 

Susie De Ridder chosen as Women In Trucking’s 

first Female Driver of the Year 

Cliff Abbott 


Driving a truck for a living isn’t an easy 

job. Driving for a living AND making time 

to promote the industry and its drivers while 

encouraging others to make trucking a career? 

That’s an effort above and beyond. 

That’s Susie De Ridder. 

The Fredericton, New Brunswick-based 

driver for Amour Transportation Systems 

was Women In Trucking’s (WIT) choice 

as its very first Female Driver of the Year. 

Physical presentation of the award was 

scheduled for the organization’s “Salute 

to Women Behind the Wheel” at the Mid- 

America Trucking Show in Louisville, Kentucky, 

but the event was canceled due to the 

COVID-19 pandemic. 

“I’m disappointed,” said De Ridder, “but 

we have to think of the safety of everyone.” 

Instead, the award was presented through a 

video and press release from WIT. 

De Ridder was chosen from a group of 

three finalists that also included Carmen 

Anderson and Sarah Fiske, company drivers 

for America’s Service Line LLC and FedEx 

Freight, respectively. 

“I can’t wait to meet them,” De Ridder 

acknowledged. 

Still, she was elated at her achievement. 

“I’ve said it before; it was like winning the 

‘Golden Globe’ of trucking,” she said. “I 

don’t think my feet have hit the ground yet.” 

Like many drivers, De Ridder came from 

a trucking family. 

“When I was young I’d go with my dad, 

and I noticed there were no women driving 

trucks,” she explained. “I think I’ve always 

wanted to be a truck driver.” 

With 40 years of driving under her belt, 

De Ridder has more than reached her dream 

of driving. She has, however, contributed 

much more to the industry than simply her 

ability to handle a truck. She’s been an ambassador 

for safety, especially to those who 

are considering a driving career. 

“I hope that other women can look at me 

and see that yes, this is possible,” she said. 

To that end, she’s tireless in participating 

in events that present women, and truckers, 

in a positive light. 

“I love the ‘Girl Gala’ events,” she explained, 

referring to scheduled exhibitions 

at schools and other locations where she 

brings her truck. “It brightens my heart to 

pull in and see little girls — and little boys 

— waving and wanting me to blow the 

horn.” 

One item that’s always a hit is Claire, the 

WIT doll that rides on De Ridder’s dash as 

a part of the organization’s ‘Where’s Claire’ 

program. 

“I wish I could give every one of them a 

Claire of their own,” De Ridder said, “but I 

try to leave them with some kind of gift, like 

a hat or a scouting patch. My hope is that 

it reminds them of the woman trucker who 

visited them.” 

De Ridder loves to participate in charity 

events, too. She said she is a good friend of 

Jo-Anne Phillips, the WIT June 2019 Member 

of the Month and works with her on 

the Convoy for Hope, an annual fundraising 

parade to support cancer research and 

treatment. 

Another charity event was of De Ridder’s 

own creation. When the woman cleaning 

showers at a Nebraska truck stop told her of a 

group of feral cats living around the facility, 

De Ridder went into action. Working with 

others, she raised enough funding to have all 

the animals vaccinated and neutered. 

“If I had more time,” she said, “I’d be 

volunteering at shelters.” 

Regardless, she still found time to adopt 

two rescue cats, Downey and Spice. 

“I don’t take them on the road with me, 

but they’re well cared for at home,” she 

said. 

De Ridder has extensive experience 

serving women in the trucking industry. She 

served on the board for the Women’s Trucking 

Federation of Canada, resigning that position 

to devote more time to WIT, where 

she was named to the Image Team in 2018. 

She has served as a speaker and panelist at 

trucking events and conducted ride-alongs 

with lawmakers and others. Although she 

enjoyed all the official passengers, she said 

one stands out. 

“I had a police officer ride along on one 

trip,” she said. “We kind of hit it off, and 

it was interesting that each of us learned 

something from the other’s point of view.” 

De Ridder works a Tuesday-through- 

Saturday shift from Armour’s Moncton, 

New Brunswick, terminal. She’s “running 

wild” (anywhere in the system) until Friday; 

then she completes a scheduled grocery run. 

When she’s home, De Ridder helps care 

for her elderly mother, rests from her workweek 

and indulges in watching a NASCAR 

race when she can. 

“I usually try to catch a race on Sunday 

when I’m home,” she said. “Now that 

the NASCAR events are suspended, I still 

watch the simulated events.” 

De Ridder’s future plans include using 

Courtesy: Women In Trucking 

Susie De Ridder was chosen as Women In Trucking’s first Female Driver of the Year from 

a group of three finalists that also included Carmen Anderson and Sarah Fiske, company 

drivers for America’s Service Line LLC and FedEx Freight, respectively. 

her platform to encourage more women to 

enter the trucking industry. 

“Maybe I’ll have more opportunities to 

promote women,” she said, adding, “My 

father always said that the steering wheel 

doesn’t know who’s holding it.” 

Her message to women is a simple one: 

“It’s never too late to get behind the wheel,” 

she said. 

If Susie De Ridder has her way, more 

women will be holding that wheel in the 

future. 8

CATTheTrucker021420 full page.qxp_Layout 1 2/14/20 1:21 PM Page 1 

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14 • May 1-14, 2020 Perspective 

thetrucker.com 

A little bit of patience can go a long way as COVID-19 disrupts the court system 

Brad Klepper 

exclusive to the trucker 

Ask the 

Attorney 

I am writing this article on March 23, 

less than a week after I wrote my prior article. 

I know that by the time this goes to publication 

things may have changed — though 

I doubt it. So, I am writing this article on 

what, in my opinion, is the front end of the 

wave of the impact COVID-19 is having on 

the courts. 

For the most part, my job has something 

of a natural rhythm. I come to work, drink 

way too much coffee, complain about whatever 

body part hurts that day and then talk 

with clients, prosecutors, officers and judges. 

Next, I attend some hearings on various matters 

and go home. After that, it’s like it says 

on the shampoo bottle — lather, rinse, repeat. 

In recent days, when I come to the office, 

after I caffeinate and complain, I look 

at my docket and the courts and try to get a 

handle on what is going on. Have my hearings 

been postponed? What can I tell my clients 

about when they can expect resolution 

of their case? How do I reach out to prosecutors 

working from home? Are the court 

clerks working? 

If you can’t tell, everything (except the 

caffeine and complaining) has changed 

since COVID-19. Quite simply, the new 

norm is something along the lines of chaos. 

Everyone, from judges to defendants, 

prosecutors, enforcement and court personnel, 

faces a new reality. Courts across the 

DRIVE 

WITH PRIDE 

country are suspending jury trials, pushing 

back court dates and prohibiting “in-person” 

hearings. All of this is taking place at a time 

when the courts already had a substantial 

backlog. 

Of course, these additional delays will 

only increase the backlog of cases in the 

court system. Some courts are pushing court 

dates out eight weeks. Some are pushing 

court dates out indefinitely. All the while, 

enforcement is still writing tickets and making 

arrests — though their focus is shifting. 

The immigration courts, whose backlog 

is legendary, are basically at a standstill. 

Accordingly, it may now take years to get 

a hearing. 

In the juvenile court system, some juveniles 

may time out (turn 18) before their 

case is processed, meaning the matter will 

never be heard. 

In times of crisis, turn to the ‘mechanic’ 

in prayer to discover the best route to take 

Rev. Marilou Coins 

Chaplain’s 

Corner 

Schools are closed. Churches are closed. 

Banks have been restricted to drive-thru 

service and restaurants are limited to either 

drive-thru or curb service. COVID-19 has 

been a disruption to normal aspects of life. 

People are shut in and getting cabin fever. 

We are all trying to cope with a mess that 

has not been “normal” for our lives. People 

are starting to see who is important and who 

is most needed. So, what do we do? 

First, we need God to open our eyes, so 

we see that we all need him now. Then we 

see that the truckers, the paramedics, the firemen, 

the doctors and the nurses are more important 

than the movie stars, football stars, 

baseball stars or any of the other figures we 

used to idolize. 

Where do you find yourself in all of this? 

Are you afraid of what is going on? Are 

you taking every measure to be sure you 

don’t get sick? Do you miss all the things 

you used to do daily? Are you getting cabin 

fever? Well, now is the time to do some soulsearching 

to see just where you are in life and 

where you are headed in the next life. Are 

you prepared to stand before God and say, “I 

did it all for you, God,” or is there something 

you need to get straight first? 

Now is the time to do a “pre-trip check” 

on our lives and make sure all is in order. If 

we find anything that is not right; then take 

it to the mechanic (God) in prayer and get 

it corrected. Invest as much time in prayer 

as needed and you will see the results of a 

well-tuned engine (you), with all parts working 

well and in good order. Prayer is the tool 

you need, and the mechanic will do the work 

These delays and disruptions to the court 

system will add to the backlogs, and it will 

be difficult for us to dig our way out. However, 

pushing back court dates and postponing 

trials is the right thing to do right now. 

As a society, we need to do all we can 

to protect each other during this time. We 

must also understand that when this is all 

over and life returns to something that 

vaguely resembles “normal,” we will have 

to make some concessions. That “right to 

a speedy trial” you enjoy may not be so 

speedy in the future. 

