080121_TT_AllPages

VOL. 34, NO. 15 | AUGUST 1-14, 2021 | WWW.THETRUCKER.COM 

SCAN 

HERE 

FOR 

MORE 

NEWS! 

Parking problems 

LOCAL, LARGE-CITY GOVERNMENTS CONSIDER 

BANS, RESTRICTIONS ON TRUCK PARKING 

HANNAH BUTLER | STAFF WRITER 

AP Photo/Marta Lavandier 

Protesters block 

expressway 

Two Florida men were arrested 

during a protest in support of Cuban 

antigovernment demonstrations 

after a group attempted to 

block an Interstate 275 exit ramp. 

Page 3 

‘Gaps’ in CDL oversight...........4 

PA Turnpike toll increase......... 6 

Walcott Trucker Jamboree ... 10 

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

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

At the 

Truck Stop 

Carina Beebe’s 

trucking career 

and has spanned 

multiple European 

countries, 

Canada and the 

Courtesy: 

Carina BeeBe United States. 

Page 14 

Knight-Swift breaks into LTL.... 17 

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

Brake Safety Week.....................21 

Queen of the Road Awards ......24 

iStock Photo 

Several major cities are looking to place limitations on where tractor-trailer 

can park and operate. For the second time, the Minneapolis City Council 

is reviewing a citywide truck parking ban. In Michigan, the Detroit City 

Council is looking at an ordinance to reroute areas in which big rigs are allowed 

to operate. In Las Vegas, Nevada, truck owners are fined for parking 

in residential neighborhoods. 

Connecticut to levy VMT tax 

against big rigs beginning in 2023 

LINDA GARNER-BUNCH | STAFF WRITER 

The Federal Highway Administration 

(FHWA) reports that a shortage of truck 

parking sites is a critical safety concern for 

the nation. But what if a lack of commercial 

truck parking isn’t a big concern at the state 

and city levels? 

In several areas, this is a reality. 

The Minnesota Trucking Association 

(MTA) recently sent a letter to the Minneapolis 

City Council — a council that, for the second 

time is reviewing a citywide truck parking 

ban. Under the proposal, trucks weighing 

26,000 pounds or more would not be allowed 

to street park. 

“(The proposed ban) is in response to 

complaints by residents and business owners 

who say that trucks are creating problems 

for their businesses and some safety hazards, 

and they brought those concerns to their 

city council members,” said John Hausladen, 

president of MTA. 

“The troublesome part for us is that it is 

a broad-brush approach to a problem that 

is very complex. We have two major concerns,” 

he continued. “It will directly impact 

commerce and the ability to keep logistics 

chains flowing. Fully laden trucks that are 

parked in the city are there for a reason — 

and it is to serve the citizens and businesses 

[Truck drivers] 

carried us through 

the pandemic. They were 

there when we needed 

them. Now we’re telling 

them, ‘But we don’t want 

you. Go park your truck 

somewhere else.’” 

— JOHN HAUSLADEN, PRESIDENT OF 

MINNESOTA TRUCKING ASSOCIATION 

of Minneapolis. … The other issue, which is 

equally as important, is there are many independent 

contractors who are residents of 

the city of Minneapolis.” 

If approved, the ban would force truck 

drivers to park outside the city, which would 

impede on-time deliveries and disrupt daily 

commerce, according to MTA. Truck parking 

is already banned in residential areas in Minneapolis. 

Hausladen said many of the trucks 

SEE RESTRICTIONS ON PAGE 8 

Courtesy: Ashley and DeAntonio Stewart 

Nursing a 

new business 

The COVID-19 pandemic led 

Ashley and DeAntonio Stewart 

down a unique path to trucking 

entrepreneurship. 

Page 23 

HARTFORD, Conn. — Beginning Jan. 1, 2023, 

owner-operators and motor carriers transporting 

goods through Connecticut will be subject to a vehicle 

miles traveled (VMT) tax as high as 17.5 cents 

per mile, depending on the weight of the vehicle. 

Connecticut House Bill (HB) 6688, which was 

passed by both houses of the state legislature in 

early June, was signed into law July 12 by the state’s 

Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont. 

The tax, which Lamont refers to as a “highway 

user fee” for large commercial trucks, was originally 

part of the governor’s proposed state operating budget. 

The fees, applied to all roads within the state, will 

begin at 2.5 cents per mile for commercial trucks 

with a gross weight of 26,000 to 28,000 pounds and 

range up to 17.5 cents per mile for those weighing 

80,000 pounds or more. Motor carriers will be required 

to calculate and file monthly returns for miles 

traveled on roads within Connecticut. The funds generated, 

expected to average $90 million annually, will 

be deposited into a special transportation fund. 

Following outcry from members of the trucking 

industry against the state legislature’s passage 

of the bill, which many see as unfairly building the 

state’s tax base on commercial vehicles, Lamont 

took to social media to defend the fee. 

“The trucking lobby is threatening to have drivers 

go around Connecticut because of the Highway 

SEE CONNECTICUT ON PAGE 26 

iStock Photo 

Connecticut’s Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont on July 12 

signed House Bill 6688. Starting in 2023, commercial 

vehicles traveling on any of the state’s roadways will be 

subject to a weight-based vehicle miles traveled tax.

2 • AUGUST 1-14, 2021 

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THETRUCKER.COM NATION 

AUGUST 1-14, 2021 • 3 

Two held on anti-riot law after protest that blocked expressway 

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Two Florida men 

who were arrested during a protest in support 

of antigovernment demonstrations in Cuba 

were held on charges related to the state’s new 

anti-riot law. 

Julian Rodriguez-Rodriguez, 30, and Maikel 

Vazquez-Pico, 39, were among those arrested 

July 13, as a group of protesters attempted to 

take over an exit ramp at Interstate 275 and 

Dale Mabry Highway, which is a major thoroughfare 

in Tampa. 

Both were arrested on charges that include 

battery on a law-enforcement officer, resisting 

law enforcement and taking part in an unlawful 

assembly that blocked streets or sidewalks, 

records show. 

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into Florida law 

a measure earlier this year that boosts penalties 

against demonstrators who turn violent 

and creates new criminal penalties for those 

who organize demonstrations that get out of 

hand. Provisions of the law also make it a felony 

to block some roadways and give immunity 

to people who drive through protesters blocking 

a road. 

The bill was introduced after last summer’s 

protests for racial justice during which some 

Black Lives Matter protesters were met by police 

with tear gas and arrests when they took 

to the streets for days at a time. 

A third man, 34-year-old Evelio Ramirez- 

Carrasco of Tampa, also was arrested on 

charges of unlawful assembly and resisting a 

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

The Governor 

does not tell law 

enforcement how to do their 

day to day jobs. However, 

it should go without saying 

that anyone who breaks the 

law is subject to arrest.” 

— CHRISTINA PUSHAW, FLORIDA 

GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS’ SPOKESPERSON 

law-enforcement officer without violence — 

both misdemeanors — in connection with 

the protests. Ramirez-Carrasco was given a 

notice to appear in court, records show. 

He qualified for a notice to appear because 

of his charges but the other two men 

did not, the Tampa Bay Times reported. 

Protesters blocked the Palmetto Expressway 

near Hialeah for about 30 minutes 

the night of July 14, news outlets 

reported. On July 13, they blocked the 

same highway for hours during the rainy 

rush hour. 

During a roundtable about Cuba in Miami 

on July 13, Gov. Ron DeSantis said the demonstrations 

in South Florida, and other parts of 

the state, were “fundamentally different than 

what we saw last summer.” 

AP Photo/Marta Lavandier 

Demonstrators walk onto the southbound Palmetto Expressway to join a large group on the northbound lanes, 

Tuesday, July 13, 2021, in Miami. Demonstrators are protesting in solidarity with the thousands of Cubans who 

waged a rare weekend of protests around their island nation again the communist regime. 

The governor’s spokesperson, Christina 

Pushaw, said he had signed the “anti-riot” law 

to empower law enforcement to protect and 

serve the people of Florida. In an email to The 

Associated Press, she pushed back against assertions 

that political ideology could create 

inequities in the application of the law and 

the Republican governor would have a hand 

in deciding which protesters or causes would 

be subject to the new law. 

“It is not the Governor’s job to arrest or 

decline to arrest any citizen for any reason; 

that is the responsibility of law enforcement 

in each jurisdiction,” she said. “The Governor 

does not tell law enforcement how to do their 

day to day jobs. However, it should go without 

saying that anyone who breaks the law is subject 

to arrest.” 

SEE ANTI-RIOT ON PAGE 8 

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CD’S SCAN 

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4 • AUGUST 1-14, 2021 NATION 

Audit reveals ‘gaps and challenges’ in FMCSA’s 

oversight of CDL disqualification regs 

WASHINGTON — An audit of The Federal 

Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s 

(FMCSA) oversight of CDL disqualification 

regs revealed gaps and challenges in the 

process, which relies on state agencies to 

submit data related to commercial drivers’ 

traffic violations and convictions. The 

self-initiated audit, conducted by the U.S. 

Department of Transportation’s Office of 

Inspector General (OIG), was launched in 

fall of 2019 and completed this year. 

According to the OIG’s report, states did 

not submit electronic conviction notices in 

a timely manner 17% of the time. Specifically, 

the OIG estimates that states did not 

transmit electronic data in a timely manner 

for 18% of 2,182 major offenses and 17% of 

23,628 serious traffic violations. 

In addition, the OIG estimates that 11% 

of the 2,182 major offenses noted above 

were not posted in a timely manner, and 

that 2% of the 23,628 serious traffic violations 

were never posted to driver records 

at all. For the most part, the report shows, 

states did take action to disqualify CDLs 

“when appropriate.” However, because 

electronic data was not always posted in a 

timely manner, FMCSA’s evaluation of conviction 

notices was sometimes hindered by 

states’ processes for sending the information 

by mail. 

The report also notes that the FMCSA’s 

Annual Program Review process “lacks adequate 

quality control measures for verifying 

that state CDL programs meet federal 

THE TRUCKER NEWS STAFF 

requirements” and that state noncompliance 

with federal CDL disqualification requirements, 

along with other state actions, 

“pose challenges for FMCSA’s oversight.” 

According to the OIG, some states offered 

administrative appeals to out-of-state 

drivers, overturned disqualifications and 

backdated CDL disqualification periods, 

SYSTEM TO TRANSPORT CAPITOL CHRISTMAS TREE 

Courtesy: Kenworth 

The holiday season will be a little brighter this year with the help of System Transport, the motor 

carrier selected to transport the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree from California’s Six Rivers National Forest 

to Washington, D.C. Each year, the U.S. Forest Service selects a tree from a national forest to serve as 

the “People’s Christmas Tree.” System Transport was selected as the hauler for the 2021 tree at the 

recommendation of Kenworth Truck Co. and because of the carrier’s reputation in the trucking industry on 

the West Coast according to Bruce Ward, president of Choose Outdoors. Choose Outdoors is a nonprofit 

partner that works with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service to coordinate the annual 

public engagement initiative. Kenworth returns for the eighth year as a sponsor of the U.S. Capitol 

Christmas Tree program. A specially decaled Kenworth T680 Next Generation, equipped with a 76-inch 

mid-roof sleeper, will be used to transport the 51st U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree. 

iStock Photo 

According to an audit of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s oversight of states’ CDL disqualification 

regulations, states did not electronically submit data regarding driver violations and convictions in a timely manner for 

18% of “major” violations. 


which resulted in some drivers’ disqualification 

periods being shorter than required by 

federal law. 

The OIG made seven recommendations 

to help FMCSA strengthen its oversight 

of states’ actions to comply with federal 

SEE OVERSIGHT ON PAGE 26 

NHTSA probes 

overheating brakes 

that could cause fires 

in 500,00 semis 

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

DETROIT — U.S. highway safety regulators 

have opened an investigation into about 

a half-million semis with brakes that can 

catch fire. 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 

(NHTSA) says in documents 

posted on its website July 20 that it has received 

11 complaints about brakes made by 

Haldex Commercial Vehicle Systems, including 

seven fires. No injuries have been reported. 

The complaints say problems occurred 

mostly on Kenworth and Peterbilt tractors. 

The agency is investigating brakes on model 

year 2015-2020 semis. 

NHTSA says the investigation covers certain 

Haldex Gold Seal brake chambers, which 

convert compressed air into a mechanical 

force that stops the trucks. It says a spring 

can fracture, puncturing a diaphragm and 

causing air loss. That can make the brakes 

drag without warning to the driver and eventually 

cause fires. 

