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BRIDGING BORDER BARRIERS | CAPITOL CHRISTMAS TREE | VACCINE MANDATE
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION o f t h e TRUCKLOAD CARRIERS ASSOCIATION
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022
WHAT’S IN IT FOR US? | 6
Trucking industry weighs in on
infrastructure bill provisions
ROAD TO
CHANGE | 18
Experts weigh in on New York’s
sweeping zero-emmission legislation
IN HONOR OF
JOHN LYBOLDT | 32
TCA president leaves
a legacy of extremely
successful tenure
WHAT’S THE
ANSWER?
There’s no single solution to complex
driver shortage problem | 12

Protective Insurance’s Safety Services Specialists have an average of 32
years of transportation and risk mitigation experience. They help you keep
your fleet safe with tailored plans to fit your company’s unique needs.

PRESIDENT’S PURVIEW
A Time for Reflection,
Giving Thanks, and Transition
Each year, many of us are blessed to use the holiday season as a time of
reflection and giving thanks. We are thankful for our family, friends, mentors,
and colleagues who provide us support throughout the year. We are particularly
thankful this year for our essential professional drivers, support staff, and
executives who helped a nation when it needed it most.
Personally, I am thankful to our community of engaged members and
officers who have guided this association to reach new heights in 2021. Having
a community such as ours makes giving thanks an easy task. The reflection is
where the challenges can often arise.
As I sat down to conduct the interview on page 32, I was struck with the task
of reflecting not just on the past year, but on my entire career. I thought back to
my initial impressions of the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) through the
interview process and in my first days, and also spoke of the progress the team
has made throughout my tenure, while predicting what is on the horizon.
This season is also a time of transition, from one year to the next, from winter into spring. It is a time of new life and new
opportunities. Regular readers will know that I have announced my upcoming retirement in March, and many have surely seen
that the selection committee has named my successor, current TCA Chairman and President of D.M. Bowman Inc. Jim Ward.
Since I transitioned into this role in 2015, Jim has been a close friend and mentor in the business of truckload. I am
confident in his abilities and plan to push our association to even greater heights in the new year and beyond.
Wishing you and yours a safe and happy year,
John Lyboldt
President
Truckload Carriers Association
jlyboldt@truckload.org
John Lyboldt
TCA President
PRESIDENT’S PICKS
A Strong Finish and Then …
Truckload Carriers Association Chairman
Jim Ward will preside at Truckload 2022
and then become TCA president.
Page 20
Those Who Deliver
CFI President Greg Orr says the people
at this growing carrier are what really
make the difference.
Page 28
Committee Chronicles
TCA Committee Chairman Adam Blanchard
shakes his head when he thinks about how
green he was when he got into trucking.
Page 30
TCA JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022 WWW.TRUCKLOAD.ORG | TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY 3

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FIRST VICE CHAIR
TREASURER
FIRST VICE John CHAIR Elliott, CEO
Karen TREASURER Smerchek, President
Jim Ward, President Load One, and CEO LLC David Williams, Veriha Executive Trucking, VP Inc
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Knight Transportation
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Veriha Trucking, Inc. Trevor Kurtz, Diamond General Transportation Manager System, Inc.
Brian Kurtz Trucking, Inc.
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PRESIDENT’S PURVIEW
PRESIDENT’S PURVIEW
Preparing for a Safe and In-Person
Convention A Time for Reflection, with John Giving Lyboldt Thanks, | 3
and Transition with John Lyboldt | 3
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
Infrastructure 2017 vs. 2021 | 6
Capitol
What’s In
Recap
It for Us?
| 10
| 6
Capitol Recap | 8
TRACKING THE TRENDS
Predicting 2021 | 14
Enriching TRACKING Your Company THE TRENDS Culture | 16
A Real What’s Eye the Opener Answer? | 18 12
Top Concerns in Trucking | 14
On the Horizon | 16
A CHAT WITH Road to THE Change CHAIRMAN
| 18
Down the Stretch with Dennis Dellinger | 20
A CHAT WITH THE CHAIRMAN
TALKING TCA
Headed for a Strong Finish, Then … with Jim Ward | 20
Truckload 2021: Las Vegas | 28
Carrier Profile with TALKING Cheema TCA Freightlines | 30
Whistlin’ Those Around Who the Deliver Christmas with CFI | Tree 28 | 32
Inside Out with Caitlin Smith | 34
Committee Chronicles with Adam Blanchard | 30
Driver of the Year Finalists | 36
An Honor to Retiring President John Lyboldt | 32
Dealmaking 101 | 38
Building Bridging Border Barrier Bridges Borders | |40 36
Member Mailroom: Capitol Truckload Christmas Tree 2021: | 38 Las Vegas | 41
Vaccine Mandate TCA Logbook Has Trucking |42Wincing | 40
New Logbook Members | 41| 46
Ambassadors New Club Members Honorees | 46 | 46
TC-13 Program| 46
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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 2022
T H E R O A D M A P
TCA JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022 WWW.TRUCKLOAD.ORG | TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY 5

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
WHAT’S IN IT
FOR US?
Trucking Industry weighs in on
infrastructure bill provisions
By John Worthen
Now that the bipartisan $1 trillion infrastructure bill has
been signed into law by President Joe Biden, many in
the trucking industry are asking, “What’s in it for us?”
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has released
state-by-state fact sheets that highlight how funds will
be spent.
And while the trucking industry will certainly benefit from
the dozens of new roads and bridges that will be constructed,
along with repairs to older ones, there’s only one truckingspecific
item laid out in the new law.
It provides for an apprenticeship program for commercial
drivers between the ages of 18 and 21. At the end of the
program, certain drivers in that age group will be allowed to
travel and deliver goods across the nation. Currently, these
drivers are limited to driving within state lines. Full details
about the program have yet to be released.
As for one of the biggest issues facing the trucking industry
— a serious deficit of safe parking spaces — there’s no
mention of it at all.
And that’s disappointing to industry leaders like Mark
Walker, chairman and CEO of Missouri-based TransLand.
“As one of the Top 5 industry-rated challenges voiced by
professional drivers in the recent ATRI study, and an issue
that has been Top 10 on company and truckers’ minds for
years, it is more than disappointing that specific funds were
not earmarked to meet this problem,” Walker said. “It’s
unbelievable.”
Overall, however, Walker said he is satisfied with the bill.
“It means jobs,” he said. “It means improved efficiencies
in trucking company operations, better driving conditions
for professional drivers, and a reduction in bottlenecks that
plague our industry.
“Perhaps most importantly, it means improved safety on
our nation’s highways for all that use the highway system,
whether it’s to move freight or visit loved ones,” he noted.
As for the future, Walker said Congress must keep tackling
the critical supply chain issues facing the nation.
It can do that by “creating incentives and removing roadblocks
to our transportation system,” he said.
“Let’s expedite allowing 18- to 21-year-olds to drive interstate,
with proper training and coaching,” he stated, continuing,
“I’d like to see additional investment in workforce development
that targets transportation industry jobs, especially
professional drivers and technicians.
“I think we’ll need additional safeguards to protect the owner/operator
system to allow it to thrive,” he added. “I believe
Congress needs to create more work VISAs for immigrant
workers that can meet our short-term and long-term capacity
issues. Many other industries have thrived with this model.
Trucking can too.”
For now, government officials are focusing on how the influx
of cash will create jobs, make America more environmentally
friendly, and improve quality of life.
“Americans rely on our transportation infrastructure every
day — to get to work, school, loved ones, and to move goods
across our economy,” said DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
“The once-in-a-generation investments in the Bipartisan
Infrastructure Law will improve people’s lives in every state
in the nation by increasing access to safe, clean, reliable
transportation,” he shared.
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Looking at the DOT’s state fact sheets (available at
www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/usdot-releasesstate-state-fact-sheets-highlighting-benefits-bipartisan),
it’s easy to see how much the improvement money is needed.
In California, there are 1,536 bridges and more than 14,220
miles of highway in poor condition, according to the DOT.
Since 2011, commute times have increased by 14.6% in the
Golden State, and on average, each driver pays $799 per year
in costs due to driving on roads in need of repair.
Based on formula funding alone, California would expect to
receive approximately $29.5 billion over five years in federal
highway formula funding for highways and bridges. On an
average annual basis, this is about 44.1% more than the
state’s federal-aid highway formula funding under current law.
California can also compete for the $12.5 billion Bridge
Investment Program for economically significant bridges
and $15 billion of national funding in the law dedicated
to megaprojects, which will deliver substantial economic
benefits to communities.
Additionally, California can expect to receive approximately
$555 million over five years in formula funding to reduce
transportation-related emissions, as well as about $631
million over five years to increase the resilience of its
transportation system.
In Pennsylvania, there are 3,353 bridges and more than 7,540
miles of highway in poor condition, according to the DOT.
Since 2011, commute times have increased by 7.6% in
Pennsylvania, and on average, each driver pays $620 per
year in costs due to driving on roads in need of repair.
Based on formula funding, Pennsylvania would expect to
receive approximately $13 billion over five years in federal
highway formula funding for highways and bridges. On an
average annual basis, this is about 40.4% more than the
state’s federal-aid highway formula funding under current law.
Just as in California and all other states, Pennsylvania can
compete for the Bridge Investment Program and megaproject
funds.
Pennsylvania can expect to receive approximately $265
million over five years in formula funding to reduce transportation-related
emissions, in addition to about $301 million
over five years to increase the resilience of its transportation
system.
During a recent New Hampshire stop, Biden said there
were 215 bridges deemed “structurally unsafe” and 700
miles of highway in that state listed in poor condition, which
he said costs residents heavily each year in gas and repairs.
In addition to speeding repairs to roads and bridges, Biden
touted the law’s investments in upgrading public transit
and trains, replacing lead pipes and expanding access to
broadband internet.
The law, Biden said, is estimated to create an extra 2 million
jobs a year, and he insisted it also would improve supply
chain bottlenecks that have contributed to rising prices for
consumers by providing funding for America’s ports, airports
and freight rail.
“This isn’t esoteric, this isn’t some gigantic bill — it is,
but it’s about what happens to ordinary people,” the president
said. “Conversations around those kitchen tables that
are both profound as they are ordinary: How do I cross the
bridge in a snowstorm?”
TCA JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022 WWW.TRUCKLOAD.ORG | TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY 7

Compiled by Lyndon Finney, John Worthen, and The Associated Press
Sometimes, the news coming out of the nation’s capital is good, sometimes not so good, and sometimes it’s just bad. The latter was
the case recently, as it involves traffic fatalities, including those involving large trucks. First, the U.S. Department of Transportation
(DOT) reported a spike in traffic fatalities in the first half of 2021. Second, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
said fatal wrecks involving large trucks are increasing. While on the subject of these two entities, in this edition of Capitol Recap we’ll
share more about how FMCSA Deputy Administrator Meera Joshi convened a stakeholder meeting in the Midwest to discuss truck driving
and supply-chain issues and cybersecurity flaws the U.S. Department of Transportation identified on servers belonging to the agency. Keeping
with the safety-related issues, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance released its brake safety week results.
RECENT REPORTS SHOW TRAFFIC FATALITY SPIKE,
MORE TRUCKS INVOLVED IN FATAL CRASHES
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) recently released
safety-related data concerning fatal accidents.
NHTSA revealed the Early Estimate of Motor Vehicle Traffic Fatalities
for January-June, which shows the largest six-month increase ever
recorded in the Fatality Analysis Reporting System’s (FARS) history.
The FMCSA said in the recently updated Large Truck and Bus facts
that in 2019, 5,237 large trucks and buses were involved in fatal crashes,
a 2% increase from 2018. The FMCSA defines large trucks as weighing
more than 10,000 pounds.
NHTSA said an estimated 20,160 people died in motor vehicle crashes
in the first half of 2021, up 18.4% over 2020. That’s the largest number
of projected fatalities in that time period since 2006.
“This is a crisis. More than 20,000 people died on U.S. roads in the
first six months of 2021, leaving countless loved ones behind. We
cannot and should not accept these fatalities as simply a part of everyday
life in America,” said Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “Today
we are announcing that we will produce the department’s first ever
National Roadway Safety Strategy to identify action steps for everyone
working to save lives on the road. No one will accomplish this alone. It
will take all levels of government, industries, advocates, engineers, and
communities across the country working together toward the day when
family members no longer have to say goodbye to loved ones because
of a traffic crash.”
In addition to the traffic fatality data, NHTSA also released behavioral
research findings from March 2020 through June 2021, indicating that
incidents of speeding and traveling without a seatbelt remain higher
than during pre-pandemic times.
Preliminary data from the Federal Highway Administration show
that vehicle miles traveled (VMT) in the first half of 2021 increased by
about 173.1 billion miles, or about 13%. The fatality rate for the first
half of 2021 increased to 1.34 fatalities per 100 million VMT, up from
the projected rate of 1.28 fatalities per 100 million VMT in the first half
of 2020.
The FMCSA said that from 2018 to 2019, large truck and bus fatalities
per 100 million vehicle miles traveled by all motor vehicles declined
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, left, calls rising traffic deaths a crisis and calls for
cooperation among all levels of government, industry, and advocacy to change course.
from 0.162 to 0.161, 21% below the 21st-century peak of 0.205 in 2000.
There was a 34% decrease in the number of fatal crashes involving
large trucks or buses between 2005 and 2009, followed by an increase
of 47% between 2009 and 2019, the report states.
From 2018 to 2019, the number of fatal crashes involving large trucks
or buses increased by less than 1%.
Of the 4,949 drivers of large trucks involved in fatal crashes in 2019,
354 (7%) were 25 years of age or younger, and 361 (7%) were 66 years
of age or older.
In 2019, 13% (795) of large truck occupants in fatal crashes were
not wearing a safety belt, of which 337 (42%) were killed in the crash.
In contrast, only 393 (8%) of the 4,712 large truck occupants wearing
safety belts in fatal crashes were killed. Nine percent of the 4,949 drivers
of large trucks involved in fatal crashes (454) were not wearing a safety
belt at the time of the crash.
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STUDY GRADES STATES ON INFRASTRUCTURE QUALITY
North Dakota, Virginia, Missouri, Kentucky, and North Carolina
have the most cost-effective highway systems, according to the
Annual Highway Report published in November by the Reason
Foundation, a nonprofit think tank.
New Jersey, Rhode Island, Alaska, Hawaii, and New York have the
worst combination of highway performance and cost-effectiveness,
the study found.
The Annual Highway Report measures the condition and costeffectiveness
of state-controlled highways in 13 categories, including
urban and rural pavement condition, deficient bridges, traffic
fatalities, spending per mile, and administrative costs per mile of
highway.
A number of states with large populations and busy highways performed
well in the overall rankings, including Virginia (second overall),
Missouri (third), North Carolina (fifth), Georgia (14th), and Texas (16th).
SEE QUALITY, PAGE 11
Heavy morning traffic travels on Highway 101 going through California’s Silicon Valley in the South
San Francisco Bay Area.
MIDWEST MEETINGS FOCUS ON TRUCKING, SUPPLY CHAIN
Continuing what she called the Biden administration’s
whole-of-government approach to
addressing supply chain disruptions, Federal
Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
Deputy Administrator Meera Joshi met with
multiple transportation organizations in the
Midwest last fall.
The meetings focused on strengthening
commercial vehicle safety, bolstering truck
driver availability, and improving rail-to-truck
supply chain efficiencies, she said.
Truck driver retention and recruitment
has been a focus of the Biden-Harris Supply
Chain Disruptions Task Force. A core reason
for America’s truck driver capacity issue is
the startlingly low retention of current drivers.
Among large truck companies, driver turnover
rates between companies and out of the industry
for long-haul drivers are over 90% annually,
industry officials have reported.
Previously, Transportation Secretary Pete
Buttigieg had hosted a roundtable on truck
driver recruitment and retention to bring together
industry, labor, and stakeholders to surface
solutions. As a direct result of the roundtable,
U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)
and Department of Labor (DOL) are working
with the truck driving industry to bolster paid
apprenticeship programs as an added tool to
address the ongoing driver shortage crisis in
the tank truck industry. Additionally, DOT is
supporting state departments of motor vehicles
(DMVs) to help address the truck driver
shortage.
In 2021, an average of 50,000 commercial
driver’s licenses (CDLs) and learner’s permits
have been issued each month, which is 14%
higher than the 2019 monthly average and
60% higher than the 2020 monthly average.
“Truck drivers are essential professionals
who have been working on the front lines of
this pandemic. It’s hard to overstate the critical
nature of trucking to the wellbeing of our
nation,” said Joshi. “Truck driving is a vital
segment of the supply chain, and our focus is
on continually enhancing workplace practices
while improving efficiencies, including decreasing
driver detention time while ensuring
the highest level of safety possible for every
roadway traveler.”
During her Midwest trip, Joshi held meetings
with representatives of the Illinois Farm Bureau
Association, the Illinois Trucking Association,
Union Pacific Railroad’s Global IV Intermodal
Terminal, and a United Parcel Service driver
training facility.
“The Illinois Trucking Association (ITA) sincerely
appreciated the opportunity to meet with
Deputy Administrator Joshi to discuss the issues
that are most important to the trucking industry,”
said ITA Executive Director Matt Hart.
“Seventy percent of Illinois communities depend
entirely on the trucking industry to deliver
their goods, and our industry accounts for one
in 16 jobs in the state,” he continued. “Because
our industry is facing unprecedented challenges
with our supply chain and with our workforce,
we welcome the opportunity to discuss
these problems and possible solutions to ensure
we safely deliver the essential goods that
Americans need each day. We look forward to
continuing to work with FMCSA to ensure our
nation’s freight is delivered safely.”
Meeting discussions covered a broad range
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Deputy
Administrator Meera Joshi told an audience in the Midwest
that truck driving is a vital segment of the supply chain, and
that the nation’s focus is on continually enhancing workplace
practices while improving efficiencies.
of strategies to improve supply chain movement
and roadway safety, including streamlining
the transport of fuel to farm equipment;
beneficial updates to electronic logging devices
(ELDs); replicating proven driver training and
retention models; and ways to improve railto-truck
intermodal chassis maintenance and
chassis availability.
TCA JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022 WWW.TRUCKLOAD.ORG | TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY 9

