011521_TT_AllPages

Vol. 34, No. 2 | January 15-31, 2021 | www.thetrucker.com 

Aim your 

camera 

at the 

code for 

more news! 

Transportation Secretary Chao tenders resignation 

after pro-Trump mob breaches U.S. Capitol building 

Jonathon Gruenke/The Daily Press via AP 

Search for 

truck driver suspended 

Although Coast Guard officials 

have suspended their search 

for the driver of a box truck that 

plunged into the water after 

crashing on the Chesapeake 

Bay Bridge-Tunnel, the driver’s 

family hasn’t given up hope. 

Page 4 

Navigating the news 

PA Turnpike tax hike......................3 

Kentucky ‘tow plows’...................5 

The Trucker Trainer.................8 

Ask the Attorney...................12 

Rhythm of the Road.............13 

At the Truck Stop..................14 

Freight levels climbing.................17 

Fleet Focus.................................18 

XPO splits company................ 19 

Electric trucks for ports.............21 

Feeding America....................... 23 

Courtesy: American Trucking Associations 

Wreaths Across America 

The American Trucking 

Association’s specially 

decaled rig leads the Arlington 

procession every year. In 

2020, that procession included 

dozens of semis loaded to 

the ceiling with evergreen 

wreaths. 

Page 23 

Wendy Miller 

& Linda Garner-Bunch 

editor@thetruckermedia.com 

WASHINGTON — On Jan. 7, U.S. Secretary 

of Transportation Elaine Chao announced her resignation, 

effective Jan. 11, from her position as 

head of the nation’s Department of Transportation 

(DOT). In a statement posted on Twitter, Chao 

cited the events of Jan. 6, when a mob stormed the 

U.S. Capitol and breached congressional chambers 

and offices, as her reason for stepping down 

in protest. 

“Yesterday, our country experienced a traumatic 

and entirely avoidable event as supporters 

of the president stormed the Capitol building following 

a rally he addressed. As I’m sure is the case 

with many of you, it has deeply troubled me in a 

way that I simply cannot set aside,” read Chao’s 

statement, which was addressed to her colleagues 

at the DOT. 

On Jan. 6, as Vice President Mike Pence presided 

over Congress while its members conducted 

an official tally of the electoral college vote, a 

crowd of Trump supporters forced their way into 

the U.S. Capitol, compelling lawmakers to be 

rushed from the building and interrupting challenges 

to the electoral college vote. More than six 

hours after the violence erupted, members of Congress 

returned to resume their proceedings after 

the Capitol was cleared by law enforcement. 

Thirteen Republican senators and dozens of 

GOP representatives had planned to force debate 

and votes on six different states’ votes. However, 

the assault on the Capitol evidently made some 

Republicans squeamish about trying to overturn 

iStock Photo 

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration 

hopes to clarify the definition of “yard 

moves” for drivers of commercial motor vehicles 

and how such moves affect drivers’ hours 

of service. 

Courtesy: U.S. DOT 

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao participates in ‘Infrastructure Week’ at Department 

Headquarters in Washington. Following the violence at the U.S. Capitol building on Jan. 6, Chao 

announced her resignation via Twitter. 

Biden’s win, and challenges were lodged only 

against Arizona and Pennsylvania. Both efforts 

lost overwhelmingly. 

In the early hours of Jan. 7, Biden’s win over 

Trump was certified by 306-232 electoral votes; 

Biden will be inaugurated as president on Jan. 20. 

Shortly after the announcement of Chao’s resignation, 

American Trucking Associations President 

FMCSA seeks public comment on ‘yard 

move’ definition, how it impacts HOS 

THE TRUCKER NEWS SERVICES 

WASHINGTON — The Federal Motor Carrier 

Safety Administration (FMCSA) hopes to 

clarify regulations about “yard moves” — movement 

of a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) on 

private property — and how they affect commercial 

vehicle drivers’ hours of service. 

The proposed guidance would count movement 

of CMVs in the “yards” as “yard moves,” and 

could be recorded as “on duty, not driving” time 

instead of “driving” time. A notice published in the 

Federal Register Jan. 4 requests public comments 

on the agency’s definition of “yard,” and offers 

and CEO Chris Spear expressed admiration for 

Chao’s work during her time as Secretary of Transportation, 

describing her as “a strong leader … who 

embodies integrity, courage and conviction.” 

Spear also pointed to Chao’s leadership during 

the COVID-19 pandemic, when the transportation 

See Resignation on p6 m 

examples of properties that do and do not meet the 

qualification of “yard.” 

Examples of properties that may qualify as 

yards include (but are not limited to) intermodal 

yards or port facilities, a motor carrier’s place of 

business or a shipper’s privately owned parking 

lot. A public road may be considered a “yard” IF 

the road is restricted by traffic-control measures 

such as lights, gates, flaggers or other means. 

Properties that do not meet the qualifications 

of a “yard” include (but are not limited to) 

public rest areas and public roads without the 

See Yard on p4 m

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Nation January 15-31, 2021 • 3 

iStock Photo 

A 6% toll-rate increase on the Pennsylvania Turnpike went into effect Sunday, Jan. 3. Drivers 

who choose toll-by-plate billing saw an additional 45% increase in rates. 

PA Turnpike implements 6% rate hike; 

45% increase for toll-by-plate billing 


MIDDLETOWN, Penn. —Toll increases 

for the Pennsylvania Turnpike took effect 

shortly after midnight Sunday, Jan. 3. In July, 

the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) 

approved the 6% increase for all E-ZPass rates 

systemwide and for the PA Turnpike toll-byplate 

rates that had been established before the 

March 2020 conversion to all-electronic tolling 

at these six locations: 

• Beaver Valley Expressway (Interstate 376); 

• Delaware River Bridge (New Jersey border); 

• Gateway Toll Plaza (Ohio border); 

• Greensburg Bypass (PA Turnpike 66); 

• Keyser Avenue and Clarks Summit Tolls 

(Interstate 476/Northeastern Extension); and 

• Findlay Connector (PA Turnpike 576/ 

Southern Beltway). 

In addition, PTC approved new toll-byplate 

rates at all other toll facilities that were 

converted to all-electronic tolling in March. 

These new rates, also effective Jan. 3, include 

the 6% increase — plus an additional 45% increase 

over the 2020 cash rate for toll-by-plate 

motorists. These rates, which reflect the cost of 

toll-by-plate billing, will not be applied at the 

six toll facilities listed above. 

“The new toll-by-plate rates offset the 

higher costs the commission incurs to process 

the toll, mail the invoices and collect payment 

— a pricing approach used by tolling agencies 

across the nation to cover the cost of administering 

AET systems,” said Mark Compton, 

CEO of the PTC. “This balanced approach 

allows us to maintain a lower rate for those 

choosing a payment method that is less costly 

to administer, while those who choose a pricier 

payment option absorb those costs.” 

According to a statement from the PTC, 

these rate increases were driven by the PA Turnpike’s 

annual transit payments of $450 million 

to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation 

as mandated by Act 44 of 2007 and 

Act 89 of 2013. Since 2007, PTC has transferred 

$7 billion in funding to the state DOT. 

Tolling app discount 

The PTC also announced an upgrade to PA 

Toll Pay, the commission’s smartphone tolling 

app. In addition to E-ZPass account management, 

non-E-ZPass customers can use the 

smartphone app to create an autopay account 

and receive 15% savings on their monthly tollby-plate 

invoices. 

“Given the significantly higher rates now 

associated with the toll-by-plate option, we 

wanted to offer an alternative that would 

provide a measure of relief for travelers,” 

Compton said. 

With the turnpike’s toll-by-plate option, 

high-speed cameras capture license-plate images 

as vehicles pass by; then the registered 

owner of the vehicle receives an invoice for 

trips made through the tolling point. Invoices 

can be paid online, by phone or by mail. Upon 

receipt of a toll-by-plate invoice, recipients 

also have an option to open an E-ZPass account 

and pay the lowest rate. 

“E-ZPass drivers will continue to receive 

the lowest toll rates across the PA Turnpike, 

with some customers saving nearly 60% in 

2021,” Compton said. 

Starting Jan. 3, the most common toll for a 

passenger vehicle increased from $1.50 to $1.60 

for E-ZPass customers and from $2.50 to $3.90 

for those choosing toll by plate. The most common 

toll for a Class-5 tractor trailer increased 

from $12.20 to $13 for E-ZPass and from $17.30 

to $26.60 for toll-by-plate customers. 

Compton encourages PA Turnpike travelers 

to switch to E-ZPass, saying the service is the 

most convenient, economical way to travel and 

is accepted in all neighboring states and across 

the eastern U.S. 

“Currently, 86% of our customers have chosen 

E-ZPass, with more switching every day,” 

he said. 8 

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Coast Guard suspends search for driver of truck that 

plunged into Chesapeake Bay; family still searching 

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Coast Guard officials 

said Tuesday evening, Dec. 29, that they 

have suspended their search for the driver of a 

box truck that plunged into the water after crashing 

on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. 

The truck crashed about 8:20 a.m. on the 

east side of the bridge’s northbound lanes, 

according to Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel 

officials. 

Fire, police, and EMS units arrived to find 

the vehicle floating in the water, said Virginia 

Beach Fire Department Battalion Chief 

Richard Trent. 

Witnesses saw a man get out of the truck 

and drift westward in the water, Coast Guard 

officials said. It was not clear whether the driver 

climbed or fell out, said Petty Officer First 

Class Tara Molle. 

Coast Guard rescuers joined with the fire 

department, emergency medical services and 

police to search for the driver. 

According to several media outlets, Chesapeake 

Bay Bridge-Tunnel officials identified 

the driver of the truck as Erik Mezick, 47, of 

Fruitland, Maryland. 

The Virginian-Pilot reported that Mezick 

was driving the truck for Cloverland 

Jonathon Gruenke/The Daily Press via AP 

A box truck floats in the water after driving off the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel Tuesday 

morning, Dec. 29, 2020, near Virginia Beach, Virginia. 

Greenspring Dairy, a Baltimore-based company 

that sells food products to hospitals, private 

and public schools, convenience stores, and supermarkets 

in the mid-Atlantic region, including 

Virginia. 

The Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel is 17.6 

miles (28 kilometers) long and runs from Virginia 

Beach to the Eastern Shore. It features two tunnels 

that run under the surface of Chesapeake Bay. 

About 15 over-the-side crashes have occurred 

since 1984, according to the Virginian- 

Pilot. As of press time, local news outlets report 

that a door from the truck Mezick was driving 

was found two days after the accident, at the 

beach in Sandbridge, along with some other debris, 

but there has been no sign of Mezick. 8 

FMCSA declares Arizona trucker who struck, killed 

bicyclists on U.S. 95 in Nevada to be ‘imminent hazard’ 


WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department 

of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier 

Safety Administration (FMCSA) has declared 

Arizona-licensed commercial driver Jordan 

Alexander Barson to be an imminent hazard to 

public safety and has ordered him not to operate 

any commercial motor vehicle in interstate 

commerce. Barson was served the federal order 

Dec. 23, 2020. 

On Dec. 10, 2020, Barson, a commercial 

driver’s license (CDL) holder employed by 

RoadRunner Transport AZ Inc., USDOT No. 

3451500, of Lake Havasu City, Arizona, was 

operating a commercial truck on U.S. 95 in 

Clark County, Nevada, when he struck seven 

bicyclists and the riders’ escort vehicle from 

the rear; five bicyclists were pronounced dead 

at scene. Another bicyclist and the driver of the 

escort vehicle received incapacitating injuries 

b Yard from page 1 b 

traffic-control measures mentioned earlier. 

In addition to clarifying the definition 

of “yard,” FMCSA is asking for input on 

the following questions: 

and were transported to the hospital. 

Barson was subsequently tested by Nevada 

Highway Patrol officers for controlled substances 

and was found positive for both amphetamine 

and methamphetamine; his methamphetamine 

level was almost 10 times the 

legal amount permitted by Nevada state law. 

Barson was charged by the State of Nevada 

with five counts of Driving Under the Influence 

Resulting in Death, one count of Driving 

Under the Influence Resulting in Substantial 

Bodily Harm, five counts of Reckless Driving 

Resulting in Death, and one count of Reckless 

Driving Resulting in Substantial Bodily Harm. 

Prosecutor Eric Bauman said Barson told 

investigators he was driving his regular work 

route between Las Vegas, the Colorado River 

town of Bullhead City, Arizona, and Kingman 

when he fell asleep. 

A subsequent investigation of RoadRunner 

• Would defining “yard moves” in the agency’s 

regulations provide necessary clarification 

and therefore benefit carriers and drivers? 

• Are there other properties or situations 

where drivers may be in a “yard move” status 

that should be included as examples in this 

guidance? 

• Would adding examples of “yard moves” 

Transport AZ Inc. 

found that neither the 

carrier nor Barson 

maintained drivers’ 

records-of-duty status 

as required by federal 

regulations. 

FMCSA’s imminent 

hazard out-of-service 

order states that Barson’s 

“blatant violations 

of the [federal 

Courtesy: Mohave 

County Sheriff 

Jordan Alexander Barson 

safety regulations] and ongoing and repeated 

disregard for the safety of the motoring public 

… substantially increases the likelihood of serious 

injury or death to you and motoring public.” 

Barson and RoadRunner Transport AZ Inc. 

also may be subject to civil penalty enforcement 

proceedings brought by FMCSA for violations 

of the agency’s safety regulations. 8 

be beneficial for this guidance (e.g., moving 

a CMV for maintenance)? If so, provide examples 

for consideration. 

Public comments must be submitted by 

Feb. 3 for consideration. To review FMC- 

SA’s proposal and submit comments online, 

visit www.federalregister.gov and search 

for docket number FMCSA-2020-0118. 8 

USPS 972 

Volume 34, Number 2 

January 15-31, 2021 

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 

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Lyndon Finney 

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Sam Pierce 

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Neste expands green fueling network in California with two new stations 


HOUSTON — Neste, a producer of renewable 

diesel made from waste material, has 

opened two new fueling stations in central 

California, providing greater accessibility to 

Neste MY Renewable Diesel. The number of 

Neste MY Renewable Diesel fueling stations 

in California has more than doubled since 

2019. The company’s ambition is to create a 

“green fueling network” across the U.S. West 

Coast, making it easier for fleet managers to 

switch to renewable diesel. 