SEE NHTSA ON PAGE 26 

USPS 972 

VOLUME 34, NUMBER 15 

AUGUST 1-14, 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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Megan Hicks 


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THETRUCKER.COM AUGUST 1-14, 2021 • 5 

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Did the COVID-19 pandemic have 

an effect on your weight? 

THE TRUCKER 

TRAINER 

BOB PERRY 

I’m taking an unofficial poll: Have the 

shutdowns and restrictions of the COVID-19 

pandemic affected your weight? 

In my coaching calls each week, I discuss 

weight gains (and reasons for those gains) 

with drivers. Stress is a consistent contributing 

factor that comes up — and the added 

precautions that truck drivers have had to 

endure over the past year have definitely 

added to their stress levels. Combine this 

with added difficulty finding healthy food options. 

Actually, finding any food options at all 

was difficult, with many restaurants closing 

their doors or being inaccessible to drivers. 

Were you one of the many who experienced 

weight gain during the pandemic? 

I’ve read a number of reports indicating that 

weight gain has been a health concern across 

all professions during the pandemic, not just 

truck drivers. 

Many companies resorted to having employees 

work from home in order to stay compliant 

with safety protocols recommended by 

the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 

(CDC). This shift to working from home 

offered easy access to workers’ home pantries 

— which equaled greater temptation to snack 

all day. 

In recent columns, I’ve been writing a 

lot about general health for drivers, primarily 

because the DOT Medical Exam re-certification 

wavier has been lifted. Of course, a 

healthy weight is always important. 

My number of calls is increasing weekly 

because drivers are faced with upcoming 

deadline to get their re-certification, and solid 

results happen over time, not overnight. 

Wanting to lose weight brings with it the 

temptation to look for fast results, and that 

almost always means cutting calories. Of 

course, cutting junk calories is a good idea, 

but drastically cutting all calories is not a 

good long-term solution: Crash dieting generally 

leads to “yo-yo” dieting syndrome. 

One of the dangers of crash (ultra-lowcalorie) 

dieting is the unavoidable metabolic 

slowdown. This slowdown can start within 

just a few days of cutting calories. You’ll 

think, “This diet isn’t working!” so you’ll look 

for a new, more effective diet — and yo-yo 

syndrome begins. 

As I mentioned earlier, cutting junk 

calories is a good idea, and that’s where I 

SEE TRAINER ON PAGE 26 

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iStock Photo 

Like all Pennsylvania Turnpike annual increases since 2009, the measure is generally required to meet escalating debtservice 

costs resulting from the PA Turnpike Commission’s payments to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for transit 

operations under Pennsylvania Acts 44 and 89. 

PA Turnpike toll increase 

5% TOLL INCREASE APPROVED FOR 2022, REFLECTING 

LOWEST INCREASE IN 6 YEARS 

HARRISBURG, Pa. — The Pennsylvania 

Turnpike Commission (PTC) in July announced 

the approval of a 5% toll increase for 

2022 for both E-ZPass and toll-by-plate customers. 

The increase is slated to start at 12:01 

a.m. on Jan. 2, 2022 and will be effective across 

the entire system except on the Southern Beltway 

(PA Turnpike 576) west of Pittsburgh. 

E-ZPass drivers will continue to receive 

the lowest toll rates across the PA Turnpike. 

Non-E-ZPass customers can download the PA 

TOLL PAY smartphone app to create an autopay 

account. 

Like all previous annual increases since 

2009, the measure is generally required to 

meet escalating debt-service costs resulting 

from the PTC’s payments to the Commonwealth 

of Pennsylvania for transit operations 

under Pennsylvania Acts 44 and 89. This year, 

however, there is one significant difference: 

Under those statutes, the PTC planned to 

make its final annual payment of $450 million 

in late July. 

“[This] action is the first time in six years 

that the rate of increase is under 6%,” said 

PA Turnpike CEO Mark Compton. “Starting 

in July 2022, our transit funding requirement 

to PennDOT under Act 44 of 2007 will be cut 

to $50 million annually. Finally, we are seeing 

a light at the end of this very long tunnel. In 

addition to breathing a huge sigh of relief ourselves, 

it enables us to begin to offer some relief 

to customers from those heftier toll increases 

and refocus on essential improvements to our 

roadway.” 

Beginning in July 2022, the $400 million 

in annual transit funding that had been provided 

by the PTC will be funded by the Commonwealth’s 

Motor Vehicle Sales and Use Tax 

(MVSUT) as prescribed by Act 89 of 2013. 

Act 89, however, does not eliminate the 


commission’s debt, future debt service or 

funding obligation. Even with this relief, the 

PTC is still responsible for annual payments to 

PennDOT of $50 million until June 2057, and 

it must continue to pay down debt incurred 

from previous borrowing needed to fund Act 

44 payments. 

“The Act 44 sunsetting spelled out in Act 89 

of 2013 is critical if the PTC is to remain fiscally 

sound as an organization and for the economic 

vitality of Turnpike-connected communities,” 

Compton said. “But it’s important 

for customers understand that, even with the 

reduced obligation, we are still looking at annual 

toll increases of 5% from through 2025, 

4% in 2026, 3.5% in 2027, then 3% annually 

from 2028 to 2050.” 

Because of borrowing required by the 

Act 44 funding plan, the PTC currently has 

annual Act 44 debt-service obligations of 

nearly $400 million. Due to the terms of 

these bonds, the PTC’s Act 44 debt service 

will continue to rise even though borrowing 

has ended. Act 44 debt service will grow to 

an annual maximum of nearly $600 million 

by 2038 before it starts to decrease. 

Because of the PTC’s action, the most common 

toll for a passenger vehicle next year 

will increase from $1.60 to $1.70 for E-ZPass 

customers and from $3.90 to $4.10 for toll-byplate 

customers. The most common toll for a 

Class 5 tractor-trailer will increase from $13 to 

$13.70 for E-ZPass and from $26.60 to $28 for 

those who use toll-by-plate. The cashless toll 

for a passenger vehicle at the westbound Delaware 

River Bridge will increase from $6.10 to 

$6.50 for E-ZPass customers and from $8.20 to 

$8.70 for toll-by-plate customers. 

The PTC also approved the toll-rate 

SEE TOLLS ON PAGE 8

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RESTRICTIONS cont. from Page 1 

regularly parked overnight within the city 

limits belong to owner-operators who live in 

the city. 

According to the MTA, 96.5% of manufactured 

tonnage is transported by truck in Minnesota. 

There are 21,560 trucking companies 

in Minnesota; those companies employ 13,150 

heavy and tractor-trailer drivers. 

“Our case to the city is that this broad-brush 

approach is not the best, and that they should 

look for more targeted approaches and look at 

finding ways to help develop safe parking for 

truck drivers, because as we know, there is a 

significant nationwide shortage of commercial 

truck parking,” Hausladen said. “These people 

carried us through the pandemic. They were 

there when we needed them. Now we’re telling 

them, ‘But we don’t want you. Go park your 

truck somewhere else.’” 

After being submitted to the city council’s 

transportation public works committee for a 

second time, the language of the ordinance was 

changed. It now proposes partnerships for developing 

truck parking sites. 

“The language adopted puts the city in a 

purely reactive role, providing interested parties 

with only site search assistance,” Hausladen 

said. “Language asking for greater regional solutions 

is all good, but it doesn’t change the fact 

that starting Jan. 1, 2022, trucks will be ticketed 

for parking on Minneapolis city streets — with 

no new safe parking options.” 

That is, if the ordinance passed. The Minneapolis 

City Council was scheduled to vote on 

the ordinance July 23, the day this edition of The 

Trucker went to press. 

iStock Photo 

Minneapolis and Detroit may implement challenges for drivers seeking safe parking within the city. In Las Vegas, standard 

protocol makes it illegal for big rigs to park in residential neighborhoods, and fines are now enforced for any truck owner 

who parks in a residential neighborhood. 

In 2019, the Minneapolis City Council heard 

a proposal of a similar nature; however, the proposal 

did not make it to a vote. 

“The full city council was set to vote on it and 

ultimately sent it back to the committee,” Hausladen 

said. “There were, fortunately, enough 

voices raised that the full city council agreed 

that they needed to take a step back.” 

In Michigan, another MTA — the Michigan 

Trucking Association — is facing a similar challenge: 

The Detroit City Council is looking at an 

ordinance to reroute areas in which big rigs are 

allowed to operate. 

Mickey Blashfield, president of the Michigan 

Trucking Association, says this shouldn’t be 

a problem — as long as the city does not stray 

from adding more to the ordinance than just 

designating truck routes. 

“They’re looking at trying to keep trucks out 

of residential neighborhoods,” Blashfield said. 

“More than anything, I think it updates things 

after the last decade in Detroit, which has seen 

a ton of construction.” 

Blashfield, along with the rest of the association, 

is working with the city council to find a 

balance that can reroute trucking without causing 

harm to the industry. 

While Minneapolis and Detroit may soon offer 

additional challenges for drivers seeking safe 

parking, such challenges at the local level are 

nothing new. 

In Las Vegas, standard protocol made it illegal 

for big rigs to park in residential neighborhoods, 

but there was no enforcement. That 

changed in 2019. 

Fines are now enforced for any truck owner 

who parks in a residential neighborhood. Owners 

are fined $100 for a first offense, $250 for the 

second offense and $500 for every subsequent 

offense. 

“We know we have a truck parking issue all 

across the country, but Las Vegas is probably a 

little more acute, because land costs so much 

there, and there’s really not a lot of land,” said 

Paul Enos, president of the Nevada Trucking 

Association (NTA). “In a state like Nevada, less 

than 5% of the land is in the hands of the private 

sector and mostly government (owned). That 

makes land more expensive because we are not 

an attainment zone, so it’s not like you can just 

put a lot out and have trucks parked; you have to 

pay for that.” 

If there are little to no truck parking facilities 

available, drivers are apt to find parking in a 

nearby residential neighborhood. 

To mitigate the issue, NTA has worked to 

dedicate funding for safe truck parking. Through 

a 10% increase of the diesel tax and a truck parking 

and interstate freight plan, truck parking has 

been made more accessible for drivers. In 2020, 

the city of Las Vegas allocated $7.1 million for 

truck parking. 

“I do think that truck parking is a national 

problem,” Enos said. “But when you look at 

where these issues tend to arise and who has the 

purview to deal with land usage issues, it’s local 

governments.” 

According to Enos, local governments are 

“great” about focusing on job creation and building 

businesses, convention centers and warehouses 

to make that all possible. However, “They’re not so 

great at thinking about freight,” he said. 

“To me, I think the balance to address the 

truck parking issue is going to be best addressed 

at the local level, and it’s going to have to be 

something that all of these folks are building,” 

Enos said. “Whether you’re building warehouses 

in strip malls, they’re going to have to contribute 

to (truck parking).” 

Enos isn’t the only one in the trucking industry 

who is seeing a shortage rise with truck parking 

at the local level. 

“I think that we’re in an environment where 

the trucking industry, when it sees challenges, it 

has to step up and it has to speak,” said Minnesota’s 

Hausladen. 

“Of course, organizations like the MTA do 

that, but individual voices, truck drivers, trucking 

fleets have to make their voices heard in all 

of these forums. I think there’s just going to be 

more challenges at the local level and so it’s going 

to be more important to engage local governments 

on these really critical issues,” he continued. 

“I do think that individual truck drivers 

who spoke up in this process have been helpful 

in slowing this down and putting a face on these 

decisions that affect livelihoods and people.” 

Editor’s note: Visit TheTrucker.com for the 

outcome of the Minneapolis city council’s vote 

regarding a truck parking ban. 8 

YOU ASKED… 

WE DELIVERED! 

Check Out Our New Feature Format 

TOLLS cont. from Page 6 

schedule for the opening of the Southern Beltway 

slated for October. Tolls for the Southern 

Beltway will include the application of the 45% 

additional charge that is in place on the turnpike 

system. However, there will be no January 

2022 toll increase for the Southern Beltway. 

The PTC first started making Act 44 payments 

to PennDOT in August 2007. It has 

ANTI-RIOT cont. from Page 3 

Pushaw pointed out that blocking roadways 

without a permit was illegal long before 

the new law, and law enforcement agencies 

across the state have discretion to enforce the 

law in a way to ensure public safety. 