In addition, the enforcement officers 

working the highways now have a new reality. 

They are working with CDL drivers 

to make sure essential goods and services 

are delivered. Sure, they may still write a 

citation and make an arrest, but their goal is 

See Attorney on p15 m 

to get your life running smoothly like a welltuned 

engine. 

He will give you headlights to see where 

you are going and where you have been. The 

“windows” of your life will be wiped clean 

so you can see the road ahead, and the “mirrors” 

of the past will fade in the distance as 

you journey on in your life. 

Did you ever notice how things change as 

you go down the highway of life? What you 

see in the mirrors are the past, but when you 

look through the windshield, you see where 

you are headed. You can’t change the past, 

but you can change the road ahead you are 

traveling on. 

Yes, we all hit bumps in the road along 

the way, but we can all keep traveling and 

heading in the right direction. Jesus said, “I 

am the way.” He did not say to keep looking 

back on the past. He did not say to stop going 

forward. He just said that following him 

was the right way. You may think you are in 

a ditch, but Jesus is the “wrecker” that has 

come to pull you out of the ditch and get you 

going again. Get out your cell phone (prayer) 

and call on the wrecker (Jesus) to get you 

out of the ditch so you can look through the 

windshield of life, see the road ahead and 

know you are going in the right direction. 

Do not let COVID-19 (the devil) get you 

down and make you ill. Do not think all is 

lost, because it’s not over yet. This may be 

a bump in the road, but once we get past it, 

life will be brighter again. Prayer is what will 

change your life and how you will overcome 

the ills along the way. 

Do not give up on yourself. Jesus did not 

give up on you. COVID-19 (the devil) will try 

to tell you that you are not worthy of anything, 

but Jesus says you are worthy, and he paid 

the price of your repair bill. He is the needed 

medicine to conquer COVID-19 (the devil). 

Best of the roads, and all gears forward 

in Jesus. 

Rev. Marilou Coins 8


b Attorney from page 11 b 

also to help make sure necessary goods 

get delivered and distributed as needed. 

And remember that enforcement officers, 

just like the CDL drivers, are doing 

this while trying to stay healthy. 

So, at the end of the day, I think everyone 

needs to exhibit a little patience 

— patience with the courts, patience 

with each other, patience with the drivers 

and patience with enforcement. We 

are in new territory here. 

Hopefully, we will all come out the 

other side with a little more understanding 

and appreciation for each other. 

Brad Klepper is president of Interstate 

Trucker Ltd., a law firm entirely 

dedicated to legal defense of the 

nation’s commercial drivers. Interstate 

Trucker represents truck drivers 

throughout the 48 states on both moving 

and non-moving violations. Brad 

is also president of Drivers Legal 

Plan, which allows member drivers 

access to his firm’s services at greatly 

discounted rates. He is a lawyer that 

has focused on transportation law and 

the trucking industry in particular. 

He works to answer your legal questions 

about trucking and life over the 

road. For more information contact 

Klepper at (800) 333-DRIVE (3748) 

or interstatetrucker.com and drivers 

legalplan.com. 8 

Perspective May 1-14, 2020 • 15 

A simple rule for a healthy diet: If you can’t read it, don’t eat it 

Bob Perry 

The Trucker 

Trainer 

In these uncertain times I know your food/ 

drink sections are limited, but try to take time 

to look at what you’re eating and/or drinking. 

If the list of ingredients looks like a chemistry 

experiment, find a more natural substitute. In 

particular, avoid any foods that have hydrogenated 

or partially hydrogenated oils or trans 

fats. Choosing a more natural alternative will 

translate to a healthier you. 

We like to know — or we should want 

know — what is in the food we eat. You may 

wish to avoid certain ingredients for a variety 

of reasons. However, the ingredient-labeling 

terminology may not always be clear to us, 

and for some consumers, interpretation of the 

labeled ingredients is a problem. 

Here are explanations of a few common but 

mystifying ingredients: 

• Carob is made from the edible seed pods 

of the carob tree. The sweet pulp is used to 

make an alternative to chocolate and sweetener. 

• Hydrogenated vegetable oil is a generic 

class name referring to vegetable oil that has 

been converted to a solid or semi-solid state 

through a process called hydrogenation. All hydrogenated 

vegetable oils (e.g. sunflower, soy, 

canola) are covered by this term. Hydrogenation 

produces a more desirable texture (e.g. in 

baked products) but can result in the formation 

of trans fatty acids, which have been implicated 

as a risk factor in heart disease. Consumers 

are typically advised to look for the words 

“hydrogenated” and “partially hydrogenated” 

in the ingredients list to find out if a product 

contains trans fat. 

• Glucose syrups are sweet aqueous solutions 

of saccharides, made by the partial hydrolysis 

of starch by food-grade acids and/or 

enzymes. Depending on the degree of hydrolysis, 

these solutions contain various amounts 

of glucose. Glucose syrup is often used as a 

sweetener for confectionery products and soft 

drinks and is also a natural substrate to obtain 

alcohol. 

• Modified food starches are products derived 

from native starches (e.g. from maize, 

wheat and potato) that have been treated by 

chemical, physical or biological means (e.g. 

by precooking) to produce desirable properties. 

They are used in the food industry as 

thickeners, stabilizers, gelling agents, binders 

or emulsifiers in sauces, gravies, soups, deepfrozen 

dishes and confectionery items. Another 

form of modification is “pre-gelatinization” of 

starch, which allows it to form a gel with cold 

water, as in many “instant” desserts. 

Make sure to include your fruits, such as 

apples; they offer vitamins and minerals vital 

to a healthy vascular system. An apple a day 

keeps the coroner away. Dip apple slices in 

peanut or almond butter to give your system a 

shot of protein. 

Here are some fun apple facts: 

• Apples are a rich source of nutrients and a 

powerful antioxidant. 

• Studies show that eating 100g of apple can 

give an antioxidant effect that is equal to taking 

about 1,500mg of Vitamin C. 

• Apples contain a large amount of minerals 

and vitamins that can strengthen the blood. 

• Apples contain malic acid, which can help 

prevent disturbances of the liver and digestion. 

• Apple-cider vinegar, when used as beverage, 

can help to prevent the formation of kidney 

stones. 

• The skin of an apple can help remove toxic 

substances from your system. 

• Eating an apple daily can help reduce skin 

diseases. 

• Eating an apple daily can help lower cholesterol 

levels. 

Be careful, and thanks for all you do. CDL 

drivers are America’s most valuable resource! 

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. For 

over-the-road workout programs reach out to 

Perry at truckertrainer@icloud.com. 8 

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16 • May 1-14, 2020 Business 

THETRUCKER.COM

iStock Photo 

Buyers were already slowing their ordering in March 2019, a response to the excess capacity in 

the market due to overbuying in 2018. 

Spot rates peak, then plummet as 

COVID-19 impacts trucking industry 

Cliff Abbott 


The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has 

reached trucking rates, too. What the total impact 

will be is anyone’s guess, but it’s improbable 

that so many businesses could shut down 

without a disruption in the supply-and-demand 

chain that guides the trucking industry. 

At first the impact was good for trucking. 

“Recent rate increases have been driven by 

aberrant consumer behavior,” explained Ken 

Adamo, chief of analytics at DAT. “Water, toilet 

paper and other supplies have caused a huge 

influx of demand,” he told The Trucker. “It’s 

primarily due to social distancing.” 

Products were flying off the shelves and 

Business 

retailers couldn’t restock them fast enough. 

Hoarding is a part of it, as consumers worry 

about potential shortages of food and household 

items such as toilet paper. Another fact, 

often overlooked, is that consumer spending 

changes when people are stuck at home. More 

meals — and more visits to the bathroom — 

are now taken at home. 

DAT reported posting increases of 39.1% 

in March compared to February, besting March 

2019 rates by 44.6%. Most of those increases 

came in the dry van and refrigerated segments. 

As the number of loads increased, rates followed. 

After falling to $1.79 per mile in February, 

van rates rebounded to $1.87 in March. 

See Plummet on p21 m 

iStock Photo 

During 2020’s first quarter, the American Trucking Associations seasonally adjusted For-Hire 

Truck Tonnage Index rose 1.5% compared with the fourth quarter of last year and 2.4% from 

a year earlier. 

Cliff Abbott 


In a year when sales of new Class 8 trucks 

were expected to be on the decline, March 

wasn’t a bad month. Mostly that’s because the 

effects of a nationwide shutdown caused by 

the COVID-19 pandemic had not yet been felt, 

even though speculation was rampant. 

In March, U.S. sales of new Class 8 trucks 

totaled 16,892 according to data received from 

ACT Research (actresearch.net). While that 

number represents an improvement of 6.9% 

over February’s sales of 15,804, “it’s a bit of a 

head fake. February tends to be a weaker month, 

while March tends to be a strong month, so 

we’d expect higher sales,” said Kenny Vieth, 

ACT president and senior analyst. Adjusting 

the numbers for seasonal conditions would 


ARLINGTON, Va. — American Trucking 

Associations’ advanced seasonally adjusted 

(SA) For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index rose 1.2% 

in March after increasing 1.8% in February. In 

March, the index equaled 120.4 (2015=100) 

compared to 119 in February. 