DOT SPOTS MAJOR CYBERSECURITY FLAWS AT FMCSA
In an October report, the U.S. Department
of Transportation (DOT) said a recent investigation
found multiple critical vulnerabilities on
web servers that function within the Federal
Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
“FMCSA did not detect our access or
placement of malware on the network
in part because it did not use required
automated detection tools and malicious code
protections,” stated the DOT report.
“We also gained access to 13.6 million
unencrypted (personal identity) records. Had
malicious hackers obtained (these records) it
could have cost FMCSA up to $570 million in
credit monitoring fees. Furthermore, the agency
does not always remediate vulnerabilities as
quickly as DOT policy requires. These weaknesses
put FMCSA’s network and data at risk
for unauthorized access and compromise.”
The FMCSA uses 13 web-based applications
to aid vehicle registration, inspections, and
other activities.
“Many of FMCSA’s information systems
contain sensitive data, including personally
identifiable information,” noted the DOT report.
“Due to the importance of FMCSA’s
programs to the transportation system and
sensitivity of some agency information, we
conducted this audit of FMCSA’s information
technology (IT) infrastructure. Our objective
was to determine whether FMCSA’s IT
infrastructure contains security weaknesses
that could compromise the Agency’s systems
and data.”
The DOT recommended 13 points of action
that FMCSA officials need to take in order to
better secure their information.
“We consider all 13 recommendations resolved
but open pending FMCSA’s completion
of planned actions,” said DOT officials.
During a 2021 investigation, the U.S. Department of
Transportation found major cybersecurity flaws on servers
belonging to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
12% OF VEHICLES CHECKED DURING BRAKE SAFETY
WEEK PUT OOS, ACCORDING TO CVSA REPORT
Twelve percent of vehicles inspected by commercial motor vehicle
inspectors in the United States, Canada, and Mexico during
the 2021 Brake Safety Week, held August 22-28, were placed
out of service (OOS) because of critical brake-related inspection
item conditions.
A total of 35,764 commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) were
inspected during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s
(CVSA) seven-day inspection and enforcement initiative aimed
at inspecting CMVs roadside and identifying and removing any
with dangerous brake-related issues from the nation’s roadways.
Each year there is a specific focus; the 2021 focus was brake
hose chafing violations.
CVSA devotes an enforcement initiative to brakes because of
the importance of properly maintained and functioning brakes
on CMVs, including tractor-trailers of all types, cargo tankers,
vans, flatbeds, motorcoaches, straight trucks, and specialty
vehicles, such as cranes, automobile carriers, etc.
“Properly functioning brakes may mean the difference
between a catastrophic collision or the ability to avoid a crash,”
said CVSA President Capt. John Broers with the South Dakota
Highway Patrol.
Brake-related violations accounted for eight out of the top 20
vehicle violations in 2020, according to Federal Motor Carrier
Safety Administration (FMCSA) data. In addition, brake system
and brake adjustment violations accounted for more out-ofservice
vehicle conditions than any other vehicle violation during
CVSA’s three-day International Roadcheck inspection and
enforcement initiative in May 2021.
SEE BRAKES, PAGE 11
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s Brake Safety Week is an inspection and enforcement
initiative aimed at inspecting commercial motor vehicles and identifying and removing any vehicles
with dangerous brake-related issues from the nation’s roadways.
SPONSORED BY TCI BUSINESS CAPITAL / TCICAPITAL.COM / 800.707.4845
10 TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY | WWW.TRUCKLOAD.ORG TCA JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

BRAKES, FROM PAGE 10
Fifty Canadian and U.S. jurisdictions, as well as Mexico’s
National Guard and Ministry of Communications and Transportation,
participated in the 2021 Brake Safety Week. In
Canada, 1,903 CMVs were inspected with a brake-related
OOS rate of 15.4%. The OOS rate related to brakes in the
U.S. was 13.5% out of 28,694 CMVs inspected. In Mexico,
5,167 inspections were conducted with a brake-specific OOS
rate of 2.6%.
Combined, for a North American total, 35,764 CMVs were
inspected during the week. Twelve percent of those vehicles
were restricted from travel because inspectors found brakerelated
critical vehicle inspection item conditions and placed
those vehicles OOS, using CVSA’s North American Standard
OOS Criteria.
That also means 88% of the CMVs inspected throughout
North America during Brake Safety Week did not have brakerelated
critical vehicle inspection item violations. Vehicles
that did not have any vehicle and driver OOS conditions
during a Level I or Level V Inspection may have received a
CVSA decal, which is a visual indicator to inspectors that the
vehicle was recently inspected and had no critical vehicle inspection
item violations. The decal is valid for three months
following inspection.
In addition, during Brake Safety Week, inspectors in the
U.S., Canada, and Mexico recorded 5,667 brake hose chafing
violations. These are common brake-related violations,
whether OOS or not. Inspectors reported brake hose chafing
violations in five different categories (levels of chafing severity),
including two that are OOS conditions, and submitted
that data to CVSA.
QUALITY, FROM PAGE 9
Nationally, the study found America’s highway system is
incrementally improving in almost every category. However,
a 10-year average indicates the nation’s highway system
problems are concentrated in the bottom 10 states and, despite
spending more money, these worst-performing states
are finding it difficult to improve.
For example, 43% of the urban arterial primary mileage
in poor condition is in six states — California, Massachusetts,
New York, New Jersey, Nebraska, and Rhode
Island. Approximately 25% of the rural interstate mileage
in poor condition is in just three states (Alaska, Colorado,
and Washington).
While a majority of states reduced their percentages of
structurally deficient bridges, five states — Rhode Island,
West Virginia, Iowa, South Dakota, and Pennsylvania —
still report more than 15% of their bridges as deficient.
For total spending, three states — Massachusetts, New
York, and New Jersey — spent more than $250,000 per
lane-mile of highway. In contrast, five states — Missouri,
South Carolina, West Virginia, North Dakota, and South Dakota
— spent less than $30,000 per mile of highway.
“States need to ensure their highway spending produces
safer roads, smoother pavement, fewer deficient bridges,
and less traffic congestion,” said the Annual Highway Report’s
Lead Author Baruch Feigenbaum. “The states with
the best overall rankings maintain better-than-average
highways with relatively efficient spending per mile.”
TCA JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022 TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY 11

TRACKING THE TRENDS
WHAT’S
THE ANSWER?
There’s no single solution to the
complex driver shortage problem
By Cliff Abbott
To some, it’s the most important issue the trucking
industry is dealing with today. To others, it’s a red
herring that represents the industry’s unwillingness
to adapt.
What is it? It’s the truck driver shortage, of course.
An October 25 update from the American Trucking Associations
(ATA) claimed the trucking industry would need a
record high of over 80,000 drivers by the end of 2021. That
number is expected to more than double by the year 2030.
The ATA numbers are calculated by subtracting the
number of drivers currently in the market with an “optimal”
number of drivers that is based on freight demand.
“Because there are a number of factors driving the shortage,
we have to take a number of different approaches,” said
ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello. “The industry is raising
pay at five times the historic average, but this isn’t just a
pay issue. We have an aging workforce, a workforce that
is overwhelmingly male, and finding ways to address those
issues is key to narrowing the shortage.”
The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI)
listed the driver shortage as the No. 1 concern on its Top
10 Trucking Industry Issues for 2021, as determined by a
survey of more than 2,500 stakeholders.
The shortage was discussed at an August 21 virtual meeting
of the Advisory Committee on Supply Chain Competitiveness
(ACSCC) in Washington, D.C. The committee voted
to recommend a holistic approach toward attracting, training,
and retaining drivers by reviewing training protocols
as well as actions being considered by other government
agencies. Specifically mentioned were truck parking and attracting
more female drivers to the industry.
Detractors, however, suggest that any perceived
“shortage” of drivers is simply a market response to poor
working conditions and a pay scale that hasn’t kept pace
with inflation.
On August 24, three days after the ACSCC meeting,
Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA)
Executive Vice President Lewie Pugh sent a letter to U.S.
Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo that described the
driver shortage as a “myth.” Pugh claimed the shortage is a
creation of carriers and trucking trade associations used to
“support the cheapest possible labor.”
Pugh stated that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration (FMCSA) issues more than 400,000 new
commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) annually, providing
enough drivers to solve any shortage several times over.
It might be hard to convince motor carriers that are struggling
to hire enough drivers to keep trucks moving that a
shortage of qualified drivers is a mythical problem. At the
same time, an industry that routinely experiences driver
turnover rates in excess of 90% has to recognize retention
as an issue. That issue was ranked second in ATRI’s 2021
report.
Nagle Companies’ President and CEO and TCA At-Large
Officer Ed Nagle employs several strategies to keep turnover
under 40% annually.
“Our difference is that we don’t take new drivers,” he
said. “We try to make sure they have at least five years of
experience.”
Nagle said paying drivers by salary has made a difference.
The ATRI study proposed an expedited launch of the
DRIVE Safe Act pilot program that would allow 18- to
20-year-old CDL holders to drive interstate routes.
“I think that’s probably one of the most ludicrous rules,”
remarked Nagle. “I can send a guy 250 miles to Portsmouth,
Ohio, or 200 miles to Cincinnati, but I can’t run 25 miles
over the line into Michigan. Even if I bring the load here to
our terminal on the south side of Toledo, I can’t use an 18-
or 19-year-old (driver) to take it the rest of the way because
it’s still an interstate shipment.”
12 TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY | WWW.TRUCKLOAD.ORG TCA JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

Allowing the use of 18- to 20-year-old drivers would
allow the industry to compete with trades and businesses
that hire candidates right out of high school, instead of
waiting until several years later when they may have already
chosen a career.
Nagle acknowledges that states that currently allow
younger drivers already have a wealth of safety data, but
he’s still in favor of a pilot program.
“When I was 18, I was more mature than most of my
peers,” he said
He suggested a thorough interview and some advanced
testing might help to determine the driver’s fitness.
“I think there are other people at that same age that qualify
for the military or, at least, have that same responsible
attitude and maturity,” explained Nagle. “That’s what we
want to tap into.”
Rather than using state lines as boundaries, Nagle
offered that a limit such as 250 miles from the terminal
might make more sense.
“I think that would be a fair limitation,” he noted.
Hiring younger drivers would address another issue facing
the trucking industry. The average age of over-the-road
drivers is 46, according to the ATRI study. That factor, combined
with the high prevalence of both obesity and smoking
among drivers, causes drivers to leave the industry in large
numbers due to inability to pass a recertification exam.
ATRI also called for the expansion of the EB-3 Permanent
Work Authorization permit that would allow carriers to
recruit qualified applicants from foreign countries.
One area the industry could address is the loss of drivers
who purchase their own equipment and obtain their own
authority. In 2020, just under 77,000 new carriers were
granted authority, according to the FMCSA. In 2021, the
number had nearly doubled to almost 150,000 by the end
of October 2021, the latest numbers available at the time of
this writing.
Carriers can approach the issue in two ways. Improved
pay and working conditions might encourage more drivers
to remain company drivers, and those who buy equipment
could be enticed to enter lease agreements, providing both
truck and driver to a carrier.
Another potential relief area might be recruiting more
women drivers, who currently represent only about 7% of
the driver workforce.
Unfortunately, there’s no one-size-fits-all fix for the driver
shortage.
There are, however, several avenues that could help the
industry solve the problem with a combination of solutions.
Few industries can offer a middle-class lifestyle with far
less training than obtaining a college degree.
TCA JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022 WWW.TRUCKLOAD.ORG | TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY 13