In Tampa on the evening of July 13, police 

used a public address system to order the 

crowds to disperse. About 45 minutes later, 

Vazquez-Pico and Rodriguez-Rodriguez tried 

to walk onto the interstate from entrance 

ramp, according to the arrest report. 

increased tolls annually since 2009, providing 

$7.45 billion in toll-backed funding to 

PennDOT in 14 years. 

After the 2022 increase is applied, 

E-ZPass and toll-by-plate rates for both passenger 

and commercial vehicles will round 

up to the next dime. The PTC will post a 

2022 trip calculator and toll schedule online 

this fall. Visit www.paturnpike.com/toll/ 

tollmileage.aspx. 8 

Rodriguez-Rodriguez put an officer into a 

bear hug as the officer was trying to arrest another 

protester, according to an arrest report. 

He then punched an officer in the face, breaking 

his glasses as the officer tried to arrest 

him, the report said. He continued to resist arrest 

until he was placed in handcuffs. 

It was not immediately known whether the 

two men have lawyers who can speak on their 

behalf. 

By Freida Frisaro and Bobby Caina Calvan, 

The Associated Press. Frisaro reported from Fort 

Lauderdale, Florida. 8

THETRUCKER.COM AUGUST 1-14, 2021 • 9



Celebrating America’s drivers: Walcott Truckers Jamboree 2021 

ATTENDANCE AT 2021 

WALCOTT TRUCKERS 

JAMBOREE TOPS 44,000 


WALCOTT, Iowa — Hosted by the Iowa 80 (known 

as the “World’s Largest Truckstop”) July 8-10, the 42nd 

annual Walcott Truckers Jamboree was attended by 

more than 44,500 people, including drivers and their 

families, as well as other travelers and area residents. 

After the 2020 Jamboree was moved to an online 

format because of restrictions due to the COVID-19 

pandemic, Delia Moon Meier, senior vice president of 

the Iowa 80 Group, told The Trucker she was especially 

excited about this year’s in-person event. 

“It’s the best kind of family reunion,” she said. 

Visitors flocked to Walcott, Iowa, from 22 different 

states and three Canadian provinces to display their 

trucks and join in the festivities. Drivers from Arizona, 

Texas, Vermont and Canada traveled the farthest, according 

to the Iowa 80. 

The Walcott Truckers Jamboree has been celebrating 

truckers, “rain or shine,” since 1979. 

“My parents started this event as a way to show 

their appreciation for the hard work professional drivers 

do each day delivering the goods we need,” Meier 

said. “It took a pandemic for the rest of the country 

to realize what we’ve known all along: Professional 

drivers are essential to our everyday lives, and they deserve 

to be celebrated. That’s exactly what the Walcott 

Truckers Jamboree is all about.” 

During the three-day event, guests enjoyed browsing 

more than 150 exhibits and an antique truck display 

of more than 100 vintage vehicles, along with an 

Iowa 80-style pork chop cookout, the Trucker Olympics, 

a pet contest, a truck beauty contest, a birthday 

party for a 100-year-old truck, and more. Visitors were 

treated to fireworks displays and a truck light show 

July 8 and 9. Live concerts were provided throughout 

the celebration, free of charge to attendees, courtesy 

of Mobil Delvac, Freightliner Trucks and CAT Scale. 

While this year’s event is now “one for the books,” 

the Iowa 80 team is already looking forward to the 

43rd annual Walcott Truckers Jamboree, scheduled for 

July 14-16, 2022. 8 

PHOTOS BY JENNIFER ELLIS/SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT 

SCAN HERE TO VIEW 

MORE PHOTOS FROM THE 

2021 WALCOTT TRUCKERS 

JAMBOREE AND A COMPLETE 

LIST OF WINNERS IN ALL 

CONTESTS! 

Clockwise, from top: Eva Knelsen’s Kenworth was on display as a part of the Super Truck Beauty Contest during the 2021 Walcott Truckers Jamboree. Knelsen’s truck 

was voted Truckers’ Choice in the 2020 contest. Becky Henley displays the birthday cake for the 100th birthday celebration of the 1921 International Harvester held at 

the Iowa 80 Trucking Museum. A Jamboree visitor turned heads with his custom motorized wheelchair. Excessive Behavior II, owned by Gary Jones, took home several 

awards in this year’s contest. Guests enjoyed live music throughout the jamboree.

THETRUCKER.COM NATION 

AUGUST 1-14, 2021 • 11 

PHOTOS BY JENNIFER ELLIS/SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT 

Clockwise, from left: “Semper Fi,” owned by Michael and Jackie Wallace, was awarded first place in the Work Truck 2015-2007 Combination category. Marcel Pontbriand, of Pahrump, Nevada, left, is shown with his wife and daughter. His truck, 

“Cowboy of the Road” was voted the 2021 Truckers’ Choice. Guests were able to see brightly lit trucks during the Lights at Night Display followed by fireworks. Bandit, owned by Michael Van Ness of Georgetown, Illinois, placed in the Best Dressed 

contest. Mary Peterson Norton’s two pups took the top spots in the Best Dressed portion of the Trucker’s Best Friend Contest. Dave Meier, Iowa 80 Trucking Museum curator, shared the history of the 1921 International Harvester. Visitors to the 

Super Truck Beauty Contest had the opportunity to tour a trailer with hand-painted panels owned by Top Notch Carriers. Two contestants participated in the Strap Winding portion of the Trucker Olympics. “The Goose,” owned by Daniel and Phyllis 

Snow, was awarded first place for custom sleeper.

S 

12 • AUGUST 1-14, 2021 

FROM THE EDITOR: 

Happy retirement, 

Mad Dog! 

MAD DOG’S 

DAUGHTER 

WENDY MILLER 

editor@thetruckermedia.com 

I’ve never known my dad to have a career 

other than a truck driver. Known by his CB 

handle, Mad Dog, and often referenced in this 

column (and noted in the very title), my dad has 

been behind the wheel of a truck for more than 

30 years. 

He’s hauled wood chips, sawdust, logs — 

just about anything that needed to be moved 

to a paper mill in Southeast Arkansas, northern 

Louisiana and some surrounding areas. Mad 

Dog has been an owner-operator, the co-owner 

of a trucking business and has driven for various 

companies throughout his time on the road, 

which spans more than my lifetime. 

Mad Dog never embraced a true over-theroad 

career, but he did spend plenty of nights 

on the road hauling regionally or just constantly 

moving. He was a driver long before ELDs became 

a thing; later in his career he remained 

completely intrastate, which in Arkansas 

wouldn’t have forced him away from paper logs. 

For that, I’m sure he was thankful. 

Even though Mad Dog was never traveling 

across the country, trucking wasn’t easy on him 

or on his family. He will be the first to tell you 

that he made plenty of mistakes. After all, no one 

is perfect. But driving a truck fit my dad. It was 

something I believe he enjoyed, and he was able 

to make a decent living with it. I don’t know that 

I could ever envision him doing anything else. 

Retiring isn’t exactly something Mad Dog 

has been planning for a while; it was somewhat 

of a forced situation due to health reasons. That’s 

something I’m sure sounds familiar for a lot of 

lifetime truckers. 

Regardless of the reason, I’m sure the change 

is a welcome one for Mad Dog. He has big plans. 

He wants to travel on two wheels for a change 

(maybe a Harley Davidson, which would fulfill a 

lifelong dream), and he wants to spend time with 

his wife and her grandkids who he loves as his 

own. Mad Dog’s only children, my brother and I 

( from his first marriage), are moving quite slow 

in the grandkids arena, so I’m happy he has the 

opportunity to enjoy grandchildren. 

So, I am happy to dedicate this column to 

Mad Dog as he climbs out of the driver’s seat and 

into retirement. Unlike in an office setting, there 

won’t be a big party from his co-workers. He’s not 

much for parties anyway. 

I’ll continue to share the occasional crazy story 

from Mad Dog’s career in this space, but I felt 

it only appropriate to use this space to recognize 

his long career and shout, “Happy Retirement!” 

Thanks for a long trucking career, Mad Dog. 

Until next time, be cool and be careful. 8 

ASK THE 

ATTORNEY 

BRAD KLEPPER 

PERSPECTIVE 

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. 

I do think that truck parking is a national problem. 

But when you look at where these issues tend to arise 

and who has the purview to deal with land usage issues, 

it’s local governments.” 

— Paul Enos, president of the Nevada Trucking Association, 

on truck parking in Nevada and across the nation 

Full story on Pages 1 and 8. 


Not revealing exculpatory evidence 

violates 14th Amendment 

Brad Klepper wasn’t able to provide a column 

this week, so we thought you would enjoy this column 

from January 2019. 

Let’s get this addressed up front. I am the 

guy who is always late to the party. I don’t mean 

late to an actual party — because well, I like a 

good party. 

I mean I am always the last guy to adopt a new 

technology, listen to a new band or watch the latest 

TV show. The perfect example of this is Netflix. 

I know it has been around for several years; however, 

I did not really start watching shows on Netflix 

until recently (like a few weeks ago). 

But man am I hooked. My Netflix addiction 

began when my friends told me I needed to 

watch the series “An Innocent Man.” It is a documentary 

television series based on a book by 

John Grisham about two murder cases in Ada, 

Oklahoma. 

I suspect my friends wanted me to watch it 

because they know I like documentaries, and 

they also knew my wife and I both grew up in 

Ada and lived there during the time of the murders. 

You must understand, Ada is a small town, 

so it was hard not to know the players in the 

documentary. 

It was also a surreal experience to watch a 

series about your hometown. 

While we were watching the series, the 

narrator made several references to potential 

Brady violations in the prosecution of the defendants. 

This eventually resulted in my wife 

turning to me and asking, “Who is Brady? And 

what is a Brady violation?” 

Well, dear, I am glad you asked. 

Brady v. Maryland is a landmark U.S. Supreme 

Court case. In this case, the court held 

that in a criminal proceeding the prosecution 

must turn over all exculpatory evidence to the 

defense. Exculpatory evidence is evidence that 

may serve to exonerate the defendant. 

The court held that failure to turn over such 

evidence violates the due process clause of the 

14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. In 

short, this decision resulted in a pretrial discovery 

rule requiring the prosecution to turn over 

all exculpatory evidence. Failure to do results in 

what is referred to as a Brady violation. 

Some examples of Brady violations include 

evidence known only to the police, such 

as contradictory witness statements, agreements 

made by the prosecutor to not prosecute 

a witness in exchange for witness testimony 

against the defendant, that a witness 

has been paid to act as an informant, or failure 

to disclose crucial DNA evidence not matching 

that of the defendant. 

These are just a few examples. The point of 

the court’s decision is that while it is important 

that the guilty party be found, it is more important 

that the defendant get a fair trial. 

Unfortunately, potential Brady violations 

often do not come to light until after the trial. 

Let’s be honest. Who cares about a Brady violation 

if the defendant wins? 

However, if the defendant loses and feels 

that evidence may have been withheld, this is 

an issue that can be brought up on appeal. 

In this scenario, the defense must prove that 

the suppressed evidence was so important that it 

would have changed the outcome of the trial. As 

you can imagine, it is difficult to prove this claim. 

If the prosecution fails to disclose exculpatory 

evidence it may lead to dismissal of the 

case, reversal of conviction on appeal, or an order 

for a new trial. 

In other words, the defense may opt for a 

motion for dismissal or appeal against the conviction. 

The defense may also move for a new 

trial. As you can see, the potential penalty for a 

Brady violation is high. 

In order to make sure they receive all exculpatory 

evidence; it has become common 

practice for defense counsel to request pretrial 

“Brady disclosure” from the prosecution. 

This helps ensure that the defendants receive a 

fair trial and sets the framework for an appeal 

should the prosecution violate Brady. 

So, there you have it. All you ever wanted to 

know about a Brady violation — and probably 

more. 

Brad Klepper is president of Interstate 

Trucker Ltd. and is also president of Driver’s 

Legal Plan, which allows member drivers access 

to services at discounted rates. For more 

information, contact him at (800) 333-DRIVE 

(3748) or interstatetrucker.com and drivers 

legalplan.com. 8 

Over here, it’s an easy 

cakewalk compared to 

Europe. In Europe, they have 

all kinds of goofy things, like 

four-and-a half hours and a 

45-minute break; then they 

split up the hours and it’s just 

goofy and a pain in the butt. If 

you mess up, then they will fine 

you dearly for it.” 

— Carina BeeBe making a 

comparison between trucking 

in European countries versus 

the U.S. and Canada 

Full story on Pages 14 and 16.