“March was the storm before the calm, especially 

for carriers hauling consumer staples, 

which experienced strong freight levels,” said 

Bob Costello, ATA chief economist. 

“But there was a huge divergence among 

freight types. While freight to grocery stores and 

big-box retailers was strong in March, especially 

May 1-14, 2020 • 17 

March Class 8 sales down year over year; 

pandemic expected to accelerate decline 

show a decline of about 9%, according to Vieth. 

One reason March is expected to be stronger 

is that it’s the last month of a calendar 

quarter, when businesses tend to make adjustments 

that impact quarterly financial results. 

Another possible reason is simple: There were 

two more business days in March than in February, 

22 versus 20. 

Compared to March 2019, when 23,340 

new Class 8 trucks were sold, truck sales this 

March declined by 27.6%. 

Of the 16,892 trucks sold in March 2020, 

11,673 (or 69.1%) were fifth-wheel-equipped 

road tractors, up 7.7% from February but down 

a whopping 33.3% from March 2019. 

Vocational tractors — those equipped 

with dump, refuse or other bodies — made up 

See Sales on p19 m 

iStock Photo 

As more people were told to stay home in late March, their spending habits changed. Products 

have been flying off the shelves and retailers can’t restock them fast enough. At first, this was 

good for the trucking industry. 

ATA’s truck tonnage index rises 1.2% in 

March, a gain of 4.3% over March 2019 

late March, due to surge buying by households, 

freight was anemic in other supply chains, like 

that for gasoline, restaurants, and auto factories,” 

he continued. “Because of this, and the continued 

shuttering of many parts of the economy, I would 

expect April tonnage to be very soft.” 

Compared with March 2019, the SA index 

increased 4.3%, which was preceded by a 2.6% 

year-over-year gain in February. During 2020’s 

first quarter, the index rose 1.5% compared with 

the fourth quarter of last year and 2.4% from a 

year earlier. 

The not-seasonally adjusted index, which 

See Tonnage on p19 m

18 • May 1-14, 2020 Business 



The COVID-19 crisis isn’t the type of tunnel 

a nation enters with expectations of an everbrightening 

light ahead. After all, an enemy with 

the ability to kill millions and destroy the global 

economy isn’t something a nation can look beyond. 

But in terms of the trucking industry and 

its executives, drivers and support personnel, 

history may view the current crisis as a turning 

point. 2020 could go down as the year truck 

drivers attained a status similar to what first 

responders received after 9/11 — heroes, or at 

least doers of heroic deeds. 

The shift in public opinion has been a long 

time coming. Not since the 1970s, when public 

opinion of truckers was based more on myth 

than reality, have truck drivers been as popular 

as they are today. Crisis situations tend to pull 

the veil from decades of misconceptions and 

negative publicity. 

Public-opinion surveys as recent as last October 

deemed tractor-trailers and their drivers 

as menaces of highways. But as the COVID-19 

crisis spread, anecdotal evidence sprung up signaling 

a change of opinion. The vital role the 

trucking industry plays in the nation’s economy 

shone brightly, and Americans have recognized 

it. Billboards offering thanks to truckers have 

popped up along interstates and highways, and 

testaments of drivers being personally thanked 

by strangers are numerous. Small businesses 

are even making special efforts to ensure drivers 

have what they need to keep them safe as 

they make the deliveries that will help save the 

economy. 

An early April White House ceremony sang 

the praises of truck drivers. President Trump 

stated that “America’s truck drivers are the foot 

soldiers carrying us to victory,” a reference to 

the many drivers working seven days a week to 

complete deliveries of essential freight. 

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Can the COVID-19 crisis serve as a ‘vaccination’ against nuclear verdicts in trucking? 

AP Photo: Matt York 

Megan Lyndberg thanks truckers during a free lunch giveaway Tuesday, March 31, 2020, at 

a rest area along I-10 in Sacaton, Arizona. The nation has developed a new appreciation for 

truckers and it is possible that it will translate to the courtroom. 

Ultimately, if the trucking industry is truly to 

be thanked for its efforts, the evidence may first 

be seen in the legal system, where juries have 

increasingly returned “nuclear” verdicts against 

the industry. 

Americans aren’t known for their sympathies 

for insurance companies. After all, dealing 

with an insurance company can bring 10 times 

the aggravation of being involved in a car accident. 

When the insurer does meet its obligations, 

it frequently sends its “thank you” in the form 

of a skyrocketing premium or outright cancellation 

of a policy. Insurance companies are not 

blameless in the high costs of driving a vehicle, 

and they share the blame for the crippling premiums 

truck drivers and carriers pay to fulfill 

their “heroic” roles. Still, insurance companies 

increase premiums to remain viable, cover costs 

and turn a profit. 

Maintaining the benefits insurers once provided 

for their customers became more difficult 

when personal-injury lawyers factored into the 

equation. Their ability to convince juries to return 

“nuclear” verdicts against the trucking industry 

played no small role in building the negative 

public opinion of the trucking industry in 

recent decades. 

The hundreds of personal-injury lawyer billboards 

lining the roadways of any large American 

city are hard to miss. For every billboard 

thanking truck drivers, a hundred continue to 

encourage motorists to speed to the nearest law 

firm if they have even a minor run-in with a 

tractor-trailer. 

The personal-injury attorneys specializing in 

incidents involving trucks on the highways are 

masters at twisting information and statistics to 

convince motorists and juries that trucks are the 

bane of highway traffic. Take for instance the 

statistics involving rear-end collisions. When 

a rear-end collision happens, fault is seldom 

placed on the leading vehicle or its driver. After 

all, it’s a matter of following distance. If the 

proper distance is maintained, the trailing vehicle’s 

driver will be able to stop before hitting the 

lead vehicle. The basic safety measure is as sure 

as the law of gravity, and every state has traffic 

laws against “following too close.” 

A personal-injury attorney is skilled at convincing 

a jury that a traffic law that’s almost as 

sure as the law of gravity does not apply in the 

case of a rear-end collision involving injury or 

death. The attorney’s arguments deem basic 

traffic laws insignificant; in fact, any actions 

of the lead vehicle’s driver are immaterial. And 

the arguments can result in the type of nuclear 

verdicts that juries are returning with increasing 

frequency. 

The tactics an attorney uses to reverse fault 

in the case of a rear-end collision are simple. 

One law firm, known to motorists for its 

countless billboards vilifying tractor-trailers, 

openly explains the approach on its website. 

Fault in such an accident, according to what is 

posted on the firm’s site as of April 17, 2020, 

does not rest with either driver; instead, the 

vehicle itself is at fault. For instance, if the 

tractor-trailer was equipped with “truck under 

ride guards” (TUG), shields intended to prevent 

vehicles from becoming trapped beneath 

a trailer, the number of accidents involving 

injuries or fatalities would plummet. Currently, 

the website claims that federal safety 

standards require TUGs on trucks weighing 

over 10,000 pounds. But it also states that the 

FMCSA is considering strengthening requirements 

to include TUGs on the front, rear and 

sides of all trucks. In other words, the attorney’s 

argument is that the law does not necessarily 

require TUGs in all situations, but it 

should. That’s enough for juries to return large 

judgments in favor of the plaintiffs. 

While insurance companies are busy 

defending lawsuits against freight carriers, 

the seemingly improved public image 

of truck drivers on jury verdicts remains to 

be seen. In July 2019, Rep. Matt Cartwright 

(D-Penn.) introduced a bill that would increase 

the minimum liability insurance a 

trucking company must carry from $750,000 

to $4.5 million, an increase of 500%. If 

See Nuclear on p19 m


b Sales from page 17 b 

30.9% of new Class 8 sales with 5,219 sold, 

up 5.1% from February and a decline of 10.8% 

over March 2019 sales. 

One area where the COVID-19 pandemic 

impacted truck sales was in the number 

of North American orders for Class 8 units, 

which plummeted to just 7,610 in the month of 

March. That’s a 46% decline from 14,100 orders 

in February. Compared with 15,717 orders 

in March 2019, the decline grows to 51.6%. 

According to Vieth, however, buyers were 

already slowing their ordering in March 2019, 

a response to the excess capacity in the market 

due to overbuying in 2018. As an example, 

orders for new Class 8 trucks in March 2018 

totaled a whopping 46,600, more than six times 

the orders placed in March of this year. On a 

percentage basis, that works out to a decline 

of 83.7%. 

Of the new truck orders already placed, 

5,800 were canceled in March. That’s an 

18-month high, according to Vieth. 

“We’ve been in a period of extremely low 

cancellations, but the March cancellations were 

indicative of concern over the impact of the 

pandemic on the economy,” he said. 

Used truck sales began to see the impact 

of the pandemic in March as well. According 

to ACT Research’s State of the Industry: U.S. 

Classes 3-8 Used Trucks publication, overall, 

sales of used trucks declined 8% compared to 

February. In a press release accompanying the 

publication, Steve Tam, ACT vice president, 

said, “In normal times, sales increase around 

15% from February to March, but these are not 

normal times, and the disconnect is likely the 

result of COVID-19.” 