The fueling stations are open 24/7, are strategically 

located near major commercial freight 

routes and are designed to accommodate commercial 

fleet vehicles of all sizes. The new cardlock 

locations are operated by Neste’s authorized 

distributor, Van De Pol Petroleum. Both 

new sites take Pacific Pride Cardlock Cards. 

They are located in Stockton, California, at 

Courtesy: Kentucky Transportation Cabinet 

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s snow-fighting fleet is adding tow plows that can clear 

two lanes of snow or ice at once. 


PADUCAH, Ky. — Motorists traveling 

Interstate 24 and Interstate 69 in Western 

Kentucky may have seen a couple of pieces 

of unusual snow-fighting equipment this 

winter. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet 

(KYTC) has been testing two new “tow 

plow” trucks assigned to District 1 at Paducah 

that have the capability to clear snow 

from two lanes at once. 

“One truck and one driver can salt and 

plow an area that would normally take two 

or three trucks,” said Kyle Poat, chief engineer 

for KYTC District 1. “It improves our 

snow-clearing efficiency on interstates and 

parkways while freeing up other trucks to run 

the two-lane routes.” 

District 1 has two of the specially equipped 

trucks, based in Marshall and Graves counties. 

A third tow plow has arrived for use in 

Lyon County, where it is being outfitted to 

cover an additional section of I-24. 

Equipment Operator Jimmy Treas will be 

aboard the tow plow assigned to run I-24 between 

Calvert City and the Ohio River. Justin Schwinn, 

4407 E. Waterloo Road, and Lodi, California, at 

351 Beckman Road. 

Each location is regularly supplied with 

Neste MY Renewable Diesel, a low-carbon 

fuel produced from 100% renewable and sustainable 

raw materials that cuts greenhouse 

gas emissions by up to 80% compared to petroleum 

diesel, according to Neste. The two 

new fueling stations join eight existing Nestebranded 

fuel stations in the California cities of 

San Leandro, San Jose, Keyes, Ripon, Wasco, 

Buttonwillow and Shafter. In addition, Neste 

offers a resource page to help drivers and fleet 

managers find nearby fueling stations and certified 

distributors. 

“Intensified by climate change, wildfires 

in California have taken lives, upended whole 

communities and are on track to cause $10 

billion in damages,’” said Carrie Song, vice 

president for Renewable Road Transportation 

Kentucky transportation agency using new 

‘tow plows’ to keep District 1 roads clear 

a member of the Graves County highway maintenance 

crew, will cover I-69 and the Purchase 

Parkway between Mayfield and Fulton. 

“It’s an interesting piece of equipment,” 

Schwinn said. “The tow plow adds another 

dimension to what we do.” 

When using a tow plow, the vehicle is 

driven in the passing lane with a traditional 

front-mounted plow. When the driver activates 

a hydraulic system, tires on the trailer 

move shift the tow plow equipment to the 

driving lane and deploy a plow that clears 

the driving lane. The plow mounted on the 

tow plow portion of the trailer is much larger 

than a traditional truck-mounted snow plow. 

KYTC asks travelers to be patient as 

plow operators clear roads because vehicles 

will not be able to pass the tow plows when 

they’re in operation. Drivers may spot an 

escort vehicle following the tow plows during 

the first few snow and ice events the tow 

plows are deployed. 

KYTC District 1 will have three of the five 

tow plows that are now part of Kentucky’s 

1,000 truck snow-fighting fleet. 8 

in North America. “This is unacceptable and 

shows the urgent need for California to drastically 

reduce greenhouse gas emissions from 

its transport system. Our goal is to give fleet 

operators an easy choice — keep running your 

vehicles on fossil diesel and contribute to a 

climate catastrophe, or switch right now to renewable 

diesel and help fight climate change 

and pollution.” 

Neste’s fuel has already replaced more than 

1.6 billion gallons of fossil diesel in California, 

the equivalent of taking up to 3.9 million cars 

off the road per year. Neste plans to continue expanding 

its renewable diesel footprint across the 

West Coast. 

Neste MY Renewable Diesel is a California 

Air Resources Board (CARB) compliant dropin 

replacement fuel that’s compatible with all 

diesel engines and can be integrated into all diesel 

fuel infrastructures at no extra cost. 8 

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U.S. appeals court upholds tossing of 3 

Pilot convictions related to rebate scheme 


KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A federal appeals 

court has rejected a bid by prosecutors 

to restore the tossed convictions for the former 

president of Pilot Flying J and two of his 

former employees related to a rebate scheme 

to cheat trucking companies out of millions 

of dollars. 

The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel 

last week declined the request to reconsider 

the court’s earlier ruling that jurors should not 

have heard recordings of racist language by 

the former president, Mark Hazelwood, the 

Knoxville News Sentinel reported. 

U.S. Attorney Doug Overbey declined comment 

on the latest ruling, the newspaper said. 

The panel’s split decision in October 

vacated convictions for Hazelwood, who 

received the harshest prison sentence at 12½ 

years, and two others. The panel ordered the 

case to be sent back to a lower court for a new 

trial, ruling further that it would not be necessary 

to assign the case to a different judge. 

At trial, the jury heard secret recordings 

of Hazelwood using racial slurs and profanely 

criticizing his board of directors and 

his boss’s football team and fans. Hazelwood 

later apologized for his language. 

The majority wrote that the racist recordings 

were wrongly admitted on the “theory 

that if the defendant was reckless enough to 

use language that could risk public outrage 

against the company, he was a ‘bad businessman,’ 

and as a bad businessman, he was also 

reckless enough to commit fraud.” 

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See Pilot on p9 m 


DALLAS — The U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA) has finalized a cooperative 

agreement with Louisiana’s Port of New 

Orleans to fund diesel emissions-reduction 

programs. The agreement provides $1,240,247 

to replace certain diesel-powered trucks at port 

facilities in Orleans, Jefferson and Saint Bernard 

Parishes. The funding is provided by the 

National Clean Diesel Funding Assistance Program, 

under the Diesel Emissions Reduction 

Act (DERA). 

As part of the Port of New Orleans’ Clean 

Truck Replacement Incentive Program (Clean 


AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana 

Supporters of President Donald Trump climb the west wall of the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, 

Jan. 6, in Washington. The following day, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao announced 

her resignation, which was effective as of Jan. 11. 

b Resignation from page 1 b 

industry garnered international attention as truckers 

worked to ensure vital supplies were delivered 

to health care facilities, grocery stores and more. 

“On a personal note, having worked for 

and with her over many years, I can attest that 

Elaine is a person of strong moral character, and 

should be applauded for not standing idly by 

following yesterday’s abhorrent and shameful 

events at the Capitol,” Spear continued. “This 

is the kind of principled stand in support of our 

democracy I’ve always known her to take.” 

Others were not so complimentary of 

Chao’s decision, however, and her Twitter post 

was followed by a deluge of negative comments. 

Many urged Chao to remain at her post 

and work to eject Trump from office by invoking 

the 25th Amendment, while others accused 

her of “cowardice” and “complicit behavior” 

during Trump’s presidency. 

Chao, who immigrated to America at age 8 

and earned her U.S. citizenship at 19, earned 

her master’s degree from the Harvard Business 

School and an economics degree from Mount 

Holyoke College. She is one of the Cabinet 

members who has served the entire four years 

of the Trump administration. She is in her second 

stint as a member of a presidential Cabinet, 

having served as Secretary of Labor under 

George W. Bush; she was the only member of 

the Cabinet to serve for the entirety of Bush’s 

term. She was the first Asian-American woman 

to be appointed to a presidential Cabinet in 

American history. 

Before serving as Secretary of Labor, Chao 

was president and CEO of United Way of America. 

She has also served as director of the Peace Corps. 

Chao, who is married to Senate Majority 

Leader Mitch McConnell, was the first member 

of Trump’s Cabinet to resign in the wake of the 

attack; Education Secretary Betsy DeVos also 

tendered her resignation Jan. 7. At the time of 

this writing, other members of the Trump administration 

who have resigned since the incident 

at the capitol include Stephanie Grisham, 

chief of staff to first lady Melania Trump; Sarah 

Matthews, a deputy press secretary; Matt Pottinger, 

the deputy national security adviser; and 

Mick Mulvaney, U.S. special envoy to Northern 

Ireland and a former White House chief of staff. 

The Associated Press contributed to this 

report. 8 

Port of New Orleans awarded more than 

$1.2 million to help reduce diesel emissions 

TRIP), the funds with be used to replace at 

least 34 short-haul drayage trucks serving cargo 

terminals and warehouses along the Mississippi 

River and the port’s Inner Harbor. DERA 

funding for Clean TRIP helps truck and fleet 

owners to invest in clean air by replacing older 

diesel-powered vehicles with newer, cleanerburning 

models. 

According to a statement from the EPA, 

the Clean TRIP project will reduce emissions 

of diesel particulate matter (PM2.5) 

and other pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, 

carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and 

hydrocarbons. 8

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Flexibility is key for drivers looking 

to start a daily exercise routine 

Bob Perry 

The Trucker 

Trainer 

What is the best time of day for a workout? 

That’s a good question asked by many professional 

truck drivers. 

Personally, I’ve always preferred morning 

workouts, but as I’ve gotten older, I find that 

exercising later in the day actually provides the 

best outcome. 

Some experts recommend working out during 

the morning hours, while others say your 

body temperature is at its highest between 

2 p.m. and 6 p.m., making the afternoon the best 

time to maximize your workouts. 

Experience has taught me that the best time 

to exercise really depends on the individual. Often, 

your body rhythm has a lot to do with optimizing 

your workouts when it comes to choosing 

the best time of day for your workout. However, 

we all know that as a professional driver 

it usually comes down to fitting a workout into 

your day whenever you can find the time. 

Flexibility is key for drivers when scheduling 

workouts because most drivers’ schedules 

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change daily — not to mention weather delays. 

So, whenever you have 15 minutes do something 

instead of nothing, it could be the only 

chance you have that day to exercise. 

A morning workout might jump-start your 

day, help kick in your metabolism and allow 

you to get your workout in before other issues 

come into play that could disrupt your plans to 

work out. Many people find it hard to fall asleep 

after a workout, so late afternoon or evening 

might not be the best option. 

It’s easy to find excuses for missing workouts. 

You’ve heard me say before if you do miss 

a workout, try not to miss more than two days 

— after that, skipping the workout starts to become 

a habit. You might struggle with feeling 

bored doing the same series of movements in 

your workout. Not only will you start to feel 

bored, but your body will also hit a plateau. 

To combat this, be sure to change up or adjust 

your exercise routine every 30 days. Here 

are some suggestions for “shaking things up”: 

• Change up the sets and repetitions. 

• Modify the length of the workout. 

• Pick up the pace of your routines. 

• Add in super sets. 

• Combine cardio with weights and interval 

walking. 

By periodically making just one of these 

See Trainer on p10 m 

Courtesy: South Dakota Department of Transportation 

The South Dakota Department of Transportation plans to equip 25 of the state’s snowplows 

with flashing blue lights in an effort to increase safety for motorists and snowplow operators. 

South Dakota DOT adds blue 

lights to 25 snowplows across state 


PIERRE, S.D. — The South Dakota Department 

of Transportation (SDDOT) is launching 

a pilot program designed to improve safety for 

motorists and snowplow operators, the agency 

announced Dec. 22. The pilot program will equip 

25 trucks, spread across the state, with flashing 

blue lights. 

“Snowplow drivers provide an essential service 

to our communities,” said Joel Jundt, the 

state’s interim transportation secretary. “The blue 

lights will add more visibility to our snowplow 

fleet to ensure they can continue to clear roads 

and keep drivers safe.” 

According to a statement released by 

SDDOT, studies show that drivers have become 

desensitized to flashing amber lights. Blue lights 

have greater visibility in certain situations, and 


GREENBELT, Md. — During the Commercial 

Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) 

2020 International Roadcheck, more than 

50,000 inspections were conducted throughout 

the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The combined 

vehicle out-of-service rate for Level I, 

II and V inspections was 20.9%, or 12,524 

vehicles. 

This year’s International Roadcheck took 

place Sept. 9-11; the event was rescheduled 

from May 5-7 because of the COVID-19 

pandemic. Law-enforcement personnel in 

the U.S., Canada and Mexico conducted 

inspections following their departments’ 

health and safety protocols to protect both 

the inspectors and the drivers with whom 

they came into contact. 

International Roadcheck is an annual 

72-hour inspection and enforcement event 

that identifies and removes unsafe commercial 

motor vehicles and drivers from 

roadways. It highlights the daily work of 

because blue lights have a higher frequency and 

shorter wavelength of light, they appear to be 

moving closer rather than farther away, allowing 

drivers to react more quickly. 

The most common crash statistic for 

snowplows is being hit from behind. When a 

snowplow’s blades are down, the machinery 

travels at 25 mph or less. Motorists are asked 

to slow down and stay eight car lengths behind 

the plow — and to never pass one in a 

snow cloud. 

“Keeping drivers, workers and emergency 

personnel safe is the department’s number 

one priority,” Jundt said. “We appreciate Gov. 

Kristi Noem and the state’s legislature for 

working with us and adding new safety provisions 

to strengthen the current law and keep us 

on the road.” 8 

More than 12,000 vehicles placed out of service 

during CVSA’s 2020 International Roadcheck 

the more than 13,000 commercial motor vehicle 

inspectors throughout North America and 

acknowledges the safety compliance of motor 

carriers and professional drivers through the issuance 

of the CVSA decal on eligible vehicles. 

During 2020 International Roadcheck, 

CVSA-certified inspectors primarily conducted 

the 37-step North American Standard 

Level I Inspection; however, the Level 

II Walk-Around Driver/Vehicle Inspection, 

Level III Driver/Credential/Administrative 

Inspection and Level V Vehicle-Only 

Inspection were also acceptable. This year, 

26,451 Level I Inspections, 11,224 Level II 

Inspections, 11,364 Level III Inspections and 

1,112 Level V Inspections were conducted. 