THETRUCKER.COM PERSPECTIVE 

AUGUST 1-14, 2021 • 13 

Sometimes truck drivers just need to know when to get healthy 

RHYTHM OF 

THE ROAD 

KRIS RUTHERFORD 

krisr@thetruckermedia.com 

If you haven’t turned to this issue’s 

contribution from my colleague, Bob “The 

Trucker Trainer” Perry, after reading this 

edition of “Rhythm of the Road,” please make it 

your next stop. Only Bob can offer the advice 

you might need to save yourself from filling the 

shoes of The Willis Brothers in their 1968 song, 

“Quittin’ While I’m Still Alive.” 

It’s been a good while since I’ve written 

about the Willis Brothers, so let’s review a little 

of the trio’s background. The Willis Brothers 

— actually one of the original three was a 

Caldwell, but who’s counting? — got their start 

in the music business during the early years of 

the Great Depression in Shawnee, Oklahoma, a 

small city east of Oklahoma City. 

Interstate 40 didn’t exist, and even Route 

66 bypassed Shawnee, but the city had long 

been an oasis along cattle drives northward 

from Texas, and it goes down in history as a 

thoroughfare along the West Shawnee Trail. In 

fact, with three major railroads building lines 

through the city along with well as depots, 

Shawnee was a fast-growing place that put 

up a good fight with Oklahoma City when it 

came time to choose a state capital. But when 

a major meatpacking plant chose Oklahoma 

City as its home over Shawnee, the neighbor to 

the west won out. Today, Shawnee isn’t a whole 

lot larger than it was in 1930, while Oklahoma 

City is home to some 650,000 residents. But 

Shawnee lives on as a major suburb of the 

capital. 

The original Willis Brothers trio were known 

locally as “The Oklahoma Wranglers,” and for 

the better part of the 1930s they appeared live 

as a regular feature on Shawnee radio station 

KGFF. But at decade’s end, one member left 

the group. A roller coaster of Willises started 

coming and going, interrupted only by World 

War II, when the entire trio served overseas. 

When the war ended, The Oklahoma 

Wranglers reunited and caught their first big 

break — an appearance on the Grand Ole Opry 

performing as themselves and as backup to Hank 

Williams. Their popularity quickly grew, and the 

group became permanent members of the Grand 

Ole Opry before the 1940s came to an end. 

The next big step for the group was an eightyear 

stint touring with Eddy Arnold, who was 

among the biggest names in country music at 

the time. When they decided to move on, the 

Wranglers also changed their name — and The 

Willis Brothers was officially born. After all, the 

name fit, since Caldwell had left the group and 

all three slots were now filled by men from the 

same family. 

All this is to let you know that The Willis 

Brothers probably inhaled a whole lot more 

than their share of dust in the 1930s, not to 

mention far too many liters of bovine-produced 

methane gas. And because they were on the 

road so many years (much like truck drivers), 

the fellows no doubt the developed a few other 

health problems they ignored a little too long. 

These experiences might have given birth to 

“Quittin’ While I’m still Alive.” 

During their career, The Willis Brothers had 

one big hit — a trucking song — “Give Me Forty 

Acres (and I’ll Turn this Rig Around),” a subject 

of one of my first columns for The Trucker. But 

this was far from the group’s only song about 

truck drivers. In fact, the genre became the 

band’s specialty. 

Using a Telechord electric guitar, The Willis 

Brothers developed a distinctive “highway 

beat” to their music, all the while keeping to a 

bluegrass style, particularly in their vocals. The 

combination made for some masterful trucking 

songs. Sticking with two-minute-long songs, 

the band recorded more than were found on 

other country albums. While few of those songs 

charted, The Willis Brothers discography was 

impressive 

In 1968, recording for Stardust Records, 

“from Nashville, Tennessee — the Musical 

Heart of America,” the group released “Hey, Mr. 

Trucker Driver,” an album bulging with 12 of the 

group’s short looks at life through a windshield. 

A long overlooked “Quitting While I’m Still 

Alive” is one tune every prospective truck 

driver needs to give a listen before deciding on 

a career in the industry. 

In “Quittin’ While I’m Still Alive,” The Willis 

Brothers play the role of a still-young 42-yearold 

man who has been driving a big rig more 

than half his lifetime. But the diesel has taken 

its toll. This isn’t a case of being lonesome; 

rather, it’s a matter of being “plum beat down,” 

as some might say. 

The singer realizes, after 22 years behind the 

wheel without a scratch or a dent, he’s pushing 

his luck. Chances are that time will catch up 

with him. After all, he sings, he’s seen too many 

rigs on the road go up in flames with the driver 

still inside. He’s also run across too many crazy 

driving “punks” and more than his share of 

drunks that leave him wondering how much 

longer he’ll remain unscathed. 

Aside from the fear of continuing to drive, 

The Willis Brothers tell us of the various maladies 

the trucker has come down with over the years. 

Thanks to the diesel, he claims he can see, he 

can’t smell and he can’t hear. (I guess if enough 

diesel residue builds up in one’s system, at least 

three of the five senses can be permanently 

damaged.) The only sense the driver claims to 

have left is being used up trying to keep his rig 

on the road. And how about those kidneys? I 

suppose 22 years of chain coffee-drinking does a 

number on those as well. 

With that, two minutes and 19 seconds 

later, we are left assume the trucker arrives in 

Memphis, where he turns in his papers and 

puts his truck up for sale. 

Until next time, scoot on over to Bob Perry’s 

column on Page 6, and check out the back 

issues of The Trucker, too. Bob offers up some 

good advice to help you stay healthy out there 

on the road. 8 

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14 • AUGUST 1-14, 2021 


at the TRUCK STOP 

PRESENTED 

BY CAT SCALE. 

VISIT WEIGHMYTRUCK.COM 

As a world traveler, Carina BeeBe finds comfort, 

happiness behind the wheel 

HANNAH BUTLER | STAFF WRITER 

DE BORGIA, Mont. — Carina BeeBe knows 

the pressures of life on the road, both across 

the U.S. and abroad. She’s got a powerhouse of 

world traveling under her belt as a truck driver. 

As a world traveler, BeeBe said the life of a 

truck driver always appealed to her. Her days 

are filled with her sole passion — to enjoy life 

through travel. 

“I like the freedom to meet new people and 

to see places. I like the feeling of having a bigass 

truck under my butt,” she laughed. “I’ve 

always (traveled), and it’s a hobby as well, not 

only work. I really enjoy every day when I get 

into the truck, I’m happy. To me, it’s just enjoyable 

that I can see other places than a computer 

screen.” 

For a time, BeeBe worked as a CDL instructor. 

That’s the closest she’s gotten to leaving the 

trucking industry. Her stint as an instructor 

was short-lived, and she came back to over-theroad 

trucking with energy and excitement. 

It’s been a little over 20 years since BeeBe, 

a native of the Netherlands, first started her 

truck-driving career in Europe. She started out 

hauling curtain vans, then moved on to refrigerated 

trailers and delivered flowers and plants to 

Italy, Spain, Austria, Switzerland and France. In 

total, Beebe’s professional driving career in Europe 

took her across 10 countries. 

Although Europe was her home and she was 

able to travel to many countries, BeeBe said it 

was a challenge to keep up with all the rules and 

regulations of truck driving. 

The typical American trucker may complain 

about issues such as the electronic logging device 

(ELD) or inadequate parking. To BeeBe, it’s 

a step up from what she experienced in Europe. 

Believe it or not, she said, it’s easier for her to 

find a place to park here, and truck stops are 

bigger and more accommodating in the U.S. 

“Over here, it’s an easy cakewalk compared to 

Europe,” she said. “In Europe, they have all kinds 

of goofy things, like four-and-a half hours and 

a 45-minute break; then they split up the hours 

and it’s just goofy and a pain in the butt. If you 

mess up, then they will fine you dearly for it.” 

In addition, she explained, different countries 

have different fine rules. If a rule is broken 

according to a Netherlands rule, and the 

truck driver is pulled over in Ireland, authority 

figures can fine the driver for the Netherlands 

regulation. 

“I do miss (driving in Europe in some ways; 

it’s a little bit less strict. For example, you can 

have a glass of wine in the evening, and nobody 

[cares],” she laughed. “But on the other hand, 

I’ve always 

(traveled), and 

it’s a hobby as 

well, not only work. I 

really enjoy every day 

when I get into the truck, 

I’m happy. To me, it’s 

just enjoyable that I can 

see other places than a 

computer screen.” 

— CARINA BEEBE, 

PROFESSIONAL DRIVER 

the hours and the ELD is way more complicated, 

and it’s a pain in the butt.” 

In the midst of dealing with the challenges 

of driving professionally in Europe, BeeBe said 

she had a wakeup call when one of her friends 

died at a young age — and BeeBe realized she 

wasn’t going to live forever. 

“And I was ready for a new adventure and 

driving a big-ass Peterbilt,” she laughed, adding 

that she sees Peterbilt trucks as an American 

icon. 

So, she moved to North America and became 

a cross-border driver between the U.S. 

and Canada for Wilson Logistics. While she 

enjoyed her two years with Wilson, she recently 

started her own trucking company and bought 

her own truck. She’s now the owner of Dutch 

Girl Trucking, fitting for her roots. 

While on the road, BeeBe travels with Jack, 

a Pomeranian-mix rat terrier, by her side. She 

laughingly says she got a dog to make sure she 

regularly gets her “butt out of the truck and 

walks.” 

“I have a tendency to get lazy and I don’t 

want to,” she said. “I like to stay active, so as 

soon as I stop somewhere I’ll go take him for a 

walk, and in the evenings, if it’s nice weather, I’ll 

go out for a longer walk.” 

BeeBe has traveled all around the world — 

and has seen every U.S. state, except for Maine 

— yet she’s a sucker for Montana. She can’t 

help it; the U.S. West is now her home, and 

she’s reminded as such every time she wanders 

out and about. 

“I like the weather, even though in the wintertime 

it can sometimes be a pain in the butt 

— but it’s not bad,” she said. BeeBe now lives in 

the tiny town of De Borgia, Montana. It’s just 

SEE BEEBE ON PAGE 16 

Courtesy: Carina BeeBe 

Top: Professional driver Carina BeeBe is a native of the Netherlands and has been driving for more 

than 20 years. Her career has spanned multiple European countries. While she enjoyed her two years 

with Wilson, she recently started her own trucking company and bought her own truck. She’s now the 

owner of Dutch Girl Trucking. Bottom: While on the road, BeeBe always has Jack, a Pomeranian-rat 

terrier mix, by her side.

CATTheTrucker051421 fullpage.qxp_Layout 1 5/14/21 3:58 PM Page 1 


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16 • AUGUST 1-14, 2021 PERSPECTIVE 

Some might view Christ as ‘original truck driver’ 

CHAPLAIN’S 

CORNER 

REV. MARILOU COINS 

August is a month of transition. Yes, it’s 

still summer but we are thinking of fall. 

Schools will soon be in session. We already 

see all the fall decorations in the stores. 

Of course, as a truck driver, you already 

know the rush is on for the fall and winter 

seasonal events ahead. In addition to fall 

goods, you’re probably delivering products 

for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas 

and other holidays. As a truck driver, you’re 

the one who delivers all the goodies that 

put the smiles on the faces of the nation. 

Just what is your concept of a trucker? 

Let me tell you how I see truckers. 

Truckers comes in all sizes and colors. 

They are the embodiment of progress with 

diesel fumes in their hair. They make a living 

maneuvering 10 tons of steel along 

the highways. They haul the needs of the 

nation. They are big business with a road 

map. And when the tires sing, the road is 

straight and the moon shines bright on a 

ribbon of cross-country highway, drivers 

are the happiest and the most useful people 

in America. If you were born 200 years 

ago, you might have been a buccaneer or a 

soldier of fortune, or maybe a Pony Express 

driver or a wagon master. 

And when truckers find themselves in 

need of a little “time out” with Christ, they 

need a minister who knows their needs and 

can relate to them. 

Because I was a trucker, I believe I can 

share Christ with drivers in special ways. I 

know the hurts and pitfalls of the road. The 

heartache can sometimes get a driver down, 

and having someone you can open up with 

and find a connection with is important. 

Writing this column is my way of giving 

truckers a way to find Christ in their lives. 