Peterbilt was the only major manufacturer 

to sell fewer new Class 8 trucks in March than 

in February, according to data received from 

Wards Intelligence (wardsintelligence.com). 

The company reported sales of 2,247 in March 

compared to 2,415 in February, a decline of 

168 (7.0%). Compared to March 2019, when 

3,403 trucks were sold, sales declined by 1,156 

(34.0%). For the year to date, Peterbilt lags 

17.6% behind its 2019 pace for the first three 

months with sales of 7,331 compared to 8,901. 

Kenworth fared better with sales of 2,716 

in March, up 12.0% from 2,415 sold in February. 

Compared to last March when 3,147 units 

were sold, sales declined 13.7%. For the first 

quarter of the year, Kenworth sales of 7,218 are 

b Nuclear from page 18 b 

passed, the bill would force many small carriers 

to cease operations under the weight of 

increasing insurance premiums. 

To date, Rep. Cartwright’s bill has not 

gained traction, possibly in part to Rep. Cartwright 

history as an attorney with a reputation 

for suing freight carriers. His family still operates 

a law firm, so in debate, the question of 

conflict of interest would weigh heavily on the 

bill’s chances of advancing. For many, Rep. 

Cartwright’s bill will be viewed as a means 

of providing “reptile” attorneys access to the 

riches held in every tractor-trailer on the road 

— rolling ATM machines, if you will. Then 

12.0% behind the 8,200 sold in the same period 

of 2019. 

Volvo saw the largest improvement with 

March sales of 1,717, an increase of 391 trucks, 

or 29.5%, compared to February’s 1,326. Compared 

with March 2019 numbers, sales this 

year declined 28.6% from 2,404. For the year 

to date, Volvo sales of 4,511 are 21.5% lower 

than 5,744 sold in the same period of 2019. 

That’s a little better than the industry average 

of a 24.3% decline. 

Mack sold 1,404 Class 8 trucks on the U.S. 

market in March, 9.8% more than 1,279 in February. 

Compared to March of last year, sales 

declined 13.5% from 1,623 sold. For the year 

to date, however, Mack is faring far better than 

the industry average with sales of 3,660 in the 

first quarter, only 3.8% behind the same period 

of 2019. 

Freightliner sales of 5,983 were an improvement 

of 2.4% over February’s 5,844 but 

were 28.5% behind the 8,363 sold in March 

2019. For the first quarter of the year, Freightliner 

sales of 17,887 were 30.1% behind last 

year’s pace. 

So far, Western Star has positive numbers 

all around. March sales of 522 bested February 

sales of 459 by 13.7% and were 24.9% better 

than March 2019 sales of 418. For the year to 

date, Western Star is 10.8% ahead of last year’s 

pace, with 1,422 trucks sold compared to 1,283 

in the same period last year. 

International sales improved in March by 

10.1% with sales of 1,886 compared to 1,713 in 

February. Compared with 2019, however, the 

numbers aren’t as positive. Sales this March 

declined by 45.7% from March 2019 sales of 

3,476. For the year to date, sales of 5,538 Internationals 

are 40.9% down from sales of 9,365 

in the first quarter of last year, the largest of any 

of the major manufacturers. 

In the coming months it’s not the pandemic 

itself that is expected to impact both new and 

used truck sales: It’s the economic downturn 

that results from shutdowns and quarantines. 

“We’re expecting economic contraction of 

26% or 27%,” Vieth explained. 

Shutdowns and slowdowns of U.S. manufacturers, 

combined with the dearth of imported 

goods, have resulted in far fewer loads for 

trucks to haul. As always, when demand falls, 

so do freight rates. All of those trucks added to 

fleets in 2018 and 2019 are now competing for 

the fewer loads available. 

“In the past few weeks, we’re seeing freight 

rates get crushed,” Vieth said. 

When the economy is in decline and freight 

again, the public already has negative perceptions 

of personal-injury lawyers, yet jurors still 

return nuclear verdicts rewarding their efforts. 

Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao said 

at the White House event honoring truck drivers, 

“Truckers are playing a heroic role in helping 

America cope during this crisis and will play a 

critical role in economic recovery.” 

It is too soon to determine the impact of the 

public’s sudden and dramatic positive view of 

truck drivers in the past several weeks. But with 

government officials and business owners lauding 

them as heroes, will juries continue to view 

the industry a rolling ATM machine? 

For the time being, those monitoring the 

tractor-trailer versus personal-injury-attorney 

battle may find counting billboards to be the 

most accurate barometer. 8 

Business May 1-14, 2020 • 19 

iStock Photo 

Peterbilt was the only major manufacturer to 

sell fewer new Class 8 trucks in March than 

in February, according to data received from 

Wards Intelligence. 

rates are falling, there’s much less interest in 

buying new equipment. Since the consensus 

among most economists is that the economy 

is headed for recession, expect truck sales 

to continue declining. How quickly the U.S. 

economy can recover and whether the coming 

months bring a brief downturn or a full-blown 

recession will determine truck sales for the remainder 

of the year. 8 

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b Tonnage from page 17 b 

represents the change in tonnage actually hauled 

by fleets before any seasonal adjustment, equaled 

120.9 in March, 11.8% above the February level 

(108.2). In calculating the index, 100 represents 

2015. 

Trucking serves as a barometer of the U.S. 

economy, representing 71.4% of tonnage carried 

by all modes of domestic freight transportation, 

including manufactured and retail goods. Trucks 

hauled 11.49 billion tons of freight in 2018. Motor 

carriers collected $796.7 billion, or 80.3% of total 

revenue earned by all transport modes. 

ATA calculates the tonnage index based on 

surveys from its membership, and has been doing 

so since the 1970s. This is a preliminary figure 

and subject to change in the final report issued 

around the fifth day of each month. The report 

includes month-to-month and year-over-year 

results, relevant economic comparisons and key 

financial indicators. 8

20 • May 1-14, 2020 Business 

Technological advances can help drivers, but avoiding complacency is essential 

Cliff Abbott 


“Your legs got nothing to do. Some machine’s 

doing that for you.” These words, written 

by Rick Evans and released in a 1968 hit 

song called “In the Year 2525” by Zager & 

Evans, come a little closer to truth with each 

passing year. Other lines in the song predict 

that future humans won’t need eyes, teeth or 

various other body parts, since all have been 

replaced by technology. 

In trucking, we’re a long way from any of 

that happening. Or are we? 

Collision-mitigation systems on modern 

Safety Series 

trucks not only apply the brakes; they also 

perceive the hazard by identifying an object 

in front, and they record the incident. 

No eyes, feet or brain power needed. Cruise 

control eliminates the need for a foot on the 

throttle, too. 

There’s no need for shifting any more, and 

lane-departure warning systems have already 

evolved into systems that can steer the truck, 

at least in interstate highway conditions. In 

fact, vehicles are being tested that don’t need a 

driver, period. 

There’s no question that technology has 

made the job of driving easier and safer, but 

there’s a serious problem that comes with the 

fancy gizmos being built into modern vehicles 

— complacency. 

There’s the familiar urban legend about the 

hapless RV owner that set the cruise control 

and then left the driver’s seat to go to the back 

of the vehicle and make a sandwich, or a cup 

of coffee, depending on which version you’ve 

heard. While professional drivers understand 

that cruise control isn’t the same as autopilot, 

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truck technology has evolved to a point where 

a driver COULD leave the driver’s seat to perform 

an unrelated task. Of course, that doesn’t 

mean it’s a good idea. 

Still, it’s easy to be lulled into complacency 

by these devices. Even though 

technology can replace tasks that previously 

required a hand or foot, devices can’t 

replace the driver’s most important body 

part — the brain. For example, drivers 

who become accustomed to an automaticshift 

transmission may lose the ability to tell 

when a downshift is necessary since they no 

longer need to make that decision. 

When the computer-operated cruise control 

takes care of your vehicle’s speed, it’s easy to 

forget that adjustments might be needed that 

the computer can’t account for, such as the wet 

pavement (or black ice) or the curve ahead. 

Similarly, with a collision-mitigation system 

to identify hazards and apply the brakes 

when necessary, it’s tempting to be less attentive 

to following distance, allowing the truck to 

take care of it. 

Blind-spot warning systems can help foster 

an attitude that mirror scans aren’t necessary. 

GPS mapping devices can create a sense 

of confidence that reduces the driver’s need to 

check the route. 

However, no technology covers every potential 

situation. Professional drivers learn to 

anticipate hazards that haven’t occurred yet, 

something computers can’t do (at least not yet). 

Consider that the airline industry has vehicles 

that are far more advanced. Modern 

jetliners can completely fly themselves, including 

takeoffs and landings, without input 

from the pilot. They also have air-traffic controllers 

on the radio to alert them to potential 

hazards ahead and provide instructions as 

needed. Yet there’s always a pilot, and usually 

a co-pilot too, ready to take control if 

conditions warrant. 

