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6 • OCTOBER 2023 THE NATION THETRUCKER.COM Courtesy: Trucker Path A few of the sweepstakes sponsors pose for a picture with the grand prize winner, Angie Moland (third from left) of Dolton, Illinois. Trucker Path, The Trucker, other sponsors name winners of truck driver appreciation sweepstakes PHOENIX — Trucker Path announced the winners of the second annual National Truck Driver Appreciation Sweepstakes. The sweepstakes was sponsored by Trucker Path, The Trucker Media Group, Sheetz, Motel 6 and ExxonMobil. The Grand Prize, which included $3,000 in Sheetz gift cards, 30 free nights at any motel 6 in the U.S., and $500 in ExxonMobil fuel cards, was won by Angie Moland of Dolton, Illinois. The winners of weekly drawings who received a $500 Sheetz gift card, five free nights at any Motel 6 in the U.S., and a $100 ExxonMobil fuel card were: • Matt T. of Valrico, Florida; • Arthur M. of Hopatcong, New Jersey; and • Arlin H. of Nappanee, Indiana. “Along with our iconic industry sponsor partners, we are pleased to award these prizes as a way of saying thanks to drivers for their dedication,” said Chris Oliver, CMO at Trucker Path. PARKING cont. from Page 1 “President Biden’s historic investment through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law helps improve commercial motor vehicle safety on our roadways both at the national and local levels,” said FMCSA Administrator Robin Hutcheson. “Our grantees will dedicate these investments to innovative technology, research, and other projects that will positively impact CMV safety and move us towards the National Roadway Safety Strategy’s goal of zero deaths on our nation’s roadways.” This funding includes over $80 million invested in new truck parking spaces across the country: • Caldwell County, Texas: A $22.9 million RAISE grant will be used to design and construct a truck parking plaza that improves safety and convenience for truck drivers. The plaza will include short- and long-term spaces with lighting, fencing, restroom and shower facilities, and 24-hour monitored security. • Caldwell Parish, Louisiana: A $10.5 million RAISE grant will be used to buy land and build THE TRUCKER NEWS STAFF “Truck drivers are an essential part of the nation’s supply chain and are often overlooked,” Oliver continued. “Through the National Truck Driver Appreciation Sweepstakes, we celebrate the importance of these dedicated carriers and show our appreciation for their contributions and hard work.” Active U.S. truck drivers with a valid CDL were eligible to enter the National Truck Driver Appreciation Sweepstakes. Winners of the weekly and grand prizes were randomly selected by a licensed third-party sweepstakes company. National Truck Driver Appreciation Week is an annual event that recognizes the significant contributions of the millions of professional truck drivers nationwide who safely and securely deliver essential goods and transport billions of tons of freight annually. This year, the week was celebrated Sept. 10-16. 8 a truck parking facility near the port and a highway for 50 commercial trucks, 100 cars and EV charging stations that are designed to provide auxiliary power units to power a truck cab’s heating and cooling, without having to run the engine while also recharging trucks. There will also be a system to find parking spaces in real time. • On Interstate 4 Between Tampa and Orlando, Florida: A $15 million INFRA grant is earmarked for a new truck parking facility that will include approximately 120 spaces, electric charging stations and pedestrian infrastructure to access nearby commercial amenities. • Near Memphis, Tennessee: A $22 million INFRA grant will be used to add 125 truck parking spaces at a spot along Interstate 40, which is a critical freight corridor. The project will also upgrade adjacent bridge structures. All high-priority grant applications undergo a series of reviews before award selection. Visit fmcsa.dot.gov/grants for additional information about the discretionary application announcement, review and approval process. 8 COSTS cont. from Page 3 latter half of 2022 tempered the increase in repair and maintenance costs. Even so, the cost of maintaining equipment increased substantially over 2021. The costs associated with repair and maintenance were .196 cents per mile in 2022, bolstered by parts and labor expenses increasing 13% over 2021 costs. Carriers with larger fleets saw per-mile savings in repair and maintenance costs, likely due to purchasing new equipment. Still, parts shortages and increased labor maintained per-mile costs at relatively high levels in spite of savings experienced by larger carriers. Tire prices, closely connected to global oil costs, also rose in 2022. Overall, carriers of all sizes saw tire prices of .045 cents per mile. The price of liability insurance remained relatively steady in 2022. Insurance costs were up only 0.2 cents per mile, averaging 8.8 cents per mile for carriers. This represented a 0.1% increase over the three-year average. The stability in insurance costs is largely attributable to fewer miles