Did you know that Christ could be considered 

the original delivery “driver”? Just 

look at Christ and you can see his role as 

a truck driver. First, God can be viewed 

as the original dispatcher. He dispatched 

Jesus to the world. Then Jesus delivered 

healing (medical supplies), teaching (school 

books and lessons) and even food to feed 

the people. Jesus traveled many roads, delivering 

all these supplies to all the people 

along the way. 

And if you read in your Bible about all 

the traveling that Jesus did, you will notice 

also that he took time out to rest — just as 

you, the trucker, rest after your hours of 

service. 

But, now let’s look at the rest of the journey 

in the life of Jesus. 

At the end of his route, Jesus carried our 

load of sins to Calvary. He died on the cross 

for us and unloaded our sins at Hell’s gate. 

Christ then was dispatched back home to 

heaven, just as each driver returns home 

after a long haul. 

But it doesn’t end there. Jesus will be 

coming back as he promised, and his return 

load will be transporting all of those who 

are faithful to him to spend an eternity in 

heaven. 

Are you seeing how you can view Jesus 

as the original truck driver? Jesus brought 

us salvation from sin. You, as a trucker, 

bring “salvation” to mankind here on earth 

by delivering the material needs to people 

here on earth. 

Don’t ever think that you are not important, 

because you are. Without truckers, no 

one would have the clothing, food, shelter 

and other essentials needed for survival. 

Jesus, as our truck driver, is our salvation 

from sin. The road to heaven was paved 

by his shed blood. He brought us healing 

from sin. He taught us how to live through 

his teachings. He fed us the bread of life and 

the cup of salvation (communion). Every 

time you take communion, you are fed with 

the life of Christ. 

Always remember that you are important 

to the world. Jesus is important because 

he hauled your sins to Calvary and 

left them at Hell’s gate. Because of this, you 

can claim the promise of eternal life. 

Best of the roads and all gears forward 

in Jesus, 

Rev. Marilou Coins 8 

BEEBE cont. from Page 14 


got a post office and a restaurant, but it’s the 

way she likes it: peaceful. 

“It’s not really big, but that’s OK, you know. 

I’m on the road a lot anyway, so when I’m 

home it’s just nice and peaceful and I really enjoy 

that,” she said. “You can hike everywhere 

and there’s lakes and it’s just beautiful.” 

Even when BeeBe isn’t driving a truck, she 

says most of her time is spent on the road. 

Traveling is her sole purpose, and she plans to 

keep trucking, whether she’s paid or not. 

“I’m really dedicated to trucking, and I like 

to travel a lot,” she said. “So, if I’m not trucking, 

I’m traveling.” 

Because of that dedication and passion for 

trucking, BeeBe was recognized this year as 

the May Member of the Month by the Women 

In Trucking (WIT) Association. 

Because she grew up in Europe, BeeBe tries 

to visit every year. Over the past year, COVID 

brought much of her traveling, other than 

work, to a halt. However, she recently took a 

trip to California, and she plans to soon visit 

friends in Tennessee. 

When recreational travel is allowed, BeeBe 

said the first place she’ll visit in Europe is the 

Netherlands to see her family. After that, she 

hopes to vacation in Mexico over Christmas. 

No matter where she finds herself, BeeBe 

said she is always struck by the kindness of her 

trucking family across the world. 

“With the old-school truck drivers, it’s 

like family,” she said. “It doesn’t matter where 

you’re at, if you’re talking to a truck driver, you 

always have something to [talk] about, and we 

help each other out.” 8 

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BUSINESS 


Class 8 trucks hit lowest inventory in years 

PARTS SHORTAGES, RECORD MATERIAL PRICES KEEP TRACTOR SALES ‘MUSHY’ 

CLIFF ABBOTT | SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT 

Parts shortages and dwindling inventories are holding 

back what should be a robust new Class 8 truck market, 

according to Kenny Vieth, president and senior analyst 

at ACT Research (actresearch.net). 

“The industry is still having just the hardest time 

building units,” he told The Trucker. “Inventories are super 

low. And so sales, at least on a seasonally adjusted 

basis, have really softened up.” 

According to ACT, 20,369 new Class 8 trucks were 

sold in June on the U.S. market. That’s an 8.6% improvement 

over May sales of 18,761 and a whopping 50.1% better 

than June 2020 sales of just 13,567. Last year, the market 

was just beginning to recover from its lowest point of 

9,510 trucks moved in May. 

A better comparison might be the 25,607 Class 8 

trucks sold in June 2019, when the backlog of orders was 

shrinking as assembly lines reached for maximum output. 

June 2021 sales trailed that figure by 5,238 (20.4%). 

June is typically a strong sales month for trucks, in 

part because it’s the final month of the second quarter. 

When profits are strong, carriers tend to invest in new 

equipment at the end of each quarter. Investments reduce 

the amount of profit that must be reported and the 

taxes that are paid on that profit. 

Vieth said inventories haven’t been this low in years. 

“I have to go back to June of 2017 to find a lower inventory 

number,” he said. 

Record prices for steel and other materials haven’t 

helped. Global shortages of plastics, parts and, especially, 

semiconductors are keeping production levels down, too. 

“All these supply chain constraints are just making it 

very difficult for the industry to shift into to another gear 

for production,” Vieth explained. 

“Semiconductors is the big one, because semiconductors 

go into so many different products used on a 

truck, like door actuators or instrument panel clusters,” 

he stressed. “There are silicon chips all over the place.” 

A single vehicle can use more than 100 semiconductor 

“chips” in parts as small as a turn-signal indicator up to 

All these supply chain 

constraints are just 

making it very difficult for the 

industry to shift into to another 

gear for production.” 

— KENNY VIETH, PRESIDENT AND SENIOR 

ANALYST AT ACT RESEARCH 

the electronic control modules (ECMs) in engines and 

transmissions. Modern electronics-based safety equipment, 

such as collision avoidance, vehicle stabilization 

and lane departure, also require semiconductors. 

In a typical recession, some industries are able to 

amass large inventories of products while sales are 

down. When the recovery begins, products are available 

to get the process moving quickly. That didn’t happen 

with semiconductors during the COVID-19 recession 

because consumers continued to purchase items 

that use them while they were at home. Phones, televisions 

and other appliances that use the chips ate up 

stockpiled inventory. 

Estimates for declines in production of automobiles, 

a huge sector of the U.S. economy, range from a 1.5 million 

to upwards of 5 million, and truck builders are facing 

the same problems. 

If you’re thinking of ordering a new Class 8 truck, as 

25,800 others did in June, plan on a long wait until delivery. 

The current backlog will take a year to build at current 

production rates. 

The impact of steel prices is also being felt. Data 

shows that 5,105 of the Class 8 tractors sold in June 

(about 25.1% of the total sold) were for the vocational 

SEE MUSHY ON PAGE 19 

iStock Photo 

For the first six months of 2021, 39% of new Class 8 trucks sold were Freightliners. 

Kenworth held a 14.1% share of sales, while Peterbilt held 15.3%. International enjoys 

11.7% of the new truck market. Volvo is next with 9.5% and Mack with 7.9%. 

iStock Photo 

Knight-Swift Transportation has entered the less-than-truckload market with the acquisition 

of AAA Cooper. 

Knight-Swift Transportation acquires 

LTL carrier AAA Cooper for $1.35 billion 


PHOENIX — Last month, Knight-Swift Transportation 

Holdings Inc. acquired 100% of Dothan, 

Alabama-based AAA Cooper Transportation. AAA 

Cooper is a less-than-truckload (LTL) carrier that 

also offers dedicated contract carriage and ancillary 

services. The enterprise value of the transaction was 

$1.35 billion. 

“We have long had interest in the LTL space and 

admired the success of AAA Cooper,” said Dave Jackson, 

CEO of Knight-Swift. “We feel honored to be 

stewards of the AAA Cooper brand and, similar to 

previous acquisitions, AAA Cooper will continue to 

operate independently, while benefitting from the 

many synergies we expect through Knight-Swift.” 

The purchase price consideration consisted of 

$1.3 billion in cash, $10 million in Knight-Swift shares 

and approximately $40 million in assumed debt, net 

of cash. Cash for the transaction was funded by a new 

$1.2 billion term loan provided by Bank of America to 

Knight-Swift. The transaction is expected to be immediately 

accretive to Knight-Swift’s adjusted earnings 

per share. 

Reid Dove, CEO of AAA Cooper, has been appointed 

to the Knight-Swift board of directors and will continue 

to serve as the CEO of AAA Cooper. 

“In seeking our first LTL partner, we had three 

main requirements — the scale for entry with significant 

market share, the profitability and management 

depth to operate independently and provide 

a platform for compelling growth opportunities, 

SEE LTL ACQUISITION ON PAGE 19

18 • AUGUST 1-14, 2021 BUSINESS 


SAFETY SERIES 

Little-known hazard 

TRAILER DOORS PRESENT A DANGER MANY 

DRIVERS DON’T THINK ABOUT 


You’ve carefully planned your trip and 

arrived without a hitch, remaining vigilant 

about safety. The trip went without a hitch 

and you’re ready to back up to the dock to 

unload. You get lined up and walk to the rear 

of the trailer to open the doors. You’re already 

thinking ahead to your next load, or maybe a 

little home time. 

You remove the seal, move the door latches 

and …. 

What happens next can depend on the process 

you follow. Far too often, the routine act 

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of opening trailer doors results in driver injury 

and has caused death. The rear of the trailer is 

not a place to let down your guard. 

If the load you picked up was a “drop and 

hook” load, always check the door hardware — 

hinges and latches — for cracks, missing bolts 

or other issues. Trailer doors are heavy and can 

cause damage and injury if they fall. 

One problem inherent with enclosed trailers 

is that cargo can shift. Shippers and drivers 

have methods to help reduce cargo movement. 

Pallets are often shrink-wrapped and have bags, 

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iStock Photo 

Wind is something to keep in mind when opening trailer doors. A trailer door has plenty of surface area for the wind to 

catch. That means the door can fly open or closed with enough force to knock a person down, or worse. 

pallets or other objects placed between them 

to hold them in place. Rubber pads, straps and 

load-locks help stabilize freight. 

For some loads, these measures are enough 

to prevent shifting. Some loads, however, seem 

to have a mind of their own. Road vibrations 

and the stresses exerted on the trailer while 

moving can cause freight to move, tumble and 

fall — all unseen until the doors are opened. 

Just a single box of freight, if falling to the 

ground from near the top of the trailer, can be 

deadly. When there’s an avalanche of freight 

from a tipped pallet near the door, you may not 

be able to step out of the way in time, especially 

if you’re concentrating on watching where you 

walk or reseating the door latches so they don’t 

dangle. 

Fallen freight can push against the back side 

of the door with enough force to push it open 

violently when the latches are loosened. You 

could be struck by the sharp edges or corners of 

the door, or you could simply be pushed backward 

hard enough to lose your balance and fall. 

That puts you on the ground — right where 

those heavy boxes are heading. 

You can actually use the doors themselves 

as barriers against falling freight. By keeping 

the door between your body and the freight, 

you’ll have a shield that can knock down falling 

items, so they fall on the ground in front of you 

instead of on you. 

Once one door is unlatched, position yourself 

behind the other door — the one that is still 

latched. Open the door a crack and look inside. 

If nothing is in danger of falling, go ahead and 

fully open the door, hooking the retention chain 

to hold it open. Some drivers use a bungee cord 

to help ensure that the door doesn’t come loose 

while backing in or from wind. 

A flashlight makes it easier to check for 

fallen or shifted freight. Modern LED flashlights 

are inexpensive, and batteries last a long 

time. It’s a good idea to carry one when you’ll be 

opening doors. 

With one door open, inspect the freight behind 

the other door. If it looks safe, open that 

door and hook it to its retaining chain. 

Another consideration when opening trailer 

doors is wind. A trailer door has plenty of 

surface area for the wind to catch. That means 

the door can fly open or closed with enough 

force to knock a person down, or worse, hit the 

person, causing injury or death. Make sure you 

have a firm grip on the door so you aren’t 

surprised. 

Roll-up doors, more commonly used for 

LTL and local freight, come with their own set 

of hazards. Most roll-up doors are assisted by 

a spring mechanism that helps make the door 

easier to lift. If the spring breaks or the mechanism 

fails, the door can close suddenly, damaging 

anything or anyone that gets in the way. 

Roll-up doors also have more hinges and 

fastening devices that can rust or break, and 

they can come off of the roller system they are 

mounted on. When you open the door, check 

the cables for fraying or damage, and look for 

damaged or missing tracks, bolts or anything 

else that should be reported. 