Drivers of commercial vehicles must 

be diligent at all times, ready to make critical 

decisions. When the technology installed 

on the truck is making the decisions, there’s 

a good chance the driver is letting the truck 

do the thinking. Proven safety principles such 

as looking far down the road and maintaining 

a scan of mirrors, gauges and the road ahead 

are still critical. The computer can identify 

that the car ahead is too close and react by 

See Safety on p21 m 

Tune in and watch at TheTrucker.com 

iStock Photo 

Technology can make a difference in many 

areas of the trucking industry, but drivers 

must remain diligent.


b Safety from page 20 b 

applying the brakes. A thinking driver can recognize 

that a vehicle far ahead is traveling at 

a slower pace and can adjust speed or change 

lanes before it becomes a hazard. A thinking 

driver can identify that a passing vehicle is 

likely to cut in front and prepare for it, adjusting 

speed or changing lanes before hitting the 

brakes hard becomes necessary. A thinking 

driver knows that a ball rolling in the road is 

often followed by a child chasing after it. 

Be that thinking driver. 

Use available technology to help make the 

job safer and easier, but never let it replace 

sound safety practices. Use the safety knowledge 

you have accumulated to make corrections 

BEFORE the computer decides or the warning 

system alerts. Keep your speed appropriate for 

conditions. Maintain a safe following distance. 

Be aware of what’s happening, far ahead and 

all around your vehicle. Communicate your 

presence and your intentions. Anticipate the 

actions of others 

You know how to be the safest driver you can 

be. Never let a computer do that for you. 8 

b Plummet from page 17 b 

Reefer rates fell to $2.09 per mile but rose to 

$2.19 in March. 

The good news was short-lived, however. 

The increases in shipments of household products 

could not offset the shipments lost due to 

shutdown of manufacturing and service outlets 

for a sustained period. Shipment numbers must 

fall and, when they do, rates fall with them. 

The process has already begun. 

“We have started to notice price degradation 

in the dry van and reefer segments, likely driven 

by heavy contraction in demand,” said Adamo. 

“The load-to-truck ratio, the number of loads 

posted with our service compared to the number 

of trucks looking for loads, has been decreasing 

steadily. We’re definitely seeing it impact rates.” 

In the first week of April, spot rates for van 

fell by 2 cents per mile, while reefer rates lost 

10 cents. That’s just the beginning. 

“I think from a demand perspective, we’re 

going to do more than correct,” Adamo predicted. 

“I’m starting to think we’ll see a steep 

drop-off.” 

A part of that drop off is due to Chinese 

freight. 

“Nearly two months after shutting down for 

the Spring Festival holiday, China is only now 

starting to return to work,” said Kenny Vieth, 

president and senior analyst at ACT Research, 

in an April 3 release. “Domestic port and rail 

volumes have just begun to reflect the drop in 

Chinese output.” 

A big reason for concern about port and rail 

volumes is Christmas. 

“Remember that stocking up for the holiday 

season begins right around this time of year,” 

Business May 1-14, 2020 • 21 

ATRI data shows decline in April trucking due to stay-at-home orders 


ATLANTA — The American Transportation 

Research Institute has released new data that 

quantifies the continued impacts of COVID-19 

business disruptions on the trucking industry. 

ATRI’s latest analysis looked at truck activity 

across six states from Feb. 9 through 

the week ending April 18, by converting 

its real-time truck GPS dataset into a truck 

activity index. 

“The GPS data we use is a valuable tool 

into what is going on in the economy and the 

trucking industry right now,” said ATRI President 

and COO Rebecca Brewster. “We knew 

from talking to drivers and carrier executives 

that there were significant impacts on operations 

as a result of COVID-19, but now, by 

analyzing this data we are able to put numbers 

and data to feelings and anecdotes.” 

From early February into March, the data 

shows a spike in initial truck activity in the 

analyzed states — documenting the response to 

high consumer demand for items such as nonperishable 

food and paper products, as well as 

the much-needed emergency medical supplies. 

The analysis further documents the 

iStock Photo 

There are some signs of a return to normalcy in ATRI’s data as truck activity has seen an 

uptick around New York City in mid-April. 

impacts of the stay-at-home orders that shut 

down major segments of the economy, with a 

resulting decline in April trucking operations. 

Of the six states analyzed, California had the 

earliest stay-at-home order issued on March 19. 

California also experienced the earliest upward 

spike in truck activity, occurring during the week 

of March 1. However, truck activity in California 

is now down 8.3% from early February. 

In Florida, Illinois and New York, truck activity 

spiked the week of March 8 but is now 

down on average by over 10% from Feb. 9. 

In Pennsylvania and Washington, truck 

activity spiked during the week of March 15, 

Adamo explained. “Retailers are deciding now 

how many Xboxes they will stock for Black 

Friday and placing orders accordingly.” 

In an economy that’s long overdue for a 

recession, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic 

will reach far beyond public health. Recession 

is a real possibility. 

“Everyone is nervous. We’re definitely 

looking at recessionary pressure, but is it a ‘V’ 

or a ‘U’ shape?” said Adamo, referring to economic 

activity in graph form, wondering if it 

will fall quickly and rebound just as quickly, 

the “V” shape, or remain low for a while before 

rebounding, the “U” shape. 

Adamo has some advice for small trucking 

businesses who depend on loads from the spot 

market. 

“Information changes fast,” he said “Use 

technology to get the latest. For example, (spot) 

rates grew 10% from the end of February to 

but is now down by an average of nearly 9% 

from Feb. 9. 

There are initial signs of a return to normal, 

however. In New York, one of the earliest 

states to experience high numbers of cases, 

truck activity started a positive uptick during 

the week of April 12. 

“In these unprecedented times, we need to 

rely on science and facts, not anecdotes and 

speculation. This ATRI research is able to tell 

us in near-real-time what the pandemic is really 

doing to the trucking industry,” said American 

Trucking Associations Chief Economist 

Bob Costello. 8 

mid-March. Did your broker tell you, or offer 

the same rate and keep the difference?” 

DAT’s load board, the industry’s largest, 

provides up-to-the minute load information, 

while the service’s “Trendlines” page provides 

useful planning information. 

“Be smart about rates,” Adamo continued. 

“Make the best decision using the best tools.” 

Efficiency is important, too. Adamo counseled 

avoiding 300-mile deadheads to load backhauls, 

adding, “think in terms of lanes. A load with a 

good rate doesn’t help if it puts you somewhere 

that you lose money on the return trip.” 

A good relationship with a broker is another 

way to keep the wheels turning profitably, he said. 

“Most importantly,” Adamo concluded, 

“thank a trucker. These are extraordinary times. 

It’s very important to thank drivers and provide 

them with the recognition they deserve. They are 

saving a nation.” 8 

ALL THINGS TRUCKING 

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22 • May 1-14, 2020 Business 


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iStock Photo 

The PACCAR recall affects more than 450,000 trucks including Kenworth T680s manufactured 

between 2011 and 2020. 

Drivewyze app expands offerings to keep 

drivers informed of rest-area openings 


DALLAS — While the evolving impact of 

the COVID-19 crisis on state’s rest-area operations 

has created confusion over which sites remain 

open for truckers, the need for drivers to 

find safe parking hasn’t subsided. 

“Not knowing where drivers will find available 

parking at the end of each day continues to 

be a challenge and a stressor for truckers,” said 

Brian Heath, CEO of Drivewyze. 

In response to this need, Drivewyze has expanded 

its temporary rest-area parking notifications 

to include Arizona, Virginia and Ohio. 

“Drivers are busy driving and don’t have 

time to keep track of changing open/close 

Equipment 

statuses at traditional parking areas,” Heath 

said. “This problem is exacerbated when you 

add temporary parking sites to the equation. 

New temporary parking is welcome, but how 

do drivers know where those are on a timely 

basis?” 

Arizona recently opened two temporary sites, 

and Virginia is now allowing long-term parking 

at 10 weigh stations. The Ohio state DOT has 

asked Drivewyze to provide messaging to truckers 

as an extension of the state’s decision to keep 

all rest areas open, patrolled and safe. According 

to Heath, Drivewyze leveraged its GPS-based 

See Drivewyze on p24 m 

iStock Photo 

As fleets use caution with purchases amid the COVID-19 pandemic, trailer sales dipped 54% 

from February numbers. 


BELLEVUE, Wash. — PACCAR Inc. has 

announced a recall of 455,458 Kenworth and 

Peterbilt trucks because of concerns that a 

blown fuse could prevent the illumination of 

dashboard warning lights in the case of a malfunction 

in the trucks’ antilock brakes or electronic 

stability control. 

The risk of an accident increases when a 

driver is unaware of a faulty indicator light, according 

to documentation submitted by PAC- 

CAR to the National Highway Safety Administration 

in early April. 

The noncompliance recall (NHSA recall 

20V-199) includes trucks equipped with 

NAMUX Software that included the 25% 

voltage threshold setting for the ABS/ESC 


BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — FTR reports 

preliminary trailer orders for March continue 

to be negatively impacted by the COVID-19 

pandemic, falling 54% from an already depressed 

February to 6,500 units for the month. 

Orders were down 55% from March 2019. 