driven during the pandemic. Even with more miles driven in 2022 — and a corresponding increase in accidents and repairs — the COVID-19 pandemic period profits seen by insurance companies allowed them to pass the savings on to the trucking industry. AEB cont. from Page 4 Hutcheson. “This technology can enhance the effectiveness of commercial motor vehicle crash reduction strategies and reduce roadway fatalities.” According to NHTSA statistics, there are about 60,000 rear-end crashes a year in which a heavy vehicle is the striking vehicle. Once implemented, NHTSA estimates the proposed rule will prevent 19,118 crashes, save 155 lives and prevent 8,814 injuries annually. NHTSA and FMCSA incorporated feedback from the safety advocacy community, industry representatives and other interested parties to address this critical safety need on America’s roads. In January 2022, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) released the National Roadway Safety Strategy (NRSS), a roadmap to address the national crisis of motor vehicle fatalities and serious injuries. The DOT also launched the “Call to Action” phase of the NRSS and released a one-year progress report with accompanying data that highlight the extent and magnitude of the CDL cont. from Page 1 testing delays, improving CDL reporting, maintaining accurate driver records and training CDL skills test examiners. “Every day, we all count on food, clothing, medicine and other goods that reach us thanks to America’s truck drivers,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “With these grants, we are helping states bring more well-trained drivers into this essential field, strengthening our supply chains for years to come.” More than $3 million in funds from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will also be used for a Commercial Motor Vehicle Operator Safety Training grant (CMVOST). The insurance savings did not carry over to small carriers, however, as small, specialized fleets saw premium increases of 1 to five 5 cents per mile. A review of increasing operational costs and declining freight rates emphasizes the importance of operational efficiencies to carriers of all sizes. Empty mileage, dwell time and mpg are all critical in computing cost efficiencies, and 2022 saw trends offering a mixed bag for carriers of all sizes. Non-tanker “deadhead” mileage was up to 15.4% in 2022, an increase of 0.7% over the previous year. Dwell time for the industry was measured at 1 hour and 46 minutes per stop, a nine-minute decrease over 2022. Still, dwell time is listed in the Top 5 issues facing the industry in multiple surveys of trucking professionals. Fuel economy was up slightly over 2022, with trucks averaging 6.68 mpg. Speed governor usage is credited as being largely responsible for mileage improvement. “Carriers are looking at every aspect of their operations to ensure costs are in line,” Pearson said. “Companies are diligently investing in technology and processes to increase efficiency, ensuring their teams are right sized to provide valuable service to drivers and customers, and aligning their networks.” 8 nation’s highway safety problem and ways to eventually bring the number of deaths on our roadways to zero. Federal officials say new technology, such as AEBs, are vital to the future of roadway safety. Back at Nussbaum, Stickling said that while AEB systems are not perfect, they are beneficial to both truck drivers and everyone else on the road. “It would be foolish to pretend the systems are perfect,” he said. “They certainly have quirks. Sometimes they beep or do ‘haptic braking’ (brake stab) when they shouldn’t. In very rare instances, they have stopped the truck without a good reason. And we don’t want to be insensitive to this — it can be annoying at times.” However, Stickling said, the imperfections don’t “add much risk at all,” noting that the crash prevention benefits of AEBs are “extremely high.” “And the technology keeps getting better,” said. “I think we are on the fourth or fifth generation of this by now. Each one gets better, and that trend will continue.” 8 The grant’s goal, federal officials say, is to increase the capacity to train veterans and their family members, individuals from underserved and refugee communities and other Americans to safely operate CMVs, obtain their CDLs and enter the truck and bus driving profession. “This essential funding provided through the CMVOST grant program will help expand and diversify the pool of trained drivers, with an important focus on attracting Veterans and individuals from underserved and refugee communities,” said FMCSA Administrator Robin Hutcheson. “We’re proud that these grants are giving priority to current and former members of the U.S. Armed Forces, including National Guard, Reservists, and their family members, to pursue a commercial driver’s license.” 8