In total, 50,151 inspections were conducted 

throughout Canada, Mexico and the U.S. 

When such inspections are conducted, 

if the inspector identifies critical vehicle 

inspection item out-of-service violations, 

using the North American Standard 

See CVSA on p9 m 

s 

m 

W 

s 

a 

v 

f


Border patrol agents in California, Texas 

seize meth concealed in tractor-trailers 


NILAND, Calif., and PHARR, Texas — In 

two separate actions on Dec. 19, U.S. Customs 

and Border Protection agents in California’s 

El Centro Sector and at the Pharr International 

Bridge in Texas seized methamphetamine concealed 

in commercial tractor-trailers. 

At about 5:06 p.m., a man driving a red 

Freightliner tractor-trailer approached California’s 

Highway 111 border patrol checkpoint. 

Agents directed the vehicle aside for further 

investigation. 

During the inspection, a Border Patrol K-9 

detection team alerted agents’ attention to the 

semi-truck. Both the driver- and passenger-side 

fuel tanks were visually inspected, and the liquid 

inside looked clear. Agents then noticed a 

cloudy, denser liquid a few inches below the 

clear liquid. A field narcotic testing kit was used 

on the cloudy liquid, which yielded a positive result 

for the characteristics of methamphetamine. 

Agents were unable to determine the weight of 

narcotics due to the volatile and dangerous state 

of the liquid meth. 

The El Centro Sector turned over the driver, 

a 25-year-old lawfully admitted for permanent 

residence, and the semi-truck containing 

the narcotics to the U. S. Drug Enforcement 

Administration. 

At the Pharr International Bridge in Texas, 

agents discovered $37 million worth of 


NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Commercial 

driver’s license holders in Tennessee can 

now take advantage of convenient online 

services, according to the Driver Services 

division of the Tennessee Department of 

Safety and Homeland Security (TDOSHS). 

Customers may renew their CDL, order a duplicate 

CDL and renew their medical certification 

through the new e-Services (dl.safety. 

tn.gov) portal. This new service will allow 

many CDL holders to conduct their business 

online rather than visiting a Driver Services 

Center in person. 

The following services are now available 

online: 

• Driver license or CDL renewal; 

• Driver license or CDL duplicate; 

• CDL medical certification renewal; 

• Submit reinstatement documents; 

b Pilot from page 6 b 

Hazelwood was convicted in 2018 of conspiracy, 

wire fraud and witness tampering. Former 

company Vice President Scott “Scooter” 

Wombold was convicted of wire fraud and 

sentenced to six years in prison, and former 

account representative Heather Jones was convicted 

of conspiracy to commit wire and mail 

fraud and sentenced to more than 2½ years. 

Courtesy: U.S. Customs and Border Protection 

These packages, hidden in a commercial shipment 

of fresh tomatoes, contain 1,853 pounds 

of methamphetamine valued at $37 million. 

The discovery was made at the Pharr International 

Bridge in Pharr, Texas, on Dec. 19. 

alleged methamphetamine when a tractortrailer 

hauling a shipment of fresh tomatoes 

was referred for a secondary inspection, which 

included a nonintrusive imaging scan. Agents 

ultimately discover 657 packages weighing 

1,853 pounds (840.5 kg) of alleged methamphetamine 

concealed within the trailer’s floor. 

CBP OFO seized the narcotics and the tractortrailer; 

the case is under investigation by Homeland 

Security Investigations. 8 

Tennessee adds new online CDL services 

• Pay reinstatement fees; 

• Reissue after reinstatement; 

• New Tennessee resident and new driver’s 

license application; 

• Change of address; 

• Schedule a road skills test appointment; 

• Advance a GDL license; 

• Driver’s license practice test; 

• Driving history/MVR; 

• Reprint confirmation; 

• Submit an owner-operator report; and 

• Manage emergency contacts. 

TDOSHS encourages Tennesseans to use 

the online services to help protect the health 

and safety of both staff and customers. For 

services not available online through e-Services, 

customers may visit a self-service kiosk 

or a participating county clerk partner, 

or schedule an appointment for an in-person 

Driver Services Center visit. 8 

Fourteen former Pilot Flying J employees 

pleaded guilty earlier. 

Pilot Flying J is controlled by the family 

of Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam 

and former Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam. 

The Haslams have not been charged with 

any wrongdoing. The former governor has 

not been involved with the company in recent 

years. 

The company earlier agreed to pay an $85 

million settlement to defrauded customers and 

a $92 million penalty to the government. 8 


b CVSA from page 8 b 

Out-of-Service Criteria, the vehicle is rendered 

out of service, which means the 

identified out-of-service violations must be 

corrected before the vehicle will be permitted 

to proceed. Vehicles inspected during 

the 2020 International Roadcheck included 

large trucks/combinations, cargo tanks/combinations 

transporting hazardous materials 

(hazmat), non-hazmat cargo tanks/combinations 

and passenger carrier vehicles. 

The Top 5 out-of-service violations for 

all three countries were: 

1. Brake system: 3,163 violations; 

2. Tires: 2,326 violations; 

3. Lights: 1,650 violations; 

4. Cargo securement: 1,586 violations; and 

5. Brake adjustment: 1,567 violations. 

Each year, the CVSA International 

Roadcheck places special emphasis on a 

specific category of violations. The 2020 

focus was on the driver requirements category 

of a roadside inspection. A driver may 

be placed out of service for violations related 

to the driver’s age; commercial driver’s 

license or operator’s/chauffeur’s license 

or permit; medical/physical requirements; 

record-of-duty status; sickness or fatigue; 

or intoxicating beverages, drugs and other 

substances. 

Overall, the top driver out-of-service 

violation category during 2020 International 

Roadcheck was for hours of service, 

accounting for 34.7% of all driver out-ofservice 

violations. The total number of driver 

out-of-service violations was 3,247. Inspectors 

also checked safety belt usage during 

International Roadcheck. A total of 768 

seatbelt violations were issued — seven in 

Canada, eight in Mexico and 753 in the U.S. 

The next International Roadcheck is 

scheduled for May 4-6. For a full report 

on the 2020 International Roadcheck, visit 

www.cvsa.org/news-entry/2020-roadcheck-results. 

8 

DRIVE 

WITH PRIDE



Wyoming truckers note variances in 

COVID-19 response from state to state 


CHEYENNE, Wyo. — While many Wyomingites’ 

experiences during the pandemic have 

been shaped by state- or county-level reactions, 

truck drivers in the area have been exposed to a 

patchwork of responses across the nation. 

Situated at the nexus of Interstates 25 and 

80, Cheyenne is a popular stop for truckers 

hauling goods across the U.S. Truckers 

who stop in Wyoming’s capital city could be 

headed to any state in the country, and with 

that comes the chance to observe stark regional 

differences. 

Perhaps no period in recent memory has 

revealed those regional differences more than 

2020. Since last March, the nation has grappled 

with conflicting views on how to address the 

COVID-19 pandemic, which has so far claimed 

the lives of more than 350,000 Americans, according 

to the Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention. 

“State by state, things were so different,” 

said Hamilton Byrd, a longtime Cheyenne resident 

who drove semi-trucks up until the middle 

of last summer, when he quit to pursue his 

event business full-time. 

“There were places that were really strict 

that had statewide mask mandates way back 

in April. With corporate entities, you’d see the 

same thing, too. You’d show up to a Love’s 

Aim your camera 

at the code to 

find jobs. 

Travel Stop in Wyoming, for instance, and it 

feels like business as usual. Then you’d show 

up to a Love’s in California, and it feels like a 

different world,” he said. 

“That was one really interesting observation 

I had — just seeing how diced up we all were,” 

said Byrd. He also noted that, from his view, 

truck stops — like airports or bus depots — are 

places where people from all over the country 

— including virus hotspots — congregate. 

“These were hotspots or relatively volatile 

areas,” Byrd said. “When you jump into one 

truck stop that has no care in the world, it was 

nerve-racking.” 

Vicente Lopez, who owns True Grace Farm 

and Truck in Cheyenne and has driven trucks 

since 1987, said it’s never been difficult to keep 

to himself on the road, adding that he’s not particularly 

concerned about the threat of the virus 

as it is. 

However, in some areas, he did encounter 

regulations so strict is affected his life on the 

road, the Wyoming Tribune Eagle reported. 

“I anticipated getting my shower and everything 

when I got up in the morning, and they 

had shut down their showers,” Lopez recalled 

about a truck stop he stayed at in Louisiana. “I 

wasn’t able to get my shower the next morning. 

That was tricky.” 

Sheila Foertsch, managing director of the 

Find the best 

truck-driving 

as well news, videos 

and job resources ... 

all in one place! 

Michael Cummo/The Wyoming Tribune Eagle via AP 

Vicente Lopez poses for a photo at Sapp Bros Travel Center near Cheyenne, Wyoming. 

Lopez, who owns True Grace Farm and Truck in Cheyenne, said he has noticed regional 

differences in local responses to the coronavirus pandemic. 

Wyoming Trucking Association, said a lot of 

truckers encountered similar issues at the onset 

of the pandemic. 

“Early on, drivers who go coast to coast 

were having difficulties finding places to park 

and rest, as well as difficulty finding places to 

eat. A lot of states closed restaurants, and that 

included dine-in truck stops,” Foertsch said. 

“But the truck stops did a good job of pushing 

back and saying that they need to be open — 

even if it’s in a modified capacity — to serve 

food to essential workers.” 

One the pandemic’s biggest effects on the 

trucking industry, Foertsch said, has been the 

type of goods truckers are transporting. 

“Everyone involved at the beginning of 

the pandemic that was transporting medical 

supplies and groceries became very busy, but 

if you weren’t hauling that kind of stuff, you 

might have seen a slight downturn in business 

because of the closings,” she said, noting that 


EVANSVILLE, Ind. — Leaders in the 

Evansville, Indiana, area say they’re expecting 

action in 2021 toward the construction of an Interstate 

69 bridge over the Ohio River between 

Indiana and Kentucky. 

The biggest step would be federal approval 

of a route for the new bridge that would cost an 

estimated nearly $1.5 billion. 

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb has included 

that bridge route decision among his administration’s 

2021 goals, along with continuing 

construction of the final section near Indianapolis 

of the I-69 extension through southern 

Indiana to Evansville. 

Funding sources remain uncertain for the 

bridge project, although Henderson County, 

Kentucky, Judge-Executive Brad Schneider said 

the preliminary work for its construction was 

getting done. 

Wyoming was less affected because it never 

fully closed restaurants. 

Rather, the downturn in the energy industry 

— which has been caused by reduced travel 

during the pandemic, the collapse of coal and 

the Saudi-Russia oil price war — has most affected 

Wyoming truckers’ profits. 

“You have trucks transporting equipment 

for both the coal mines, as well as oil and gas. 

You have transportation of fuel that goes into 

the mines and the rigs,” Foertsch said. “Any 

kind of energy downturn is reflected in the 

trucking industry.” 

Booie Bears, a Wellington, Coloradobased 

trucker who frequently drives through 

Cheyenne, said about 80% of his business was 

geared toward hauling oil and gas industry 

products prior to the pandemic. 

“When COVID-19 came, the price of oil 

went way down. The pandemic didn’t just shut 

2021 action expected on new I-69 Ohio River bridge 

b Trainer from page 8 b 

changes to your workout routine, you’ll increase 

your motivation and help eliminate the boredom 

factor. 

Known as The Trucker Trainer by 

professional drivers nationwide, Bob Perry brings 

See Response on p11 m 

“The states are getting very close to reaching 

some final decisions and what grants can be 

sought on the federal level,” Schneider told the 

Evansville Courier & Press. 

Plans call for the charging of traffic tolls for 

crossing the new I-69 span, while the fate of the 

two current U.S. 41 bridges linking Evansville to 

Henderson, Kentucky, remains undecided. Local 

leaders have opposed the I-69 bridge project team’s 

proposal to shut down one of the U.S. 41 bridges 

and convert the remaining span to two-way traffic. 

Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke said he’s 

confident an I-69 bridge is a high priority for 

Indiana officials. 

“I know the states talk on a regular basis 

on where this project stands,” Winnecke said. 

“Each state is trying to identify its funding 

streams for this. I couldn’t tell you what the 

timeline is, but we feel comfortable with the 

process of where it is.” 8 

a unique perspective to the transportation industry 

OTR truck drivers. Perry 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 OTR 

workout programs reach out to Perry at trucker 

trainer@icloud.com. Also, you can now download 

the Fit to Pass app available for both Android 

and iPhones. 8


b Response from page 10 b 

down our society, it shut down whole industries. 

Oil and gas seemed like it stopped overnight,” 

said Bears, who was forced to lay off 

several of his employees as a result. 

“I had to scramble and try to find different 

avenues to diversify the company,” he said, noting 

that he’s shifted to hauling commodities, such 

as corn and wheat, as well as consumer products 

sold by Amazon. The rise in remote working, too, 

has affected the products Bears’ company has 

been transporting during the pandemic. 

“Aside from commodities and household 

goods, a lot of people are moving from bigger 

cities to smaller states or cities to try to 

save money or downsize their homes,” he said. 

“We’ve pulled a lot of moving trailers.” 

Bears is hopeful that his business will rebound 

as the pandemic subsides, but he’s not 

sure when that will happen. 

In the meantime, driving across the country 

in 2020 has shown him the same reality Byrd 

and Lopez noticed on their routes: Concern 

over the virus varies dramatically, depending 

on where you stop. 

“You could go up into Wyoming or Montana 

or South Dakota in the middle of the pandemic 

and still sit down in a restaurant and eat a meal,” 

Bears said. “It seems like there’s a line drawn in 

the sand when you hit Colorado and the Southwest. 

Everything was totally shut down. You 

couldn’t even get fuel without a mask.” 

Story by Kathryn Palmer, Wyoming Tribune 

Eagle 8 


SEATTLE — Because of increased 

detour traffic caused by maintenance and 

repair work on area bridges, the Seattle 

Department of Transportation (SDOT) is 

asking the public to avoid the Low Bridge 

linking Seattle and West Seattle, leaving the 

route clear for emergency vehicles, transit 

and heavy freight. As of Jan. 11, unauthorized 

use of the bridge could result in a $75 

citation for each trip across the structure, 

according to a Dec. 29 statement from 

SDOT. 