Totals in March were particularly weak for 

dry vans, with some large fleets canceling orders 

that were spread out over the remainder 

of the year. Flatbed orders were also tepid, 

as the manufacturing sector of the economy 

was partially shut down in March. Refrigerated 

van orders fell, but not to the same degree 

as other segments. Trailer orders for 

May 1-14, 2020 • 23 

Over 450,000 Peterbilt, Kenworth trucks 

recalled for ABS warning-light defect 

malfunction indicator lamp and affects 23 

Peterbilt and Kenworth models manufactured 

between Jan. 10, 2007 and July 10, 2019 (model 

years 2008-2020). 

According to PACCAR’s submission, 

“The NAMUX software illuminates the 

Tractor ABS/ESC Lamps when the voltage 

from the ABS/ESC ECU at a specific input 

pin of the CECU cab controller drops below 

25% of the battery input voltage present at 

the CECU. In the instance where the ABS/ 

ESC ECU loses power (i.e. the fuse blows) 

the voltage being measured may not drop 

below the 25% voltage threshold; thus, the 

ABS and/or ESC malfunction lamp will not 

illuminate.” 

See Recall on p24 m 

Courtesy: Drivewyze 

The Drivewyze app is now offering updates regarding rest areas since the COVID-19 

pandemic is causing confusion about which areas remain open. 

Trailer orders appear to mirror Class 8 

sales with 55% decline from March 2019 

the past 12 months now total 177,000 units. 

Don Ake, FTR vice president of commercial 

vehicles, commented, “The trailer market is mirroring 

the Class 8 side, as fleets are extremely 

cautious due to the anxiety about the virus. The 

orders placed in March are for units that are perceived 

to be absolutely necessary for relatively 

short-term needs. Fleets will also delay replacing 

older trailers until the economic situation 

stabilizes. Orders did exceed last June’s 5,600 

total when some large fleets canceled dry van 

orders as the freight market cooled. 

“It is expected there will be some overcapacity 

in the short-term due to the enormous 

See Trailers on p24 m

24 • May 1-14, 2020 Equipment 

Volvo offers auto-hauler day cab in new height 


The Volvo Auto Hauler (VAH) 300, Volvo 

Trucks’ signature day cab in the North American 

market, is now available for order at an unladen 

94.5-inch height. This reduced-height cab option 

is currently the lowest in the industry by 1.5 inches, 

offering auto haulers versatility for local and 

regional automobile-transport applications. 

“Through extensive research, testing and engineering 

in collaboration with Fontaine Modification, 

the new VAH 300 model with a 94.5-inch 

height represents a new standard of excellence for 

trucks in the highly specialized auto-hauler market,” 

said John Felder, product marketing manager 

at Volvo Trucks North America. 

Over the last 10 years, the height of vehicles 

hauled has significantly increased as the demand 

for more SUVs versus sedans rises. As a result, 

auto haulers are now in need of a solution that 

maximizes freight capacity while also delivering 

optimal efficiency. The lower overall height of the 

VAH 300 offers the flexibility to position a larger 

vehicle over the truck’s cab to maximize payload. 

A clean top-of-frame behind the cab also allows 

for easier body mounting and trailer hookup. 

b Trailers from page 23 b 

number of new trailers that entered the market 

in the last three years. Some of those trailers will 

sit idle during this rough economic downturn. 

Courtesy: Volvo Trucks 

Volvo has recently partnered with Fontaine 

Modifications to offer a new Volvo Auto Hauler 

day cab at a 94.5-inch height. 

Consistent with the rest of the VAH family, 

the new reduced-height VAH 300 model features 

deep-drop front axles and low-height Volvo Air 

Ride rear suspensions. The model is available 

with Volvo‘s D11 and D13 engines. 8 

They will go back into service gradually as 

things recover. However, this will limit new 

trailer demand for a while. This is a severe 

wait-and-see situation with a potentially long 

wait period. Expect orders to track around 

the 10,000-unit mark for a few months as 

a result.” 8 

b Recall from page 23 b 

“This recall is an outgrowth of investigation 

performed in connection with 18V-368. Further 

testing showed a larger population of vehicles was 

affected and proposed remedies were not effective,” 

PACCAR stated. “A new testing matrix and 

a bench test were developed in September 2018.” 

The remedy consists of updating the 

NAMUX software within the cab control module, 

according to the report. 

The following trucks are affected by the recall: 

• Peterbilt 330 (2008-2019) 

• Peterbilt 335 (2008-2011) 

• Peterbilt 337 (2008-2019) 

• Peterbilt 340 (2008-2011) 

• Peterbilt 348 (2008-2019) 

• Peterbilt 365 (2008-2019) 

b Drivewyze from page 23 b 

safety-notification service to help drivers in 

these three states. 

“We volunteered to map out all the sites in 

these effected states and put our technology to 

work,” he said. “Truckers now receive an automated 

heads-up notification with open/close 

status 25 miles and 5 miles prior to the rest areas 

in Arizona and weigh stations in Virginia. 

In Ohio, the notification that all sites are open 

goes out when a trucker crosses the state line. 

The goal is to give drivers in all three states a 


• Peterbilt 367 (2008-2019) 

• Peterbilt 384 (2008-2019) 

• Peterbilt 386 (2008-2019) 

• Peterbilt 387 (2008-2016) 

• Peterbilt 388 (2008-2019) 

• Peterbilt 389 (2008-2019) 

• Peterbilt 567 (2008-2019) 

• Peterbilt 579 (2008-2019) 

• Peterbilt 587 (2008-2019) 

• Kenworth T170 (2008-2020) 

• Kenworth T270 (2008-2020) 

• Kenworth T370 (2008-2020) 

• Kenworth T660 (2008-2019) 

• Kenworth T680/2011-2020) 

• Kenworth T800 (2008-2020) 

• Kenworth T880 (2011-2020) 

• Kenworth W900 (2008-2020) 

Dealers will be notified of the recall 

June 4 and customers will be notified on 

June 5, PACCAR said. 8 

sense of relief in knowing where they can park. 

“This work was done in conjunction with our 

state DOT partners,” Heath continued. “We saw 

it as a joint mission to help drivers, and the alerts 

will continue as long as COVID-19 is impacting 

parking. We will add states and sites as circumstances 

change. It’s truly a liquid situation.” 

In addition to the three new states added, 

Drivewyze provides temporary parking notifications 

for Pennsylvania and Florida. Both 

the Drivewyze PreClear weigh-station bypass 

service, and the Drivewyze safety-notifications 

service are available to carriers on supported 

ELDs and other in-cab devices, through the 

Drivewyze partner network. 8 

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‘An amazing moment’: Team drivers 

rescue motorist from burning car 

Wendy Miller 


KENESAW, Neb. — Most truck drivers 

spend the better part of the year over the 

road. In the overall calculations of the total 

minutes on the road, 36 minutes doesn’t 

seem very significant. 

For Hirschbach Motor Lines Inc. drivers Ed 

and Tracy Zimmerman — and one very lucky 

motorist — on a late spring morning along a 

West Virginia interstate, it only took 36 minutes 

for several lives to be changed and one to 

be saved. 

The Zimmermans, a team-driving married 

couple from Kenesaw, Nebraska, wouldn’t 

normally have been in West Virginia that day 

in May 2019, the couple said, noting that the 

route is one of the less traveled for them. Ed 

was sleeping as Tracy took her turn at the 

wheel. While traveling on Interstate 77 near 

Beckley, West Virginia, the couple arrived on 

the scene of a fiery crash. 

Tracy stopped the truck, as another motorist 

who had stopped to help, approached the 

window, telling them that a man was stuck 

in the burning car. Tracy woke Ed and they 

sprang into action, grabbing their fire extinguisher, 

and heading toward the car without a 

second thought. 

“When that man said that (someone) was 

still trapped in the burning vehicle, I’m like, 

‘We gotta get him out,’” Ed said. “I don’t know 

how yet. I haven’t seen it yet, but we gotta get 

him out.” 

Features 

The Zimmermans, with the help of the other 

motorist who had stopped to assist, were able 

to pry the car door open with a crowbar and 

pull the man from the driver’s seat. Then, the 

driver revealed that he had a firearm and ammunition 

in the car. 

“We all just kind of looked at each other 

like, ‘We gotta move, and now,’” Ed explained. 

By this time, the small fire extinguisher 

from the Zimmermans’ truck had been exhausted 

— and it would likely never have 

completed the job anyway. They grabbed 

the driver by the waistband of his pants and 

pulled him 25 feet or so farther from the car, 

just as a turnpike courtesy vehicle arrived 

and parked between the burning vehicle and 

the group. 

“[The courtesy officer] got out of the car 

and within just minutes, even seconds, you 

hear the ammunition popping off, and then you 

hear this big sizzle and a hiss,” Tracy shared. 

“And then the explosion, as the car went flying 

in the air.” 

Tracy said shortly thereafter the first responders 

arrived on the scene and treated the 

driver’s minor injuries, carried him to the 

hospital, put out the fire and cleared the road. 

The Zimmermans’ work was done, and they 

climbed back into the truck and got back on 

the road. When Tracy had parked the truck, she 

never changed her ELD status. The clock had 

been running, and showed that the incident had 

only taken 36 minutes. 