Thetrucker.com october 2023 • 7 PERSPECTIVE FROM THE EDITOR: Happy October! Between the lines Linda GARNER-BUNCH editor@thetruckermedia.com Welcome to October, everyone! We are right in the heart of my favorite time of year — autumn. I’m not trying to sound fancy; I’ve just never liked referring to this season as fall. As a natural-born klutz, I “fall” all too often! From colorful leaves to crisp, cool days, this month brings a lot to enjoy, whether you’re out on the road or stuck in an office (like me). If you’re lucky enough to have home time, take the kids or grandkids to a local fall festival or Halloween carnival — or if you’re brave enough, check out a local haunted house tour. Personally, I’ve always loved corn mazes. One of our staff writers, Erica N. Guy, says this means I’m either psychotic or a serial killer ... or both. She’s frequently said to me, “Linda, nothing good comes from corn. Haven’t you watched the movies?!” I first discovered Erica’s “cornophobia” while driving from Arkansas to Iowa back in July for the annual Walcott Truckers Jamboree at the Iowa 80 Truckstop. Naturally, we were surrounded by cornfields for much of the trip. In addition to Halloween, October gives us a chance to celebrate World Smile Day on the first Friday of the month — but feel free to smile every day! The second Friday is World Egg Day, so “omelet” you decide how to celebrate. (Get it? “I’m-a-let” you? My kids say I’m too hung up on corny humor.) October is Adopt a Shelter Dog Month, National Apple Month, National Book Month, National Pizza Month and National Roller Skating Month. What’s not to love? On a more somber note, October is also host to some more serious observances — Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Domestic Violence Awareness Month and National Bullying Prevention Month. As a survivor of two of the three (no, I’m not going to tell you which ones), I am fully aware of the lifelong impact each can have on an individual, as well as on their family. Take time to take care of your health, and if you have a chance to prevent domestic violence or bullying, please do so in a safe and lawful manner. But enough with the gloomy thoughts! Let’s talk about Halloween. Do you let your kids dress up in costumes and hit the streets for trick-or-treating? Or do you opt for “trunkor-treat” events or organized parties? I grew up in the 1960s and ’70s, so I survived wearing those hard plastic masks that completely obscured your vision and then knocking on the doors of complete strangers to beg for candy. Ah, those were the days! 8 Cowboy crooner Gene Autry’s ride to stardom, Part 1 RHYTHM OF THE ROAD KRIS RUTHERFORD krisr@thetruckermedia.com Those who know me sometimes say I have a one-track mind when it comes to music. That is a fallacy. After all, I listen to both country AND western. So, for a bit of a twist, I thought I’d concentrate a couple of columns on the less appreciated (at least by today’s standards) of the two — western. With that, here’s the story of how tiny Tioga, Texas, lost its claim as the home of recording and silver screen star Gene Autry. Not only did Tioga lose its star, but so did Autry’s home state. Silent film actors like Tom Mix, a native of Pennsylvania, are credited with starring in the earliest Western films. While cowboy antics of the Old West as fictionalized on motion picture screens remained only a generation in the past, Mix and others, like Broncho Billy Anderson and William S. Hart, began filming early westerns around the turn of the 20th century. Perhaps the most noted film of the era was “The Great Train Robbery” — which is actually not based in the West, as some would expect, but instead in Paterson, New Jersey. A number of western movie stars of both the silent and modern era played cowboy roles set in the rough and tumble towns of Texas, the badlands of New Mexico and the deserts of Arizona. These actors came from across the country and called states like New York, New Jersey, Prepare your body’s ‘engine’ for cold and flu season THE TRUCKER TRAINER BOB PERRY Drivers, the dreaded cold-and-flu season will soon be upon us — that time of year when you need to protect your personal engine (aka your body) from freezing up, locking up and shutting down. Your job is tough enough without having to drive while feeling sick and tired. Just as you must get your rig winter-ready, you have to prepare your body for the season. Many trucking fleets organize flu immunization clinics at their terminals. If you’re not sure where to go, contact your human resource department or visit flu.gov to find a nearby location. Regardless of whether you get a flu shot, you must be proactive and be Ohio, Michigan and California their homes. The early western stars used the concept of “Texas” as a stage for their on-film personas. Too often, the actors never actually set foot in the Lone Star State. After all, California offered its share of terrain that resembled parts of Texas, and it cost producers far less to film near the motion picture hub of Los Angeles than traveling nearly halfway across the country. In many ways, it could be said that Hollywood stole Texas’ identity and passed the masquerade off as “authentic” to the generations of western movie fans who followed. But if you’re from Texas, misleading moviegoers was not nearly as criminal as the true story of a Texan who was considered among the most