Some trailers are equipped with side doors. 

These need to be checked for proper operation, 

too. 

Curtainside trailers are generally treated 

like an enclosed flatbed, but freight can shift 

unseen behind the curtains, so caution is needed 

opening these up as well. 

Driver injuries can also happen because of 

parking lot hazards. Potholes, loose stones, trash 

or other objects can cause a trip or a twisted ankle. 

If you’re concentrating on safely opening the 

doors and looking for loose or falling freight, you 

might miss a ground-level obstacle. 

The best practice is to inspect the area 

you’ll be walking on; then inspect door hinges 

and latches; then proceed to carefully open the 

doors, always keeping a door between yourself 

and the cargo. Keep a firm grip on the door until 

it is securely latched open. 

When backing into the dock — or pulling 

out of one — be sure to look in both west coast 

mirrors. It’s easy to focus on the left mirror 

while backing, but brief looks in the right mirror 

will help you know if a door comes loose 

from its chain. Loose doors can cause damage 

to trailers and other vehicles or can be damaged 

by striking another trailer or even slamming 

shut. 

If you see a door swinging freely, put on 

the parking brake, get out and secure it before 

proceeding. 

There are enough hazards in trucking already, 

without the dangers involved with trailer 

doors. Following a safe process for opening and 

closing them, including keeping your footing 

secure, will help you stay healthy and ready for 

the rigors of the road. 8

THETRUCKER.COM BUSINESS 

AUGUST 1-14, 2021 • 19 

Transflo Lite offers free version of 

workflow tools app for drivers 


TAMPA, Fla. — Transflo now offers a free 

mobile version of its cloud-based platform 

designed for company drivers and owner-operators. 

Transflo Lite, a free suite of workflow 

tools that can be used on mobile smartphones 

and tablets, was released in late July. 

Using the Transflo Lite app, drivers will be 

able to scan, send and receive workflow documents, 

including electronic bills of lading 

(eBOL) and proofs of delivery (ePOD). These 

contactless document transfers will help ensure 

driver safety and limit time spent at shippers 

and receivers, according to Transflo. 

In addition to document management, 

Transflo Lite provides free access to the Transflo 

SEE TRANSFLO ON PAGE 26 

Courtesy: Transflo 

No-contact document management, driver emergency 

assistance and many other services are available on the 

free Transflo Lite app. 

MUSHY cont. from Page 17 

market. The bodies these tractors will be fitted 

with, whether trash, dump, concrete or other, 

all require steel for construction. 

Those who are thinking of turning to the 

used truck market for relief aren’t likely to find 

answers. Used Class 8 volumes fell by 6% in 

June, according to ACT’s latest “State of the 

Industry, U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks.” 

More telling is that, despite year-to-date 

numbers showing that 2021 sales are 23% 

higher than the same point in 2020, June actually 

registered a decrease of 12% from June 

2020 numbers. 

While sales numbers were falling, the average 

price of a used truck rose by 5%. The ACT 

report states that on a year-to-date basis, average 

used truck prices are up by a whopping 

38% while inventories have fallen drastically. 

Steve Tam, vice president and analyst at 

ACT, put it this way: “The simple law of supply 

and demand has created a scarcity situation, 

and there is no viable substitute to the venerable 

Class 8 truck. Hence, prices are through 

the roof, with no relief in sight.” 

Circling back to new trucks, Western Star 

showed the biggest month-over-month sales 

increase, according to data received from 

Wards Intelligence (wardsintelligence.com). 

The company sold 601 trucks in June compared 

to 447 in May for an increase of 34.5%. 

The biggest sales increase in terms of numbers 

rather than percentages, however, goes 

to International, which sold 3,043 new Class 8 

trucks in June, an improvement of 766 (33.6%) 

over May sales of 2,277 and 76% better than 

sales of 1,729 in June 2020. 

Freightliner sales improved by 773 trucks 

to 7,426 for a gain of 11.6%. 

Kenworth and Peterbilt were the only two 

OEMs to register declines in sales for June. 

Kenworth’s 2,743 was down 6% from May sales 

of 2,919. Peterbilt sales declined by 2.8% to 

2,851 from May sales of 2,933. 

Volvo’s 1,472 trucks sold in June bested 

May’s 1,413 by 4.2%, while Mack’s 1,704 was 

10.3% better than May’s 1,545. 

For the first six months of 2021, 39% of 

new Class 8 trucks sold were Freightliners. 

That’s up from the 36.3% of the market they 

controlled in 2020. Kenworth’s 14.1% share 

of sales is down from the 15.3% they enjoyed 

last year, while Peterbilt’s 15.3% share has improved 

from last year’s 14.2%. 

International enjoys 11.7% of the new 

truck market compared to last year’s 12.6%. 

Volvo is next with 9.5%, down a little from last 

year’s 9.7%, and Mack’s 7.9% is down from last 

year’s 8.3%. 

Comparisons are difficult, however, considering 

the COVID-19 recession of last year 

and the parts shortages holding back production 

this year. 

The bottom line for 2021 is that if you want 

a new truck, you’ll probably have to order it, 

and the wait will be long. If you want a used 

truck, it’ll be hard to find, and the price will be 

high when (and if) you find it. 8 

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LTL ACQUISITION cont. from Page 17 

and a world class culture,” Jackson said. 

“We were excited to have identified AAA 

Cooper as a partner that meets all three requirements, 

and I couldn’t be happier to 

finally find the right time for both of us to 

create a partnership,” he continued. “This 

transaction firmly positions us as a meaningful 

player in the LTL space, where we intend 

to grow both organically and through future 

acquisitions.” 

Dove noted that joining the Knight-Swift 

team is “an exciting combination for the AAA 

Cooper team members and customers.” 

“It will allow us to pursue new opportunities 

and accelerate our growth. We will 

continue to operate as an independent company, 

headquartered in Dothan, Alabama, 

and will do so with the support and partnership 

of the strongest provider in the full 

truckload space,” Dove said. “This is the fusion 

of two excellent companies in their respective 

sectors of the transportation industry, 

which makes this a win for our people, 

our customers and for the newly expanded 

Knight-Swift team.” 8

20 • AUGUST 1-14, 2021 


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EQUIPMENT & TECH 

AUGUST 1-14, 2021 • 21 

CVSA Brake Safety Week: August 22-28 

PREPARE FOR BRAKE INSPECTIONS TO AVOID DELAYS AND VIOLATIONS 


The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance 

(CVSA) would like drivers to stop in for an inspection 

of their vehicle’s braking system. If you 

can stop, that is. 

The CVSA will be conducting its annual 

Brake Safety Week Aug. 22-28. Inspectors will 

be conducting North American Standard Inspections 

of commercial motor vehicles, with a 

focus on braking systems and components. Just 

like the 2020 Brake Safety Week, the focus will 

once again be on brake hoses and tubing. 

According to CVSA, “Brake system and 

brake adjustment violations accounted for 

more vehicle violations than any other vehicle 

violation category, accounting for 38.6% of all 

vehicle out-of-service (OOS) conditions, during 

last year’s three-day International Roadcheck 

inspection and enforcement initiative.” 

The release noted that more than 5,200 of 

the 43,565 commercial vehicles inspected in 

the 2020 event were placed OOS for brakerelated 

violations. That’s 12% of the total 

violations. 

Inspection violations find their way onto 

the CSA records of both the carrier that owns 

the truck and the driver. In the driver’s case, 

those violations show up on the Pre-employment 

Screening Program (PSP) report that 

prospective employers may review. Each violation 

is assigned a score that some employers 

use in their driver hiring decisions. 

Sadly, many of those failed brake inspections 

would have been preventable with just a little 

attention from the driver. 

For example, violations such as “brake hose 

or tubing chafing or kinking under vehicle” 

(FMCSR 393.45(b)2) are generally easy to observe. 

When hoses rub together, wear (or “chafing”) 

occurs. A variety of springs and retention 

devices exist to keep hoses from rubbing 

together or coming into contact with catwalks, 

the ground or other objects. Those devices 

sometimes require attention or readjustment 

to make sure they’re still doing the job. 

Hoses under the trailer are another culprit. 

As trailer tandems are slid back and forth, 

springs holding air lines off the ground can kink 

or become weakened. These lines aren’t as accessible; 

the driver may have to crawl under 

the trailer and may need a flashlight to inspect 

them properly. Picking up a preloaded trailer 

from a dark lot at a customer location doesn’t 

present a good opportunity for inspection, 

and drivers are often surprised when they find 

SEE BRAKES ON PAGE 22 

Courtesy: CVSA 

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) will be conducting its annual Brake Safety Week Aug. 22-28. 

As it was in 2020, the brake safety inspections will focus on hosing and tubing. 

Cummins to produce natural gas 

powertrains for commercial vehicles 

Courtesy: Volvo Trucks North America 

Volvo Trucks North America now offers the fifth generation of Bendix’s SafetyDirect Processor as a 

factory-installed option on Volvo VNL, VNR and VHD models. 

Bendix safety systems now factory 

option on some Volvo trucks 


GREENSBORO, N.C. — Volvo Trucks North America is offering the fifth generation 

of the SafetyDirect Processor (SDP5) from Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems 

as a factory-installed option on Volvo VNL, VNR and VHD models. 

The SDP5 Full processor features a driver-facing camera, added digital video recorder 

(DVR) storage and internal battery backup to help prevent data loss. The 

SafetyDirect system is fully integrated with Volvo Active Driver Assist (VADA), leveraging 

the flagship collision mitigation technology on select Volvo Class 8 models. 

“Customer safety continues to be at the forefront of Volvo Trucks’ core values, 

and we are committed to offering the latest in-cab safety technology,” said Ashley 

Murickan, product marketing manager for Volvo Trucks North America. “By 

SEE VOLVO ON PAGE 22 


DALLAS/FORTH WORTH and COLUMBUS, 

Ind. — Cummins Inc. and Rush Enterprises Inc. 

on June 29 signed a letter of intent for Cummins 

to acquire 50% equity interest in Rush Enterprises’ 

Momentum Fuel Technologies. Momentum Fuel 

Technologies offers the industry’s first complete 

compressed natural gas (CNG) fuel system solution 

for Classes 6-8 trucks, according to a company 

statement. 

“This collaboration shows Cummins’ continued 

commitment to natural gas powertrains,” said 

Srikanth Padmanabhan, president of the engine 

business at Cummins. “This partnership will improve 

customers service for both compressed natural 

gas (CNG) and renewable natural gas (RNG) 

through an improved support network. We are 

thrilled to expand our network of clean and reliable 

power solutions.” 

The proposed transaction is expected to close 

later this year, subject to completion of customary 

pre-closing activities and entering into mutually 

agreeable transaction documentation. The joint 

venture between Rush Enterprises and Cummins 

will produce Cummins-branded natural gas fuel delivery 

systems for the commercial vehicle market in 

North America. 

This collaboration shows 

Cummins’ continued 

commitment to natural gas 

powertrains. This partnership will 

improve customers service for 

both compressed natural gas and 

renewable natural gas through an 

improved support network. 

— SRIKANTH PADMANABHAN, PRESIDENT 

OF THE ENGINE BUSINESS AT CUMMINS 

“The immediate environmental benefits of CNG 

and RNG, combined with upcoming regulatory requirements, 

will drive growth in natural gas vehicles 

for the foreseeable future,” said W.M. Rush, CEO and 

president of Rush Enterprises “This partnership 

will enable Rush Enterprises to continue to provide 

unparalleled support to our customers through 

our mutual, wide-ranging portfolio of Cummins’ 

SEE CUMMINS ON PAGE 22

22 • AUGUST 1-14, 2021 EQUIPMENT & TECH 


BRAKES cont. from Page 21 

damage later — or when they fail an 

inspection. 

During the 2020 inspection week, nearly 

21% of hose or tube chafing violations were 

severe enough to earn an OOS order. Hoses 

must be worn completely through the first 

ply with damage to reinforcement fibers to 

warrant OOS. 

Those violations are unfortunate, because 

it really isn’t difficult to check brake 

hoses. The hoses that connect the tractor 

and trailer are easily accessible. If the driver 

hooks up to different trailers, the hoses may 

be handled often. Light wear can occur relatively 

quickly and isn’t an OOS condition; 

it’s when the wear has been going on long 

enough to compromise the integrity of the 

hose that the condition becomes evident. 