Alternate routes for those traveling to and 

from West Seattle by car include the First 

Ave. South Bridge or South Park Bridge. The 

Low Bridge may be used by those who are 

riding transit, in a vanpool, walking, rolling, 

riding a scooter or biking. 

In addition to updating markings on the 

route, SDOT is adjusting signal timing, improving 

road signs and working with nearby 

communities to prioritize projects that will 

reduce the impact of increased detour traffic, 

prioritizing transit connections to and 

from West Seattle, building new bicycle 

projects, and establishing and improving 

detour routes. 

According to a statement released by 

SDOT, the West Seattle High-Rise Bridge 


Seattle DOT urges public to avoid Low Bridge, leave route 

clear for emergency vehicles, transit and heavy freight 

Courtesy: Tim Durkan 

Keeping traffic moving on Seattle’s Low 

Bridge is important because it allows 

safe and timely passage for emergencyresponse 

vehicles, transit and freight. 

carried significantly more vehicles because 

it has seven lanes compared to the two lanes 

on the Low Bridge. If all the former traffic 

from the High-Rise Bridge attempts to use the 

Low Bridge, it will create severe congestion 

and long traffic back-ups, blocking access for 

emergency vehicles. 

Based on data analysis, SDOT has identified 

and placed a cap on the number of 

vehicles that are allowed to use the Low 

Bridge daily from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. since the 

closure of the West Seattle High-Rise Bridge 

in March 2020. Vehicle restrictions will be 

enforced with the help of traffic cameras, 

which were installed Dec. 10; the cameras are 

designed to record license plates only. 

The automated photo enforcement system 

was activated Jan. 11, 2021; unauthorized 

Low Bridge users will be subject to a $75 citation 

for every trip across the bridge. Citations 

will be sent to the mailing address of the 

registered owner of the unauthorized vehicle 

that crosses the Low Bridge. 

From 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. each day, the following 

are authorized to use Seattle’s Low 

Bridge: 

• Emergency vehicles; 

• Transit vehicles (King County Metro 

buses and school buses); 

• Freight vehicles; 

• People who are walking, rolling, using a 

scooter or biking; 

• Employer shuttles; 

• Vanpools; and 

• Pre-authorized vehicles. 

Personal vehicles (including motorcycles), 

taxis and ride-hail app vehicles (such as Uber 

and Lyft) are allowed to use the Low Bridge 

at night, from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. daily. 8 

tHanK yoU to flatbed truck drivers and all 

essential workers on the front line of covid-19 

• Local, Regional & OTR 

• Percentage Paid Weekly 

• Great Home Time and 

Benefits including 

Paid Holidays 

apply online now 

www.thetrucker.com/pii 

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paid training program for 

company drivers

Perspective January 

15-31, 2021 • 12 

From the editor: 

Bigger than political platforms 

Wendy Miller 

editor@thetruckermedia.com 

Mad Dog’s 

Daughter 

After finally reaching the end of one of the craziest 

years ever, it only took a few days for things 

to get even crazier in 2021. The events recorded on 

the cover of this issue of The Trucker are ones that 

I most certainly never expected to put into print. 

Regardless of anyone’s political views, I believe 

it is safe to say that what happened at the U.S. 

Capitol on Jan. 6 was startling and unacceptable. 

No matter the group, those actions were a drastic 

deviation from the principles of democracy. 

Over the past year, protests have been some of 

the largest news stories covered during my short 

time with The Trucker. This most recent event offered 

me an opportunity to reflect on my history 

with politics, which is very brief but incredibly 

beneficial. 

During the summer of my junior year of high 

school, I was selected to attend Arkansas Girls 

State, which is “an immersive civics education 

program for young women,” according to the organization’s 

website. At the time, I saw it as an opportunity 

to get away from home for a week, and 

I had been told it was an honor to be selected, so I 

was stoked about it. 

At Girls State, each participant, or “delegate,” 

is placed as into a fictional “city,” which is in a 

fictional “county” — all of which make up Girls 

State. The delegates are divided into two fictional 

political parties and run for offices ranging from 

city mayor to state governor. Although I never advanced 

to the state leadership level, two girls from 

each state were selected to serve as senators to participate 

in Girls Nation in Washington. 

Even though I peaked at being elected to county 

coroner, the experience was absolutely amazing. 

I enjoyed it so much that I attended the following 

two summers as a counselor. What started 

as an excuse to leave home and spend a week on a 

college campus turned into one of the most valuable 

lessons in democracy I could ever experience. 

I will also admit that the best part of the event was 

the “conventions,” when the fictional parties selected 

their nominees for state offices. The environment 

of a political rally is intoxicating, and it 

is easy to see how that momentum can transform 

into something dark — which is what I believe we 

saw Jan. 6. 

For a moment, I believe, the majority of the 

country paused and took inventory of what matters 

most. What we found is that the most cherished 

pieces of our nation are far bigger than the 

platforms of individual political parties and the 

candidates who represent them. Democracy is to 

be cherished, and I sincerely hope that events similar 

to this one never again grace the cover of The 

Trucker. 

Until next time, be cool, be careful and be 

mindful of the components of our country that set 

us apart from the others. Remember that policies 

do not define our democracy — we do. 8 

To avoid a frivolous lawsuit, attorneys must 

provide a nonfrivolous argument, theory 

Brad Klepper 

exclusive to the trucker 

Ask the 

Attorney 

Let’s get this out of the way up front: 

Nobody likes lawyers. 

I get that. I really do. I am a lawyer 

myself, and I don’t even like lawyers. 

Shoot, there are days I don’t even like myself. 

Which, the more I think about it, is 

something I should probably discuss with 

a professional. 

Regardless, there is one big reason why 

folks don’t like lawyers. (OK, I lied. There 

are actually several big reasons why folks 

don’t like lawyers.) But one of those reasons 

is that lawyers file frivolous lawsuits — 

which they are not supposed to do. 

Just so you know, lawyers are officers 

of the court and are required to follow 

certain rules when they file lawsuits. Of 

course, if a lawyer violates these rules, the 

suit can be dismissed, and the court may 

sanction the lawyer. Lawyers can also be 

disciplined if they violate jurisdictions ethics 

rules relating to the filing of lawsuits. 

While court procedures and ethics 

rules may vary slightly between jurisdictions, 

they all basically say the same 

thing: All lawyers are prohibited from 

filing “frivolous” lawsuits or suits otherwise 

without merit. 

In other words — and as my grandfather 

would say — lawyers, are not supposed to 

file lawsuits that are full of “horsesh*t.” I 

never understood what Grandad had against 

bulls, but whatever…. 

So, if we know lawyers are not supposed 

to file these lawsuits, why do we seem to see 

so many of them? 

The answer is that lawyers are permitted 

to file lawsuits when they know enough facts 

to believe the eventual proof will support the 

allegations contained in the lawsuit. This is 

done without knowing all the facts at the time 

the lawsuit is filed. 

In addition to lawsuits being free from 

“horsesh*t” the lawyer is also required to 

cite the relevant settled legal theory or state 

a new one he or she believes should be adopted 

by the court. A good example of a 

“new legal theory” would include the school 

segregation arguments made by Thurgood 

Marshall in the 1954 U.S. Supreme Court 

case of Brown v. Board of Education and the 

same-sex arguments made in the Obergefell 

decision of 2015. 

Federal lawsuits are governed by Rule 

11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 

(most states have adopted some version of 

this), which states that the new legal theory 

is “warranted by existing law or by nonfrivolous 

argument … or the establishment of the 

new law.” 

This means if a lawyer files a lawsuit 

based on a theory so far-fetched that no 

court could be expected to accept it, then that 

See Attorney on p24 m 

WORTH REPEATING 

In this section, The Trucker news staff selects 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. 

If you have an opinion you would like to share, email editor@thetruckermedia.com. 

“Yesterday, our country experienced a traumatic and 

entirely avoidable event as supporters of the president 

stormed the Capitol building following a rally he addressed. 

As I’m sure is the case with many of you, it has deeply 

troubled me in a way that I simply cannot set aside.” 

— U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao, explaining her Jan. 7 

decision to resign her post in President Donald Trump’s Cabinet 

Full story on Pages 1 and 6. 

“You feel at peace, you know? There’s such a 

calmness. But, in the back of your mind, it’s sad. You realize 

all of these people, at some point in time in this country, 

gave their life for the ground that we’re standing on.” 

— Trucker and Army veteran Robert Errthum, 

about delivering greenery to 

Arlington National Cemetery for Wreaths Across America 

Full story on Page 23 and 24.


Perspective January 15-31, 2020 • 13 

‘The Last Cowboy Song’ passes the 

torch from horseback to horsepower 

Kris Rutherford 

krisr@thetruckermedia.com 

Rhythm of 

the Road 

Somewhere along the Chisolm Trail between 

the Texas-Oklahoma border and Abilene, 

Kansas, the famed horse-mounted cattle drives 

of the 1870s gave way to the railroads a decade 

later. When trucks came along a half-century 

or so after the railroad, trucks — which traveled 

along roads, highways and eventually interstates 

— replaced the steam locomotive. Not 

only could trucks veer off the prescribed pathways 

that restricted rail cars, but larger trucks 

pulling longer trailers also offered an economical 

form of transportation. Cattle became a 

commodity delivered largely by the trucking 

industry. 

Looking back on history, it’s hard to find an 

instance where railroad workers were referred 

to as cowboys. On the other hand, as trucks 

grew more numerous and drivers traveled longer 

routes, the term “cowboy” became another 

a nickname for truck drivers during the late 

20th century. Movies were made, songs were 

written and real-life truck driving cowboys 

proved the term true. 

Sure, a few old-breed cowboys work the 

ranches in the American West today, but they 

don’t drive herds of cattle to market anymore. 

That job, while less perilous than it was a 

couple of centuries back, is now performed by 

truck drivers — modern-day cowboys, if you 

will. 

When Ed Bruce penned the lyrics to his 

tune “The Last Cowboy Song,” a duet with 

Willie Nelson released as a single in 1980, 

he seemingly offered listeners the final word: 

The cowboy heroes that children of the 1940s 

through early 1970s grew up with no longer existed. 

But did Bruce possess the credentials to 

declare the cowboy “dead”? 

Ed Bruce is a native of Keiser, Arkansas, 

a small town near the banks of the Mississippi 

River in the northeastern corner of the 

state. People in northeast Arkansas hoping 

to escape the secluded agricultural lifestyle 

of the area typically chose one of two routes 

— north along would become Interstate 55 to 

St. Louis, or south on I-55 to Memphis. The 

Bruce family chose Memphis, and that’s where 

Bruce grew up. When rock ’n’ roll hit Memphis 

and gave birth to Sun Records, Elvis, Johnny 

Cash, and other notable music icons in the mid- 

1950s, Bruce was in the middle of the action. 

He caught on as a mediocre songwriter, with 

his most notable offering coming in 1965 with 

“See the Big Man Cry,” recorded by Charlie 

Louvin. Despite attempts at a recording career 

of his own, success in the studio eluded Bruce. 

Over the next decade or so, the quality of 

Bruce’s songwriting improved, and artists like 

Tanya Tucker and Crystal Gayle recorded his 

songs. In 1978, everything changed for Bruce 

when Willie and Waylon recorded his song, 

“Mammas, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to 

be Cowboys.” He followed this breakthrough 

tune by writing a string of hit songs, some with 

a Texas theme, such as Tanya Tucker’s “Texas 

(When I Die).” 

The songs Bruce penned around the Texas 

and cowboy theme — combined with his grizzled 

mustache and facial skin that looked like 

he’d been in the wind too long — offered country 

music fans the illusion that Bruce may have 

actually been a cowboy at some point in his 

life. When he co-starred with James Garner in 

the 1981 return of the western television series 

“Maverick,” Bruce’s persona was solidified. 

If he hadn’t regularly worn a cowboy hat and 

boots before, it was time to catch up with the 

end of the “urban cowboy” craze. To his fans, 

Ed Bruce was a bona fide cowboy. 

“The Last Cowboy Song” doesn’t exactly 

qualify as a trucking song, but it certainly 

provides a good leadup to the introduction of 

trucks and the lives of truck drivers as replacements 

for the cowboy of old. In the opening lyrics, 

Bruce pronounces the death of the cowboy 

through music, or as he refers to it, “the end 

of a hundred-year waltz”; and he laments the 

end of the dance with the tag, “another piece 

of America’s lost.” He goes on to tell a brief 

history of the cowboy, a history that carried on 

much longer than the railroad and lasted longer 

than trucks have been on the highways, at least 

to date. Likewise, he eulogizes the cowboy as 

an art form, noting the paintings by Frederic 

Remington and books by Louis L’Amour. After 

paying homage to the American cowboy, Bruce 

shifts gears with a spoken stanza that places his 

tune in category of “this could be a trucking 

song if,” saying: 

“The Old Chisholm Trail is covered in concrete 

now, 

“And they truck ’em to market in fifty-foot 

rigs. 

“They blow by his markers never slowing 

to reason, 

“Like living and dying was all he did.” 

“Markers,” of course, is a reference to the 

small signs in the interstate median noting 

where the original cattle drive trails crossed 

what are now 75 mph travel routes, like the one 

west of Oklahoma City marking the Chisolm 

Trail crossing. 

While “The Last Cowboy Song” doesn’t 

exactly pay a compliment to truck drivers, it 

does pay homage to them — sort of a passing 

of the torch. For that matter, when one considers 

the less-than-altar-boy image Bruce painted 

in “Mama’s Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to 

be Cowboys,” perhaps he’s not doing anything 

other than singing it as he sees it. 

Until next time, if you want to hear a song 

that’s been transformed into something which 

all drivers can relate, give a listen to Ed Bruce’s 

“After All.” The lyrics are a pure love song, 

with no mention of a truck — but it does go 

down as the only country song in history to 

open with the line, “There’s a parking lot…” 

That’s something truck-driving cowboys can 

all agree is a move in the right direction. 8 

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Iowa trucker concludes 33-year career with 

TMC Transport, offers advice to new drivers 

TRUCKER NEWS SERVICES 

DES MOINES, Iowa — In mid-December, Iowa 

trucker Russ Allen returned his keys to TMC Transportation 

for the final time, ending a 33-and-a-half-year 

career of driving for the company. 