TOP CONCERNS
IN TRUCKING
Industry leaders speak out on critical issues
By Lyndon Finney
For this article, three industry stakeholders shared their thoughts about the
top concerns report, including Andrew Boyle, co-president of Boyle Transportation;
Brenda Neville, president and CEO of the Iowa Motor Truck Association; and David
Heller, vice president of government affairs at the Truckload Carriers Association.
For the past five years, the driver shortage has headed up
the list of critical issues in the trucking industry report published
by the American Transportation Research Institute
(ATRI) based on a survey of motor carrier executive and
professional truck drivers.
So concerned were survey participants about the issue that the
driver shortage garnered more than four times as many first-place
votes as the next-closest issue in the 2021 survey. In fact, no other
issue generated as many overall votes in the survey.
The current shortage, set at 60,000 drivers by industry stakeholders,
could easily reach 160,000 by 2028.
In addition to ranking the concerns, survey participants were
asked to rate three strategies for remedying each concern.
For the past four years, the No. 1 strategy to alleviate the driver
shortage has centered around advocating a pilot program to expand
the commercial vehicle license (CDL) interstate eligibility for 18- to
20-year-old drivers.
Heretofore, the industry has been unsuccessful with the strategy.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) did
propose such a pilot program during the Trump administration, but
the proposal was dropped by the Biden administration.
Fortunately, the DRIVE Safe Act now before Congress provides
an apprenticeship program for 18- to 20-year-old drivers that could
accomplish what the trucking industry desires.
Most congressional watchers believe the DRIVE Safe Act will become
law in the not-too-distant future.
Not only was the driver shortage the No. 1 issue in the survey; it
was also part of a trifecta that showed key driver issues were indeed
on the minds of industry stakeholders. No. 2 in the survey was
driver retention, and No. 3 was driver compensation.
The driver shortage is a long-time issue, according to David
Heller of the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA).
“The driver shortage has existed for as long as the industry has
been around, dating back to the very first “Drivers Wanted” signs
that were posted in store front windows,” said Heller. “That being
said, the most glaring example of how much the driver shortage
relates to the real world is by using the barometer of what store
shelves look like.”
Andrew Boyle concurred, and noted other shortages.
“The labor shortage is not unique to trucking,” he said. “There
are macro factors at work — the percentage of adults working is
still only 61.6% as of October 2021, versus 63.4% in early 2020.
The causes of that decline can be debated, but the fact is that millions
fewer Americans are working. At the same time, an increase in
14 TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY | WWW.TRUCKLOAD.ORG TCA JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

demand and low inventories mean that more emphasis is placed
on just-in-time transportation.”
As for the DRIVE Safe Act, Brenda Neville is optimistic.
“Based on the conversations I have had with our elected officials
in D.C., there is a lot of support and interest in the DRIVE Safe Act/
apprenticeship program,” she said. “This is also something that
both Republicans and Democrats can get behind, so I remain hopeful
that we will continue to make
positive gains in this direction.”
Beyond the Top 3 concerns for
2021, as usual, the survey revealed
a smorgasbord of issues;
all but one repeats from at least
one year dating back to 2012.
The first-timer on the list is a
concern about the growing shortage
of diesel technicians.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
estimates there will be
over 28,000 openings for diesel
service technicians and mechanics
for each of the next 10 years;
median pay in 2020 was just over
$50,000.
Depending on whose data
you use, the immediate need is
critical.
According to projections from
TechForce Foundation, demand
for new diesel technicians will
top 35,000 by 2024.
According to the survey respondents,
the best strategy to alleviate
the shortage is to encourage
collaboration between motor
carriers and technician training
schools to promote technician
training and placement.
Neville said that for far too
long, young adults have been
encouraged to pursue a four-year
college degree, and that has created
shortages across the board
in the trucking industry as well as
a number of trade segments.
“There is now a shift, and we
are finally seeing a concerted
effort to highlight the value of
pursuing programs that require a
TOP 10
CONCERNS
1. Driver Shortage
2. Driver Retention
3. Driver Compensation
4. Lawsuit Abuse Reform
5. Truck Parking
6. CSA
7. Detention/Delay
8. Infrastructure/Congestion
9. Insurance Cost
minimal amount of training and offer significant benefits especially
when it comes to income potential,” she stated. “But we have a lot
of ground to make up before we are going to see the ROI on this
new perspective. In the meantime, I believe we will continue to
see companies offering very attractive packages beyond just pay to
get these young kids into these important jobs.”
Heller said he believes the shortage can be attributed to the
current environment the nation is facing, rather than an industryspecific
issue.
10. Diesel Technician Shortage
“Retirement, natural attrition because of COVID, and even job
hopping has affected the industry in a manner that quality technicians
are becoming harder and harder to recruit,” he said. “Much
like a professional truck driver, this profession is one that has
shown itself to be highly skilled and in demand.
“As an industry, identifying and training more people must be
done so that our nation’s fleets can continue to be well maintained
in the safest and most effective
way possible,” Heller continued.
“I know we are dedicated
to changing the way people
think about this kind of job. In
the long run, people will recognize
this profession as an
opportunity for advancement
for those who choose to make
this a career.”
Conspicuously absent from
the 2020 list of Top 10 concerns
was hours of service
(HOS), which had been listed
as a concern since 2012. In
2013, 2014 and 2015, HOS
was noted as the No. 1 concern.
HOS has been a hotbed
of debate since 2003, when the
FMCSA increased the number
of hours that could be driven in
a 24-hour period from 10 hours
to 11 hours. It was the first
major overhaul of HOS since
1962.
In all, seven of the Top 10
concerns relate to drivers is
some form. Besides the top
three, Truck Parking was No.
5, CSA was No. 6, Detention
Delay was No. 7, Infrastructure/Congestion/Funding
and
the aforementioned Diesel
Technician Shortage was
No. 10.
Over 2,500 industry stakeholders
across North America
weighed in with their opinions.
The respondents represented
motor carrier personnel
(52.4%), commercial truck
drivers (24.1%), and other industry
stakeholders (23.5%), including industry suppliers, driver
trainers, and law enforcement.
ATRI noted that the 2021 survey was taken with a new Democratic
administration and Congress in place — and with those
changes came a new focus on social programs, climate change,
and workforce issues. The post-pandemic economy has included
a record infusion of stimulus, a push for zero-emission vehicles,
labor shortages, and vaccine mandates for employers with over
100 employees.
TCA JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022 WWW.TRUCKLOAD.ORG | TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY 15

On the
As the world launches into 2022, there are two major changes on the
horizon that will impact the trucking industry. In February 2022, the Federal
Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) will update its Entry-Level
Driver Training (ELDT) rules. At the same time, mobile carriers plan to begin
sunsetting their 3G data networks. In addition to cellphones, this change will
impact electronic logging devices (ELDs) and many other mobile devices.
FMCSA TO UPDATE CDL
TRAINING REQUIREMENTS
The Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) rule, which will be implemented February 7, establishes
new minimum training requirements for people who want to obtain a commercial
driver’s license (CDL), upgrade a CDL or obtain a passenger, school bus, or hazardous materials
endorsement, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
Under these new requirements, an entry-level driver must successfully complete a prescribed
program of theory and behind-the-wheel instruction. Before taking the knowledge test
or the state-administered CDL skills or hazmat endorsement tests, training must be provided
by an entity listed on FMCSA’s Training Provider Registry.
In addition, the minimum standards and requirements for CDL schools will be set at a federal
level, as opposed to being set by each state.
CDL schools must record and report hours behind the wheel (no federal minimum) to the
U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). Schools must register and self-certify, and they can
self-certify instructors. Individual instructors may have to register with the DOT, depending
on the state.
Driving instructors will be required to have a minimum of two years driving experience, a
clean motor vehicle record, and a medical certification to be eligible to teach driving students
in the classroom, on the road, and private range instruction.
There will also be an increase in curriculum mandates.
DOT requires 31 theory course topics instead of the original four knowledge topics, which
will be accompanied by 19 mandated behind-the-wheel skills, that will be tested with vehicle
inspection skills at the state department of motor vehicles.
CDL schools must apply to join the new Training Provider Registry. More information about
the requirements is available at tpr.fmcsa.dot.gov.
16 TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY | WWW.TRUCKLOAD.ORG TCA JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

horizon
MOBILE CARRIERS PLAN
‘SUNSETTING’ OF 3G NETWORKS
Mobile carriers are shutting down their 3G networks to make
room for more advanced network services, including 5G. As a
result, many older cellphones and other mobile devices will be
unable to use data services, according to the FMCSA.
“Once a 3G network is no longer supported, it is highly unlikely
that any ELDs that rely on that network will be able to
meet the minimum requirements established by the Electronic
Logging Device Technical Specifications, including recording all
required data elements and transferring ELD output files,” said
FMCSA officials.
Any ELD that requires 3G cellular connectivity to perform its
functionality will no longer be in compliance with the technical
specifications in the ELD rule once the 3G network it relies on
is sunsetted. When in an area that does not support 3G, a 3G
device will register a malfunction.
The carrier has eight days to get the malfunction resolved, in
this case by replacement, unless an extension is granted, the
FMCSA news release stated.
The announced sunset dates are listed below. These are dates
for completing the shutdowns. Mobile carriers are planning to
retire parts of their networks sooner.
• AT&T 3G: February 22
• Sprint 3G (T-Mobile): March 31
• Sprint LTE (T-Mobile): June 30
• T-Mobile 3G: July 1
• Verizon 3G: December 31
Many other carriers, such as Cricket, Boost, Straight Talk,
and several Lifeline mobile service providers, utilize the AT&T,
Verizon, and T-Mobile networks. Learn more and ensure you’re
prepared at fmcsa.dot.gov.
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TCA JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022 WWW.TRUCKLOAD.ORG | TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY 17

Road to change
Trucking industry experts weigh in on
New York’s sweeping zero-emission legislation
By Dwain Hebda
A
law signed by New York’s governor in September
represents sweeping changes to the trucking
industry in that state, leaving many in the industry
to wonder how such a plan will work. Gov. Kathy
Hochul signed the bill, which will ban the sale of new gaspowered
cars and trucks in the state by 2035.
“New York is implementing the nation’s most aggressive
plan to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions affecting
our climate,” Hochul said in a statement. “To reach
our ambitious goals, we must reduce emissions from the
transportation sector, currently the largest source of the
state’s climate pollution.”
The law redlines sales of gas-powered passenger
cars, trucks, off-road vehicles, and equipment by 2035;
medium- and heavy-duty vehicles will follow by 2045.
Truck manufacturers will be required, starting with the
2025 model year, to meet an annual sales percentage of
new zero-emission trucks, with that quota varying among
vehicle classes.
By 2035, according to the new regulations, 55% of Class
2b-3 pickup trucks and vans, three-quarters of Class 4-8 trucks,
and 40% of Class 7 and 8 tractors sold in the state must be
zero-emission. The move models California’s recently passed
Advanced Clean Trucks Rule and joins other states with similar
guidelines, among them Massachusetts and New Jersey.
Members of trucking industry booed the new law on
the grounds of its impracticality given the current electrical
grid load, a lack of charging stations, and other real-world
challenges.
“We have significant concerns, not the least of which
is the lack of infrastructure,” noted Trucking Association
of New York (TANY) President Kendra Hems. “We don’t
think the state is going to be prepared to support the sales
mandates. And it’s not only about the lack of infrastructure,
but it’s also about the utilities having rate structures
in place and what the overall cost of ownership is going to
look like.”
Hems said the challenges of implementing the plan
aren’t hard to find, and that they turn on some of the most
obvious elements of traffic management.
“One of the big concerns we have as an industry is lack
of truck parking, and now we’re talking about electrifying
an industry where drivers already don’t have anywhere to
park,” she said. “When we have electric trucks, where are
they going to go to charge? That also gets into more of the
cross-country challenges.”
To that point, a dozen governors last fall signed a letter
to President Joe Biden urging him to pass federal legislation
that would set similar deadlines and sales quotas. Until
that happens, long-haul operators in states like New York
18 TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY | WWW.TRUCKLOAD.ORG TCA JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

are left wondering how to navigate a patchwork of regulations
and infrastructure by state.
“If you leave California with a load of produce and
you’re required to use an all-electric vehicle, is the infrastructure
going to be there to get us across country? What
does that look like?” said Ken Johnson, CEO of Farmington,
New York-based Leonard’s Express and former chairman
of TANY. “Some of these states that don’t share the
same values as California and New York are not going to
be motivated to move that quickly. Where are we going to
be able to plug our trucks in?”
And then there’s the cost, which goes beyond just the
price of equipping a fleet with new vehicles.
“The price of these zero-emission vehicles is currently
quite a bit higher than a diesel truck,” said Johnson, whose
company runs 650 rigs with 700 refrigerated trailers and
300 dry vans. “The other piece of it that you don’t hear
a lot about in the publications is if the electrical grid is
built big enough to handle all these additional chargers. If
I have to put in 100 charging stations here in my terminal,
is the electricity coming from the road adequate to handle
that?”
Stephen Wadhams, president of Phelps, New Yorkbased
Wadhams Enterprises, said his company hadn’t
even begun to think about going electric before the new
law passed, in large part because of what he sees as
inadequacies in the current technology.
“I personally just think this is a disaster; it’s pie in the
sky as far as I’m concerned,” he said. “We’re already struggling
to keep businesses in New York. This is just going to
drive the cost up more. Trucking companies in this state
are already struggling to stay here. We just keep raising
our rates to our customers and customers just keep on
leaving this state.
“(Lawmakers) just don’t get it. They just don’t get it.
They sign these bills, and they have no clue on what it’s
going to cost or what it’s going to take to even get there.
It’s just ridiculous,” he said.
Hochul has already indicated she will seek reelection
as governor of New York, a position she filled following
Andrew Cuomo’s resignation in August in the face of
multiple sexual harassment allegations. Trucking officials
said they believe Hochul’s move was thus more about
drumming up political points among environmental special
interests than cleaning up greenhouse gases, leaving
operators holding the bag.
“I don’t understand how they possibly think they can
get this done,” said Greenville, New York-based Borwegen
Trucking, Inc.’s President Terry Borwegen. “I know another
company that has ordered electric trucks and he has them
on order. He can’t get them. They’ve been on order for
probably a year and a half now.”
Maine-based Brown Dog Carriers’ President and
Co-Founder Graig Moran shared that he’s heard similar
proposals being considered in his state. While he says
he’s all for new technology, he cautions jumping the gun
and creating regulations for technology that can’t yet be
supported by the nation’s infrastructure.
“There’s a lot of work that would need to be done, I
believe, before they could do a widespread sell on (zeroemission
trucks),” he noted. “If we don’t have reliable technology,
we’ll have downtime, we’ll equipment that doesn’t
work. Where’s the infrastructure coming from that’s going
to support these vehicles?
“You don’t want to be forced into buying something
that’s going to be more expensive and that’s a lot less reliable
than what we’ve got,” he continued. “Once it’s reliable,
then hey, I’m all for giving it a shot. But I don’t think
environmental groups should be pushing rules that will
affect an (entire) industry.”
TCA JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022 WWW.TRUCKLOAD.ORG | TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY 19

A CHAT WITH THE CHAIRMAN
20 TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY | WWW.TRUCKLOAD.ORG TCA JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