popular of all 20th century entertainers. Orvon Grover “Gene” Autry was born Sept. 29, 1907, near the small town of Tioga in north central Texas. At the time of Autry’s birth, Tioga claimed less than 800 citizens, a number that declined to 600 by the time Autry began his show business career two decades later. Tioga was cattle country — and true to his on-screen persona, Autry was every bit a cowboy, growing up on his parents’ ranch. One newspaper declared that Autry was “riding a horse before he could walk.” He eventually worked on the ranch and entered his first rodeo at the age of 12. But even more than cattle, Gene Autry loved music. Although the stories documenting Autry’s earliest days in music vary, most agree he began singing at a very young age. When he was 10, Autry decided he didn’t like the way his voice sounded without instruments in the background. He saved up $5 to buy a mail-order guitar and taught himself to play chords. Soon he was playing and singing at nightspots aware of your surroundings. Like the No. 1 rule in boxing, the best way to avoid the flu is simple: Always protect yourself. Professional truck drivers are at a high risk for the flu because of the environment in which they work. The constant contact with fellow drivers when going in and out of terminals and travel centers heightens the risk. The life of a driver means using multiple public restrooms, standing in fuel lines as others cough and sneeze around you, and using different showers daily. The secret to keeping the flu at bay is ramping up your immune system and keeping it running strong to help fight off germs and viruses. Here are a few proactive tips to help protect yourself: • Take a good multivitamin. It may improve your overall well-being. Vitamins are essential for professional truck drivers because of it can be difficult to find proper nutrition from foods on the road. When taking any form of vitamins, it’s a good idea to consume them right after you eat. • Take vitamin C and zinc supplements. along the Red River. While the reported date of the event varies, at some point during this period Autry and his family moved 60 miles north of Tioga to Ravia, Oklahoma. In fact, many accounts of Gene Autry’s life note Ravia as his boyhood home. But Texas doesn’t like to turn loose of its heroes. Perhaps it’s a coincidence that Tioga, Texas, took its name from a New York Indian tribe. After all, as so many supposedly Texas-based movies were filmed on out-of-state sets, it could be considered poetic justice that Autry lived in a town named after northerners. Then again, Autry was no Yankee. He was Texas-born and played the role of a Texan in most of the 93 films in which he starred from the 1930s to the 1950s. If only it could be so easy for Texas to lay claim to Hollywood’s first and most successful singing cowboy. Some historians have credited Autry as the second most influential star in the development of country music, arriving on the scene just a few years after Jimmie Rodgers. Biographer Don Cusic noted Autry as using the appeal of western movies along with his distinction as a singing cowboy, to introduce much of America to country music, a genre rooted in the South. And there is little doubt Autry’s singing gave a sub-genre of country music — western — its first widespread popularity outside states like Texas and Oklahoma. Moviegoers perceived Autry for what he was — a singing cowboy from Texas (although it was a brand of Texas twisted to Hollywood’s marketing preferences). Autry never lived in the cactus-thriving region of West Texas and Big Bend Country, See RHYTHM on PAGE 30 These will support your immune system and may reduce the severity of a cold. • Go heavy on the garlic. It’s a natural antibiotic, and one of the best ways to support your immune system. • Make healthy food choices. • Don’t go long periods without eating. Your system will become weak, and your immune system will lower its protection. • Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds multiple times a day, and wear gloves when you can. • Carry — and use — hand sanitizer and/ or sanitizing wipes. • Wipe down your truck’s steering wheel and door handles daily. • Try to get a daily brisk walk in. Until next time, stay safe and healthy out there. Known as The Trucker Trainer, Bob Perry has played a critical role in the paradigm shift of regulatory agencies, private and public sector entities, and consumers to understand the driver health challenge. Perry can be reached at truckertrainer@icloud.com. 8
Page 1 and 2: JOB Resources SCAN THE CODE FOR MOR
Page 3 and 4: THETRUCKER.COM THE NATION OCTOBER 2
Page 5: THETRUCKER.COM THE NATION OCTOBER 2
Page 9 and 10: THETRUCKER.COM PERSPECTIVE OCTOBER
Page 11 and 12: THETRUCKER.COM OCTOBER 2023 • 11
Page 13 and 14: THETRUCKER.COM BUSINESS OCTOBER 202
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Page 19 and 20: THETRUCKER.COM EQUIPMENT & TECH OCT
Page 21 and 22: THETRUCKER.COM EQUIPMENT & TECH OCT
Page 27 and 28: THETRUCKER.COM FEATURES OCTOBER 202
Page 31 and 32: No Long Term Contract. THETRUCKER.C

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