Allen, who grew up on a farm, says he remembers 

watching the big trucks in the field as he raised cattle. 

He recalls that farming got tough in the 1980s, and that 

transitioning from part-time driver for a local sale barn 

to a full-time trucker in 1985 was a decision of necessity. 

After two years of driving over the road, Allen was hired 

by the late Walt Annett, who was then TMC’s vice president 

of maintenance, to drive for TMC in May 1987. 

“I had a good friend who drove for TMC. I thought 

that the shiny black trucks were a lot nicer than the 

cabovers I had been driving,” he explained. 

After more than three decades of driving at TMC, 

Allen says the most rewarding part of his job has been 

parking a shiny Kenworth or Peterbilt in front of his 

house on the weekends. Another high point, he noted, is 

the flexibility that comes with hauling flatbed freight. 

“With flatbeds, you get exercise, which makes staying 

in shape easier than shutting the doors on a box 

trailer,” Allen said. 

“I enjoyed taking my kids with me several times. 

My daughter, Alicia, had never seen a mountain before,” 

he continued. “Being able to share those special 

moments with family, exploring new sights made it all 

worth it.” 

Since Allen entered trucking, there have been numerous 

changes in the industry — especially regarding technology. 

In the 1980s there were no cellphones or GPS. 

According to Allen, the biggest obstacle he had to 

overcome in those days was “going into any big city, 

trying to find where to go unload. Over time it got easier, 

but it was a challenge.” 

Winter driving was an obstacle as well. “It takes 

time getting to know what the truck can or can’t do,” 

he noted, adding that slowing down when the roads got 

bad was key to his safe driving record. 

When asked about what advice he would give to a new 

driver, Allen shared, “The pay is good if you work for it.” 

While being a truck driver isn’t always easy, it can 

be a rewarding career. 

“Every day has different challenges,” he said. “The 

work can be hard, but when you get that special load 

that looks cool on the trailer, it makes the extra work 

worthwhile. If you stay long enough to get on the specialized 

or boat division, it can be rewarding. As an 

ex-farmer, parking a shiny new piece of machinery at 

my house can be impressive.” 

Allen also shared some advice for young or inexperienced 

drivers. 

“I would say, ‘Be really careful when loading and 

unloading,’” he said. 

“I got in a hurry several times and fell off trailers or 

had a tarp roll off insulation and hit my head (I used to 

be taller),” he continued. “Things like that, you shake 

it off and keep going, but years later you look back and 

think, ‘Why did I let that happen?’” 

Courtesy: TMC Transport 

Russ Allen, who drove for Iowa-based TMC Transportation for more than 33 years, retired Dec. 18, 2020. Allen says he 

plans to work on his farm and travel with his wife, Molly. 

“ 

Every day has different 

challenges. The work can be hard, 

but when you get that special load 

that looks cool on the trailer, it 

makes the extra work worthwhile.” 

— Russ Allen, professional driver 

of more than 30 years 

His second piece of advice: “Tie the loads down and 

tarp right the first time. Then, you do not have to stop 

and redo anything. The load stays on the trailer.” 

Now that he’s retired, Allen says he plans to work 

on the farm and spend time with his four grandsons. 

His son, Jed, farms in addition to running an agriculture 

machinery repair business. In addition, Allen and 

his wife, Molly, plan to do some traveling. 

“I made lifelong friends here at TMC. I was always 

treated well by people in the shops, the fleet managers, 

all the way up to (TMC CEO) Harrold Annett. I will 

always be thankful for Walt Annett hiring me. He is 

the reason I stayed for over 33 years,” Allen said, noting 

that he enjoyed working the entire team, including 

fleet manager Glenda Miller, operations manager Chad 

Reece and Mike Duffy, who became TMC’s vice president 

of maintenance two years ago. 

“I cannot believe I am over 70 years old and spent 

nearly half my life at TMC,” Allen said. “I want to 

thank everyone who I worked with here, and Todd 

Bunting (vice president of safety). Thankfully, I stayed 

on the good side of Todd — most of the time.” 

While Duffy is sad to see Allen retire, “he’s earned 

it, and I’m excited for him,” Duffy said. 

“I think everybody has a short list of individuals 

who they know that can be counted on to do the right 

thing and do it to the best of their ability every time,” 

Duffy continued. “Russ is definitely on my list, and 

I’m sure many others. His work ethic is unbelievable, 

as is his attention to detail.” 8

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with elaborate backstories 

as a strategy for engaging 

schoolchildren through the 

Trucker Buddy Program. 

See Buttigieg on p9 m 

B 

s 

16 • January 15-31, 2021 Perspective 


To subscribe: 

Visit thetrucker.com/subscribe, or 

22 • January 1-14, 2021 EquipmEnt THETRUCKER.COM 

Email your name, address, phone number and 

driver type to publisher@thetrucker.com. 

The live streaming feature allows safety 

managers to view real-time video — roadfacing, 

inward-facing or both — for coaching 

and training that would normally be done in 

person. As a privacy feature, in-cab alerts notify 

drivers when a live stream starts and ends. 

Driver video share 

Safety managers can share event videos 

directly with drivers, enabling remote and 

self-guided coaching. 

When a video is sent, drivers will receive 

a text alert with a link to the event details 

and video; the driver can then follow the link 

when he or she is safely stopped. This allows 

evidence-based, self-guided coaching. 8 

Aim your 

cAmerA 

At the 

code for 

more news! 

Survey shows truck parking 

remains top concern 

The FHWA has released an 

updated version of its Jason’s 

Law truck parking survey that 

revealed new statistics but no 

real solutions. 

Page 4 

Navigating the news 

Truckers kidnapped, killed ..........3 

Oregon’s transportation plan .....6 

The Trucker Trainer ................8 

Rhythm of the Road.............12 

Ask the Attorney ..................13 

At the Truck Stop .................14 

Chaplain’s Corner ................... 16 

Truck sales end on high note ....17 

Safety Series ..............................18 

Charitable giving ...................... 23 

Dash cams for ‘new normal’ ....21 

iStock Photo 

Dwain HebDa 

SPECIAL TO THE TRUCKER 

Features 

January 1-14, 2021 • 23 

A true zoo story: Driver keeps Trucker Buddy classrooms engaged 

by sharing the fun adventures of his ‘menagerie’ of ‘mascots’ 

In three decades on the road, Bill McNamee 

has piled up enough adventures to fill several 

volumes — but he hasn’t done it alone. For the 

past 27 years he’s brought along a “menagerie” 

of companions including mice, a lizard, a 

hedgehog, a duck and the occasional bulldog, 

all of whom have come along for the ride. 

Along the way, his “mascots,” as he calls 

them have accumulated their own share of experiences 

and gotten into the occasional mischief, 

notwithstanding the fact that each is stuffed. 

“I started out with a mouse called Seatbelt 

Sam in ’99. I saw this mouse at Cracker Barrel 

and I thought, ‘You know, this would be a good 

mascot,’” he said. “I got another mouse; that was 

Mario, Mario Provolone. And then, I found this 

girl mouse and I named her Cheddar Mouse. 

“Cheddar married Seatbelt Sam,” McNamee 

continued his story. “Two years later, we 

went out and got three little mice — three little 

catnip toys — named Colby and Pepper and 

Jack. So, they had three kids.” 

Told out of context, this backstory about 

McNamee’s collection of stuffed animals with 

elaborate backstories might suggest a guy 

who’s been out on the road just a little bit too 

long. In fact, however, his furry pals are all part 

of McNamee’s strategy for engaging schoolchildren 

through the Trucker Buddy Program, McNamee said he is also able to share lessons 

about seatbelt safety and distracted drivrooms 

of Christopher Elementary second-grad- 

how important the trucking industry is,” he said. 

Currently he’s currently assigned to three class- 

and while we’re doing that, we teach them about 

and it’s an effective strategy. 

“The concept of that program is to show ing that children can share with their parents. ers in Christopher, Illinois. That’s 62 kids in “This thing just grows and grows. It seems 

kids what we have in our beautiful country. “We throw in anti-bullying messages, sharing 

the road messages, how to be good friends postcard or send a photo of the mascots; while at 

all. While on the road, he’ll drop the classes a like every couple of months, I can think of a new 

It’s also to show the necessity of the trucking 

lesson for them about something,” he continued. 

industry in everybody’s life,” he said. “We to their classmates. We’re doing all of that and home, he’ll pay the students an in-person visit. 

promote a positive image and show them that making it all fun,” he said. 

“You know, a lot of kids never leave their 

In fact, the stories have become elaborate 

(truckers are) normal people, just like their McNamee, who drives for Carbon Express, hometown. Some kids never go coast to coast. enough to qualify as their own daytime dramas. 

McNamee staged a wedding for Seatbelt 

moms and dads. We just don’t get to come has been assigned to various classrooms during 

his time in the Trucker Buddy program. see New York City. So, we share that with them 

See MaScotS on p24 

They’ll never see the Rocky Mountains; never 

home every day.” m 

Courtesy: Bi l McNamee 

Bill McNamee uses a collection of stuffed animals with elaborate backstories as a strategy for engaging schoolchildren through the Trucker 

Buddy Program. His “menagerie” includes Seatbelt Sam and a mouse named Mario Provolone, among others. 

Courtesy: Trucking Moves America Forward 

Left: Rachel Lewis, who organized the Apex Capital office gift drive, is pictured with 

some of the gifts donated by employees. Right: CRST partnered with Central Furniture 

Rescue to help deliver furniture donations to the Cedar Rapids, Iowa, area after 

a straight-line wind storm devastated the community. Kendal George, left, and Chris 

Landwehr picked up the donated furniture. 


WASHINGTON — Trucking Moves America 

Forward (TMAF), an industry-wide education and 

image movement, shared stories of the unique ways 

that the trucking industry has continued to give 

back to their communities over the holiday season. 

Trucking companies and organizations submitted 

their stories of charitable works to TMAF after a 

call for submissions through email and social media. 

“During one of the most difficult years in our nation’s 

history, the trucking industry not only stepped 

up to deliver the essential goods we have relied on 

throughout the pandemic; but also gave back to their 

community through charitable acts and giving,” said 

Kevin Burch, co-chairman of TMAF and president 

of Jet Express Inc. “Trucking companies and organizations 

of all sizes and from states across the 

country stepped up once again year to help make 

the holidays a little brighter for those in need. From 

donating food, toys and transportation, to delivering 

food, medicine and supplies on the frontlines of the 

pandemic, trucking has helped keep our communities 

strong all year.” 

The following are a few of the trucking companies 

and organizations that gave back to their communities 

during the 2020 holiday season. 

Advantage Truck Group (ATG), based in 

Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, hosted its annual Haulin’ 

4 Hunger initiative to provide meals to those in 

need. With an increased need for food assistance because 

of the COVID-19 pandemic, ATG increased 

its efforts this year and provided 6,000 meals and 

support to 12 local food pantries. 

Employees of Fort Worth, Texas-based Apex 

Capital hosted a Virtual Walk for Breast Cancer 

Charitable works: Organizations continue to give back during year of unprecedented challenges 

‘No greater honor’: Truckers play vital role in 

distribution of long-awaited COVID-19 vaccines 

Linda Garner-Bunch 

For most of the world’s population, 2020 

brought never-before-seen challenges, beginning 

with a global pandemic caused by a new 

coronavirus first discovered in China in late 

2019. As 2020 came to a close, the number of 

COVID-19 cases — along with deaths related to 

the disease — continued to climb. 

The year also brought the trucking industry 

into the international spotlight, as professional 

drivers put in countless hours on the road, working 

to provide hospitals and pharmacies with 

medical supplies, and grocery stores stocked 

with essentials (who could ever forget the great 

toilet-paper shortage?). 

For most truck drivers, those hours spent on 

the road were “all in a day’s work.” Many were 

surprised when they were greeted with cheers 

as they made their deliveries. As the year progressed, 

some of that appreciation faded — but 

drivers continued to work behind the scenes, 

making sure vital supplies, as well as little luxuries, 

reached their destinations in a safe and 

timely manner. 

On Sunday, Dec. 13, truck drivers and other 

members of the transportation industry once 

again found themselves in the spotlight as the 

first shipments of COVID-19 vaccine approved 

for emergency use in the U.S. by the Food and 

Drug Administration (FDA) departed Pfizer’s 

Portage, Michigan, facility. The day was the 

lindag@thetruckermedia.com 

history, an effort that health officials are encouraging 

the public to embrace, even as many 

people expressed skepticism or worry about the 

Vol. 34, No. 1 | JaNuary 1-14, 2021 | www.thetrucker.com 

A truck loaded with the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine leaves the Pfizer Global Supply Kalamazoo 

manufacturing plant in Portage, Michigan on Dec. 13, 2020. In addition to FedEx and UPS, 

Massachusetts-based Boyle Transportation was part of the Dec. 13 vaccine rollout, with two teams of 

drivers participating in the first convoy to leave Pfizer’s Michigan facility. 

AP Photo/Morry Gash 

a new milestone of 300,000 with those numbers 

expected to skyrocket during the following weeks. 

See GivinG on p25 m 

A 

drug’s safety and effectiveness. 

start of the biggest vaccination effort in U.S. See VaccineS on p10 m 

As the first of many freezer-packed COVID-19 

vaccine vials made their way to distribution sites 

that day, the nation’s pandemic deaths approached 

Because Pfizer’s vaccine must be stored at an 

extremely low temperature — about minus 94 

degrees Fahrenheit — quick transport is vital to 

the success of the immunization effort. On the 

Buttigieg officially announced as Biden’s 

Courtesy: Bi l McNamee 

A true zoo story 

Bill McNamee uses a 

“menagerie” of stuffed animals 


nomination for secretary of transportation 

WASHINGTON — President-elect Joe Biden 

post, was virtually unknown nationally when 

on Dec. 15 formally announced Pete Buttigieg as 

his pick for the secretary of transportation. Buttigieg, 

38, served as mayor of South Bend, Indiana, 

from 2012 to 2020. 

he launched a longshot bid for president, but he 

became a formidable political force in the early 

primary states, finishing well ahead of Biden in 

Kevin Lamarque via AP 

During a Dec. 16 event in Delaware, Biden introduced 

Buttigieg, hailing him as “a new voice with 

new ideas determined to move past old politics.” 