See Moment on p28 m 


The Sonic in Fordyce, Arkansas, has a menu tall enough to reach the window of a truck. There 

are also stairs for the carhop to climb in order to be eye level with the driver when delivering 

his or her food in the dedicated truck lane. 

Wendy Miller 


VALLIANT, Okla. & FORDYCE, Ark. — 

The town of Valliant, Oklahoma, has a population 

of only 800 people. The town might not be 

big, but when it comes to truckers, the owners 

of the local Sonic have huge hearts. 

Julie and Tommy Dorries are lifelong residents 

of Valliant and have long known the benefit 

of the logging industry to their small town. 

With a paper mill located only a few miles away, 

big truck traffic through the area is constant. 

After spending the better part of the last 

two decades giving back to their community 

by bringing life to old buildings and attracting 

businesses to their small town, the couple 

opened a Sonic in 2013. Tommy said it took 

the couple about 10 years to close the deal on 

bringing a Sonic to town. 

“Valliant was not real trucker-friendly, but 

we have a lot of truck traffic,” Tommy said. 

May 1-14, 2020 • 25 

Courtesy: Hirschbach Motor Lines Inc. 

Ed and Tracy Zimmerman of Kenesaw, Nebraska were one of the first vehicles to arrive at the 

scene of an accident in Beckley, West Virginia. The two helped to save a motorist who was 

trapped in his vehicle. 

Small-town hospitality: Oklahoma, Arkansas Sonic locations prioritize 

truckers with accessible menus, routes and at-the-window service 

“There’s no way a trucker can do business at 

Sonic if they can’t get to it. We had truck traffic 

and we have plenty of property, so why not 

use it?” 

That’s exactly what Tommy and Julie did: 

They installed a route around the Sonic wide 

enough for an 18-wheeler to drive through. 

The creation of the route was special to Julie 

because her dad drove a log truck for several 

years. The big-truck route was dedicated to 

her dad, Jimmy Provence, or “Okie” as he was 

known on the CB radio. 

Tommy said the piece of property the couple 

purchased for their Sonic had plenty of 

room for an extra route. The only adjustments 

were placing a menu board at the height of a 

truck window. 

“No Sonic had a trucker route, so we went 

ahead and did it,” Tommy said. “This is a logging 

community and always has been.” 

See Sonic on p27 m

26 • May 1-14, 2020 Features 

Woman on a mission: Trucker’s wife 

delights drivers with home-baked treats 



NEVADA, Mo. — Since the latter part of 

March, truck drivers stopping by Buzz’s BBQ 

just off Interstate 49 at exit 101 in Nevada, Missouri, 

have been treated to a variety of freshly 

baked goodies, all made by Gaynell Williams 

of Schell City, Missouri. 

In addition to food items, Williams also 

provides hand sanitizer, face masks and other 

items when available. 

A photo of Williams in the back of her SUV, 

wrapped in a blanket for warmth and handing out 

individually wrapped treats, has made the rounds 

on Facebook, appearing on numerous trucking 

pages and gathering countless comments and 

thank-yous from truckers around the nation. 

As the wife of a trucker, Williams said she 

felt a calling to do something to help drivers 

passing through on I-49. However, when the 

idea of distributing home-baked treats first came 

to her, Williams said she tried to dismiss the 

thought, telling herself it “wasn’t a good idea.” 

“I’ll be flat honest. I was lying in bed, having 

a ‘lull’ moment, and God started kicking 

me to get up and bake,” she said. “I tried rolling 

over to ignore my thoughts, but again he kicked 

me and told me to get up and get busy.” 

The next two days were spent busily baking 

and wrapping cookies and slices of cake and 

tucking a scripture card into each package as an 

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Courtesy: Gaynell Williams 

This photo of Gaynell Williams, taken by a 

truck driver and posted on FALSE Facebook, quickly 

went viral. 

added bit of encouragement for weary drivers. 

The third morning, Williams FOLLOWING 

said she headed out 

“with the full armor of God protecting me” to the 

parking lot of Buzz’s BBQ, a local eatery that has 

GROCERY 

given Williams permission to use the premises. 

“To my surprise, I spent HOUSTON 

the day doing what 

God called me to do, and one trucker shared 

(this photo) and it’s gone viral on the truckers’ 

See Mission on p28 m 


The Trucker Crossword Puzzle 

With COVID-19 weighing heavy on everyone’s mind, we thought we’d give 

crossword puzzle solvers a mental break this issue. The answer to each clue can be 

found in the word bank at the bottom of the page. Careful, extra words are in the word 

bank. We didn’t want to make it too easy! 

Across 

4. US truckers must wear _________ if 

Across 

2. These have authority to close rest areas. 

Down, cont. 

crossing into Canada. 

6. This faulty warning light has caused 5. Drivers learn the _______ vehicle’s driver 

is at fault in most rear-end collisions. 

2 These have authority 450,000 to close trucks rest to areas. be recalled. (acron.) 

7. Before COVID, it was “_________-19.” 5 Drivers learn the _______ vehicle's dri 

8. TRUE or FALSE: Tanker Hauling includes 

only in most hazardous rear-end liquids. collisions. 

9. Just a word to all truck drivers. 

6 This faulty warning light has caused 450,000 

12. Public opinion of truckers appears to be 

trucks to be recalled. 

turning 

(acron.) 

10. Heavy or wide loads are typically 

_______ during COVID-19 crisis. hauled 8 on TRUE these or types FALSE: of trailers. Tanker Hauling includ 

17. Products hauled in dry vans do not 

7 Before COVID, it was need "_________-19." 

11. Under hazardous COVID-19 relief, liquids. _________ is 

___________. 

considered a raw material. 

19. FMSCA is considering need to require 

9 A word to all truck drivers. 

13. Employees 10 Heavy in or many wide industries loads are typically being 

____________. types of trailers. 

hau 

these on trucks/trailers. (acron.) 

12 Public opinion of truckers 

20. Tandem 

appears 

trailers 

to 

of 

be 

“Batesville 

turning 

_______ 

14. St. Christopher Truckers Fund received 

______ during COVID-19 Co.” crisis. are a morbid curiosity on the highways. 

11 Under COVID-19 relief, _________ is co 

$100,000 from this company. 

raw material. 

23. Custom 1/64 scale die-cast 18-wheelers 

were produced by this Penn. company. expanding in this Texas city. 

15. Overnight and monthly truck parking is 

17 Products hauled in dry vans do not need 

___________. 

13 Employees in many industries are bei 

24. The _______ app notifies truckers of 16. FMCSA suspended 30-minute _____ 

19 FMSCA is considering rest need area to parking require availability. these on 

requirement 14 St. for Christopher COVID-19 relief Truckers drivers. Fund receive 

trucks/trailers. (acron.) 

18. In March, from data this suggests company. freight delivered 

to these types of stores was strong. 

Down 

20 Tandem trailers of the "Batesville 1. Susie De ______ Ridder Co. is WIT’s are morbid first ________ 21. 1939 

15 Overnight 

tune “Truck 

and 

Drivers’ 

monthly 

______” 

truck 

is 

parking 

curiosities on the highways. 

in this Texas city. 

driver of the year. 

recognized as first-ever trucking song. 

Cargo & liability insurance 

3. Derogatory term for personal injury lawyers: 

“_________ attorneys.” 

to use log books or an ______. (acron.) 

22. COVID-19 relief drivers are not required 

Fast pay 23 Custom 1/64 scale die-cast 18-wheelers were 

16 FMCSA suspended 30-minute _____ re 

All no-touch freight; 90% produced drop & hook by this Penn. company. 

COVID-19 relief drivers. 

No NYC driving 

24 The _______ app notifies truckers of rest area WORD BANK 18 In March, data suggests freight delive 

types of stores was strong. 

parking availability. ABS 

FLATBEDS 

POSITIVE 

BALLCAPS 

FOLLOWING 21 1939 tune REFRIGERATION 

"Truck Drivers' ______" is re 

BLUES 

FURLOUGHED first-ever 

REPTILE 

trucking song. 

Down 

BOXING 

GROCERY 

BREAKER 

HOUSTON 22 COVID-19 STATES relief drivers are not required to 

1 Susie De Ridder is WIT's first ________ driver of the 

books or an ______. (acron.) 

CASKET 

Call Jill or Amanda! year. 

CORONER 

Teams always welcome! 

888-510-4591 

DRIVEWYZE 

3 Derogatory term for personal injury lawyers: 

4 

Word Bank 

ABS 

BALLCAPS 

BLUES 

BOXING 

BREAKER 

CASKET 

CORONER 

DRIVEWYZE 

ELD 

DALLAS 

FEMALE 

FLATBEDS 

FURLOUGHED 

"_________ attorneys." 

ELD 

DALLAS 

FALSE 

FEMALE 

The Trucker Crossword 

COVID-19 Relief Edition 

With COVID-19 weighing heavy on everyone's mind, we thought 

we'd give crossword puzzle solvers a mental break this issue. The 

answer to each clue can be found in the word bank on each side of 

the puzzle. Careful, extra words are in the word bank. We didn't wa 

to make it too easy! 