SPONSORED BY
HEADING
for a STRONG
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FOREWORD AND INTERVIEW BY LYNDON FINNEY
Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) Chairman Jim Ward
is heading into the final weeks of his term, but he’s surely
not slowing down. Coming off the success of Truckload 2021:
Las Vegas and Bridging Border Barriers in Canada, the chairman
still has several trips to the TCA headquarters in Alexandria,
Virginia, to plan future events, including Truckload 2022:
Las Vegas, which will mark the second time he’s moderated
convention sessions. Then, as you’ve probably have heard by now, he will step
from the role of TCA chairman into the role of TCA president. Between trips,
meetings, and the presidential selection process, he took the time talk about
the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure plan and how the $110 billion targeted
for roads and bridges will impact trucking. He also comprehensively shared
the associations’ position on the gas tax-vehicle miles traveled debate.
TCA JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022 WWW.TRUCKLOAD.ORG | TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY 21

Truckload Carriers Association Chairman and D.M. Bowman, Inc., President Jim Ward addresses association members during the closing banquet of Truckload 2021: Las Vegas.
The three-day convention wrapped up with a performance by country music legend Clint Black.
Mr. Chairman, we hope you and your family had a merry
Christmas and a happy New Year. As you enter the home
stretch of your term as chairman, what does your schedule
look like for January and February?
The second week of January, I will be at TCA headquarters, meeting
with the leadership of TCA’s Refrigerated Division as they plan their 2022
event in Traverse City, Michigan. In the fourth week, John Lyboldt, John
Elliott, and I will meet in Alexandria to plan for my passing of the Chairman
gavel to John Elliott at the convention in March.
In February, we hope to oblige current American Trucking Associations
Chair and TCA member Harold Sumerford Jr. of J&M Tank Lines and
take him up on his offer to host a meeting at his facility in Birmingham,
Alabama. The remainder of the time will be spent working on tying up any
loose ends for Truckload 2022: Las Vegas.
Since we last spoke, there has been a major development in
transportation as the House and Senate passed President
Joe Biden’s $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure plan and,
in a bipartisan ceremony November 15, the president
signed the bill into law. The plan will put $550 billion in
new money into transportation, broadband, and utilities,
including $110 billion for roads, bridges, and other
projects. What are the key provisions of this bill that will
help the trucking industry?
We can’t overlook the funding — $110 billion is a lot of money to repair
and rebuild the first-class office space that our professional truck drivers
deserve. To put it into perspective, the Highway Trust Fund, which supports
our roads and bridges, annually commits approximately $45 billion to
necessary roadwork across the country, so the immediate funding this bill
generates is greater than two years’ worth of investments.
Bills of this magnitude are usually spoken about in a sense of what
is in the bill, but there are times when what is left out of the language is
equally as important. The absence of the PRO Act in the infrastructure can
be hailed as a victory by this industry because of the threat it could have
had on the highly successful independent contractor business model. This
demonstrates the association’s ability to message; TCA membership and
staff were quick to voice industry opposition to the issue. The PRO Act can
always reappear in future legislation, but the very fact that it was omitted
from this bill is a great success.
Biden has touted the bill as a long-term plan, with projects
and programs stretching out as long as 10 years. What are
the most urgent needs in the eyes of trucking industry?
I don’t think it is a state secret that our nation’s roads and bridges are
deteriorating. In fact, the American Society of Civil Engineers consistently
refers to the state of disrepair our infrastructure is in. As an issue that
has been circulating since the 2016 presidential election, the need for an
investment into our interstate network certainly represented the most urgent
need and served as the very basis upon which this bill was formulated.
The infrastructure bill would transfer money to the
Highway Trust Fund to keep it solvent, including $90 billion
for highways and $28 billion for mass transit. Given the
dwindling resources in the Trust Fund and the increased
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TCA Chairman Jim Ward visits with association
members during Truckload 2021: Las Vegas.
push toward electric vehicles, some lawmakers have
called for a transition to a vehicle-miles traveled (VMT)
fee instead of a gas tax. What is the latest discussion
among TCA members about a gas tax versus a VMT tax?
The fuel tax continues to represent the most cost-effective measure
for collecting fees that would directly support our roads and bridges.
Of course, with the increase in electric vehicles and the strides our
industry and nation have made in fuel-efficiency standards, visits to
the fuel pump are becoming less frequent. TCA continues to support
an increase to the federal fuel tax program in an effort to raise the
necessary dollars to keep the Highway Trust Fund solvent. However,
through the work of our Highway Policy Committee, we have been
proactive in keeping TCA at the forefront of conversations regarding a
VMT tax. The committee has established a guidance document for these
discussions surrounding whether a VMT would be a viable alternative
and has identified some issues to consider when participating in these
conversations.
For a VMT to be considered a viable alternative, the following issues
must be addressed through additional research, studies, and pilot
programs:
1. The technological and administrative infrastructure is currently
not in place to report and collect this tax or to prevent fraud in any VMT
reporting system.
2. The potential for dual taxation is high if the fuel tax is not fully
phased out before the VMT goes into effect.
3. The VMT as currently envisioned has a significantly higher
administrative cost of collection when compared to the current federal
fuel tax system, which has a proven, low-cost administrative and
collection infrastructure.
4. Past and present VMT pilot programs, including those in which
TCA members like D.M. Bowman, Inc., have participated, lack adequate
data to determine whether this is a reliable alternative on a national
scale.
5. While the trucking industry is accustomed to digital tracking
through electronic logging devices and annual reporting of mileage
to the state and federal government, private citizens are much more
sensitive to the VMT’s privacy implications.
Also included in the bill is a provision to establish an
apprenticeship program designed to encourage
18- to 20-year-olds to enter the industry as professional
truck drivers. Where does TCA stand on this issue?
TCA supports and continues to champion the apprenticeship
program that is reflective of the DRIVE Safe Act. This program allows
carriers to expose their operations to a new demographic by presenting
a rewarding career path for people when exiting high school, an
opportunity that only previously existed for those who operated in
intrastate freight. Not as simple as it sounds, of course, since there
are training aspects and technical equipment specifications that would
coincide with recruiting these individuals, but the opportunity to recruit
younger drivers is one that our industry would embrace so that these
potential employees can get more involved in our industry than before.
On the subject of professional truck drivers, the “Critical
Issues in the Trucking Industry — 2021” report recently
released by the American Transportation Research
Institute, which is based on questionnaire responses by
drivers and motor carrier executives, shows the industry’s
Top 3 concerns are driver-related. No. 1 is the driver
shortage (it has been the top concern the past five years);
No. 2 is driver retention; and No. 3 is driver compensation.
Do these rankings surprise you? What are the top
strategies to address this concern?
I don’t think these things come as a surprise to anyone, especially in
our segment of the industry. Recruiting and retaining drivers is just about
the No. 1 goal for every trucking company these days, which also seems
to coincide with increases in driver compensation. Tight capacity and
the supply chain crunch don’t appear to be going away anytime soon,
so carriers continue to stress the importance of finding drivers that will
efficiently and safely move freight. I do not think a week goes by without
hearing news of wage increases for the professional truck driver, and they
are well deserved. Carriers establish pay programs that are practical for
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24 TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY | WWW.TRUCKLOAD.ORG TCA JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

their own operations and drivers ultimately find a carrier that can satisfy their
wage needs, so it really is not a one-size-fits-all approach, but rather one that
each and every operation views differently.
New to the list of concerns, at No. 10, is a shortage of diesel
technicians. What has happened to create such a shortage,
and what has been the discussion among association members
about how to address this concern?
This is an issue that continues to grow as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
reported that employment of diesel service technicians and mechanics is
projected to grow by 12%, faster than the average for all occupations. The
agency also said 67,000 technicians will be needed to replace retired workers,
and 75,000 new mechanics must be added to meet additional demand
by 2022. This issue has been building for the better part of a decade, even
before COVID-19 impacted the workforce. Retirement, natural attrition due
to COVID, and even job-hopping has affected the industry in a manner that
quality technicians are becoming harder and harder to recruit. Much like a
professional truck driver, it continues to be a challenge finding people to enter
an industry that desperately needs them. Not only do we have to identify and
train more technicians, but we must continue to change the way people think
about this kind of job. It remains a highly skilled profession and the opportunity
for advancement is prevalent for those who choose to make this a career.
The mandate requiring companies with 100 or more
employees to have a fully vaccinated workforce is scheduled
to go into effect in January. Where does TCA stand on this
issue, and how will it impact the motor carrier industry?
TCA remains committed to expressing the viewpoints of our industry on
this issue, focusing on the dramatic change it could have on our driving force
and exorbitant impact it would have on capacity in an already tight market. As
such, we continue to stress the impractical demands that such a rule would
TCA President Jim Ward
shares his thoughts during a
panel discussion at Truckload
2021: Las Vegas.
have on our segment of the industry, especially for the drivers operating in an
irregular route environment.
Obviously, the logistics of vaccinating an army of professional truck drivers
in an irregular operating environment remains a strong concern. A larger fear
is that a rule requiring a vaccine or weekly test could lead to a massive driver
exodus from this great industry. Already faced with a shrinking pool of drivers
from COVID-19 itself, we are all confronted with the pervasive challenge of
locating qualified drivers to deliver our nation’s freight safely, effectively, and
efficiently.
As part of an industry that continues to examine the impacts that this
mandate, if enacted, could have, we continue to be part of the conversation in
an effort to maintain our current level of drivers, not make it worse.
Recently there has been discussion within the industry about
a shortage of truck parts. What are you hearing about this
shortage, and what is the answer to alleviating the shortage?
Is there anything we are not experiencing a shortage of nowadays? The
TCA President Jim Ward and his wife, Starla, enjoy the beauty of nature at the city park while at home in Hagerstown, Maryland.
TCA JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022 WWW.TRUCKLOAD.ORG | TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY 25

TCA Chairman Jim Ward and his wife, Starla,
relax and take a walk on the grounds of the Wynn
and Encore Las Vegas resort during a break in
the association’s 2021 convention in September.
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26 TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY | WWW.TRUCKLOAD.ORG TCA JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

semiconductor shortage is wreaking havoc across the industry, and capacity
is not helping the issue as people continue to wait for the parts they need.
Unfortunately, this has become a sign of the times. Whether it is new
equipment or replacement parts, backorders continue to be the standard
message for today’s marketplace. It is important to continue keeping an
accurate inventory of the parts that are needed and forecast on a wider
variety of parts rather than a select few in order to keep your operation
running effectively.
TCA participated in two important events during November
— the Fifth Annual Bridging Border Barriers, held in Canada,
and the transport of the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree and the
lighting of the tree in Washington, D.C. Why is it important for
the association to participate in these events?
Both of these events were extremely well attended, which was great to
see. Nearly 150 industry professionals participated live and in person at the
Bridging Border Barriers event in Ontario, and the chatter on social media
was superb.
Keeping up with current and potential cross-border issues is crucial;
TCA and its sponsors know how important it is for like-minded colleagues
to gather, and this top-notch event provides that opportunity. Additionally,
thousands of people had the opportunity to visit “The People’s Tree” in our
hometown of Williamsport, Maryland, during a “whistle stop.” The four-hour
event provided the community with an opportunity to sign the banner that
lined the tree, visit with local vendors, chat and have a photo with Santa
and Mrs. Claus, purchase commemorative ornaments, and more. And to
make the event even better, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s
Deputy Administrator Meera Joshi was in attendance and addressed the
crowd about the importance of safety on our nation’s highways. She was
very familiar with our community from participating in the JFK 50 mile run at
least twice. We could not have envisioned a more memorable event.
Looking ahead to Truckload 2022: Las Vegas, the
association recently announced two exciting program
participants. The keynote speaker will be Ben Carson, a
retired neurosurgeon who served as Secretary of Housing
and Urban Development during the Trump administration
and was a Republican presidential candidate during
the 2016 primaries. The featured speaker will be Kevin
Mitnik, a cybersecurity expert who will teach attendees
how to avoid being hacked. Please share a word of
encouragement for TCA members to go ahead now and
register for the convention, and speak to the quality of
speakers the association is able to attract to its convention.
Aside from our lineup of insightful speakers, the event will offer a revamped
schedule so be sure to look at some of the changes. For example, committee
meetings will no longer be held on just Sunday morning. Additionally, more
networking opportunities have been added, including a March Madness
Viewing Lounge in the exhibition hall so attendees can enjoy the games,
beverages, and food while mingling with colleagues. Make plans to join us
now — register at www.truckload2022.com.
In closing, Truckload 2022: Las Vegas will be John Lyboldt’s
last convention as TCA president. How does the association
plan to honor him at the event?
We want to make sure John and Lynne know how much we appreciate all
they have done to support the membership and staff during his six-plus years
as TCA president.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
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TCA JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022 WWW.TRUCKLOAD.ORG | TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY 27

TALKING TCA
Those Who Deliver
with Contract Freighters, Inc.
By Cliff Abbott
It all started in 1951 with a truck, a pair of
trailers, and a dream, the story goes. At least,
one of the stories. That’s because, as currently
configured, Contract Freighters, Inc., has incorporated
the history of numerous carriers, each
with a story of its own. Con-way, XPO, Transport
America, UPS Freight, and many more are
familiar carrier names that are now a part of
the Joplin, Missouri-based operation that does
business as CFI.
CFI is, itself, a subsidiary of the larger TFI
International, a holding company operating
more than 80 individual companies in the U.S.,
Canada, and Mexico. CFI currently has more
than 90 terminals in North America and handles
more than 260,000 shipments per year.
“I know everybody says this, but our people
are what really makes a difference,” explained
CFI President Greg Orr. “We just celebrated our
70th anniversary as a company. I think that is
probably one of the biggest things that we’re
extremely proud of as we continue to invest
in our people and our professional drivers.
Ultimately, that’s what made this company
successful for so many years.”
Like other carriers, CFI was hit hard by the
COVID-19 pandemic and weathered changes to
its day-to-day operation.
“I think there is a ton of learning that we’ve
encountered over the last couple of years,”
remarked Orr. “Literally within about two
weeks, we had 450 to 500 people that went
from working in an office environment to
being dispersed in their homes to execute
our business, and we never missed a beat.”
While the work of running the business was
being accomplished, Orr noticed the downside,
too.
“You don’t realize what you have until it’s
gone,” he stressed. “Our environment is set up
here, especially in Joplin, to be open and available
to all of our drivers, and we had to literally
shut that off for 18 months.”
While communication could be accomplished
through phones, emails and satellite
units, the team struggled with losing many of
the interpersonal relationships enjoyed prior to
COVID.
“You can tell when we talk to our drivers
that that culture is missed,” said Orr. “We’re
just now slowly kind of opening that back up
again to where we have a lot more face-to-face
conversations.”
The pandemic caused relationships with
some customers to change as well.
“You realize what customers you want to
work with and which ones you don’t,” he added.
“There were a lot of customers that were very
open, willing, and able to do whatever they
could to help accommodate the professional
drivers. And I’ll say there was a select few that
— how do I politely say this? — just didn’t
respectfully handle the situation probably as
well as they could have.”
With more than 3,000 tractors in the fleet,
CFI depends on professional drivers for
its truckload, dedicated, and temperaturecontrolled
divisions.
“Ultimately, it’s not just us; it’s everybody in
the industry,” explained Orr. “We’ve got to make
sure that we don’t lose any drivers, whether it’s
CFI or whether it’s the industry.”
CFI can boast of some unique statistics
among its driving fleet. Over 560 of its drivers
have achieved million-mile status. Women
make up around 14% of the driving staff, about
twice the national average.
“We’ve had some very strong female representatives
that we were very fortunate to have
that helped us market, and that drew a lot of
attention,” he said. One long-term female driver
has since retired, and the company is looking
for the next representative.
CFI’s She Drives CFI program helps female
drivers feel safe and supported at work. The
company has been named a Top Company for
Women to Work for by Women In Trucking
multiple times.
“We definitely have a desire to find the most
professional, safest driver, whether that be
male or female,” he said. “We love and respect
our female drivers because their performance
is very similar to male drivers, and in some cases
we see that their accident ratio is improved.”
The company has a robust program for recruiting
military drivers, too. About 14% of
the driving cadre comes with veteran status.
CFI’s True to the Troops program honors veterans
with specialized truck and trailer wraps,
and an apprenticeship program is available for
28 TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY | WWW.TRUCKLOAD.ORG TCA JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