Iowa and New Hampshire. Buttigieg eventually 

endorsed Biden’s presidential bid. 

Former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, 

President-elect Joe Biden’s nominee to 

Page 23 

be transportation secretary reacts to his nomination 

during a news conference at The Queen 

“We need someone who knows how to work 

with state, local and federal agencies,” Biden said, 

Beyond standard transportation fixes, which are 

easier to promise than for administrations to get 

theater in Wilmington, Delaware, Dec. 16, 2020. 

noting that the nation’s highways are in disrepair 

through Congress, Biden says he wants to rejuvenate 

and that some bridges “are on the verge of collapse.” 

Buttigieg, who would be the first openly gay 

the post-coronavirus pandemic economy and create 

thousands of green jobs by making environmentally 

friendly retrofits and public works improvements. 

person confirmed by the Senate to a Cabinet 

“At its best, transportation makes the American 

dream possible, getting people and goods to

Business 

January 15-31, 2021 • 17 

Freight levels and pricing continue to climb, but hazards exist 

Cliff Abbott 


November freight levels remained strong 

as 2020 entered its final month. The American 

Trucking Associations (ATA) reported that its 

For-Hire Trucking Index increased 3.7% in 

November, earning back some of the 5% loss 

in October. 

The November index of 112.2 was 3.8% 

lower than November 2019, but was strong, 

nonetheless. 

“The 2020 seesaw pattern continued in 

November, as typical seasonality is not holding 

this year,” explained Bob Costello, chief 

economist for ATA. “It was a nice gain, but the 

rebound was not enough to make up for October’s 

drop.” 

ATA’s numbers are compiled from data 

submitted by members of the organization, 

which tend to be larger carriers with a high 

percentage of contract freight from manufacturing 

customers. In an economy where shipments 

of retail goods have been higher than 

normal while manufactured goods haven’t 

fully recovered, carriers with a large percentage 

of manufacturing customers can experience 

sporadic freight levels. 

The Cass Freight Index for shipments, 

which tracks shipments in multiple modes 

of transportation, declined 2.2% in November 

from its October level. Compared to November 

2019 however, shipments increased 

by 2.7%. The Cass Index includes shipments 

by rail, pipeline, ship and barge, trucking and 

other modes. 

In a statement announcing the decline, Cass 

noted that the November decline “followed five 

consecutive months of strong recovery averaging 

5.0% sequential improvement (seasonally 

adjusted), and is likely due to the worsening 

pandemic numbers impacting the trajectory of 

the recovery in November.” 

Rising COVID-19 numbers might impact 

some shipping segments more than others. 

While people are quarantined at home, they 

can still be ordering retail goods online. The 

Cass statement noted that shipments in the 

less-than-truckload (LTL) sector increased for 

three consecutive months, including a 6.0% 

increase in November compared to November 

of 2019. 

Spot freight rates, which are more volatile 

than contract rates, tend to react quickly to 

market changes. Spot rates have been on the 

rise for months and set new records in November. 

Van rates rose to an average of $2.46 

per mile, while flatbed rates averaged $2.47. 

Rates for refrigerated freight dropped a penny 

from October’s high, averaging $2.68 per mile. 

That’s more likely a seasonal impact, since 

refrigerated rates often rise and fall with the 

availability of fresh produce. 

Overall, spot rates continued strong into 

December, and both spot and contract rates are 

expected to strengthen into the new year. This 

time, however, there are more variables than 

usually faced by the industry. 

One of the largest variables is the 

COVID-19 pandemic. 

As November drew to a close, record numbers 

of positive COVID-19 tests were being 

reported, hospitals reported overcrowding, and 

pundits warned of still larger numbers of infections 

to come. At the same time, vaccinations 

became available in December, with medical 

personnel and first responders among the first 

to receive shots. 

It will undoubtedly take months to distribute 

the vaccine to everyone — and many people 

have expressed resistance to being vaccinated. 

The question of when the country will achieve 

“herd immunity” is up for debate, and scientists 

disagree on the percentage of the population 

that must be vaccinated to stop the virus. 

AP Photo/Morry Gash 

It will undoubtedly take months to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine to everyone. It may be deemed 

necessary to shut the economy down again while the vaccine that would allow reopening is being 

distributed, which would certainly affect freight rates and levels. Shown above, boxes containing 

the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine are being prepared to be shipped from the Pfizer Global 

Supply Kalamazoo manufacturing plant in mid-December. 

In the meantime, positive COVID-19 

cases continue growing. President-elect Joe 

Biden has indicated that federally mandated 

restrictions, including a mask mandate, 

could be in store once he takes office Jan. 20. 

It may be deemed necessary to shut the 

economy down again while the vaccine that 

would allow reopening is being distributed. 

Another issue affecting freight levels is 

inventory. According to a Jan. 4 blog post by 

FTR’s Steve Graham, increases in sales have 

brought business inventories down, creating 

a need for more production. That’s good for 

See Hazards on p18 m 

Arizona DOT converts to cashless permitting system for commercial trucks 

iStock Photo 

Beginning Jan. 21, Arizona’s ports of entry will convert to a fully cashless permitting 

system. 


PHOENIX — Effective Jan. 21, the 

Arizona Department of Transportation’s 

(ADOT) ports of entry will convert to a 

fully cashless system. The change comes after 

ADOT successfully implemented a pilot 

program, preparing trucking companies that 

currently pay with cash to make the move to 

a cashless system. 

According to a statement issued by 

ADOT, when commercial truckers purchase 

their permits for driving through Arizona online 

ahead of time or use a cashless method 

at the port of entry, they spend less time making 

payments and get on their way faster. 

The move to end the acceptance of cash and 

checks at ports of entry also supports recommendations 

by the U.S. Centers for Disease 

Control and Prevention (CDC) to curb the 

spread of COVID-19 through the exchange 

of currency. 

ADOT’s truck-permitting systems, ePro 

and Transport, have cashless features that 

are used by nearly 80% of truckers. To help 

trucks move through the ports more efficiently, 

ADOT’s Enforcement and Compliance 

Division used the pilot-program period 

to convince the remaining 20% to pay for 

permits online using Apple Pay, Android Pay 

or a credit card. 

“We have been getting a feel from the 

trucking industry on how much they would 

support this change, and the feedback has 

been positive,” said Lt. Jason Sloan, team 

lead for implementing the change. “This 

improvement will help eliminate waste and 

maximize resources available at ports of 

See Cashless on p18 m

18 • January 15-31, 2021 Business 


There are a variety of apps available to help simplify trucking tasks 

Cliff Abbott 


Back in 1988, a company called Qualcomm 

began marketing a communications device to motor 

carriers that revolutionized the trucking industry. 

With the device, dispatchers could send load and 

other information directly to drivers, who could also 

make entries about the progress of the loads. 

Some drivers loved the new technology that 

saved them the time and trouble of communicating 

by pay phone. Others reviled the devices, 

which not only allowed the dispatcher to contact 

them at any time but actually tracked and reported 

their truck’s movement. 

Fast-forward three-plus decades, and it’s a 

different world. Almost every driver now carries 

a smartphone capable of performing many more 

functions than those old satellite units. Verbal, 

written and even video communication methods 

are now available to every driver, and with the addition 

of available apps, those devices have even 

more capability. 

A search of the Apple store or Google Play 

turns up dozens, possibly hundreds, of apps designed 

to make life easier for those on the road. 

There are far too many to list in this article, but 

every driver should have an idea of the different 

types of apps that are available — most of them 

at no cost. 

GPS apps that help drivers to plan and complete 

trips have been around for a while, but truckers 

know many of them can’t account for the size, 

weight and dimensions of a tractor-trailer. Some 

Fleet Focus 

drivers purchase separate GPS units specifically 

made for trucks, while others rely on phone apps. 

It’s a plus when the GPS app adds other functions, 

such as route planning, identifying fuel or 

rest stops, and more. 

The information provided here is intended to 

inform drivers of the types of apps that are available, 

but not to endorse or recommend any particular 

app. Drivers are encouraged to carefully 

review the information provided at download, 

keeping in mind that many apps perform multiple 

functions that could duplicate another app. 

Another thing to consider is battery usage. 

In order to track location, some apps run 

constantly and can drain smartphone batteries 

quickly. Others connect at intervals, minimizing 

battery usage. 

Trucker Path claims to be the top trucknavigation 

app and has been installed by millions 

of drivers. It offers a free GPS component 

that the maker claims is faster and better 

than traditional GPS systems. It also offers 

routing and parking information, and more. 

The app has been reviewed more than 50,000 

times with an average score of 3.7 (out of 5). 

Trucker Tools claims to offer 17 separate tools 

for drivers, including a truck-stop guide, a routing 

optimizer and the ability to book loads, plus the 

iStock Photo 

A search of the Apple store or Google Play will produce dozens, possibly hundreds, of 

apps designed to make life easier for those on the road. 

ability to track those loads if the broker requires 

it. It has been downloaded hundreds of thousands 

of times and reviewed by more than 2,600 people 

with an average rating of 4.1. 

Road Hunter offers routing, a truck-stop 

guide, weather information and a load board. 

More than 100,000 have downloaded the app, 

which has a 4.4 rating after 2,000 reviews. 

Quite a few states participate in “511” 

apps that provide traffic and construction information 

from that state’s DOT. Some provide 

video from traffic cameras throughout the 

state and even video from cameras mounted 

on snow plows for a look at severe weather 

road conditions. 

Some apps concentrate on parking, with some 

allowing drivers to report on the number of available 

spaces once they arrive. 

TruckPark helps you find and reserve parking 

at numerous locations. Parking is said to be 

b Hazards from page 17 b 

trucking — but manufacturers that have been 

closed or slowed due to COVID-19 restrictions 

can’t produce at normal levels. 

Then there’s the capacity issue, exacerbated 

by a driver shortage. Currently, the amount of 

available freight is greater than the number of 

trucks available to haul it, causing freight rates 

to rise. Carriers are responding by purchasing 

more trucks, but finding drivers for those trucks 

is tougher than ever. 

A number of CDL schools have been closed 

or have downsized due to the pandemic, cutting 

back on the number of drivers who are entering 

the market. At the same time, experienced drivers 

who were laid off or furloughed during the pandemic 

aren’t coming back as planned; many of 

them have retired or moved to other occupations, 

b Cashless from page 17 b 

entry to process commercial traffic faster.” 

The move also allows more officers to be 

available for enforcement duties instead of 

secure and safe, which often means there’s a fee 

to park. Still, the ability to enter a destination, day 

and time and receive information on available 

parking is a benefit. You can reserve and pay for 

your parking spots before you get there. Truck- 

Park has recently partnered with FuelMe, a fueldelivery 

company, to offer fueling services when 

parked at TruckPark locations. This allows you 

to bypass the fuel island and go directly to your 

reserved parking space, having your truck filled 

while you relax. 

Trimble offers a COVID-19 Safe Haven app, 

although what the app has to do with the pandemic 

is questionable. It provides information on 

truck stops, rest areas and other parking areas and 

allows input on whether these sites are open or 

closed, or if parking spaces are available. 

Electronic logging devices, or ELDs, are big 

business, and they can be expensive. Fortunately, 

See Apps on p19 m 

including driving for local delivery services. 

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s 

(FMCSA) Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse, 

which became effective in January 

2020, has resulted in the loss of thousands of 

drivers who have refused to complete a returnto-work 

program after testing positive or refusing 

to test. 

The FMCSA’s current consideration of allowing 

hair-follicle testing for drug use, pushed 

by trucking organizations, will undoubtedly 

increase the driver fallout. The legalization of 

marijuana in a growing number of jurisdictions 

is becoming the “elephant” in the drug-testing 

room as drivers question why the use of a legal 

product during their off-duty hours should be a 

condition of their employment. 

While economic forecasts for the trucking 

industry in 2021 have generally been favorable, 

there are enough potential negatives to impact 

the narrative. Stay tuned. 8 

having one or more of them make a long drive 

from a remote port of entry to a financial institution 

to deposit the cash and checks collected. 

ADOT is also working to develop a new 

commercial permitting system that will support 

the move to cashless and touchless that is expected 

to be operational by the end of 2021. 8


b Apps from page 18 b 

several apps offer ELD capability at little to no 

cost. 

EZLogz is an all-in-one ELD logbook app 

that includes the ability to scan and email documents. 

It offers the user a choice of languages 

including Spanish, Russian and French in addition 

to English. It also tracks mileage for the 

International Fuel Tax Association (IFTA) and 

other purposes. 

Keep Truckin provides a free ELD and inspection 

report (DVIR) on your phone. The 

distributor claims full compliance with FMCSA 

and DOT requirements. It is compatible with 

Android phones only. 

Paperwork is an important part of the driver’s 

job, and there are apps that can help. 

The TRANSFLO Mobile+ app allows you 

to scan and send documents from the cab of your 

truck but adds other benefits as well. You can review 

loads, create a route, bypass weigh stations, send and 

receive messages from dispatch, and more. 

Do you need service for your truck? Truck 

and engine manufactures may offer apps that 

provide the locations of repair facilities, help diagnose 

problems and even schedule repairs. 

Find Truck Services helps you locate the 

nearest mobile and road service, repair shops 

and heavy-duty parts, towing companies and 

truck dealerships, and more. It has a 4.5 rating 

with just under 900 reviews. 

If you weren’t issued a transponder by your 

carrier that allows you to bypass scales or pay 

tolls, there are apps that can do both. 

E-ZPass offers an app that lets you pay tolls 

electronically, check your account balance and 

monitor toll activity. It’s free, and it’s accepted 

in more states than perhaps any other tolling app. 

Individual states or tollway authorities often 

offer their own apps. It never hurts to search. 