US truckers must wear________ if crossing into Canada. 

16 

19 

22 

24 

2 

17 

7 

10 

13 

1 

12 

18 

5 

21 

LEAD 

LIVESTOCK 

MALE 

MASKS 

NEGATIVE 

NOT 

PILOT 

11 

20 

23 

3 

9 

15 

8 

14 

4 

6 

THANKS 

TRAILING 

TRUE 

TUGS 

WINROSS 

WORRIES 

Wor 

LEA 

LIVE 

MAL 

MAS 

NEG 

NOT 

PILO 

POS 

REF 

REP 

STA 

THA 

TRA 

TRU 

TUG 

WIN 

WOR


b Sonic from page 25 b 

Features May 1-14, 2020 • 27 

Within a few years of Tommy and Julie 

opening their Sonic, a Love’s broke ground next 

door. Tommy said a representative from Love’s 

even noted their Sonic as a “check” in the “pro” 

category when considering where to open their 

newest location. Having Love’s nearby has 

helped with a shortage of truck parking, a situation 

Tommy said he became acutely aware of 

when truckers parked along the truck route at 

the Sonic overnight. 

Manager Tana Coleman, who has worked at 

the Valliant Sonic for five years, said she sees 

between 15 and 20 trucks come through each 

day and that her team tries to prioritize truckers 

and get them back on the road quickly. 

“I know that the truckers really appreciate 

being able to pull up to the stall, and they tell us 

constantly that they don’t ever get that kind of 

attention,” Coleman said. “They never get anyone 

to bring their food out to them where they 

don’t have to get out of their trucks.” 

Although the Valliant Sonic opened its dedicated 

truck route in 2013, about five years later 

Sonic franchise owner Ricky Davis saw a similar 

need in the town of Fordyce, Arkansas. With 

a population of nearly 4,000, Fordyce is another 

community that benefits from truck traffic related 

to the timber industry in southeast Arkansas. 

Davis, who has been in the Sonic franchise 

business for more than 40 years, said he was 

looking to remodel the current Sonic location 

in Fordyce. After some thought, he decided to 

move the location near the U.S. 67/167 bypass 

Courtesy: Tommy and Julie Dorries 

Julie and Tommy Dorries opened the Sonic in 

Valliant, Oklahoma with a truck route because 

Julie’s father was a long-time trucker and the 

logging industry is essential to their small town. 

instead of in the center of town. This location 

allowed him to purchase two acres of land for a 

lower price. That amount of space made it easy 

to accommodate truckers. 

“When we take on a project, we always 

take into consideration the community we are 

going to be in and the traffic we are going to 

have,” Davis said. “The timber industry is big 

[in Fordyce].” 

The truck route at the Fordyce Sonic provides 

a menu that will reach a semi truck’s window, 

and it also offers steps so the carhop can stand 

eye-level with the driver. Davis said the investment 

in the menu and route was not necessarily 

significant, but the return has been impressive. 

“I’ve had trucking companies from across 

the nation call me and tell me, ‘Thank you for 

taking care of our truckers. Everybody hates 


In Fordyce, Arkansas, truckers can pull 

through a dedicated truck route and receive 

window service as if they were in a car. 

us, so we appreciate someone actually doing 

something for us,’” Davis said. “It has been 

pretty cool to get that feedback. It has done well.” 

At the end of the day, these two Sonic 

owners represent a dedication to the men 

and women who keep America moving, 

which is an appreciation Davis can proudly 

say he has. 

“Being a trucker takes a lot. When you 

have a to park a truck it takes a lot (of space), 

Courtesy: Tommy and Julie Dorries 

Shown above is an employee at the Valliant, 

Oklahoma Sonic with a local truck driver who 

frequents the truck-friendly location. 

and most people don’t want them there,” Davis 

said. “They’re thought of as a hindrance, but 

they don’t hinder us at all. This really worked 

out, and it is a good addition.” 8

28 • May 1-14, 2020 Features 

b Moment from page 25 b 

“I looked at that and I’m like, ‘36 minutes?’ 

It felt like we’d been there for two 

hours at least,” Tracy said. “We just went 

into this weird standstill and 36 minutes 

changed our lives, changed that man’s life; 

we saved not just him, but we saved his 

whole family.” 

The Zimmermans later found that the police 

report said the man had fallen asleep at the 

wheel after working a late third shift. He was 

headed to see his daughter for her birthday. 

“So, we saved not just him, we saved his 

entire family that day because it really could 

have changed the course of their family,” 

Tracy added. “That was just an amazing moment 

in time.” 

Shortly thereafter, the Truckload Carriers 

Association heard of the couple’s heroic 

deed and recognized them as Highway Angels, 

which is not something the couple expected. 

They wore the designation as a badge of honor 

and proudly displayed the sticker on their truck. 

The Highway Angel program, now in 

its 23rd year, recognizes professional truck 

b Mission from page 26 b 

[Facebook groups],” she said. “I had no idea 

how much it meant to everyone.” 

The next day, Williams was back at Buzz’s 

with another load of treats to distribute. She said 

several drivers offered donations to help with 

baking supplies, and that she plans to continue 

her mission of providing small treats for drivers. 

Although flour is hard to find on grocerystore 

shelves right now, Williams said, “God 

has been providing me with flour. My brother 

in Michigan ordered 100 pounds (of flour) to 

help out. God is so good. I used the donations 

I got from truckers to purchase bags and other 

items for baking the goods.” 

Realizing that germs are a concern, especially 

at this time, Williams said she practices 

drivers who have selflessly helped others 

while on the job. From each year’s Angels, 

one is selected as Highway Angel of the 

Year, also known as EpicAngels, by TCA and 

its partner EpicVue. 

For 2019, 38 Angels were recognized, 

and Ed and Tracey Zimmerman were selected 

as the Highway Angels of the Year. They 

were presented with the award at TCA’s annual 

convention in Kissemee, Florida, earlier 

this year. 

“Thank you both for your selfless act of 

courage on that May morning,” said EpicVue 

CEO Lance Platt after presenting the Zimmermans 

with a crystal award. 

Before heading to Florida, the couple 

heard the news from Hirschbach’s marketing 

director during a company bowling trip. The 

couple was “floored,” and Tracy said Ed was 

speechless, adding that this is something that 

doesn’t happen often. 

As amazing as the award was to the Zimmermans, 

they two are quick to say that they 

simply did what they felt was the right thing 

to do in that moment. 

“We stopped to help a human who needed 

help,” Ed said. “That’s all we did, and that’s 

why we did it.” 

safe-food-handling techniques when preparing 

baked goods in her kitchen, securing her hair 

and wearing gloves. 

“I’m just a trucker’s wife trying to show 

appreciation for what (these drivers) are doing,” 

she said, adding that her husband, Michael 

Williams, has been driving for Creel 

Trucking in Excelsior Springs, Missouri, for 

12 years. 

To find out when Williams will be distributing 

treats at Buzz’s BBQ, watch the Trucker 

Feed Facebook group for her posts. 

Williams has this message for the nation’s 

truckers: 

“They are appreciated. I wish I could reach 

out to them all. My little home-baked goods 

can’t do a lot, but if it helps someone in any 

way then it’s where God wants me to be. I can’t 

wait to meet more of them and hear their stories. 

Stay safe, and God bless.” 8 

Ed added that he hopes that this award 

and sharing their story with others will help 

the image of truck drivers across the nation. 

“All everybody ever hears are the bad 

things that happens out here,” Ed shared. 

“We really want to push the good stories because, 

in your darkest hour out here on the 

road, if, heaven forbid, something happens, a 

truck driver is going to be the first person on 

the scene. They’re going to be the first ones 

there to help you out.” 

The remainder of that May day turned out 

to be just like any other day for the Zimmermans 

as they carried on delivering their load 

to Hodgkins, Illinois. Tracy noted, though, 

that everything could have been different that 

day if the couple had made one extra stop 

beforehand, delaying their schedule. 

“You know, God puts you where he needs 

you most, and that day he needed us right 

there at that moment,” Tracy said. “I really 

believe that.” 8 

The Trucker Crossword 

Solution 

1 

F 

2 

S T A T E S 

3 

R 

4 

M 

M 

5 

T E 

6 

A B S 

7 

B R E A K E R P 

8 

F S 

L A 

9 

T H A N K S 

E I I L S 

10 

F L 

11 

L L S 

L 

12 

P O S I T I V E E 

A N V 

T 

13 

F G E 

14 

P 

B U S 

15 

H I 

16 

N 

17 

R E F R I 

18 

G E R A T I O N L 

O D L R O U O 

19 

T U G S O O 

20 

C A S K E T 

U C 

21 

B K T 

22 

E G E L O 

L H R U 

23 

W I N R O S S 

24 

D R I V E W Y Z E 

D 

S 


Courtesy: Truckload Carriers Association 

Ed and Tracy Zimmerman were named 

Highway Angels of the Year at the Truckload 

Carrier Association’s annual convention. 

The Trucker Crossword Puzzle Answer Key 

Kevin Kocmich 

2019 Owner Operator of the Year Contest winner 

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thetrucker.com May 1-14, 2020 • 29 

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