“
—
I know everybody
says this, but our people
are what really makes a
difference.”
Greg Orr
CFI President
qualified veterans to use their G.I. Bill benefits to
supplement their income for their first year.
CFI has an agreement with the U.S. Army
Recruiting Command to provide priority hiring
status to qualified soldiers participating in the
Partnership for Youth Success (PaYS) program
and supports projects that support the military,
such as Holy Joe’s Café and Wreaths Across
America.
One part of CFI’s business that many carriers
don’t deal with is shipments to, from, and within
Mexico. Annually, the company handles more
than 62,000 truckload shipments to and from
the country, with another 27,000 cross-border
and intra-Mexico shipments. CFI owns an LTL
network and maintains a relationship with more
than 190 C-TPAT (Customs-Trade Partnership
Against Terrorism) carriers.
Like other carriers, CFI is facing challenges in
finding qualified drivers in today’s labor market.
Orr explained, “The challenge that I think we all
have is the driver shortage, not only in the U.S.
but in Mexico. That’s really where I think there’s
more of a bottleneck than anything at this point.”
Orr thinks the problem goes beyond the
trucking industry. “When you look at society
as a whole, I can’t say that we’re all focused on
creating truck drivers from our children or our
children’s children.”
Availability of new equipment is a challenge
as well.
“We’re pretty fortunate,” Orr said. “We had
placed a pretty large tractor order at the beginning
of the year and another large order about
mid-year; plus, with our sister company acquisition
of the UPS LTL division. We’re positioned
very well with our manufacturers. The trailer
side is, I think, even worse than the tractor side.”
Orr feels that rising equipment costs may be a
bigger problem than availability.
Whether organically or by acquisition, CFI is
poised to continue growing into the future.
Leadership Team
Greg Orr
President
Dustin Quesenberry
VP Truckload Operations
Mike Cervin
VP Sales
Eric Anson
SVP Dedicated Sales & Operations
Matt Staniszewski
VP/GM Temp-Control Operations
Bill Carter
VP Logistics
Angela Ridge
VP Human Resources
Melinda Green
VP Finance
Tom Anderson
VP IT
By the Numbers
DRIVERS
3,720
TRAILERS
11,000
EMPLOYEES
3,811
TRUCKS
3,000
Opposite page, top: CFI President Greg
Orr (holding plaque) is joined by Steve Studer,
director of maintenance (far left) and Randy
Cornell, vice president — maintenance (next to
Studer) as dignitaries from the OEM and dealer
present CFI’s 15,000th Kenworth truck in a
September 2021 ceremony. Opposite page,
right: Pro driver and veteran Tom Christian and
his furry, four-legged copilot travel in a True to
the Troops-wrapped truck. This page, top:
An eagle-wrapped True to the Troops truck is
displayed in front of CFI’s Joplin, Missouri,
headquarters. This page, bottom left:
Student driver Fredricka Palmer poses beside
her trainer’s She Drives CFI-wrapped truck.
This page, bottom right: Pro driver and
military veteran Steve Landon shows off his True
to the Troops wrapped truck.
TCA JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022 WWW.TRUCKLOAD.ORG | TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY 29

Committee Chronicles
From the front line: TCA’s most engaged members making a difference
Adam
Blanchard
By Dwain Hebda
Adam Blanchard joined the trucking industry when he
co-founded Double Diamond Trucking with a buddy in
2014. Today, he is chairman of the Truckload Carriers
Association’s Highway Policy Committee.
Many trucking company executives started their careers
behind the wheel, learning the trucking business from
the road up over many years. But this is not so with
Double Diamond Trucking’s CEO Adam Blanchard.
Everything Blanchard knows about the trucking industry came
after he agreed to join a buddy to co-found the company in
2014. To this day, the former attorney shakes his head over how
green he was.
“I met a friend of mine through Bible study and he worked for a
trucking company,” recalled Blanchard.
“He kept telling me the things he would do differently. One night
we were watching baseball at a sports bar, and I said, ‘Well, why
don’t we start a trucking company?’” he shared. “We started our
company in my kitchen two weeks later in 2014, and we got our
first truck on the road. Started with one truck and one trailer.”
You’d never guess today that the early days of Double Diamond
were a crash course in trucking for Blanchard.
Over the past seven years, the company, which has expanded
into freight services, has become an unqualified success story,
having grown to 75 trucks, 200 trailers and almost 50 employees
— not counting the owner-operators who make up the majority of
on-the-road head count.
And Blanchard has grown too, from a rank outsider to a savvy
logistics businessman who learned things the hard way, and fast.
“I didn’t have any background in trucking at all,” he chuckled.
“I was just looking for an opportunity to get into business.
And there’s not a better industry in the world to be in than trucking.
The absolute salt of the earth, (the) best people I’ve ever
met are my friends and colleagues in the trucking industry.”
For everything he didn’t know about trucking, there were
some elements that he knew all too well — namely government
encroachment, excessive taxation, and tort abuse, all of which
Blanchard says have only increased with time. Having the opportunity
to stand against such government overreach was one
of the most appealing things about his getting involved with
the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA).
“When I was growing up, my dad told me, ‘Son, to be
successful you need to be involved in your community and be
involved in your industry.’ I really live by that,” he said. “I’ve
always believed if you have the opportunity to be in business,
you need to be involved in your industry to make sure you can
make a positive impact. You want to leave things better than
when you received them.
“TCA is such a special organization,” he continued. “They
do an incredible job advocating for our specific segment of the
industry. I’m very appreciative, and very humbled by the fact
that the leadership of TCA has given me the opportunity to get
involved.”
30 TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY | WWW.TRUCKLOAD.ORG TCA JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

Blanchard took a seat on the Highway Policy Committee and
chaired the Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) Tax Subcommittee,
which developed a guidance document for members to grasp the
various taxing efforts afoot targeting the industry. The issue remains
a primary focus as Blanchard has taken over as chairman
of the committee.
“There has been a proliferation of electric vehicles at the same
time the Highway Trust Fund is continuing to deteriorate,” he said.
“So, there has been a lot of discussion at the federal level — and
frankly the state levels now — about how do we make sure that
electric vehicles pay their fair share? One of the policy concepts
that has come out of that is creating a new taxing regime that is
the vehicle mileage tax.
“We pay fuel tax every time we fill up, so what a vehicle mileage
tax would do is it would tax us as an industry specifically not at
the pump, but on the miles that we run,” he explained. “Recently
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, from Texas of all places, suggested that
we should have a 25-cent vehicle mileage tax just on Class 7 and
Class 8 vehicles.”
The effect of such a tax, Blanchard said, would be devastating to
the trucking industry.
“This is an issue that is incredibly important, and (it’s) a critical
issue because we, as an industry, already pay more than our fair
share to the Highway Trust Fund. I think we pay 84% of the funds
that go into the Highway Trust Fund through the fuel tax,” he said.
“Creating a whole taxing regime to tax us by the mile … I
mean, our trucks run on average about 100,000 miles a year. At
25 cents a mile, that would be $25,000 per truck per year,” he
predicted. “That is a crippling tax that would have a huge, huge
impact on our industry. It’s an existential threat to us right now.”
At the same time such proposals are being made, Blanchard
said lawmakers are proving tone deaf on two legislative issues
that would actually help the trucking industry — driver recruitment
and tort reform.
“At the top of the list of issues we’re dealing with is the driver
shortage,” he said. “We have a driver shortage that’s estimated to
be 80,000 drivers, if not more. Are we feeling that as an industry?
Absolutely. Yet, we don’t have an
opportunity to recruit people out of
high school.”
Blanchard points to the DRIVE
Safe Act, which would allow the
trucking industry to train younger
drivers for interstate routes.
“Look, just give us the opportunity
and we will put somebody to
train them in the cab with them. We
will provide them trucks with all the
safety technology out there available.
Just give us an opportunity,” he
said, adding that the ability to recruit
students out of high school, who are
not on a college track, would help
reduce the driver shortage.
“To me, there is no better bipartisan issue,” he said. “We can
send kids to war, and they can drive tanks and drive trucks overseas,
but they come back to the U.S., and they can’t drive from
Texas to Louisiana. It just doesn’t make any sense.”
Legal issues are another area of concern, said Blanchard. Tort
reform has started to creep into some state statutes addressing
frivolous lawsuits and excessive judgements, but progress at
the federal level is well overdue.
“We seem to always be under attack by bad policy,” he added.
“Look at the new infrastructure bill that was coming through the
House; included within that was raising the minimum insurance
from $750,000 to $2 million. Think about the effect that would
have on our industry, happening at the same time that we are in
an environment of lawsuit abuse where we are constantly under
attack by a lot of frivolous lawsuits that we’re having to fight
throughout the country.”
The result of raising insurance minimums by such a large
amount could be catastrophic, exclaimed Blanchard. “I think a lot
of people don’t understand that this industry is an industry of very
tight margins and trying to absorb the additional cost related to
that is difficult to say the least.”
In such an environment, it’s more critical than ever for all industry
players to educate themselves and rally behind a strong
industry advocate such as TCA, he added.
“I think TCA has done a great job of informing our membership,
and I think that the members within our association are doing
a good job of coordinating to ensure that we have a voice in
Washington and within the states that we operate,” he said. “Like
anything, we can always do better, but I think we’re doing a great
job of communicating the issues that are important to us. We need
to keep coming to the floor and we need to continue to make sure
that our voices are heard at the state and federal level.”
*Editor’s note: This is the first in a series of articles highlighting
the Truckload Carriers Association’s committees which are open
for all members to join. To learn more or to sign up for a committee,
visit truckload.org/committee-program-leadership.
Adam Blanchard, left, chairs
the Highway Policy Committee
meeting at Truckload 2021: Las
Vegas in September. Beside
him is TCA Chairman and new
President Jim Ward.
TCA JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022 WWW.TRUCKLOAD.ORG | TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY 31

THE END
OF AN ERA
TCA President John Lyboldt looks back on his career in the industry
INTRODUCTION AND INTERVIEW BY LYNDON FINNEY
n December 21, 2015, John Lyboldt became president of the Truckload Carriers Association
(TCA). He hit the ground running the very next day, polling the membership to determine
what was on their minds regarding the future of the association. Over 300 responses later,
he knew what needed to be done and went to work on four themes he heard over and over
again — to improve the members’ balance sheet, to improve the members’ profitability, to
improve the members’ retention of their skilled workforce, and to be the voice of truckload
through government affairs. Under Lyboldt’s leadership, TCA has been extremely successful
in these four areas, in addition to many, many more. Last year, Lyboldt announced he would retire in
March 2022. Recently, he sat down with Truckload Authority to share his recollections of his 36 years
in the automotive industry, including the past five years as president of TCA.
32 TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY | WWW.TRUCKLOAD.ORG TCA JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

What first attracted you to the automotive industry?
I was a Dale Carnegie employee and was working with an automotive
group. The dealer offered me a position, and I took it. My grandfather
and my uncle were Chevrolet Buick dealers just outside of Syracuse,
New York. I had thoughts about the possibility of becoming the next
dealer principal when they retired as a long-term strategy.
I know you were a senior vice president at the National Automotive
Dealers Association when you went to work at the Truckload Carriers
Association. How did you hear about the job coming open?
I found the position on ASAE. I pulled three years of TCA’s 990s,
and I interviewed a retired employee of TCA to learn as much as I could
about the association before I even applied. I had done a lot of research
on the association to see what it was about and how they were doing.
Looking at the 990s, I knew where the expense lines were and what kind
of revenue they were generating. In doing so, I had a really good feel for
TCA and the opportunity. So, I decided to apply because I felt I could
really make a difference from what I had learned.
For the eight years before coming to TCA, you served as senior
vice president of dealer services for the National Automobile
Dealers Association (NADA), an organization that represents
franchised new car and truck dealers, their managers, and their
employees. Before that, you spent 17 years as the president and
CEO of the Rochester Automobile Dealers Association (RADA) in
Rochester, New York. How did your previous work prepare you for
what you encountered at TCA?
I took over at age 29 as president of RADA. It was a good-size
organization with 21 employees. I cut my teeth and faced some
surmountable challenges at RADA that shaped my skill sets, leadership
strength, and future. I’ve always worked closely with independently
family-owned businesses. There, I was engaged in lobbying at both
state and federal levels, as well as a complete offering of products and
services. I was recruited by the National Automobile Dealers Association
to move to Washington in 2007. The reason I was recruited is I had
gone through the chairs of the state and metro automotive association
organization at NADA called the Automotive Trade Association Executives
(ATAE). ATAE represents more than 100 state and metro associations
who represent 20,000 dealers. With the exposure to NADA, they asked
me if I’d be interested in coming to Washington to work for NADA in
the dealership operations, which includes the Academy, 20 group, and
NADA membership. When I looked at TCA, I saw my experience and
knowledge as being important to the initiatives of TCA.
What were your early impressions of TCA?
I saw opportunity. I started on December 21, 2015, and on December
22, I sent a letter to the membership. I remember Keith Tuttle, TCA
Chairman, when he read the letter asking the membership what was
on their mind regarding TCA’s future, he commented to me he liked I
was jumping in the deep end of the pool already. I received roughly 300
emails, phone calls, and letters from the membership. Next, I organized
into four different “buckets” the major themes, and that’s where the four
legs of a four-legged stool was created.
Let’s just talk about the four-legged stool. How did it help shape
the association during those first years?
It gave direction. It was something we could use to improve the
members’ balance sheet, improve their profitability, help them retain their
skilled workforce, and become the voice of truckload through government
affairs. Today, those still exist. Additionally, I suggested to leadership that
we have what we call a leadership transition meeting every year before the
new chairman takes over. Usually it’s December, but this year it’s going
to be January. This created an opportunity for us to review what we had
accomplished based on the objectives and goals for the previous year,
what we didn’t accomplish that would be carried over, and what are the
vision and goals of the incoming chairman. We tweaked the plan when
a new chairman came in, and with the next chairman, tweaked it again. I
have a rule, and that is as soon as you think your association is perfect, you
are three years behind. We didn’t use any big company guru to tell us what
to do. The membership knew best, and they told us what we needed to do.
Of the four legs, what did membership say was the most urgent?
Most urgent was providing membership with TCA’s direction and
executing on it. There were many moving pieces; however, we rebuilt
TCA on sustainability of our programs and services. We needed to be
strategic and extremely focused, and this still exists today.
Has the growth of TCA surprised you?
Not at all. We knew if you provided membership what they want,
need, and will use, it would produce incredible results. If you combine
this with membership engagement and involvement, you have a winning
formula. Members make the association what it is!
I know the stool was a key strategy early on. What are some of the
other strategies you’ve used to sustain the growth of the association?
Like I said previously, member engagement is the key to success.
Dues make it all work; however, dues alone will not don’t grow
membership. What grows membership is engagement and the
membership value proposition. We have a committed officer group,
executive committee, board, and hardworking committees who provide
more than direction. They are the core of what we are and what we do.
Nonmembers are beginning to see what they are missing out on and are
saying, “We want to be part of this plan.”
When you are out and about, what do you hear from membership
about the value TCA brings, and what of those brings them the most
value?
TCA is the only trade association whose sole focus is the truckload
segment of the motor carrier industry, and we take this very seriously. They
like that we are providing leadership that will increase their productivity,
profitability, and ability to provide superior service, to advocate on
I consider it a privilege to have had the opportunity to chair TCA at a time where
John Lyboldt was our president and the leader of this association. His support of the
work the officer’s group undertook was welcomed and appreciated every day. I have
always appreciated his demeanor and his ability to bring his team together to serve
the membership and our industry. Both John and his wife, Lynne, have been great
contributors and developers of the culture and ambassadors for the trucking industry.
I wish John and Lynne the best of luck and a long, healthy and happy retirement.”
— ROB PENNER, TCA CHAIRMAN 2017-2018
TCA JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022 WWW.TRUCKLOAD.ORG | TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY 33