Drivewyze offers a PreClear Trucker app for 

Android that works with state DOTs to provide 

bypass service for scales, ag stations and mobile 

inspection sites in nearly 44 states and provinces. 

Drivewyze offers a 30-day free trial, after which 

there is a subscription fee for the service. Another 

feature is a visual and audio warning when 

you are within 2 miles of a weigh station or inspection 

site. You’ll need to enter some information 

about your truck and carrier. 

Weighing your truck can be a hassle. CAT 

Scale’s Weigh My Truck app allows you to weigh, 

pay for the transaction and get axle weights displayed 

on your phone without leaving the truck. 

It can email a weight ticket, saving you the time 

of finding a parking space and waiting in line at 

the fuel counter (although you can still pick up a 

printed copy inside if you need one). 

Trucker’s Slide Calculator allows you to 

enter your axle weights and then alerts you 

to which axle(s) are over. Another click provides 

suggested remedies, including how many 

“holes” to slide tandems and in which direction. 

It can also suggest movements to balance 

weight equally among axles to smooth out the 

ride. The app rates an average of 4.3 out of 

more than 650 reviews. 

There are training apps, dating apps, job 

search apps and so many more. You owe it to 

yourself to research trucking apps and find those 

that make your job and your life easier. 8 

Business January 15-31, 2021 • 19 

XPO to spin off logistics and warehousing segment 


GREENWICH, Conn. — XPO Logistics 

Inc., a worldwide freight transport, truck 

brokerage and logistics company, announced 

Dec. 2 that the company will split its logistics 

and freight transportation segments into two independent 

companies. The announcement came 

after XPO’s board of directors unanimously approved 

a plan to spin off the logistics segment 

as a separate, publicly traded company. 

“By uncoupling our transportation and logistics 

segments, we intend to create two highperforming, 

pure-play companies to serve the 

best interests of all our stakeholders,” said 

Brad Jacobs, chairman and chief executive 

officer of XPO. “Both businesses will have 

greater flexibility to tailor strategic decisionmaking 

and capital allocations to their endmarkets, 

with the benefit of strong positioning 

as customer-focused innovators. We currently 

believe that this spin-off is the most effective 

way to unlock significant value for our customers, 

employees and shareholders.” 

The two companies, as yet unnamed, have 

been dubbed “XPORemainCo” and “NewCo.” 

XPORemainCo will offer freight transportation 

services, primarily less-than-truckload, 

along with non-asset truck brokerage, and 

NewCo will offer contract logistics with approximately 

200 million square feet of warehouse 

space. 

Jacobs is expected to continue to serve 

as chairman and CEO of XPORemainCo 

and become chairman of the NewCo board. 

Courtesy: XPO Logistics Inc. 

Connecticut-based XPO Logistics Inc., 

a worldwide provider of freight transportation, 

truck brokerage and logistics 

services, plans to split into two separate 

companies in 2021. One company will 

be devoted to freight transportation and 

truck brokerage, and the other will handle 

logistics and warehousing. 

Troy Cooper will continue to serve as 

XPORemainCo’s president, and the executives 

currently leading XPO’s global logistics 

segment will continue to serve in senior positions 

with NewCo. 

If all goes according to plan, the transaction 

is expected to be complete in the second 

half of 2021. XPO has retained Goldman 

Sachs & Co. LLC as its financial advisor and 

Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz as its legal 

advisor to assist with the spin-off process. 8

20 • January 15-31, 2021 Business 


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Equipment 

January 15-31, 2021 • 21 

Following pilot program, driver-activated remote programming 

feature now part of standard bundle on new Volvo trucks 


GREENSBORO, N.C. — After a successful 

four-month pilot program, Volvo Trucks 

announced Dec. 14 that the Driver Display 

Activation (DDA) application has been added 

to Remote Programming as part of the 

manufacturer’s Remote Diagnostics bundle 

of Uptime Services. DDA allows drivers to 

directly activate over-the-air system updates 

within minutes, at a time and location that’s 

convenient to them. 

Volvo Trucks’ Remote Programming service 

provides fleet operators with a faster, 

more flexible way to make updates to software 

and parameters that enhance the performance 

of a truck’s engine, transmission 

and aftertreatment. DDA moves the activation 

step into the cab and the hands of the 

operator, providing an alternative to calling 

a Volvo Action Service agent to initiate a 

remote update. This cuts administration and 

updating time in half and opens the service 

up to 24/7 availability. 

“The capabilities of the new DDA application 

and the benefits it represents for owners 

and operators are part of a change journey 

in our industry,” said Rodney Lloyd, global 

program manager and pilot leader for Volvo 

Trucks North America. “This pilot program 

further reinforced that the uptime and productivity 

gains from this feature will be a 

huge step forward for our customers.” 

DDA underwent multiple pilot testing 

phases, from dealer stock trucks to more than 

500 customer trucks at 15 different over-theroad 

and vocational fleets. 

Courtesy: Volvo Trucks 

Following a four-month pilot program, Driver Display Activation, part of Volvo Trucks 

North America’s Remote Programming services, is now available for order on all new 

Volvo trucks. 

Lloyd said that during the latest phase 

of testing, he heard from one national retail 

chain that drivers initially expressed 

resistance to the new option, but quickly 

came to appreciate the new DDA feature after 

one try. The DDA service can easily be 

done during a typical operator break. The 

iStock Photo 

Two electric Kenworth T680s, powered by Toyota’s fuel-cell electric drivetrain, were 

scheduled for delivery to customers at the California ports of Los Angeles and Long 

Beach in December. Shown above is the Port of Los Angeles. 

participating customer was able to complete 

approximately 400 software updates in less 

than four weeks, with each vehicle taking 

minutes to convert instead of the typical 

three hours. 

“We knew we had something really good 

at the onset based on the feedback we received 


PLANO, Texas — Touted as “the future 

of heavy-duty trucking,” two fuel cell electric 

heavy duty Class 8 trucks built under the Zero 

and Near Zero Emissions Freight Forwarding 

(ZANZEFF) project were scheduled for delivery 

last month to demonstration fleet customers. 

ZANZEFF is sponsored by the state of 

California. 

Toyota Logistics Services and Southern 

Counties Express each will receive a Kenworth 

T680 Class 8 truck powered by a Toyota fuelcell 

electric drivetrain. Both of the zero-emissions 

trucks will be used for drayage operations 

in the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. 

“We have been involved with Toyota’s 

hydrogen truck project since the beginning 

and we are excited to see the latest models 

now being released for further testing,” said 

from dealer technicians during our initial stock 

truck tests,” Lloyd said. “They realized that 

DDA is much easier and faster than pulling 

out a laptop for performing updates. They saw 

firsthand how this feature immediately added 

efficiency and decreased administration time.” 

Rick Randall, diagnostic services manager, 

Volvo Trucks North America, also noted 

the importance of keeping fleets updated on 

the latest software. 

“We have clear data showing that trucks 

running the latest software versions throw 

fewer faults and experience higher efficiency 

and less downtime. Our goal with Remote 

Programming and Driver Display Activation 

is to make updating a breeze so more trucks 

can run optimally,” Randall said. 

“With DDA, the customer decides who 

is allowed to run the update,” he continued. 

“Most fleets are fine with the operator 

activating the update when prompted by an 

alert on the instrument cluster, but others 

may want to enable the password option that 

comes with DDA so only their technicians 

can update. The configurability removes any 

customer concerns over authorization. They 

can also choose between three cluster notification 

options. It’s totally configurable, and 

the preferences can all be managed remotely 

simply by calling Volvo Action Service.” 

The DDA interface will be available, free 

of charge for the first two years, bundled 

into the manufacturer’s Remote Diagnostics 

services on all new Volvo trucks built after 

Nov. 30, 2020. 

See Volvo on p22 m 

Fuel-cell electric heavy-duty trucks 

slated for delivery to two California ports 

Gordon Reimer, president of Southern Counties 

Express. “We are proud to be associated 

with the Toyota research and development 

team, and look forward to the continued progress 

of this technology.” 

An additional eight trucks will be delivered 

this year as part of the ZANZEFF program. 

Three of the eight trucks will go to UPS for its 

port operations, while two of the eight trucks 

will go to Total Transportation Services, another 

prominent port operator. Toyota Logistics Services 

will receive the remaining three trucks. 

“After extensive testing with our proof-ofconcept 

prototypes, we’re ready for the next 

step of putting more trucks into drayage operations,” 

said Andrew Lund, chief engineer for 

Toyota Research and Development. “Moving 

toward emissions-free trucks is more important 

See Electric on p22 m

22 • January 15-31, 2021 Equipment THETRUCKER.COM 

b Volvo from page 21 b 

Model-year 2018 and older trucks can be 

adapted to allow DDA using a conversion kit 

that’s available in the Volvo Premium Tech 

Tool diagnostic application. Operators are not 

required to contact a Volvo Action Service 

agent or visit a certified Volvo Uptime dealer to 

update the vehicle, but support is available 24/7 

through the Volvo Trucks Uptime Center, if 

needed. Fleet managers and owners can contact 

Volvo Action Service to have multiple qualifying 

vehicles updated simultaneously. 8 

Courtesy: Volvo Trucks 

Volvo’s Driver Display Activation underwent 

multiple pilot testing phases, from dealer stock 

trucks to more than 500 customer trucks at 15 

different over-the-road and vocational fleets. 

iStock Photo 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has released final rules designed to improve 

and streamline emissions testing for heavy-duty vehicles. The agency is also seeking 

comments on a proposed rulemaking for model year 2022 and later vehicles. 

EPA announces final rule to clarify, streamline 

implementation of emissions regulations 

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WASHINGTON — On Dec 28, the U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued 

two actions regarding technical adjustments 

to improve testing procedures for vehicle 

and engine emissions programs. According 

to a statement released by EPA, the amendments 

will increase compliance flexibility, improve 

harmonization with other requirements, 

increase clarity, correct errors, and remove outdated 

and unnecessary regulatory text. 

“The Trump administration continues its 

efforts to reduce the regulatory burdens on domestic 

industries that are vital to the American 

way of life,” said EPA Administrator Andrew 

Wheeler. “These changes help streamline 

EPA’s existing regulations while reducing the 

likelihood that manufacturers would need to 

duplicate certifications to comply with EPA, 

Canadian and California standards.” 

The first action is a final rulemaking that 

will reduce testing burden and improve accuracy 

of required emissions testing procedures 

for heavy duty vehicles and engines. The 

action also amends test procedures for exhaust 

emissions standards for light-duty vehicles, 

heavy-duty vehicles, highway motorcycles, 

locomotives, marine engines, other 

nonroad engines and vehicles, and stationary 

engines. Many of these updates will take effect 

for model year 2021. 

EPA also issued a supplemental notice of 

proposed rulemaking that would issue corrections, 

clarifications, flexibilities and adjustment 

factors to improve the Greenhouse gas 

Emissions Model (GEM) compliance tool for 

heavy-duty vehicles. The proposed amendments 

concerning GEM included in the notice 

would be required for model year 2022 and 

later vehicles, and optional for model year 

2021. EPA will accept public comment on the 

supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking 

for 30 days after the notice is published in the 

Federal Register. 8 

Driver requirements 

- 2 years experience 

- clean driving record 

- NO HAZMAT 

Courtesy: Toyota Motor North America 

Toyota Logistics Services and Southern Counties Express each will receive a Kenworth T680 

Class 8 truck powered by a Toyota fuel-cell electric drivetrain. 

b Electric from page 21 b 

than ever, and the ZANZEFF project has been instrumental 

in getting us closer to that goal.” 

Development of the Kenworth T680 fuelcell 

electric vehicle (FCEV) is part of a $41 million 

ZANZEFF grant awarded by the California 

Air Resources Board (CARB), with the Port of 

Los Angeles as the prime applicant. CARB has 

awarded those funds to the Port of Los Angeles 

for the ZANZEFF project as part of California 

Climate Investments, a California initiative that 

puts billions of cap-and-trade dollars to work reducing 

greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening 

the economy, and improving public health and 

the environment. 

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“The port is currently engaged in 16 different 

zero-emission demonstration projects to support 

development of on-road trucks that we expect 

will help bring feasible zero-emission technology 

to the marketplace,” said Chris Cannon, chief 

sustainability officer for the Port of Los Angeles. 

“Conversion of the port drayage fleet to 

zero-emission technology involves tremendous 

financial investment and will take the 

collaboration and commitment of many stakeholders 

— both public and private — to create 

a viable market for zero-emissions drayage 

technology,” Cannon continued. “We are 

proud of our continuing partnership under this 

project to deploy these trucks as an important 

step in verifying the capabilities and role of 

hydrogen fuel cell technology in the path to 

zero emissions.” 8 

F 

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800-366-1216, ext. 1 

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Features 

January 15-31, 2021 • 23 

Wreaths Across America 

Truckers, volunteers turn out 

to honor the fallen nationwide 

Dwain Hebda 

SPECIAL TO THE TRUCKER 

WASHINGTON — The headstones at 

Arlington National Cemetery stand silent at 

their posts, aligned with military-grade precision 

to mark the final resting place of the 

nation’s heroes. The markers, each a stark, 

uniform white, stand at attention over veterans 

at rest, the simple carved lettering of each 

a dignified tribute. 

But in December, as it has for nearly 

three decades, the solemnity of this hallowed 

ground and its cadre of markers is brightened 

with emerald wreaths trimmed in scarlet ribbon. 

It’s the work of Wreaths Across America, 

a tradition that can only happen with the 

participation of the nation’s truckers. 

And happen it does, in more than 2,400 

locations across the U.S., honoring fallen veterans 

from coast to coast. But nowhere does 

the image stir the soul as in Arlington. 

“Oh, man. It was one of the most humbling 

experiences that I’ve had throughout 

my trucking career,” said Sammy Brewster 

of Atlanta, an Army veteran who drove in the 

Arlington convoy for the first time in 2020. 

“It’s a memory that I’ll cherish and remember 

for the rest of my days, man. Being a veteran 

myself, it was a wonderful opportunity. 