Because the brake lines are under pressure, 

any leaks usually produce an audible 

“hiss” that can be detected with a simple 

walk-around check. It’s never a bad idea to 

shut the truck off and walk around it when 

stopping for a rest break or other purpose. 

A common violation that’s harder to 

keep up with is “clamp or roto brake out 

of adjustment.” Since 1994, new trucks and 

trailers have been required to have brakes 

that automatically adjust. Most drivers do 

not check the adjustment of their brakes — 

and wouldn’t know how to adjust them, anyway. 

Many carriers don’t allow their drivers 

to adjust brakes. 

One OOS violation that drivers deal 

with is “BRAKES OUT OF SERVICE: The 

number of defective brakes is equal to 

or greater than 20% of the service brakes 

on the vehicle or combination” (FMCSR 

393.53b). The math is pretty easy. A fiveaxle 

tractor-trailer combination has 10 

brake assemblies, either drums, discs or 

something else. Each brake assembly that 

is out of adjustment represents 10% of the 

total, so it only takes two for the vehicle to 

be placed OOS. 

There’s another issue with violations related 

to brakes that drivers should be aware 

of. Brakes that are out of adjustment often 

DRIVE 

THE DIFFERENCE 

receive TWO violations for the same problem, 

one for being out of adjustment and a 

second for the automatic slack adjuster not 

working properly ( failing to keep the brake 

in adjustment.) Each violation is valued at 

four points by CSA, so the double whammy 

of just one out-of-adjustment brake shows 

up as eight points against the driver’s PSP. 

To be sure, it isn’t accurate to assume 

that the 12% of vehicles placed OOS in last 

year’s event represents 12% of all trucks on 

the road. That’s because different jurisdictions 

use a variety of criteria in deciding 

which trucks to inspect. Some may inspect 

at random, pulling in the next truck that 

comes into the scale when an inspector becomes 

available. At many inspection sites, 

however, the selection is anything but 

random. 

At some locations, inspectors observe 

trucks as they are pulling across a scale at 

slow speeds, picking trucks that are older 

or appear to be in poor repair for inspection. 

Other jurisdictions might focus on 

trucks serving a particular industry, such 

CUMMINS cont. from Page 21 

and RushCare aftermarket solutions and keep 

trucks up and running across the country.” 

The joint venture will offer aftermarket 

support through Rush Truck Centers dealerships 

and Cummins distributors which will 

be able to service both the engine and the 

fuel delivery system. The partnership between 

VOLVO cont. from Page 21 

leveraging data in near real time, the Safety- 

Direct system and its family of SDP5 processor 

technology enables fleet managers to assess 

driving trends and develop targeted training 

that addresses the actual issues taking place 

on the road.” 

The SDP5 driver-facing camera produces a 

high-resolution color image, supported by infrared 

technology for better visibility in low light 

conditions. Forward-facing and driver-facing 

cameras record continuously for up to 145 

hours. The two camera angles help fleet managers 

better assess what has happened in front of 

the vehicle, as well as inside the driver cabin. 

“One of the advantages of the newest generation 

processor, the SDP5 Full, is certainly 

as logging or intermodal. Some focus on 

large carriers, while others may target 

owner-operators. 

Some inspectors utilize the Inspection 

Selection System (ISS), which assigns a numerical 

score to each carrier based on past 

inspection results and other factors. Under 

this system, trucks that are more likely to 

have mechanical violations are selected for 

inspection. 

Some inspectors utilize infrared camera 

technology to identify truck wheels that are 

hotter or colder than other wheels on the 

truck, indicating a potential brake malfunction. 

And sometimes, inspections are just a 

matter of luck. 

It’s always a good idea to thoroughly 

inspect braking systems and make sure everything 

is in proper working order. During 

Brake Safety Week, too many drivers will be 

issued citations or placed OOS for issues 

that could have been found in a pre-trip inspection. 

Being prepared helps the driver 

avoid delays and provides the added benefit 

of making the roads safer for everyone. 8 

Cummins and Rush Enterprises will benefit 

customers by providing them with access to 

an extensive CNG vehicle parts and service 

network. Both Cummins’ and Rush Enterprises’ 

respective networks, which together represent 

over 250 locations in the U.S. and Canada, 

will be equipped with certified technicians 

and access to a comprehensive CNG vehicle 

parts inventory. 8 

the driver-facing camera,” said TJ Thomas, director 

of marketing and customer solutions for 

Bendix. “The camera’s wide field of view helps 

capture the adjacent cab environment for a 

more complete analysis of what happens inside 

the cab during an event — including driver behavior 

and decision making or the presence of 

a passenger — providing critical information 

that aids in driver coaching.” 

In 2020, Volvo Trucks made the SafetyDirect 

SDP5 Base processor with Wi-Fi connectivity 

and DVR storage available on Volvo VNL, VNR 

and VHD models, and it remains a factory-installed 

option. The SDP5 Base processor can record 

up to 83 hours of video. The new SDP5 Full 

option increases that capacity by 70%, provides 

additional DVR storage and adds the driverfacing 

camera, all supported by the internal 

battery backup. 8 

JOIN OUR DRIVING TEAM 

At Penske, success behind the wheel is kind of 

in our DNA. Our professional truck drivers are 

the best in the business. 

If you want to work at an industry-leading 

company and move freight for some of the 

world’s biggest brands, we want you to join 

our team of safe, professional drivers. 

Call now: 855-CDL-PENSKE 

Apply online at driver.penske.jobs 

Penske is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 

CHARGE WHILE YOU ROLL 

COURTESY: MAGMENT/OFER VAKNIN 

MORE THAN YOU REALIZE ® 

The Indiana Department of Transportation and Purdue University plan to use magnetizable concrete, developed 

by German startup Magment GmbH, that can enable wireless charging of electric vehicles as they drive over 

the surface. Shown here is the Peace Interchange in Tel Aviv, Israel, the site of a wireless charging project using 

Magment’s technology.

FEATURES 


Nursing a new 

business 

PANDEMIC LEADS FAMILY DOWN UNIQUE PATH TO 

TRUCKING ENTREPRENEURSHIP 

DWAIN HEBDA | SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT 

COVINGTON, La. — While Ashley Stewart 

has never sat behind the wheel of a semi, she has 

sure covered a lot of miles to become an owneroperator. 

She and her husband, DeAntonio Stewart, 

launched their trucking company, Keeping Up with 

the Stewart’s, earlier this year. 

Stewart, who’s a registered nurse by trade, 

has balanced the new venture with her doubleduty 

work at Slidell Memorial Hospital in Slidell, 

Louisiana, and St. Bernard Parish Hospital in 

Chalmette, Louisiana. During 10 years of working 

in emergency rooms, she’s seen a little bit of 

everything and anything that could possibly walk 

through the door. 

But last fall, she took an assignment that 

altered her career, both as a nurse and as a budding 

entrepreneur. 

“I took a travel assignment at Baylor Scott & 

White Health in Dallas for COVID in November. I did 

that for six months,” she said. “That was hard. Long 

hours. We had to do 60 hours a week back when 

COVID was still very rampant. So, they were shortstaffed, 

and we had a lot of patients. It took a toll.” 

Between the hectic schedule and crushing 

demands of the assignment, Stewart had precious 

few opportunities during that time to see her 

husband and four children. Thinking of them and 

As a charge nurse and 

a house supervisor, 

you have always look at the 

bigger picture too, like the 

flow and the management of 

things. Learning the trucking 

business, I can really rely on 

how I manage others as a 

nurse, seeing a bigger picture.” 

— ASHLEY STEWART, REGISTERED NURSE 

ON NAVIGATING THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY 

their futures, she began to “percolate” the idea to 

become an owner-operator. 

“I was talking to one of my friends out there, 

another nurse. She actually formed a company with 

her husband. And then there’s a group that I’m part 

of on Facebook where there’s a woman who actually 

SEE NURSING ON PAGE 25 

Courtesy: Ashley and DeAntonio Stewart 

Top: Registered nurse Ashley Stewart, right, and her husband DeAntonio, recently purchased a 2017 

Kenworth T680 and launched their own trucking company. Ashley said she developed the idea while 

helping at a Dallas hospital during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Bottom: DeAntonio, center, is 

shown with their daughters (from left) DehLaila, Leigha, Ava and KynLeigh. The girls chose “Keeping up with 

the Stewart’s” as the name for the company. 

‘We are family’ 

PILOT CO. SURPRISES 40-YEAR DRIVER WITH CUSTOM PETERBILT 


Courtesy: Pilot Co. 

After driving for Pilot Co. for 40 years, truck driver Daniel Abshire was recognized for his years of service with a 

Peterbilt truck. The truck is modeled after the one Abshire’s father, Jim Abshire, drove as a company driver for Pilot. 

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Carrying on a family 

tradition, Daniel Abshire has driven for Pilot 

Co. for more than 40 years. He was honored for 

his contributions during a luncheon on July 7 at 

the company’s sales and support center headquarters. 

Pilot and Peterbilt surprised Abshire 

at the event, presenting him with a custom Peterbilt 

truck that is reminiscent of the rig his 

father, Jim, drove during his tenure at Pilot. 

Hired in 1971, Jim Abshire was the second 

driver ever hired by Pilot. He became the company’s 

first lead driver and drove for Pilot for 

42 years. 

Following in his father’s footsteps, Daniel 

Abshire joined Pilot in 1980 at the age of 21. 

When his father retired from the position of 

lead driver in 2013, Daniel stepped into the 

position. Today he oversees the trucks and 

drivers based in Staunton and Roanoke, Virginia, 

where he resides. 

“The Abshire family and Pilot transportation 

are synonymous,” said Jim Haslam, founder 

and chairman of Pilot. “Daniel is the best. 

And that’s because he learned from the best 

— his father, Jim. This job requires patience, 

endurance and a deep regard for everyone on 

the road. We are very proud of these two long 

and legendary careers, and it’s an honor to 

recognize Daniel for his 40 years at Pilot with 

this specially designed Peterbilt truck.” 

SEE SURPRISE ON PAGE 24

24 • AUGUST 1-14, 2021 FEATURES 

Queen of the Road awards 

REAL WOMEN IN TRUCKING TO HOST 5TH ANNUAL EVENT 



LAS VEGAS — REAL Women in Trucking 

Inc. (RWIT) will host the fifth annual Queen of 

the Road awards amidst the glitz and glamor 

of Las Vegas on Aug. 14. The presentation will 

be held at 6:30 p.m. at the Brio Italian Grille, 

6653 Las Vegas Blvd. South. 

Five women will be honored during this 

year’s ceremony. Angela Baum, Darnise 

Harris and Mary Gomez are the 2021 Queen 

of the Road award recipients, and Brita 

Nowak and Jess Graham will be honored with 

the President’s Choice Trucking Industry 

Trailblazer award. 

Each award recipient will receive a Visa 

gift card, a Queen of the Road commemorative 

plaque, free RWIT membership and a Queen 

of the Road event T-shirt, as well as a prize 

pack from event sponsors. 

Other award nominees include Kenyette 

Godhigh-Bell, Cathy Vanerveer, Rebecka 

Courtesy: REAL Women in Trucking 

Recipients of REAL Women in Trucking’s 2021 Queen of the Road awards are, from left, Angela Baum, Mary Gomez 

and Darnise Harris. Also, Brita Nowak and Jess Graham will be honored with the President’s Choice Trucking Industry 

Trailblazer award. 

Tosh, Chelsey Warren, Robin Mills, Siobhan 

Clark, Nancy Brown, Tamie Cole, Christal 

Ruth, Linda Provence, Linda Arnone, Lesa 

Yo-yo Worley, Veronica Twyman, Kearsey 

Rothlander, Amie Cochran and Constance 

Moseley. 

“Long before ‘diversity’ and ‘inclusion’ 

were trending, REAL Women in Trucking 

was recognizing and supporting remarkable 

matriarchs of the trucking industry — 

women of color, lesbians, transgender 

individuals or those of different religions, 

abilities, backgrounds and identities — who 

were often invisible,” said Desiree Wood, 

president, REAL Women in Trucking. 

The Queen of the Road awards were 

inspired by these women truck drivers, who 

have overcome obstacles and supported others 

in the industry. The Queen of the Road Awards 

is sponsored by RoadPro Family of Brands. 

Those interested in attending this year’s 

awards ceremony can RSVP by emailing 

admin@realwomenintrucking.org. 8 

SURPRISE cont. from Page 23 

Scan here 

to subscribe. 