ehalf of our members, and to enhance the truckload industry’s ability
to provide safe, high-quality, reliable truckload transportation services to
the shipping public.
You’ve always surrounded yourself with hardworking, dedicated,
loyal people, including the staff and board. Speak about the role
they’ve played during your time at TCA.
I always like to say it this way: They all make me look good. And
you know, when you can bring out the best in people, that is the key to
leadership. And I can tell you the leadership I’m under with my officer
group, they absolutely bring the best out of me. I think the membership
brings the best out of me. And in turn, I bring the best out of the staff.
I am extremely lucky I’ve had the group of people around me that
I do, but it doesn’t come by happenstance. It comes with a lot of hard
work by people who can get the job done and who are accountable. I
think the accountability level here has gone through the roof and that
each person owns what they do. And they’re proud of what they do.
They’re proud of the fact that if they come in and they contribute the
way that they want to contribute, that their work is very important and
that they can be satisfied with their careers. And I think that’s true with
just about anybody.
You know, if you provide an opportunity and you give people the
tools and the resources and the guidance and let them go with it, they
will be successful. And that’s what you see here at TCA. The TCA staff
is, I believe, the strongest that I’ve seen in the time I’ve been here. This
group of people is hard-charging. They want to do it right. They want
to make sure the membership experience is at an all-time high. They
want to deliver white-glove service. The reality is that everyone must be
a team player, and no one team member can be successful without the
other. So, the culture and the climate we have here is that we’re in this
together. Let’s figure out how we can make this thing really, really sing.
And then let’s go get the job done.
In your president’s address at the 2020 TCA convention, you used
the phrase “once upon a time” to reflect what the association had
been when you took over, but there is still a lot of work to be done.
So, why are you stepping away?
I am blessed to have been married 44 years to my wife Lynne. I have
two incredibly successful children, Kelly and Andrew, and an incredible
daughter-in-law, Sara, and three beautiful grandkids, Madison, Makayla,
and Keller. My wife and I aren’t getting any younger, and I want to be able
to enjoy my family while my health is still good. That’s the real reason
I’m retiring.
What will you miss the most?
My relationships. I have made life lifelong friends. So, what I’ll miss
the most is the interaction with people. And quite frankly, it’s a challenge
for me. That’s something I need to figure out.
John Lyboldt came to the TCA
knowing very little about our
industry. I had the privilege of
being on the search committee
which interviewed John. John’s
previous experience in trucking
amounted to him owning a
pickup truck. But John is a
quick study, and quickly made
an impact. There are a lot of similarities between TCA and
NADA, and John was able to make the transition with
little to no issue. As I have said before, the TCA needed
a day-to-day leader, and John was the right guy at the
right time. John’s previous experience in the world of
Best Practice groups fell right in line with a valuable TCA
program. Staff changes, additions, and engagement were
timely and on point. Also timely was John’s familiarity with
newly appointed FMCSA Administrator Ray Martinez.
The connection with the FMCSA allowed the TCA to
take the lead on hours-of-service reform, specifically the
modification of the spilt sleeper provision. Bottom line is,
the TCA is a better association because of John’s dedication
and hard work. It was a pleasure serving the TCA with
John at the helm. Best wishes to John and Lynne.”
What are your plans for retirement?
— DAN DORAN, TCA CHAIRMAN 2018-2019
At this point, I really haven’t put together a plan. I think the important
thing to do is get to that point, because we have so much going on. When
I retire, we are going to take the month of April and half of May to spend
on Kiawah Island. We own a place in Kiawah and will take those weeks to
think this through a little bit, and go from there. I am keeping my options
open. I don’t have any aspirations to travel. Lynne and I have traveled
extensively. I’m just going to spend time with my family.
As you leave the office for the last time, if you could turn around
and say one thing to the staff, what would it be?
It has been a pleasure, and I wish you the best of luck.
Simply put, John Lyboldt was definitely the right person for TCA during the time he has
been at the helm and led our association. Though I have the opportunity to share the
aforementioned, that statement is the sentiment that has been repeated publicly by many
TCA members. John’s caring spirit is seen through his work and the staff he has assembled.
Working alongside John during his tenure, for me, has been a blessing both personally and
professionally. His engagement with the officers he has worked with over the past six years
definitely has TCA positioned for growth, financial strength, and recognition outside our
industry. I wish John the best as he navigates retirement and life beyond TCA. And thank
you, Lynne, for sharing John with us over these years!”
— DENNIS DELLINGER, TCA CHAIRMAN 2020-2021
34 TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY | WWW.TRUCKLOAD.ORG TCA JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

Jim Ward chosen to
become next TCA president
JIM WARD
Following a months-long rigorous search, the Truckload
Carriers Association (TCA) has announced the selection of James
(Jim) Ward as its new president.
Ward will succeed TCA President John Lyboldt, who plans to
retire April 1, 2022.
Currently, Ward serves as TCA’s volunteer chair; his term
expires in March 2022. Prior to his election as TCA’s chair, Ward
was deeply engaged in many facets of TCA leadership and in
several of its programs over the many years.
In response to several members’ urging him to apply for
the president’s position, Ward recused himself from the search
process before its outreach began in late August.
Ward serves as president and CEO of TCA member D. M.
Bowman, Inc., of Williamsport, Maryland, a position from which
he will soon retire. In addition to more than two decades at D. M.
Bowman, Ward’s extensive transportation leadership experience
includes service as managing director of Willis Towers Watson’s
transportation division, where he provided risk management and
safety services to multiple transportation clients.
Prior to joining Willis in 1993, Ward was a trainman and
engineer for CSX and was promoted to serve as its Maryland
safety manager.
Ward is a past chair and current board member of Maryland
Motor Truck Association (MMTA) and a former recipient of
MMTA’s Person of the Year award. He also serves as a vice
president at-large of the American Trucking Associations.
“TCA is approaching 2022 in its strongest position in many
years,” said TCA Search Committee Chair and First Vice Chair
John Elliott, CEO of Load1, in announcing Ward’s selection to
members. Elliott cited TCA’s all-time high membership as well as
the expansion and success of its advocacy efforts.
“TCA is poised to strengthen current programs while
we actively seek to provide our members new services and
opportunities,” Elliott said. “We are excited to bring Jim’s unique
skill sets and his deep love of the truckload industry to move TCA
to the next level.”
Elliott announced that Ward will serve out his term as TCA
chair while transitioning into and assuming the president’s role at
the March 2022 TCA Annual Conference in Las Vegas.
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TCA JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022 TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY 35

BRIDGING
2
BORDER BARRIERS
More than 150 industry executives and key association leaders gathered
to discuss and learn about current and potential cross-border issues
that are facing the industry during TCA’s Fifth Annual Bridging Border
Barriers, held Wednesday, November 17, at the Lionhead Golf Club &
Conference Centre in Brampton, Ontario, Canada.
The event featured numerous networking opportunities, insightful panel
discussions, a government affairs update, and more.
Thanks to the following sponsors, the event was complimentary for all audiences:
Blume Global, Daimler Trucks North America, ISAAC Instruments, and TruckRight.
View additional photos at truckload.org/Flickr.
1
3
4
1. The event offered an ELD Mandate and Data Panel
featuring panelists Scott Creighton, Director of Risk
Services Transportation and Logistics for Northbridge
Insurance; Steve Newton, Director of Safety and
Driver Development for Challenger Motor Freight;
and Garth Pitzel, Senior Director of Safety and Driver
Development for Bison Transport. The panel was
moderated by TCA’s David Heller. 2. More than 150
trucking industry professionals gathered for the event
in Brampton, Ontario. (Photo courtesy of Sud Malhotra
via Twitter.) 3. The jam-packed schedule featured five
panel discussions and three networking opportunities.
Thanks to all who joined us for this event.(Photo
courtesy of Kim Richardson via Twitter.) 4. Thank you
for joining us, Trans4 Group Ltd. We hope you found
the event to be informative. (Photo courtesy of Trans4
Group Ltd. via LinkedIn.)
36 TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY | WWW.TRUCKLOAD.ORG TCA JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

5 6
7
8
9
10
5. Members of the Safety and Security Strategies Panel included Matt Richardson, Vice President of KRTS Transportation Specialists; Tom Boehler, Director of Safety
and Compliance for Erb Group of Companies; Eugenia Churilov, Director of Safety, Compliance and Security for Kriska Transportation Group. The panel was moderated
by John G. Smith, Vice President-Editorial for Newcom Media. 6. The event was held at the Lionhead Golf Club & Conference Centre in Brampton, Ontario, Canada.
7. Special thanks to our long-time host, Daimler Trucks North America. 8. TCA hosted its Fifth Annual Bridging Border Barriers event on Wednesday, November 17.
The event was offered at no charge thanks to our sponsors. 9. KRTS’ Kim Richardson welcomed attendees to the event Wednesday morning. 10. The event offered
opening remarks and a Recruiting & Retention Best Practices Panel moderated by TPP’s Ray Haight. Panelists included Mark Seymour, President and CEO of Kriska
Transportation Group; Michael Zelek, Director of Human Resources for Wellington Group of Companies; and Trevor Kurtz, General Manager of Brian Kurtz Trucking.
(Photo courtesy of Today’s Trucking via Twitter.)
TCA JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022 WWW.TRUCKLOAD.ORG | TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY 37

CAPITOL CHRISTMAS
2
Every year, a different national forest is selected to provide a tree to appear on the West Lawn
of the U.S. Capitol for the holiday season. This year, California’s Six Rivers National Forest, in
partnership with nonprofit partner Choose Outdoors and Visit California, chose this special
gift — an 84-foot-tall White Fir — that was transported from California to Washington, D.C.,
by truck. The official tree-lighting ceremony was held Wednesday, December 1.
Since 2012, the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) has proudly sponsored the U.S. Capitol
Christmas Tree. During its 4,000-mile trek this year, the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree, also called
“The People’s Tree,” made a special stop at the Williamsport Town Hall in downtown Williamsport,
Maryland, on Tuesday, November 16. As part of TCA’s sponsorship, the organization can host the
tree in a city of its choosing. View additional photos at truckload.org/Flickr.
1
3
1. TCA staffers pose for a photo before
the tree-lighting event on December 1.
Pictured, from left: TCA’s Luis Soto, Marli
Hall, Zander Gambill, Hunter Livesay, Kristen
Bouchard, Kelly Schubert, and Kathryn Pobre.
2. On November 16, 2021, #CCTWilliamsport
attendees had the opportunity to purchase
commemorative ornaments during a whistle stop
sponsored by TCA. One side of the ornament
featured the 2021 logo; the other featured
“Williamsport, Maryland” and the date of the event.
3. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s
Deputy Administrator Meera Joshi addressed
the crowd during the Williamsport, Maryland,
whistle stop on November 16. 4. D.M. Bowman,
Inc., President and TCA Chairman Jim Ward was
interviewed prior to the Williamsport event by
reporter Brittany Ward of WDVMTV Channel 25.
4
38 TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY | WWW.TRUCKLOAD.ORG TCA JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

5 6
7
8
9
10
5. The 2021 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree — an 84-foot-tall White Fir — was harvested from California’s Six Rivers National Forest on October 23. 6. TCA’s Marli
Hall poses alongside the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Kirsten Radewagen during the November 16, 2021, tour stop in Williamsport, Maryland,
#CCTWilliamsport. 7. One of the six System Transport professional truck drivers who hauled the tree, Jeremy Bellinger of Spokane, Washington, received high-fives at
an event. He has 21 years’ experience as a commercial glass driver. Meet all six drivers who transported the tree at truckload.org/newsroom. 8. This panoramic
view shows a private Tree Sponsor Reception that was held November 29 at The National Press Club in Washington, D.C. 9. TCA staffers pose with a piece of the banner
that lined the trailer carrying the 84-foot-tall White Fir. TCA was presented this memento during a private Sponsor Reception at the National Press Club November 29.
Pictured, from left: TCA’s Marli Hall, Hunter Livesay, and Kathryn Pobre. 10. Congratulations on a successful journey, System Transport! The professional truck drivers who
hauled the tree, along with staffers, attended the tree-lighting ceremony December 1.
TCA JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022 WWW.TRUCKLOAD.ORG | TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY 39