“To meet those Gold Star Families to be 

able to be a part of it and with the way they 

embraced us, I could see and feel and tell 

how much it meant to them. It was an awesome 

opportunity, and it will stay with me the 

rest of my days,” he continued. “I’ve done a 

“ 

Oh, man. It was one 

of the most humbling 

experiences that I’ve had 

throughout my trucking 

career. It’s a memory that 

I’ll cherish and remember 

for the rest of my days.” 

— Sammy Brewster, an Army 

veteran who drove in the 

Arlington convoy for 

the first time in 2020 

lot of things in my days in the trucking industry 

and I hate to pick a favorite, but this one 

here is right up at the top. You know what 

I’m saying?” 

Brewster joined Nate McCarty of Greeley, 

Colorado, a fellow Army vet and driver 

for ABF Freight, behind the wheel of the 

American Trucking Association’s (ATA) 

specially decaled rig that leads the Arlington 

procession every year. In 2020, that procession 

included dozens of semis loaded to the 

ceiling with evergreen wreaths. 

McCarty, who during Desert Storm spent 

six months in Saudi Arabia assigned to a prisoner-of-war 

camp detail, has driven with the 

program for six years; for five of those years, 

Courtesy: Schneider 

Schneider has donated a refrigerated trailer, equipped with a lift unit, to help Feeding America 

Eastern Wisconsin better serve those in need. 


The American Trucking Association’s specially decaled rig leads the Arlington procession 

every year. In 2020, that procession included dozens of semis loaded to the ceiling with 

evergreen wreaths. 

he has delivered wreaths to Arlington. He said 

the event hits close to home. 

“Nobody that I served with lost their life, so 

I’m lucky enough that I didn’t see anything so 

bad that cost me any of my brothers and sisters 

that I served with,” he said. “But I lost a real 

good friend of mine from high school in 2007, 

Staff Sgt. Shane Becker. He and I played high 

school football, and we used to hang out together 

all the time. He was inspired to join the Army 

after I did. He was trying to figure out what to 

do with his life. 

“We served for four years and he got out and 


GREEN BAY, Wis. — Schneider celebrated 

the 2020 holiday season by helping 

food pantries in Northeast Wisconsin provide 

for those in need. The company donated 

a refrigerated trailer to Feeding America 

Eastern Wisconsin, the state’s largest hunger-relief 

organization. The 53-foot trailer 

will be used to transport fresh produce and 

other perishables. 

“Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin is 

a critical resource in our community,” said 

LuEllen Oskey, executive director of the 

Schneider Foundation. “We know that the 

use of food pantries during the pandemic has, 

sadly, grown exponentially, and we wanted 

to do our part to help. Giving them a safe, reliable 

refrigerated trailer that can get food to 

was working in the oil fields in Texas when 9/11 

happened,” McCarty continued. “He was so 

moved by it he got back in the Army again and 

got back into an infantry unit. He was killed in 

2007 in Iraq. When I do this wreath trip, I think 

about people like him and his family. He had two 

little girls when he got killed. It’s just a really 

good way for me to honor people like him.” 

Wreaths Across America began as a way for 

Worcester Wreath Co. of Maine to distribute surplus 

holiday wreaths. The event remained fairly 

modest from 1992 until 2005, when photos of 

See Wreaths on p24 m 

Feeding America: Schneider donates refrigerated trailer to help provide for those in need 

our neighbors more quickly was something 

we were excited to do.” 

The Schneider Foundation is the philanthropic 

arm of the company, which provides 

grants to eligible nonprofits to strengthen 

the communities where Schneider associates 

live, work and volunteer. Feeding America 

Eastern Wisconsin initially approached the 

foundation requesting partial funding to purchase 

a used trailer. Schneider instead donated 

a trailer, valued at about $35,000, to 

the organization. In addition, Schneider installed 

a lift unit to make it easier for Feeding 

America to move food pallets in and out of 

the trailer. 

“This refrigerated trailer with a lift gate 

is a true gift to our organization,” said Patti 

See Donate on p25 m

24 • January 15-31, 2021 Features THETRUCKER.COM T 

b Wreaths from page 23 b 

the event started to go viral. The founding 

of a nonprofit organization followed 

in 2007, and the annual wreath-laying has 

grown by leaps and bounds since. 

Elisabeth Barna, executive vice president 

of industry affairs with the ATA, said 

the reason for the organization’s growth is 

simple: People have universally responded 

to the call to honor the nation’s heroes, 

from trucking companies to individual 

drivers to the volunteers who show up in 

droves to unload and place the wreaths. 

“The trucking industry, in and of itself, 

cares so much about our community and 

our members in the military. This is a way 

for us to give back and to honor those that 

have fallen and those that are currently still 

serving,” Barna said. “A lot of our drivers 

and owners and professionals in the industry 

are veterans. [This event] holds such a 

special spot for them and it’s an honor for 

them to be able to participate. 

“I don’t think there’s ever been a company 

that we’ve asked to participate that 

has said no,” she continued. “In fact, J&M 

Tank Lines out of Birmingham, Alabama, 

wanted to jump in and be part of Wreaths 

Across America. They run tankers, and 

they actually purchased a dry van and got 

it decaled just so they could haul a load of 

wreaths and be a part of this because they 

felt so strongly about it, in addition to their 

financial support.” 

This year, the program drew the direct 

endorsement of President Donald Trump. 

When cemetery officials announced the 

cancellation of the event due to COVID-19 

restrictions, the Commander-in-Chief 

stepped in, directing the Secretary of the 

Army to ensure the event proceeded in a 

safe manner. Afterward, President Trump 

tweeted in characteristically plainspoken 

fashion, “I have reversed the ridiculous decision 

to cancel Wreaths Across America at 

Arlington National Cemetery. It will now 

go on!” 

That directive allowed first-timers, like 

Robert Errthum of Iowa, the chance they’d 

been waiting for. Errthum has driven 

Wreaths Across America routes to cemeteries 

in Nebraska, South Dakota and Iowa 

for the past three years; but in 2020, his 

number finally came up to deliver to Arlington. 

It would be the first time the Army 

veteran ever stepped foot in the famed 

cemetery. 

“Honestly, it’s almost — I don’t even 

know how to explain it,” Errthum said. “We 

were in Section 3 and Section 8, which is 

part of the older section of Arlington. It’s 

really humbling. It’s kind of scary. I mean, 

not spooky scary, but it’s really heartwarming 

and in the same sense, it’s really sad. 

It’s really a different experience. 

“You feel at peace, you know? There’s 

such a calmness. But, in the back of your 

mind, it’s sad,” Errthum explained. “You 

realize all of these people, at some point in 

time in this country, gave their life for the 

ground that we’re standing on.” 8 


Sammy Brewster of Atlanta, left, is an Army 

veteran who drove in the Arlington convoy 

for the first time in 2020. He joined Nate Mc- 

Carty of Greeley, Colorado, a fellow Army 

vet and driver for ABF Freight, behind the 

wheel of the American Trucking Association’s 

(ATA) specially decaled rig that leads 

the Arlington procession every year. 

b Attorney from page 12 b 

lawyer could be in violation of Rule 11 or its state 

equivalent. If this occurs, that lawyer could be sanctioned 

by the applicable state bar for violation of 

ethics rules. 

In light of all of the above, why don’t we see 

more lawyers getting fined or disciplined? The answer 

is that it’s a fine line that separates a “frivolous” 

lawsuit from one that might be “meritless” 

but argues for a new legal theory. So, while judges, 

the media and others may criticize a suit as “frivolous” 

and call for sanctions or other disciplinary 

action, the standard is high for imposing such sanctions. 

In fact, the standard of proof required in most 

jurisdictions for finding such a violation is “clear 

and convincing evidence.” That’s a high bar indeed. 

At the end of the day, whether a lawyer violated 

the rules of professional conduct will be determined 

by each state’s disciplinary agency on a case-bycase 

basis. 

But that doesn’t mean we have to like lawyers. 

Brad Klepper is president of Interstate Trucker 

Ltd., a law firm entirely dedicated to the legal defense 

of the nation’s commercial drivers. Interstate 

Trucker represents truck drivers throughout the 48 

states on both moving and nonmoving violations. 

Klepper, a lawyer who has focused on transportation 

law and the trucking industry in particular, is also 

president of Driver’s Legal Plan, which allows member 

drivers access to his firm’s services at discounted 

rates. He works to answer drivers’ and carriers’ legal 

questions about trucking and life over the road. For 

more information, visit interstatetrucker.com or 

driverslegalplan.com. 8 


Find the best 

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Delivering more than cookies: Ryder partners 

with Girl Scouts to create supply chain patch 

Features January 15-31, 2021 • 25 


MIAMI — Girl Scouts of Tropical Florida 

(GSTF) and Ryder System Inc. have created 

a new program to teach girls across the 

U.S. about the supply chain. 

The program, Girl Scout Cookies and the 

Supply Chain, shows Girl Scouts how supply 

chain management impacts how and when 

products arrive in stores — while inspiring 

girls to see themselves working in the industry 

in the future. Girls from South Florida 

and around the country were awarded the 

patch Dec. 12 as part of a virtual event showing 

how the supply chains work (including 

the world’s largest girl-run business — Girl 

Scout Cookies). 

The concept and curriculum used to teach 

the girls was developed through a partnership 

between GSTF, Ryder and the University of 

Tennessee’s Global Supply Chain Institute. 

“Development of a new Girl Scout patch, 

particularly one as timely as supply chain 

management, is a real achievement,” said 

Lori Ross, director of girl experience for 

GSTF. “This was an incredible opportunity 

for us to partner with Ryder and the University 

of Tennessee to teach girls about this 

exciting field, especially because we can 

connect it to our own supply chain, cookie 

sales and distribution, which the Girl Scouts 

pioneered.” 

The 43 girls who earned the patch were 

actively engaged in learning the journey of 

a Girl Scout cookie, as well as other wellknown 

products that rely on a nationwide 

supply chain, including Domino’s Pizza. 

They also heard from women in the supply 

chain and logistics fields about how the supply 

chain affects everyone’s lives. 

Every year, Girl Scouts sell and distribute 

more than 200 million boxes of cookies nationwide 

and one billion worldwide. In South 

Florida, GSTF sells and distributes more 

than 400,000 boxes of cookies each year. 

Through its charitable foundation, Ryder 

sponsors the Girl Scouts of Tropical Florida, 

the University of Tennessee’s Global Supply 

Chain Institute and the university’s NeXxus 

Initiative, which focuses on creating a more 

diverse student body, including young women. 

Ryder provides annual scholarships to 

top NeXxus participants in supply chain 

fields, including 11 female students in 2020. 

“Ryder is proud to partner with the Girl 

Scouts, who are truly pioneers in the workings 

of the supply chain,” said Amy Federman, 

executive director of the Ryder 

Courtesy: Girl Scouts of South Florida 

Girl Scouts of South Florida now offers a Girl 

Scout Cookies and the Supply Chain patch 

program that teaches girls how products are 

transported from production sites to stores. 

Charitable Foundation. “Working with two 

of our great partners to create this patch, 

we’re committed to attracting more women 

to the industry. Including girls in that effort 

ensures that the introduction to logistics and 

supply chain concepts starts early.” 

Mary Long, managing director of the 

Global Supply Chain Institutes’ Supply 

Chain Forum at the University of Tennessee 

(UT), who has also held leadership 

roles with major brands including Domino’s 

Pizza, Pillsbury and General Mills, 

worked with GSTF and Ryder to develop 

the curriculum. 

“Part of the curriculum strategy included 

young women who are top college supply 

chain students at UT to talk about why they 

chose the field,” she said. “Videos and live 

interaction with these students, alumni, and 

veterans like myself, made the program fun 

and relevant for the girls.” 

Jessica Thomas, president of NeXxus, 

and the recipient of a Ryder Supply Chain 

Scholarship, led the effort, creating a video 

presentation for the girls. Thomas will graduate 

this year and begin her career at PepsiCo. 

“The goal is for these girls to learn, get 

excited about supply chains, and imagine 

themselves as leaders in the industry one 

day,” Thomas explained. 

GSTF plans to work with the national Girl 

Scouts organization to roll out the Girl Scout 

Cookies and the Supply Chain curriculum to 

other local chapters in 2021. 8 

Courtesy: Fleet Advantage 

In addition to donating $15,000 to Women In Distress of Broward County, Florida, Fleet 

Advantage’s Kids Around the Corner foundation provided funding to the Salvation Army’s 

Angel Tree program. 

Fleet Advantage donations support local 

women’s shelter, provide children’s holiday gifts 


FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Kids 

Around the Corner, a foundation created by 

Fleet Advantage in 2014 to support the needs 

of communities where Fleet Advantage employees 

and clients live and work, donated 

$15,000 to Women In Distress of Broward 

County Inc., as well as $5,200 to support the 

Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program this 

holiday season. 

Women In Distress of Broward County is 

the county’s only state-certified and nationally 

accredited domestic violence center. Funding 

provided by Kids Around the Corner will support 

innovative supportive services designed 

to meet the growing and changing need for 

services in the local community, including 

shelter, advocacy and support, therapy, family 

services, legal services, economic empowerment, 

crisis intervention, child welfare 

services and financial assistance. 

Donations from Kids Around the Corner 

also went to support The Salvation Army 

Angel Tree program of Fort Lauderdale in 

collaboration with Walmart. Each year, The 

Salvation Army and Walmart collaborate to 

provide gifts for children in need around the 

country. Recognizing that every child deserves 

to feel the joy of Christmas, The Salvation 

Army Angel Tree program provides 

new clothing and toys to more than 1 million 

children and families in need each year. 8 

b Donate from page 23 b 

Habeck, president and CEO of Feeding America 

Eastern Wisconsin. “The trailer will help us meet 

increased demand during the pandemic and also 

build on our volunteer driver and student driver 

program with Fox Valley Technical College. 

This is a great example of collaboration in the 

community in support of our mission to solve 

hunger. Our community will benefit so much 

from the generosity of Schneider.” 

According to Habeck, demand for food 

donations is currently about four times 

higher than normal for this time of year. 

The trailer has fitted with a wrap featuring 

the Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin logo 

and the Schneider logo superimposed on a 

background of giant fresh carrots. 8

26 • January 15-31, 2021 thetrucker.com 

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