During his 40-year career, Daniel Abshire has: 

• Driven 2.5 million miles, which is the 

equivalent of five trips to the moon and 

back, or 1,650 trips Knoxville-to-New York 

and back. 

• Amassed 9,800 safety days in the cab 

of his truck, the equivalent of more than 26 

years of safe driving. 

• Delivered more than 200 million gallons 

of fuel, which is the equivalent of 300 Olympic-size 

swimming pools. 

“I’m still in shock,” he said. “I wasn’t expecting 

to be recognized, let alone get a 

new truck to drive that also celebrates my 

dad’s time with Pilot. I remember him driving 

a Peterbilt like this one, and this is my 

dream truck. We’ve always been part of the 

Pilot family, and the team here, especially 

the other drivers, always have been part of 

the Abshire family. That’s not lip service; it’s 

how we operate. This just illustrates how 

true it is. We are family.” 

Both Jim Abshire and Daniel Abshire are 

fans of Peterbilt trucks. Inspired by a photo 

of Jim from the 1970s with his Pilot truck, 

Peterbilt designed the truck that was presented 

to Daniel as a throwback to the 389 

model, with updated red and yellow Pilot 

Flying J graphics. 

“Everyone at Peterbilt would like to congratulate 

Daniel Abshire and the whole Abshire 

family for the millions of miles they 

have spent on the road delivering fuel for the 

Pilot Co.,” said Jason Skoog, Peterbilt general 

manager and PACCAR vice president. “To be 

a part of this celebration is a privilege, and 

we look forward to seeing Daniel on the road 

behind the wheel of his Peterbilt Model 389 

outfitted with a throwback design honoring 

the legacy of his father.” 8

THETRUCKER.COM FEATURES 

AUGUST 1-14, 2021 • 25 

Round up for a good cause 

TRAVELCENTERS OF AMERICA ASKS CUSTOMERS TO 

ROUNDS UP FOR ST. CHRISTOPHER TRUCKERS RELIEF 


WESTLAKE, Ohio — From now until 

Labor Day, TravelCenters of America Inc. 

is asking customers to help raise funds 

for truckers in need by rounding up their 

purchase to the next dollar. All proceeds 

will go to St. Christopher Truckers Relief 

Fund (SCF), an organization that helps 

professional drivers who are out of work due 

to an illness or injury. 

Customers will have the option to round 

up their purchase to the nearest dollar at any 

TA, Petro Stopping Centers or TA Express; 

the option is also available for purchases 

made at the fuel islands. 

“We’re big supporters of St. Christopher 

Truckers Relief Fund,” said Jon Pertchik, CEO 

NURSING cont. from Page 23 

used to be a nurse, and she did the same thing. 

And she’s had a very successful trucking 

business career,” Steward explained. “I had a 

lot of time to think during that assignment. I 

began to wonder, what all goes into it?” 

Stewart floated the idea to her husband, 

who’d driven with local trucking companies 

for some time. With him on board, she began 

researching the ins and outs of starting up the 

business. 

“I mentioned the idea around February, 

and I just kinda kept working toward it,” she 

said. “I watched YouTube video after YouTube 

video all about successful trucking companies. 

I watched The Highway Diva; she’s a truck 

owner and she makes multiple YouTube 

videos. She’s extremely helpful. She drives 

with her daughter sometimes. I commented 

on it, and she commented back to me. She’s 

just great. She’s very friendly. 

“I made a big ol’ check list, and I would 

take notepads and I would just literally make 

lists and I’d write notes. And as I went, I would 

just scratch it off. I did the LLC and applied 

for our own vehicle authority. I just did it 

step by step,” she continued. “That’s what I’d 

tell anyone who wants to do this. I would say, 

‘Take baby steps and research and make lists. 

Just take your time.’” 

Stewart is quick to point out that while she 

was spearheading the effort, the entire family 

had input at some level, from her husband’s 

experience behind the wheel to settling on the 

name of the venture. 

“At first someone said, ‘Stewart Trucking’ 

and I thought, ‘No, I want it to be cute. Stand 

out,’” she said. 

“One of my daughters actually came 

up with the name, ‘Keeping Up with the 

Stewart’s’ which is like ‘Keeping Up with the 

Kardashians,’ you know. She always says she 

wants a TV show,” Stewart said. “So, I was 

sitting there one day at work, and I was like 

‘You know what? That could work. ’Cause it’s 

a trucking company and it’s always moving.’” 

In May, the family found the perfect rig — 

a 2017 Kenworth T680 — in Texas and drove 

of TA. “We have an opportunity for everybody 

to contribute out there for the benefit of 

truckers in need.” 

The campaign started July 1 and will 

continue through Monday, Sept. 6. 

“TA began its support of SCF in 2010 and 

has since raised nearly $3 million for the 

organization. We are honored and humbled 

by the support we receive from TravelCenters 

of America and its generous customers,” said 

Donna Kennedy, director of SCF. “Professional 

drivers always support each other, and we 

are confident when they see the point-of-sale 

fundraiser at TA registers across the country, 

they will be proud to help. This campaign will 

have an immense impact for those in need.” 8 

it home to Louisiana after Ashley’s stint in 

Dallas wrapped up. Once settled into the new 

routine, the challenging realities of making a 

go in the trucking business sank in. 

“At first, we were very defeated because 

nobody would work with us because we were 

so new,” Stewart said. “I had been working on 

it since March but because it just went active, 

it finally cleared May 28, that’s what they were 

going by. The first week, we’d make a call they 

would say ‘Nope. Nope. Nope.’” 

Their break finally came, however, and 

Keeping Up with the Stewart’s was on the 

road. 

“We did one load, like a trailer drop — that 

was our first move — and ever since that, 

we’ve been successful,” she said. 

While DeAntonio hauls the dry vans to 

various destinations out of state, Ashley serves 

as dispatcher and is taking a broker course, in 

addition to continuing her nursing career. She 

said her experience as a nurse actually plays a 

role in her life as an owner-operator. 

“It’s funny,” she said. “When you’re looking 

at the loads and trying to piece and part them 

together and map load after load, you have to 

see the bigger picture. As a charge nurse and 

a house supervisor, you have always look at 

the bigger picture too, like the flow and the 

management of things. Learning the trucking 

business, I can really rely on how I manage 

others as a nurse, seeing a bigger picture.” 

Still, she admits balancing two careers and 

a family of four daughters, ranging in age from 

7 to 14, is not without its daily challenges. 

“It’s hard some days, but I think being 

a nurse through COVID, you learn how to 

prioritize a lot of things — what is a priority 

in life and what isn’t, you know?” she said. 

“I sleep when I can and research some stuff 

when I have a little free time here and there 

and just keep working hard.” 

One of the most important things is to not 

go it alone, she said. 

“My husband and I work on this together,” 

she explained. “I just wanted to have something 

we could call our own. I would want my 

daughters to see that and know that whatever 

you put your mind to, the sky’s the limit.” 8 

TICKETS 

TICKETS 

Courtesy: TravelCenters of America 

A register round-up campaign benefitting St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund is going on now at all TravelCenters of 

America locations, including TA, TA Express and Petro. 

NO MEMBERSHIP FEES 



MOVING & NON-MOVING 



NO MONTHLY DUES 



1-800-333-DRIVE 

1-800-333-DRIVE 

1-800-333-DRIVE 

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INTERSTATE www.interstatetrucker.com TRUCKER, LTD. 

www.interstatetrucker.com

26 • AUGUST 1-14, 2021 


CONNECTICUT cont. from Page 1 

User Fee. That’s fine. We’ll have less air pollution, 

safer and better quality roads, and less 

people with asthma. Looks like the Highway 

User Fee is already working,” Lamont said in a 

June 9 Twitter post. 

Attached to the post was a video clip of 

Lamont making a statement to reporters, 

in which he noted that if trucking companies 

rerouted to avoid Connecticut, “We’ll 

still have the resources we need to make 

the investments we’ve got to.” 

American Trucking Associations (ATA) 

and the Owner-Operator Independent 

Drivers Association (OOIDA) fired back at 

Lamont, both describing his statements as 

“ignorant.” 

“Lamont’s ignorance could fill a road 

train of 53-foot trailers. His open hostility 

toward truckers is shocking. He has shown 

a complete lack of respect for those who 

keep his state running by hauling goods in 

& out of CT. When did politicians become 

TRAINER cont. from Page 6 

suggest drivers start when changing their 

diet. Make a list for just one week of everything 

you eat and drink; then look at 

the caloric intake and decide what “junk” 

calories you can eliminate. 

Create your diet plan and stick with it, but 

so out of touch with reality?” read a June 10 

tweet from OOIDA. 

“Imagine being ignorant enough to 

think this is a clever response. You’ll also 

have less gasoline, less groceries, less 

household goods, less medicine, less construction 

materials… and all will cost more 

for consumers, too. If you bought it, a truck 

brought it,” ATA noted in a June 11 tweet. 

Following Lamont’s signing of HB 6688 

into law July 12, Joe Sculley, president of the 

Motor Transport Association of Connecticut 

(MTAC), noted that similar policies in 

other states have failed because they are 

difficult to enforce, according to CT News 

Junkie. MTAC has historically opposed 

truck-only user fees. 

“You’re going to have out-of-state trucking 

companies either knowingly or unknowingly 

not pay it,” Sculley said. “That’s why it’s going 

to fail. We’re not going to get the money. The 

state is not going to get the tax revenue that 

they think they are and that’s going to cause a 

whole host of problems.” 8 

give yourself and your body time to adjust to 

the new caloric intake. Remember, healthy 

weight loss is done over time, not overnight. 

Known as The Trucker Trainer, Bob Perry 

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. Perry can be reached at 

truckertrainer@icloud.com. 8 

OVERSIGHT cont. from Page 4 

CDL disqualification requirements: 

• Improve requirements for states to record, 

track and maintain paper-based convictions 

sent and received via mail. 

• Finalize and implement standardized 

operating procedures for conducting annual 

program reviews and for supervisory 

quality control reviews of completed annual 

program reviews. 

• Modify the annual program review 

checklist to require reviewers to address 

key factors. 

• Finalize and implement a standard 

operating procedure for determining when 

a state is not making a good-faith effort 

to timely mitigate compliance issues and 

when to impose sanctions on noncompliant 

states. 

• Complete the agency’s review of the 

State Compliance Records Enterprise system 

and implement identified improvements for 

managing states’ compliance issues. 

• Develop and implement a process to 

segregate non-CDL holder convictions 

from all CDL Information System reports 

and workbooks utilized to evaluate 

state’s compliance with CDL regulations. 

• Develop and implement a plan for 

coordinating with the American Association 

of Motor Vehicle Administrators to 

mitigate risks when states transition to 

new software systems. 8 

NHTSA cont. from Page 4 

The fires caused extensive damage to the 

trucks, and in some cases the cargo, the agency 

says. NHTSA says it has learned multiple 

truck fleets were having issues with the brake 

chambers. It says Haldex has replaced brake 

chambers on some vehicles in the fleets. 

NHTSA says it will determine how often 

the problem happens and what models it affects. 

An investigation can lead to a recall. 

Messages were left July 20 seeking comment 

from Haldex, which has its U.S. headquarters 

in Kansas City, Missouri. 8 

TRANSFLO cont. from Page 19 

Social Network, weather reports, driver emergency 

assistance, a location finder for truck 

stops, and express document scanning. Transflo 

Lite also integrates the CAT Scale, Pilot Flying J, 

Love’s, and TA and Petro apps, consolidating applications 

on drivers’ phones and tablets. 

“In today’s world of contactless paperwork, 

it’s imperative that trucking companies of all 

sizes, including single-truck owner-operators, 

have a trusted platform for document management,” 

said Michael Southworth, president 

of Transflo. 

Transflo Lite, available within the Transflo 

Mobile+ app, became available on all iOS 

and Android devices via the App Store and the 

Google Play market at the end of July. 8 

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springs on the cab, sleeper, 

seat, drive axles and trailer 

axles. 

Safer cornering, less body and 

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wear. 

DONVEL INC. 

(800) 411-1725 www.donvel.com 

TAX SERVICES 

Call for FREE Consultation! 

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Bookkeeping, Permits, 

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Anthony, TX 79821 

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915-253-7413 

Go to otrdrivertaxservices.com for coupons 

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Cab Racks & Side Kits 

Aluminum & Steel Storage Boxes 

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KANSAS CITY: 800-966-4543 — ST. LOUIS: 800-451-7660 

4 • The Trucker NATIONAL EDITION August 15 - 31, 2005

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