TALKING TCA
Vaccine
mandate
spurs legal
challenges
By John Worthen
Mentioning COVID-19 vaccine mandates in trucking
industry circles may cause some wincing.
Not because of the needle, either.
It’s taking away personal rights, many contend.
For now, President Joe Biden’s nationwide vaccine mandate
is mired down in the courts. A federal judge on December
8 blocked it from being enforced for employees
of federal contractors, the latest in a string of victories for
Republican-led states pushing back against Biden’s pandemic
policies.
Millions of health care workers across the U.S. were supposed
to have their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by
Dec. 6 under a mandate issued by the Biden administration.
Thanks to legal challenges, they won’t have to worry
about it, at least for now.
Same goes for a January 4 deadline set by the administration
for businesses with at least 100 employees to ensure
their workers are vaccinated or tested weekly for the virus.
In early November, the American Trucking Associations
(ATA), along with the Louisiana Motor Truck Association,
the Mississippi Trucking Association and the Texas Trucking
Association, sued the Biden administration over the
mandate.
“We told the administration that this mandate, given
the nature of our industry and makeup of our workforce,
could have devastating impacts on the supply chain and
the economy and they have, unfortunately, chosen to move
forward despite those warnings,” said ATA President Chris
Spear.
“So we are now, regrettably, forced to seek to have this
mandate overturned in court.”
In a November, U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh said
that truckers should be exempt from the mandate.
“If you’re a truck driver and you’re outside, you’re in a
cab driving by yourself, this doesn’t impact you. If you’re
a worker outside working in the area, this doesn’t impact
you,” Walsh told Philadelphia television station WPVI.
Whether Walsh’s statement means that truckers are exempt
remains unclear. He hasn’t addressed the issue since.
More than four-fifths of adults nationwide already have
received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. But Biden
contends his various workforce vaccine mandates are an
important step in curtailing the virus, which has killed more
than 780,000 people in the U.S.
Opponents have taken a three-tiered approach to challenging
Biden’s requirements. In lawsuits, they contend
the vaccine mandates were imposed without proper public
comment, were not authorized by Congress and infringe on
states’ rights to regulate public health matters.
“The reasoning across the cases is basically the same,
which is that these statutes don’t give the president or the
agency in question the authority to issue the mandates,”
said Gregory Magarian, a constitutional law professor at
Washington University in St. Louis.
As for truckers, many are outspoken on the issue.
A long-haul trucker who asked only to be identified as
Steve out of fear his company would retaliate against him
said the mandates amount to ending freedom in America.
“It’s my body, it should be my choice,” Steve said. “I don’t
know why the government thinks they can tell me what I
can and cannot put into my own body. It’s just not right.”
Some other truckers have more moderate views.
Sandra Jenkins, who works for a small Arkansas trucking
company, said she has no problem getting the vaccine.
“I am all for vaccinations, but I do think the mandate may
be going a little too far,” she said. “I mean, I get it. We need
to stop this virus, but I can see why the mandates upset so
many people.”
40 TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY | WWW.TRUCKLOAD.ORG TCA JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

A QUICK LOOK AT MORE
IMPORTANT TCA NEWS
HIGHWAY ANGELS
PRESENTING SPONSOR:
SUPPORTING SPONSOR:
Professional truck drivers Kiel Carson, Stuart Cole, Donnell Harris Jr.,
Alex “Zay” Harrison, Robert Kravette, Timothy Sikes, and Devey South,
have been named Highway Angels by the Truckload Carriers Association
(TCA) for their acts of heroism while on the road.
For their willingness to assist fellow drivers as motorists, TCA has presented
each Highway Angel with a certificate, a patch, a lapel pin, and truck
decals. Their employers have also received a certificate acknowledging
their driver as a Highway Angel.
Special thanks go to the program’s Presenting Sponsor EpicVue, and
Supporting Sponsor DriverFacts.
KIEL CARSON
Kiel Carson (not pictured), who lives in Portland, Maine, and is a driver
with Prime Inc. of Springfield, Missouri, was honored for stopping to help
at the scene of an accident after another truck slammed into a disabled
vehicle.
During his training period with Prime Inc., Carson was crossing the
Delaware Memorial Bridge at Wilmington, Delaware. It was around 3 p.m.
and traffic was fairly light when he saw a tractor-trailer to his left slam into
a disabled car that was stopped in the road. The truck had swerved to avoid
another vehicle that had made an aggressive lane change in front of it.
“The truck carried the car across my lane and into the guardrail and
came to a stop maybe 100 feet in front of me,” recalled Carson, who yelled
to his trainer, Kevin Hare (who was on his required rest break in the sleeper)
that he had just witnessed a serious accident.
“I pulled the parking brakes, checked my mirror, and jumped out,” he
said. As Carson went to check on the two vehicles, Hare called 911 and the
team’s dispatcher.
Carson first checked on the truck driver, who was dazed but didn’t appear
to be injured. He then rushed to the vehicle that had been hit. The
trunk of the sedan was crushed 6 to 12 inches behind the B pillar (the part
of the car’s frame between the front and rear doors).
Carson, who was also an EMT student, approached the driver’s side
of the car. The door was pinned shut and he couldn’t break the glass. He
could see the driver had been killed. Another motorist was trying to open
the front passenger door. Carson ran over to help as his trainer joined him.
“I asked (Hare) to go back to the truck,” said Carson. “He wanted to give
me any help he could, but there really wasn’t anything he could do, and I
didn’t want him to see this.”
Carson also asked gathering bystanders to go back to their vehicles to
clear the scene for first responders. Thankfully, the front-seat passenger
was breathing, although unresponsive.
“Then I saw a second passenger in the back seat,” recalled Carson. “He
was wedged between the back seat and the back of the front seat. I couldn’t
reach him, and had no idea what his condition was.”
When a bridge authority officer arrived on scene, Carson briefed her
on the situation as one of the bystanders continued trying to open the
passenger-side door.
“He yelled that he had gotten the door open, and the front-seat passenger
had regained consciousness,” Carson said, adding that he rushed over.
“She was screaming. I asked her where she hurt and what she could feel,
but she was unable to answer because of the pain.”
He asked the officer for any medical equipment she had.
“She handed me her medical bag and I was able to find a C (cervical
neck) collar,” he shared with TCA. He then rushed back to help the frontseat
passenger as first responders began arriving on the scene. As they
took over, Carson returned to his truck.
“We had to wait a few hours for police to perform their investigation and
extrication,” he said, adding that he doesn’t know why the car was stopped
in the middle of the road. He later learned the front-seat passenger was the
only one who survived.
STUART COLE
Stuart Cole, a resident of Jackson,
Mississippi, who drives for Taylor
Truck Line of Northfield, Minnesota,
was honored for looking after a fellow
motorist and her young daughter
as they waited for hours for a serious
multi-vehicle accident to clear ahead
of them.
Patience was the order of the day
early one morning on Interstate 80
(the Ohio Turnpike). It was around
5 a.m., and as Cole neared the Indiana
state line, traffic slowed to a stop.
STUART COLE
SEE HIGHWAY ANGELS, PAGE 44
TCA JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022 WWW.TRUCKLOAD.ORG | TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY 41

MAKING SAFETY HAPPEN COHORT SET FOR JANUARY 13
Because of popular demand, the
Truckload Carriers Association (TCA)
and DriverReach are proud to announce
the fourth cohort for the Making Safety
Happen program.
Don’t miss the opportunity to participate
in a forum and have an open dialogue
with like-minded safety professionals.
This exclusive TCA-member benefit provides expert-led instruction by
industry safety expert Brian Fielkow with Jetco Delivery, a multi-year Best
Fleets to Drive For Top 20 winner.
This robust program features:
• Six self-paced online courses.
• Instructor-led VIP workshops.
• How-to guides, informative videos, a toolkit, and discussion guides
to help you down your path to achieving safety excellence.
• An invitation to Trucking in the Round Hot Topic Sessions being held
during Truckload 2022: Las Vegas.
This offering has also been approved to qualify for 2.75 points toward
your North American Transportation Management Institute (NATMI)
certification renewal.
“I recently received my designation for Director of Safety though
NATMI, in the spring,” shared Steve’s Livestock Transport Safety and
Compliance Manager Heather Lischynski. “I had been reading Brian’s
book, ‘Leading People Safely,’ the fall prior.
“When I saw the course option come up through TCA, I knew it would
be a good fit for myself, and the course has not disappointed,” she continued.
“The group size is just right, allowing for optimal participation. The
group discussion and sharing are great,
and I’ve already made new connections
with the other members of the group.”
Vita Plus Corporation’s General Manager
Jeff Winkler agrees.
“Making Safety Happen was a course
that was very much geared to ‘getting
things done’ and not just discussing theoretical
ideas,” he said. “The presentations were well thought out, and the
toolbox materials are great additions to use with our team during our
safety discussions.”
Are you ready to register your team and build your bottom line with
safety excellence? TCA members can access all benefits for only $850 —
a savings of nearly $1,200. Sign up today by emailing TCA@truckload.
org and join us for these workshops:
• Safety Values vs. Safety Priorities: Identifying Your Safety Gaps
Thursday, January 13, from 1-2:30 p.m. Eastern time
• Eliminating Your Safety Dysfunctions
Thursday, February 3, from 1-2:30 p.m. Eastern time
• Engaging Employees in Your Safety Mission
Thursday, March 3, from 1-2:30 p.m. Eastern time
• Creating Accountabilities for Safe Behaviors
Thursday, April 7, from 1-2:30 p.m. Eastern time
• Eliminating Shortcuts & Creating a Process that Your Team Understands
Thursday, May 5, from 1-2:30 p.m. Eastern time
• Identifying the Right Metrics to Assess Safety Performance
Thursday, June 2, from 1-2:30 p.m. Eastern time
TCA BESTOWS SCHOLARSHIPS ON SCHILLI, TUTTLE
The Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) has endowed three new
scholarships in the name of two former chairmen. Two scholarships are in
honor of the late Thomas R. Schilli, and one is in honor of Keith Tuttle.
TCA President John Lyboldt made the announcement during the Board of
Directors meeting at Truckload 2021: Les Vegas in September.
“The scholarships, part of the larger Past Chairmen’s Fund Scholarship
initiative, have been endowed through generous donations to honor the
distinguished careers of two long-standing pillars of our industry and
association,” said Lyboldt.
In order for a TCA Past Chairman to have a fully endowed scholarship
in their name, their Past Chairmen’s Fund is required to receive $50,000 in
donations.
Schilli served as chairman of the board from 1988-1989, during which time
he was one of the most vocal supporters of a Scholarship Fund promoting the
future of the trucking industry. This type of innovative, people-first thinking
carried over into all aspects of his 50-plus year career and enabled him to
transform Schilli Motor Lines, Inc. — a company his father founded in the
early 1960s with six tractors — into an influential transportation empire with
companies including Schilli Transportation Services, Inc.; Schilli Leasing;
Schilli Specialized; and Schilli Distribution.
In addition to serving as TCA’s chairman, Schilli held leadership positions
within the Indiana Motor Truck Association, the Indiana Carrier Advisory
Board, and the American Trucking Associations. He was also deeply invested
in charitable organizations around his hometown of St. Louis, establishing
the Thomas R. Schilli Foundation to promote education and provide funds
for community members to pursue higher education and equip them with
valuable skills.
Receiving the two inaugural Thomas R. Schilli Scholarships, each in the
amount of $3,250, are Grace Hensley and Jacob Hammond.
Tuttle served as chairman of the TCA board from 2015-2016 after having
been an active participant in many TCA committees and twice serving as its
treasurer. In 1980, Tuttle took over the Northwood, Ohio-based Motor Carrier
Service, LLC (MCS) from his father. Under Tuttle’s leadership, MCS was named
a Top 20 Best Fleet to Drive For five consecutive years, as well as named Carrier
SEE SCHOLARSHIPS, PAGE 43
42 TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY | WWW.TRUCKLOAD.ORG TCA JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

MAKE PLANS TO ATTEND TRUCKLOAD 2022: LAS VEGAS
The Truckload Carriers Association’s (TCA)
annual convention, Truckload 2022: Las Vegas,
is returning to the Wynn March 19-22, 2022.
Don’t miss the opportunity to join more than
1,200 industry professionals for this year’s
event, which features a revamped schedule,
additional networking opportunities, an enhanced
exhibit hall with more exhibition hours
and a College Basketball Tournament Viewing
Lounge, insightful panel discussions featuring
influential truckload executives, and more.
Truckload 2022: Las Vegas is the premier
event for truckload professionals looking to
make new connections and educate themselves
on the latest trends in the industry.
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Dr. Benjamin S. Carson Sr., M.D., is founder
and chairman of the American Cornerstone Institute.
He most recently served as the 17th Secretary
of the U.S. Department of Housing and
Urban Development. Don’t miss the opportunity
to hear his intriguing story on Monday, March
21, thanks to our sponsor International Trucks.
FEATURED SPEAKER
Kevin Mitnick is the world’s most famous
hacker, a New York Times bestselling author,
and the top cybersecurity keynote speaker.
Once one of the FBI’s Most Wanted because
he hacked into 40 major corporations just for
the challenge, Mitnick is now a trusted security
consultant to Fortune 500 companies and governments
worldwide. Make plans to attend this
insightful presentation on Tuesday, March 22,
thanks to our sponsor Pilot Flying J.
SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE
Saturday, March 19
2:30-4:30 p.m.: TCA Officers Meeting
(*invitation only)
Dr. Benjamin S. Carson Sr., M.D., will deliver the keynote
address during Truckload 2022: Las Vegas/
3:30-4:30 p.m.: Attendee Orientation
4:30-5:30 p.m.: Membership Committee
5:30-6:30 p.m.: New Member Welcome
Mixer sponsored by Tenstreet
6-7 p.m.: Kickoff Reception sponsored by
Volvo Trucks
Sunday, March 20
7:15-8:30 a.m.: Breakfast
7:45-8:30 a.m.: Inspirational Session
8:30-9:30 a.m.: Highway Policy Committee
9:45-10:45 a.m.: Communications &
Image Committee
11 a.m. - noon: Recruitment & Retention
Human Resources Committee
Noon - 1:15 p.m.: Lunch &
Welcome Remarks
1:15-2:15 p.m.: Regulatory Policy
Committee
2:30-3:30 p.m.: Independent Contractor
Practices Policy Committee
3:45-7 p.m.: Opening Exhibit Hall Reception
& College Basketball Tournament
Viewing Party sponsored by EpicVue
and Relay Payments
Monday, March 21
7-8 a.m.: Breakfast sponsored by CAT Scale
8-10 a.m.: General Session
10:15-11:15 a.m.: Executive Panel
11:30 a.m. - 2:15 p.m.: Lunch &
Express Talks in Exhibit Hall
2:30-3:30 p.m.: Workshops &
Discussion Groups
3:30-4 p.m.: Networking Break
4-4:30 p.m.: Workshops &
Discussion Groups
4-5 p.m.: Best Fleets to Drive For Reception
(*invitation only)
5-6 p.m.: Reception sponsored by
Daimler Trucks
6:30-9:30 p.m.: Truckload Strong
Off-Site Event at Brooklyn Bowl
Tuesday, March 22
7-8 a.m.: Breakfast
8-10 a.m.: General Session
10:15-11:15 a.m.: Executive Panel
11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.: Lunch &
Express Talks in Exhibit Hall
2-3 p.m.: Workshops & Discussion Groups
2-3 p.m.: TCA Scholarship Fund
Committee Meeting
3:15-4:15 p.m.: Board of Directors’
Meeting sponsored by Samsara
5-6 p.m.: Closing Reception
sponsored by ACT 1
6:15-9:30 p.m.: Annual Closing Banquet
sponsored by ACT 1 with Entertainment
by ’80s Rock Band 38 Special
To meet our speakers, view workshops, or to
register for the event, visit truckload2022.com.
Join the conversation on social media by using
the hashtag #2022TCA.
SCHOLARSHIPS, FROM PAGE 42
of the Year by several of the Fortune 500 companies that use its services.
During Tuttle’s chairmanship, he was a vocal advocate for the image of
the trucking industry, having previously served on TCA’s Communications
& Image Committee and American Trucking Associations’ Image & Communications
committees. He enhanced the profile and visibility of trucking
through increased participation in programs such as Highway Angel, Wreaths
Across America, the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree, and the Vietnam Veterans
Memorial Fund’s The Wall that Heals. He also advocated for added focus on
TCA’s educational offerings, realizing the value that continuing education for
the workforce could provide, and he oversaw the launch and expansion of
revamped TCA online learning platforms.
Tuttle is also involved in many charitable organizations and currently
serves on the Board of Trustees for Shriners Hospitals For Children-Chicago.
The inaugural Keith Tuttle scholarship will be awarded during the 2022-23
school year.
“TCA and I are extremely honored to receive this support from the Schilli
family and Keith,” shared TCA Scholarship Fund Chairman and Wilson Logistics
Founder and CEO Darrel Wilson. “They not only served the association
and devoted their lives to the industry, but continue to give back. We are
thankful for their continued support.”
Since 1973, the Fund has provided scholarships to students associated
with the trucking industry. Each scholarship recipient must be a student in
good standing who is attending a four-year college or university, and must
be associated with a TCA member company as an employee, independent
contractor, or the child, grandchild, or spouse of an employee or independent
contractor of a TCA member company.
The Fund awards up to $6,250 per year to full-time undergraduate college
students with ties to the trucking industry. Much of the program’s support
comes from within the truckload family — companies and individuals who
are committed to the future of trucking.
To find out how to support the program, or to meet the 2021-22 TCA
Scholarship recipients, visit truckload.org/scholarships.
TCA JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022 WWW.TRUCKLOAD.ORG | TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY 43

HIGHWAY ANGELS, FROM PAGE 41
“I thought it was because of the road construction,” he said. “There
was only one open lane.”
Little did he know that a nine-vehicle accident had occurred a mile
ahead involving six trucks and three passenger vehicles. Cole was in for a
long — almost seven hours — wait.
“There was nowhere to go,” he recalled, because concrete barriers
lined both sides of the lane.
A woman who was stopped near Cole was traveling alone with her
10-year-old daughter on their way home to Nebraska.
“I noticed he was such a safe driver on the interstate, truly adhering
to posted speeds and maintaining great distance,” the woman wrote in
a letter to Cole’s employer. “I wanted to compliment him personally, but
didn’t want traffic to restart when I was out of my vehicle. Well, after 80
minutes at a standstill, I figured it was safe.”
She said Cole offered her and her daughter food and water.
“Later, he even gave us a large towel for some privacy when my
daughter had to use a bathroom,” she said. “He was so nice, and generally
reassuring in such a strange predicament. He truly helped myself and my
daughter feel safe on the road. I will continue to speak highly of both him
as a driver and your company. Thank you!”
Cole shared with TCA that the woman was stopped several vehicles
ahead of him.
“She got out first and walked back to my truck,” he recalled. “We started
chatting. Other people were getting out to walk around or walk their
dogs. Some walked up to the scene of the accident and came back to
report what they saw.”
He even offered her bread and sandwich meat that he had in his cab’s
refrigerator.
“I just tried to make the most of it,” he said with a laugh.
There’s so much negativity out here about truck drivers,” said Cole. “If
I see other motorists who are in need of help, I stop and check to see what
I can do.”
Cole has been driving since 2003; before that he worked for the State of
Mississippi after leaving the Navy in 1996.
“I love what I do,” he said. “I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t love it.”
DONNELL HARRIS
Donnell Harris Jr. of Killeen, Texas,
who drives for Artur Express of
Hazelwood, Missouri, is being honored
for stopping to help extinguish
a car fire off Interstate 30.
August 10 was a pretty normal
day for Harris as he drove along I-30
just outside Sulphur Springs, Texas.
That is until he saw billowing smoke
up ahead in the grassy median.
“I thought it was a grass fire,” he
shared with TCA. “But as I got closer,
I saw it was a Ford Mustang on fire.”
DONNELL HARRIS
The flames were coming from
the front of the vehicle and were beginning
to spread to the grass. Harris carefully moved to the left lane of
the two-lane divided highway and pulled over as far as he could onto the
shoulder. Thankfully, the car’s occupants, a mother and young girl, had
escaped safely and waited a safe distance away.
Another motorist had stopped minutes earlier and was using a small
extinguisher, but Harris could see it wasn’t enough to put out the blaze.
“I grabbed my extinguisher and ran to help,” he said.
Harris and the other motorist were able to keep the flames under control
and prevent them from spreading. The fire department arrived on
scene within five minutes and took over. Harris was soon back on his way,
thankful that things turned out as well as they did.
Harris has been driving for six years and will soon celebrate his
one-year anniversary with Artur Express.
ALEC “ZAY” HARRISON
Alec “Zay” Harrison of Portland,
Oregon, who at the time of the incident
drove for Pro Truck Lines of
Portland, Oregon, is being honored
after a last-minute decision put her
in the right place and time to help
resuscitate another driver who had
collapsed at a truck stop.
Harrison was on her way from
Portland to Seattle on a regular route
along Interstate 5 when “nature
called” and put her in the right place
at the right time.
ALEC “ZAY” HARRISON
“I normally stop a little farther up,
but I had to use the rest room,” she
said with a laugh. She pulled into Gee Cee’s Truck Stop at exit 57. “When
I got back in my truck, I decided not to use the front entrance and pulled
around to the back by the mechanic’s shop.”
That’s when she saw two men in the parking lot near a fork lift.
“There was something on the ground,” she shared with TCA. “I thought
they had dropped something, but as I got closer, I realized it was a person
laying there and he wasn’t moving.”
Concerned, Harrison safely pulled over, hit the four ways, and grabbed
her medical kit.
One of the men was calling 911 and the other was kneeling on the
ground, shaking the unresponsive man, a truck driver, who had collapsed
face down.
She checked for a pulse. Finding none, she instructed the two men to
turn the man over while she held his head. She then started doing compressions.
“The paramedics arrived about eight minutes later,” she said. “They
got set up, and then the captain knelt next to me and took over without
missing a beat.”
The paramedics intubated the man and were able to get a pulse, but
then lost it.
“They defibbed him a couple times and got the pulse back and a stable
blood pressure,” shared Harrison. They then got the man ready for transport
to the hospital.
“I got back in my truck and pulled out to continue on,” she said.
“But I was shaking so bad I had to pull over,” she shared. “I called my
sister who is a nurse, and my buddy, Joe. Later that afternoon as I was
heading back to Portland, Joe found the hospital where the man had been
taken to. He was told the man was a patient, so that was good. It meant
he was still alive.”
The next morning Harrison got a call from one of the driver’s co-workers
who had picked up his load. He wasn’t doing well, but his family, including
his wife and daughter, were at the hospital with him.
Later that afternoon Harrison learned the driver had passed away.
“At least his family could be there,” she said with a catch in her
throat. “I found out his co-worker had delivered his load at 4 p.m.
The man passed away at 4:15. (The co-worker) was choked up and
44 TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY | WWW.TRUCKLOAD.ORG TCA JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

said (the driver) must have waited until the load was delivered.”
Harrison learned the driver was in his late 50s.
“His sister called me a week later and thanked me for allowing
them to be with him” she said. “It’s been a tough thing to deal with.
I’m glad they had time with him.”
Harrison learned CPR at the age of 11 when she was a Girl Scout,
and has kept her certification current. Harrison began driving in 2002.
“I was taught by old-school knights of the road,” she said. “They
looked out for one another. I wish more drivers would get out and talk
to each other again.”
If you would like to learn how to perform “Hands-Only” CPR, contact
the American Red Cross or your local fire department for classes/
training in your area.
ROBERT KRAVETTE
Robert Kravette of Port St. Lucie,
Florida, who drives for Carroll Fulmer
Logistics Corp. of Groveland,
Florida, is being honored for stopping
to help two teenagers after
they lost control of their vehicle and
rolled into a highway median.
Kravette was headed west on
Interstate 26 near Aiken, South
Carolina, when he saw an SUV in
the eastbound lanes swerve out of
ROBERT KRAVETTE
control and into the grassy median,
where it rolled several times.
“Eastbound traffic had come to a halt pretty fast,” he said. “It appeared
that when the SUV driver reacted and hit the brakes, he swerved and lost
control.”
Kravette pulled to the shoulder and then jumped out and ran across
the highway to help. The SUV was lying on its passenger side.
“It looked really bad,” he recalled. “I was afraid of what I would find.”
Several other motorists had also stopped and rushed over to the SUV.
When Kravette reached the vehicle, he saw two male teenagers inside.
Kravette tried breaking the windshield out, but wasn’t successful.
“We were finally able to get the driver’s door open,” he said.
He and some of the other motorists who had stopped managed to
safely pull the driver and his passenger out of the vehicle.
“Thank God they weren’t seriously injured,” Kravette shared with
TCA.
Once he saw that everything was under control, Kravette left his
contact information and hurried back to his truck.
“There was a lot of traffic building up and I was parked on the side of
the road,” he remembered.
Kravette has been driving an 18-wheeler for six years. Before that, he
drove a straight truck for 15 years.
“I love my job,” he shared. “I love seeing the landscape.”
His dog, Max, is his sidekick.
TIMOTHY SIKES
Timothy Sikes of Melvin, Texas,
was named a Highway Angel for
stopping to help an elderly man
who lost control of his vehicle and
rolled into a ditch.
Sikes was at a truck stop near
Baytown, Texas, early one morning
TIMOTHY SIKES
in April. He had just finished his pre-trip inspection and was taking his
dog, Diesel, for a walk when he heard the sound of screeching tires.
“I looked around and saw a car going off the road,” he said. “It went
into the ditch and rolled.”
Sikes called 911 and rushed over to check on the driver, a man in his
80s. He was trapped in his car.
“He told me he had fallen asleep at the wheel,” recalled Sikes.
Although Sikes wasn’t able to open the door of the damaged vehicle,
he talked with the driver to keep him calm until first responders arrived
just a few minutes later. The driver appeared to have minor injuries.
Sikes now drives for Bay & Bay in Eagan, Minnesota.
DEVEY SOUTH
Devey South, who lives in Carrollton,
Georgia, is being honored
for stopping to rescue a father
and son after another driver sideswiped
their vehicle, causing it to
roll several times.
On June 9, South was westbound
on Interstate 78 near Saucon,
Pennsylvania. It was midafternoon,
and traffic was quite
heavy. He was in the right-hand
lane when a car and SUV approached
on his left.
DEVEY SOUTH
“The car started to fishtail,
swerved, and then sideswiped the
SUV,” he recalled. “It caused the SUV to spin and then flip four times
across the highway.”
The SUV landed on the driver’s side and slammed against the concrete
barrier. South applied his air brakes and pulled over. He then
jumped out and ran across several lanes of traffic.
“The back window was busted out,” South shared with TCA. “I stuck
my head in, but there was smoke or dust, and I couldn’t see anything.”
But then he saw a boy, about 12 years old, lift his head.
“He was cut, and had blood all over his arms,” South recalled, adding
that he told the boy to hang on. He then climbed on top of the SUV.
“The driver’s door was smashed in,” he said. “It took me about 10
minutes to pry the door open.”
The driver, the boy’s father, was conscious and still buckled in his
seat belt.
“He was crying and in pain, but didn’t speak English,” recalled South.
South was able to pull the boy out first. He then used his Swiss
Army knife to cut the driver’s seat belt. At the time, South says he didn’t
know if he was dealing with smoke or dust from the air bags, so he and
another motorist who had stopped decided to pull the driver out and
get him on the ground.
As they waited for first responders, the driver of the other vehicle
got out.
“She was on her cellphone and looked like she was fine,” said South.
“She kept saying she was sorry.”
South says he wasn’t able to find out what triggered the accident. He
waited with the injured driver and his son until first responders arrived
a short time later and took over.
South shared that, although he’s been driving for 20 years, this is
the first time he’s been this close to being involved in an accident.
To nominate a driver or meet additional Highway Angels recipients,
visit highwayangel.org.
TCA JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022 WWW.TRUCKLOAD.ORG | TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY 45

The Truckload Carriers Association
welcomes companies that
joined our association in
August and September.
AX Transportation
Becker LLC
Brother Mobile Solutions
Carriers Direct, Inc.
CLE Transportation
Companies
June
October
Dickey Transport
Raven Transport Co.
S2Q Systems
Fusion Now Agency
Idrive, Inc.
Q Products & Services
Ken Stabler Trucking
Lavalle Transportation
Liberty Linehaul West
Burns Logistics
Continental Express, Inc.
Crawford Trucking
Nortia Logistics, Inc.
OTR Leasing
UC Group
November
LoadStop, Inc.
MapGraphiX
newtrul
Pulsar Informatics, Inc.
Pyle Transportation
Sky Transportation
SL Recruiting Resources
Test Drive
Whiting Systems, Inc.
TCA TRUCKLOAD PROFITABILITY
PROGRAM LAUNCHING NEW GROUP
Calling all asset-based freight brokerage companies! The TCA
Profitability Program (TPP) is launching a new best practice group —
TC-13. Ready to better utilize your data to guide your brokerage operations
through 2022 and beyond?
TPP is the trucking industry’s premier performance improvement
solution, fusing TCA’s popular Best Practice Groups and the powerful
inGauge online benchmarking platform.
Best Practice Groups are exclusively for those carriers who are committed
to being top performers in the trucking industry. Best Practice Groups are
the foundation from which the TPP is formed. Being a participant in a
group includes all of the features of inGauge that the Performance Groups
users can access, but with the additional benefit of peer-to-peer, biannual
group meetings. These sessions provide opportunities for carriers to share
ideas that make their businesses successful, thus learning from each other
in a deeper way than simply comparing numbers from the office.
To learn more, contact TPP’s Program Manager Shepard Dunn at
shepard@tcaingauge.com or by calling 812-887-9600.
COVER PHOTO:
iStock
ADDITIONAL MAGAZINE PHOTOGRAPHY/GRAPHICS:
Associated Press: P. 6, 10
CFI: P. 3, 28, 29
iStock: P. 6, 7, 10, 12, 13, 16, 17
Kim Richardson: P. 36
Renee Crabtree Photography: P. 20, 21, 25
Sud Malhortra: P. 36
TCA: P. 3, 22, 24, 25, 26, 36, 37, 38, 39, 41, 43, 44, 45
Today’s Trucking: P. 37
Trans4 Group Ltd.: P. 36
CORRECTION
In the November/December edition of Truckload Authority, Page 41 inadvertently omitted the
name of a second Best Fleets to Drive For award sponsor, TruckRight. TCA and CarriersEdge
thank both EpicVue and TruckRight for their continued support of the program.
46 TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY | WWW.TRUCKLOAD.ORG TCA JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022